Smokin' Is Good For You

[WonderMonkey 727]

Well my Masterbuilt electric smoker died this morning.  I bought it when I was coaching, working on my career, etc. and liked that I didn't have to babysit the temperature.  Since that time the pellet smokers have evolved and the price point has come down to where I'm going to get one of those.

 

As my over/under, I'm going to use the Req Tec 590.  It's about the size I'd need, and has the features I want.  When I look at the other brands I'll compare against the Rec Teq.  Treager, Pit Boss, Yoder, etc.  I'll look at them.

 

If you have a smoker and hate it, or love it, let me know.  I'd like some real-world input on quality and features.

Edited April 3, 2021 by WonderMonkey

[Fishfiles 20,147]

3 hours ago, WonderMonkey said:

Well my Masterbuilt electric smoker died this morning.  I bought it when I was coaching, working on my career, etc. and liked that I didn't have to babysit the temperature.  Since that time the pellet smokers have evolved and the price point has come down to where I'm going to get one of those.

 

As my over/under, I'm going to use the Req Tec 590.  It's about the size I'd need, and has the features I want.  When I look at the other brands I'll compare against the Rec Teq.  Treager, Pit Boss, Yoder, etc.  I'll look at them.

 

If you have a smoker and hate it, or love it, let me know.  I'd like some real-world input on quality and features.

 

 

A  cheapie , gets the job down , Brinkman 

[Tim-ANC 202]

Make your own. This out of an old catering cart I bought on Craigslist. Burn alder in an old barbecue pan. A fan sucks the smoke out the top. Reminds me that I need to get the rest of last year's sockeye ready to smoke

 

 

 

[Fishfiles 20,147]

I just plugged in the smoker for today's first lunch meal with family , trying something different , a rib-eye roast first for me , sounds good , and  pork tenderloin --  been happy using the wood pellets , mesquite is my favorite , going to also make  some pepper poopers with crayfish boudin , cream cheese and bacon wrapped ---- this evening is round two for a Easter dinner meal , meat balls and spaghetti , salad with about 12 things in it , garlic bread , and  hamburgers  and sausage for the kids , cheese cake for dessert 

[WonderMonkey 727]

11 hours ago, Tim-ANC said:

Make your own. This out of an old catering cart I bought on Craigslist. Burn alder in an old barbecue pan. A fan sucks the smoke out the top. Reminds me that I need to get the rest of last year's sockeye ready to smoke

 

 

 

Stainless steel construction?

[Tim-ANC 202]

Yes double wall stainless and insulated 

[Goober 1,555]

I have a Pit Boss i use for grilling and a Cookshack SM-160 for ribs, briskets, sausages, shoulders. Both are outstanding.

[WonderMonkey 727]

15 hours ago, Goober said:

I have a Pit Boss i use for grilling and a Cookshack SM-160 for ribs, briskets, sausages, shoulders. Both are outstanding.

 

 

 

Which Pit Boss?  Those are on my list to look into more.

[Goober 1,555]

2 hours ago, WonderMonkey said:

 

Which Pit Boss?  Those are on my list to look into more.

700FB cooks steaks perfectly when i set at 400F

[WonderMonkey 727]

I purchased the Rec Teq 590.  Several where in the running and in the end I asked my wife which looked more cool.  I like the Rec Teq of the higher quality construction, but it comes at a higher price.  I had considered making my own as @Tim-ANC said, but that would take me a long time to find what I want and then do it.  Lazy?  Yes, kindof, but when it arrives I'll be done after assembly, assuming it works right away.  I have fresh hog in my freezer, it needs smoked!  Until it arrives I'll use my smoke tube and dead smoker, or smoke tube and grill if I want heat, so I won't starve.

 

Thanks for the input, everybody.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Is this it , looks like $899 is retail  , looks nice , but $899 nice , hmmmmm   ! 

[WonderMonkey 727]

6 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

 

Is this it , looks like $899 is retail  , looks nice , but $899 nice , hmmmmm   ! 

 

Yes, that's it.  It has horn handles!  Does that justify the price now?  HORN HANDLES, Fish!

[Fishfiles 20,147]

1 minute ago, WonderMonkey said:

 

Yes, that's it.  It has horn handles!  Does that justify the price now?  HORN HANDLES, Fish!

Horn handles , I'm impressed !!!  Add taxes ( you do have sales taxes up there , 9.75% here  ) and some pellets , upwards of $1K ----think I will stick with my $100 piece of crap and buy $900s worth of meat , LOL  --- it is nice , I seen one for $450 that interest me , but still that's $350s of meat , that's 7 weekend parties ---  bet yours taste better ---lol 

[m_quick 161]

I have a cheap masterbuilt none digital smoker. But purchased a ThermPro remote thermometer.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/ThermoPro-Digital-Remote-Wireless-Cooking-Thermometer-with-Timer-TP-07S/314138630?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&mtc=Shopping-B-F_HDH-G-HDH-29_29_HOUSEWARES-MULTI-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Kitchen_Tools&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_HDH-G-HDH-29_29_HOUSEWARES-MULTI-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Kitchen_Tools-71700000053156025-58700005102355536-92700060697398274&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItbHWxKDo7wIVw45bCh2hpA-iEAQYAiABEgJ3mvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

My Uncle has this digital one, works awesome, but no handles or stand, but on Blackfriday a few years ago it was like $99!

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Masterbuilt-30-inch-Digital-Electric-Smoker-in-Black/325174173?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101063307&&adid=22222222227135934392&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=244205910372&wl4=pla-399701370616&wl5=9060263&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=361338288&wl11=online&wl12=325174173&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpaj4m6Do7wIV2P_jBx2VugMUEAQYASABEgIOiPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[WonderMonkey 727]

7 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

Horn handles , I'm impressed !!!  Add taxes ( you do have sales taxes up there , 9.75% here  ) and some pellets , upwards of $1K ----think I will stick with my $100 piece of crap and buy $900s worth of meat , LOL  --- it is nice , I seen one for $450 that interest me , but still that's $350s of meat , that's 7 weekend parties ---  bet yours taste better ---lol 

 

I'm actually compensating for my lack of skills and general propensity to mess up a smoke.

 

To make me feel good about what I spent, my BIL has this one, it's base is $1,999.  It's a Yoder YS640s.

Edited April 5, 2021 by WonderMonkey

[WonderMonkey 727]

1 minute ago, m_quick said:

I have a cheap masterbuilt none digital smoker. But purchased a ThermPro remote thermometer.

 

https://www.homedepot.com/pep/ThermoPro-Digital-Remote-Wireless-Cooking-Thermometer-with-Timer-TP-07S/314138630?source=shoppingads&locale=en-US&mtc=Shopping-B-F_HDH-G-HDH-29_29_HOUSEWARES-MULTI-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Kitchen_Tools&cm_mmc=Shopping-B-F_HDH-G-HDH-29_29_HOUSEWARES-MULTI-NA-Feed-PLA-NA-NA-Kitchen_Tools-71700000053156025-58700005102355536-92700060697398274&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItbHWxKDo7wIVw45bCh2hpA-iEAQYAiABEgJ3mvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

My Uncle has this digital one, works awesome, but no handles or stand, but on Blackfriday a few years ago it was like $99!

 

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Masterbuilt-30-inch-Digital-Electric-Smoker-in-Black/325174173?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=101063307&&adid=22222222227135934392&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=244205910372&wl4=pla-399701370616&wl5=9060263&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=361338288&wl11=online&wl12=325174173&veh=sem&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpaj4m6Do7wIV2P_jBx2VugMUEAQYASABEgIOiPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Mine is very similar to your Uncle's but it has glass in the door.  The glass would smoke up and I wouldn't bother to clean it so in reality there was no viewing inside.  It was a great smoker, and it did me well.  I'm going to keep it to cold smoke things in.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

Keeping them clean is a chore , that smoke soot is messy--  

You know they  have  a seasoned smell to them , mine kind has a chocolatey smell to it , I use mesquite exclusively 

[WonderMonkey 727]

1 minute ago, Fishfiles said:

Keeping them clean is a chore , that smoke soot is messy--  

You know they  have  a seasoned smell to them , mine kind has a chocolatey smell to it , I use mesquite exclusively 

 

I've only used mesquite a few times.  On my cured hams I'll use Apple and like that.  For beef I use the typical woods and mesquite on occasion.

 

Since I bought this new toy and my freezer is full of hog, I've convinced myself I'm going to get a bit adventurous and try some new things.  I'll use it a bunch right away but then I've told myself I'll use it at minimum twice a week.  That's not too much to ask of myself and the wife will enjoy it and makes sides to pair with it.

 

Also .... I'm going to stuff some smokies/snack sticks from my sausage and smoke those.  Never done that and will be good.  I'll make just a few to practice for doing more of it with the next deer I take.

[Goober 1,555]

2 hours ago, WonderMonkey said:

  I have fresh hog in my freezer, it needs smoked!  Until it arrives I'll use my smoke tube and dead smoker, or smoke tube and grill if I want heat, so I won't starve.

Remember to brine your porker before you  smoke it

[Tim-ANC 202]

Never tried actually tried cooking meat in mine. Just pull it out in spring and smoke the left over fish from winter. There is an electric heater in it but that's just meant to keep things warm and perfect for cold smoked fish. 

 

I'll just throw meat on the fire pit in the backyard if I want to cook. Not fond of pig meat which I understand is best slow cooked.

 

[WonderMonkey 727]

I bought some color coded screw-off bucket lids to hold my smoker pellets.  They will keep the moisture out.

 

I like the buckets with the screw-off (! screw-offs) lids.  20 lbs of pellets will fit in two buckets with room to spare.  I taped the kind of pellet to a bucket and then the other bucket with the same color contains the same kind of pellets.

I may have to get a third bucket to handle when I empty a bucket and order another 20 lb bag.  If I do that I'll buy another lid of the required color.

The lids are Gamma Lids.

[87Iroc 344]

I have a couple hundred dollar electric smoker. My frustration with it is the temp fluxuates all over hte place. Smoker box didn't work from the factory so I had to buy a smoke box for it. Generally does a good job though. I'd love to get a higher end one but have other stuff I want to spend money on as well.  I bought a external temp gauge for it as well. Has a hand held device I can throw on the table beside me to tell me what the temp is. I also use pellets for smoking vs chips due to smoker box being crap on mine from factory(probalby need more air holes or somethign but it won't burn the chips...just heats them up and they never smoke)

 

My brother has a Traeger. Blue tooth thing that will message him on his phone. I think it was a grand. We tried to smoke a turkey at Thanksgiving. It didn't go great. But it does a great job other than that. It was the first time we'd ever tried to smoke a turkey. Likely a technique thing

 

We bought 5 gallon buckets like that a year ago to store dry goods in so we would never be running low on flower again when people panic'd about a pandemic

Edited April 12, 2021 by 87Iroc

[WonderMonkey 727]

2 minutes ago, 87Iroc said:

I have a couple hundred dollar electric smoker. My frustration with it is the temp fluxuates all over hte place. Smoker box didn't work from the factory so I had to buy a smoke box for it. Generally does a good job though. I'd love to get a higher end one but have other stuff I want to spend money on as well.  I bought a external temp gauge for it as well. Has a hand held device I can throw on the table beside me to tell me what the temp is. I also use pellets for smoking vs chips due to smoker box being crap on mine from factory(probalby need more air holes or somethign but it won't burn the chips...just heats them up and they never smoke)

 

My brother has a Traeger. Blue tooth thing that will message him on his phone. I think it was a grand. We tried to smoke a turkey at Thanksgiving. It didn't go great. But it does a great job other than that. 

 

We bought 5 gallon buckets like that a year ago to store dry goods in so we would never be running low on flower again when people panic'd about a pandemic

 

That temp fluctuation is maddening!  On my electric, which was fairly well insulated, I had an issue like that when it was windy or even too cold.  I used a welding blanket with a few holes cut for smoke and the controller, and that REALLY helped.  It may or may not help you.

 

As for the bluetooth fancy thing, I do like those.  My old one didn't have it but I also had a remote after-market sensor.  This new one I bought (arriving this week, supposedly) has an app and this and that and wipes my rump and everything else.  I'll probably over-use the gadgets and screw things up.  Really as long as the onboard computer helps regulate an even temperature and lets me know what the temp gauges (it has two) read, I'm very happy.  I can't think of anything else I'd want.  The remote start feature, which you aren't supposed to use away from home, isn't something I'd do as I'd end up burning the house down somehow.

 

My BIL did a turkey and spatch-cocked it.  It turned out "ok" but actually well for his first one.  He plans on doing some smaller ones to tinker with it.  I'm interested in it going well because I don't like the deep fried ones, which his what many do.

[WonderMonkey 727]

My smoker arrives tomorrow (Wed).  I'll do whatever assembly is needed and then do the burn in.  I'm arguing with myself on what I should smoke first in there.  Something "not difficult" so I can get used to it.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

12 minutes ago, WonderMonkey said:

My smoker arrives tomorrow (Wed).  I'll do whatever assembly is needed and then do the burn in.  I'm arguing with myself on what I should smoke first in there.  Something "not difficult" so I can get used to it.

 

 

Boston Butt