Smoker advice wanted

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
41

I asume that you compared this to a Traeger before you purchased, since it looks almost identical. How does it stack up in terms of cost?

42

I can see that the Original Bradley costs about $300…not bad.
Is there a huge upgrade going to the digital at $450?

43

Have a Smokin’ Tex as well and can reccomend it!

JD

44

Though I’ve never used…or heard of Bradley before hearing about it on the wineboards…looking at the specs, it seems that they are similar in what and how they do. Bradley put their proprietary pellets in a chamber and they are used as one burns out. The smokin tex just has a chamber to put your wood chunk into and you cook at a a controlled low temperature, as the Bradley seems to.

From what I’ve read, the smoke early on is the important smoke; once it gets a crust, starts cooking, the smoke doesn’t really penetrate much for meats. And, I’ve had chunks of woods I buy on ebay (different varieties) still giving off smoke 12 hours later.

So…other than being beholden to a proprietary chip…and adding a mechanism that, it seems, can go bad…I’m not sure what the Bradley does that adds anything to the simplicity of the smokin’ tex and others like it.

This is more of a question, as it interested me…so…I’m all ears.

45

[cheers.gif]

46

Stuart,
Do you have to tend to the Smokin Tex at all or is it also a “set it and forget it” type of system?

47

Dan

That is a function of how long you smoke for and at what temperature. You have to resupply the wood once it is burned to extend the smoking time… but if you are doing a low temp, you can set and forget, but a higher temp may require additional wood to be added

48

Scott,
Do you have a typical number of times you add wood on low? and on high?
I assume this is nothing like adding wood every 20-30 minutes like with a gas grill and aluminum foil…

Like you, I am not a fan of depending on buying Bradley pellets…

49

Can be every couple of hours using larger chips/chunks vs. shavings @ 200-225 deg F.

50

I use a combination of dry chunk wood, small chunks of hardwood coal (just a couple) and wet-soaked chips… when I replace, it is usually the chips… as Tex says… every couple few hours at that temp…when cold smoking, it can last longer, but I never smoke fish that long…

51

Every couple hours sounds easy as heck…a LOT nicer than having to babysit and keep adding wood for hours…
I assume you just check to see if the smoke is diminishing?

Again I don’t like the limitations of the Bradley pellets, and I really like being able to use whatever I want in the Smokin Tex.

52

Yeah, basically give it a peak every 30 - 45 minutes.

One thing to make sure of is that when you open up the door to rotate, baste, mist, etc…is that you securely close said door and ensure it is in fact sealed back up. I made the mistake of being in a hurry and allowed the door to swing open right after reloading with large chunks of mesquite and basting some brisket. End result is that it was an O2 rich environment with new fuel and the heating element on full throttle. Wood caught on fire and then the smoker went up. Kristi had to break out a fire extinguisher and well…

53

I don’t find the bradley pellets/pucks to be a limitation. There are numerous types of wood available and it doesn’t get much easier with regard to the wood/pellet loading process. From all that I can see it really does appear to be a set it and forget it arrangement (up to the 4 hour limitations of the timers). I’m firing mine up this week end for a virgin run with some pork shoulder. Based on the smoke generated during the seasoning process I’d venture that I’m really going to enjoy the end product.

54

I looked hard at the Bradley some years ago but did not want to be locked into their fuel. I opted for a Weber Smokey Mountain with a bbqguru temperature control and could not be happier. The bbqguru makes temp control about as difficult as setting your indoor oven, highly recommended.

http://www.thebbqguru.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rich

55

Any opinions on Masterbuilt?

http://www.lowes.com/pd_298004-58355-20070106_0_?newSearch=true&catalogId=10051&productId=3031369&Ntt=masterbuilt&N=0&langId=-1&Ns=&storeId=10151&Ntk=i_products&ddkey=http:CategoryDisplay" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lowes has it for $199.

56

It most likely works just fine, depending on what you’re looking for. Aside from the pellet systems, vertical or box smokers aren’t exactly miracles of engineering. You need a contained space with some sort of heating element in the bottom, a place to put the wood where it maintains contact with the element, and some way to control the draft/exhaust. There was an episode of “Good Eats”, where Alton smoked a salmon using a cardboard box, hot plate, metal pie pan and an old grill rack.

I’m sure the Brinkman and Smokin’ Tex counterparts are made with a higher degree of craftsmanship, and maybe have more reliable heating elements. It just depends on what you want and how much you are willing to pay.

57

Lots of good info at
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

for anyone who’s interested…

58

Randy: saw your thread on the Bradley Forum as I chime in there as well(as njfoodies). One thing you can do is take the smoke assembly off and bring it in the house when you are not using it, or you can put in in the smoker box. If it is raining wile you are cooking, just put a patio umbrella over it. I haven’t had to do it yet, but I am sure I will.

If and when we move, I will either keep it indoor our covered outdoor kitchen I will build, or build a little custom shed like someone did on the Bradley Forum. Great option.

For now, when not in use, I just throw the weather cover on it and throw it on the side shelf of my Vermont Castings grill. Takes up zero added space, and I love it.

Pics from my brisket smoke this weekend on my Facebook page. Came out gorgeous! -mJ