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Meat Smokers? Who has them...

rover67

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That's awesome whats the latest dish? How do you like temp control and how long do you go without futzing with it on longer cooks?
 

Corbet

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With football season I've been doing a lot of wings.

Recently we bought a 1/4 pig. I have not dove into that meat yet, but there are two hams and a shoulder in that pile. And of course a ton of chops and some ribs. We also bought some salmon in bulk. That has been fantastic seasoned a variety of ways.

I've been buying this cheap mesquite lump charcoal from Sams Club. It sucks for high temp cooking but has proven very good for smoking. If I fill the bottom I can get 12 hours + easy at 250° with really no fiddling once it's up to temp. I struggle to get it over 400° with it though.

I need to go buy some premium lump for higher temps.
 

PhatFJ

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Trinidad, CO
That's awesome whats the latest dish? How do you like temp control and how long do you go without futzing with it on longer cooks?

Marco, I have done 18hr smokes on one load with no problem at all. I am now using a Flame Boss controller on mine. It is without a doubt the best addition to my Egg. I can control temps, alarms and can run 3 probes. Best Boston Butt ever. Making a pastrami from scratch with a prime briscut I picked up at Costco (can't wait to get it in the Egg)..
 

rover67

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Marco, I have done 18hr smokes on one load with no problem at all. I am now using a Flame Boss controller on mine. It is without a doubt the best addition to my Egg. I can control temps, alarms and can run 3 probes. Best Boston Butt ever. Making a pastrami from scratch with a prime briscut I picked up at Costco (can't wait to get it in the Egg)..

Right on, that flame boss thing is a carbon copy of my smoker controller (arduino PID Controller thing with a computer PWM speed controlled variable fan) I built years ago, it'd be a great device for the BGE and would make it probably super stable.. What a great application. I was able to make my big smoker run dead nuts on temp with a load of full logs in the fire box with the same thing.

Anyways, I have been able to do long smokes on the BGE but have to adjust the thing every 2hrs or so, not a huge deal, just a tad fiddly over night. This has always been on other peoples BGE's so I don't have the hours in my own to perfect it.... That why I was curious. So you guys are just getting good enough at it that you get overnight smokes at like say 225-250 without touching it?
 

PhatFJ

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"So you guys are just getting good enough at it that you get overnight smokes at like say 225-250 without touching it?"

Exactly, I can load it start it and basically forget it. The only thing you have to be sure of is that the vent is not too far open, if it is the egg can draw past the fan and overheat. Mine is almost shut completely and it works great..
Oh, I am running at 220-230* the controller also gives you a nice graph of the cook...
 

Corbet

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Cornish Game Hens have become one of our favorites on the Egg. 2 hours at 275° pretty much takes care of them. Just simply salt and pepper, nothing special needed. Smoke flavor does the rest. And pretty quick cook time for “smoking” due to the small size of the birds.
 

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rover67

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ahh ok this is great info, basically the only gripe I had on the BGE. Sounds like it works i was just doing it slightly off.
 

Corbet

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Trying my hand at a green ham today. We bought a 1/4 🐷 from a local farm this year. Included two hams. Using this receipt with a couple mods. http://howtobbqright.com/blog/?p=1194 Marianne is allergic to mustard so no initial rub of that. And I cut the salt in half on the injection.
 

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RayRay27

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Got a 7 pound beef brisket on the smoker today. Picked it up from Costco. Bought a digital meat/grill thermometer to try and dial in the right temps and time.

20210117_125518.jpg
 

LARGEONE

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Broomfield, CO
Anyone have one of these? RecTeq


A buddy of mine just got one and the construction was WAY NICE. So much thicker metal than the Traeger and others I've seen. He said the customer service was unbelievable as well. Just wondering if anyone on here has longer term experience with one? They seem REALLY NICE.
 

Stuckinthe80s

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Right on, that flame boss thing is a carbon copy of my smoker controller (arduino PID Controller thing with a computer PWM speed controlled variable fan) I built years ago, it'd be a great device for the BGE and would make it probably super stable.. What a great application. I was able to make my big smoker run dead nuts on temp with a load of full logs in the fire box with the same thing.
So one of my projects I've been wanting to get to is to try my hand at building an offset smoker out of a big propane tank that I picked up a couple of years ago. I wanted to go this route because I think it is really hard to beat the taste of using real wood. However, now that I've been using a Traeger for a couple of years now, I keep thinking about making a bigger version with the tank instead because cooking with the Traeger has been so easy. It doesn't taste quite as good cooking with pellets but it's pretty darn close especially since I don't have to tend to anything but the hopper.

I'm thinking I use the propane tank to build a vertical smoker and come up with either a pellet box/auger or do something like weber did with an automatic charcoal box. Thoughts from the engineering department?
 

Stuckinthe80s

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Oh, and just because I like bragging about it, I paid $20 for my Traeger off of CL.

20210213_164539.jpg


It had caught fire and the owner really just wanted it gone. I felt bad so I gave him $20 to go buy some beer with. I've cooked a lot of meat with it and love it! I don't know if I would buy a new one though as the construction is pretty cheap/flimsy. Still does a good job especially if you use the right pellets.
 

3rdGen4R

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Oh, and just because I like bragging about it, I paid $20 for my Traeger off of CL.

View attachment 92762

It had caught fire and the owner really just wanted it gone. I felt bad so I gave him $20 to go buy some beer with. I've cooked a lot of meat with it and love it! I don't know if I would buy a new one though as the construction is pretty cheap/flimsy. Still does a good job especially if you use the right pellets.

I got mine over 10 years ago. Same model Nick. I would suggest updating the controller to get higher temps and have some cool functions. I have 3 traegers now, a drum smoker, and I had a offset I got rid of because I wasn't using it enough. When we move into a house someday I'm going to make a propane smoker. I'm pretty sure your smoker was made in America as well which they aren't anymore. Pretty cool!
 

Stuckinthe80s

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I got mine over 10 years ago. Same model Nick. I would suggest updating the controller to get higher temps and have some cool functions. I have 3 traegers now, a drum smoker, and I had a offset I got rid of because I wasn't using it enough. When we move into a house someday I'm going to make a propane smoker. I'm pretty sure your smoker was made in America as well which they aren't anymore. Pretty cool!

Which controller do you suggest?
 

3rdGen4R

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Which controller do you suggest?
I actually really like the savannah stoker. I actually have one I need to sell because I’m selling this smoker, just haven’t decided whether to sell it with it, or put the original back on. You don’t need it if you are fine with what you have, but this one has some functions that make grilling hot and fast really nice, and it has a cold smoking option which is nice as well!
 
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