I NEED a smoker

[pacanis]

I've been reading through the smoker threads and have a question on something I haven't come across; Can you smoke meats when it's a blustery winter day along the shores of Lake Erie? I'll assume that it will take more heat to get up to temp, but once there, it really shouldn't be any different to maintain the correct temp, should it?

And, while I was leaning towards electric for convenience, this one has caught my interest. I like the footprint of the upright style, it's rated high (at Amazon anyway) and, if I'm going to tinker around with a little smoking, I might as well be a purist

 

[pacanis]

No cold weather smokers on today? Or maybe that's a sign that you can't smoke in cold weather? This enquiring mind wants to know

Or does anyone have a link to an active smoking forum?

Thanks

 

[dave the baker]

The colder it is, the harder it is to maintain temp. That smoker is nice; it's called a water smoker becase it has a pan of water above the fire and below the object to be smoked. If you want to be a purist, you need a cold smoker. The fire is way off to the side. There are a lot of water smokers out there; mine is a Brinkman Smokin 'n Grill from Wally World for about 30 clams. It's just as good as my brubber in law's $750 job, just not as big. Be prepared to spend a lot of time checking to see that the temp is right and the fire is still going just so, and adding chunks of soaked wood for smoke. But it's worth it.

 

[pacanis]

Thanks Dave.
I just found a great site that seems to answer a lot of my questions.
I'd really like to go with the upright bullet style due to space constraints on my porch and that seems to be a popular one, even for beginners. And looks like if I block the wind, and it pretty much is, that smoking in winter is really no big deal.

I should have just done a search for a dedicated forum earlier, but I thought the word "smoker" would put me on a wild goose chase.

 

[JohnL]

Hey pacanis,
I know it's not very purdy, but you can make an electric smoker out of an old broken refigerator that will hold up just fine on them cold and blustery days up there in your hood.

 

[pacanis]

Just a leetle beet overkill, John (lol).
Maybe if I start smoking whole cows...

 

[Uncle Bob]

SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, And May Complicate Pregnancy.

 

[roadfix]

Here's one fairly active forum:

Barbecuebible.com :: View Forum - General Discussion

 

[pacanis]

Thanks roadfix.
Here's the one I got some info from before placing my order The Smoke Ring- All you need to know about barbecue

 

[dave the baker]

I ain't pregnant and the rest of it don't scare me, Unca. Let's eat smoked barbeque!!!

 

[Uncle Bob]

I ain't pregnant and the rest of it don't scare me, Unca. Let's eat smoked barbeque!!!

With all of the talk about "smoking" I thought about one inhaling the smoke from smoldering tobacco leaves...One who "smokes"...a "Smoker" etc.....Now I see it's BBQ that is the subject...not smokers and smoking!

 

[QSis]

Well, why didn't you ask me about THAT one, pacanis?

I have two WSM's and they are all I use in competitions.

It's a wonderful "machine", when you know how to use it!

Lee

 

[pacanis]

Well, why didn't you ask me about THAT one, pacanis?

I have two WSM's and they are all I use in competitions.

It's a wonderful "machine", when you know how to use it!

Lee

Well, why didn't you say I would probably be happier with a WSM?

I'm really looking forward to getting it.

UB, are you saying they are actually called barbequers and not smokers? I guess I figured if the verbage was to smoke, or smoking, that the noun must be smoker.

 

[dave the baker]

When y'all cook it low and slow, it's called smokin'. When y'all eats it, it's called barbeque. Even a Yankee should be able to figure that one out. Go to the #1 in Lexington, NC and eat for yourself. You'll see. (and don't forget to take home some of the sauce!)

 

[Uncle Bob]

UB, are you saying they are actually called barbequers and not smokers? I guess I figured if the verbage was to smoke, or smoking, that the noun must be smoker.

Fred… I personally prefer the term Cooker, BBQ Pit, BBQ Grill, almost anything but "Smoker" and "Smoking"... IMO...The terms have led to a total misunderstanding, and to continuous confusion, about the method of cooking called BBQ. The absolute number one mistake the newcomer, the uninformed, and sadly many of the old timers make is over smoking the meat. I am convinced that one of the main causes of over smoking is the term "Smoking" erroneously used as a synonym for BBQ…The term “Smoker” implies that the meat is smoked which is far from the truth. Is it any wonder that every year literally tons, of meat are burnt/blackened upon the Alters of Confusion, and Misunderstanding??

Anyway, congratulations on your purchase of the WSM. Follow the wise counsel of Miss Lee (Qsis) as she walks you through the proper use of your new Cooker. In no time you will be enjoying BBQed Ribs, BBQed Chicken, and BBQed Pork Butts etc.

Have Fun & Enjoy!!

 

[pacanis]

Interesting. I can certainly respect the correct terminology, but wonder if it's a regional thing, or Yankee thing as Dave implies. In the supermarkets around here if something is sold already cooked and with BBQ sauce on it, is is called barbequed. If it was cooked in a smoke... err, "pit", low and slow and with smoke added, it is sold as "smoked". As in smoked whitefish, or smoked turky breast.
I will try to choose my words wisely. On that other forum I noticed the word "pit" mentioned quite a bit. I thought they were referring to something a bit more built in, like an outdoor kitchen with some kind of brick "pit" used for smoking. Now I know they were referring to any kind of cooker.

Heck, I'm still working on my dicing, chopping, mincing terminology

 

[Uncle Bob]

Fred...I don't think it is a regional thing at all...Up until around 30-40+ years ago the terms "Smoker" and "Smoking" were not used that often in the Lexicon of BBQ. The first BBQ pits were just that...pits (holes) dug in the ground. It didn't talk long to figure out that these pits were not very portable, and were a lot of hard work... Later above ground pits became popular...Many 1940-1950 Era families had BBQ pits in their backyard made from brick and mortar...Road side restaurants that dotted the landscape of the South that advertised/served Real Pit BBQ often used large above ground pits made from Cinder blocks and mortar... IMO the best BBQ that was ever (still is)cooked was/is on pits of this type...meat cooked over the slow heat of wood coals. After WWII, Ex-GI's and shipyeard welders began to fashion BBQ Pits out of 55 Gallon drums. They cut them up into every shape and design imagineable. Holes in the ground, and bricks and mortar pits were no longer needed. The race was on..Sheet metal pits (grills) blossomed like spring flowers. Companies sprang up and fortunes were made. Somewhere in there someone made an appliance and called it a "Smoker" ...."Smoking" obviously soon followed.... So the terms became a part of the modern day lexicon of BBQ....Incorrect terminology?? No! It is Just terminology I persoanally choose not to use due to the reasons (and others) already stated.... IMO your palate would be better served if you learn to BBQ rather than "smoke"...

Best of Luck!!!

 

[pacanis]

Well since I stopped smoking.... my palate has indeed been better served

I kind of like to stick to the phrases I am used to hearing. If I took a hunk of meat over to my father's and told him and the rest of my small family that I BBQed it, when they know I have a cooker (or pit) that smokes, they would ask me if I still used my "smoker", thinking I cooked it on my propane grill instead.

I guess "pit" is one of those throwback terms. Like when people call fiberglass ductboard "GB", or a common painkiller an aspirin, even though it may not contain aspirin. By your information, which was very interesting BTW, it sounds like there used to be true pits, which is what I currently thought of when readin the term pit, but people adapted it to more modern applications and now call anything that BBQs a pit.

Some habits die hard

 

[JohnL]

Hey pacanis,
Has your WSM arrived yet? Can't wait to hear some reviews.

 

[pacanis]

Hi John
I'm doing my first break-in burn as I type this. Still waiting to see how long it takes to get and maintain a temp (only been going 30 minutes or so), testing out my digital probes, seeing how long the charcoal will last, and the ssmoke chips.... all that good stuff.

I plan on doing a small brisket tomorrow!