Charcoal grill/smoker recommendations?

I'm drowning in my own saliva.

 

Unless you are serious, something like a Bradley is a perfect solution. I have done pulled pork, ribs, brisket, seafood, chicken, short ribs, salmon and Filet in mine all with good results.

 

Would sure love any feedback on this piece of kit:

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod2410014&navAction=push#BVRRWidgetID

Put my paws on it at the store the other day and was pretty impressed with the overall feel. For $250 or so, I almost think I was stupid not to drag it home...

 

I looked closely at that unit a while back. Lowes was selling a similar one at the start of the season for $199. In my research, people seemed to like them, but they did rust rather quickly.

 

I'm telling you...that 55 gallon drum is set and forget. I often do overnight cooks without a worry. Stick burners are nice but you have to tend them and watch them and cajole at times. I fill a basket up with lump, light it, get up to temperature and cook.

 

In my quest for the perfect smoker, I just purchased the Weber Smoky Mountain. I've been coveting one of these for quite a while and pulled the trigger when Amazon offered 20% off using their card. Got it shipped to the door for $220.

I now have four Traeger's, a WeberQ, Weber Genesis Gold and a Big Green Egg. I think I may have a problem!
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What would make that worth buying for me if I already have a 22.5 Performer, anything?

 

The performer is more of a grill. There are mods to smoke with it. The WSM is a deep smoker that does just that. The reviews on the WSM are over the top! I'll report back in about a week.

 

That's the one, Mr. Roboto I call it. I now have two. Built another one because once a year I cook about 60 lbs of pulled pork.

It's not insulated at all and definitely low fuss.

 

I have a Weber and a Big Green Egg. I have to say, despite the BGE's super-duper ceramic heat retention, for pure smoking I like the Weber better.

I routinely set the Weber up at around 10PM, get the temp stabilized, put on a pork shoulder, and wake up at 7 AM to find the meat just about finished and the charcoal just about gone. A quick poke and a few more coals and I'm good to finish up, and the meat tastes out of this world.

The BGE is very, very difficult to keep at 225 degrees- it's so efficient that a low temp means you're just barely burning any fuel and all the vents are cracked open just a sliver. The side effect is that the smoke flavor doesn't permeate the meat very well, because you use so little charcoal during a cook- sort of like slow roasting in the oven.

Also, you can cook more stuff at once in the Weber than you can in the BGE.

Anyone else's experiences similar?

Gio P

 

I plan on using hardwood chunk in the WSM, the same I use in the BGE. What do you use in the WSM?

 

I use Kingsford in the WSM. More ash/waste, but very highly recommended by veteran WSM guys and seems to provide a more consistent, even heat source.

 

Doing the first smoke on the WSM as I type this. Using Kingsford Hickory Charcoal. Seems a bit harder to control the temp on the WSM as compared to the Egg.

 

The ceramic is the whole difference.... Not unexpected.

 

Yea, it took a bit of fiddling, but I have a steady temp now. Trying a new mop sauce I concocted. Told the wife she may want to have some backup food available.

 

The thing with my Weber is the temp only stays steady for so long before I have to chimney up and repeat the process...

backup food = another six pack?

 

How did you guess? The ribs came out great! Took about five hours for two medium size racks. My new mopping sauce really helped. May have to ad it to the powerpig web store when it's up and going. Gonna do a pork tenderloin on it today.

 

I mixed Worcestershire Sauce, Hot Pepper Paste, Apple Cider Vinegar and Granulated Honey to make the mop. Good stuff!

 

pork butt and ribs on the uds tomorrow!