OT- Best/Most Practical Smoker for smoking a Brisket

[tcumaniac]

I've recently gotten the itch to start learning how to smoke meats, specifically brisket, and I'm in the market to get an affordable and user friendly backyard smoker.

What do some of you self-acclaimed pit masters recommend for a beginner like myself? I’m still trying to learn all the different options out there… I assume the purists will say the only way to go is with a true wood burning smoker. These seem great in theory, but also very difficult to master and realistically do.

What are your thoughts on other options like a Big Green Egg or a Pellet Smoker such as a Traeger or GMG?


Thanks!

 

[The Frog to be Named Later]

I'm in the same delimma. If I go pellet, it will be the rec-tec. However I'm leaning green egg at the moment. Think its more versatile and while pretty low maintenance there is at least some "art" to it. I do like the Idea of flipping a switch and being ready to smoke though

 

[Jet Set Frog]

Personally, I prefer a an offset smoker just because it's a tried and true method that allows me to get A LOT of smoke onto the meat. It's hard to argue with using a pellet smoker though. Being able to put a brisket in at night and have it smoke at a steady temperature while you sleep is REALLY nice when you're looking and doing a brisket. Otherwise you have to get up really early in the morning in order to finish at a halfway decent hour. People who use the Big Green Egg really like it, but I haven't had a chance to try one myself. Obviously there's more of a limitation on how much meat you can do at one time with them.

 

[snoop9606]

Been smoking brisket for around 5 years, and I've used 3 different types of smokers.

Started with a Bradley very similar to this one:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Bradley-...MItb207qDX1QIVULjACh2MpQayEAQYASABEgJoIvD_BwE
It was tough to fit a full brisket in there, but I was able to manage it. Everything else was quite easy to fit. For convenience, nothing really beats an electric smoker. This smoker uses wood pucks that move along a conveyor that places said pucks onto a heating element, and once the pucks are completely used, the system knows to move the used puck into the water bowl at the bottom, and thus replacing it with a new puck. It would maintain the temp like a dream. The only thing I would have to do was empty the water bowl filled with used pucks mid-smoke. Outside of that, I rarely touched the temp, or anything for that matter, during the smoke. The flavor was there, but it just wasn't spot-on enough, for me. Also, the clean-up was quite a pain. I'd have to soak the racks, drip pan, and water bowl, and then clean them after every smoke. It was tedious, and I eventually moved on to this:
https://www.bbqguys.com/weber/22-in...MI8quh5aHX1QIVBbnACh3dDQgaEAQYAyABEgIq6fD_BwE
This smoker uses charcoal, and you can throw wood chunks on said charcoal to add certain flavors to whatever you're smoking. This smoker really brought out the flavor, but the issue I had (maybe it was more user error than anything) dealt with maintaining a consistent temperature. I swear I'd dump nearly an entire bag of charcoal at the bottom, get the heat going, and I'd watch that temp drop on a consistent 15 minute basis. Therefore, I was constantly throwing more charcoal and wood in there to keep the heat up. The cleanup wasn't bad, though.
After mastering a number of different cuts, I decided to pony up for this:
http://www.acehardware.com/category/index.jsp?categoryId=111903906&f=Taxonomy/ACE/19541496&sr=1&origkw=big green egg&cid=PPC:G:Non-Brand_-_Big_Green_Egg_-_Exact&k_clickid=e310fc72-ddac-4f29-8b3e-181693229bba
I was skeptical that I was able to get everything I wanted out of a smoker given my previous pitfalls, but honestly, the Egg really does everything I need. The cleanup is basically emptying out the ash, wire-scrubbing the rack, and that's it. It maintains the temp just as good as the electric smoker, and the flavor is on-point with everything I've smoked. Once it's properly seasoned, everything tastes exquisite. Fair warning, if you go past the desired temp, it's quite difficult to get the temp down, since those ceramic insides hold a temp quite well. Yes, you're going to pay a pretty penny for it, but in my experience, it's worth it. I think my wife ended up paying around 1k for the large Egg, the nest, a set of platforms that attach to the side of the egg, and a couple other accessories around Christmas.
Since you're just starting out, I'd say go with something like the Bradley, and graduate to the Egg once you're ready. Good luck, maniac.

 

[Bob Sugar]

I own an Egg and a Cookshack PG-1000. Both have their merits. If I you can afford it, I would go with the large egg. The medium is loo small to handle a larger brisket. That said, you can get a great offset smoker for a fraction of the cost.

The pellet smoker is nice in that you can set it and forget it. With my numerous rugrats running around, it is nice. But you are young with more time on your hands. I think you should enjoy the thrills of cooking over wood or lump charcoal before you use the pellet crutch.

My $0.02.

 

[lonestarfrog89]

I've got an XL green egg and a lil' Tex Traeger. It's totally going to depend on what your goal is. Both have their pros and cons. BGE is going to take time since it's charcoal and that can be time consuming to get it to temp etc. Traeger is great from an ease of use standpoint. Lots of purists will say it's cheating but if the end product is tasty, who cares! If you're specifically wanting something to smoke brisket, pork, etc, I'd go Traeger. The temp range is about 180-475, so plenty for a brisket. I always throw chicken breasts on there on Sunday evening for lunch during the week and it's very good and tender all week.

The BGE is incredible in its own right. You can easily grill chicken or smoke a brisket, but it will be more time consuming. You've got a ridiculous temperature range on it as well.

Really boils down to what you're going to use it for.

 

[Daughters_were_Frogs]

I recommend that you have a look at this site. It's full of ads, I'm afraid, but it's also full of really good information. I use it as a guide to smoke ribs, Thanksgiving turkey, pork shoulder, and brisket. The last time I cooked a brisket I smoked it on my offset smoker (made locally from oil field pipe) for about 6 hours at 250 degrees (internal temperature 160), then wrapped it tightly in foil and cooked it on my Weber gas grill (no smoke) at 225 degrees for another 24 hours (internal temperature 200). The gas grill is good because it holds a temperature well. It's impossible to do that with an offset smoker. I slept like a baby all night and my thermometer didn't alarm once.

Buy a prime brisket from Costco or Sam's. You'll never go back to the stuff they sell at the grocery store.

If I had it to do over again, I'd either buy a Green Egg or similar or build a barrel/drum smoker. They're described in the referenced link.

Good luck!

 

[Frognosticator]

Maniac,

A very inexpensive ($300) and versatile option is the Pit Barrel Cooker. It uses charcoal, and runs at slightly higher temperatures than a smoker. However, there is much you can do on it, and the briskets turn out very well. You can either hang the meat, or use the grill. Plus, the maintenance is minimal and cooking is very easy. A great option for someone starting out smoking. Go to pitbarrelcooker.com for a bunch of videos and recipes.

 

[XIIFrog]

They're expensive, but I bought a Yoder smoker for my first (and probably last, given how well they're made) offset smoker, and I've absolutely loved it. It was sort of a wedding gift to myself when I got a hefty tax refund a few years ago. Each Yoder is made-to-order, and comes with a lifetime warranty.

The Cheyenne is their beginner/backyard model, but still competition grade:

http://www.yodersmokers.com/cheyenne.html

If you want this to be a hobby and something to impress people with, I would go offset all the way. Something about managing the fire and putting so much care into maintaining the smoke a temp for 12+ hours makes cooking a brisket so satisfying. If you're gonna buy one from academy or the hardware store, definitely do some research to know how to pick the best one. Those smokers are mass produced and have inconsistent quality, so be sure to look over every inch of the one you plan to buy.

Another good investment is a wireless thermometer. This model is admittedly difficult to figure out (I had to watch youtube instructions the first few times I used it), but being able to keep track of the pit and meat temps at the same time from the comfort of your couch makes a huge difference. My wife calls it my baby monitor.



Having said all that, I will most likely invest in a pellet smoker too one day so that I have an option of smoking something without any effort, if the situation ever arises.

 

[SnoSki]

This thread makes me wish the tailgating lots opened 24 hours before kickoff so that we could get a proper brisket done

 

[Realtorfrog]

I have an offset but am thinking pellet........

Go out to the stove shop at 20 and Dennis Road and they'll tell you all about them. I was convinced after talking and observing.

 

[bleedpurple]

Get a good digital thermometer is my suggestion. Some thing that can do the temp of the grill and the meat.

 

[FinanceFrog]

i went electric and you can't convince me that anyone should buy anything different. set the temp and forget about it. you can get as much smoke as you want. non-electric people will look down on you but it's only because they are embarrassed that they aren't smart enough to enjoy the convenience of modern life.

 

[Jet Set Frog]

i went electric and you can't convince me that anyone should buy anything different. set the temp and forget about it. you can get as much smoke as you want. non-electric people will look down on you but it's only because they are embarrassed that they aren't smart enough to enjoy the convenience of modern life.

I've spoken with a lot of friends and family who use electric smokers, and it's unanimous among them that you CANNOT get enough smoke flavor into the meat using them. I suppose it's possible they haven't learned a particular trick you have, but anything I've eaten from said electric smokers confirmed their claims.

 

[Jet Set Frog]

If you want this to be a hobby and something to impress people with, I would go offset all the way. Something about managing the fire and putting so much care into maintaining the smoke a temp for 12+ hours makes cooking a brisket so satisfying. If you're gonna buy one from academy or the hardware store, definitely do some research to know how to pick the best one. Those smokers are mass produced and have inconsistent quality, so be sure to look over every inch of the one you plan to buy.

I agree with this 100%. There's something about using real wood that you have to tend and nurture to get the meat just right. And the smell.............ugh.....I love that smell.

You can get a relatively inexpensive offset smoker, like an Oklahoma Joe, and make a few minor modifications to it and turn it into a smoking machine. My modified Oklahoma Joe holds temperature VERY well and has a decent cooking surface to allow for large smoking sessions. Whenever I smoke anything, I usually throw in an extra chicken or two in with it and freeze the de-boned chicken for future use.

There are a lot of good meat thermometers that link up with your smart phone, and I recommend you invest in one. It allows you to get a good idea about what's going on with your meat without having to lift the led and check it with an instant read thermometer over and over.

Some people will tell you that using different types of wood doesn't make a difference. Those people are wrong. Hickory can be overpowering and bitter if you pour it on a little heavy, where as cherry and/or apple will have a more delicate touch. One of my favorites is plain old oak as it seems to run right down the middle of those mentioned.

 

[lonestarfrog89]

I've spoken with a lot of friends and family who use electric smokers, and it's unanimous among them that you CANNOT get enough smoke flavor into the meat using them. I suppose it's possible they haven't learned a particular trick you have, but anything I've eaten from said electric smokers confirmed their claims.

I'll say this. The weather makes a huge difference. Houston humidity can kill some of the smoke and you have to be careful how to store the pellets because they can swell and won't burn as well, thus, not as much smoke. My brother lives in Boston and he doesn't have the humidity issue like we do, so he gets better smoke. That being said, you can absolutely generate enough smoke and flavor from a pellet smoker.

 

[Jet Set Frog]

I'll say this. The weather makes a huge difference. Houston humidity can kill some of the smoke and you have to be careful how to store the pellets because they can swell and won't burn as well, thus, not as much smoke. My brother lives in Boston and he doesn't have the humidity issue like we do, so he gets better smoke. That being said, you can absolutely generate enough smoke and flavor from a pellet smoker.

Sorry....I guess I was misunderstanding you. When you say electric I think of one of those upright box smokers. I definitely wasn't talking about a pellet smoker. My bad.

 

[tcumaniac]

Sorry....I guess I was misunderstanding you. When you say electric I think of one of those upright box smokers. I definitely wasn't talking about a pellet smoker. My bad.

You were originally responding to Financefrog who does appear to use the electric smoker you are referring to. From all the forums and reviews I've read, your sentiment seems to be pretty widespread- electric smokers simply cannot replicate the flavor and quality of a genuine wood burning blame.

I think lonestarfrog is the one mixing up the difference between electric vs the pellet smoker... not you.

 

[froginaustin]

I have an XL Green Egg, and if I bought again I would save about $500 and buy the Large. It's plenty big. I've had the XL for about 6 years, and actually needed the full capacity exactly twice in 6 years.

Friend found a knock-off egg smoker that's a Large, at Costco. It's about half the price of the Green Egg Large, and is excellent.

All that said, I have used a lot of different smokers over the years, including gas and electric. The Green Egg is head-and-shoulders the best except for my brother's offset smoker that is so large that he moves it around by towing it with a huge diesel pickup. That's the best smoker I've ever personally had anything to do with, but it's useless unless your willing to cook about 20 briskets or maybe 150 chickens. Not my style.

 

[lonestarfrog89]

You were originally responding to Financefrog who does appear to use the electric smoker you are referring to. From all the forums and reviews I've read, your sentiment seems to be pretty widespread- electric smokers simply cannot replicate the flavor and quality of a genuine wood burning blame.

I think lonestarfrog is the one mixing up the difference between electric vs the pellet smoker... not you.

Reading comprehension skills are lacking today, it seems. My bad!