# Smoker Suggestions?



## Ballistic Tip (Jul 25, 2010)

With my birthday coming up, I've decided that I want to finally get my very own smoker. So, I'm looking for suggestions. Cost is not an issue (but the less expensive, the easier sell for my wife). Should I get an electric? Charcoal? Propane? I have no idea...any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!!!!


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Bradley type electric smokers are fairly easy to use and get consistent results. I'm a fan of doing it manually. I enjoy the simplicity(Yeah, right), challenge and ambience that comes with wood and fire. So, it probably depends on your personality and the what you will be smoking. If you are wanting to smoke cased meats, you'll probably want a locker type that'll fit what you want to put in there. There are tons of smokers out there that will cook ribs, chicken, pork butts, brisket, turkey etc. to perfection with little effort or worry. But then again, you'd just have to worry about something else, so why not worry about a smokey cut of delectable meat? Answer? Get one that'll do both!


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## tye dye twins (Mar 8, 2011)

I like my little chief electric smoker. It was $75 and works great on fish. Still too small and not hot enough for the bigger meats.


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## Ballistic Tip (Jul 25, 2010)

I'm probably going to be mainly using it for making jerky and ribs. However, I have several elk roasts that I'd like to try to smoke.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

The Little Chief Smokers are fine if you live in a climate with warmer winters than Evanston WY. :? For $25 you can replace the cheap heating element with one that will actually cook something. I had one for years. Put a burner kit with rheostat in and added extra shelves. Check with The Sausagemaker company for a burner replacement kit.

*Huge29* made a nice smoker. 
Check out viewtopic.php?f=50&t=37810&p=389703&hilit=ugly+drum#p389703

Try using the UWN search engine. There's been some good discussions on smokers here in the past.


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## phantom (Sep 13, 2007)

I found this website, very informative.

http://amazingribs.com/


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Actually you can go on line with Walmart and order their propane smoker which is a very a good one- pretty reasonable price and they deliver to the store nearest you. Propane is a very economical way and easy to control temps. I have the Camp Chef one and I see little difference between that any the Walmart one except for a $100 bill.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

As Goob already mentioned, my drum smoker works really well and is very cheap. I really enjoyed the project of building it, which makes it all the more special to me. The purist smoker guys say charcoal is the only way to go, I have never had any other kind, so I can't speak to the others. The other kinds certainly are easier and lower maintenance, but the more effort put in seems to make it that much more enjoyable; I have to check it every 45 minutes or so and make slight air flow changes. Good luck! Here are some other links 
http://www.utahbbq.org/index.php 
There is a national site that is similar with more activity, but can't find it right now.


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## Yonni (Sep 7, 2007)

thesmokering.com is what you are thinking of huge, tons of great advice on there, I plan on joining the Utah BBQ association that huge put a link to very soon.

I too have a uds like huge, it's a great beginner smoker, my new smoker is taking some getting use to, get a smoker, learn how she cooks and follow the rules of basic meat safety and you will be just fine!


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## Treehugnhuntr (Sep 7, 2007)

Huge29 said:


> The other kinds certainly are easier and lower maintenance, but the more effort put in seems to make it that much more enjoyable;


I absolutely agree with this. For me, eating what has been created, whether it be on a grill, smoker, fry pan or spit is only a small part of the equation and why I like to cook.


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## madsjim (Jan 5, 2012)

Go with an Ugly Drum Smoker (Or UDS), like the others have mentioned! It takes an afternoon to build yourself after collecting the parts. The hardest part is getting an appropriate 55 gallon drum.

It runs on charcoal and is so easy to control temperature. I always do midnight smokes and let it go all night without needing to check every hour. I use three 1 inch ball valves, but often find that having just one half way open is enough to stoke the charcoal and hold temps for many hours. It is great for winter when outside temps are really low. The key to a good smoker for beginners is temperature control. You must determine where on the scale you are when it comes to set and forget all the way to checking every hour.

In my opinion, a UDS gives awesome barbecue that is just as easy to use as an electric smoker, and it is even more versatile. Use google to pull up all the information on how to build one, there is so much out there that it's easy to find.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

madsjim said:


> Go with an Ugly Drum Smoker (Or UDS), like the others have mentioned! It takes an afternoon to build yourself after collecting the parts. The hardest part is getting an appropriate 55 gallon drum.


I got mine for $10 from a juice distributor in Springville right off of I15 on 1400 North. I no longer see his ad on KSL; be sure that it is a food grade, not one used for petroleum products. I had my neighbor sand blast mine and the same neighbor lent me his welder to make the charcoal basket.

Welcome to the forum madsjim!


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## Lawmedic73 (Jan 2, 2012)

I have a Traeger and love it! They are pretty pricey though. check out www.traeger.com


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Welcome to the UWN Lawmedic.

I tried the link and did not get the Traeger grill company.

This is better: http://www.traegergrills.com/


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

Just saw that Gander Mountain had thier propne on sale from $180 to I think $90 and they might have free shipping


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

There are many good smokers out there and I won't single any particular one out right now.

I will add that the placement of the smoker vent stack is important. Avoid a vent that is on top of the smoker directly over the meat. Sometimes nasty condensation will drip from the stack down onto the meat. My smoker is that way. Drives me nuts, especially during cold weather.


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