charcoal smokers
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fargo, N.D. USA
Posts: 376
charcoal smokers
i just recently got one it is new and has the papers i just dont really understand it, do i mix charcoal with the wood chips that doesnt really sound like it would burn long enough to smoke anything, if anyone had any experience with one please post a little cause i m getting ready to make some jerky
#2
RE: charcoal smokers
You need to soak the wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes. Get the charcoal going good, and when they turn gray, put some of the wet woodchips on it. I usually put the wood chips in some aluminum foil, and then put that on the heat. You will have to keep adding as you go, the chips will dry out and burn. Good luck.
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fargo, N.D. USA
Posts: 376
RE: charcoal smokers
yea i was planning on buying a electric but i got this as a gift from someone and it is brand new and looks expensive so i cant really complain it was a guy my dad was friends with when he was a kid and he said he would give it to me as long as i kept my ass out of trouble
#5
RE: charcoal smokers
I have a smoker that runs on charcoal or propane , with charcoal you'll get about a 3 hour burn time . You can double that by having another pan of charcoal prepped and ready when the first coals begin to die back , but it's a bit of a hassle and 3 hours is usually more than sufficient for smoking . I most frequently use smoker pellets that I get from Wal-Mart . One half cup of them wrapped in foil lasts about 1 hour . Wood chips have to be soaked for 30 minutes , then wrapped in foil or put into a smoker box , smoke time will depend on how much chips you put in it . Make sure that the foil or box doesn't allow much air to get to the chips or pellets since this can shorten their lifespan . I make foil "smoker chubs" of pellets or presoaked chips with just a single toothpick hole or two for the smoke to escape , this allows them to slowly smolder . Sometimes I preload used pot pie tins with foil covers for later use , they're very convenient .
#6
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 88
RE: charcoal smokers
For jerky you don't need to much smoke.I use pieces 3inches long by 3/4inch cubed.Soak them like earlier mentioned for 20-30minutes and add up to 3-6pieces staggered through the process.This is if you have a charcoal smoker with a water pan.Just put wood after soaked in water directly on coals,you'll see it start smoking,then add another after a half hour or so and so on.
#8
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Fargo, N.D. USA
Posts: 376
RE: charcoal smokers
yea mine is a bbq to, how long does it take to smoke strips of jerky cause that is what im mostle goin to be using it for i cant wait i hope i get a buck with my bow so i can start it soon, and about the amount of chips i dont really understand, so it only takes like 3-6 peices of 3x3/4 cause i always thought that it took quite a bit more chips
#9
Typical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Godfrey, Il.
Posts: 814
RE: charcoal smokers
no takes very little chips trust me. haven't done jerky yet its one of the very few things i have the meat locker do along with brats, sausage, and a little burger. but i have done beef brisket, chicken, turkey, deer steaks, and pork loin. just check it every now and then but not too often it doesn't cook near as fast as bbq. also for anything like i just mentioned get a meatthermometer