RE: the smoker
 

I prefer propane. especially when you have a large smoker. I can easily do 30 pounds of sausage in mine in the middle of the winter. the electric just won't have enough heat for what I do. I think I paid $170 for mine at Gander Mountain.

RE: the smoker
 

I prefer propane too , so much easier for me to regulate the temperature than it was with charcoal . Electric rates are too high for an electric model where I live .

RE: the smoker
 

Thanks for the info., I'll go with the propane. I have plenty of 20lb and 30lb cylinders so no cost for one of them. Zeak

RE: the smoker
 

Propane, and propane accessories :D

RE: the smoker
 

Here's mine (Propane version)with 14-hour Pork Shoulders:



I've done many things in this smoker (Great Outdoors Smoky Mountian Series 3600G):
[ul][*]Pork= Shoulders, ribs, loins, rump, jerky from loin[*]Beef= Ribs, brisket, lions, rump, eye of round, jerky from round[*]Chickens= Whole, breasts, parts, smoked hot BBQ Wings.[*]Turkeys= up to three Whole 12 pounders[*]Fish= Salmon, trout, pike, muskie, walleye, smelt[*]Squirrel[*]Rabbit[*]Turtle= Diamondback Snapper[*]Venison= Roasts, hind quarters, ribs, salami, jerky[*]Elk= Roasts and ribs.[*]Cheeses[*]Seafood= Lobster, Clams, Oysters, Halibut, Red Snapper,[/ul]
On average, I get about 70-80 hours of smoking time on a 20lb cylinder depending on outside ambient temperatures.

An exceptional piece of equipment! After years of smaller charcoal smokers, this one reigns supreme by a mile.
I can still do charcol or wood chunks, I just place a round pan or large iron skillet over the gas burner.

Tahquamenon

RE: the smoker
 

Man that looks good. I'll have to get mine out for the weekend! They are great smokers the best bang for the buck IMHO.

RE: the smoker
 

OMG!!!! TAHQUAMENON.


THAT WOULD MAKE VEGETARIANS MEAT EATERS ;)

RE: the smoker
 

Thanks.

The secret to smoking in my view= Lower conistant temperatures + long periods of time. Really difficult to screw things up in a smoker if you follow the above method.

Brisket is one that takes a really long time (for me). I smoke them at 180 for about 16 hours or so, then wrap in foil so not to leak and then back in the smoker for another 20-24 hours at 180 degrees. You can pick them apart with a fork!

Honestly, about 90% of everything I cook in the smoker is at 170-190 degrees.

Cheeses are around 100-110 degrees (I get the wood smoking and then turn off the heat and let the cheese hang in the smoke around 110 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

Regards,

Tahquamenon

RE: the smoker
 

I seldom exceed 200 degrees either , the last pork shoulder I did sat in there for 8 hours since it didn't have company , then spent another 4 in a buffet server at the same temp after the meat was pulled and sauced .

RE: the smoker
 

Holy cow, never heard of brisket being cooked at 190F? Been around the KC BBQ tournaments, and the winners usually claim 235 is ideal or you can dry itout. And cook to internal in the flat to 188, but most told me they never follow internal temp after the plateau, they do the fork test. They also warned against foiling saying it was a rookies crutch. I think they were aimin that me. Cause I pretty well foil everything in the last hour or 2.

Tahqu, not saying your doing it wrong, just in search of the best Q. I dont' know the right answer. I use a weber bullet charcoal. What can I say, I am a purist. Started 2 butts and a brisket Sunday night at 9PM and was tired and in a hurry so I cheated and foiled them to pull off the butts at 12 next day and brisket 2 hours later.