Smoking Meat Thread

[kampmanfan4life]

Looking at creating our wedding registry and It got me to looking at grills. We will leaving our apartment and hope to purchase a house around December and I can't wait to get grilling.

I'm mostly looking at just grilling hamburgers and steaks and whatever, but could for sure see myself getting into smoking meat. Are the meat smokers that are separate from the grills the best rout to go? Or do the grill/smoker combos work well? If just grilling I am still debating charcoal grill vs gas too. Any suggestions on this?

[NCF]

Are the meat smokers that are separate from the grills the best rout to go? Or do the grill/smoker combos work well? If just grilling I am still debating charcoal grill vs gas too. Any suggestions on this?

It depends how hands on/hands off you want to be. Technically, you can smoke anything on a gas or charcoal grill, but have to babysit your temps very, very closely. Tough for me to give a suggestion on gas vs charcoal because I have both and use both frequently. All depends on the flavor and convenience factor I want. Gas more temperature precise. Charcoal more cook by feel and eye. If I had to get rid of one, I think it would be charcoal just because there are times when I want to throw something on the grill and I want the whole process done in an hour and gas makes that easier.

[TheGreenMan]

Looking at creating our wedding registry and It got me to looking at grills. We will leaving our apartment and hope to purchase a house around December and I can't wait to get grilling.

I'm mostly looking at just grilling hamburgers and steaks and whatever, but could for sure see myself getting into smoking meat. Are the meat smokers that are separate from the grills the best rout to go? Or do the grill/smoker combos work well? If just grilling I am still debating charcoal grill vs gas too. Any suggestions on this?

Don't own a gas grill. Won't do it.

Charcoal or pellet all the way. The taste beats the convenience for grilling on gas every time for me. If I don't have 15 mins to let the charcoal heat up, I don't have time to grill then. I strictly use my weber smokey mountain (take the middle piece out, for grilling), with the wife currently trying to convince me to buy a traeger pellet.

Not to mention you're still able to throw a wood piece down in a charcoal bed for a little flavor, despite not having a traditional smoker.

[BF004]

Looking at creating our wedding registry and It got me to looking at grills. We will leaving our apartment and hope to purchase a house around December and I can't wait to get grilling.

I'm mostly looking at just grilling hamburgers and steaks and whatever, but could for sure see myself getting into smoking meat. Are the meat smokers that are separate from the grills the best rout to go? Or do the grill/smoker combos work well? If just grilling I am still debating charcoal grill vs gas too. Any suggestions on this?

Don't own a gas grill. Won't do it.

Charcoal or pellet all the way. The taste beats the convenience for grilling on gas every time for me. If I don't have 15 mins to let the charcoal heat up, I don't have time to grill then. I strictly use my weber smokey mountain (take the middle piece out, for grilling), with the wife currently trying to convince me to buy a traeger pellet.

Not to mention you're still able to throw a wood piece down in a charcoal bed for a little flavor, despite not having a traditional smoker.

How well does the Smokey Mountain work for grilling/searing?

[TheGreenMan]

Looking at creating our wedding registry and It got me to looking at grills. We will leaving our apartment and hope to purchase a house around December and I can't wait to get grilling.

I'm mostly looking at just grilling hamburgers and steaks and whatever, but could for sure see myself getting into smoking meat. Are the meat smokers that are separate from the grills the best rout to go? Or do the grill/smoker combos work well? If just grilling I am still debating charcoal grill vs gas too. Any suggestions on this?

Don't own a gas grill. Won't do it.

Charcoal or pellet all the way. The taste beats the convenience for grilling on gas every time for me. If I don't have 15 mins to let the charcoal heat up, I don't have time to grill then. I strictly use my weber smokey mountain (take the middle piece out, for grilling), with the wife currently trying to convince me to buy a traeger pellet.

Not to mention you're still able to throw a wood piece down in a charcoal bed for a little flavor, despite not having a traditional smoker.

How well does the Smokey Mountain work for grilling/searing?

It'll sear no problem.

It's not "supposed" to convert to a grill, but taking the middle portion out basically turns it into a makeshift weber jumbo charcoal grill. Doing this, the lid will not fit properly on the bottom portion though - something to keep in mind. I don't do a lot of grilling, mostly smoking, so it fits my needs just fine.

If you don't take that middle portion out, you won't get what you're looking for grilling/searing.

[Packfntk]

Own a ww we kettle for charcoal, a Weber genesis for gas, and a Traeger which is the crown jewel of my life. I would give my wife away before that grill.

If you are just doing burgers, brats, steaks, just get a simple Weber kettle if you like charcoal, or a Genesis if you want fast gas. Don’t buy a &%$@ brand, Weber is king of the grill. If you wish to smoke food, that’s a different animal. It’s a complete hobby. Actually a way of life. Haha. Doing ribs tomorrow!

[TheGreenMan]

Own a ww we kettle for charcoal, a Weber genesis for gas, and a Traeger which is the crown jewel of my life. I would give my wife away before that grill.

If you are just doing burgers, brats, steaks, just get a simple Weber kettle if you like charcoal, or a Genesis if you want fast gas. Don’t buy a &%$@ brand, Weber is king of the grill. If you wish to smoke food, that’s a different animal. It’s a complete hobby. Actually a way of life. Haha. Doing ribs tomorrow!

So true. Think I'm doing wings tomorrow.

[BSA]

this thread is unbelievably awesome...I was on the fence about buying a smoker and becoming a cult member...but not anymore
Just WOW on all the pics and posts.

[Packfntk]

I smoke meat once a week or so, some of my most recent smokes:

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I do tons of pork butts, ribs, briskets. Love those bacon wrapped poppers. Also did a chicken, cheese and bacon combo and it was incredible if anyone wants an idea for something different. But that last picture is pork belly burnt ends. I have wanted to do them forever, and they were one of the best things ever.

[BF004]

3 hours in the smoker, another 2 in the crock pot, with some homemade slaw... that’ll play.

[APB]

Those last two posts (packfntk & BF004) made my mouth water. A lot.

[kampmanfan4life]

Narrowed the wedding registry grill down to these two choices. I'd love one I can try smoking meat with a bit. I think I will go with the classic Weber grill, as how can I go wrong with that...Looks like the real smokers start at about $300-$700 range?

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-Original-P ... en&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NC ... pd_gw_unk

[Packfntk]

If you go smoker, don't cheap out. I hear that mechanisms are junk in the cheap ones. Buy a Traeger, trusted and proven.

[NCF]

If you go smoker, don't cheap out. I hear that mechanisms are junk in the cheap ones. Buy a Traeger, trusted and proven.

I just picked up a new bad boy from this company and would highly recommend.

https://www.recteq.com/

Customer service is amazing and 6-year warranty on the flag ship grill. I think Nick's point is true of just about anything, though. If you are going to do something, do it right. Buy once, cry once.

[NCF]

Narrowed the wedding registry grill down to these two choices. I'd love one I can try smoking meat with a bit. I think I will go with the classic Weber grill, as how can I go wrong with that...Looks like the real smokers start at about $300-$700 range?

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-Original-P ... en&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NC ... pd_gw_unk

Also, you cannot possibly go wrong with the versatility of a Weber kettle grill, but if I was buying one, again, I would get the new MasterTouch Premium. Comes with a hinged lid and that is a game changer for that grill. Honestly, it's the worst thing about it is having to set the lid down.

https://www.weber.com/US/en/grills/char ... S6EALw_wcB

[Yoop]

Narrowed the wedding registry grill down to these two choices. I'd love one I can try smoking meat with a bit. I think I will go with the classic Weber grill, as how can I go wrong with that...Looks like the real smokers start at about $300-$700 range?

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-Original-P ... en&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NC ... pd_gw_unk

we've used several home made smoker grills up at camp for years, finally after burning out several we opted for a weber kettle, (older model, no frills) and a chip box to smoke and cook briskits, steaks, loins, ribs, chicken, grouse, you name it and we've smoked it, heres the chip box, right from weber.



obviously if you want to smoke cook meat a Treager or other designated Smoker is the way to go, however if all you want is smoke flavored BBQ the Weber your looking at is a more affordable and easy solution, specially if you want a quicker meal, good luck Kampy

[kampmanfan4life]

Narrowed the wedding registry grill down to these two choices. I'd love one I can try smoking meat with a bit. I think I will go with the classic Weber grill, as how can I go wrong with that...Looks like the real smokers start at about $300-$700 range?

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-Original-P ... en&sr=1-4
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08NC ... pd_gw_unk

we've used several home made smoker grills up at camp for years, finally after burning out several we opted for a weber kettle, (older model, no frills) and a chip box to smoke and cook briskits, steaks, loins, ribs, chicken, grouse, you name it and we've smoked it, heres the chip box, right from weber.



obviously if you want to smoke cook meat a Treager or other designated Smoker is the way to go, however if all you want is smoke flavored BBQ the Weber your looking at is a more affordable and easy solution, specially if you want a quicker meal, good luck Kampy

Thanks Yoop! I will go this route and see how it is. Once the wedding is behind us and we buy a house I can look into a quality smoker.

[NCF]

Homemade bacon.

[Packfntk]

Did you end up curing it? How long? Done those several times. Once you do that you won't want to buy store bought bacon.

[NCF]

Did you end up curing it? How long? Done those several times. Once you do that you won't want to buy store bought bacon.

Yep, I did a week. Followed this:

https://jesspryles.com/recipe/how-to-make-bacon/