Smoker Info Please

I got a smoker for X-Mass and was hoping I could get a little learning curve from members here. :) It is a combination coal/wood smoker, looks like a 30 gallon drum with legs. I plan to use it for fish, pork ribs/loin and chicken.

- Do you use charcoal and wood at same time?

- Do you use soaked wood chips once the fire is good and going?

- For fish, what do you season it with?

Have used it only once due to the deep freeze Ohio has been in. Smoked some chicken breasts but had to split the cook time on a regular coal grill because it was gonna take me waaaaay longer than I thought. By the end, I had it so full with wood, I got out some fish and smoked it the same night. :D Fish did turn out very good and used some creole seasoning on it. Sorry so long winded, but thanks for any info! - AF

Attica
If your talking about the Brinkman line of smokers , I have both the charcoal and the electric. I use soaked wood chips in both to do ribs, beef, venison, chicken, pork, turkeys and fish. You dont have to smoke the whole cooking time. Usually about a big handfull of chips twice in the first couple hours will give you a good smoke line. If you have the marinate pan, use it. I use wine, beer, apple juice, marinates, ect. Cooking times vary, depending on the outside temp and the size of the cut your using. Chicken and ribs usuall take 5-7 hours. Turkeys may take up to 10 hours. Use a temp probe and try to keep temp in smoker 190-220. Fish are the quickest. I can smoke sauger fillets in about 2 1/2 hours. Use any seasoning you like. I like lemon pepper, cajun, even Montreal chicken seasoning on my fish. Good luck and dont be afraid to experiment. If you come up with something good, make sure you share it!

that smoking thing is fun and can be a pain in the .... first time i did it ( my smoker is about the same as you describe) i didn't like the food guess to much smoke in my nose lol.
but the second and 3rd time i guess i was doing good just make sure that you have a hot fire before hand and durning i use only wood for mine.

try this forum they have lots of recipies and such .
Smoking Meat - The Complete How to Smoke Meat Guide

Scott

Here's another good site for help.
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I use mostly fruit woods--apple, cherry. pecan. Just depends on what your smoking

Attica, I cooked on a bbq team for three years. Most of the time we burnt the wood and use only the coals. If you use the wood while it is burning you can get a strong smoke (sometime over powering). Charcoal is good to use with wet wood chips or wet sawdust.
Like Downwind said stay with the fruit woods or hickory.
If you can find the bulk lump charcoal it will burn hotter and last longer.
Walmart has a brand that is the brickets and it is larger than the others but it will last longer.
Good luck and hope you enjoy.

What I do is use a little charcoal to get it started and put cherry wood in to create the smoke.

Thanks for the info (& web links), think I have a better idea on where to start. I have some hickory and mesquite (sp?) chips, but will have to look around and see if I can find some of the fruit wood. Need to get a thermometer to put in the smoker too, the gauge on it is about worthless to me. It has 3 measurements..... Warm - Ideal - Hot....

I do already have 1 pretty darn good recipe for some smoked chicken I would make on my old grill with red pepper pesto over noodles. As soon as the wife gives me the details - she does the pesto inside while I tend the beer, I mean grill, - I will put it up here, so stayed tuned. :p

Thanks Again! :)

I use Kingsford's charcoal and green hickory. Sometimes I use pecan shells instead of hickory. It's all good :D

try to use chunks instead of chips, they last longer so need to open pit as often and lose the heat. I prefer the electric smoker myself. More time for beer then preparing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 65pontiac

try to use chunks instead of chips, they last longer so need to open pit as often and lose the heat. I prefer the electric smoker myself. More time for beer then preparing.

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65pontiac--Do you have any sites to go to for receipts using electric smoker. Also--Do you think things cook a bit faster than what receipts call for. For instance-12 lb turkey calls for 8-12 hrs but find they cook in about 6-7. 6 lb Turkey Breast in about 3 hrs.
I'm using a Masterbuilt electric.

Just google electric smoker recipes. Any smoker recipe will work on electric. As far as cooking time it depends on how hot it gets. I went to the dollar store and got a oven thermometer. Set it right on the grate next to the meat. The weather plays a big facter to. Cold out means longer smoking time.

I use the Brinkman smoker but I learned to not use the water pan and only use the top rack. things cook faster and dont taste steamed. You do have to watch the amount of fire though. Build a smaller fire works for me.

I'm going to smoke some meat today using a combination of Pecan wood and Maple wood. I have a Pork Shoulder that we thawed yesterday and I'll probably cook it for around 8 hours. I'll mix a solution of Apple Cider Vinegar with Red and Black Pepper to baste the shoulder with about every hour or so. I try to smoke the meat at around 200 to 225. I have a heavy gauge Barrel Smoker/Grill with a firebox that we bought from Academy Sports and it works great. After the pork's done we'll chip it up for BBQ with some of our favorite BBQ sauce and pig out while watching the Super Bowl, I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it.

"Shep"

Here's a couple of sites to check out:

The Smoke Ring- All you need to know about barbecue

Indirect Grilling Barbecue Recipes for Hot Smoking Chicken Turkey Pork Lamb Beef and Fish

I use chunks of wood rather than chips. Chunks give off a more consistent smoke and don't need to be replenished as often. Start with 1-2 chunks in the beginning then try 3 then next time, then 4 and so on. You will need to do this for each wood. Write down what you did each time so you have a record of something to build upon. In my opinion, record keeping is essential. This will prevent duplicating past failures and increase future successes. Record how much and what kind of charcoal or wood you used, how much smoke wood did you use, what the temperature was in the smoker, what the temperature was outside and any ideas of how to improve on the next time.

One thing to keep in mind, is if you ask 100 people what techniques they use, you will 100 different answers. ALWAYS start out using a small amount of smoke and gradually build from there. Each smoker is different and your level of acceptable smoke flavor is different then everyone else. Too much smoke will kill the experience. Error on the side of less is better.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Downwind

65pontiac--Do you have any sites to go to for receipts using electric smoker. Also--Do you think things cook a bit faster than what receipts call for. For instance-12 lb turkey calls for 8-12 hrs but find they cook in about 6-7. 6 lb Turkey Breast in about 3 hrs.
I'm using a Masterbuilt electric.

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I used to have a Cajun Cooker brand smoker. I liked it better than my friends' Brinkman's because it had a much larger charcoal/wood tray and water tray, and I never had to add fuel or liquids while cooking. I did notice, though, that it took me about 1/2 the time to cook that most recipes (including the booklet that came with the smoker) called for.

I agree with others that chunks are better than chips.

Barbecuewood.com Home Page

here's another bbq link. sign up for weekly recipes.
Barbecue Recipes and Grill Information from Barbecue & Grilling at About.com - BBQ

KickAssBBQ is ALL about smoking meat.

Check out the cooking topics & forums at The Virtual Weber Bullet

I've got an electric brinkman my wife got me for Christmas. I like the electric. It stays a constant 220 deg and uses a waterpan so the bbq doesn't dry out. I haven't had a chance to try fish, but I do a rub for about everything from pork shoulder, chicken quarters, ribs, and chops.
I also use wood chunks rather than chips for a better more consistent smoke.
The pros may snicker at the electric smoker, but it make some lip smackin bbq and works well.
I googled rib rub or smoked chicken rub and picked the easiest to make. Most pork rubs are paprika or brown sugar based. For chicken I do more of an herb and garlic rub with some pepper for heat.
I'm still learning how to do some good tender ribs. Best result so far was to cover the ribs in plain yellow mustard, then cover in the rub.
i can't wait to try fish, but I've got to go catch some to smoke first. I do have some catfish fillets from last season I can try...