Hello to all - and question about electrical smoker

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johntryingsmoke

Newbie
Original poster
Jun 6, 2016
5
10
Hi Everyone,

We just got a hand me down electrical smoker.  Its a Brinkmann Smoke'N Pit vertical electric smoker.

I was curious where is the best place to place the meat?  On the top rack or above the water bowl in the middle???

Also it takes quite sometime to come up to temperature and has yet to get to the "hot" zone on the thermometer.

Any replies would be greatly appreciated and thanks for you time.

John 
 
Welcome to the forum John!  I've got no electric experience, but I wouldn't use water in the bowl and place the meat above the empty bowl.  The bowl will deflect heat, for indirect smoking.  I've also read that electric smokers don't get super hot, but for smoking meats, that's okay.

Mike
 
Welcome to the forum!

Also get yourself a good thermometer, because the factory gauges are usually way off.

A dual probe Maverick is a good one.

Al
 
Hi Mike,

Thanks so much for getting back to me!  Got it - no water in the bowl.  I was thinking maybe i'd put sand or lava rocks in there???

Our first brisket had an inside temp of 141 and that was after 6 hours smoking.

We put in oven for an hour and got it up to 195 on the inside and it turned out amazing.  Well amazing for us as it was the first!  

What happens if i just remove bowl?  I could put sand or lava rocks literally around the heating element?

Going to try again tomorrow with a pork shoulder and hoping we can get it hotter...

Thanks again for getting back to me!

John 
 
Hi Al,

Appreciate you getting back - thank you.

Will definitely invest in a good thermometer.  We have a weber digital meat one now and your right our gage on the lid of the smoker is kind of suspect.  We thought it might be working but now we get it.  

Thanks,

John 
 
 
Hi Mike,

Thanks so much for getting back to me!  Got it - no water in the bowl.  I was thinking maybe i'd put sand or lava rocks in there???

Our first brisket had an inside temp of 141 and that was after 6 hours smoking.

We put in oven for an hour and got it up to 195 on the inside and it turned out amazing.  Well amazing for us as it was the first!  

What happens if i just remove bowl?  I could put sand or lava rocks literally around the heating element?

Going to try again tomorrow with a pork shoulder and hoping we can get it hotter...

Thanks again for getting back to me!

John 
Sand or lava rocks would work fine.  I just foil my water bowl to make clean up easier.  My briskets and butts take a very long time, 14-20 hours of smoking at 225-250.  Best of luck with that pork shoulder.

Mike
 
Holy crap 14-20 hours???  I had no idea.

Thanks for the heads up and and info and hoping for the best. 

thanks again,

john 
 
 
Holy crap 14-20 hours???  I had no idea.

Thanks for the heads up and and info and hoping for the best. 

thanks again,

john 
Low and slow smoking is 1.5 -2 hrs per lb.  A 10 lb hunk o meat would be 15-20 hrs.  Wrapping can speed up the process, as well as bumping up the cook temp.  Personally, I like the results from low and slow, and try to plan accordingly!  Happy smoking.

Mike
 
You can do just what you did with the brisket. Smoke for a few hours on the smoker and then put in the oven.

Just be careful and mind the 140 in 4 rule: your meat should reach 140* internal temp within 4 hours to avoid creation of cooties (harmful bacteria). Get a good dual prob thermo like the aforementioned Maverick and monitor you cook chamber and meat. If you smoker is only getting up to 150-170ish range you will not likely be able to get you meat to 140 within 4 hours. If that is the case you can smoke the meat for 3 hours and put in the oven at around 300 to finish it off.

I would go without anything in the pan and even consider not using the pan/bowl at all if the smoker only gets to 150-170ish. I would put on the top rack either way. Sand or lava rocks are good too, though I would definitely get the smoker up to temp before putting he meat on. Maybe let it run for 30-60 minutes then put on the meat. This will help with the 140 in 4 rule too.

Oh, and a word of warning, you may well be on your way to your new obsession: Smokng Meat!
 
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