This place ALWAYS makes me hungry!!

[acewestern]

Hi guys. I've been looking on this site for a while now, very helpful to newbies like me.
Name's Adam. From England, UK (sorry bout that lol). Only started smoking this year with a really cheap horizontal offset. It did do a 9lb brisket very nicely with your help though.
Thanks for having me and I look forward to the advice [emoji]128077[/emoji]

 

[gearjammer]

Hello Adam and  

  to you.

Don't worry about how much your smoker cost,

or any of that stuff.

If it makes good food , it's all good.

It is the pitmaster not the pit.

Have fun.

  Ed

 

[smokin monkey]

Hi Adam , Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"

Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.

Please take time to look at the UK Smokers Forum,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3161/uk-smokers

And introduce your self on the UK Roll Call
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

We have had our 3rd UK Smokes weekend, where members attend and cooked over the weekend, planning for 2017, are getting underway. Please use the link below to view the website.

http://www.uk-smf.co.uk

Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]

 

[SmokinAl]

Hi Adam!

to SMF!

Glad to have you aboard!

Al

 

[acewestern]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I'll sure be checking out the UK forums, thanks for that. Maybe someone will point me in the direction of a local butcher who knows what a Boston Butt is lol!

Thanks guys, glad to be on board.

 

[wade]

Hi guys. I've been looking on this site for a while now, very helpful to newbies like me.
Name's Adam. From England, UK (sorry bout that lol). Only started smoking this year with a really cheap horizontal offset. It did do a 9lb brisket very nicely with your help though.
Thanks for having me and I look forward to the advice [emoji]128077[/emoji]

Hi Adam - Great to have you on board. There are a growing number of us this side of the pond and Steve has pointed you towards the UK specific area of the forum. The UK group is fully integrated into the whole forum and is seen by all members and many of our US colleagues are active contributors. We do, however try to tackle some of the challenges that are more specific to the UK and Ireland.

It is great that the brisket worked out. Do you have any photos of your smoker in action? We like photos 

It is a pity that you are from the Midlands too though - us southerners are really feeling outnumbered 

 
Thanks for the warm welcome!

I'll sure be checking out the UK forums, thanks for that. Maybe someone will point me in the direction of a local butcher who knows what a Boston Butt is lol!

Just ask your butcher for a whole pork shoulder - that is a Boston Butt. It has more fat marbling than the pork leg and so gives more flavour and is better for pulling. It is called a Boston Butt after the barrels that they used to be stored in. Get him/her to remove the skin too as you will usually cook it without the skin on. Keep the skin though as it makes great crackling when cooked separately.

 

[acewestern]

Thanks for that Wade. I'll get some pics up soon of the smoker in action. Not the most professional outfit but does the job (albeit using more coals lol).

I started a new thread about the pork I did. It went ok, could have been better but went down great with everyone. I think because it didn't have much fat it wasn't quite at the fall apart stage. The crackling from the cut off skin was pretty special though.

 

[acewestern]

So here's the smoker. I didn't want to spend too much money just in case I didn't take to it. But I definitely have so upgrades are coming next year!!

The smoker itself was from Aldi for just £49.99! Its well worth the money but obviously has downfalls. Leaks heat and smoke from just about everywhere, small firebox and you could dent the steel with your thumb lol. I've a high temp, food safe black silicone to help a little with retaining heat but it won't be perfect.

I use a chip basket as a charcoal basket which does the job just nice and i'm gonna be modding the grate to raise the height of the charcoal a little as it's a little too close to the bottom.

But that's the setup for now and it just about does the job.

I'd be interested to hear any tips for an upgraded smoker for next year up to around the £300 mark. I know even the expensive ones have flaws but i'm sticking with horizontal offsets cuz I love the look and actually enjoy the temp controlling part of it too.

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• acewestern
• Sep 1, 2016

IMG_4840.JPG

• acewestern
• Sep 1, 2016

 

[smokin monkey]

Not suggestion I can give is, seal everything with high temp selant, use fire rope around the doors to seal.