New guy, first smoker, any recommendations?
- Thread starter mummel
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It's because of posts like yours I don't put down the Gen 2 models. I do say that issues have been reported but many people have no problem with them. But since I own a MES 30 Gen 1, I recommend those because I have personal experience with this version.
bmaddox
Master of the Pit
Thanks @daRicksta
I have no problem with the overwhelming preference for the Gen 1 on this site. I just think that the Gen 2 is often completely dismissed as a non-functioning unit when it is very capable of cooking great food. If you find a gen 2 for a good deal (like I did) then you shouldn't be afraid of buying it because you could have a "better" version.
Mummel, when you buy an AMNPS Todd Johnson throws in a 2 lb bag of Pitmaster's Choice which is a combo of cherry, hickory and maple. It's outstanding. As for me, I bought all the varieties I think I will need for any occasion and meat: oak, hickory, apple, alder, mesquite, and pecan. I like using cherry wood chips when I grill but I've read cherry wood pellets are difficult to keep burning on their own and need to be mixed with another wood like hickory or maple. Luckily for us Todd has created his Pitmaster's Choice which is the answer to the problem.
For the woods I think I'll be using a lot (oak and hickory) I bought 5 lb. bags. The others I bought in 2 lb. bags. I think I use less wood pellets than Todd recommends and I also don't smoke as much as other guys so a 2 lb. bag can last me all summer.
I'm seeing the "loaded" Gen 2 models online from $345 to over $400. I guess MB has found that customers prefer the non-Bluetooth 40" smokers with all the bells and whistles or maybe they've sold off all the cheaper plain Jane ones and these are the ones that are left. The 30" model 20070910 remains their best selling 30" I believe because if you're willing to wait you can buy it real cheap online and it's a good, reliable smoker.
I might just get a bag of the pitmasters mix and just use that for everything. I can perhaps expand my pellet horizons once I have some idea of WTF Im doing haha. I went to Costco today. Looked at all the meats. I think I'm going to get started on pork. Cheapest in case I screw up and they also looked fricken delicious!
I posted in a another thread about about smoking meat and fish at the same time. Others mentioned they have 2 different smokers for this (obviously something I cant do). I was really hoping to do both meat and fish at the same time.
But if smoking separately, is it a pain to clean up (and you find yourself sticking to either fish or meat instead of switching back and forth)? I hadnt thought about this and just want to find out what's practical. Sounds great in theory (i.e. smoke fish, clean up, then smoke meat), but if it's a huge hassle to clean, I dont see myself switching the whole time.
BTW - still keeping my eyes open for smoker deals. I'm not going to get the 30" Amazon version after that 30 vs 40 poll.
But if smoking separately, is it a pain to clean up (and you find yourself sticking to either fish or meat instead of switching back and forth)? I hadnt thought about this and just want to find out what's practical. Sounds great in theory (i.e. smoke fish, clean up, then smoke meat), but if it's a huge hassle to clean, I dont see myself switching the whole time.
BTW - still keeping my eyes open for smoker deals. I'm not going to get the 30" Amazon version after that 30 vs 40 poll.
timberjet
Master of the Pit
Keep your eye on craigslist. I use this smoker for fish. I got it for super cheap on CL. I have seen them at yard sales for under 20 bucks. You would find that once you do a bunch of fish in your smoker everything will smell and taste like fish. That is an electric blanket, I had to macgyver that up because it was way cold when I smoked these steelhead.
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Hey guys - what about using a natural gas grill and then getting an AMPS? The cost of natural gas is dirt cheap and you would still be able to achieve the smoke with a AMPS?
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bmaddox
Master of the Pit
Most gas grills are high BTU units that are designed to crank out tons of heat (sometimes 700+ degrees). This type of cooking is the opposite of what you are going for. You can probably make it work if you can achieve enough temp control and get the food away from the burner but it will be a lot more work than cooking on a smoker.
On another note, you seem to have a lot of uncertainty on what you need for smoking. My advice would be to get a Brinkmann charcoal unit (known as an ECB) for $50 at home depot and start from there. They are very capable of smoking great food and will let you figure out exactly what you want without a huge investment. If you have to have electric (i.e. cooking on an apartment balcony) then get the electric ECB for $80.
I see that you have made it to 90 posts without even buying a smoker which leads me to believe that you are having a hard time deciding. Get a super cheap smoker, Jeff's cook book, and a pork butt and see how it goes. For those three items you are in it for less than $100 and already have food on the table. (That is how I started and it worked great for me).
On another note, you seem to have a lot of uncertainty on what you need for smoking. My advice would be to get a Brinkmann charcoal unit (known as an ECB) for $50 at home depot and start from there. They are very capable of smoking great food and will let you figure out exactly what you want without a huge investment. If you have to have electric (i.e. cooking on an apartment balcony) then get the electric ECB for $80.
I see that you have made it to 90 posts without even buying a smoker which leads me to believe that you are having a hard time deciding. Get a super cheap smoker, Jeff's cook book, and a pork butt and see how it goes. For those three items you are in it for less than $100 and already have food on the table. (That is how I started and it worked great for me).
Thanks man. Yeah I really want to do this. I dont mind being patient and doing the research first. Thats what this forum is for! That way I know exactly what I'm buying and I can make sure I get the right tools for the job. It took ~100 posts to find out that grilling fish and meat in the same smoker is a bad idea, so that changes my game plan quite a bit! (i.e. maybe I will just get the $200 30" Amazon Gen 2.5 and just do fish?).
I'll figure it out. I really appreciate all the help. This forum is a wealth of info. Really great stuff. Thank you.
I'll figure it out. I really appreciate all the help. This forum is a wealth of info. Really great stuff. Thank you.
Oh and I went to Costco this weekend to research meats. Pork looks like the way to go.
I found:
Pork loin boneless = $1.99 / lb
Pork loin top loin roast = $2.49 / lb
Boneless pork shoulder = $1.89 / lb
Pork loin back ribs = $3.09 / lb
Pork St Louis spare ribs = $2.89 / lb
Pork loin tenderloin = $2.99 / lb
Of all these, the pork shoulder looked the most appealing (~15lbs, a huge wad of meat, in my mind it looks like it would work great for smoking). Is this the Boston Butt everyone refers to? But this meat was the cheapest of the lot. Using the "get what you pay for" philosophy, would it be the driest / least tender?
I found:
Pork loin boneless = $1.99 / lb
Pork loin top loin roast = $2.49 / lb
Boneless pork shoulder = $1.89 / lb
Pork loin back ribs = $3.09 / lb
Pork St Louis spare ribs = $2.89 / lb
Pork loin tenderloin = $2.99 / lb
Of all these, the pork shoulder looked the most appealing (~15lbs, a huge wad of meat, in my mind it looks like it would work great for smoking). Is this the Boston Butt everyone refers to? But this meat was the cheapest of the lot. Using the "get what you pay for" philosophy, would it be the driest / least tender?
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By the way - I spoke to Masterbuilt again. The Gen 2.5 40 inch version, with no window or bluetooth, will be selling at Sams Club in 6-9 weeks. The CSR did not know the MSRP.
Boston butt is another name for pork shoulder, either bone-in or boneless. Loin back ribs are also called baby back ribs. They're considered the tenderest of pork ribs. St Louis-style spareribs are just the spareribs trimmed of what's called the brisket, including what are called riblets. Spareribs are a bit tougher than baby backs but like all tough meat, long and slow tenderizes everything. Many people feel spareribs are more flavorful than baby backs. There are You Tube videos which teach you how to trim ribs yourself; it's not hard at all.
Oh and I went to Costco this weekend to research meats. Pork looks like the way to go.
I found:
Pork loin boneless = $1.99 / lb
Pork loin top loin roast = $2.49 / lb
Boneless pork shoulder = $1.89 / lb
Pork loin back ribs = $3.09 / lb
Pork St Louis spare ribs = $2.89 / lb
Pork loin tenderloin = $2.99 / lb
Of all these, the pork shoulder looked the most appealing (~15lbs, a huge wad of meat, in my mind it looks like it would work great for smoking). Is this the Boston Butt everyone refers to? But this meat was the cheapest of the lot. Using the "get what you pay for" philosophy, would it be the driest / least tender?
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timberjet
Master of the Pit
Yes sometimes cheap is good. One good reason for low and slow smoking and BBQing is the fact that you can turn a cheap and tough piece of meat into something divine. When choosing a Butt for smoking don't look for a lean super trimmed one like the picture there. You want fat. Fat is flavor and moisture. Most of it renders off during the long cooking process. A chuck roast is the Beef equivalent of the Pork shoulder or Butt. It is done much the same way and with much the same results only Beefy.
This is a Picnic shoulder which can also be refered to as a Butt. This one was 12 pounds. 99 cents per pound.
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What a great price.Round these parts pork shoulders have gotten expensive due to their rise in popularity. I've never seen an entire pork shoulder like this in the supermarkets or at Costco.
Yes sometimes cheap is good. One good reason for low and slow smoking and BBQing is the fact that you can turn a cheap and tough piece of meat into something divine. When choosing a Butt for smoking don't look for a lean super trimmed one like the picture there. You want fat. Fat is flavor and moisture. Most of it renders off during the long cooking process. A chuck roast is the Beef equivalent of the Pork shoulder or Butt. It is done much the same way and with much the same results only Beefy.
This is a Picnic shoulder which can also be refered to as a Butt. This one was 12 pounds. 99 cents per pound.
timberjet
Master of the Pit
Look for a Super One foods. They have great meat sections. I would think you might have one on the west side. We have them all over on the eastern side of the state and eastern oregon. That is where I try to get all my meat. It's the best we have around here and usually the best price too.
We don't have a Super 1 store in western Washington state; they're all in the central and eastern regions. Three corporations control 98% or more of the supermarkets around here. We had a new Western WA chain move into town recently and I think another new supermarket is about to open so there's hope for cheaper prices yet. I restrict myself to buying pork products from Safeway because they're the only chain that doesn't add saline solution to their pork products. Even Costco sells pork ribs from Swift Premium that inject this crap into the meat so I rarely buy from them unless I need a lot of ribs at a decent price.
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