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Best first time smoked ribs/brisket recipe: https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/spice-rubs-and-pastes/big-bad-beef-rub-recipe

Chickens taste better when cooked whole. Pickles taste better cut. Sandwiches taste better cut and bitten from inside. Meat tastes better sliced against grain.


Definitely a smoker is a personal choice, and what is better depends on what you are looking for.  I say it's a balance of goals, between: (i) making good food, (ii) making authentic BBQ, (iii) having fun with the maaseh of smoking, and (iv) convenience.  Items (iii) and (iv) don't only conflict, they directly oppose each other.

I opted for items (i) and (iv) so went PBC.  I would say WSM is also mostly a (i) and (iv) choice, but it brings in extra elements of (ii) and (iii), at a slight cost to (iv).  Maybe WSM also better at (i)--I have no idea either way.

Further to the above:

If all you want is good food, get a sous vide.

If all you want is authentic BBQ, get a huge offset smoker that you feed with split logs.

If all you want is having fun with the maaseh of smoking, again, get a huge offset smoker.

If all you want is convenience, use your oven.


Henche's PBC review
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=43018.msg1439199#msg1439199
« Last edited by jj1000 on June 04, 2020, 10:13:19 AM »

Author Topic: Smoking Meats  (Read 422916 times)

Offline SearchGuy

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1980 on: August 17, 2020, 06:14:09 PM »
Anybody have the
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 Digital Grill Smoker?
My friend who owns one told me that he sometimes has a hard time lighting them... it's doesn't light on it's own

Offline SearchGuy

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1981 on: August 18, 2020, 08:04:22 AM »

Offline Zevi16

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1982 on: September 13, 2020, 02:11:07 PM »
Noob question. I’m looking to buy a smoker now. Willing to spend up to around $150+-  what’s a good option for me?

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1983 on: September 13, 2020, 03:03:33 PM »
Noob question. I’m looking to buy a smoker now. Willing to spend up to around $150+-  what’s a good option for me?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01II2DHTW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UVKwFbVHEW0QA

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1984 on: September 14, 2020, 10:32:41 AM »
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Euclid

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1986 on: September 14, 2020, 10:50:31 AM »
Charcoal isn't really noob friendly...
-1
Feelings don't care about your facts

Offline Euclid

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1987 on: September 14, 2020, 10:53:23 AM »
-1
For smoking? Compared to a pellet smoker, it's much more difficult.

That being said, if you're going charcoal the Weber Smokey Mountain is the most noob friendly. But a pellet smoker is much easier in general.

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1988 on: September 14, 2020, 01:57:22 PM »
For smoking? Compared to a pellet smoker, it's much more difficult.

That being said, if you're going charcoal the Weber Smokey Mountain is the most noob friendly. But a pellet smoker is much easier in general.
this noob started with a kettle grill doing the snake method and never had an issue. i would go back to that over my pellet grill any day

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1989 on: September 14, 2020, 01:58:15 PM »
How does the kettle with snake compare to the pbc?
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1990 on: September 14, 2020, 01:58:16 PM »
this noob started with a kettle grill doing the snake method and never had an issue. i would go back to that over my pellet grill any day
Interesting! I've never used a pellet and was under the assumption that it's extremely idiot proof. TIL, thanks!

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1991 on: September 14, 2020, 02:01:33 PM »
Interesting! I've never used a pellet and was under the assumption that it's extremely idiot proof. TIL, thanks!
it's easier in certain regards but i find the temperature fluctuates much more. a noob may have a hard time managing that. i'm not using a top of the line pellet grill though. maybe a traeger keeps temp more consistently.

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1992 on: September 14, 2020, 02:17:41 PM »
@henche you own a pbc if memory serves (too lazy to look back and double check). Are you still happy with it? Would you recommend it?
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1993 on: September 14, 2020, 02:25:48 PM »
Yah yah

I like it. Still use it. Still on my first one.

Been wondering recently if I’d go for a pellet if i ever need a new one (not sure why I’d need a new one). If I’m sticking with charcoal, id stick with pbc.

My views have evolved tho since some of my early posts. So read only my later posts. In sum, i make good stuff and i don’t hock with therbolometers or portholes.

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1994 on: September 14, 2020, 02:35:14 PM »
Yah yah

I like it. Still use it. Still on my first one.

Been wondering recently if I’d go for a pellet if i ever need a new one (not sure why I’d need a new one). If I’m sticking with charcoal, id stick with pbc.

My views have evolved tho since some of my early posts. So read only my later posts. In sum, i make good stuff and i don’t hock with therbolometers or portholes.


Compared to pellet:
You can't afford a pellet.


glad you're moving up in the world

Offline Sport

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1995 on: September 14, 2020, 07:12:40 PM »
it's easier in certain regards but i find the temperature fluctuates much more. a noob may have a hard time managing that. i'm not using a top of the line pellet grill though. maybe a traeger keeps temp more consistently.
My pellet keeps temps within 2 degrees 99% of the time. I (fianlly) can sleep peacefully with my briskets on the smoker.

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1996 on: September 14, 2020, 09:16:16 PM »
For smoking? Compared to a pellet smoker, it's much more difficult.

That being said, if you're going charcoal the Weber Smokey Mountain is the most noob friendly. But a pellet smoker is much easier in general.
So which pellet smoker should I get if i would spend up to 250

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1997 on: September 14, 2020, 10:12:22 PM »
I have been using my pellet and I'm loving it.  Its a more subtle smoke flavor(using original traeger pellets for now) but it makes smoking meats so much easier
#TYH

Offline rs242

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1998 on: September 14, 2020, 11:53:51 PM »
My pellet keeps temps within 2 degrees 99% of the time. I (fianlly) can sleep peacefully with my briskets on the smoker.
I never have a issue sleeping when my brisket is in the pbc.

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #1999 on: September 15, 2020, 10:46:04 AM »
My pellet keeps temps within 2 degrees 99% of the time. I (fianlly) can sleep peacefully with my briskets on the smoker.


which one do you have? i use camp chef and it works but not thrilled with it. price was right though