Electric Smoker Question

[longislandhunter]

Not airgun related but I have a question for you smokers  (as in Bar-B-Q) out there.  I've been smoking meat and fish for a long time and currently have a small electric smoker, a small charcoal smoker and a medium sized electric water smoker, however now that I'm retired with all this time on my hands, combined with the fact that to me good "Q" is almost a religion,  I've decided to step up to a larger electric smoker.  I've been doing quite a bit of research on all the major brands and have pretty much decided to go with the the "Amerique" model made by "Cook Shack",  but before I go pulling the trigger I wanted to ask you guys/gals what you would recommend and also if you have any personal experience with the "Cook Shack" smokers.  I had a real hard time decided between a new smoker or a new air gun but after eating the pork loin that I spent all day smoking yesterday I decided to go with the new smoker....   Any advice or comments would be greatly appreciated...  Thanks in advance  

Here's the link to the smoker I'm thinking of buying

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0049000517867a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=cookshack&Ntk=Products&sort=all&Go.y=7&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=14



Jeff

[SDale]

Man, thats a NICE lookin smoke box there Jeff! I don't have any experience with store bought smokers other than an Oklahoma Joe. But that one looks like it'd fit the bill.

I made mine from an electric hot plate and a clean 55 gallon canola oil drum. It's not the prettiest thing in the world, but it works good enough for me!

[longislandhunter]

Sam,  that  one I'm thinking of buying is really  nice and all the reviews I can find are very good but I just thought I'd ask about it on GTA since I know we have some very experienced "smokers" in our ranks and I would value their opinions.   Like I said, I have a couple of other, smaller smokers and they work very well, but I've always wanted a larger smoker with all the "bells and whistles" and this one has them.   One of the things I especially like about this smoker is that once the electronic meat thermometer indicates that the meat has reached the desired temp. the smoker automatically goes into it's "hold" mode and keeps the meat at a constant 140 degrees.  They also have a smaller model, which is quite a bit cheaper but it doesn't have the "hold" feature and it of course holds less meat.  Before I hit the button I"m gonna wait and see what kind of recommendations I get here on the forum because I figure even with all the research I've done there may be some makes/models out there that I missed and should look at.    

This is the link to the smaller Cook Shack that I'm considering.....

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp;jsessionid=50GQVTLC5X0RTLAQBBJSCO3MCAEFIIWE?id=0070233519330a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=cookshack&Ntk=Products&sort=all&Go.y=12&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=16

The lower cost is making it very attractive to me and it also comes in solid stainless steel which is the one I'd get,  but I'm just a little concerned that it won't be big enough....

I hate these kind of decisions...

Jeff

[SDale]

I dunno Jeff, but whichever one you choose. Either one should be a winner!

[Magnum]

Hey Jeff , I have not personally used the smoker you are looking at but my neighbour has one very similar looking both he and his dad have had  been smokin for years and use it alot..It is electric and he swears by it.
  Last year I decided to try my hand at smokin.. thinking maybe once a month at the most so after reserch I finished up with one of those egg shape Char broil ones with charcoal so I could see how it went and I will say i am hooked on smokin. When  I retire and have more time, My smoker will be electric based on what i have eaten from one:)  Or maybe one like this would bring the neighbours over for a look see

[longislandhunter]

Thanks for the reply Tony.  I certainly wouldn't mind having one like the pic in your post  LOL    but I doubt I could afford it  

I was up until 4am this morning doing more research on smokers and I think I'm gonna pull the trigger on one of the 2 I'm lookin at. The smaller of the 2 would probably suit my needs for now and it's quite a bit cheaper so now I'm kinda leaning towards that one,,,, but I must admit that bigger one keeps calling to me    , gonna have to decide between the two.....  

As for being hooked on smoking..... I know exactly what you mean.  I've been hooked on smoking ever since I smoked my very first batch of trout over 30 years ago..... that first batch was a bit over done and dry but I loved it just the same    

Jeff

[bodiej]

Gasp! C'mon..   Electric hydro nucleo fusion smoking, what's next!  It's not real bbq and it's not real smoking unless you're stuck outside all day staring at a temp gauge, swatting mosquitos, drinking alot of beer, trying to keep it low and slow enough without the WOOD fire going out.  Techno smoking - sheesh!  I'll think of ya'all next time I spend 8 hours smoking a shoulder the real way - with me drunk and sooty, the meat too dry or too smoky or not enough smoky or in some other result which wasn't intended..   True humility is earned in wasting a whole saturday this way  

[Magnum]

Let me know next time your planning a smokin, I'll be there my specialty is dry rub baby back, and pork butts:) BTW I say all my untended results are on purpose lol:)

[bodiej]

I about have the babybacks down to just how I want them with a dry rub - if the moon's in it's correct orbit and venus is waning..  The fun part to me is trying to get perfection and consistency when it's cold out hot or raining or shining, etc..

[longislandhunter]

Well Jason,,, I hear what you're saying about doing it from scratch and I will be the first to agree that there is a certain satisfaction to doing it the "old" way and I will continue to smoke the "old" way as well, but I've reached a point in my life where the "set it and forget it" scientific smoking method  has it's appeal to me..... like not having to get up at 2am, 4am and 6am to check on the fire and the smoke    

This way I'll have the best of both worlds to enjoy  

Jeff

[joe-joe guns]

I know it has nothing to do with your topic but allow me to share my smoker.I built it a few years ago.Nice to see others are into the fine arts.

[tjk]

1000 watt heating element?!? The power company is going to love you Jeff!!!! I can hear that meter buzzin'! LOL's tjk

[dnttech]

Jeff?  Do you honestly think we're gonna believe that simply because you're gonna buy a smoker that it will stop you from buying an airgun?  Sorry buddy, wrong crowd.  We KNOW you.  By the way, sorry to have been gone so long...back with the GTA now.

[longislandhunter]

Well Bob,,,, it appears as though you guys do know me too well because I have to admit that even though I'm buying the smoker I have my eyes on another shooter as I type this  

I'm not sure yet if I'm gonna buy it,,,, but I am looking at it about 100 times a day  

Nice to see you back on GTA buddy,,,,  I was gettin worried about you..

Jeff