(Part 3) Best products from r/smoking

Wow, you got a lot of miss information.

1. Never "pause a smoke". You don't want the rendered fat to coagulate and create a slimy piece of meat.
   
2. There are three things to worry about when you smoke.
   
   1. Time
      
   2. Temp
      
   3. Tenderness (Watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI-X1MpjSYg)
      
      
3. Unless a piece of meat takes up the entire bottom shelf from wall to wall, you'll never have to worry about the smoke reaching the upper pieces of meat. For a pork butt, but the fat side down, this will help protect the meat from cooking to quick.
   
   
4. But a beach canopy, like this (https://www.amazon.com/EasyGO-Products-Portable-Comfortable-Protection/dp/B077T526JY/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1541716790&sr=8-8&keywords=beach+canopy&dpID=51jgxfVld2L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch) if you want to smoke in the rain. Yes the smoke will gather near the top, but as long as you have it on the tallest height, you'll be just fine, especially if it is raining. Morning dew wont matter, just make sure to preheat the smoker for 45 min before you put the meat in. (Having a hot box will help you maintain your temps.)
   
   
5. Until you know your smoker, the time it will take a piece of meat will vary. For your first smoke don't expect too much and DON'T PLAY WITH THE MEAT. If your cooking temp is around 200-225, you aren't going to burn anything.
   
   
6. If you are using wood chips you should definitely soak them for 30min before putting them in. You don't need to worry about smoking a piece of meat after the 3rd hour of smoking. After the 3rd hour, most meat wont absorb anymore of the smoke flavor. I wouldn't recommend doing overnight cooks, but waking up early and going it that way if you have long cooks.
   
   
7. A pork shoulder should only take you a maximum of 8-10 hours. For pork you can usually judge the time by an hour per pound, and you don't want to put a 20lb pork butt in the electric smoker. (but refer to the video for timing)
   
   
8. Smoking is about enjoying your time, relaxing and kicking back with a drink in hand. Make sure you don't have plans for the day and let your family know that you'll be occupied off and on for the duration of the smoke, but they will appreciate it when all is said and done.
   
   If you have anymore questions let the community know and we'll always be happy to help. Enjoy your smoke :)

Reposting my comment from the last time this came up:

I'll second the recommendation for starting out with a Weber Kettle 22" for a first smoker if you're looking to get started smoking. It's the most versatile outdoor cooker you'll find for a reasonable price and it won't fall apart on you even if you abuse it, unlike others. Also, parts and accessories are far, FAR easier to find for it than any other cooker.

You can fit a full brisket or a full rack of ribs (or two) on it as long as you're careful and you rotate at least once during cooking. It has enough space to feed family and friends. You'll only need a larger smoker if you're regularly cooking for large groups of people (10 or more).

Pellet smokers are very convenient, but they aren't as versatile as charcoal smokers/grills. Maintaining high temps for searing, for example, can be difficult to impossible, depending on the unit. And with an automatic temperature controller, charcoal smoking can be made pretty darned hassle-free as they (if set up and used correctly) can virtually eliminate the need to adjust your vents.

If you maintain a low temperature like 225, you can get 6-8 hours out of the initial load of coal you place in the unit at the start of cooking. To give you an idea of the difference: this amounts to about a 1/4 to 1/3 of a large bag of Kingsford blue on my 22" Kettle.

Here's the exact setup I would suggest for starting out for your first few years of learning this craft:

Weber 22 inch Original Kettle - $99

Hinged, Heavy-Duty Cooking Grate (Hinges are crucial for adding charcoal in the middle of a cook and this will last quite a bit longer than the grate that comes with the vanilla Original) - $20

Slow 'N Sear smoking kit (Not 100% necessary but does make the heat way less direct, which is a very good thing when smoking)) - $90

IQ110 Automatic Temperature Regulator (Also not 100% necessary, but almost eliminates the need to tend your vents when smoking) - $140

Thermoworks Smoke (do NOT cheap out on your thermometer! Get something cheaper and you will just wind up constantly replacing probes due to them reporting false temps. You have been warned!) - $100

With this setup, you can turn out BBQ every bit as good as you can on anything short of a full-on log-burning offset smoker with just a little bit of practice, and you won't have to "baby" it. You just dump more charcoal in every 7-9 hours (depending on desired temps, wind, and leakage).

And if you decide to go with a WSM or other charcoal smoker down the road, the temperature regulator can be moved over and will work just as well with it.

Even though I have had a number of dedicated smokers, I find myself still using my Kettle quite a bit when I'm just cooking for myself, my immediate family, and/or one or two friends. It's just more efficient and less of a hassle.

For smoking, generally, my suggestion would be to either start in on your rib technique; maybe split two racks of ribs in half for a total of four pieces and experiment with leaving each one on for a different amount of time to see where you fall on the tenderness=done spectrum. I like mine so tender they almost fall off the bone, but can still hold up to a knife when slicing them. Others prefer them less tender; almost like biting into a steak. To each their own.

Or you can move on to your hot and fast technique with some chicken quarters (which are more forgiving and tastier when smoked than breasts). I generally recommend 300-325 for 1.5-2 hours. Since most folks' palates are so used to the flavor of chicken and it's a relatively mild meat, this is where you can really get a taste for the differences between woods. Always, always err on the side of adding less wood than you would think. 1-2oz on a charcoal smoker is plenty.

Save brisket for when you've got everything dialed in. It can be the most difficult to get right and has gotten to be one of the more expensive pieces of meat to smoke. Even where it's cheap you're usually looking at $40-50 per full (prime) brisket at the lowest.

The most useful thing to get a feel for is how to stabilize the temp of your smoker; make small changes to the position of your vents each time and have the patience to actually give it time for those adjustments to have an effect. Get a feel for what to do when you get a temperature spike from too much charcoal lighting off at once, for example. Will closing off the bottom vents be enough or do you need to choke it off with the top vent, as well (avoid if possible but use if necessary)? Stuff like that.

As always, a good set of temperature probes and thermometers is invaluable here!

[Weber Smokey Mountain] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001I8ZTJA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_Y5goyb44P3S2A) is a charcoal based smoker but is more involved, and effort than an electrical smoker. The WSM has 18.5 inches model ($299) and it suffices the needs for my family of five. If he likes to smoke for a larger group or bigger smokes/batches the 22.5 inch ($399) version. The Weber 18.5 is available at Lowes and Homedepot.

For the person who want to be more hands off and not tend to the smoking process the recommendation is an electrical smoker. I have a Master Build Electrical smoker 30 inches front control model with a glass front. More suited for cold smoke process for cheese and salmon (with option attachment) as well as the traditional ribs and meat. The positive of an electrical smoker it is easy to smoke all you have to do is add chips and don't worry about the charcoal and baby the temperature. The negative over the WSM you will not get a smoke ring on your meats and the depth of flavor is greater on the WSM since you including the hardwood charcoal to the flavor portfolio.

A great companion gift is the Thermoworks wireless thermometer $99.


Alway worth searching online for a Black Friday special. I got my MES with $100 off on a Black Friday Amazon sales a couple of years back.

Sites
http://amazingribs.com/BBQ_buyers_guide/smokers/

I'm going to chime in here, even though I do not have a WSM. I thought about buying one because of all the praise and recommendations, but I just could not justify the cost of a new one (and there were no used ones anywhere near me in the newspaper or on Craig's List).

I found this Fornetto smoker at Lowe's. I thought it had a much better design with the two-piece barrel. They had this on display right next to an 18" WSM, so I was able to open them both up and compare construction. This Fornetto is really well made, and the doors come with pre-installed gaskets. For a bullet-type smoker that costs $150 less than the 18" WSM, it appears to be a decent alternative. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fornetto-Basso-45-28-in-H-x-20-28-in-W-389-36-sq-in-Black-Charcoal-Vertical-Smoker/1000714230

Ultimately, I ended up buying a Dyna-glo 36" vertical charcoal smoker. I'm older, and I did not cherish the thought of having to remove lids and/or barrel sections to get at the meat and charcoal basket. That's why I chose the 2-door cabinet style. There's only two of us at home, so this smoker holds all the food we can throw at it at one time, with room left over. And it's $80 cheaper than even the smallest 14" WSM. https://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Glo-DGX780BDC-D-Vertical-Charcoal-Smoker/dp/B010759GCU

I used to have a Weber kettle, but switched to gas grills many, many, many years ago. I wasn't sure I wanted to start dealing with charcoal and wood again, but I figured it was the best way to impart smoke flavor. Compared to propane, charcoal is a bit inconvenient but ultimately worth the trouble for the increased flavor.

Everything I discovered while researching smokers indicated that the WSM is a fantastic smoker, so you probably can't go wrong if that is what you ultimately end up buying. Good luck and Happy Smoking.

Thanks for the reply, couple more questions for ya:

For the burn out clean do you just run it all vents open with or without the baffle in? How easy is it to clean the RF baffle/tube?

How’s the seal on the door? Should I get some gasket?

Is the door on the firebox like a square foot? Wondering what size splits I should buy

Also thinking of getting a charcoal basket like this to do minion method so I don’t have to throw a split on every ~45 min every cook. And maybe an ash pan to go under to make cleaning easier? Would love to hear your thoughts on that

Thanks again!!

I read both /r/smoking and r/bbq, and /r/bbq in general has better traffic and is more suited to "can someone tell me about this model smoker"?

Anyhoo, it's a little hard to tell the quality from the picture. Brinkmann is a good name. I liken them to Toyota. Not the best on the market, also not the worst. I have a Brinkmann SnP and while it has drawbacks, it's not something that I'm unhappy with. It's a good name to start with. That said, some things are unclear. I have two major issues. The first is heat movement. If the meat is sitting directly over the coals, you need some sort of a deflector to prevent the meat from grilling (smoking is more like cooking with an oven). I also can't see vents. A fire needs a good supply of oxygen to burn; this requires good vents. If you have shitty vents, you'll get shitty food. With barbecue, there really is a link between how much a smoker costs and how good it is. A smoker that's $100 or less will either make shitty food or fall apart within a year. If not both. This is a mistake everyone of us has learned the hard way.

I wouldn't focus so strongly on a brisket at first. We all have our favorite things to smoke, but I strongly advocate doing your first smoke with a pack of bratwursts as well as a turkey or pork shoulder. Turkey and pork shoulder are delicious smoked, they're cheap, and they're hard to eff up. Brisket is tricky to get right. If you have tons of money and wouldn't be upset to destroy a $30+ cut of beef in maiden smoke, that's one thing. But your maiden smoke is hard. Believe me- my first time, I literally took three hours to get my rig up to temperature. I actually wondered if there was a risk that my pork shoulder spoiled on the way to being cooked (it didn't, but I'm sure I'd get a ticky mark from a health inspector). The bratwursts are there to keep you fed during the 10 hours your pork shoulder (or whatever) takes to cook.

As for chips/charcoal ratio, I would suggest you read up a bit about BBQ before starting. You really want to use hardwood lump charcoal, and you should avoid chips if at all possible. The reason is that when you buy a nice bag of hickory or cherry chips, it's probably 50-80% cut with oak. Think: how often do you drive past a stand of hickory trees? How often do you drive past a stand of oak trees? This tip and lots, lots more will be covered in any good BBQ book. I recommend two:

1. Smoke & Spice
   
2. Peace, Love, and Barbecue
   
   If you hate books : ( then there's a fantastic online resource called Amazing Ribs (which discusses all types of BBQ, including I'm sure your coveted Texas-style brisket).
   
   As I said before, don't buy wood chips. Buy chunks or logs. You'll find a few types at your local Home Depot or Lowes, and any type of wood you can't find there is available at Barbecue Wood. They're a bit pricey, but they ship anywhere in the lower 48 free. And when I say any kind of wood, I mean any. I've been itching to try some of their pecan wood; just haven't gotten around to it because I'm sitting on a big pile of hickory I don't want to get moldy.
   
   Hope that helps! Feel free to send me a PM if you want (though I'm a bit slow these days as I'm moving), and remember that at /r/BBQ you'll probably get more responses to your equipment inquiries.

It just takes a little practice and building up confidence... while getting to eat way better BBQ than you get at most restaurants and way more fresh.

If you don't already have one, you really need to get a digital thermometer like this one.

And I highly recommend this book for some great recipes - smoked meatloaf was really good. The mac n' cheese recipe is ridiculous.. family/coworkers know me for it. It has a lot of other great tips for the WSM too.

Welcome to the club, it's such a delicious hobby.

I was in a very similar situation as you, actually. I started with a propane smoker so that I could more easily smoke overnight and not have to tend it. I now have a WSM, but I had the propane smokers for a few years before upgrading. The one I had was the Smoky Mountain Propane Smoker. I actually had two of them at one point.

My thoughts? The WSM (wood/charcoal) puts out better meat and maintains temperatures easier than the SM smokers did, but the ease of propane was quite nice. It has a wood box in it so you do actually get smoke flavor (although perhaps not as much). And being vertical meant I could do quite a bit at a time.

Overall I think they can do a very good job, but may not be quite as good as wood/charcoal. Obviously that is an opinion and YMMV, but those are my 2 cents.

If you're just doing a few pounds every once in a while, this is a good option:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OBXZ9EY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_9kHFzbGNBJ1JK

It's a scaled down version of the cast iron press my family uses to do our 250lbs per year.

Meat Grinder isn't really necessary, I'd take a look at how this guy grinds his meat if you have a food processor already, it's not great for really large quantities, but it's good for a few lbs every now and again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=basFyoMSjds
He says beef, but I've done pork and lamb like this as well.

Edit: forgot to mention mixing, don't bother buying a mixer, a good bowl and your hands in some gloves (or just washed) will do just fine.

Also, if you have a local butcher shop, they should have casings for you to buy. Call me old fashioned but synthetic casings just seem gross to me, to make a good kielbasa or hotlink, pig casings are best, if you want breakfast sausage or little smokey links, lamb casings are good for that.

As some added clarity since I use the same smoker, I ordered this and used it last weekend and it was amazing. I was able to get at least 6 hours of burn. I was making ribs so it only took about 5-5.5 and there were still unashed coals left. With it I can maintain a solid 250F.

I leave the stack damper/lid fully open. And I've insulated my doors with this. And for filling in around the seams, such as the stack or the firebox I purchased this. Those both will take about 24 hours to "cure" according to the directions.

Otherwise I think it's a solid entry-level smoker and hope you enjoy it!

P.S I know someone may ask if that charcoal cage was worth it and the quality is great, the inserts turn it into a snake method cage , and it feels quite sturdy.

I picked up this indoor kettle smoker to do just what you described. So far we've done chicken, salmon, scallops, bacon, cod, and tilapia. It's super easy to use and clean, and the smell is nice and airs out within a day, faster if you have an exhaust fan over your stove or open some windows. We don't bother opening windows since we enjoy the smell.

It takes about 20-25 minutes to cook a whole chicken breasts, and 18 minutes or less for fish depending on its thickness.

I'm a big fan of Penzey's spices which you can purchase online. Also this Cranberry - Orange Seafood spice is my all time favorite seasoning for salmon, scallops, you name it.

I'm sure you've seen these before and decided it wasn't worth it, but the wireless thermometers aren't all that bad(just expensive.)

I never thought about it but these are probably ideal for rotating shelves.

​

https://www.amazon.com/MEATER-Thermometer-Rotisserie-Bluetooth-Connectivity/dp/B01GQMPJOC/ref=asc_df_B01GQMPJOC/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=271682216857&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6709573699836672279&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9026791&hvtargid=pla-464450725665&psc=1

​

Also this rig is AWESOME. Very nice job.

Anything like this works. do not wash the probe in a dishwasher, or soak in water, clean by hand.

https://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Digital-Cooking-Probe-Thermometer/dp/B00004XSC5/ref=sr_1_13?gclid=Cj0KCQjw_absBRD1ARIsAO4_D3tpSRCT7fe9Xc1KjO4E7kx1aBCAiombNRw1V8uRgLiFcWTRFdm0SeIaAhJCEALw_wcB&hvadid=241567707765&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9030029&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1892287846665362991&hvtargid=kwd-573895322&hydadcr=28576_10704709&keywords=digital+thermometers+with+probe&qid=1569379975&s=gateway&sr=8-13

Something like this will give you the best temperature, since it checks temperature at the grate, as well as the meat. If you do not smoke that much, you could buy a cheap oven thermometer and calibrate it in hot water and just set it on the grate.

https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-TP-08S-Wireless-Thermometer-Grilling/dp/B014DAVHSQ/ref=sr_1_14?crid=N6C4AIL1BP61&keywords=maverick+thermometer&qid=1569380102&s=gateway&sprefix=mavrick+them%2Caps%2C191&sr=8-14

Hey there. I've been doing some research on this because i am interested myself and am in no way a pro.

I think some obstacles could be the tools required, the paint, and the lid.

If you can make some nice clean holes for a fixed grill that would be better. If you fix the grill in place, however, you have to make some sort of contraption on the bottom to load and clean it as well as ventilate the fuel. You won't be able to hang meats or adjust cooking space easily.

The paint on that drum probably is not safe for high temperature which would require stripping it (firing it really hot and burning it off?) or painting over (don't think that would work).

You can get those clamp lids in this style: https://www.amazon.com/Drum-Locking-Ring-Inside-Lever/dp/B01LYH71DW

but i don't know if/how these stand to heat.

TLDR: Yes, it just sounds like a lot of expensive work unless you have one lying around.

Good Luck!

In order to abide by the sub rules of including information, which I agree with I'll go in depth a bit more.

I recently went to 17th Street in Murphysboro, IL. Grand Champions, owner Mike Mills published a book titled Peace, Love and BBQ. I'm not going to post his recipes here because they're his, and I feel like for $15 I basically purchased rights to use it, not publish it. Anyway

These are spare ribs from Kroger, smoked at about 215F for 5.5 hours. The sauce is Cairo BBQ sauce from Cairo, IL. I was born in Southeast Missouri, so this is right around home for me and I grew up with this sauce. It's over 100 years old. I put the sauce on about 10 minutes before taking them off, recommended by Mike Mills. Previously, I had done that 30 minutes prior but the sugar in the sauce causes a burn on the meat from the melting sugar. Big tip for you noobs, like myself.

Any other questions, I'd be glad to answer.

Congrats on the new smoker! Weber smokey mountains are a great step up from electric.

These links should help:

https://amazingribs.com/weber-smokey-mountain-accessories

http://virtualweberbullet.com

https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Smoking-Smokey-Mountain-Smokers/dp/1624140998


If you don't have one, I would get a nice wireless thermometer since the one on the lid will not be accurate.

This is the kind I use - Smoky Mountain Vertical Gas Smoker: http://www.amazon.com/Smoky-Mountain-Vertical-Gas-Smoker/dp/B005KRZ4F4

Pros:

• easy to control temp
  
• propane lasts forever
  
• wood chips in box make great smoke
  
• grill space to smoke lots of stuff
  
• cheap
  
  Cons:
  
  
• refilling box with wood chips means uses heat-proof gloves (I use http://www.amazon.com/Charcoal-Companion-Ultimate-Barbecue-Mitt/dp/B003FZAVZ6/ )
  
  Personally, I like the simplicity of a gas smoker. Set up at dawn & I don't have to attend it much during the day. Keeps things warm without overdoing the smoke.

i have a probe thermometer similar to this one

and the smoker has a built in meat probe that i can track/be alerted via bluetooth, or by a readout on the smoker.


thanks for helping me to sort all this out. this meat is mostly for me and a couple friends that understand its my first time, so if i screw up, i will still have hopefully learned something.

Costco pork belly cut into ~2 pound sections. Cured using Meathead's Maple Bacon recipe for 6 days. Smoked on GMG Jim Bowie for 1 hour at 180 degrees and then at 225 degrees, until internal temp was 150 degrees (about another hour). Let cool until firm enough to slice. Sliced on a Chef's Choice 615 electric slicer (replaced the default serrated blade with a non-serrated blade). This morning, we baked a few slices at 400 degrees on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet for 15-20 minutes until done. Family loved it. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

This is good but for brisket, 24" roll is much better

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZYDRI8K/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2ZAY8HX11QCRX&coliid=I28I7IW6R4QTS1

18" you'll need to overlap some, 24" you should be ok with one piece.

-- Sorry for the wall of text.

Nope, it's just a preservative, though it also keeps jerky that "red"
coloring most people are used to. You've likely eaten tons of it, you just weren't aware of it.

____

[Edit: It's important to mention that cure isn't meant to keep your meat safe "for a long time". Many home cooks figure they'll eat their jerky well before it goes bad, so they don't care. That isn't how it works. You use a cure so that your meat doesn't go bad while you are processing/dehydrating/cooking it. You use a cure to keep it safe while you try to process it into a state that it can preserve itself or be protected by low temps.

Once your jerky is finished and tossed in a paper bag for your pantry or vac-packed for your freezer, the cure's job is "largely" done. That's where your salt, internal water content, humidity and temp come into play. Prosciutto for example is cured to hell and back and has been hanging around for months/years, but you wouldn't throw a slice on your counter and eat it even 2 days later (ok ... maybe 3 three days).

_____

Before sodium nitrite and other preservatives, you'd have to salt the hell out of meat and wash that salt out before consuming, or make pemmican which is completely dried and then usually ground and mixed with fats.

Jerky as we know it isn't shelf stable at "room temp". That is, not unless salted/candied, prepared in a sterile environment and vac sealed. Check out any bag of jerky (and many, many other foods), they all have have sodium nitrite or similar ilk listed under the ingredients. A few are "uncured", but that is a marketing gimmick as they get their nitrates from ingredients like celery powder or sea salt held at specific temps for a week or two for the nitrates to develop "naturally".

There are two types of cures btw, fast acting (Cure #1) and slow acting (Cure #2). The first is made for food you are going to process within a week (not including refrigeration time), like jerky and some sausage. It is also called Prague Powder, pink salt, tinted cure, butchers salt etc; it's all the same stuff. Cure #2 is used for items that will dry over long periods of time. That is basically used in any charcuterie items like salami and prosciutto, as well as traditional cured hams like Country Ham.

This is the stuff you want for jerky.

https://www.amazon.com/Weber-731001-Mountain-22-Inch-Charcoal/dp/B001I8ZTJA

http://virtualweberbullet.com/

http://amazingribs.com

My WSM is built like a champ and feels like it is going to last forever.

This is what I use to help reduce the effect from the elements when it's cold and windy, works pretty alright:

Neiko® 10908A Heavy Duty Fiberglass Welding Blanket and Cover with Brass Grommets Size 4 FT. x 6 FT. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057RJD0E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_aLgmybP3FJ95W

Found this on Amazon for $123 and has decent enough reviews.


Edit: This also seems pretty good for home use and is $100.

This was what I was hoping. I've wanted to buy a sausage stuffer for so long now, and this is some definite incentive. Any recommendations on tools of the trade? I've had my eye on this guy for a while.

That last photo is amazing.

Also, for those wondering like I was, Prague Powder.

Here's what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Peach-Butcher-Paper-Durable-Carry/dp/B00ZYDRI8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462468577&sr=8-2&keywords=pink+butcher+paper

I like the 24" wide better than the 18" and 150' will last awhile.

Get a digital meat thermometer, makes a huge difference in how easy it is to monitor internal temperature.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017613C3C/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Weber Smokey Mountain Also a great option, especially if he is already using a Weber Kettle.

Not necessarily this specific one, but would something like this be effective in what I want to do?

https://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Indoor-Outdoor-Kettle/dp/B007ZKUVPC/ref=sr_1_8?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1479104503&sr=1-8&keywords=smoker

I bought a fiberglass welding blanket to insulate my smoke vault as it is getting colder here in central Ohio. I am smoking 5lbs of chicken breasts. I let the temperature stabilize at 271-273, and then put the blanket over it as shown. Now, 12 minutes later, the temp has risen to 298-300.I might sew the blanket into a jacket or just leave it like it is. I'm happy with the $23 I spent oon this.

EDIT 1: It is 50 degrees Fahrenheit here, with a "reelfeel" of 43.

EDIT 2: I think a second blanket, configured the same but draped from the front would be an easy addition for the really cold/windy days.

EDIT 3: I added two more pictures of the discoloration on the blanket from the lower side vents. This was from a two hour smoke at 275 degree Fahrenheit.

https://imgur.com/a/X5R9s62

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057RJD0E/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Welding Blanket should work just fine. Plywood for a windbreak if you really need the extra help after that.

I bought a Landmann used last summer and so far it's working like a champ. I did build a little hut for it to help it out in the cold, otherwise, I've got no complaints.

Sure,

• Pork Belly: $2.99/lb
  
• Pink Cure #1: $14.22
  
• Kosher Salt: $7.91
  
• Brown Sugar: $6.00
  
  Then some ziploc bags, pepper if you want, wood chips and a smoker. The curing salt lasts a very long time, and I don't think I paid as much for the salt and sugar locally.

Yes, the amount of coal you add is the determining factor. You might want to buy a [digital thermometer] (https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-Digital-Cooking-Thermometer-Stainless/dp/B017613C3C/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1491328348&sr=8-14&keywords=BBQ+thermometer) to monitor the temperature.

I use a digital meat thermometer when I smoke chicken to avoid over-cooking or under-cooking. This thing is also great for baking and grilling.

This right here is good info if you've never heard of it before. This is the stuff I buy. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZYDRI8K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_acqAzb6H9HPH4

I bought this one: New VIVO Sausage Stuffer Vertical Stainless Steel 3L/7LB 5-7 Pound Meat Filler ~ by VIVO (STUFR-V003) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OBXZ9EY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_TOCOybBBBM161

Works great. I don't know that you're going to be able to avoid the $100 price tag for anything decent

There are stovetop smokers that give off very little or no smoke. This is the one I use: http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Indoor-Outdoor-Kettle/dp/B007ZKUVPC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1419693170&sr=8-2&keywords=stovetop+smokers I find it works great. They can be used indoors or outdoors.

Yessir. I use this one from Amazon. $20.

Careful. They work really really really well. Make sure you don't cover your thermo or you may melt it. Keep your air intakes and exhausts uncovered. Check it frequently or use a thermo with a remote alarm.

Chef'sChoice 6150000 Food Slicer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058VCYWS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9To6BbV4Y6NX3

I use it exactly as you describe. It works well.

What would you recommend for entry level charcoal smokers?

Been looking at https://www.amazon.com/Dyna-Glo-DGX780BDC-D-Vertical-Charcoal-Smoker/dp/B010759GCU/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=dynaglo+smoker&qid=1574725916&sr=8-6

My price point is sub $300. New to smoking (fire pit cooking atm) and Im moving across state soon so I'm trying to shy away from an expensive option until I get where I'm going.

If you don't already have one, a leave-in meat thermometer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017613C3C/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Could Prauge powder 1 be used on dry cures? Its what I use now for my wet rubs. This cure is mixed in cold water 1tsp per 5# of meat.

Get the WSM which is what I use.

Weber 731001 Smokey Mountain Cooker 22-Inch Charcoal Smoker, Black
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001I8ZTJA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_5XoYBbD778Y64

Secret's to Smoking on the Weber Smokey Mountain and Other Smokers" by Bill Gillespie.

For small meals, I have this Stovetop smoker that I use in my apartment with the vent fan on and windows open. Tricky to get the temperature right and still missing some of the charcoal flavor, but no issues with the neighbors.