Minnesota Waterfowl Hunting

Who has a smoker? Do you actually use it, or does it just gather dust in the corner? Electric or Propane or charcoal? What do you recommend?

Had an electric one for a few years. Worked good smoking trout, duck and deer till I forgot it outside one winter and the bottom rusted out.

My buddy now has one of those fancy ones that you put the wood hockey pucks in a feeder and it runs smoke the whole time it's on. That one works real good. But for any smoker it's all about the brine.

I had an electric Masterbuilt for quite a few years, worked good until the wiring started burning the ends off inside the unit, fixed it a couple times and now lays in my junk wagon behind shop, it did work really good when it worked, smoked pork butts, brisket, ribs, fish, chicken's, it's kinda a disease when you start smoking food, you do it all the time, but when it quit working I kinda quit....

I now purchased a Masterbuilt gas smoker, alot bigger unit and it works really good as well, the only downfall of the gas is getting the temp low enough to smoke bacon, I have to do alittle modification to get the heat low enough, but I don't smoke as much food today as I did 5 years ago, but it is fun.....

I bought a Masterbuilt sportsman elite electric about 3 weeks ago, $159. Works great! I did quite a bit of research and for me electric appeared the way to go. Easier to control temp. Feel safer walking away from it. I made a brisket first weekend with it it was awesome. Did ribs last weekend they were amazing. Have a wild turkey breast brining right now, gonna wrap in bacon and throw it on tomorrow morning. After that is gonna be a pork shoulder. This model holds temp surprisingly well in the cold and wind, which is important.

I don't know why I waited this long to buy one to be honest.

Just did one of the Thanksgiving Turkey's in it. I have a charcoal one and love it. there is something about smoking with big chunks of wood that just make it feel right. I understand why people use propane and electric though. A lot less tending too I assume. Temp control can really throw of the timing for meals and such. I am in the beginning stages of building a bigger one with electric backup. Just gutted an old commercial food warmer of all the racks, temp controls, thermometer and heat elements. Still have not decided whether to make it a permanent stone or just use an old oven. For the stone one I would just have to find a few smaller commercial stove or warmer doors.

I cant really give you much advice on what type of smoker to get but what I can tell you is: when ever you smoke anything... smoke twice as much. If you are going to smoke a chicken for supper... make two. if you are going to turkey for thanksgiving... smoke two. If you are going to smoke a pork shoulder for pulled pork sandwiches... smoke two. You will always wish you had more when the leftovers run out, I promise.

I found this guy to have a lot of good recipes and technics. you can short cut and still have a good product but for the %100 best results follow the steps.

http://www.smoker-cooking.com/

Find an old refrigerator (Fiber Glasses insulated - not foam) and convert it into a smoker.

I have a Traeger Texas and use it about three times a week. Easy electric pellet smoker that you can use as a wood fired oven to bake anything from cookies to a pie. Pretty sweet and makes great jerky.

Just ordered a Fast Eddy PG1000 should be here in 2 weeks.

Check out www.pelletheads.com more info then you can digest in months all about smoking and BBQ

That's a pretty serious rig!

After reading this thread, I've got one more thing to add to the christmas wish list.