Electric smokers
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I had a 20 year old electric smoker, and the rack for the chip pan was so high above the element, I couldn’t get it to start smoking until it got to about 300 degrees (and the bottom was starting to rust out, so it was time to be replaced). I picked up a Masterbuilt Pro online for under 150 w/free shipping. I haven’t used it yet, but assembled and seasoned it yesterday. Dual source heating (propane/charcoal). Took the huge vented chip/charcoal pan out, and went with an old 10" cast iron skillet to put my chips in (used a couple of small metal stakes across the burner hole and under the skillet, to give it room to breath above the flame (no problem getting chips to smolder/smoke now). With the flame turned way down, top vent open, and the door cracked it looks like get it down to 120 - 125 for the start temperature step for making snack sticks.
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@tmeiners82 awesome thanks for the update! Let me know how it works for a long smoke. I’m pretty new to the idea of pellet grills. When I do pork shoulder or brisket I only add smoke for the first three or four hours. Doesn’t sound like you can manage the smoke for long cooks. Would think it would be to much for a 12 hour cook.
Stats77
Hey Stats77 I made some H Summer Sausage 50/50 pork and venison on the Camp Chef yesterday. The smoker had no issues, and the sausage turned out great! It took 6hrs for the meat temp to get to 160 with the smoker started at 150 for 2hrs then to 175 for 2hrs and 185 2hrs. The meat wasn’t over smoked at all if you are worried about that. Thanks for all the great info everyone! -
I just picked up a Camp Chef XXL vertical pellet smoker for $500. I have been using a Bradley electric for years with no issues, but decided to make the switch to the XXL because of the bigger smoking chamber for sausage making. I think the pellet smoker will do a better job of getting up to temp when it’s Minnesota cold out. I plan on making some snack sticks in the next week or two. I will do a follow up review if anyone is interested?
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@Brian-Ragland I really like it, had some issues with the flame going out in the first couple cooks. No issues when I did summer sausage, I changed the pellet blend, that may have been the problem. The smoker comes with 7 racks and a rack with 12 sausage hooks. It gets up to temp fast when full and in cold temps and recovers well after opening the door. It produces smoke while it cooking but nothing has been over smoked. I have only used it 3 times, but I really do like it so far.
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Great, I had a MB 30 that I used for several years, it shot craps on me so I thought I’d look around for an reasonably priced upgrade. Thanks
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I currently have an LP vertical smoker but am looking at switching to an electric or pellet smoker. A lot of Walton’s recipes call for starting the product on the smoker for the first hour without introducing smoke. How can this be accomplished using a vertical pellet smoker?
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I currently have an LP vertical smoker but am looking at switching to an electric or pellet smoker. A lot of Walton’s recipes call for starting the product on the smoker for the first hour without introducing smoke. How can this be accomplished using a vertical pellet smoker?
Rob Lee You won’t be able to get no smoke from a pellet cooker, since it depends on burning pellets for heat. If your oven is large enough to hold everything you want to smoke, just use it for that first step with no smoke.
Crack open the door if you can’t get your oven down as low as 120-125F (and cracking it open helps let out the humidity, anyhow).I used the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula to crack open the door, even though my oven runs low enough. I wanted to get rid of the humidity. Running the oven around 130-135 got me the interior temperature I wanted with that door cracked open.
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Rob Lee You won’t be able to get no smoke from a pellet cooker, since it depends on burning pellets for heat. If your oven is large enough to hold everything you want to smoke, just use it for that first step with no smoke.
Crack open the door if you can’t get your oven down as low as 120-125F (and cracking it open helps let out the humidity, anyhow).I used the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula to crack open the door, even though my oven runs low enough. I wanted to get rid of the humidity. Running the oven around 130-135 got me the interior temperature I wanted with that door cracked open.
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Rob Lee You won’t be able to get no smoke from a pellet cooker, since it depends on burning pellets for heat. If your oven is large enough to hold everything you want to smoke, just use it for that first step with no smoke.
Crack open the door if you can’t get your oven down as low as 120-125F (and cracking it open helps let out the humidity, anyhow).I used the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula to crack open the door, even though my oven runs low enough. I wanted to get rid of the humidity. Running the oven around 130-135 got me the interior temperature I wanted with that door cracked open.
TexLaw said in Electric smokers:
Rob Lee You won’t be able to get no smoke from a pellet cooker, since it depends on burning pellets for heat. If your oven is large enough to hold everything you want to smoke, just use it for that first step with no smoke.
Crack open the door if you can’t get your oven down as low as 120-125F (and cracking it open helps let out the humidity, anyhow).I used the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula to crack open the door, even though my oven runs low enough. I wanted to get rid of the humidity. Running the oven around 130-135 got me the interior temperature I wanted with that door cracked open.
no smoke from a pellet smoker? -
TexLaw said in Electric smokers:
Rob Lee You won’t be able to get no smoke from a pellet cooker, since it depends on burning pellets for heat. If your oven is large enough to hold everything you want to smoke, just use it for that first step with no smoke.
Crack open the door if you can’t get your oven down as low as 120-125F (and cracking it open helps let out the humidity, anyhow).I used the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula to crack open the door, even though my oven runs low enough. I wanted to get rid of the humidity. Running the oven around 130-135 got me the interior temperature I wanted with that door cracked open.
no smoke from a pellet smoker?@s-a-m
Here’s another -
Hello. I have been smoking a couple years using the Big Green Egg. Although it does well it is cumbersome to keep temperatures below 180 so I have been researching electric smokers. Although I would love a pk 100 it is not in the budget. I have been looking at the char broil and master built digital electric smokers but see a lot of people say the temperature is off and other issues. Just looking for some thoughts from the community about a good electric smoker under $500.00 and what they like and don’t like. Thank you
Stats77 I have a BGE, stick smoker and a propane unit for cooking and smoking. The MB40 purchase, the price was right. Overall my only complaint is the temperature control portion, variation swings constantly at least 5-10 degrees. That is why I use a separate unit to monitor the temperatures. My temp control panel failed w/i the first 6 months and the company sent me a replacement right away. That was before this craziness hit. For the money it was a good buy and the easiest to use. Will I buy something different next time? I am always looking.
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I currently have an LP vertical smoker but am looking at switching to an electric or pellet smoker. A lot of Walton’s recipes call for starting the product on the smoker for the first hour without introducing smoke. How can this be accomplished using a vertical pellet smoker?
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Rob Lee I haven’t noticed an issue in appearance or flavor with the smoke right away with my pellet smoker.
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Hello. I have been smoking a couple years using the Big Green Egg. Although it does well it is cumbersome to keep temperatures below 180 so I have been researching electric smokers. Although I would love a pk 100 it is not in the budget. I have been looking at the char broil and master built digital electric smokers but see a lot of people say the temperature is off and other issues. Just looking for some thoughts from the community about a good electric smoker under $500.00 and what they like and don’t like. Thank you
Stats77 I am currently using a pit boss vertical smoker copperhead 7 series . It works well for summer sausage, ribs,pulled pork, brisket, and jerky, Reverse sear just remove steak while it gets up to searing temp. It works exceptionally well for smoked salmon. I do use a grilleye thermometer with it and set up ambient temperature probes with the extra probes to make sure I know what the cook temp is as the built in temp probe is to low and close to the burn pot to be trusted. It always reads higher than the cook temp actually is. I have had it for a little over 2 years and have used more than 500 pounds of pellets. I have had it break down 2 times. Both times it was the temp sensor. Both times that happened the temps would run wild and both times it was a five minute call to customer service ending with them saying “We have a new temp sensor headed your way” and they never asked me to pay a dime. Very good customer service and very easy to work with. I am very happy with my purchase. Just like any of them it will take a few cooks to get acquainted.
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I have had flame outs at 150 setting not sure if its over feeding and smothering the fire. Seems like the times it has done it have been cold outside temps, and filled with cold meat. Did you contact Camp Chef?
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Its happened a few times but I have been around to restart it. I don’t trust it to do an overnight cook, I’ve only done sausage with it. Camp Chef told me it may be due to a “pellet bridge” which starves the auger of pellets. What temp were you running at?
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