Hi Folks,
I am looking to get the 4 rack digital and of course have questions. I won't fire all the questions....yet.
1. I was wondering if people keep the smoker in their backyard on a table? From what I've been reading, folks are running vents to the outside of their garage. My garage is all block to the outside.
2. How is the cover for the Bradley smoker? Do you recommend it?
3. What accessories to you recommend initially?
4. What books do you recommended for "Smoking Meat for Dummies"????
5. Are there other links that you recommend?
Well I'm excited about getting this smoker and it was a pleasure to find this forum tonight.
Cheers to all,
Mack
Welcome to the Forum!
I can answer the first three.
1. It kinda depends on what the environment is like where you live. I keep mine on my back (screened) patio.
2. I have one and used it.
3. A digital remote meat thermometer like a maverick ET-73, and "bear paws" for pulling pork.
Quote from: mack-attack on March 01, 2008, 05:57:10 PM
1. I was wondering if people keep the smoker in their backyard on a table? From what I've been reading, folks are running vents to the outside of their garage. My garage is all block to the outside.
2. How is the cover for the Bradley smoker? Do you recommend it?
3. What accessories to you recommend initially?
4. What books do you recommended for "Smoking Meat for Dummies"????
5. Are there other links that you recommend?
Mack
Welcome and don't worry, fire away.
1. I have had mine on a small table in my backyard since I bought a year and a half ago. I do have the cover and most of the time remember to use it. (I must confess is it not on right now). I live in So Calif so I don't the have the extreme weather our friends in Alaska, Canada, Northern Midwest, North Eastern, well just about every where else except the south although the Floridians may remind us about the hurricanes - not good smoking weather.
2. The cover is not the best one made but it seems to be doing the job for me so far. Pretty thin material and it is not water proof but does keep out a considerable amount.
3. A must is a digital thermometer that can give you internal food temperature and oven temperature. The thermometer built into the Digital is located about 1/3 to 1/2 way up the back side (6 rack, 4 rack) and may not give you an accurate reading of what your food is experiencing. Depending on your load, there can be a significant difference in temperature from the bottom rack to the top rack. This is probably more so in the taller 6 Rack model than in the 4 Rack. I have the 6 so this is only a guess. Most like the Maverick "Redi Check" or ET73. Another model is the ET72. They are remote digital with a food probe and an oven sensor that you clip onto the rack next to the meat - but not touching.
4. Best book is this forum. The reason I say that is there are a lot of good books out there but they are not tailored to the techniques of using the Bradley. For instance, a book may tell you to smoke bacon for 12 hours then raise the temperature...... Well, most folks here would only smoke for a maximum of 4 hours and the rest is oven time. Bacon can be tasty just after 2 hours of smoke or less.
Here is a list of some of mine. They cover smoking and and a few other areas like curing and marinages.
Smoke and Spice by Cheryl and Bill Jamison
Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas
Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing by Rhulman and Polcyn
Marinades, Rubs, Brines, Cures & Glazes by Jim Tarantino
5. The recipe site that is maintained by one of great members of this board. He goes by Oldman. A link to his recipe site is at the bottom of my post. These are adjusted to use with the Bradley.
Hi Mack-Attack and welcome to the forum.
The only thing I would add is under the equipment, you will want some Bubba Pucks. They are metal pucks (aluminium) that are used at the end of the smoke portion of your cook. They push the final wood pucks onto the burner without wasting any wood pucks.
Mike
The only thing I can add to what already has been posted it that I live in upstate New York and since I have had mine (August, 2005); it has been stored outside on my deck 24/7. The cover does leak at the seams, but if you go to a sporting goods store you can pick up a tent seam sealant and seal it up. I have the OBS, and had to replace the cover once. The new covers for the 4 rack smokers are made shorter then the old ones, so I would suggest getting a cover that is made for the 6 rack. It will provide better protection.
Welcome to the forum. I keep mine inside and simply take it outside to smoke. We get a lot of rain here but the temps are mild.
Thanx for the inputs. I'm heading to Cabela's today to pick it up. My question on the cover is that my house is on a hill with uphill being the back. So for me to keep in the garage, I would have to use it in the driveway in the front yard, don't want to do that. I have a concrete pad in the back which has my Weber pits & Brinkman smoker now. There is a electrical outlet at one end of the the concrete pad. I'm going to look for some kid of patio shed which I can put the Bradley in. I like some of the pictures where the chips, utensils are organized and kept dry. So if anyone has any ideas of how to house it in a small shed, please let me know. I also was wondering that some of the enclosures I saw in the forum, there is no exhaust for the smoke. Do people just open the door and let it run??? I saw a Rubber made shed and was thinking of cutting a hole for a flute for smoke to escape. Again, any input would be very appreciated. I really don't want to leave this unit outside during Nebraska winters.
Thanx again,
Mack
Mack
What a few members have done on their storage units is put a roof vent on them. The roof vent is a plastic one that is used on a house. They allow tha cabinet to vent but at the same time keep the weather out. There are a few pictures on the forum here I'll see if I can find them.
Mike
Mack
Here are a few links to guys who have done this. There are a few more floating around the forum as well.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=1787.msg17379#msg17379
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=3588.0
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6577.0
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=5338.0
Here is mine set inside a heated garage.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6075.0
Mike
New to the forums myself and just got the DBS. I smoked a chicken yesterday (my wife says the best she ever had). I am smoking another chicken and some pork loin today. Love this smoker. Temp outside is 34 degrees and smoker is holding 225 good.
I also live in Nebraska and am planning on keeping my DBS on the covered patio outside. I do think I will bring the digital smoke generator in in the winter when it is so bitterly cold just to be safe.
I do agree get a wireless thermometer for watching the temps for cooking and the temp on your smoker. Right now my DBS shows smoker temp 12 degrees lower than actual temp.
Is this the same Mack-Attack that runs a GPSr and looks for things in the woods?
Dawgg
Hi Big DAWG!!!!!
Yep, this is the same Mack-Attack that geocaches. Funny how few of us in Nebraska compared to the entire country and we both join this forum and bump smokers together. Glad to hear about your success on the chickens.
I just picked my Bradley Smoker (digital 4 rack) up about an hour ago. Cabellas has a $50 rebate, plus I had $100 worth of points so I'll get it for $299 & tax. I also got mesquite and apple bricks, a cover for the unit, and the remote temp unit. I'm going to find an old table to put it on in the back for now but I like the shelters some of these gourmet smokers have on here.
I think I'm going to go get some pork hineys to smoke and see how they turn out. I just logged on here to find out were to order the bubba briquettes or whatever they are called. I know of a metal shop and was thinking about just going down there and seeing if they could cut me 3 but I'm not betting on it.
Glad to see your posting and looking forward to exchanging info on the smoker and the geocaching.
Cheers,
Mack-Attack (Mack)
Quote from: Mr Walleye on March 01, 2008, 10:15:20 PM
Hi Mack-Attack and welcome to the forum.
The only thing I would add is under the equipment, you will want some Bubba Pucks. They are metal pucks (aluminium) that are used at the end of the smoke portion of your cook. They push the final wood pucks onto the burner without wasting any wood pucks.
Mike
s
Hi Mike,
Thanx for the welcome to the forum and thanx for the links you provided. Wow, you have one great set up.
For now, I'll just get an old table to put the smoker on and figure out something. The links provided gives me some great ideas. Like the say, a picture is worth a thousand words and these pictures exceed that number.
Again, thanx for the welcome and neat smoker in your sig line.
Cheers,
Mack
Mack
If you click on the smoker in my signature line it will open Olds recipe site. It has lots of time tested recipes for the Bradley Smoker.
Mike
Welcome to the forum fellow Huskers!!! It's nice to get some more Nebraska people on here. There are a ton from out East in PA it seems. I am going to build an enclosure in the spring to keep my Bradley in. I have a walk out basement with a big deck and will be building my enclosure under it between two of the support posts. Good luck on the Butts, I have done two batches now and they have come out fantastic both time. Takes a long time to cook (around 18-20 hours both times) but well worth it!!!
Terry
Welcome aboard mack-attack!
Bryan
Welcome to the forum. Nice to have you with us.
Welcome mack-attack...and...what everyone else said!! :) Have fun...The Bradley is very cool!!
Thanx all for the welcome and the feedbacks.
I finally got the Bradley out and fired up the unit for the initial hour seasoning as instructed from the owner's manual.
I've never seen a Bradley so this was neat.
Now I understand about the Bubba Pucks. I just need to find out how to get them.
I've been reading some on the forum about the PID, Raptor, and I haven't grasped what those actually do yet. Or how they really improve the initial DBS setup....is it that much of an improvement???
I guess I just need to start smoking and will learn about this eating art.
Again, thanx for all the replies and I hope you all smoke well.
Cheers,
Mack
Mack
Here is a link to a members web site (Bryan - Begolf25) that sells Bubba Pucks.
http://www.yardandpool.com/Bubba-Pucks---Bradley-Smoker-Woodsaver-p975.html
The PID or the DigiQ/Raptor basically control the temps down to + or - a couple of degrees. I would give the DBS some time and depending on what your smoking you may or may not want to add one of them at a later date.
Just my opinion but get that baby smokin'... You can always add toys later! :D
Mike
Quote from: mack-attack on March 06, 2008, 05:06:59 PM
I've been reading some on the forum about the PID, Raptor, and I haven't grasped what those actually do yet.
mack-attack,
Welcome. The
Porter
Indicating
Device is quite useful in helping find your beer while you are smoking. :D :D :D
Arcs_n_Sparks
Walleye...thanx for the link Yea I just got up this morning and noticed my freshly seasoned Bradley is covered with snow. So it is more "seasoned" in that I was expecting. The low tonight is to be 5, so I don't know if this evening would be a good time to try.......How cold can it be and still hold temp or is that an issue????
Arcs-In-Sparcs, Thanx for the breakout of the PID acronym...I assume that is a wonderful beer you are talking about.
I used to homebrew and we actually had the first sanctioned brew club from Nebraska to be in the American Brewing Association. We went all out. Our club name was and is still registered as the "Respected Ale and Lager Fermenters Of Nebraska". Acronym is RALF-ON. What a great club we had and great Porters.
Thanx Guys,
Mack
Hi Mack
As long as you keep it out of the wind, the DBS should hold temp fairly well. I've got my Original in a small enclosure next to the house on the driveway, and never have a problem keeping a good temp.
You were a homebrewer, huh? Don't suppose you ever attended or sent an entry to the Schleswig Wine and Bier Contest that we hold over here (Schleswig Iowa) every October, have you? I used to be a member of the club that puts it on, but they take the wine and beer too seriously, and I really just want to drink it and not care about determining the characteristics of it.
Hi Mack, sit back and enjoy.
Mack
Tiny's comment is right on. The only thing I would add is to make sure at cooler temps you keep the smoke generator on to help assist keeping the tower temp up. Wind is definitely your enemy in the cooler temps.
Mike
Hey Mack,
I smoked last weekend when it was 31 for a high (the day after it was 71). Didn't have any problems with two chickens and a pork tenderloin. I plan on doing some more smoking on Sunday, temps should be a little warmer than last week.
If you want a real treat try a "fatty". I tried a couple of these and they were great.
Have fun.
Dawgg
HI Dawg,
Hey what is a Fatty? How did you do yours (smoke time, temp....remember I'm a dummy to this still).
Thanx
Mack
Quote from: mack-attack on March 08, 2008, 03:34:03 AM
HI Dawg,
Hey what is a Fatty? How did you do yours (smoke time, temp....remember I'm a dummy to this still).
Thanx
Mack
LOL, I thought the same thing the first time I heard of one. If you do a search you will find what they are and get some of the more experienced guys to chime in. All they are is a "chub" of sausage thrown on the smoker. You can stuff them with anything you want. I made two of them a week ago. I rolled one out and put pizza sauce, black olives, cheese, onion and mushrooms in it. The other I put cheese tortellini, onion and mushrooms in. I put some rub on them wrap with bacon and smoked at 220 until 165 internal temp. The second one was awesome.
Tomorrow I am doing some ribs and baked beens.
Dawgg