After much research and reading the forums here, I am taking it to the next level and ordered a SSBS. Caught them on sale at Cabela's for $399 so I took it as a sign and plunked down my hard earned cash.
Hope ya'll don't mind a newbie askin' bunches of questions and seeking advice and basically worrying' ya'll to death.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Grillin and Chillin</i>
<br />After much research and reading the forums here, I am taking it to the next level and ordered a SSBS. Caught them on sale at Cabela's for $399 so I took it as a sign and plunked down my hard earned cash.
Hope ya'll don't mind a newbie askin' bunches of questions and seeking advice and basically worrying' ya'll to death.
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Don't worry about that. That is what the forum is for. As a side note, I had a water smoker, and would have never thought of buying a Bradley until I actually had the opportunity to try one, and eat some trout that was smoked in it.
Did you order bisquettes? From what I see Cabela's does not include bisquettes in their price. Sure wish you had asked about who we suggest you purchase the unit from. For $30.00 more you could have gotten the same unit with a pack of 60 bisquettes from Chez. Plus those of us who purchase a unit from him get a 10% discount on all future bisquettes purchases. [^]
May I suggest you get 3 Bubba pucks from him. As you will need them to get the last bisquette on the burner.
The important thing is you got the unit and with that welcome to our group~~! [:D]
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
what's a bubba puck
http://www.chezbubba.com/cart/index.html
Click on Bubba Pucks
These will push all the bisquettes through so you don't have to use extra bisquettes.
Aaahhh, but they may cost you more GNC because you didn't order your smoker from us![}:)][;)]
J/K,
Kirk[8D]
http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?
GNC,
You will be glad you took the plunge. You are really going to enjoy your Bradley. While you are waiting for shipment, find a copy of Smoke and Spice by the Jamison's.
Required reading........if you want great tips and recipes.
You're also going to want a remote thermometer. Might as well as bite the bullet now so you have it, you will end up getting one!!![;)]
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v244/xcelsmoke/FREEGIF.gif)
<font size="4"><b>Doug</b></font id="size4">
I ordered a Maverick ET 73 thermometer for my new Bradley.
Everyone here at the forums has made me feel welcome.
My wife bought me a Brinkman two years ago and I have used it quite often. Mainly for pork tenderloin, venison roast, whole chickens. But until I decided to step it up and look for a better smoker, I had NO IDEA of all the different techniques. With my old smoker I just rubbed on some spice, added some wood chunks and plugged it in.
Since I have decided to go with a Bradley and have been to this forum, I was overwhelmed with all the techniques (cold smoking, hot smoking, curing, brining drying, on and on and on)I can't wait to get my Bradley and start trying out some of these new and exciting ways of smoking.
I am fairly accomplished in the kitchen and grill, but still consider my self a novice in the smoking realm. But by reading the forums, I can tell that there are some really gifted and talented smokers here, as well as all around nice folks.
Thanks for all the info so far, but be prepared for an onslaught of questions when my Bradley arrives!!!!!!!!
Seeing how you consider yourself a novice in the smoking realm I will give you the offical title for a newbie... nOOb! LOL!!!
In all truth given your current talents, smokin' in the Bradley is going to be a Piece-O-Cake for you! [:D] The only <b>hard part of a Bradley for a nOOb</b> is learning to leave the cotton pickin' door shut! "No Peek" is the rule that is set into stone.
What are your plans for your first smoke? Something simple, or are you going to brine then rub then smoke and then FTC? I got a feeling from your postings you are going to have a hoot of a time!
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
Olds, Thanks for the title of NOOB I accept it with pride.
Don't have any plans as to what to smoke first. I am open for sugesstions.
As, to the latter part of your post, I have only used rubs. The brine then rub then smoke is a totally new concept to me. I have never heard of brine soaking meat until this forum. When I was a kid, my grandfather and uncle would salt cure hams. But if I read these forums correctly, some "pump" to a certain % then brine soak in water in a fridge for a couple of days, etc.
This is a totally new concept to me and have no idea what to do. So, I plan on maybe a butt or chicken with some type of rub to start out with.
But I am open to any ideas or suggestions and am willing and want to try new and different ways to prepare meat (brine, cold smoking, etc)
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Olds, Thanks for the title of NOOB I accept it with pride.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
NO No no.... it is not NOOB it is nOOb...gezzzzzzz LOL!
One of the "brines" (if that is what it truly is) that I like is a simple 3 item deal for chicken. It works well for deep fried chicken as well as smoked.
Enough water to cover a whole chicken.
Enough salt to make the water salty but not so much as it burns the back of your mouth/ throat.
Enough MSG to make the water feel slighty slick in your mouth.
Enough Garlic to where the water smells sweet with it but it is not over powering.
Place chicken in water and refrigerate between 24 to 30 hours. (No longer than 30 hours or you will toss "86" the bird--too saltly then) If the chicken is cut up then the timeline is 8 hours maximum.
Seeing where you are from I bet you have heard of Church's Fried Chicken. Back in the early 70's before MSG got a bad rap the above I have listed was their secrert go-juice. Today I don't know what they are using... I only know it is not the same great tasting bird of yester-year.
EDIT: A little trivia. In those day's Church's was so secretive about those items that the mixture was only mix in two places in the country and was dyed "Hot Pink" in color! Now that is funny~~!
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
Good move, GC (except for not getting the unit from Chez, but we'll forgive you for that . . . )
Check out the Sticky at the top of each Forum labeled Members Recipes. The link will take you to lots of useful info on how to season your Bradley, which wood flavors tend to work best with which foods, and tons of great recipes. There's also stuff on food safety and curing/brining that you might want to look over before doing too much smokin . . .
John
Newton MA
Thanks everyone for all the great insight and ideas. Can't wait till I get my SSBS in and try it.
Make sure you get the THREE pack of bubba pucks. I only have two and I need a third one. Or better yet buy two 2 packs and send me the one you don't need. [;)]
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Phone Guy</i>
<br />Make sure you get the THREE pack of bubba pucks. I only have two and I need a third one. Or better yet buy two 2 packs and send me the one you don't need. [;)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Hey Phone Guy he is my nOOb! I saw him first. If anyone get an extra free Bubba Puck it is me! LOL!!![:p]
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
Boys I'll take all the help I can get. I'm as lost as a blind goose in a snow storm. I'm just glad that I'm anybody's nOOB.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'm just glad that I'm anybody's nOOB<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
Ok one more time [:D] It is not NOOB or nOOB it is nOOb! LOL You are a hoot! I can see you are going to be hell bent for leather once your smoker gets in. LOOK OUT PUCKS ~~ [:0]
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
yeah, you ain't seen nuthin' yet. I'll be as busy as a one arm wall paper hanger' when my SSBS gets here.
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Oldman</i>
<br /><blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Phone Guy</i>
<br />Make sure you get the THREE pack of bubba pucks. I only have two and I need a third one. Or better yet buy two 2 packs and send me the one you don't need. [;)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Hey Phone Guy he is my nOOb! I saw him first. If anyone get an extra free Bubba Puck it is me! LOL!!![:p]
Olds
(http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch47.gif)
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Ok, I got dibbs on the next one.[;)] I have got to find a puck![B)]
I haven't been given any title but I am defintely new to all this too.
About the pucks....why 3?
About the chip advance button...do I hold in it till the first wood chip is on the heater element or just one quick push. I'm afraid I've screwed up the advancing timer last time and my chips aren't going all the way to the end.
Thx guys, this really is a great bunch.
Irene
Welcome, a great bunch of folks here. Alot of knowledge being shared.
Mickey
I Share my life with 6 labradors. Who could ask for more?
God bless our wildlife!
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by iscreamer1</i>
<br />I haven't been given any title but I am defintely new to all this too.
About the pucks....why 3?
About the chip advance button...do I hold in it till the first wood chip is on the heater element or just one quick push. I'm afraid I've screwed up the advancing timer last time and my chips aren't going all the way to the end.
Thx guys, this really is a great bunch.
Irene
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You need three pucks because you want that last burnt bisquette to be pushed into the water. You can use two pucks with a bisquette on top of that to push the last one out. You need to push the advance button 3 times waiting for it to advance after each push.
Great thx! 4 hours till I start my first batch of turkey jerky!!!