Hi,
I've lurked/researched a few things on the forum the last few months since getting a Bradley smoker back in October and decided to register. I've been using a Little Chief smoker for a number of years, mainly making snack sticks from my game meat and smoked trout from locally caught fish. I hope to be able to start experimenting on some other things like cheese, ham, birds(e.g., grouse), and other stuff. It will be good to "meet" some of you and learn from some experts!
P.S. So every time we post, we need to type the letters (some are terrible to figure out) and answer the questions?
Welcome aboard from South Dakota! To answer your question, the annoying code entry business goes away after a couple of posts. Otherwise no one would be here! Feel free to ask any questions you have as they arise, lots of good people here who are always happy to help.
Welcome to the group HC. Are you liking your Bradley? Have you done or are you considering any mods to it?
Welcome to the forum
Thanks everybody! Orion, I hadn't thought of it and didn't know you could. I noticed earlier today that it looks like I could add racks by putting in some upside down. Mine currently has only 4.
Good to have you aboard.
I'm new here too and new to the Bradleys so there are more knowledgeable folks than me. I have read up on the Bradleys quite a lot and yes there are mods to improve their operating characteristics. I will leave it to some of the more experienced to give you a few details about extra heat, temperature control and air movement as I haven't done them yet. Someone will be along shortly I'm sure.
Just finished my first batch ever of trout in the Bradley. Sure does take a lot less time to smoke in it compared to the Little Chief. Over did a few pieces in the last tray. Not use to the higher temps. Kind of wish I would have paid a little more for the digital as it is harder to get the temps "dialed" in. I'm sure it'll come with experience.
The model you bought, I'm thinking it is the Original Bradley Smoker (4 Rack), will give you the same temperature control results as the digital. Believe it or not you are probably ahead of the game by purchasing the model you did. Read on...
It is an inherent characteristic of these smokers for the temperature to cycle above and below the temperature value to which you have set it. For example, with either model, if you set it to 190"F the temp will rise to 200"f or so and then drop to 180'F or so and then up and down and so on. If you have a good amount of product in the cabinet the temp swings will dampen once things come up to temp. For the majority of smoking projects it works just fine as the product can better tolerate swings in temperature.
When you get into sausage and fish smoking it is ideal to have better temp control than what the Bradley, (any model) can provide.
Enter the 1st modification...
The money you saved by not purchasing the digital model will go a long ways towards purchasing an PID which will give you accurate temp control and you probably would have bought a PID even with the digital model.
You can purchase after market temp controllers designed specifically for your Bradley smoker that will control the temp to within 1 or 2 degrees of where you set it, no big swings. Search PID on this site.
Another trick is to cycle the position of your racks throughout the smoke and cook process to help with even temperatures on product.
Also, you can preheat several bricks wrapped in tinfoil in your regular oven and use them to assist temperature rise and hold within cabinet. Just heat them and then place in the smoker to act as heat sinks. This way if you open the door, heat will not be lost so quickly and it will recover faster. There is another mod to fix the heat rise and loss however that can wait for another day.
These mods do not cost a fortune and do put the final touches on an already good product. Some mods may effect some aspects of warranty so research first.
Glad your fish turned out well. :)
Welcome to the forum.
Welcome from N E Minnesota
Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever."
― Mahatma Gandhi