Ok, I've read all the posts on the original Bradley and the digital and made some decisions which I need input on. After much pondering I plan to go with the OBS and a Auber PID with single probe. I think (there I go thinking again) the plan is mounting the single probe on the inside back of the cabinet and getting a Maverick remote for the meat temp.
I chose the Auber Because it seems like a better solution to temp control than the digital smoker and I like the single probe over the dual when using the Maverick. Please blow holes in this plan if I've slipped up somewhere, thanks.
Personally, I think you are right on Target.
OBS, Great unit, lowest cost.
Single probe auber, great unit lowest cost.
Maverick (ET-7 or ET-73) great units at a great price.
So you control the OBS with the Auber and monitor the cabinet temp and meat temp with the Maverick.
You are my Hero.
I'm with CRG all the way on this one. Plus, he sings nice ;D
Chuck the batteries that come with the ET-73 and use quality alkaline or rechargeable NiMH batteries. Better range and more reliable.
Also, Welcome to the Forum.
Hi Hiram and welcome to the forum. The setup you are contemplating is exactly what I have and I'm really happy with it. That is a winning combination IMHO.
Tom
Welcome to the forum Hiram, that's not the way I went, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with what you're doing.
W E L C O M E to the Forum Hiram!
A Sound decision indeed.
I have the OBS, and later added the PID.
A great decision but If you even remotely think that at sometime in the future you might want to get into making your own sausage. I would suggest the dual probe PID to go with your OBS. Only for the fact that it will ramp temps by IT not just time. It also has the added benefit of the ability to turn your smoke generator on and off for you.
It's good to know I'm on the right track, I've used a brinkman for the last 15yrs. and have been looking for a simpler solution. My wife , neighbors and friends are alarmed that I'm changing my technique of smoking as they've been the benificary of my smoking (I usually give away more than we eat) over the years. Most say no way it will be as good as the old school style, but when we have friends over for pulled pork suppers at 5-6 pm no one out there with me staring the fire at 2:00 AM and checking and stoking the fire every half hour throughout the day.
I've studied a lot of posts and I think although I may have to start it at 2AM and watch it for 3-4 hrs smoking, after the smoke the Maverick and me can have some cat naps. Only question I have is I usually smoke ribs with hickory for 2hrs, butts for 4hrs then kingsford for the remaining time. On the Brinkman any more smoke than that is overkill, you can't really tell any difference if they are smoked longer in the final product.
Do I follow this rule with OBS or do I need to increase my smoking times, thanks for the replies.
You are on Target again.
ribs 2 to 3 (3 for me)
Butts 4 plus (i like 6 or so) but 4 is the general rule.
I ordered the OBS but stalled on the Maverick, lots of negative feedback on the unit from various sites. Looking at others such as NuTemp, I have a suspicion the Maverick failures might be attributed to higher temps than are recommended by manufacturer (such as use on a grill) I fried one on my grill.
Sooo, I opted for the dual probe Auber as TenPoint5 suggested, for the extra 40.00 it was a no-brainer. Now I sit and wait, thanks again for the help.
The Maverick will work OK with decent batteries. Squirt recommended LiIon - can't afford 'em. Either quality alkaline or rechargeable NiMH work well. My smoker is in the garage. I can put the receiver on my desk on the second floor of the house and watch the temps.
Sounds like you are good to go. Most of the guys and gals use the mavericks with no problems. And they have figured out an upgrade to extent the range for the receiver. They are nice to have so you don't have to run out to check the temps all the time.
I did the same thing, and no regrets.
Auber Plug and play PID, mounted sensor through the back, between 2 and 4 rack.
And yes, keep fresh batteries in the Mavrick!
Best laid plans of mice and men I call it, ordered the OBS and some bisquettes from amazon, pucks from Y&Pool and dual probe Auber. The OBS came in 2 days, the Auber 2 days and the pucks in two days. The bisquettes won't be shipped untill the 7th so here I sit with all my stuff and the closest bisquettes are 100 miles away in Charlotte.
The amazon order told me 5-7 days for shipping so I figured everything would come in about the same time. Spent some time yesterday looking locally nada, I have a Bradley listed dealer 25 miles away, he's never heard of the Bradley Smoker.
My wife says she'll throw me a pity party if it will help, no retort back from me as the poor girl had to have oral surgery yesterday (on her birthday). She suggested I go stand outside WalMart with a sign "will work for bisquettes, nothing like twisting the knife.
Yep, that's happened to quite a few of us!
Where are you located?
That happened to me, luckily I have a place closer than that though.
100 miles doesn't sound so bad now...
sounds like a day trip.
If you really need a fix and you have some hard wood chips you could always put some chips on the puck burner and when the smoke quits push off the burnt chips and add more.
Been there done that. ::)
I've always found the bisquettes from Amazon take a long time to ship.
Also, as OU said. Get some wood chips. Get an adjustable hose/aircraft type of clamp. Adjust the diameter to fit on the hot plate. Put some of the wood chips in. Use tongs and don't burn yourself.
I'm located in Asheville NC, 100 miles south of Knoxville and 70 miles form the NC and SC border. Believe me I looked for an internet site that had them and could overnight but no such luck. We were supposed to leave to go camping for the weekend but with the wife's surgery had to cancel that, it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to look at the smoker sitting there ready all weekend.
Quote from: Hiram on May 06, 2010, 09:56:58 AM
I'm located in Asheville NC, 100 miles south of Knoxville and 70 miles form the NC and SC border. Believe me I looked for an internet site that had them and could overnight but no such luck. We were supposed to leave to go camping for the weekend but with the wife's surgery had to cancel that, it wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to look at the smoker sitting there ready all weekend.
Do you have a Gander Mountain/Dick's Sporting Goods/Cabelas/Bass Pro anywhere around you? They all (for the most part) carry Bradley pucks.. Even some farm stores carry them, (but not the smokers themselves)
Looks like you have a Dick's and an REI nearby. Worth a call to see if they stock any...
Does Asheville have an Academy Sports or a Dick's Sporting Goods, or BassPro or Cabela's or Gander Mountain close? In Nashville, Academy always has them, and Dick's sometimes. BassPro always has them. The Gander Mountain in Knoxville has them - at least 2 years ago when I was last in there.
Oh, and check with Sears - the carry the smoker, but don't know if all stores do and don't know about the bisquettes.
or Wallyworld carries the smokers on-line, maybe get the site-to-store free shipping on the bisquettes.
You can make a cardboard box like a cold smoke adaptor and hook a hose to the OBS.
Go to walmart and get you some chips and a burner plate and use that for smoke,
Put the burner plate in the box with soaked chips.
Quote from: Hiram on May 06, 2010, 07:59:52 AM
My wife says she'll throw me a pity party if it will help, no retort back from me as the poor girl had to have oral surgery yesterday (on her birthday). She suggested I go stand outside WalMart with a sign "will work for bisquettes, nothing like twisting the knife.
With a comment like that my wife would need oral surgery too. :D :D :D
Careful Q... She'll knock you off that truck into oncoming traffic again...
:D :D :D Oh yeah I forgot about that.
She's a good wife, no matter what I drag in be it a Bradley, new guitar or pickup I never have to justify it and hear no static (to be honest I would probably given me a rift of s___t after the 5th guitar in 2yrs.).