Just joined the Bradley smoking family. After getting a defective Digital (only half of the digital panel worked), then a defective Original (the temperature control got hotter when pushed to lower and vice versa), finally got a 4 rack Original that seems to be working great. If you were going to give your one, best tip to a smoking newbie, what would it be? I mean REAL newbie. Never owned a smoker before. All advice gratefully accepted.
Avoid the temptation to keep looking at your creation while it's cooking. It's like trying not to wake up early on Christmas Day. ::) Everyone goes through it, but opening the door will add at least another half hour to your cook time. Open the door to change out or add water, rotate racks, and stick a digital meat probe in the meat on your last rack rotation. Other than that, let the Bradley do its work. You can still drink beer and watch the smoke come out...or watch the puck tube lower another puck...or look for ducks or pretty flowers...leave the smoker door closed.
Whitetail is dead on...don't open the door unless you have to. One other thing, more is not necessarily better, so make sure not to try and cook with your vent completely closed...
I would also highly recommend getting some Bubba Pucks, they will help save on bisquettes. Also, a digital meat thermometer such as a Maverick ET-73. It will help take the guess work out of wondering when your food is done. Good luck with your new Bradley!
Bryan
QuoteI would also highly recommend getting some Bubba Pucks, they will help save on bisquettes
What are "Bubba Pucks"? (Told you--newbie here)
get a Mav ET-73 (do a search) and a bigger drip pan....you should be good to go....bubba pucks are a must as stated above, gettem here http://www.chezbubba.com/ (http://www.chezbubba.com/)
Umm my best advise. Well I've 56 and been smokin' foods since I was around 8-9. My best advise to you is this and only this. Use the recipes on our recipe site. These are recipes that are time test and proven by the members here using the Bradley unit.
Later once you have a hundred smokes under your belt then branch out.
Make sure to read CURING and BRINING, From JJC (http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14)
Make sure to read Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene, Part 1 From Paul Woods (http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9)
Make sure to read Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene Part 2 From Paul Woods (http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7)
Take your time and go over these three items. Do yourself and your family a favor and read these. Or your family may meet the outhouse gremlin... (http://www.susanminor.org/Rayeimages/gif/Launch74.gif)
The best thing I have added to date is a TS love temp controller. Not expensive and easy to use.
Welcome to the forum luv!
......the items mentioned are probably the most important.
Two things that I would also consider is a cart on wheels to give your Bradley some mobility. If it has a shelf you will use that as well.
The second thing is the book, Smoke and Spice , written by the Jamison's. You may want to check this book out.
Quote from: luvthatsmoke on June 29, 2006, 07:18:27 AM
If you were going to give your one, best tip to a smoking newbie, what would it be? I mean REAL newbie. Never owned a smoker before. All advice gratefully accepted.
luvthatsmoke,
Welcome to the forum. My one tip would be to search this forum on any BS/smoking topic you have an interest in. In that case, you will find the vent answers, the water bowl answers, the "what is FTC" answer, the PID temperature controller answers, and a wide variety of receipes and smoking directions for just about anything that has been eaten.
Arcs_n_Sparks
Thanks, everyone! Keep these great tips coming! We ordered the Maverick ET-73 and some Bubba Pucks. Can't find any instructions on how to use the pucks, not even on chezbubba site, so I hope there are instructions with it. Read the food safety tips. Ordered Bradley's cookbook but will look for the Jamison cookbook. We recognized immediately that a cart on wheels would be a great thing to have. Anybody find one that's just the right size? Been reading on the forum about "PID," but haven't figured that all out yet. Found "FTC" explanation and printed it out. Also printed out some recipes from that forum. Love how helpful you all are!
Hi luvthatsmoke and welcome to the forum,
Some really good advice given already, one tip I would give is to always start with the best quality produce (meat, fish, cheese or whatever) you can get hold of...... smoking cannot make poor quality stuff into good quality!
That does not mean you cannot buy cheap cuts of meat, the BS is great for cheaper cuts like brisket for example but try to buy good quality from a good source and remember, cooking "low and slow" is the way to go.
Enjoy your BS................
If you got 2 bubba pucks then place them last on top of your stack of pucks in the loader tube. Next place one wood puck on top of those two bubba pucks.
If you got 3 bubba pucks then place them last on top of your stack of pucks in the loader tube. You will not need to add a wood one on top of them.
What they do is insure that you don't waste pucks as they push the last one off of the hot plate. Plus they help burn off anything on the hot plate.
Olds
Thanks, Olds!
WELCOME!!!
My two cents worth....Learn what FTC is.....Be patient and make a lot of friends. Don't make yourself a stranger around here.
Thanks for all of the help we have received. We have done ribs and pork butt so far. Both turned out great. It is hard not to get kind of obsessed with this as a newbie. We were not able to cook and eat the butt on the same day (started too late) and we used a recipe for the butt rub that was too much and too hot, so we ended up cutting off most of the bark. Still we have been most grateful for all the tips. The Maverick thermometer is a godsend. The pucks will save on bisquettes. We used FTC and were amazed at how well it worked. We will probably try a chicken next and plan to not over-do the smoke time, since we don't want the smokey flavor to overpower the meat. Haven't even thought about cold smoking yet! We feel lucky to have discovered this site for tips from folks who know what they are talking about. Thanks again!
Glad to see your having fun with the Bradley luvthatsmoke. Your right about the forum. Probably one of the best ones out there. Even when things don't go completely right you can still end up with some good eats. Keep at it and have fun! ;D
Dang! I thought FTC was "Follow The Chicks" Oh well......
Remember too that Bubba Pucks don't cool off in a hurry so avoid picking them up with your bare hands right off the puck burner. I found that out the hard way >:(
Tom
Here is my tip make sure there is cold beer in the fridge because smoking takes time ;D.Also have an extra lawn chair out for the neighbor that will want to join you for a beer and sample the treats that come out of that smoking cabinet.Take your time and it is addictive :P :P
Mike
#1 Belive half of what you see ....and even less of what you hear ....... every place in the world except this forum. lol
#2 Make the plan . and work the plan. .......... try not to short cut yourself, I generaly regret it later
#3 PATIENCE ... let the brines and smoker do the work ....... to help with this consider a minimun I repeat a MINIMUM of 6 barley based beverages per smoke .. lol
Quote from: Arcs_n_Sparks on July 07, 2006, 08:00:41 PM
Dang! I thought FTC was "Follow The Chicks" Oh well......
Arcs, I thought it was F......................., oh nevermind, I'll just have to get the tat removed! ;D ;D
Luv, best advice I can give is come here & ask advice. We have a tremendous group of knowledgeable and sharing individuals. It has become a community unlike any other forum that I know.
Kirk
YUP...Kirk is back...And it seems he hasn't lost his form either...Dang it was getting boring around here.