New Bradley Original Owner: Palmer Alaska!!

scotts87 · July 12, 2009, 10:01:01 AM

Hello Forum!!
I just got my very first Bradley Smoker yesterday from Sportsmans Warehouse in Wasilla Alaska. I'm a long time griller (charcoal, propane), but have ALWAYS been wanting to try my hand at slow cooking/smoking BBQ. I had been researching many different models and types, and it just seems like this is the cleanest, easiest, and best quality product out there. I tried smoking on my gas grill a few times, but just had a lot of difficulty maintaining consistent temperature, and its a LOT of work. Besides, I just don't see doing anything longer than 6-8 hours on a gas grill, and the Bradley looks like its whole purpose is the LONG SLOW smoke.

Looking forward to using this forum as I try my "first smoke". Got the Bradley racks/internals in the dishwasher, the unit out on the back deck, getting ready to cure it, before trying it out later on this morning with Mesquite smoke and Baby Back Ribs (rub recipe from "Competition Ribs" Recipes From The Bradley Smoker Forums_v1.gso, Iceman).

Next, I hope to use it for smoking some of my freshly caught King Salmon. That was the real thing that pushed me over the edge. 44lb King yields a LOT of fillets!! I've been looking forward to smoked salmon from the day I caught that fish!

I will let you know how it turns out. I'm happy and eager to be part of what appears to be an AWESOME forum for newbies and experienced smokers alike.

Regards,
Scott in Palmer Alaska

Hopefull Romantic · July 12, 2009, 10:19:47 AM

Welcome to the forum scotts87

I myself am a new comer here and you were right; it is an awesome group and are are eager to help. Good luck on your king salmon and hope you will be posting pictures.

HR

pensrock · July 12, 2009, 10:48:36 AM

Welcome to the forum. Be sure to check out the recipe site for great recipies as well as the FAQ's.
www.susanminor.org

Mr Walleye · July 12, 2009, 11:04:31 AM

Welcome to the forum Scott.

Lots of friendly folks around here. We have another member from your neck of the woods. Kummok is also from Anchorage. He has an absolutely killer recipe for salmon. He also has smoking classes.

Here is a post with pictures where I made some.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8574.msg89296#msg89296

Here is a link to the recipe over on the recipe site.
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?p=121#post121

And here is another thread on it.

Mike
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=107.0

scotts87 · July 12, 2009, 11:36:24 AM

Thank you everybody! Also, happy to see that recommendation on the salmon recipe from a fellow Alaskan. Will definitely check that out!

Mr. Walleye, your name caught my eye. Born and raised in Minnesota, the Walleye is easily one of my favorite freshwater fish. There is nothing that matches a good fried Walleye fillet!! Seems almost sacrilegious to say that on a smoking forum. But I guess it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find that you can actually smoke Walleye....hmmmmm :-\

Mr Walleye · July 12, 2009, 12:22:19 PM

Quote from: scotts87 on July 12, 2009, 11:36:24 AM
Thank you everybody! Also, happy to see that recommendation on the salmon recipe from a fellow Alaskan. Will definitely check that out!

Mr. Walleye, your name caught my eye. Born and raised in Minnesota, the Walleye is easily one of my favorite freshwater fish. There is nothing that matches a good fried Walleye fillet!! Seems almost sacrilegious to say that on a smoking forum. But I guess it wouldn't surprise me in the least to find that you can actually smoke Walleye....hmmmmm :-\

I'm from southern Saskatchewan, lot's of walleye here. We do a lot fishing both here in Sask and in northern Manitoba. Some day I'm going to have to make a trek to Alaska for some fishing. I've never really tried to smoke walleye before. The flesh of the fish really doesn't lend itself to the low and slow thing without drying it out. Although I have seen the odd post where people had tried.

When you try Kummok's salmon recipe you'll be impressed! It's awsome! ;)

I like to keep some of it vac packed in the freezer. I just throw the vac pack in a sink of cold water to thaw it out. Takes about 30 minutes and you and your friends are in for some tasty finger food.

Mike

KyNola · July 12, 2009, 01:47:33 PM

Scott,
noticed you got your smoker from Wasilla. You need to meet the Iceman in Wasilla. He has a tremendous smokehouse powered by Bradley. He's a heck of a guy.

Welcome to the world of Bradley!

KyNola

Mr Walleye · July 12, 2009, 02:12:43 PM

KyNola is right. The Iceman has a great set up as well. Here is a link to a couple of pictures of some of his smokers.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=4808.msg42747#msg42747

Mike

BigJohnT · July 12, 2009, 02:43:56 PM

Hey Scott,

I'm expat from King Salmon where I was born a long time ago in a Quonset hut. Lived up there 3 times while growing up. I haven't been back in a long time. I miss the wonderful veggies that we would get from Palmer when I lived just past Anchorage near Rabbit Creek Road. Current sat photos of the area show a lot of expanding. I would get lost. I really enjoyed the Nunaka Valley when I was in elementary school. Lots of woods to explore and Russian grave yards to visit.
I'm new here too...

John

scotts87 · July 12, 2009, 02:59:06 PM

Quote from: KyNola on July 12, 2009, 01:47:33 PM
Scott,
noticed you got your smoker from Wasilla. You need to meet the Iceman in Wasilla. He has a tremendous smokehouse powered by Bradley. He's a heck of a guy.

Welcome to the world of Bradley!

KyNola

What a coincidence KyNola!!! I am smoking baby back ribs right now using Icemans recipe. Small world hahaa :)

scotts87 · July 12, 2009, 03:48:51 PM

Quote from: BigJohnT on July 12, 2009, 02:43:56 PM
Hey Scott,

I'm expat from King Salmon where I was born a long time ago in a Quonset hut. Lived up there 3 times while growing up. I haven't been back in a long time. I miss the wonderful veggies that we would get from Palmer when I lived just past Anchorage near Rabbit Creek Road. Current sat photos of the area show a lot of expanding. I would get lost. I really enjoyed the Nunaka Valley when I was in elementary school. Lots of woods to explore and Russian grave yards to visit.
I'm new here too...

John

Hey John, thanks for the greeting. We just love living in the Palmer area. We are in a lovely subdivision just outside of town. We have incredible scenery from our front yard, with mountains to the east, and Pioneer peak to the south. This is our first full year in Alaska. I got transfered to Alaska last summer, my previous location was Houston Texas. Texas.......where I REALLY got introduced to amazing BBQ!!!

Take care, and I look forward to learning all about this great art of Bradley smoking along with you and the rest of the folks on this forum.

Scott