Newbie from Nashville

[aalverson]

Hello everybody, brand new smoker to be here.  I have been browsing the forums and have found great tips, will be getting my smoker in a couple of weeks.  I have never smoked anything but love barbeque.  A couple of questions:
1. Whats the difference between the original and digital smoker?
2. Besides the smoker and pucks, what are some other things I should consider buying in preparation? (keeping in mind I own nothing at this point)

Looking forward to getting this started, thanks.

[KevinG]

Welcome to the forum aalverson!
The digital lets you program the temperature over time, whereas the original has a slider that doesn't really tell you where your at. A lot of people have been buying a PID with the original, but it also works with the digital. (It controls similar to the digital, but with tighter temp tolerances and can do ramping temps depending on the model).
Some of the things to consider are a meat thermometer, we cook by temperature and not by time (tough to get used to, but safer and better in the end). There are hundreds of things you can get, just need to figure out where your headed with it. For cold smoking there's a cold smoker attachment. There's jerky racks if you want jerky. Bricks to help hold the cabinet temp when you open the door. etc. etc.

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum aalverson!

I would suggest these frog mats - http://www.yardandpool.com/High-Temperature-Jerky-Drying-Screen-p/hitempjrky.htm

[KyNola]

Welcome!  I'm about 2 hours NW of you in Paducah KY.  You have a very skilled member of this forum in your town named CaneyScud.  He will surely be around shortly to welcome you.

Ask all the questions you want.  We've all asked them before.

Have fun and smoke something!

KyNola

[Quarlow]

Welcome to the forum AA, you have come to the right place. The bricks KevinG mention are just regular bricks wrapped with tinfoil. They help your temp recover after opening the cabinet by acting as a heat mass, plus they will to a small degree help to even out the temp fluctuations. The most popular temperature thermo around here is the Maverick ET-73 and ET-7. The 73 is a remote with dual probes so you can monitor the temp of the tower and the internal temp (IT) of the meat at the same time. It is very handy to not have to go out to the smoker everytime to see what the temp is. You just keep the remote in your pocket. Be sure you order some pucks with it so you can season it and then start smoking food right away.

Mesquite-Very strong
Hickory-strong
Oak-strong but not overpowering
Pecan-mild version of Oak
Maple-Mild
Cherry-Mild & fruity
Apple-Mild, fruity with a slight sweetness
Alder-Light with a hint of sweetness

Lord god, don't ask what the best wood is, you will restart the long debate as to whether you should use hickory or mesquite. :D :D :D Just kidding. Go ahead and ask any question cause we have all been there done that.
Another thing to mention is to always keep the vent open, 1/4 to 1/2 most of the time and wide open for poultry. This may raise questions in your mind so go ahead and ask them, you will be surprised at the answers. Jerky mats are great (got to get me some one day) and 3 Bubba pucks is a good investment right out of the chute. Well I will let you absorb this and see what questions you can come up with. Good luck

[classicrockgriller]

Welcome to the forum aalverson.

There are some many variations in ways you can add to the Bradley.

First of all it is a great stand alone smoker.

All the add-on are compliments for ease and getting percise temps for certain types of smoking.

Keep reading, and asking questions.

Just remember, what you think you might not want to do today, you probably will want to do tomorrow.

No one here will steer you wrong.

[dbondy]

Welcome to the forum aalverson

[MPTubbs]

Climb on in aalverson.

You will find out in a short period of time that there are a lot of good people here!

Keep the vent open and the smoke roll'n!

[OU812]

Welcome to the fun aalverson.

[Caneyscud]

Welcome aalverson.  Sorry it has taken me so long to get here, but haven't been on the forum too much due to lots of things taking up my smoking and posting time.  But life goes on!


Hail from Nashvegas also.  Glad to have another Musiccityite here on the forum.  Looks like the other guys got you your answers.  I have a digital as well as other smokers.  Don't be shy of asking questions here on this forum.  We will crawl over one another to get them answered. 

[Paddlinpaul]

Welcome to the forum. I got my Original a couple weeks before Christmas. Yesterday I ordered my single probe PID and 3 pucks from auberins.com The pucks will sure help lower the waste on bisquettes and the PID will just give me peace of mind that the temp of the smoker is under control. It'll be nice to have when I try sausage also.

[bears fan]

I found that bubba pucks and frogmats were a must.  Cheap investment, and very much worth it.