Hello There!

[ShutUpNFish]

Hello everyone!  I'm new to the board and look forward to sharing ideas, tips and techniques on smoking with many of you.  I have been smoking meats for years taught to me by my dad.  He is a Croatian and those Eastern Europeans know whats up when it comes to smoking I'll tell ya.  Anyway, I've been doing it the old fashioned way with an old gym locker and open fire and have had ENOUGH!  Babysitting the fire and making sure the temp is regulated the whole time and ending up smelling just like the meat that you're smoking at the end of the day, was NOT fun.
 
Im not dealing with that anymore, so I started searching for a digital (set it and forget it) type of smoker out there within my price range...The Bradley 6 rack is the one I decided on.  Long story short....I was ready to pull the trigger on one from Amazon for $450 shipped when I figured I'd give a quick check on Craigslist, and low and behold I find one that was used twice and still under warranty less than 10 miles from my home in PA!!  $350....

So here I am.  And what I'd like to know is what are the Do's and Don'ts I need to be aware of with this smoker....possible tips and techniques and/or any other info that may be of help with the use of this smoker.  Heres some of the things I smoke regularly: Homemade sausage; fresh and dry cured, prosciutto hams, soppressatta, deer hotsticks, salmon/steelhead, and some cheeses.  I would also like to get into some dabbling with ribs, roasts, poultry and briskets....

One of my major concerns is the flavoring of the smoked meat.  I have tried some of the meat that a friend of mine has done on his Bradley and did not like the overpowering smokey taste his had as apposed to mine which was done the old fashioned way.  His had more of an "ashy" taste....stronger if you will.....I'm hoping that I can control this and make it milder....how can I achieve it?  Assuming milder woods and more air ventilation?

Well enough for not....can't wait to hear from you folks! 

[beefmann]

welcome to the forum

there  will be a lot to chime in on all of  what you  wane to smoke and aid you in knowing the  smoker. I like you  like a Smokey flavor and not a  strong ashy taste one thing you  can do with a Bradley is start off with 2 (6 pucks ) hours of   smoke and adjust from there,

as for your rib will take between 6 and 8 hours if you  do 6 racks of ribs.  brisket and roasts the time  will vary depending on weight and fat content typically 1 hr to 1 1/2 hour per pound. of course use your favorite rub / seasoning and enjoy.

also ask questions to aid in getting the  smoker dialed in for you, I have had my  smoker for 6  years now and enjoy it

Beef

[Caneyscud]

Welcome Shutupnfish

Congrats on the purchase - good deal you got!.  I have a 4 rack digital for 3 years now am still in love with it.  I have also gotten that ashy taste before, but just a couple of times.  You almost always get it on cheese.  I've gotten it on some lox once and on some confit another time.  Can't say why - did not notice anything different.  All other times were ok - and I use long smoking times.  I like heavy smoky flavor.

I for one can't wait to see some of your posts with pics.    "Homemade sausage; fresh and dry cured, prosciutto hams, soppressatta," all perked my ears up and peaked my interest - especially the prosciutto!

[TMB]

Welcom to the forum, you have come to the right place!  As a newbie at smoking I have learned a lot here and so will you if you need help!

[SoCalBuilder]

Welcome on board - Reading about smoking in a gym locker made me think back to my high school days and my stomach rolled a little. I can't think of how many hours you'd need to get the smell out of my old locker :o I think you will like the flexibility of the Bradley in that you can give it just the amount of smoke you want and then continue on with straight heat. I've never done it the 'old fashioned way', but I can see where the smoke taste could get out of hand. Enjoy and don't hesitate to ask questions; these guys will bend over backwards to help you out.

[TestRocket]

Welcome ShutUpNFish,

Sounds like you got a heck of a deal on your Bradley. Congrats! Something you need to know about the vent. It needs to be open the let moisture out or you will have problems. A lot of us just keep it wide open all the time.  Good luck!

[FLBentRider]

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

As far as the ashy taste, we would need more details on what was cooked, for how long and how much smoke was applied.

A common error is running smoke the entire time you are cooking.

You have questions. You have come to the right place for answers.

[GusRobin]

Tips:
Always keep your vent open. Some open a bit, others like me have it wide open all the time. It needs to let the moisture escape.
As was said, you don't need to smoke the full time.
As for cheese, I smoke it in varying degrees. It mellows with age, so if you let it age a few months it loses the ashy taste. Since I can't wait that long I will pull some out early in the smoke process so I can eat it earlier.
Make sure your V tray is clean and watch to make sure it doesn't get plugged. You don't have to watch it constantly but if you are loaded up with butts etc, check it every 3-4 hours.
Have plenty of adult beverages.
And lastly, never, ever, let your significant other realize how easy it is.