Never smoked before

[JelloStorm]

Hey all!

My name is Bryan, and I'm from Northeast Pennsylvania and I suffer from a complete lack of good food.

I'm considering getting a Bradley 4-rack digital smoker, however I have never smoked anything before and to a complete noob it can all seem pretty overwhelming.

I'm a huge fan of Damon's baby-back ribs, but I think everyone is capable of doing their own and doing them better.

Yall may laugh, but I've been watching that BBQ Pitmasters show on TV and have been learning a lot and the food looks SOOO GOOD, that I want to just lick my LED TV  ;D

What are some good guides on how to do a few racks of ribs? I'd like to try a rack of dry rub and then a rack of BBQ and tinker a bit from there. I'm a big fan of the more tangy BBQ sauces, like Bullseye and Jack Daniels vs. sweeter sauces like Baby Ray's. That Jan's rub sounds interesting so I might give that a try at first. That Gunpowder rub also sounds very interesting...

Once I get the technique down, maybe come early April when Trout season starts give some game fish a try.

Thanks for any help guys!

Bryan

[Keymaster]

Welcome aboard Brian, Glad to have you here.

[Silvergrizz]

Gotta warn ya, I just started this October and I am now an addict. ;-)


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[GusRobin]

Welcome. Others may disagree but if I was going to buy a 4 rack I would buy a non-digital 4 rack and buy A PID temperature controller. You will end up with tighter temp for fish and sausage.

Cabellas has it for $249 and the PID is on sale for 170 for a total $419 which is about what the digitals are going for. In my opinion you get the same benefits of the digital but tighter temp control.

[beefmann]

welcome aboard and enjoy

[JelloStorm]

Welcome. Others may disagree but if I was going to buy a 4 rack I would buy a non-digital 4 rack and buy A PID temperature controller. You will end up with tighter temp for fish and sausage.

Cabellas has it for $249 and the PID is on sale for 170 for a total $419 which is about what the digitals are going for. In my opinion you get the same benefits of the digital but tighter temp control.

This would be a pretty big thing to think about. What do you all think of Gus' post?

Any guidance on what to get from lessons learned would be extremely helpful!

[KyNola]

Welcome. Others may disagree but if I was going to buy a 4 rack I would buy a non-digital 4 rack and buy A PID temperature controller. You will end up with tighter temp for fish and sausage.
Cabellas has it for $249 and the PID is on sale for 170 for a total $419 which is about what the digitals are going for. In my opinion you get the same benefits of the digital but tighter temp control.

This would be a pretty big thing to think about. What do you all think of Gus' post?

If you had any experience at smoking meat I wouldn't disagree all that strongly with Gus but at this point I do.  You have never smoked anything before so you simply don't need a PID.  A PID is a device that will holds the temp in the tower very very close.  That is critical when you are curing and stuffing your own sausages and certain fish preparations.  For a brand new smoker such as yourself, you simply don't need it.  I have been smoking foods for 30+ years.  I have a digital 4 rack.  I have a brand new PID that I have owned for almost 2 years.  It's still in the box.   The 4 rack digital will have temp swings of up to 20 degrees +/- until the meat comes up to temp.  With briskets, chickens, ribs, pork butts and other whole cuts of meats the temp swings aren't a big deal.  Curing, stuffing and smoking sausage is a different story.

Sorry Gus.  You and I have a difference of opinion on this topic but I still like ya! ;D

[JelloStorm]

All great info guys! Thank you for that.

Cabelas has the 4-rack digital for $429 plus tax, however I've seen the Jim Beam unit for much less.

http://homegardenoutdoors.com/product/4065_Jim-Beam-BTDS76JB-Bradley-Smoker-4-Rack-Digital-Outdoor-Smoker.html

Why the huge price difference?

[Robert Rose]

Both are good prices. On the Bradley web page both units are the same price, $499. As far as I know the Jim Beam just has the JB Logo.

[murrhunts]

Welcom aboard, I just got my Bradley this summer and it is all I want to do now.  You'll enjoy it

What part of Pa. you from, I live in Schuylkill County the Pottsville area