Hello

[sumdum]

New to the forum and Bradley. Smoked for years on a Brinkmann Gourmet Electric Smoker, now the parts to keep it going are hard to find and more expensive than its original purchase price. Decided to try the digital side for (hopefully) more control of the temps. After much research I decided on the Bradley Digital 6 Rack. Any pointers would be great as this is a little different than what I'm used to.

[Edward176]

Hello sumdum and Welcome to the Bradley Forum. I'm not familiar with the Brickmann Electric Smoker so I can't compare/suggest anything that you may already have experience with. Just keep in mind that the Bradley is a LOW and SLOW smoker and not an oven. I too have the 6 rack Digital and love it, use it almost weekly. Best hobby I ever had :)

[TMB]

Welcome!   I had a Brinkman an found it OK at best, but once you have a Bradley that Brinkman ends up in the yardsale  ;D ;D ;D

I have had my Bradley for 9 years (OBS) and still going strong!   Only thing I have ever had to do to it was one element replacement that's it! 

[sumdum]

I really liked my Brinkmann, its only real drawback was its inability to maintain temps. I had to finish everything in the oven but still made some really good food that my family preferred over any restaurant. I guess the main question I would have is about the bisquettes. I always used chunks in the Brinkmann, how do they compare to the chunks? Is the smoke stronger? Is the smoking time about the same?

[TMB]

I really liked my Brinkmann, its only real drawback was its inability to maintain temps. I had to finish everything in the oven but still made some really good food that my family preferred over any restaurant. I guess the main question I would have is about the bisquettes. I always used chunks in the Brinkmann, how do they compare to the chunks? Is the smoke stronger? Is the smoking time about the same?

The smoke in the Brikman is good don't get me wrong but the Bradley is a cleaner smoke and you won't have the bitter taste that you can have with chunck wook with bark

Again this is my 2 cents , some rather their meat be very smokey wheres as I like smoke flavor but not like I just smoked a cigar  ;)

[sumdum]

I figured out early on that I didn't like bark. Always removed it from the chunks, really cleaned up the taste.

[Habanero Smoker]

I'm one who started with charcoal then move to the Bradley for convivence. As time went by, I didn't have, or didn't want to spend a great deal of time baby sitting my charcoal smokers. I've used the Brinkman charcoal water smoker, but mostly used Mecca water smokers. They both put out some good food. I don't strip the bark from chunks of wood (unless there is either moss or lichen attached to it, or very thick), and still obtained great smoke flavor. Once you get use to your equipment, you know how much wood to use for you cook, so you shouldn't get a bitter taste. Though the Bradley has a good smoke taste, and is more convenient, I immediately missed the smoke/charcoal flavor you get from charcoal smokers. I should mention that I treat smoke like I treat any other ingredient- which is to enhance flavor not over power it.

With products that can control the temperature of your charcoal cooker started to appear on the market, I've switched back to charcoal as my favorite way to barbeque. This year I'm mainly using sassafras wood, and there is nothing like barbequed ribs, or chicken using sassafras wood for smoke.

[sumdum]

I've never considered sassafras as a smoking wood. Now I'll have to find some and make it work in the Bradley just to try it.

[Habanero Smoker]

If you lived near by, I could give you enough to last a lifetime. ;D About 18 months ago a late March storm took down about 5 sassafras trees that had an average diameter of a 7" trunk.

It's a fairly mild smoke, that gives the food a hint of sassafras (root beer) flavor. It's especially good on poultry.