Bradley vs everything else.

[sparky1]

ok, don't get mad at me but i don't know much about the bradley smokers.  how is a bradley different than say a mak or FEC100 or smokette?  i know it has shelfs and is electric.  alot of ppl i know have them and they like them alot.  thanks from a newbie. 

[GusRobin]

Hey sparky --no need to worry, no one gets mad on this forum. I can't answer your question since I  only have a gas grill, OBS and a Bradley. But I am sure a number of folks that have MAKs Traegers, etc will be along soon.

[Smokin Soon]

Sparky, welcome to the forum. Enjoy your posts in the pellet world. Everyone has different tastes in smoking, if you are completely happy with your Mak, probably no changes are needed. Just an example:
I was not really thrilled with chops from the Bradly. Much better juicy results from the Traeger but where is my nice sear. I cold smoke the chops in the Bradley, [with the cold smoke adapter] right out of the fridge after bathing in Carolina Treet for the night, about an hour of smoke and into the Traeger. I can use a glaze at this point and not have to worry about burning. Once they get to 130 it's into the gasser for that 650 degree blast. I know the Mak can sear, but the pics I've seen, they are not as defined as I like. Poultry rarely sees the Traeger. It gets smoked in the Bradley, and finished in a Big Easy. The Bradley will always have a place in my corral, even if I update to a Mak. Home made sausage and bacon, the Bradley wins every time. What are the things you have done and not been happy with? I know you are a very experienced cook.

[KyNola]

Hey Sparky, good to see you here man.
MAK vs Bradley, totally different methods in my opinion.  Both 100% have their place.  Having both I think I can compare a bit.  Long term smokes, MAK has it hands down due to the temp recovery and temp stability.  Don't get me wrong.  You can long term smoke in the Bradley but unless you have a PID you are going to be subject to wide temp swings until the meat comes up to temp.  Like a concentrated smoke flavor?  Bradley.  Cold smoking like cheese or salmon?  Bradley.  Sausage making?  Bradley.

Like my friend Smokin Soon said, I have cold smoked pork chops on the Bradley, vac sealed and frozen.  When ready to cook, go to the MAK for the grill temp.  Awesome.

The Bradley is another awesome tool in your smoking toolbox as is this forum!

Don't be a stranger here Spark.

Guys, Sparky smokes some AWESOME ribs!  Has some somewhat unique methods and recipes and they flat rock! 

[sparky1]

i do love my maks but am always up to learn new things.  and from what i have seen the bradley aren't that expensive.  from what i have read they go to 280º.  whats are their lowest temp they get?  i like the rack idea.  most of what i cook is between 200º and 275º.  they have a timer for only 9 hours?  how do you cook a butt or brisket?  these might seem like dumb questions to all of ya'll who have been around but i got to learn somehow. 

[Toker]

Hi Sparky, welcome here. The lowest temp it can get is subject to the ambient temp outside. Of course if you want it colder, you can add ice pack or anything such but to do it you will need a cold smoke adaptor.

As far as the digital timer, it can be passerby by hooking a dual PID controller. It's really a must to do long smoke/cook like brisket or butt.

Also i don't know if you already know it but you will need 3 Bubba pucks to end your smoke cycle propertly. If you buy a PID you can take Auber aluminium disk. It make the same job but they are a bit cheaper than aluminium pucks. Here a link to the dual PID controller and the aluminium disk.

PID  http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=8&products_id=151&zenid=c66353440e6c7d2ad3d120f66683bfcb

disk http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=14_28&products_id=111&zenid=c66353440e6c7d2ad3d120f66683bfcb

[deb415611]

i do love my maks but am always up to learn new things.  and from what i have seen the bradley aren't that expensive.  from what i have read they go to 280º.  whats are their lowest temp they get?  i like the rack idea.  most of what i cook is between 200º and 275º.  they have a timer for only 9 hours?  how do you cook a butt or brisket?  these might seem like dumb questions to all of ya'll who have been around but i got to learn somehow.  

If it were me....  I would buy the original bradley (not the digital) and get the PID controller that Toker linked for you.  The tighter control from using the PID is good for sausage and i know you are gonna be sucked into that soon ;D

My bradley gets used for sausage,  cheese,  nuts, bacon etc.     I use the bradley racks on the traeger all the time.  

If you are going to buy a bradley a good guy to buy from is Bryan at Yard & Pool but I think he just went on vacation today.  He's a member here Begolf  (I think - some one pls. correct me if I got his screen name wrong).    

[muebe]

Well my Traeger makes the best ribs hands down. You cannot get any better than ribs done on a pellet grill IMHO. And the Traeger also makes the best cooked bacon ever!

I love my Bradley for doing long cooks like butts. With my PID I can set it and forget it ;) I also smoke cheese and fish in my Bradley. And even make jerky in it.

My Big Easy makes the best chicken. I as others will use the Bradley to smoke the chicken and then finish it in the Big Easy. Nice smokey flavor, moist and crispy skin. It does not get any better!

My 4 burner RED can handle a huge amount of food at one time. Anytime I want a nice grilled steak I will cold smoke it in the Bradley and then throw it on the RED for a nice sear. Seared Tuna, seared thick cold smoked pork chops, burgers, dogs, flank steak, ect...

So as you can see all my cookers serve a purpose. There are things that each one can do very well. My most easy to use cooker is my Bradley though. With the PID and smoke pucks you can start it up and walk away. My time is very important to me due to having youngins in the house(9 months and 3 years old). So standing outside manning a cooker is something I enjoy... but these days I do not have time for. The Bradley allows me the most flexibility with my time ;D

[NePaSmoKer]

Sparky

You already have the best pellet grill MAK. Compairing a MAK to a Traeger is like a Ferrari vs a Yugo and adding a Bradley will just add to your smoking enjoyment.

[sparky1]

i have only be here very little time but what i have found out is there is a OBS and a Digital Bradleys.  what are the differences between the two?  i love the ease of my mak and the digital  bradley seems dummy proof.  i understand that the meat thermometer is put in from the top vent and if you have the vent closed to much it could lower temps because of to much moisture from the meat.  i had a stroke and the more fish i can eat the better.  i also know that ya'll love cooking sausage, bacon, fish, cheese and nuts in a bradley.  i like sausage and fish alot.  not suppose to have bacon.  i only get 1 fattie every 4 months.  deb and a few other ppl mentioned that sausage needs a precise temp to cook in.  is there alot of swings in the bradley?  on last question.  PID?  i know its a little cismo thingy but what exactly does it do?  all done.  thank you for being patience w/ me.  ppl here are very friendly.  its a different vibe here.  i like it.   8)   

[KyNola]

Spark, I have the digital model and if I had it do over again I would buy the Original and a PID.  The PID is an acronym for something I can't pronounce that controls the heating element and holds the temps very precisely, within 2 +/- degrees.  I just bought a PID for my digital.

The OBS and the Auber PID is still cheaper than the digital Bradey.  And yes, the Bradley has wild temp swings until the meat comes up to temp because the Bradley is full on or full off.  The PID will turn the heating element on and off several times a minute to hold the set temp.

Glad you're here.  It is a pretty cool vibe here isn't it?