Soon to be a newbie

GrillZilla · May 12, 2009, 04:34:04 PM

Greetings! I have been looking for a smoker for a while. Grew up on charcoal, but when my kids came along (9 month old girl and 2 1/2 year old boy) I quickly realized that if I was going to be grilling, it had better be quick...so I committed the cardinal sin to all charcoal addicts - I bought a gas grill :-\. I have rigged up the Weber and have been using lump wood with slow cooking temps to prevent flare ups, but the food lacked a true smoke flavor. So, got this wild hair notion to buy a smoker.

While searching for smokers I came across this site and started reading...8 1/2 hours later, I figured it was time to go to sleep. I am sold on this product for the sole reason of the post on this site. It is by far the most informative product forum I have ever seen. And appears to be well moderated and full of lively characters. The comments and photos are great! It has me hooked. However, sadly, I have learned too much from here. I now know that I will need to purchase, in addition to the OSB, an Auder (plug n play programmable), storage freezer, vacuum seal food storage unit, about 5 boxes of each wood flavor, jerky racks (not the cheap non-stick ones - another great tip), sausage gun with all the works, bubba pucks, Maverick, etc etc etc.

However, I am a rational person (sometimes) and know that these items will take time to acquire. I believe I will start my savings for the OSB and go from there, as most of what I do will be forgiving meats so a little variance in temp should not be that big of a deal...and let's face it...I have been trying to smoke on a gas grill for 2 1/2 years now...I will probably get mine in the next month or so..

I live in GA and work as a commercial insurance underwriter, so please don't hold that against me. 35 and married for 11 years. I work from home and my wife is a stay at home mom, so you can imagine my exciting days...HAHA. Anyway, thanks for the excellent community where it appears we all have the same common goal - GREAT SMOKING! I hope to be apart of the group soon enough and will keep you abreast of my savings $$ progress toward the purchase of my OSB. Cheers!

Wildcat · May 12, 2009, 05:21:56 PM

Nice introduction and Welcome aboard. What part of GA? I spent the majority of my school years in Elberton. Currently living in the panhandle of FL. The BS is a great smoker. I got rid of my side firebox unit, but purchased another charcoal/hard wood unit (Brinkman) for grilling and hot smoking lean meats like NY Strips, etc. I love to grill beef steaks over a hot oak fire with just a little charcoal. You can cold smoke in the BS, wrap and into refrigerator overnight then finish on a gas grill, but to me it is just not as good. Can't beat the BS for anything else though.

beefmann · May 12, 2009, 05:50:45 PM

welcome aboard Grillzilla... soon to be smokezilla he he he ... im sure that in time you will enjoy this forum like the rest of us and we will soon be your smoking family. As you already stated that there is a lot of good information here and if you are unable to find something or need a question awnsered ask... someone around here has the awnser or been in a simular situration to help out

welcome aboard again
'
Beef

La Quinta · May 12, 2009, 06:22:14 PM

Welcome GrillZilla...I have a gas grill too...and a charcoal...nothing to be ashamed of...I had one of those Brinkman "bullet" smokers for years...but the BS is just tooooo easy to use...even without the "toys". Heck I bought one for my Mom, in Florida, as well!

Glad to have you on board! Great people, lotsa laughs and good food on here! Ask all the questions you need to...the people way smarter then me will answer them!!! ;D

aces-n-eights · May 12, 2009, 06:37:49 PM

Welcome Mr Zilla! Glad our little forum here inspired you to get a Bradley! There is a lot of experience amongst the members so don't hesitate to ask. Enjoy!

GrillZilla · May 12, 2009, 07:11:33 PM

I live in NW GA up near Cartersville. Thanks for the warm welcome. Beefmann, I lived in Mobile, AL for a while and move back to this area about 5 years ago. However, my folks live on Dauphin Island which we visit frequently as our vacation destination. Matter of fact, we just got back Friday from a nice visit there. Did not get to fish the Gulf due to the little'uns, but love fishing it as often as possible.

Tenpoint5 · May 12, 2009, 07:13:25 PM

Welcome Aboard GrillZilla!!
I'm sure you will fit right in.

smokeitall · May 12, 2009, 07:21:32 PM

Welcome Grillzilla, you are def making the right first step. No need to buy all the toys at once. I started with the OBS and 2-1/2 years later and a lot of birthday and christmas gifts I now have the temp controller, 5 lb stuffer, scale, vacuum sealer, deep freeze, etc, etc, etc. And now I am on to making a mongo big brother bradley.

Be careful it is very addictive, but so much fun.

Smokin Soon · May 12, 2009, 07:26:47 PM

Welcome GZ, you sure are right right about the added "tools"! I use a coffee can for my smokin piggy bank. Just emptied it out for Cabela's dehydrator. Sounds like you have done your homework here, so get your Bradley, some pucks and a Maverick and get smokin! The other goodies can come in time.

seemore · May 12, 2009, 08:57:42 PM

welcome grillzilla.............
seemore

Mr Walleye · May 12, 2009, 09:16:42 PM

Wow GrillZilla! You did do your homework! ;)

... and welcome to the forum.

Hmmm.... Commercial Underwriter ehh... I own an Insurance Brokerage here in Canada and nobody has kicked my butt outta here! ;D

Keep us posted.

Mike

oldsmoker · May 12, 2009, 09:53:13 PM

GZ welcome as you can tell a great bunch here.

La Quinta · May 12, 2009, 11:07:46 PM

Fishman...you're an insurance kinda guy...oh boy... :D :D :D

Caneyscud · May 13, 2009, 05:51:38 AM

Grillz - great introduction! You feel like family already! Almost got excited a little bit when you said NW Ga. I had visions of trout streams. But Cartersville, that's near Allatoona Lake - at least that is not in Carpet country! Did the gas thing decades ago also. In fact, 30+ years ago gas grills were real expensive and couldn't afford one, so scrounged around and made one. Few years later I decided to go back to my roots - got a few concrete blocks and a piece of steel mesh and started cooking over wood. Haven't looked back with time on off-sets, carousels, and big directs until I bought the Bradley for things I couldn't do on those bigger smokers and with less tending. Love my Bradley, but can't wean myself off the bigger smokers. I feel like a man using my Bradley, but I feel like a REAL man using the big steel - in a masochistic sorta way! Gadgets, tools, devices, small appliances - that is all good and part of the game! A man's gotta have an interest in sumthin' don't he? Waiting on my 5# LEM stuffer right now anticipating the walk through sausagedom starting out with some Texas spicy barbecue sausage. It may be an addiction, but at least it is a good addiction - unlike other things. Take golf for instance! With smoking, ya get to enjoy something, that is useful and delicious. You smoke some meat, feed it to the family, they smile and all is right with the world. Ya go golfing, whatcha get outta it except sunburn, a lighter wallet, and frustration - nothing to eat, nothing to make the family smile! Except'n ya like me and get so grumpy, that the wife wants me outta the house and she don't care where I go as long as I get outta her hair! That makes for some good fish'n time!

bigcatdaddy · May 13, 2009, 09:49:12 AM

Welcome GZ

Congrats on making the first step to great tasting food that the Bradley will produce. As you've already found out, there are alot of great people here that will help you with your future questions you may have.

Glad to have you aboard!

BCD

Soon to be a newbie

beefmann