Is the OBS for me?

[Caneyscud]

If you have tasted and liked barbecue from certain places use those woods first.  If you were in Texas, it would be Oak, Mesquite, or Hickory.  If South of the Mason Dixie, but East of the Mississippi - Hickory (Pecan is a similar taste and is used in Texas and the Far South some).  North of Mason Dixie - ummmmm do they do BBQ there?  The MidWest - corncobs.  West Coast who knows what they are smoking - maybe some sorta Zin-mer-cab grapevine blended with musk!

Seriously - that is a dangerous question and you'll see why soon.  Hickory or Oak or Mesquite would be good ones to start with - in that order.  Probably most barbecues are done over those three.  Unless you'll be doing fish with a lighter smoke, or you like a lighter smoke and then maybe Alder, Apple or Maple.  

[OU812]

I use Pecan on about everything.
To me it has a nutty kind of taste and more mellow than Hickory.

[DaBeef2112]

For Beef I absolutely love the Crown Royal and Jim Beam pucks, I haven't tried the regular Oak yet but I assume it won't be much different. Mesquite's and Hickory are also great on Beef.

[NePaSmoKer]

Ok one more question before I pull the trigger on this order --

What would you guys recommend as far as the wood?

I was thinking of getting this 60 variety pack, but then I realized maybe some of the wood would be for things I don't plan on smoking.

Right now my number 1 priority is RIBS. Tender, juicy ribs that I can't make on my current grill. After that I will try pulled pork.

That being said, perhaps I can save some doe by not buying the 60 pack? What would you guys recommend.

I've removed the thermometer for now.. Trying to get the price down enough while still being able to make me some RIBS.

Alder wood is perfect for all meat and fowl.

nepas

[bozer]

Thanks guys. I just found the link to the recipes, then my head exploded.

AMAZING

I'm ordering this bad boy

[KyNola]

Hey guys, I think we just got Bozer! :D

Congrats Bozer!

KyNola

[bozer]

One more question (I promise)

Will I be able to make ribs in this thing, without having to finish them in my oven?

I've seen a few posts mentioning putting them in my oven to finish them, but I could do that now with a regular grill.

[westexasmoker]

Welcome to the forum Bozer!

I'm not allowed to comment on which wood to use..........Mesquite!   ;D

And ribs are not a problem at all, a little tricky at first, but you'll get the hang of it!

C

[Wildcat]

The Bradley is essentially a low temp oven tha has the ability to produce a pure clean smoke.

[jha1223]

I know there are people that do all of the cooking right in the smoker.  I personally haven't tried yet.  What I do like about finishing in the oven is the guarantee (maybe just in my head) that the ribs will be tender and moist.  Plus, it looks like more work for a good show of just how laborious making ribs are :) 





Caneyscud - i am doing my part to make sure there IS some BBQ in the Midwest!

[OU812]

One more question (I promise)

Will I be able to make ribs in this thing, without having to finish them in my oven?

I've seen a few posts mentioning putting them in my oven to finish them, but I could do that now with a regular grill.

I have never finished anything in the oven. IMO why would you want to use  something that uses almost twice the KW, heat up the house and make the AC kick on more?
But that's just me.

[Tenpoint5]

One more question (I promise)

Will I be able to make ribs in this thing, without having to finish them in my oven?

I've seen a few posts mentioning putting them in my oven to finish them, but I could do that now with a regular grill.

Welcome Aboard Bozer!! As for ribs I make them all the time in my DBS4. Heres a link to how I make mine to help get you started. How to make Ribs in a Bradley

[Wildcat]

One more question (I promise)

Will I be able to make ribs in this thing, without having to finish them in my oven?

I've seen a few posts mentioning putting them in my oven to finish them, but I could do that now with a regular grill.

I have never finished anything in the oven. IMO why would you want to use  something that uses almost twice the KW, heat up the house and make the AC kick on more?
But that's just me.

Amen to that.  Additionally, why clean up more equipment than necessary.

[Smokin Soon]

The only times I have transfered anything from the Bradley to the oven is to make room for more grub!

[Gizmo]

One more question (I promise)

Will I be able to make ribs in this thing, without having to finish them in my oven?

I've seen a few posts mentioning putting them in my oven to finish them, but I could do that now with a regular grill.

I have never finished anything in the oven. IMO why would you want to use  something that uses almost twice the KW, heat up the house and make the AC kick on more?
But that's just me.

Amen to that.  Additionally, why clean up more equipment than necessary.

OU and Cat, don't take offense to this but for those of us that do use the oven I will offer this rebuttal:
My oven does not add any heat to the house as the door is very well sealed and the heat will stay inside the oven for a long time.  Others may have more heat leakage, but they will have to make that decision.  I haven't had the AC on much at all this year, none of it oven related, so not a problem there either.

Power consumption statement may be a bit off.  It is a little more complicated than this but if you are obtaining the same heat with 500 watts, the Bradley uses 120 V to heat.  The house oven uses 240 v.  Double the voltage is halving the current, so in essence, cheaper to operate.  The electricians are now going but what about..... Yup, cycle times and all that other stuff is the complicated part that doesn't allow the math to be a simple 1/2 the cost to operate which is why I am not going there.  However, in general, higher voltage equipment, are more efficient and therefore cheaper to operate in the long run. 

Cleanup more equipment?  Nope.  Foil pan in the oven, requires no clean up.  In fact, less clean up.  By not baking on the grease and goo onto the racks and the V-Tray, their cleanup is much faster and easier.  So I don't believe I have to be a purist by the "Start to Finish" in what ever I am using.  I use the best, most convenient tool for the job.  Oh, yeah, I don't have a PID for super accurate temp control and my oven holds temps much better.  If I had one, maybe I would opt to stay longer in the Bradley, but then that is another investment I choose not to spend money on since I have an oven that will do the job.

Now there are things that the Bradley will work better on than in the oven.  Beef Jerky is one.  Because there is so much liquid expelled in the drying of beef for jerky, the Bradley with the V-Tray funnels the liquid to the water bowl.  That would be a mess in the oven.  Now to take my point further about the best tool, a dehydrator after the smoke in the Bradley is a better finish with more ease, but yes, now you have to clean the trays, so more work, but a better more consistent finish.

With all that being said, sometimes I get lazy and don't transfer to the oven.  Just depends on what I feel like doing.

So to answer your question Bozer, Yes you can finish in the Bradley.  What you do and how you do it is a choice for what is right for you.