Potential owner with questions

[GrillMan]

Hello everyone. Found this forum today while shopping for a smoker and wondered if I could get some answers to a few questions. I've cooked on a Big Green Egg for the past four years but am relocating and can't take my egg with me. I've enjoyed smoking foods, especially pork butts, ribs and chicken. Could I put a 4 pound chicken covered in rub in the Bradley and have a ready to eat bird in say an hour and a half or would it take much longer? How weather proof are the Bradley's? Can they be left outdoors throughout the year or must they be stored out of the rain and snow? Thanks for the help and I hope to become a happy owner like all of you seem to be.   

[KevinG]

Welcome Grillman, I'm sure after a few usages of a Bradley you'd want to change that to Smokeman. To answer your questions, it probably would take a little longer to cook a four pound chicken. As far as weather proof, you definitely don't want the electronics to get wet. It should at least be under some type of awning a few inches off the ground so no puddles will get at it, and use the cover when not in use.

[classicrockgriller]

Grillman, I have the Digital 4 rack and the smoke and electronics all slide right off smoker so you can bring indoors.

Butts cooked in the Bradley are off the chain.
Chicken is gong to take a little longer cause you will have the option of smoking at a lower temp before finish cooking.
Ribs are awesome in the Bradley also.
With the Bradley you can cold smoke cheese, veggies, etc.

I have never been disappointed I bought a Bradley and I knew nothing about smoking prior to it and this forum is a GREAT place to learn!

Good luck in your

[Hopefull Romantic]

HI  Grllman and welcome to the forum, you are going to love it here.

I am with CRG and Kevin on the storing. You do not want water to come in contact with the electronics or the electrical part of your smoker. If you are to store the tower outside, then I would recommend that you go with the appropriate cover to protect the inside of the tower.

I have smoked just about everything on the Bradley (with the exception of sausages and jerky which will be coming soon) and never been (or any that shared the food) dispappointed. Chicken would take a minimum of 3 hours of smoke and cook time. Time with the Bradley smoker is not the issue, what matters is reaching your intended internal temp.

HR

[Tenpoint5]

Grillman,
First off welcome aboard.
I am sure our friend Ronbeaux will be along shortly. If I remember right he has 2 or 3 different ceramic cookers and has just recently ventured into the "Darkside" wold of electric smoking. From what I can gather from his posts. He is more than happy with his investment into a Bradley smoker. Might even go as far as to say he's Tickled Pink. I will warn you that the Bradley WILL NOT give you a smoke ring if you have to have one.

[OU812]

Welcome to the fun Grillman.

Along with no smoke ring the Bradley is not able to give the crisp skin on poultry that I'm sure the BGE is able to do, but the Bradley is able to produce some of the best sausage and smoked cheese that the BGE cant do, I think.

[FLBentRider]

W E L C O M E  to the Forum GrillMan!

My friends have convered your questions well.

I would keep it convered/out of the elements.

[watchdog56]

I am with classic on this. The food comes out amazing,if you have any questions come to this board and people are more than willing to point you in the right direction.
WARNING!!!! This gets addicting but at least it tastes good ;)

[ronbeaux]

OK, here goes.

Ive had three BGE's, well I still have one left. It is the Mini. I sold them all and got the Primo Oval XL. In fact I got it in Alabama after a cook off with the Primo Cooking Team ' Oval Rulers.' It was still on fire when I bought it so I knew it would work. Long story.

First off, throw out all knowledge about grilling and most above 250 cooking. The Bradley just isn't made for that. I wanted something that I could hold a much lower temperature, less than 250, which by the way it don't matter if it is a BGE or Primo, is hard to maintain without hooking it to a Guru or Stoker and making sure it is loaded right and so forth, without standing there babysitting it. Even my two Backwoods Smokers will not hold these low temps without a lot of effort, nor would my Stumps. Or even Ole Grandad.

I wanted it for cold smoking like in a real smoke house and for what I would call 'almost' full on bbq temps. Yes it will cook chicken and ribs and brisket and pork butts and fish and whatever you put in it, but only at a temp(if your like me) that is lower than what you are used to. The ease at which you can do it is what sold me and I have had good results in everything I have cooked in it.

Don't worry about asking a question here because these Dudes will be on it like a rat on a Cheeto.

[hal4uk]

Did someone say CHEETO??

Grillman, I'm going to guess that most folks here have owned or used a "traditional" smoker, and that's why they have a Bradley now.  The idea of carefully tending a fire for hours and hours on end (think perfect butt or ribs) may sound charming, but it ain't.  Having a little technological assistance is a very good thing.  The trade-off is that you do have to be careful of the electrical gadgetry - rain doesn't mix well.  My smoker is even easier to use (and more rain-friendly) than a Bradley - but the end product - it's excellent - but, placed side-by-side...  Well, the Bradley is better.

Ron,  Whatchu mean you had trouble with a Stumps?  Please elaborate...  (my dream machine is a Stumps Stretch)...  Warnings???

[ronbeaux]

Did someone say CHEETO??

Grillman, I'm going to guess that most folks here have owned or used a "traditional" smoker, and that's why they have a Bradley now.  The idea of carefully tending a fire for hours and hours on end (think perfect butt or ribs) may sound charming, but it ain't.  Having a little technological assistance is a very good thing.  The trade-off is that you do have to be careful of the electrical gadgetry - rain doesn't mix well.  My smoker is even easier to use (and more rain-friendly) than a Bradley - but the end product - it's excellent - but, placed side-by-side...  Well, the Bradley is better.

Ron,  Whatchu mean you had trouble with a Stumps?  Please elaborate...  (my dream machine is a Stumps Stretch)...  Warnings???

Don't want to hi-jack. I had the 222 and it just didn't have enough room for a 4 meat comp. It was a dream machine but I find that with just a little more effort I can use the Chubby and the Party Backwoods to get what I want. I don't cook all night for comps except for pork butts and I run the Chubby at 325 and the Party at 250. The Chubby is my 'finish' pit and the Party is my get it right pit.

The Stumps will hold whatever you set them at until you get tired of adding charcoal, in my case three days one time. It was just not right for the way I wanted to cook. 5 shelves would have been perfect.

[ArnieM]

Welcome to the forum GrillMan.  The Bradley is a smoker and slow cooker, not a grill.  I've done whole yard birds in it but spatchcocked them.  It shortens the cooking time and seems to get more smoke into them.  I'll usually give 'em a hit of some kind of BBQ sauce and finish 'em on the grill for crispier skin.  The smoke taste, however, is outstanding.

I've used a Weber bullet smoker for a number of years and have the burn scars to prove it.  Just too much trouble for me.  For pork butt and brisket, it can't be beat for ease of use.  Poultry takes a bit more work due to finishing.  Cold smoked cheese works really great.  No sausage yet. 

Certainly keep it out of the elements.  You can keep it outside with an official Bradley cover or a small tarp - maybe even a large garbage bag. 

[hal4uk]

Hey Grillman...
Definition of "Hijacking"...

It's like normal conversation...  You say you went to WallyWorld for paper towels (say, to polish your smoker), and then Caneyscud says they have some new kinda towels that are reusable, and then Arnie says he saw a cast iron skillet that practically cleans itself, then Ron says he can go camping and doesn't even need a skillet, and then KevinG says he doesn't even need a tent for camping- because he doesn't get much rain, and then I mention my favorite radar website to monitor the rain, and MrC says his internet-connected weather station in FarmieTown, Illinois can predict rain from his hotel room in Scandinavia, and then someone will reminisce about their Scandinavian homeland and the native birds they roasted over the hearth as a child while their father sat on the wrap-around porch whittling small soft-wood people for a cookoo clock, and by then MrC is in London, posting pictures of a really big clock, and then ClassicRockGriller says he don't even need no stinkin' clock, and then KyNola starts askin' what time it is on Bourbon Street...

Anyhow --- All I meant to say is "WELCOME TO THE FORUM!"

Ron - THX - I'll talk to you some more later ;-)

[ArnieM]

and then Arnie says he saw a cast iron skillet that practically cleans itself

Yep, used it tonight and it works a charm!

Anyhow --- All I meant to say is "WELCOME TO THE FORUM!"

Ron - THX - I'll talk to you some more later ;-)

Hal, hoist one more and go to bed  ;D

[hal4uk]

Nonsense, I have not yet begun to defile myself. --- Doc Holiday