BOS or BDS

[dribron]

I had a question. What is the average temp on the OBS? I have hear a few different results. As long as it is within the 200-250 or even 200-240 range I will be pretty happy. I just rember my first ever smoke on an electric smoker, and what a pain it was to find a temp that I liked that was halfway stable. Hope I dont go threw the same with the Bradley.
  Thank you all, Duane

[DarqMan]

From my limited experience (4 smokes), the Bradley easily gets to 200.  After that if it's on full blast it will gradually climb to the 240-250 range.  Unless you get a PID, you'll have to keep an eye on it and back it down if you don't want it to go higher.

[DarqMan]

I should point out that how quickly you get to that range depends on how big the load is.  If you preheat first and get food in quickly the recovery time is decent.  I also get a large steam foil pan and fill it with water insead of the pan that comes with it.  That acts as a heat sink and helps to recover faster.

[dribron]

Okay thanks. I have also seen from a few pics on the net that some people wrape a brick or two in foil, and place then in the smoker. Is that too help stabalize temps like one might use a water pan for?

[Caneyscud]

Yes and no.  What the bricks do are provide additional mass to hold and release heat.  It will take a little longer to heat up and the temps will not be "stable" during that.  What the bricks do is a wonderful job of minimizing the initial temperature drop when putting cold meat into a hot smoker.  Big stick burners are more "stable" in that they have lots of iron/steel that heats up and holds the heat.  If you open the door/lid on a big stickburner, yes you lose some heat, but because of the great amount of heat stored in its iron/steel, it recovers rapidly.  The Bradley does not have that mass.  So when you open the door all the hot air dumps out and goes up to play with the ozone.  Then it takes a while for the 500 watt and the 150 watt puck burner to heat up more air to continue cooking the load.  The bricks help with that recovery by releasing their heat in addition to the Bradley's fire power. 

[dribron]

Thank you for the info, it explained alot to me. I wonder though, would it matter if I use the acuall grill stones over just plain old bricks?

[Quarlow]

We just use a cheap brick you can get from any hardware store or if you have one kicking around. Wrap it in tinfoil. It allows you to rewrap it once it gets real messy.

[dribron]

I do like that. I'll have to grab a few before my OBS arrives at Cabela's sometimes next week. It looks to be about a week and a half before delivery, something that is driving me crazzy. lol I want my new toy.. darn it!! ;D

[Quarlow]

Oh I hear what your saying. Of course it probably doesn't help if I tell you that tomorrow I am making about 10 lbs of deer and moose jerky does it. :P :D :D

[dribron]

Oh my do you have a dark side.... lol ;)

[KyNola]

dribron,
I'm in very late on this thread.  I have the digital 4 rack and the "guts" of the BDS are the same as the OBS.  My BDS on a preheat with nothing in it has easily gone to 275 and higher.  Most important thing for you to know is preheat your OBS long before you're going to put cold meat in it.  When you open the door to load your OBS, the heat inside will rush out so be ready to load the meat before you open the door.  More importantly, understand that you just placed a mass of cold "whatever" at an average temp of 50 degrees if you took it out of the frig at least an hour before and that will cause the OBS to labor to bring the temp back.  Remember, essentially you are cooking with the heat from 5 100 watt lightbulbs.  It's a 500 watt heating element.

Said all that to say this.  Don't panic about the temp rise.  It will take a while but it's all good.  Low and slow is how smoking rolls.  Besides, it gives you a great opportunity to continually check on your OBS with an adult beverage in your hand just in case it should burst into flames while you're out there checking on it. :D  The adult beverage is the liquid that you must take out there as a preventative measure to extinguish an unexpected fire.  "Sorry honey, can't mow the yard this afternoon.  I have to make sure the OBS is OK and not on fire but don't worry.  I can pour this on it if it bursts into flame ;)"

Ya heard me? :)
KyNola

[dribron]

Oh yeah, that's how ya do it..! ;D