Need info before I do buy

[razorbackdave]

I'm wanting to buy a Bradley this January and need to know what to buy. Any commits would be greatful. I make sausage and I BBQ. I do BBQ on a trailer BBQ pit but it's really too big and waste of fuel for a little meat. Sausage I will usually do 25-50 pounds of it, (summer, polish) I'll also use it to smoke hams that I've cured myself. any Ideas on which Bradley. Thank you.

[KyNola]

RBD, if you're going to be doing sausages in a Bradley you want precise temp control.  A lot of the guys here get the Bradley original and order an Auber PID.  The PID is an add-on to the Bradley that maintains cooking temps +/- 1-2 degrees.  The Auber PID can be ordered here www.auberins.com

Some of the expert sausage makers will be along and give you better advice than me.

KyNola

[punchlock]

Hello razorbackdave  and welcome to the forum. I am fairly new to smoking and have not had my Bradley for that long. I own a Bradley digital and I am quite happy with the results. If I had it to do again I would likely purchase the Bradley original and put the extra money saved into a PID. I think that pairing is your best bang for your buck. Either way I am sure you will be happy.

[Wildcat]

I agree 100 percent. Original with a PID.

[goblism]

I think the 6 rack would probably be more appropriate if you want to do larger loads of meat.  I can fit only 10-12lbs of snack sticks in my house and 25lbs of summer sausage.

[Sailor]

I have the original and purchased the Auber dual probe PID.  Using the PID you can ramp the cabinet temps in stages for doing sausage.  I knew the the majority of my smoking would be sausage so I opted to purchase the OBS over the 6 rack digital because I wanted the Auber PID.  The only draw back that I see with the OBS vs the 6 rack is that the chub length has to be shorter to fit in the OBS and you can stuff a full 20 inch length to fit in the 6 rack.  To hang sausage links you will be able to hang longer lengths in the 6.

With that said, you can still hang 8 chubs or 25 pounds of summer sausage in the OBS.  For both units you can purchase extra rack slides and make the OBS a 8 rack and the 6 rack a 12 rank.  You just can't increase the height of the cabinet.

Good luck in your purchase.  You can't go wrong with either unit.

[beefmann]

Go with the 6 rack, i have a hard time getting 45  lbs of tritip in my 4 rack,  also consider adding a Pid for better temperature control and a larger heater because of the  meat load. 

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6918.0

take a look at this mod  for the 900 watt heater mod


http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=17304.0

and for a timer and pid set up for  cold smoking then cook

[Tenpoint5]

I would agree with Beefman. With the size of loads you are wanting to do the 6 rack with a PID would be right up your alley.