Disappointed with new Bradley smoker.

[watchdog56]

Sorry about your disappointment  about the temps. but if you follow what people in cold weather areas here have suggested it will help. Remember to bring your meat up to room temp,keep out of wind(you may have to put it in garage for winter months) I always keep vent at least 3/4 open to full open to keep moisture out,try not to peek because when you peek it stops cooking and needs at least 15 minutes to recover depending how long you keep door open. Ribs usually take a while but slow when slow cooking they are well worth it. As far as pork butts, I have had 1 butt take 12 hours and 3 butts take up to 20 hours but came out excellent. Patience is the key.

[DTAggie]

and remember...it is BBQ.  Low and slow.  It is not fast food!

[Caneyscud]

As DTAggie said - this is low-n-slow cooking.  This is not a race to the finish but an attempt to get great tasting smoked goodies, in as easy of a way as possible.  I have a cadre of smokers including big trailer mounted ones.  You did not say if you cooked spareribs or baby backs.  Six hours for spares is about right - it doesn't matter if it is on a big trailer mounted rig or a Bradley - well maybe just a tad longer than in a big rig - but not much.  If you are cooking at the accepted low-n-slow temps it will take the time it takes.  You can rush it, but you will be disappointed usually.  Things to think about to lessen times.  Preheat the Bradley to 250+, meat at room temp, hot water in the bowl, vent open at least 3/4, adding thermal mass to the Bradley in the form of foil coated bricks, not opening the door to peek, etc....

It is a possiblilty that your element is from a "bad batch" that Bradley seems to have encountered.  Or the possibilty exists that the temperature sensor is being influenced by either being blocked by the meat or influenced with nearness of the cold meat.  Where did you locate your racks of meat.  If at the bottom, then the meat may be blocking the heat.   

[wet coast smoke]

I received a new six tray Bradley from Santa early on Dec 24, so that I could hickory smoke the  Xmas turkey, retired my old original four tray, gave it to a friend. With the digital electronics the new one is a beautiful machine. I too have used for years one or two preheated bricks depending on our outside temp and heat load; also use boiling water and I preheat with both burners. We have an Agga stove so always have a 450 deg oven ready for preheating bricks in.I believe that the main burner rating is 500 Watts, the same as the old one but is seems to have more output, perhaps it is beter insulated, in ;D any case it is sure  easy to operate and control, very pleased with it.

[Quarlow]

Cobra one thing that is repeated on the forum is that for every time you open the smoker you add 1/2 hr to the cook time.

I received a new six tray Bradley from Santa early on Dec 24, so that I could hickory smoke the  Xmas turkey, retired my old original four tray, gave it to a friend. With the digital electronics the new one is a beautiful machine. I too have used for years one or two preheated bricks depending on our outside temp and heat load; also use boiling water and I preheat with both burners. We have an Agga stove so always have a 450 deg oven ready for preheating bricks in.I believe that the main burner rating is 500 Watts, the same as the old one but is seems to have more output, perhaps it is beter insulated, in ;D any case it is sure  easy to operate and control, very pleased with it.

Wetcoast is this the type of stove they have in Britian? I watch alot of shows on BBC Canada and they mention these stoves all the time. I have seen them on the shows but I could never figure out how to say the word because of their accent. So is "Agga" the name they keep saying?

[FLBentRider]

Cobra one thing that is repeated on the forum is that for every time you open the smoker you add 1/2 hr to the cook time.

I received a new six tray Bradley from Santa early on Dec 24, so that I could hickory smoke the  Xmas turkey, retired my old original four tray, gave it to a friend. With the digital electronics the new one is a beautiful machine. I too have used for years one or two preheated bricks depending on our outside temp and heat load; also use boiling water and I preheat with both burners. We have an Agga stove so always have a 450 deg oven ready for preheating bricks in.I believe that the main burner rating is 500 Watts, the same as the old one but is seems to have more output, perhaps it is beter insulated, in ;D any case it is sure  easy to operate and control, very pleased with it.

Wetcoast is this the type of stove they have in Britian? I watch alot of shows on BBC Canada and they mention these stoves all the time. I have seen them on the shows but I could never figure out how to say the word because of their accent. So is "Agga" the name they keep saying?

It's Aga.

http://www.aga-ranges.com/

[Waltz]

Or here:
http://www.aga-web.co.uk/92_1534.htm
but when you see the price in Britain you will see why they are termed 'luxury' cookers.  They have a bit of a cult following but need a bit of patience to figure out the heat control.

[Quarlow]

Those are cool. Kind of a modern twist on old school.