Hello from Nevada!

[SiFumar]

Just want to say I don't have a Bradley (yet)....but have been additively reading this forum for at least 6 months.  I have been using a bullet type smoker for a few years and have been ready to move on. (Mostly for chicken and butts)  My hubby has said I can buy what I want since I first started talking about your forum.  What I want to do, is get him involved as a hobby, as he is thinking of retiring from his second career.  He has not gotten involved in any grilling or smoking I do.(except joining me for the beer drinking that is a must while grilling! LOL)  So I want to get a smoker that would be easy to ease him into...OBS or DBS? Also what model PID is easiest to learn to use.  (I use a Polder for the oven right now) He has expressed interest in curing and smoking bacon....from my showing him pics from this site.  I would appreciate some insight on this.  I have made fresh sausage (Chorizo, Greek and Italian) for 25 years...and curing and smoking some is on my list.  Thank you in advance......I hope to be a contributing member soon.

PS Love the recipe site! 

[watchdog56]

Welcome to the forum. As far as what smoker to get? I have the 4 rack digital and like it but I bought my smoker to mostly make sausage and fish. With the digital the temps swing +/- 10 degrees either way so I had to buy a PID from Auber to control temps in the +/- 2 degree to make sausage. You do not want to smoke sausage over 180 degrees and an internal temp of 152-156 because it will fat out and become dry.so temp is very important. I just had 2 buddies ask me what I would do I if I had to do it all over again and I told them the original and put the extra money in a PID. I have the single probe PID(bought it before the 2 probe came out so I can't comment on how well that works). Remember if you smoke sausage because of the low temp you must have some type of cure in it.
I got an email from Amazon this morning and they had great prices on the smokers so you might want to check that out. You can save over $100 on a unit.
Whichever way you decide I am sure you will be happy and this board is FULL of info so don't be afraid to ask any questions,we have been through the same things.

[smoker pete]

Welcome to the forum SiFumar.  Just point out to hubby that the Bradley Smoker is Low-n-Slow which gives lots more time for beer drinking  ;D ;D

I have the OBS and the Auber Single probe PID.  Here's a nice link comparing the Single/Dual PID http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?672-Auber-Plug-amp-Play-PIDs-Single-Dual-Probes  You can't go wrong with an OBS and Auber PID.

[DTAggie]

Welcome SiFumar.  I have an OBS and use a Polder to track temps.  I do not use a PID.  Love my OBS

[pikeman_95]

Welcome to the forum. I have been making home made sausage for 40 years but this group tries and does so many different things that you never stop learning. I can't wait until I can retire and do more. It is a fun thing to do with friends and you can never buy the quality of sausage that you eventually will make. For your evening cocktail you can serve him something like this


kc

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi SiFumar;

Welcome to the forum.

If you are going to purchase a PID, then your best choice of smoker will be the OBS. The PID will control your temperature tighter then the Digital, and if you have a PID and purchase the DBS you would not be using the digital features of the smoker.

If you are getting a PID, the only advantage to choose the DBS over the OBS would be if you want the larger capacity of the 6 rack.

After you are up and smoking, I would be very interested in your Greek sausage recipe.

[SouthernSmoked]

Welcome to the forum SiFumar.

[schneep]

Wecome to the forum, when I started I also trolled this forum for a while before I bought my OBS, I also bought an Auber PID single probe, and a ET-73 for monitoring everything from inside the house.  I will say, that for me, the OBS has been indestructable, it has done everything I wanted and is plenty big enough for just everything I have ever done. (Pulled pork for 30 people, smoked salmon, and a lot of it, smoked meatloafs, chicken, turkey breast, atomic buffalo turds, cheese and so much more.  Just recently I did bacon, and now that will also be a regular thing to do.
So join the fun, in the summer, I can sit next to my OBS and have my beer, and in the winter, I can sit in the house, and monitor everything while sipping my cocktail. 
Again, Welcome!!   

[SoCalBuilder]

Let me welcome you also! Not much I can add to what has already been said other than 'Ditto'. I wish my retirement was closer at hand because just getting to smoke on the weekends is frustrating. I'm sure you'll both enjoy it!

[TestRocket]

Welcome SiFumar glad to see you're out of the shadows and about ready to jump in with both feet. I have the OBS and the dual probe PID and I'm very happy with both. I also installed the second element but you will find happy members both ways. And just to remind you, you don't have to have a Bradley yet to post PICS of what you cook (inside or out), because we really like PICS!  ;D

[SiFumar]

Thank you for the kind responses.  I was leaning toward the OBS/with the auber dual.  Y'all just confirmed it and thank you again.

[SiFumar]

Ordered the OBS, auber dual probe, bubba pucks, frog mats and of course lots of bisquettes!  Let the fun begin!  Will be so nice not to tend to the wood and coals so much.  My first smoke has to be chicken(with CT of course).....my favorite, not so much the hubby's lol but hey I'm the chief cook lol.  So anyways y'all be hearing from me.

[TestRocket]

Remember, vent wide open with chicken and Congrats on your new cooking tools! Looking forward to seeing your first smoke!   ;D

[SiFumar]

Thanks! Yep vent wide open!  Won't mess my chicken up!