Pre Purchase Questions

[birdboy]

Hey all, looking at getting a smoker, I've heard the Bradley is king.

I noticed someone stating that the stainless version was the one to have?  Any functional difference aside from the exterior?

Why order extra racks?  It comes with 4 and there are only 4 spaces for them?

I am COMPLETELY new to this so please bear with me...  I assume you typically marinate your product before smoking which adds considerable flavor, what flavor/how much does the smoking process add?

Thanks!

[BigRed]

<i>Originally posted by birdboy</i>
<br />Hey all, looking at getting a smoker, I've heard the Bradley is king.

I noticed someone stating that the stainless version was the one to have?  Any functional difference aside from the exterior?

Why order extra racks?  It comes with 4 and there are only 4 spaces for them?

I am COMPLETELY new to this so please bear with me...  I assume you typically marinate your product before smoking which adds considerable flavor, what flavor/how much does the smoking process add?

Thanks!
There are some smokers that love the stainless steel but for the life of me I don't know why. I have the black metal version and the food from mine is just the same as from the SS.I think the SS is harder to clean and KEEP clean. I am sure there are other smokers out there that will disagree and that is why we live in this great country.
Rack depend on what you want to smoke. I have the original and they do for my needs. Some folks do brining but I have not heard of too many doing the marinating and then smoking. The smoking process for 4 hours with the bisketees gives almost any meat great flavor with not too much smoke. You have many different smoke bisketees to chose from. Bradley is the King and if you decide to get one order it from Chez Bubba. He is on this form and gives you great service and follow-up. If you buy your BS from him, you get a discount on your future purchases of the smoking bisketees. If you buy from someone else you may have to wait for a month of Sundays before you get it.  HOpe that helps! Get a Bradley!!

BigRED

[birdboy]

Thanks!  If there isn't any functional difference I'll probably go with the original.

Interesting, I assumed you would marinate then smoke, especially on stuff like duck or goose, seems like you would want to get as much moisture in those as you can since they are so easy to dry out (does make a good patch for the hole in the sole of your boot though)

[birdboy]

Does Chez Bubba have an email address?  I tried getting to the website and it starts to load then Internet Explorer just blows up on me...

[Habanero Smoker]

For smoking I prefer brining fish and poultry, marinades based meats I usually reserve for grilling. The use of dry rubs, or wet rubs can also be used to add additional flavoring. If you don't already have a copy of Smoke & Spice, you should pick one up.

Most people who get the extra rack, do so for doing jerky, chicken parts, salmon and other small cuts of meat. You can invert one rack and put it on top of another rack, thus doubling your cooking space. If you get extra racks, get the jerky racks, they are non-stick coated.

Here is Chez's email address [email protected] , as soon as he sees your post he will respond.

[BigSmoker]

birdboy,
Welcome and glad to have you.  The Bradley is a great product either stainless or the black model.  I have the stainless model myself and don't find it hard to maintain at all[:D].  The Bradley can hot or cold smoke any food(well maybe not a whole pig).  Its also very easy to use.  I usually apply a dry rub to my briskets, pork butts and whole chickens.  I usually brine the birds and inject the rest with apple juice and some sauce like Dales.  
Have fun and browse the forum for all sorts of info[;)]


Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

[nsxbill]

I opted for the Stainless Steel for the aesthetics, and it doesn't rust...esp important to me since mine is outside under covered porch.  Used too much and rarely gets covered.  I bought the extra racks for jerkey.  Get the jerkey racks instead of getting more stainless.  That way you can go both ways.

You will love the BS...just too easy!

Bill

[Chez Bubba]

Brian,

You can call us at 574-276-8746 & we'll be happy to answer any questions you may have. Or, email us your number & we'll call you.

The Bradley's a great unit, it's so convenient, you won't be disappointed!

We actually use the Bradley & really don't sell any other products. We just like talkin' to people who enjoy smokin'. If you called a few of our competitors & asked "Why the extra rack set?", several people have told me their response was "Gee, I don't know, but they must be good for something because we sell a lot of them."!!!

S/S vs Black: If the looks are worth the extra $ to you, get the stainless. You won't be able to cook any better food with it though. I have a black one & am perfectly satisfied, but if you want to spend more money, we'd be happy to oblige![:D]

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[Oldman]

I own the SS and looking back on it now I should have purchased the std unit.

http://rminor.com

[birdboy]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Habanero Smoker</i>
<br />For smoking I prefer brining fish and poultry, marinades based meats I usually reserve for grilling. The use of dry rubs, or wet rubs can also be used to add additional flavoring. If you don't already have a copy of Smoke & Spice, you should pick one up.

Most people who get the extra rack, do so for doing jerky, chicken parts, salmon and other small cuts of meat. You can invert one rack and put it on top of another rack, thus doubling your cooking space. If you get extra racks, get the jerky racks, they are non-stick coated.

Here is Chez's email address [email protected] , as soon as he sees your post he will respond.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Hmm...I'm obviously going to have to learn the difference between brining and marinating.  Thanks for the input !  One of the big reasons I'm getting a smoker is because I'm looking for a way to cook goose/duck, I've been told that smoking them is the way... theres got to be some way not to turn them into shoe leather [:D]

[Chez Bubba]

Brian,

The full details are buried somewhere in another thread, do a search on duck & you can find them. My way of smoking duck is to cold smoke the skin-on breasts for 3 hours & pan fry them on the stove.

People from Maple Leaf Farms (the largest producer of duck in the world) have commented that it was the best tasing duck they'd ever had, filet mignon tender & great flavor.

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[birdboy]

Excellent, thanks Kirk, I'll go search right now.

You do skin on huh...  All the birds (mostly geese) I put in my freezer I breasted and skinned, I was told that cooking them with the skin on is where they got their gamey flavor... for skinless breast meat, suggestions??  Should I try a rub or brine, then the bacon on the top rack trick?

[MallardWacker]

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by birdboy</i>
<br /> I was told that cooking them with the skin on is where they got their gamey flavor... <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

IHMO, I don't think pulling the skin off will help much as it concerns the gamey taste.

Hay do we have Goose Murderer on the forum?  

Though I have not tried it yet with Duck, brine that sucker then smoke it wrapped in bacon.

SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...

[birdboy]

Naw, I'm just lucky, I went out to a wheat field last week and 5 of them just fell at my feet [:D]

Gives ya something to do inbetween greenheads[:)]

I'll give the bacon wrapping a try, got to do something with all that breast meat ...

Thanks !

[Chez Bubba]

Well, to date, mine have been farm raised. I do have a buddy threatening to take me hunting though, so hopefully I'll have some future insight on the wild-vs-farm "gaminess".

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?