How to REALLY Use Your Bradley??

[sheltie]

The more I read on this forum, the hungrier I get!

I've got really simple tastes in food and don't go to any unusual (for me) lengths to insure that my meats are tasty.  Before I had the Bradley, I'd just use the least amount of seasoning and cook away, whether in the oven or over a grill.  So many of the recipes I see on this forum are FAR more complex (but VERY appealing) than I would ever consider (now, if you wanted to do it and send it to me, that is another question...)

I guess my basic question is, how many people cook the meat entirely in the Bradley as opposed to starting it in the smoker and then transferring it to either a grill or oven?  My first attempt involved using nothing but the Bradley and it was excellent.  If I had a complaint at all it would be that the meat was very smoky, but I happen to like that taste.  The brisket was cooked for about six hours, entirely using bisquettes, as were the ribs (pork and beef) and chicken, although for less time.  If I wanted to cook everything in the Bradley, but with a little less smoky taste, would I just start the bisquettes later in the cooking?

[Habanero Smoker]

That's a difficult question for me to answer. It depends on what I want to accomplish. Many foods I will smoke/cook entirely in the OBS, but there are just as many foods I will use a combination of cooking methods. Though generally I will smoke/cook briskets, butts and ribs entirely in the smoker.

[beefmann]

Sheltie

see exactly where you  need to stop smoking .. start with 2 hours of smoke and add or subtact as neccessary. as for cooking in the bradley or the oven ... It would depend on climate the colder the longer cook times so in this case it might be better to finish in the oven.

if you are in a warmer climate you could smoke and / or cook everthing in the bradley with no problems..

I have done several 15 pound+ roasts that have takeen some 16 to 19 hours to smoke and cook in the bradley.. while 8 racks of ribs has taken 9 hours to compleate...

hope this helps

[Caneyscud]

I tend to go entirely in the Bradley - mainly a genetic thing of Texans - if it isn't done in a grill/smoker/pit - it ain't REAL barbecue.  So, usually the Bradley unless I get interrupted and have to abandon the smoke.  Then I will finish up in the oven at a later time.  Or if I don't have enough time to finish it in the Bradley and have to cook it at a higher temp - goes in the oven.  A cheater brisket I do for limited times is cooking the brisket to temp (190 or more) in the oven in foil, then finish 2 to 4 hours or more in the smoker. 

If you don't want a very smokey taste, just put in less pucks and finish up in the Bradley without pucks.  I like heavy smoke, (I grew up with stickburners and charcoal pits - still have both including a Traeger where you also get smoke the entire time), so I probably use more pucks than most.  It is also somewhat a matter of concern over safety.  Do you leave the Bradley going all night and go to bed or do you feel safer putting the meat in the oven for the all night portion of long cooks/smokes?  Without smoke, the Bradley is nothing but a small 500w oven.   As you mentioned, you like simple recipes - I do also in barbecue - all I tend to put on my beef is salt/pepper/cayenne.  Although I am playing with one with a couple or three unusual ingredients.  Pork tends to be simple also - I don't care much for sweet rubs, so my pork usually get the salt/pepper/cayenne/garlic treatment with some other spices at times.  Very seldom a commercial rub, as they usually have sugar or brown sugar in them.  Fowl gets salt/pepper/citrus/garlic/rosemary (or sometimes cilantro) or a bath in Italian dressing and some garlic and rosemary, or sometimes lime, garlic, chipotle, cilantro treatment.  Lamb - salt/pepper/lots of garlic.  Fish - I'm all over the board, but quite often a blackening mix.  Shrimp - Italian dressing and garlic or green chilis, lime, garlic, cilantro.   

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

[Wildcat]

Except for steaks and birds, everything I do is done entirely in the smoker.  The birds get smoke then finished on the grill.  My steaks I smoke/cook entirely on the grill.  My grill can use charcoal, chunk wood, or both.  Sometimes I even do the birds entirely on the grill.

[Ka Honu]

Somewhat tangent to the subject, are there any math geniuses out there who have a guess as to the relative hourly cost of running an OBS after the smoke as a low-temp oven versus the cost of running the oven itself at about the same temp?

[Up In Smoke]

sheltie,
you may also consider changing the type of wood you use?
i have tried hickory and i enjoyed it, but i tend to lean more on apple
and cherry.
i have done more pork and some fowl with these and they work well.
i am planning on trying more beef so i guess i will have to try the messy wood.
did i spell that right?
my entire cooks are done in the bradley  so far,
i am branching out to the BE finish when i get the chance.
i have the big easy it's time i run short of.

[NePaSmoKer]

Just curious

A 6 hour briskit?  How big was it.   Takes me longer in my Bradley.  I can do a briskit faster in my Traeger.

nepas

[westexasmoker]

I too, how do ya get a brisket done in 6 hours?

C

[Smokin Soon]

A briskit in the Bradley for 6 hours would taste like my leather belt, If there is a way I would be interested.

[Tenpoint5]

Guys I think Caney said that was a cheater brisket. He doesn't say how long it is in his oven before it reaches 190 IT. THEN it goes in the Bradley for 6 hours. If I'm reading it right.

[Tenpoint5]

Never mind my last post went back and reread shelties post.

[KyNola]

Sheltie,
I think you're selling yourself short.  Most of the recipes I use involve either a simple rub or a brine. I have a tendency to finish things in the oven, particularly if it is going to be a long cook time after the smoke period.  I think I can control the heat better in the oven.  Amount of smoke is a matter of personal taste.  Many of us will not exceed 4 hours of smoke from the Bradley.  Typically that much smoke time is devoted to big cuts of meat such as a pork butt.  Bradley's have a learning curve just like all things new.  You mentioned smoking later in the cooking process.  I'm thinking not a good idea.  Smoke the meat first.  Finish as you see fit.

Most important thing is don't get discouraged.  We are all here to answer your questions.

Have fun and roll the smoke,

KyNola

[Gizmo]

Somewhat tangent to the subject, are there any math geniuses out there who have a guess as to the relative hourly cost of running an OBS after the smoke as a low-temp oven versus the cost of running the oven itself at about the same temp?

If I remember this weekend when I do a pork but, I will put the meter on the Bradley and remeasure the current draw with and without the burner.  I have done this in the past and posted it somewhere on the board. 

[Ka Honu]

Barry, Barry, Barry - What propane?  The OBS and the oven in my house both run on electricity.  I'm guessing the answers will be in kilowatts or something similar (like, "It takes xxx kilowatts to run the OBS as an oven at 225^o for an hour and it takes xxx kilowatts to run an electric oven at 225^o for an hour.").