Pre-purchase question

Eman · March 31, 2009, 06:01:53 AM

I'm thinking about picking up a Bradley Original, been wanting a smoker for quite a while and finally seem to have won the battle on the home front. The Bradley is on sale this week up here in the great white north, so if I'm going to get one I guess this is the moment. The one thing I'm still concerned about with the Bradley is cost of the wood pucks. Seems like for a normal smoker you toss in some wood at the start, and then a bit more after 30 mins or so then leave it alone, but with the Bradley if you want to smoke for 6 hours you're running through around 18 of the pucks.

So, if you want to cook something like a pulled pork that will be in for 8-10 hours, do you really use 30 or so?

Sorry if this is a dumb question, I've never used a smoker before, and apart from this the Bradley looks awesome to me.

NePaSmoKer · March 31, 2009, 06:10:15 AM

Eman

Welcome to the forum.

Most of the members only use anywhere from 4 to 8 wood pucks for the smoke and the rest of the time just heat. If you used 30 wood pucks you might as well just eat a burnt peice of tree bark :D

Your smoker is like a little convection oven with a smoke option ;D Just make sure to season your smoker before you do your first meat smoke.

You will get lots of tips and great advice here from the members, and there is no dumb questions, we all had to learn and are still learning.

enjoy

nepas

Wildcat · March 31, 2009, 07:18:57 AM

I use 12 wood pucks (4 hours of smoke) for butt and brisket. IMHO any more than that is a waste.

Caneyscud · March 31, 2009, 07:23:08 AM

Welcome to the forum Eman

Ditto to what NePas said. He's the boss hog when it comes to cooking and smoking!

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

Eman · March 31, 2009, 08:46:12 AM

Great all, & thanks for the info!

Just called my local Canadian Tire, they have one waiting for me to get on the way home. They have a great sale on these, $289, and I happen to have around $200 in gift certificates that I've been collecting in my smoker fund for a couple of years now.

So, any recommendations on the best type of wood to get for the 1st timer? Figure I'll do some ribs this weekend, since I have lots of experience grilling ribs, and want to check out the difference.

Tenpoint5 · March 31, 2009, 08:53:10 AM

Eman, Welcome aboard!!

I would use Hickory for ribs. WTS would use Messy Wood (Mesquite) But You are gonna be the best judge of what your looking for. Try several and see which one you like best. This means that you have to make several batches of ribs to try the different flavors.

Mr Walleye · March 31, 2009, 08:55:44 AM

Hi Eman and welcome to the forum.

Where in Canada are you from? I'm from Saskatchewan myself. The other members have you on the right path, typically around 4 hours of smoke maximum is what I use for butts, etc. Ribs I usually go with three hours and sausage the same. Chicken absorbs more smoke and I usually apply less, around 2 hours. Also if you shop around you can get your cost of pucks down to around .30 Cdn. apiece. If you would like a contact for pucks here in Canada just PM me and I can pass along where I get mine.

Also, if you haven't already been to the recipe site just click on the smoker in the bottom of my post. Lots of great stuff there all from the fine folks on the forum here.

Mike

Eman · March 31, 2009, 10:25:10 AM

Hey Mike,

I'm in Ottawa, so yeah, if you have a source in this area that would be great. Are you able to use your smoker in the winter out your way? I've been wondering if I'll really be able to use in during a Canadian winter. Anyways, I'm committed now, I spent too much time looking at recipes at lunchtime today, now I'm hungry! I've got about a half dozen recipes that I use for ribs on the BBQ, it's gonna be fun finding new ones for the smoker.

Piker · March 31, 2009, 12:48:14 PM

I have used mine out here in southern Alta. when it was -40 but I have it in a shed. Iy definitely takes longer but get a remote temp. probe and you can monitor it from your easy chair. Welcome to the forum!!!!! Piker

Habanero Smoker · March 31, 2009, 01:59:36 PM

Hi Eman;

Welcome to the forum.

I have to agree with Wildcat when it comes to smoking brisket and butts I use 12 bisquettes (4 hours). For chicken, sausage and fish 2 hours or less. Loins around 2 - 3 hours. If you look around for recipes, most will indicate how much. After a while you will learn to adjust the amount of smoke to your particular taste.

There are a lot of good recipe on the forum, but also you should check out the recipe site:
Recipes

Mr Walleye · March 31, 2009, 02:02:03 PM

Quote from: Eman on March 31, 2009, 10:25:10 AM
Hey Mike,

I'm in Ottawa, so yeah, if you have a source in this area that would be great. Are you able to use your smoker in the winter out your way? I've been wondering if I'll really be able to use in during a Canadian winter. Anyways, I'm committed now, I spent too much time looking at recipes at lunchtime today, now I'm hungry! I've got about a half dozen recipes that I use for ribs on the BBQ, it's gonna be fun finding new ones for the smoker.

Eman

I have built mine into my heated garage to take the weather out of the equation. There are a lot of members here that smoke in cold climates without problems but around here I want to be able to smoke when it's -40. Here is a couple of links on where I started to where I am now.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=4142.0

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=4666.0

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=6075.0

This is my lastest setup
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=7616.msg82164#msg82164

As you can tell... I like to "tinker" a little. ::)
Here's another link on increasing the heating output if you do have problems.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8987.0

I'll shoot you a PM tonight with the contact info for a Canadian Supplier for pucks tonight because I have the information at home.

Mike

FLBentRider · March 31, 2009, 05:23:17 PM

W E L C O M E to the Forum Eman!

beefmann · March 31, 2009, 05:32:00 PM

Eman

welcome to the forum and I typically use 4 to 9 pucks and have found that is more then enough

Eman · April 01, 2009, 08:12:45 AM

Thanks all for the great welcome! Picked up the smoker on the way home yesterday. Coworker started laughing at me this morning when I said "Don't know if I can wait till the weekend to smoke something."

KyNola · April 01, 2009, 10:58:35 AM

Eman,
Welcome to the forum. Nothing more I can add to what the other guys have already told you. You are in for a real treat with your new Bradley. Have fun learning about it and don't hesitate to ask for help on any questions you may have.

KyNola

Pre-purchase question

NePaSmoKer

beefmann