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Anyone smoke meats like ribs, poultry, brisket, etc.? This intrigues me but I sure don’t want to get a Traeger or Big Green Egg. Too expensive for something I would use a few times per year. I’m wondering if anyone smokes using a regular charcoal grill or even an offset smoker. I have a propane grill and have tried to smoke with it but didn’t get any smoke flavor. I could justify an inexpensive charcoal set-up as long as it would also serve as a regular charcoal grill.
Thanks for any advice!
Replies
I smoked meat for years on a regular Weber charcoal grill. Water basin in the center, meat over basin, charcoal on either side of the grill. Add dry wood chips to increase the heat and toss some wet chips on the coals and the heat will drop. You need the better Weber with the built in thermometer so you know the temps and it’s a lot more maintenance managing the air intake valves along with keeping the smoke going with chips but it’s perfectly doable and works great.
Alton Brown built a smoker using an old trunk.
I used to smoke trout and salmon in one of those "Little Chief" electric smokers
Folks used to beat a trail to my door
Never smoked other meats tho
My cousin has a Bradley electric smoker with the puck type feed---he smokes meat with his to good success
Alton Brown built a smoker using an old trunk.
Here's a recipe for salmon from amazingribs.com, my go to site for all things grilling. The rib and pulled pork recipes there are foolproof and better than most BBQ I've had, even in the south.
https://amazingribs.com/schmancy-hot-smoked-salmon-recipe
I used to catch and smoke king mackerel a lot when I lived in Karachi. I would just brine it, put a lot of cracked pepper on it, then hot smoke it on the cool side with one burner on low for about an hour. I like to place a pan of water underneath as though I were cooking ribs or a pork shoulder to keep it from drying out.
I have a mid-grade Weber gas grill. One burner (not the middle one) on low will provide an almost ideal temperature of about 230F. I place the meat or fish on the opposite side.
I have a cookshack smoker oven that I smoke ribs,pork loins,turkeys for our restaurant and for myself I do tuna and salmon.The cookshack is bomb proof but kind of spendy.For years at home I used a little chief but they are hard to maintain constant heat .
I'm with Mike, I smoked a lot meat on my Weber, but a gas one. Had a little chip tray that you fill with chips soaked in water to create the smoke.
Then I broke down and bought the Traeger Junior. Best investment ever. I thought the same as you, that I'd never use it. I was wrong, I use it at least once if not twice a week.
Not just the best ribs and brisket in the world, but chicken, salmon, steak (did NY strips last night on it) and burgers are all better off of the traeger. And it's like smoking for dummies which is the best part.
You need to clean them good and the chips aren't cheap, but life is too short it eat crappy meat ;-)
i smoke with propane......one of those under $200 filing cabinet style set ups from home depot
www.smokingmeatforums.com is your best friend
and just say no to soaking your chips
Tim eats cheese on pie, so you know he don't have a clue what he's talking about.
wet chips taste like.....wet chips......and that's not a good taste
control your temp, and control O2 to the chips and they'll do just fine without soaking them
https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/myth-soak-your-wood-first
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/how-important-is-soaking-wood-chips.262692/
there's a lot out there on this......the water has to evaporate before the wood starts to smoke anyways.....so you're just cooling your fire down, slowing down the process, and imparting some messed up flavors