Thanking about buying a smoker to take camping this holiday weekend and was wondering which ones fellow campers like to travel with and do most people prefer gas ,elect. or charcoal.
Never tried propane. Smoked a lot with electric and charcoal and definetely prefer charcoal. I had a hard time getting the electric above 200 when it was windy or cool out and I like to be able to get a 300 temp for an hour then drop it down to 200-225. I could control temps more with charcoal and I think it also tastes better. You could smoke with either wood chips, mesquite charcoal or wood chunks.
Oddly, I don't see any of the better three pieece smokers that are charcoal only; they come electric and you take the electric out. THe charcoal only units seem to be all one piece.
I guess I am saying buy the nicer three piece electric unit and try it on electric and you can always use it as a charcoal unit.
The three piece stores and tranports easier and you can use the bottom as a standard grill in a pinch.
I'm in the process of making corned beef from one bottom round sliced in half with the grain (will slice against the grain when it's finished), one eye roast, and one trimmed brisket.
On Saturday, I will smoke them into pastrami on my gas ECB smoker (El Cheapo Brinkman). I find that I have better control of the cooking temperatures with propane. My electric smoker has no temperature setting. It is also an ECB.
It's a bit like gas vs diesel, or Ford vs Chevy vs Dodge, but 3 of my 4 smokers use charcoal. I have a small electric I use for salmon, but the pork ribs, beef, chickens and turkeys all get smoked over charcoal, using lots of time and digital thermometers. We smoked a 12 pound turkey at the campsite earlier this year and thought we were going to have to feed the whole place - sure smells good! Lots of stuff to drag around, but worth it.
Rick
& wife Loie & Kodi Dog (blk male std poodle)
1995 F-250 460 Banks (wow!) & 2005 25' Bigfoot RQ
I got one of these for my cheapo charcoal smoker, and it works great. It lets me dial in the temperature to wherever I want it, and sit back and relax instead of fooling around with charcoal the whole time. You can add wood for smoke as shown on the pictures. Maybe not quite as good as the charcoal only method, but really, really close, and much less chance to screw it up.
Bill and Kate from Stone Harbor, NJ
with Sunny (the parti poodle) and Molson (the goldendoodle)
1995 Chevy/Quigley 4x4 G20 Van (the "Salty Dog")
2005 Jay Feather 29N (the "Salty Dog House")
Pro Series SC hitch
For entry level smoking, or until you grow into a need to do more, electric works great. the big advantage is not having to learn how to manage the fire. Mine had a temp control, and did great for low and slow smoking. I also charcoal smoke in a ceramic ball grill (like the Big Green Egg), and I smoke in my gas bbq. But I learned how with my $80 electric and moved up later!
Brian
2003 Dodge Ram 2500 Quad Cab, Hemi, 5 speed manual, 3.73 gears, Tow Beast hitch with 24" extension.
28 ft race car hauler, Lola T440 Formula Ford, NTM MK4 Sports Racer
1980 MCI MC-5C highway coach conversion
Was just at my uncle's house....he built a brick smoker and used it for years, then he purchased an electric Brinkman and says it does a better job then his brick smoker. He puts soaked flavored woods in the bottom...he shared some ribs...they were awesome! (he also makes the best salsa hands down of any I have ever tried and grows all the ingredients himself....he could make a fortune with his salsa recipe...but he just makes it for himself and family!)
He explained exactly how to use the Brinkman, so DH and I will be buying one too!
Snowhawkwoman Big Owl dogs Xena,Phoebe,Spooker,Skippy,Zoe,PJ,Taz Punky - the amazing insane Rving Squirrel 1997 Fleetwood Jamboree 29' The traveling Zoo!
I have all three and they all have their good points and bad. While the electric is my favorite for normal batches at home, it would be my last on the road. Gas is too heavy and bulky for me, traveling.
My favorite is a Brinkman water smoker which I have an electric unit for. I can go with charcoal or if its more convenient I put the electric unit in it, my choice.
I have the model that breaks into 3 pieces and I have the legs attached with wing nuts so I can remove them.
2002 Ford F350 Crew, LB, DRW, 7.3L
Jayco Designer 34RLQS
targaboat wrote: Charcoal is the only way to go. Anyone who uses anything else probably is or has been a smoker and does not have any taste buds left.
Yah, and the only reason I bought a Chevy is because the transmission went out on both of the Fords I owned before that! (Thanks for the analogy, Rick.)
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