Can I hang with you guys? It’s not fancy but for $33 after discounts and gift card I couldn’t turn down my first smoker
Just popping in for advice and tips and such…. Also I'm sure I'll ask a bunch of stupid questions so sorry in advance.
by kopfgeldjagar
35 Comments
RahgronKodaav
Congrats!! What are you smoking first?
lineman336
I had an electric vertical smoker as my first smoker. You will not get a smoke ring with them so don’t worry if you cook a brisket and you don’t see one. Get a smoke tube fill it will pellets and let it smolder alot easier than putting chips on the tray every 30 min
Happy smoking, they are great for smoking sausage.
tchernubbles
Been using that same one for almost a decade. It’s a solid choice!
I will say, if the design hasn’t changed and it’s still just a bare pan over the burner for the wood chips fill the pan with lava rock and throw the chips on top of that. Mine tended to just catch the chips on fire.
C4rdninj4
Welcome to the club!
POTATOMASOCHIST
Those are perfect to learn on, congrats!
Gl1tchedOut
I started on that same model 10 years ago. 👍
Ok-Mistake2028
I recommend chicken thighs for your first smoke but do whatever makes you happy!
I’d also recommend just doing your first smoke without water trays, vinegar, spraying, or combining different woods. Start simple with as few variables as possible. Expect a few poor cooks, and dial things in one at a time. You’re essentially relearning how to walk since it’s not grilling. I made the mistake of doing too much at first, then read the advice I gave you.
Now? My best ribs smoke for hours untouched. No sprays or sauces or trays. Go figure! (If you’re interested, 275⁰ and I check doneness starting at three hours using the bend test, rechecking about every 30 mins. Then wrap in foil with a thin vinegar-based sauce and rest for two hours, it’s perfect!).
Be patient and you’ll love the journey!
-the-nino
Hell yeah! $33? Killer deal!
YT_ToxicNinjaGaming
Hell yea, have fun and good eating
Icy_Abbreviations277
This was my first smoker, still going strong 5 years later. I have made some adaptations to it: cast iron skillet in the bottom to hold my wood chunks, bought a separate thermometer to monitor the temp, and a grill rack to hold more ribs.
I got a gravity smoker/grill and this vertical smoker is still my go to.
Eta: my ribs from memorial day were fall off the bone tender.
toadjones79
I’ve made some excellent smoked pork on one of those.
wulfpak04
This is the way
OkFig3435
My second smoker was a propane smoker! Absolutely awesome for cutting my teeth on and felt like a huge step up from my Big Chief electric smoker. You can hang dude!
Upper_Television3352
$33 is a deal, you could definitely buy worse stuff for more money.
LettuceOpening9446
Ghat was my 1st smoker. Made several amazing meals on that thing. Ribs, small brisket flat, small pork butt, boneless short ribs.
Only pain was the need to keep adding wood chips evwry 30 minutes.
pluraleverything
Nice find! I have this same model. Use the water pan. It is huge, works great to keep moisture around and smoke adherence to the meat. It also helps stabilize temperature spikes.
Key: get a thermometer to measure the air temps and meat temp. The door thermo is inaccurate. Wireless is better and you don’t have to worry about wires or drilling an access hole.
Do a test smoke with slices of bread. Arranged in a 3×3 pattern on each rack. You will see the hot spots, which racks are higher vs lower temps.
Leave the vent on medium until you have a couple sessions in. Then if needed, adjust it. I didn’t have to adjust in the 8 years I’ve had it.
Wind and weather will affect the temps a lot since it’s not double wall insulated.
Stop opening the door to check. (That’s just advice to myself)
ItsjustMrMatt
I used to make the best candied salmon in one of those!
Arkitekt4040
Be very mindful that the flame does not blow out while cooking. I had a very similar smoker and had the flame blow out a couple years ago. I ended up with 2nd and 3rd degree burns from my fingers to my ear on my right side after the shouldering wood flared when I opened it to air it out. I even got 2 visits to the burn center as well. Mine ended up partially dismantled and on the curb after that incident. As long as you’re careful and keep an eye on it can be a great little smoker.
campbellrm
This was my first as well! Smoked many delicious meats on this thing! On mine, the wood chip tray was way too exposed. I got a cast iron skillet from WM, cut the handle off, then set that on top of the chip tray and put wood chip inside the skillet. They still smoldered perfectly and the added thermal mass of the cast iron really helps to minimize temp fluctuations too. I typically had the burner turned all the way day and adjusted the temp by messing eith the lower and upper dampers.
Enjoy!
Stunning-Carpenter34
I’ll allow it.
Now show us some meat
MonumentalMARK
Smoked meat is smoked meat
notabaddude
Hang with us? All you have to do is host!!
Man_Without_Nipples
For a 1st smoker it’s amazing! Welcome to the clan!
Consistent_Option_82
Don’t ever run out of propane. Will wreak the whole load instantly
pluraleverything
I tried thermapro and tempspike. Both have failed eventually. I don’t have a good recommendation however one thing I like, is to be able to see the temps on my phone. Bluetooth or wireless function is super convenient.
CagCagerton125
This is what I started on. I use it in the winter as a cold smoker. One thing to be careful of is that the drip pan that comes with it can fill up with fat on larger cooks. When you open the door it will vaporize and cause a fire. Just make sure to change out the pan water regularly if you are doing multiple pork butts or something like that.
TodaysThoughts21
Lol it! No wrong way to smoke meat. There is only the do, there is no undoing. How did you get a great deal like that?!
Th3ElectrcChickn
I learned how to smoke on a propane vertical smoker like this.
oldchorizo
I used an electric one like that for a long time. It’ll get it done!
bradm7777
That was my first smoker too back in 2020!! Great starter unit.
pacNWinMidwest
A lot of people myself included started on models like that. As the comments show some use em for years. Good luck and have fun
Weird_Ad7998
Nice
thisisarandomname2
To the back of the bus home boy!
Stillwater-Scorp1381
Welcome. I smoke on a Weber charcoal grill.
EpilepticSquidly
My masterbuilt has done some amazing things. Don’t knock it
35 Comments
Congrats!! What are you smoking first?
I had an electric vertical smoker as my first smoker.
You will not get a smoke ring with them so don’t worry if you cook a brisket and you don’t see one.
Get a smoke tube fill it will pellets and let it smolder alot easier than putting chips on the tray every 30 min
Happy smoking, they are great for smoking sausage.
Been using that same one for almost a decade. It’s a solid choice!
I will say, if the design hasn’t changed and it’s still just a bare pan over the burner for the wood chips fill the pan with lava rock and throw the chips on top of that. Mine tended to just catch the chips on fire.
Welcome to the club!
Those are perfect to learn on, congrats!
I started on that same model 10 years ago. 👍
I recommend chicken thighs for your first smoke but do whatever makes you happy!
I’d also recommend just doing your first smoke without water trays, vinegar, spraying, or combining different woods. Start simple with as few variables as possible. Expect a few poor cooks, and dial things in one at a time. You’re essentially relearning how to walk since it’s not grilling. I made the mistake of doing too much at first, then read the advice I gave you.
Now? My best ribs smoke for hours untouched. No sprays or sauces or trays. Go figure!
(If you’re interested, 275⁰ and I check doneness starting at three hours using the bend test, rechecking about every 30 mins. Then wrap in foil with a thin vinegar-based sauce and rest for two hours, it’s perfect!).
Be patient and you’ll love the journey!
Hell yeah! $33? Killer deal!
Hell yea, have fun and good eating
This was my first smoker, still going strong 5 years later. I have made some adaptations to it: cast iron skillet in the bottom to hold my wood chunks, bought a separate thermometer to monitor the temp, and a grill rack to hold more ribs.
I got a gravity smoker/grill and this vertical smoker is still my go to.
Eta: my ribs from memorial day were fall off the bone tender.
I’ve made some excellent smoked pork on one of those.
This is the way
My second smoker was a propane smoker! Absolutely awesome for cutting my teeth on and felt like a huge step up from my Big Chief electric smoker. You can hang dude!
$33 is a deal, you could definitely buy worse stuff for more money.
Ghat was my 1st smoker. Made several amazing meals on that thing. Ribs, small brisket flat, small pork butt, boneless short ribs.
Only pain was the need to keep adding wood chips evwry 30 minutes.
Nice find! I have this same model. Use the water pan. It is huge, works great to keep moisture around and smoke adherence to the meat. It also helps stabilize temperature spikes.
Key: get a thermometer to measure the air temps and meat temp. The door thermo is inaccurate. Wireless is better and you don’t have to worry about wires or drilling an access hole.
Do a test smoke with slices of bread. Arranged in a 3×3 pattern on each rack. You will see the hot spots, which racks are higher vs lower temps.
Leave the vent on medium until you have a couple sessions in. Then if needed, adjust it. I didn’t have to adjust in the 8 years I’ve had it.
Wind and weather will affect the temps a lot since it’s not double wall insulated.
Stop opening the door to check. (That’s just advice to myself)
I used to make the best candied salmon in one of those!
Be very mindful that the flame does not blow out while cooking. I had a very similar smoker and had the flame blow out a couple years ago. I ended up with 2nd and 3rd degree burns from my fingers to my ear on my right side after the shouldering wood flared when I opened it to air it out. I even got 2 visits to the burn center as well. Mine ended up partially dismantled and on the curb after that incident. As long as you’re careful and keep an eye on it can be a great little smoker.
This was my first as well! Smoked many delicious meats on this thing! On mine, the wood chip tray was way too exposed. I got a cast iron skillet from WM, cut the handle off, then set that on top of the chip tray and put wood chip inside the skillet. They still smoldered perfectly and the added thermal mass of the cast iron really helps to minimize temp fluctuations too. I typically had the burner turned all the way day and adjusted the temp by messing eith the lower and upper dampers.
Enjoy!
I’ll allow it.
Now show us some meat
Smoked meat is smoked meat
Hang with us? All you have to do is host!!
For a 1st smoker it’s amazing! Welcome to the clan!
Don’t ever run out of propane. Will wreak the whole load instantly
I tried thermapro and tempspike. Both have failed eventually. I don’t have a good recommendation however one thing I like, is to be able to see the temps on my phone. Bluetooth or wireless function is super convenient.
This is what I started on. I use it in the winter as a cold smoker. One thing to be careful of is that the drip pan that comes with it can fill up with fat on larger cooks. When you open the door it will vaporize and cause a fire. Just make sure to change out the pan water regularly if you are doing multiple pork butts or something like that.
Lol it! No wrong way to smoke meat. There is only the do, there is no undoing. How did you get a great deal like that?!
I learned how to smoke on a propane vertical smoker like this.
I used an electric one like that for a long time. It’ll get it done!
That was my first smoker too back in 2020!! Great starter unit.
A lot of people myself included started on models like that. As the comments show some use em for years. Good luck and have fun
Nice
To the back of the bus home boy!
Welcome. I smoke on a Weber charcoal grill.
My masterbuilt has done some amazing things. Don’t knock it