Likes, Dislikes and Suggestions

[deestafford]

I think I got this info from Muebe and that is meat does not absorb smoke after 160*.  Another thing is I don't wait until the smoker gets to temperature all the time before I put the ribs or butts in the smoker.  Sometimes I just put it in sooner if I have it ready to go and it seems to have no effect on the taste or bark.

Dee

[UWFSAE]

I can't speak for every electric smoker owner, but everyone over on the Smokin-It forums uses this practice.  Keeping it refrigerated and putting into a cold smoker does help the small amount of wood used achieve better smoke penetration.

With regard to the smoke absorption issue, I've read that 140 is the magic number at which the cells of the meat have expanded and osmotic pressure equalizes ... but this is primarily the smoke ring issue.  As with any particulate matter, smoke will continue to accumulate on the surface of the meat past this point but penetration has dramatically slowed.  By giving the meat as much time as possible to climb from the high 30's to 140 will give the optimal smoke flavor penetration.

[muebe]

Yeah from what I understand 140F is the magic number.

Also a moist environment contributes to the smoke absorption. Chicken for example has more moisture than beef so it can take on more smoke flavor more quickly.

And a water pan in an electric smoker adds humidity to aid in smoke absorption along with catching grease and being a temperature equalizer. Electric heating can dry out the air really quickly. Believe it or not there is quite a bit of water vapor released when natural gas or propane is burning.

[mnguy1959]

After having used an offset smoker for years, as well an inexpensive electric Brinkmann back in grad school, I decided to bite the bullet and invest in a good electric smoker.  Why electric?  While I loved my stick burner, it required quite a bit of babysitting and clean up required enough time that it felt like a chore and the biggest issue is that getting a smoke together took time up front that I didn't always have.

For the traditionalists, don't get me wrong ... good offset smokers yield amazing flavor and are a blast to work with.  Yet I found them to be as much a social tool as they are a cooking tool; as I grew a bit older and both my friends and I kept adding responsibilities and "time sucks" to our lives it wasn't always feasible to get a group of guys, a keg of Shiner and sit around a smoker waiting for ribs to finish.

So, the world of the electric smoker beckoned.  Being a research junkie by trade, I hit all the local bbq/grilling stores and looked at what they had, read internet reviews, lurked in the online forums and was down to the Cookshack SM045 and the SmokinTex 1400.  The Cookshack had a digital control and a premium price, well over the $1000 mark; I had really wanted the Cookshack Amerique but the sticker shock brought me back to reality quite quickly.  As far as the SmokinTex 1400, I actually am an advocate of the analog controls ... computers break and are expensive to repair while a rheostat is an inexpensive DIY job.  After about two months of consideration, I was about ready to pull the trigger on the SmokinTex ...

But then I saw some internet chatter about the Smokin-It series of smokers.

Considering I could get a higher capacity (45 lbs compared to 35 lbs for both the others), more shelves (four to three for the others), had a more powerful heating element (1200w compared to 700w or 750w) with a similar build quality and a significantly cheaper price led me to reopen my deliberations, and very quickly I decided that the Smokin-It #3 made too much sense to ignore.

Its specs were outstanding, allowing me to feed a very large cookout while still being a compact unit.  The stainless construction is par for the course for these type of electric smokers and there were a few bells and whistles (longer cord than the norm, extra large locking casters, etc.) that have made this a painless process.  I've had an average of one smoking session per week since I bought it back in March and I've run the gamut from brisket to pork butt to ribs, to chicken, along with some nontraditional items like Bacon Explosions and even some homemade gyro meat, and it has produced extremely consistent results with an efficient process.  Each session uses only a few ounces of wood, cleanup is a breeze, and there hasn't really been an impact on my electric bills.

I can recommend, without reservation, the Smokin-It products.  While I would have no qualms purchasing either of the other brands I mentioned, the Smokin-It Model 3 was the ideal choice for my needs and has made converts of a few of my buddies who are seeking permission from their wives about adding one to their backyards.   


X3 .....I have the Model 2 but now wish I would have bought the Model 3.  These are great smokers.