Another hello from North Dakota

[NDKoze]

I haven't actually purchased my SI #3 yet. But it is just a matter of time before I pull the trigger.

I have been devouring tons of threads on this forum and have many many more to go.

I along with my father, brother, and brother-inlaw, have been butchering and processing our own deer/pork for close to ten years now.

I have a Big Chief that primarily serves fro smoking fish, jerky, and snack stix. But outside of summer temperatures, it just doesn't get up to temperature to do anything other than apply smoke to larger cuts of meat.

My Dad has a propane Masterbuilt XL that we use as well. We typically run 25lb batches of snack stix and jerky at a time. The MB has enough room to fit all 25lbs in at one time if we use 22mm casings. We currently have meat pre-ground and in freezer bags in the freezer for 8 25lb batches of snack stix. We usually wait until March or so, to start making them as it is easier to maintain a steady temperature in the MB smoker.

I figure if I add an extra tray to the SI, I will end up with about 340 extra square inches of cooking space. So, I should be able to fit in a 25lb batch of stix made with 21mm casings.

We also typically run anywhere from 50-200lbs of Country Style ring sausage and 60-120 lbs of summer sausage depending on how many deer we get. Since we run such big batches of Country Style sausage and the Summer Sausage, we typically have a local small town meat market smoke them for us. They do it for cheap and it just wouldn't be worth our time to try do do that many small batches in a #3. Even the #4 would probably take 2-3 times the time.

What I really want to try that I have not done before is smoked Pork Butt and Brisket. I have done the occasional ribs in my Big Chief, but just wasn't confident enough in the smoker to do to much more in it. So, I am super excited to upgrade to a better smoker!

I have been researching primarily electric smokers for the set it and forget it convenience. Constantly battling with the temp control in the MB XL steered me toward electric. I started looking at the MES 40 for the price and size, but with all of its troubles was encouraged to check out the Smoken-It. The SI smoker seems to be a real step up in quality and performance.

We are in for a really cold week this week with lows in the mid negative teens and highs below zero or hovering at zero. So, while I am excited to make the purchase, I am not sure if I would really be smoking anything until the weather warms up a bit anyway.

I am also kind of holding off to see how the digital controller prototypes do.

So, thanks for all of the great information. I am back to read some more.

Koze

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[swthorpe]

Welcome Koze!   You won't go wrong with a #3 for your purposes.   Like you, I liked the set it and forget it style of the electric smokers, and I was originally looking at the MES as well.   I was troubled by the up and down reviews that I was seeing, but yet when I started reviewing the SI smokers, all of the comments were positive.  And with good reason, the SI smokers are really great; I smoke something nearly every weekend with my #2 and have produced some really good Q!

Enjoy the forum...lots and lots of great info on this site.  Cheers!

[DivotMaker]

Welcome, again, Koze!  The #3 will be a fantastic upgrade from the Big Chief!  Also, you had mentioned you had some problems with drying in the MB gasser; you won't have that problem in the SI.  These units are very tight, and control moisture very well.

I look forward to you posting some killer sausage recipes in the "Sausage" sections!

[benjammn]

Welcome sir! I have purchased and used a lot of the "other" electrics out there. And I will say that they all just sucked overall for reliability. When I got serious after my last burn up from a box store I started searching the webs for a new more industrial style unit. I looked at Cookshack and the others within the same range as these beautiful units. I read some of the reviews elsewhere before I got to the point of pulling the trigger on my #2. It has been absolutely great. It did take me a few tries to get things right but that was after I started trolling this forum that I found the vast knowledge to help me do that. Since then I can't complain about the unit at all. I haven't switched it over to a PID yet but I am moving in that direction. As is these units are great and you won't be disappointed. Just remind yourself that, just like an oven, these are not computer controlled and have temp swings. Like Divot says (and of course many many others) there are temp swings but they will even out over the length of the cook. Adding a PID will make it more controlled and theoretically shorten the time since the temps are more consistent. But I do feel that a stand alone thermometer is a necessary addition to your cooking arsenal to make sure things are doing what they should be doing. The Maverics are great and a MUST have by myself and others. They are cheap insurance for a quality smoke. I have purchased the Tappecue and will be posting elsewhere about the initial use. If I had to do it over again I would have bought the #3 since I like the extra room, now that the #4 is around I would try to contain myself for splurging on that beast.

Get it and start enjoying your smokes. You won't regret it. Cheers

[NDKoze]

I ordered the Maverick et733 last night. So hopefully this will fit the bill.

I'm not worried about temperature swings. I just hope to I get a unit that doesn't have problems getting to 225 or the occasional need for max temp of 250. I have read some posts of users barely being able to get to 200. I'm not to worried though. I'm sure it will be a great unit for me.

[es1025]

Gregg
I have a #3, purchased last June.  You will not go wrong.  I cannot say one negative thing about this smoker.  I read a ton of reviews about the other electric smokers and always found someone not happy.  The SI product always got great reviews and the only negative comment was I wish I went bigger.  You may want to consider the big daddy if you are planning to smoking mass quantities of goodness.  Welcome aboard!

[DivotMaker]

OK, Gregg, I just read all of your signature line.  As the song says, "A little less talk, and a lot more action!"  lol.  Go ahead and change that tagline from "about to pull the trigger" to "just pulled the trigger!"  Time to join the fun!

[old sarge]

Koze,

There will be temperature swings.  What is acceptable for one person may not be acceptable to another.  Enter the Auber. Problem solved and very reasonably priced.  An added benefit is that at the end of the day or smoke, you can remove it and store it safely tucked away from the elements.

A built in/fully integrated unit that is a simple to use asset rather than a liability could be weeks or months away (I'm guessing here). And if fully integrated, you can pretty much count on the smoker going up in price.

If I was in the market for a smoker, I don't believe I would be waiting for the next best thing. I would take Nike's advice and "just do it".

Dave

[NDKoze]

Koze,

There will be temperature swings.  What is acceptable for one person may not be acceptable to another.  Enter the Auber. Problem solved and very reasonably priced.  An added benefit is that at the end of the day or smoke, you can remove it and store it safely tucked away from the elements.

A built in/fully integrated unit that is a simple to use asset rather than a liability could be weeks or months away (I'm guessing here). And if fully integrated, you can pretty much count on the smoker going up in price.

If I was in the market for a smoker, I don't believe I would be waiting for the next best thing. I would take Nike's advice and "just do it".

Dave

Yeah, I've decided to get the analog #3 now. The more I read about the Auber, I think I would prefer that over what the prototype is going to offer.

My only holdup now is waiting for a response from Steve about whether he'll substitute anything for the cord hanger and rib hooks that I have zero need for. I emailed him yesterday, but haven't heard back yet.

I know the says no substitutions. But I have read threads where he has still done it for people who asked. If he says no, no biggie. I figured it doesn't hurt to ask.

I'm also going to get an extra rack so I can fit a full 25lb batch of snack Stix in in one batch.

I'm gonna wait on the Auber for now. Like I said before, I am not as concerned about temperature swings. It is the ability to get to the higher temperatures that I was worried about. I'm still going to give it a shot with just the analog thermostat to start with and get an Auber if need be.

I already ordered a Maverick et733 as my current wireless thermometer is just a cheap single probe Walt-Mart version.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[old sarge]

I think I missed those threads. If you get the hanger and hooks and don't need them, don't use them.  But that 12 foot cord has to go somewhere.

[NDKoze]

I think I missed those threads. If you get the hanger and hooks and don't need them, don't use them.  But that 12 foot cord has to go somewhere.

I plan on making my own cart with storage/shelves/door. I'll be attaching the smoker directly to the cart (no wheels), so I figured I would just wrap the cord about the bottom posts before putting the cover on.

It's not a deal breaker for me. I just figured it didn't hurt to ask.

[NDKoze]

I never did hear back from Steve, but broke down and put my order in tonight for the #3, an extra shelf, and an extra pack of hickory and cherry wood. Since this smoker doesn't need a lot of wood, I should be set for quite a while.

I found that if I liked the Smoken-It Facebook page, I got an extra $25 off of my purchase. So couldn't resist that.

OK, enough razzing me about not pulling the trigger yet 

Now let's get on to smoken something!

Thanks for all the help!

Koze

[old sarge]

I never did hear back from Steve, but broke down and put my order in tonight for the #3, an extra shelf, and an extra pack of hickory and cherry wood. Since this smoker doesn't need a lot of wood, I should be set for quite a while.

I found that if I liked the Smoken-It Facebook page, I got an extra $25 off of my purchase. So couldn't resist that.

OK, enough razzing me about not pulling the trigger yet 

Now let's get on to smoken something!

Thanks for all the help!

Koze

That is good news regarding Facebook and a discount. I don't do fb or that sort of thing so I guess Steve does have some incentives out there.  As for not hearing from Steve, pretty much everything he has to say to prospective customers is on the site and the rest is covered in the forum.   Congrats on your decision.

[NDKoze]

Steve got back to me this morning (he had been on the road and went through some bad winter weather) and is going to throw in a chip screen in place of the cord hanger/rib hooks.

This works for me. I will most likely be using chunks more than chips. But I do have some old chips that I may be able to use once in awhile for some shorter smokes.

I would have been just fine if he would have said he couldn't do it too.

Either way I am stoked (pun intended) to get my new smoker!

[Walt]

Use the chips when you do low temp smokes like jerky.  They work better than chunks for low temps.  Iprefer the chunks for 225 & up.