Looking into SmokinIt

[trevorgrout]

I love to grill and my weber Q is a fantastic little grill.  I would like to branch out and expand my skill set to include smoking.  Looking into various brands I stumbled across Smokin It and it seems to be a nice balance between cost and performance.  Unfortunately, although my wife was the one that initially encouraged me to look into smoking, I don't think she anticipated me looking into $400+ smokers. I figure you get what you pay for.  Anyhow, figured I would say hi and before I ask too many questions I will try to search out previous threads on comparisons between smokers (such as masterbuilt or other cheapo ones you can buy from walmart).  I do know I am wanting to get a smoker big enough to smoke a good size turkey (20+ pounds) and it seems as though the #2 will work while working within my budget.  It is a shame that I can't see one in a store prior to purchasing though, but such is life.  Cookshack is probably out because of the price. And Smokin It seems a little better than Smokin Tex.

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[NDKoze]

You have come to the right place. The Masterbuilts server a purpose which is to provide a low cost entry level smoker for someone who just wants to get their feet wet with smoking. However, usually once they confirm that they have the smoking bug, they will want to upgrade to a better quality smoker which would be the Smokin-It. Here lately, we have found many people skipping the MBs based on their research and they have been rewarded by buying the Cadillac and skipping the Yugo phase.

Cookshacks are no question great smokers, but as you have found the price you pay for them is way more for the same quality as the Smokin-It.

One thing I would caution you about, is that most any type of smoker will struggle to cook a large turkey safely. My point in this, is that because of the lower cooking temperatures, it is hard to get a 15+ pound bird out of the danger zone (140) within 4 hours. We typically recommend now larger than a 14-15 pound bird no matter what size of Smokin-It you get for this very reason.

You could however smoke in the Smokin-It for a couple of hours and then move to your 350-400 degree oven to finish it off.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

[jcboxlot]

I was up in the air on price when researching, this, bradley, texas, others.  You found the right one!

I'd bet most people here forgot the cost of the smoker after their 1st meal and how good it was.

I did!  I have the #2 and looking back might have gone with the #3 just so I dont have to cut rib racks down.

Go get one.  You'll love it.

[Pork Belly]

I have done many hours of smoking on a Bradley they are Ok but I don't feel they are very durable. The pucks are also costly if your smoking a lot. I nearly bought a Masterbuilt but durability was a potential issue also the need to refill the chips every thirty minutes didn't sound like fun. I was lucky to check out a friends SI #2 and see just how solid these smokers are. You cant go wrong with the SI brand. Don't let the extra cost turn you away from the #3 over a #2. If you cook for large groups on occasion you will enjoy the extra space in the #3.

[Longhornamus]

I had the same concerns when I purchased my smoker. When I opened it up and saw the quality of it I am so glad I went ahead and spent the money. I would rather buy quality the first time than have to deal with upgrading from or repairing a lesser product down the road. Good luck with your decision and let us know what you end up with.

[Three Sons BBQ]

Don't overthink this decision... The answer is right in front of you.

You will spend more buying a smoker of lesser quality, then throwing it out, and then buying the one unit you really need. That's what I did...spent three or four years tinkering and then being happy with this one.

[DivotMaker]

Take it from another NWA neighbor, Trevor - go with the SI, and don't look back!  Value for the dollar, build quality, stellar customer support, and a smoker that will last as long as you do!  Good to have you here, asking questions - we love that!  Hands-down, you won't find a better smoker for the money, or any other reason! 

[swthorpe]

+1   I have been nothing by happy happy happy with my #2!   This is coming from a guy that has been smoking with the #2 for nearly two years, pretty much every weekend.   Never had a bad meal.

[trevorgrout]

Thanks guys for your encouragement.  It is is nice to see such an active forum!  I was not aware that smoking large turkeys may not be recommended.  Good to know that. Sounds like there are several of us in the Ozark region!  that is awesome.

Will let you know when I take the plunge and get one of these.

[DivotMaker]

Looking forward to your future successful smokes, Trevor!    Hang out with us when you can!

[trevorgrout]

Hi all,

Just an update on my smoker journey. My better half kindly reminded me that our budget was closer to $100. Not wanting a el cheapo walmart smoker, I looked on Craigslist and found that someone just posted their old cookshack SM008 ($150) so I decided to take the plunge and snatched it up. Hopefully this doesn't disqualify me from this forum as I would still like to be a part of this community. Of course, if the cookshack lets me down, then I will certainly spring for the SI units.  I have learned a ton while perusing this forum and this place is full of helpful people.  I hope to do my first smoke this weekend or next weekend.

[Barrel99]

On the contrary Trevor. You got an excellent unit. Although I have never used a Cookshack, it's design concept is the same as the SI. So you should be able to utilize the recipes here as well. Welcome to the forum. Glad you are here.

[SuperDave]

Once you get some smoking time under your belt you may find yourself in the position as some of us have and owning a few smokers.  The Cookshack and SI are great units but they aren't the all to end all.  I have kept my cheapo and think it does certain things better than the SI.  One can never have too many weapons in the arsenal. 

[old sarge]

Although I am a pork only smoker, if you 'dissect' your turkey into recognizable portions, you should be able to smoke quite a large bird since the mass is spread out over two or more shelves.

The link features two of my favorite TV chefs (actually the only one I enjoyed watching).  Anyway, we have all heard of fatties.  This video illustrates boning a chicken and a turkey, then stuffing the turkey and roasting it (within the first 5 or 6 minutes) . About 1 hour into the video, the roasted results are shown. Just curious if anyone had given a thought to smoking a meat stuffed boned turkey, or even a chicken for that matter.  It is an enjoyable video if you are fans of these two people.

Dave

http://video.pbs.org/video/1333042208/

[DivotMaker]

You're already a member of Club Lazy Q, Trevor!  No changing that!