NDKoze
Moderator
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
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