The #3

[Chef Willie]

Very recent owner of a #3 and am glad I got it rather than a smaller unit which could have sufficed for me as there are only 2 of us in the house on a regular basis. I often buy the lesser model of things and regret the decision later on. This time I decided to spend the little extra money and get what I wanted...the BIG model. No regrets or second guessing...love it so far and have no complaints with quality of the unit or of the finished chow.

 

[bordercollie]

Hi Chef Willie. I did the same thing and went with a #3  and have enough smoking room to give smoked meat to friends and anyone needing a helping hand.  If short on room , the smaller units would do great though. I should also mention that I can cook enough extra and vacuum seal it for the kids to take back to college.    It made me quite popular bordercollie

 

[Trapper John]

Good Morning to all from Oregon.  O.K.  I am the new smoker kid on the block.  I owned an old "Chief" smoker many moons ago but I did not continue the hobby once it died.  I was invited to a friends house last month to do some sausage making and smoking and it all turned out so good I decided to get back into smoking meats program again.  Soo....  I have a model #3 enroute as I write this message.  Any initial recommendations for me??  Looking forward to some great recipe's.  I catch allot of tuna each year and would like any pointers you folks may have on smoking tuna loins.  Thanks for all.

 

[bordercollie]

Hi Trapper John and welcome . You will love the smoker. After seasoning, it will be ready to go to work and let you relax.  Just get a roll of the wide aluminum foil to line the bottom with and remember to poke a hole in it where the drain is . I also cover the wood box top with a regular sized piece. It will make clean up so easy Also get yourself a meat probe so you will know the internal temp of the meat. I have one of the digital ones and run the cord from it through the smoke  hole on the top. That way, you will know when your meat reaches the magic tender temperature of 195-200 internal temperature for pork butts.  bordercollie

 

[Wolfpackpilot]

Trapper John,

You will NOT be disappointed with this smoker.  It works better than anything I've ever used.

Go light on the wood until you figure out your smoke intensity likes.  It doesn't work like a Weber, a little wood goes a long way.  I also throw some broken pieces of charcoal in the wood box if you want a smoke-ring on the meat.

Let us know how the tuna goes... I'd like to learn how to smoke seafood. I haven't done it yet. 

Bill in NC
A very happy #3 owner

 

[Rob Babcock]

Very recent owner of a #3 and am glad I got it rather than a smaller unit which could have sufficed for me as there are only 2 of us in the house on a regular basis. I often buy the lesser model of things and regret the decision later on. This time I decided to spend the little extra money and get what I wanted...the BIG model. No regrets or second guessing...love it so far and have no complaints with quality of the unit or of the finished chow.

The section I highlighted is the reason I also bought the #3!  The price difference once shipping was applied briefly gave me pause, but I figured that the price averaged over years of use would be a wash.  And there was no use to spending all that money and not getting the best one!  So far I've been very pleased with mine, too.