Offset Smoker questions

[the butcher]

My first smoker that I've ever owned and used is the Bradley smoker. I've owned it for 2 years and it has introduced me to the amazing world of smoking food. It works great for smoking salmon because it can maintain lower temperatures in the 130-140 range for the first few hours. I then finish off at 150 or 160 until the internal fish temp reaches the appropriate temps.

however, there numerous limitations with the bradley which I have come to experience. First limitation is that I don't think the smoke that is produced by the pucks is off good quality smoke. I've been told a high quality smoke is a blueish/clear smoke and not a grey smoke which can make the food taste bitter/acridic. Secondly, the bradley smoker only has a 400 or 500 watt element and so smoking meats like ribs is difficult since it doesn't get up past the 225 degree temp ranges very easily... and forget about smoking a 12-14lb brisket.. will take you 24 hours to get the internal temp right and by that time you've probably got a pretty dry product.

While I like the idea of a pellet smoker, a good one is incredibly expensive and out of my price range. So that leaves me with an offset smoker similar to the one in this link: https://www.oklahomajoes.com/smokers-and-grills/offset-smokers

For those of you who have experience with using an offset smoker, let me ask you this.... If you want to smoke a brisket which should take close to 12 hrs to complete, how long can you maintain 250 degrees F in the offset smoker before you have to attend to it? In other words, how often do you need to check on the temp? Also, is it possible to maintain a steady temp below 150 degrees F? I am trying to figure out whether the offset smoker is able to smoke my fish and my 12-13lb brisket.... My fish i smoke below 150-160 degrees and the brisket I'll need a constant temp of 250-290 degrees....

 

[Rain City]

Dyna-glo vertical propane smoker. Cheap. Easy. Versatile. I converted mine to Natural Gas. I've owned many many smokers.

 

[the butcher]

raincity, are you able to maintain a low temp such as 130-140 for smoking fish with propane smokers? How long does a 20lb propane canister last if you are smoking a brisket at 250 degrees? Would it last a few 12 hr smokes or just 1? Just curious as to how easily it is to control the temp of a propane smoker and how much propane it goes through.

 

[Sir Reel]

This is basically what I have. Got a stainless version with single door at Costco about 10 years ago. Has a propane burner to get the chips burning. Temp is about 160 to 180 with the propane on low but you can turn propane off and the chips burning keep heat up. Everyone raves about my smoked salmon but maybe they don’t know any better. It comes out very moist as I don’t leave it in too long. We have done ribs and chicken in there too.
I buy alder chips mostly but mix with a bit of apple and lately Jack Daniels oak barrel chips.

https://www.homedepot.ca/product/gr...Vaz6tBh2FQAiVEAQYBCABEgLDUvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[wolf]

I made mine with a propane heater and a smoke box off to the side and i can turn up that propane burner quite hot but i like low and slow usually dont exceed past 200 anyways if you have any questions feel free to pm or call me I ll be more then willing to help a foodie!!!!

Bacon before at 140 for about 4 hours then on smoke for 1 and a bit hours at 155 to 160 then into cooler to get chilled

 

[Rain City]

raincity, are you able to maintain a low temp such as 130-140 for smoking fish with propane smokers? How long does a 20lb propane canister last if you are smoking a brisket at 250 degrees? Would it last a few 12 hr smokes or just 1? Just curious as to how easily it is to control the temp of a propane smoker and how much propane it goes through.

Yes I can run it at 120 with just one burner on low. That's why I went with the bigger one so it had more room and two burners. I never ran mine on propane but that's why I converted to NG so I can do briskets for long smokes. It easily gets up to 275

 

[wolf]

Unfortunately we dont have NG here so propane it is I have 2 100 lbers and it lasts me a very very long time as its so low of fuel consumption its not even nothing to worry about really...

 

[nicnat]

I use my bradley for ribs and smaller briskets with no problems, I use a dry rub and have them tightly wrapped in foil for most of the time, always stay nice and moist and rarely have to finish in the oven or bbq, I've had mine for probably 10 years and it can get up to around 300 degrees, I like to keep it just over 200 for the ribs and do about 4 hours maybe a bit more and sometimes a bit less depending how closely I'm checking the temps, and how many pops I've had, lol.

 

[Sotally Tober]

2020 Best Offset Smoker

 

[Sotally Tober]

Offset Smoker for beginners. Now I want one....

 

[the butcher]

What temps do you guys smoke your salmon at? I've seen videos with people smoking at 200, 220 and then other videos showing people smoking at 110-120 for long periods of time then they crank upbthebheat at the end to 160 or 170 to get the fish to an internal temp past 140.

I'd think smoking it at 180 or higher from the start to end would finish the salmon too quickly and not allow enough smoke to penetrate and possibly dry out the salmon at those temp?

Just got a pellet smoker and the lowest it can go is around 170-180. When the augers adds new pellets it shoots up past 200 and then climbs back down to the 170-180 mark. I wonder if this is too high of temps as I am used to smoking it at lower temps (120-140) on the Bradley and it comes out moist and tastes great.

Trying to figure out whether I can sell the Bradley and use the pellet as an all on one smoker for salmon, beef, pork and a grill.

 

[ziggy]

I do brisket on a Masterbuilt electric all the time. Never had a problem with temperature.

 

[Rain City]

What temps do you guys smoke your salmon at? I've seen videos with people smoking at 200, 220 and then other videos showing people smoking at 110-120 for long periods of time then they crank upbthebheat at the end to 160 or 170 to get the fish to an internal temp past 140.

I'd think smoking it at 180 or higher from the start to end would finish the salmon too quickly and not allow enough smoke to penetrate and possibly dry out the salmon at those temp?

Just got a pellet smoker and the lowest it can go is around 170-180. When the augers adds new pellets it shoots up past 200 and then climbs back down to the 170-180 mark. I wonder if this is too high of temps as I am used to smoking it at lower temps (120-140) on the Bradley and it comes out moist and tastes great.

Trying to figure out whether I can sell the Bradley and use the pellet as an all on one smoker for salmon, beef, pork and a grill.

Start at 90 and work my way up slowly to 150-160 for the finish. If you're getting to 200 you're hot smoking.

 

[wolf]

If you smoke meat at to high a temp salmon ,pep etc the fat will ozze out when you see smoked salmon with the lil white dots coming out of it its been smoked to hot its still good but the fat has dissolved and oozed thats all, you really dont need to go past a certain temp on smoked salmon as the brine is preserving it the salt and sugar look how the natives used to leave it in the sun for days....i smoke all my stuff in the 130 to 155 range depending on what im doing

 

[nicnat]

Start at 90 and work my way up slowly to 150-160 for the finish. If you're getting to 200 you're hot smoking.

basically if you're smoking over 90 degrees you are hot smoking, just not as hot as 200 degrees, lol, cold smoke is pretty much max 90 degrees.

 

[Rain City]

basically if you're smoking over 90 degrees you are hot smoking, just not as hot as 200 degrees, lol, cold smoke is pretty much max 90 degrees.

I guess technically sure. But I'm talking in the end product. The texture completely changes when it's hotter and faster. I still get a "cold smoked" texture with my method.

 

[spring fever]

What temps do you guys smoke your salmon at? I've seen videos with people smoking at 200, 220 and then other videos showing people smoking at 110-120 for long periods of time then they crank upbthebheat at the end to 160 or 170 to get the fish to an internal temp past 140.

I'd think smoking it at 180 or higher from the start to end would finish the salmon too quickly and not allow enough smoke to penetrate and possibly dry out the salmon at those temp?

Just got a pellet smoker and the lowest it can go is around 170-180. When the augers adds new pellets it shoots up past 200 and then climbs back down to the 170-180 mark. I wonder if this is too high of temps as I am used to smoking it at lower temps (120-140) on the Bradley and it comes out moist and tastes great.

Trying to figure out whether I can sell the Bradley and use the pellet as an all on one smoker for salmon, beef, pork and a grill.

I have a master built propane smoker and I have given up using the propane for salmon-I just stick a small 120v hotplate in the smoker and I can keep the temp down to 120 to 130 which is what I like. Propane is great for meat though-at the lowest settings and all drafts open I can hold 160 --and of course can go up from there.

 

[Rain City]

I have a master built propane smoker and I have given up using the propane for salmon-I just stick a small 120v hotplate in the smoker and I can keep the temp down to 120 to 130 which is what I like. Propane is great for meat though-at the lowest settings and all drafts open I can hold 160 --and of course can go up from there.

Took me a long time decide on the Dyna-Glo but it came down to that reasoning. Dual burner and BIG so it stays cold enough for fish. I have the 43" wide body.

 

[wolf]

I can get my down to as low as 100 on the propane Im using... just goes to show EVERY smoker is different and takes a while to "dial" the buggers in....
Im making tomorrow in 2.5 inch size 5 tubes of Summer sausage and 5 tubes of my secret recipe Jalapeno pizza pepperoni and 30 lbe of jalapeno cheese smokies...for fishing food!!!

 

[MadJigga]

I can get my down to as low as 100 on the propane Im using... just goes to show EVERY smoker is different and takes a while to "dial" the buggers in....
Im making tomorrow in 2.5 inch size 5 tubes of Summer sausage and 5 tubes of my secret recipe Jalapeno pizza pepperoni and 30 lbe of jalapeno cheese smokies...for fishing food!!!

That sounds pretty amazing. Especially the jalapeño pizza pepperoni