Forum Thread

Bankhead Lake Topics

(Bankhead Lake Specific)

3 messages

Updated 2/8/2012 8:19:41 PM

Off-Topic

Lakes Online Forum

83,586 messages

Updated 4/16/2024 12:46:32 PM

Boat Maintenance

Lakes Online Forum

5,193 messages

Updated 4/3/2024 3:47:36 AM

Bankhead Lake Fishing

(Bankhead Lake Specific)

0 messages

Updated

Jokes

Lakes Online Forum

4,169 messages

Updated 4/15/2024 11:05:05 PM

Sports

Lakes Online Forum

4,260 messages

Updated 3/24/2024 9:24:45 AM

Grilling & Recipes

Lakes Online Forum

2,976 messages

Updated 3/20/2024 11:53:43 PM

Tallapoosa River Topics

Lakes Online Forum

98 messages

Updated 4/15/2024 1:00:58 AM

Forum Usage Rules

Name:	John boy -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/13/2010 10:53:23 AM

I hate to admit it but at the age of 54 I have never had a smoker or smoked any meat. I have a grill for steaks, hamburgers and such. I have been looking at smokers and was thinking of starting to try it at the lake this year. What kind is best, gas or charcoal, direct or indirect heat, what kind of wood chips, and how to cook meat. Maybe you could also suggest a good book on this also. Thanks in advance for any help.

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/14/2010 9:12:39 AM

Suggest you search this Forum Topic first for keywords like, Butts, Ribs, charcoal, smokers, etc. to get debates on charcoal vs. gas vs. electric, and many recipes/techniques for smoking.
Go to www.amazingribs.com for some ideas on recipes/methods/equipment. Or, Google "smoked ribs or smoked pork/beef". Lots of info out there to learn about smoking.
Good luck. It is a fun and delicious way to cook.

Name:	John boy -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/17/2010 6:27:06 PM

I am thinking about a Masterbuilt electric smoker but have come up with another idea. After doing the research I realized how many good cooks we have on the forum. My thought is if I could get each one of you to send me a good (size) sample that I wouldn't have to buy a smoker this year. Oh no..Sorry I've been listening to Obama to much. LOL Thanks John

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/17/2010 7:10:53 PM

Good luck. Let us know what you bought, and how it worked after you used it. As for samples of our meats, yeah, you are dreamin'.
Go Forth and SmokeIt.

Name:	Tall Cotton -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/17/2010 9:50:12 PM

JB, I'm on my third Masterbuilt Smokehouse in as many years. The first two had electrical problems with the element and died. Masterbuilt replaced both of them. The third has cooked only one batch. It is the new style with a replaceable element. We will have to wait and see how it holds up. For ease of use it can't be beat, and I get good flavor and moistness. If you buy one make sure it has the replaceable element.

Name:	Tall Cotton -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/17/2010 9:54:18 PM

The sample idea is a good one. I'll be glad to sample any and all and give a fair and unbiased opinion, AT NO CHARGE!! Or we can have a contest and once again I will provide judging at no cost to any contestant. Let me know what weekend to expect the entries to arrive so I can be ready!

Name:	crappyattitude -	Reply
Subject:	As most people on here know....
Date:	3/18/2010 7:51:09 AM

I am not on Lake Martin.... : (
I would however seriously consider hauling the boat the 300 miles down there to do a Lake Martin Bar-B-Que tour.... If all of the folks on here would fire up their grills, smokers, or eggs.... all on the same weekend... oh.. and give directions to theis piers! : )

Crappy : )

(just outside of Nashville)

Name:	John C -	Reply
Subject:	book
Date:	3/18/2010 1:18:33 PM

see the below link for the best BBQ book I have ever read. It covers technique, theory behind it, recipes, and smoker design.

Personally,just my opinion, I would get a charcoal smoker if I only had 1 smoker. Yes electric is easy but the flavor is not comparable to charcoal. Maybe later you could get an electric one for rainy or cold days. I think "direct vs indirect" is really a debate on how far away your heat source is from your food and therefore something I don't harp on. Personally I think it is best to have the ribs or whatever directly above the coals so that when the fat drips off it sizzles on the coals and the smoke and flavor returns up to the meat. But obviously you have to have the coals far enough away so as not to have the temp, at grill level, exceed 240 degrees or so.

The below link is to amazon.com - I put it in there because you can read a lot of detail and reviews. If you want to buy a new copy it may be easier to go to: http://www.barbecue-store.com/

and buy a new copy there for like $25.

URL: Great American Barbecue Grilling Manual

Name:	roswellric -	Reply
Subject:	Fat Smoke
Date:	3/18/2010 1:46:47 PM

Better use the drip pan. Bladder cancer is not worth the taste...

URL: Aw You're Smokin' !

Name:	John C -	Reply
Subject:	I do
Date:	3/18/2010 2:55:59 PM

use a drip pan for my vertical smoker. Not needed for my horizontal one. I agree that black char is not good for health or the taste of Q for that matter. I don't consider it a sign of great Q. Although I would submit, when I have seen it (on boston butts mainly) that 99% of the char is not due to "fat smoke" but:

1. leftover petrochemical residue - due to people cooking with fresh charcoal (ie non gray). This also happens when people refresh their charcoal based heat supply by tossing in new, black charcoal on top of gray ones. That lighter fluid stuff they inject in it to make it "EZ light" comes off and portions of it settles on the food. Not healthy nor tasty. Much better to get a charcoal chimney, light it there, let it gray over, THEN add it to your smoker.

2. Over smoking. Many times people will put wood chips on non-stop throughout, eg, a 12 hour cook cycle. Unnecessary, in my opinion. After about a 1/3 of the cook cycle I lay off of the wood smoke because the meat has warmed up enough that its pores are closed and therefore not absorbing any more flavor from the smoke. So you risk all those carcinogens from the smoke simply settling on the meat. I think there is such a thing as too much smoke.

Again, these are all my tastes and preferences. Everyone is different, that's what is great about bbq - experiment and see what you like. Although, I don't know many people that enjoy the taste of lighter fluid.

Name:	Mack -	Reply
Subject:	I do
Date:	3/18/2010 3:44:04 PM

Part of the solution to the residue/petrochem factor is to use natural lump charcoal as discussed here before. Easier, less ash and hot as the devils armpit.

Name:	AC KT -	Reply
Subject:	I do
Date:	3/18/2010 8:57:52 PM

You absolutely cannot beat a Big Green Egg smoker/grill. We threw our gas grill away when we got the GBE. Sold at Lake Martin Mini Mall and the owner, Roger Moore, has all the accessories. He is also great about honoring the warranties from the company. There is a Big Green Egg website with tons of info, recipes, and BGE conventions.

Name:	PikeSki -	Reply
Subject:	Need advice on a smoker and smoking meat
Date:	3/19/2010 11:08:29 AM

I agree with AC KT. The BGE is the way to go. In my opinion, this is the best smoker available by far. They will last forever (literally). I recommend the Large size unless you are cooking for lots of people all the time then you might want to consider the XLarge.

As for the smoke, Most meats will only absorb smoke for 1 1/2 - 2 hours hours max. So, putting your soaked wood chips on right before your food it will more than do the job. After that any chips you put on the fire is not going to get into the meat so it is just money up in smoke as it were.

The BGE also give you the ability to smoke indirect and for very long periods of time with the plate setter.

A lot of people are turned off by charcoal grills because of the pain of cleaning out the grill and putting in new charcoal every time you cook, and the charcoal only lasts about 1 hour or so burn time.

With the BGE, the BGE charcoal typically will burn over 24 hours of burn time and you only have to clean out the ashes once very 3-4 times you add new charcoal.

I love the egg and recommend it to anyone in the market. Well worth the money.

Name:	roswellric -	Reply
Subject:	I found
Date:	3/25/2010 4:01:35 PM

using soaked chips will give a slighly bitter taste. I settled on a couple of chunks in with the charcoal.

Quick Links
Bankhead Lake News
Bankhead Lake Photos
Bankhead Lake Videos