I'm smoking a 10lb brisket in my junk yard smoker right now, it's a Sears COHO smoker, 250 watts, tried a test run this morning and only got to 150 degrees, have some mesquite chips in a pan, they caught on fire so I put water on them and wrapped them in foil and put them back in the pan but up a little to cut the heat down with a few holes in the foil to let the smoke out. I'm thinking I would smoke all night and put in the oven tomorrow to finish the yemp. I didn't cut the meat folded it over instead. I live in Maine so it's going to get cold here tonight, if the smoke is done I'll put the smoker back in the entryway. I never had Barbeque like this before sounds great, I just hope I can pull it off with this unit till I can get a real smoker. I have pictures but don't know how to post them here, if interested you can see them at finevinewines.com under Barbeque.
Posts: 52 | Location: Maine | Registered: April 20, 2005
the smoker you have looks like a Luhr jenson little chief smoker check out cabela's web site they have lots of stuff about these smokers maybe you can get the a hold of a manual on line
Posts: 72 | Location: omaha | Registered: July 25, 2004
I went to the other site and saw your pictures. The low temp has me concerned for your health. If the smoker only gets up to 150*, if that much, the meat will spend almost all, if not the entire night, right in the danger zone. I guess if you finish in the oven you'll be okay, but consider that you might just be killing the bacteria on a bad piece of meat by that point in time. The smoker really needs to get up to and maintain at least 180*, and 225-250* would be ideal. Let us know how it works out.
Todd, that's something to think about, I thought it would be like a food dehydrator making jerky. Boznad, I have the luhr-jensen instructions from on line they don't say much, probably cause this smoker ain't much, what the heck I did pick it up at the junk yard, ain't got a nickel in it, but don't want to die of food poisoning either!!
Posts: 52 | Location: Maine | Registered: April 20, 2005
People don't do Q up here in the north, went to homedepot today to get woodchips, they didn't have any smokers (I probably would have come home with one)
Posts: 52 | Location: Maine | Registered: April 20, 2005
As for your brisket, if you haven't already gone to bed, you might consider giving it a couple or three hours to smoke, then go ahead and bring it in and put it in a 180* oven so it won't get done before morning. 225* would likely work too, but you'd need a remote therm to wake you up on the outside chance it finished before your usual wake up time.
HHHStinkie - Being from Maine, you need to hook up with MainelyDave! Have you ever visited his website? It's awesome. Dave does a great job of step-by-step explaining (verbally and pictorially) what he does in his smokes. Ya need to check it out!
Best of luck to you!
Posts: 1863 | Location: Searcy, Arkansas - Gateway to the Ozarks! | Registered: August 11, 2003
Stinkie - There's lots of smokers up here in Maine.
There are lots of oak, apple, and alder trees growing everywhere. Don't rely on Home Depot and the like. I just visited an apple orchard, and they were more than happy to get rid of their trimmings. And alders, well, just go out in the country with your ax, or chainsaw, and take one down.
I agree with Todd - danger is written all over this smoke. It ain't worth it to get sick.
If you can't afford to buy a Cookshack, I'd recommend $50 for an el cheapo Brinkman. Not the best, but it works. For that matter, you can have mine if you want it.
Posts: 313 | Location: Auburn, ME | Registered: November 13, 2002
The only thing i can think of if for some reason you really want to use this smoker you could insulate some how so it will hold the heat or you could drop some serious coin and get a smokett (399.00 ) but it will be the best 399.00 you ever spent
Posts: 72 | Location: omaha | Registered: July 25, 2004
I just took the meat out of the smoker and put it in the oven at 210, was in the smoker for 8 hours, temp was 140 (air temp) on top when I took it out, the meat was cool enough that I moved it without gloves with no problem, it did have a good smoke smell though.I'll have to take it out of the oven in 7 hours before I go to work tomorrow.
Posts: 52 | Location: Maine | Registered: April 20, 2005
I purchased my Smokette directly from Donna some years ago at Cookshack. I would think that you probably can still purchase direct. I have never regretted my purchase or the service. Check them out, it is really an investment and not an expenditure. Good luck.
