choices other than electric

[Electchief]

Most people on this site don't recommend electric smokers, so I am looking at anything that will be good for my elk saugage that I make. I want to start at 100 degrees for an hour than go up to 120 for 2 hours than at 170 degrees till the saugage reaches 160 degrees internally. I see the masterbuilt electric will do this and has a small external unit that will supply all the wood smoke I need. Thanks

[FireMan]

Not sure what you are asking. About purchasing a smoker or how to use one or one that you have. Also, in my recollection, there are recommendations for all sorts of smokers & electric aren’t necessarily dissed. You have what you have, use it. If it smokes, good.

[Willy]

Shouldn't you be on the rotisserie channel? ;«)

[FireMan]

Can’t get there from here.

[Mr. Bones]

My Kids (Son, an DIL) have a Masterbuilt, an it has actually produced some purty decent foods.

Many, many of us have / have had electric smokers, an I don't recall anybody talkin any serious smack on any of em.

Ya can make Great Food on purty much any cooker...

Here's mine, (R2D2) as livin proof...still have it sittin in th corner of my motor garage.


Included another angle, featurin another 'High Dollar' Smoker I own...

[Chief1232]

I have one of those! I'm actually getting rid of it because I need more room... 2 Traegers, a Blackstone and a few Weber gassers take up a lot of space...

[klflowers]

Take the cord off, and that is my first smoker - a Brinkman charcoal water smoker. I wore a couple of those things out.

[Mr. Bones]

Yessir klflowers , also worn some of these out,my dang self.
I also have a 'cordless', as well, (R3D3) sittin outside, in th driveway...

[jgreen]

If you already have, use it. Next in terms of ease of use is probably a propane smoker, then charcoal. All will produce great food. A head to head taste comparison might have a slightly different flavour profile, but if you only have one, people will love your food.

[Fire Art]

Dance with the one you brought

[SmokeyGator]

I had an electric smoker. Still do in fact. It isn’t necessarily "bad", it’s more like "not as good as". My charcoal Primo can run hotter, do indirect or direct, and since it actually burns wood chunks I get a better smoke flavor. So it is "better", but that doesn’t mean my old electric is bad.

For what you want to do, the electric might actually be ideal. My Primo would be tough to hold at 100, but not an electric. Add a smoke generator and there you go. Raising the temperature? Adjust the thermostat. Done.

[xaugievike]

A buddy of mine that makes a ton of sausage actually swears by the electrics for sausage making - his use sawdust as the smoke source. His stuff is very very good, so he's got to be on to something?

[Electchief]

Thanks for all the reply's I really wanted to know if a propane or pellet smoker could go to these low temps and hold it for a long time.

[Nuke em]

It’s a give and take thing. Propane or electric. Both will have to have smoke added, electric has a cord, propane runs out. If ya wanna take it camping etc.
for me it’s whatever suits my needs. i would say propane has an advantage of being portable more and if your power goes out mid smoking yer in trouble with electric. Propane can reach low to high temps with a turn of the knob.
Shoot charcoal could also if ya know how to control yer flame

it just comes down to personal preference.
I myself have not played with electric cookers. Heck my better half won’t let me have access to our oven cause one time(and only 1 time) I tried to smoke some fish in the oven with some wood chips while she was sleeping to surprise her for breakfast. Well it wasn’t the type of surprise I was expecting with all the smoke detectors going off. (Just kidding. Ya get the jist).
Seriously she won’t let me have access to the oven cause she believes that I would attempt it sooner or later. (She is acutely aware of my Mcs syndrome)

[Letmebefrank]

I think my pellet smoker might be able to get that low...it’s lowest setting is 170, but I have seen set ups on the internet for cold smoking where they put the meat in the warming drawer with ice pans on top to help keep it cold. If you google PG1000 cold smoke salmon and watch that video (skip to like the 3:30 mark) you can see the set up. I have not tried this myself, but it looks possible, especially in winter if you live in a reasonably cold environment.

[texastweeter]

Electrics are GREAT for fish and jerky. Bet they would do sausage or any other charcuterie great. Can run really low with minimal fuss.

[Attjack]

Personally I like fire. But I know an electric oven is probably a better performer than a gas oven. So I would imagine an electric smoker could also perform well.

[Potkettleblack]

A used file cabinet and an A-Maze-N maze might work better. Might not. You’d get the benefit of real combustion, but you’d lose the thermostat.

[jfmorris]

I don't think any charcoal or pellet fired smoker is going to reliably hold those low temperatures, unless it has a cold smoking attachment of some sort.

[Willy]

Let me offer the obligatory AR warning: smoking foods in the temperature "danger zone" range (40°F to 140°F) can be, well, dangerous to your health. Be sure you know what you are doing.

That out of the way, I used my Brinkmann (same model as Bonesy) with a dorm room type hot plate to cold smoke (not at a controlled temperature though) jalapenos. I just placed wood chips in a small cast iron pan and put it on the hot plate.

Also, I turned out some dang good Q (pork ribs and butt) on that Brinkmann long before I stumbled across AR and learned the good science and proper techniques.