I want to build a smoker, question..

MTboatguy

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As the title says, I want to build a smoker, and I am wondering, Propane or Electric burner, I have heard pluses and minuses for each variant, I was talking to the guy at C**belas the other day and he said with propane, you will get a propane flavor in the meat you smoke, anybody have any experience they can impart?
 

ehenry

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MT, I've got two smokers. One is a Masterbuilt Electric Smokehouse and the other is an Oklahoma Joe's with a firebox on the end I bought from Sam's 15 years ago. If I have the time to be around the majority of the time the meats are smoking I prefer the Oklahoma Joe smoker but I like the Masterbuilt as well because you can load it up with meat in the morning, set the temprature, put the chips in the tray and forget it for 4 to five hours, come back throw some more chips in the tray if need be and come back when the meat is done.

The electric smoker is a no muss, no fuss type. Everything I've cooked on has been good, However its hard to get the 'Bark' on a butt or brisket.

I've got no experience with a propane smoker. A buddy of mine blew himself up and got burned with one.

What are you planning on building your smoker out of?
 
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hungupthespikes

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Propane or Electric burner ?????????
SIL did this with Kingford+ some hickory chips last thanksgiving......Perfect!!!


fetch
 

MTboatguy

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What are you planning on building your smoker out of?

I have a whole bunch of old seasoned hickory wood that is rough hewn, so I was thinking about this for the walls, then it will be insulated with aluminum faced foam insulation, I would like to make it big enough to hang deer quarters in.
 

MTboatguy

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Propane or Electric burner ?????????
SIL did this with Kingford+ some hickory chips last thanksgiving......Perfect!!!


fetch

Well I have an old Weber Kettle BBQ that could be converted to a smoker. All I have right now is a low temp little chief cold smoker and I would like to upgrade.
 
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gm280

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Just double up on the oil and you will have a smoker...oh...wait...I think you mean a different type smoker... :facepalm:

I have a medium size charcoal smoker I use but haven't in a few years now. Maybe I need to get it out again... Post you smoker project. I'd be interested!
 

redneck joe

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Well I have an old Weber Kettle BBQ that could be converted to a smoker. All I have right now is a low temp little chief cold smoker and I would like to upgrade.



Dad used to smoke the fish i caught in that. Was my after school snack.




Are you wanting a hot or cold smoke? Electric would I think be easier on the cold side; easier to get a lower temp.



I've got a plan in my head but still working on the details hope to do it this year.
 

MTboatguy

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Dad used to smoke the fish i caught in that. Was my after school snack.




Are you wanting a hot or cold smoke? Electric would I think be easier on the cold side; easier to get a lower temp.



I've got a plan in my head but still working on the details hope to do it this year.

Being honest with you, I would like to have one cold and one hot smoker, so this could expand as I go along!
 

mattb100

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I got a new electric last fall, stand up bullet type, Masterbuilt. It is hard to get up to and keep temp on colder or windy days. I have an older, similar charcoal one from Lowes. In the cooler weather I smoke on the coal for 4-5 hrs outside and them move cooking barrel to electric, same diameter, and finish it off 8 or so in the garage. I got the electric for camping trips when we are also boating. I don't see propane imparting taste, it doesn't on the grill. Used my neighbors horizontal with side firebox for a party, definitely the way to go.
 

redneck joe

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Being honest with you, I would like to have one cold and one hot smoker, so this could expand as I go along!

yeah every time I design in my head it gets more complicated.


Only thing i've heard about propane is the combustion puts off water vapor so the bark and smoke ring can't get as good as with the dry heat.
 

Cofe

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I have a whole bunch of old seasoned hickory wood that is rough hewn, so I was thinking about this for the walls, then it will be insulated with aluminum faced foam insulation, I would like to make it big enough to hang deer quarters in.

Sounds like you are planning to build an old style shed type smokehouse with upgraded modern insulation. If I were to make one of those, I would use charcoal/wood for fuel. You would need a heck of a big burner going electric or propane.
 

Scott Danforth

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10 years ago I was going to build a smoker out of a 55 gallon drum. by the time I added up what it would cost me to convert the drum to a smoker/grill, it was cheaper to simply buy a smoker/grill combo. its a chargriller brand.

I havent used propane since. smoke everything with either oak, hickory, apple, or mesquite. Sometimes with offset cooking, sometimes with the firebox.

I see electric smokers all the time at local rumage sales with a sign that says "used once" or "hardly used"

with building a large smoke-house, you will need to use large elements if electric. I would look into converting an old electric range or two, or at least pulling the controls and elements. one of the ones you find for free on craigslist. it would be similar in concept to the small powder coating oven I helped a friend build. two electric ranges and about 4 hours with a welder and we had a double sized powder coating oven with temperature control. the ranges came off the side of the curb durning garbage day.
 

redneck joe

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always thought an old fridge would work. Insulated, sealing door just need to add some venting?
 

rbh

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^^^^^^^ +1 on that.

I have seen many up right fridges and freezers with the rack in used as a smoker, they drill a hole in the side for the stove pipe and use a old wood stove for the smoke. A hole is placed on the top to allow for the smoke to get out, but it is controlled with a flap.
 

JaCrispy

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I'm not a fan of the side fire box smokers. you get a hot spot near the heat source and a cold area on the opposite end of the cooking chamber. Depending on the unit there are mods to help with better heat distribution. I use a charcoal vertical smoker now.

IMG_4880.jpg


I cook in my fire pit too

IMG_5656.jpg
 

lncoop

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Very nice JaCrispy. Makes me hungry. The previous owners of our house left behind a big box store smoker/grill contraption with an offset fire box. I left it where it was for a while then got bored one day and decided to pull a Dr. Frankenstein on it. I stuck a large propane burner in the fire box and placed a heavy duty sheet pan over it. The hose just sticks out the end of the fire box and attaches to a propane bottle. I can get several smoking sessions out of one propane bottle and a single log will last an entire session. Once I get the temp set it holds pretty well. I've never tasted a propane flavor, not that I'm sure there even is such a thing. Sounds kind of silly to me. If that were true there wouldn't be many propane grills sold.
 

MTboatguy

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You guys are doing it, and telling me exactly what I want to know, I am happy with the current smoker that I have, but there is so much more I can do with smoking meat, so thanks guy, and I am reading and learning..

JaCrispy, you images made me drool enough that my wife thought I had a stroke!

:D
 

dozerII

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I love my Bradley, but you would never get a deer quarter in it.
 

Bob_VT

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Well...... I had a 52 gallon pressure tank die and I am swapping it out this Friday. A friend of mine has already been eyeing the tank to use it for a smoker.
 

JaCrispy

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Thanks for the compliments!

I want to modify my Brinkman by installing another Brinkman on top and cutting an opening between the two. Basically making it taller with different temp chambers. I like to smoke brats or any other fatty protein above other meats so the drippings baste whatever I'm cooking below. I also like to use 50/50 apple juice and water in the pan.
 
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