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Questions about Propane Fired Smokers

Horse Plains Drifter
Thinking about getting a propane smoker. This probably be used mostly for making jerky. Some jerky would be smoked, and some would be just dried. Will these things double as a dehydrator? Also are they a PIA to clean after use? Any suggested brands? Need to keep it under $300, preferably $200-$250. TIA for any input.
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Comments

14 comments

Date Votes
  • Mercury
    Baby Jesus cries when you use propane! Buy a pellet grill instead! So much more flavor when smoking.

    Merc
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  • hunter86004
    We've got one made by Smoke Hollow that goes for about $150 at HD. Works great for smoking and I would assume that by leaving out the water pan it would be fine for making jerky.
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  • Sam06
    I have one and it works great.

    Mine is a Cajun Cooker, it will hold a temp with very little assistance.

    The best thing about it is you are not a slave to it when smoking things like a pork shoulder or a turkey.
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  • mrbruce
    Go with wood heat, you will be glad you did....
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  • JimmyJack
    I switched to an electric Cookshack and I love it.
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  • 84Bravo1
    Recently purchased a digital Electric. (Time/temp control.)

    Masterbuilt by Cabela's. On sale for $149.
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  • varian
    you can make this as hard or easy as you want. people have a million reasons why their method is the only one to use. me i believe in keeping it simple.i have a masterbuilt vertical gas smoker that will easily do four 12/13 lbs turkeys and an oklahoma joes horizontal wood smoker that i added a burner to help control the temp. when i do my part they both do excellent jobs. i only use pecan wood because living here in south miss i have a free lifetime supply. at age 70, i find my biggest problem is remembering what works best. so the best advice i can give you is when you find what works for you, take notes.
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  • Mr. Perfect
    quote:Originally posted by Mercury
    Baby Jesus cries when you use propane! Buy a pellet grill instead! So much more flavor when smoking.

    Merc
    Adult Jesus cries if you use pellets. REAL men... adult men use wood.
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  • Idahobound
    I just made 15lbs of jerky on my Traeger. Best jerky I have ever had and the 10 others on my pheasant hunt agreed.
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  • Brookwood
    Been using my Kenmore propane 4 rack smoker for over 10 years and have no complaints. Clean up, I find it best to remove the 4 racks and soak in kitchen sink with hot soapy water. Best and less elbow grease needed if you get them soaking right after you remove your smoked vittles.

    I have had to do very little cleaning inside the smoking box compartment. All of the residue adds to the flavors of future eats.

    I make a lot of jerky and have always smoked it, not just drying it out.

    The only problems with temperatures have been during our wintertime here in Michigan. I just add more time to my cooks, and taste test the meats often.[:p] Pretty sure that all smokers will be effected by outdoor temperatures.
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  • 84Bravo1
    Yo, HPD a Heads up. Just got a Cabela's Christmas sale flyer.

    Masterbuilt Sportsman Elite Cookmaster Propane Smoker. On sale for $119.97. Item # 1852942, if you are interested.
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  • Horse Plains Drifter
    Thanks everybody for their insight. This is still in the thinking stages.
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  • Brookwood
    quote:Originally posted by Flying Clay Disk
    quote:Originally posted by Horse Plains Drifter
    Thinking about getting a propane smoker. This probably be used mostly for making jerky. Some jerky would be smoked, and some would be just dried. Will these things double as a dehydrator? Also are they a PIA to clean after use? Any suggested brands? Need to keep it under $300, preferably $200-$250. TIA for any input.


    Probably the biggest data-point with propane smokers is...water. Now, this can be both good and bad. With a low flame using propane the water byproduct does not evaporate completely, so you wind up with steam. Depending on the size of the unit, you might wind up steaming/cooking the meat rather than smoking it.

    Making really good jerky is actually a hell of a lot harder than it seems! Sure, you can make jerky which is great, so long as it gets eaten the next day +/-. That, or it has to be kept in the frig, but making actual true "jerky" is a lot trickier than the 85,000,000 jerky recipes out there would suggest.

    And to be perfectly candid, I have (5) smokers, all different, and I still haven't figured out how to make really good jerky yet. I've made tons of 'smells like jerky', or 'tastes like jerky', and 'looks like jerky', but never any really good "jerky".


    Ya BUT?? My ole chompers have a hard enough time chewing that relatively sudo moist stuff I make and call Jerky! [:)]

    I do refrigerate or even freeze large batches and the few times I have experimented with different smoking methods, various woods, longer low temp cooks, and the plethora of meat "cures", brines, seasonings, etc., there have been a few dis-tasteful failures.

    These failures have not all been in vain however, as they became very well accepted Dog Treats (in very small servings)![:I][8D]

    I do remember eating jerky made by others that was more true to the jerky code of "mummification"[:)]. You could leave a chunk of that stuff on a shelf for several years and it wouldn't change the taste or flavor! I did like it but that was back when I had a better set of teeth.
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  • fordsix
    propane taste the meat not the heat [:D]
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