Propane or Electric Smoker???

[jrebel]

I have never smoked anything....but all of a sudden have a strong desire to learn how.  I am looking at smokers and trying to decide which one to get.  The big question that I have right now is Gas or Electric?  What do you have?? / or Prefer??

Thanks

[dscubame]

What is it your looking to start smoking?  I just ask because there are different smokers for different applications.

[Knocker of rocks]

For entry level, it's hard to beat an electric Big (or Little) Chief for fish and jerky.  They are often for sale for less than $100 new.

Propane can be a real PITA

[Huntbear]

For entry level, it's hard to beat an electric Big (or Little) Chief for fish and jerky.  They are often for sale for less than $100 new.

Propane can be a real PITA

I normally smoke 40-50 lbs. of salmon fillets and some buckboard bacon every year.  I have a little chief electric.  Works great.  HOWEVER, as soon as I have a place to have it, and the money to build it... gonna build me a propane one that I can roll around on casters, that will hold whole hams, etc....

[jrebel]

Mostly meats; jerkey, pepperoni and summer sausage.  I would eventually like to smoke chickens, ribs, brisquette, etc, etc....but want to start with the first mentioned. 

I have looked at the big chief and think for the price it would be a good unit to start with, but I don't think it will be easy to controll the temperature without making extra insulation.  It is very thin walled and I didn't see a temp guage on the unit. 

I am looking at a weston right now.  Seems to be built very well, has a temp. guage and is tall enough to hange summer sausage.  It is propane though and I have not really researched propane until today.  Seems it would be easier to contrll the temperature on the weston, but I don't know for sure that is kinda where the question stemmed from. 

Thanks

[JohnVH]

spend an extra 100 bucks and get an electric masterbuilt 30", I LOVE mine, smoke jerky, chicken, sausage, ribs, you name it. No gas to buy or refil. Plus itll get up to 300*

[quadrafire]

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Masterbuilt-30-Electric-Smoker-with-Meat-Probe/1316456.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dmasterbuilt%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D29%26y%3D10&Ntt=masterbuilt&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

This is one I have. Dont' think it would work well for hanging sausage. I do lots of ribs, buckboard bacon, pulled pork, brisket. It is easy to use and does a decent job of controlling temps.

[Mulieman]

I had electric for years. Then a friend showed me how to smoke things for dinner like chicken, tri-tip, rib roast. I now have a propane smoker and I would never go back to electric. I can take my smoker on hunting, camping, fishing trips and have fantastic dinners out in the woods. You can't do that with electric unless you want to listen to your generator all day. Just my 

[JohnVH]

I agree, thats the only time Id want a gas one, if you are not near a plug in.

[doyourtime89]

I had electric for years. Then a friend showed me how to smoke things for dinner like chicken, tri-tip, rib roast. I now have a propane smoker and I would never go back to electric. I can take my smoker on hunting, camping, fishing trips and have fantastic dinners out in the woods. You can't do that with electric unless you want to listen to your generator all day. Just my 

I like the idea of a propane smoker and being able to take it along with you places...what one do you have??

[Threebyfour]

Big chief electric for fish, and a propane smoker for big stuff like chicken, ribs, deer loin, ect.

[CAMPMEAT]

None of those. Get a charcoal/wood smoker. They are the best, period. Better flavor IMHO. I've been smoking for nearly 10 years and you can't beat the flavors you can create. My best one is a Weber Kettle BBQ/Smoker.

[lokidog]

Big chief electric for fish, and a propane smoker for big stuff like chicken, ribs, deer loin, ect.

Probably agree with this.  My Little Chief is awesome for smoking salmon, but my propane one (Smokevault) is a bit hot for me.  However, smoking a turkey, chicken, or pepperoni, the propane one is awesome.

[Bigluke1981]

I use a Bradley electric non digital and have been very happy with it. I have done fish, summer sausage, pepperoni, jerky, ribs, pork, cheese and turkey and have had no issues except that the biscuits are a little expensive.

[Blacklab]

I have a gosm big block propane and love it. Also I have the mes 40 w/ the window. It also works quite well in spring an summer but is weather challenged. it has a 850w burner. The new mes 40 has a 1200w burner which I can emagine works alot better than the 850.

[Cap.Silver]

I'd say get big cabinet with propane for hot smoking , and little hot plate that you can stick on top of the burner for cold smoking like cheese and stuff and you have the best of both worlds ..... I have build myself based on the plans that one of the guys posted here a smoker with propane/natural gas and can put hot plate in there to keep the temp down bellow 120 degrees ......if you still have questions just pm me .

[ghosthunter]

Heres mine love it because it does double duty. Cooks or smokes.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cabin/Food-Processing/Smokers-Accessories%7C/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104582880/Cabelas-Premium-Powder-Coated-7-in-1-CookerSmoker/732401.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fhome-cabin-food-processing-smokers-accessories%2F_%2FN-1101300%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_104582880%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253Bcat104798880%253Bcat104723280&WTz_l=SBC%3Bcat104798880%3Bcat104723280%3Bcat104582880

[RB]

Have been using Big Chiefs for about 15 years and like them, but have had lots of trouble with burners last 5 years or so. I tore my last one down and put a hot plate in it, but have not had a chance to use it yet. Hopefully will be able to try it soon. Have used a propane once and liked it as well just had to watch it close with fish.

[KFhunter]

on the big cheifs when it got colder out I'd slide the box that the smoker came in upside down over the smoker with a couple of cutouts where needed to add another pan of wood and let the smoke out the top.
 
the cardboard box insulated the big cheif pretty well and it kept the temp more stable.
 
 
I've been temped to make a cover box for the big cheif out of pine or some other soft wood, or just scrap the metal and make a wooden box that will fit all those racks nicely, could even make a nice damper on top to control the smoke.  I'd also scrap the coil and go for something with a temp control like a hotplate
 
hell all I'd have left from the big cheif was the racks