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Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
I've been mulling over smokers for a few weeks...probably due to some posts over on TBN. Almost went with the Weber Smoky Mountain charcoal, but thought that electric or propane might do as good a job with less baby-sitting. Went out to look for electrics and couldn't find any with thermostatic controls and stumbled into the GO 36" propane smoker at WalMart. As I hadn't really read any review, etc on propane I returned home and did some "googling". All reports indicated that the propane models were easy to use and gave excellent results so I went back and bought one.
I was surprised at how well everything fitted and the construction seems to be better than most things like this, even though it was made in China. Clear easy instructions and assembly. I read in several places that the cast iron wood box was too small, but I used some seasoned oak board cut-offs about 5"x5"x3/4" stacked in the bowl and had smoke for several hours at around 225f. Plenty of time to smoke the meat. That was yesterday, with thick cut pork chops. Needless to say, it's loaded with a 8lb Boston Butt as I type and has been smoking for about two hours. Figure that by the time I knock off three or four George Dickle's this evening it'll be ready.
I thought I'd post my thoughts on this, as I've read several questions regarding propane smokers in various places that never got any response. Picture attached.
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
I hafta agree with everything ya said...bought the same brand stainless model a couple of weeks ago at Sam's.
This is probably the most user friendly smoker that I have ever used...it's pretty much like them infomercial's say "Set it and forget it" ...I haven't had the temp vary more than about 20 degrees since I got it..
Did find a great chicken recipe that works really well with this smoker....take a chicken and wash well...towel him off and cover with REAL mayonnaise (I use Duke Brand)...then sprinkle liberally with seasoned salt...put 'er in the smoker and plan on leaving it about 1 hour per pound at 220 degree...it's done when internal is 180 degree or the leg joint just about falls off when ya give it a good twist...the skin will be rubbery, so if you want crispy skin, ya can crisp it up in a hot oven or on yer hot grill for a few minutes...I just throw the skin away.
Cook several at a time...the ones that don't get eaten will make some of the best chicken salad you ever ate http://tcwozere.co.uk/smileys/yumyum.gif
Pix attached
GareyD
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
Garey,
You mentioned "internal temperature". I've turned the kitchen upside down looking for our meat thermometer without result. Then I started searching online... Found a Weber remote unit for $28 with free shipping here.
I don't know anything about it, but generally Weber stuff is pretty good.
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I have one of them remote units that I used on an electric smoker that I have....worked real well....electric will take a half hour or better to get back to temp after ya open the door....which adds an hour or more to the total time...
I have found on these gas/water models that heat recovery is so quick that all ya need is an instant read thermometer that ya can pick up at Wally World for about $5 bucks...buy several, they like to hide from ya....ya can open the door, check the temp, close the door and the temp hasn't moved more than 10-20 degrees and will be back to temp in a couple of minutes..
Using the attached chart, I only open the door 4 times during cooking...
1. Open door at half the recommended time...check to see if everythin is looking good, nothing fell down, and spritz meat if desired to start formin "Bark" on the meat.
2. Check at 3/4 time (1/2 of the remaining time)...check the temp to see if time is about what you expect...spritz if desired...
3. Check at 7/8 time (1/2 of the remaining time)...check the temp, probably gettin real close to done, if it is, pull and enjoy...if not done, spritz if desired...
4. Check at final time....if done to yer likin'...pull the meat and wrap in foil...let rest about 15-20 minutes...and enjoy.
To spritz, using a spray bottle, I use apple juice on pork...Use a flat (left open overnight, no bubbles) Coke on beef...the sugars will carmelize and add "Bark" on the meat....yummy [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
GareyD
P.S. I never add BBQ Sauce while in the smoker...
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Here's how I do ribs and it has always turned out good. Pull off one layer of the silver skin, coat the ribs with about a table spoon of table musturd then rub down with your favorite dry rub. Put some apple juice in a spray bottle and every hour for the first 5 hours spray the ribs with the apple juice. 20 minutes before the sixth hour baste with bbq sauce then again at 10 till the sixth hour and take up at the sixth hour............rc
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
OK guys -
You've had a few months with the GO smoker. I'm shopping for one now.
What's your longer term opinion?
Also, how is it on gas burn?
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I'm still satisfied with the smoker, but really wish I had used it more... [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
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Well, let me think...
I've used the smoker on just about a weekly basis now for the last 6-7 months...haven't had a single problem except it can't smoke enuff pork ribs fast enuff for all my hungry friends [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
To date I've smoked:
Pork ribs - Beef ribs - Pork shoulder - Boston butt
Beef brisket - Chicken - Turkey Breast - Fish - Cheese
Beef Rib roast - Canadian Bacon - Country Bacon - Buckboard bacon - Ham - Salt - Potatoes - Almonds - and the wife caught me admiring her cat [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smirk.gif[/img]
A friend told me a great trick...watch for Boston Butt to go on sale and buy up about 5 or 6 of 'em and smoke them until they are 205 degrees internal..."pull' the meat and then vacuum seal them in about 1 pound packages and freeze...
Ya can pull out a pack and boil in bag or microwave it...add a little of yer favorite sauce...put it on a bun and tastes like it just came off the smoker...great for that unexpected gathering on a weekend afternoon [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Oh yeah, I'm still on my second 20lb. propane bottle
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
Sounds great! I appreciate the replies! If anyone else has got some thing to chime in on, I'd appreciate it as well.
I really surprised at how little the propane burn is!
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Garey, you've obviously smoked more stuff than I have, several you mentioned that I haven't done yet, but I've also smoked oysters (great snack on a cracker) and salmon, as well as other fish; sheepshead, halibut, flounder, and my personal favorite, shark steaks.
Today, I didn't use a smoker; just the LPG grill. My wife and I were in Sam's Club yesterday and I'm a sucker for those tasting samples they have. So after tasting Bryan's blackened pork loin, I had to buy one; cooked it on the grill today and it sure is tasty. I've cooked pork a lot of ways, but had never bought a whole pork loin and cooked it before.
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GareyD, Don't admit anything until you have consulted with your attourney as Bird was a cop and like Marines once one always one.
Abvious attempt at entrapment --> "Garey, you've obviously smoked more stuff than I have..."
Be careful dude!
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Bird, I buy whole pork loins fairly regularly...with a little Morton's Tender Quick, some extra brown sugar, marinated in the fridge a few day to directions on the tender quick, then smoked til 140 degrees internal temp, sliced thin and fried ya will have some of the best bacon ya have ever tasted...it's like the meaty part of the bacon without all the fat...
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Pat, I know all about taking the fifth to keep from having to say anything that might incriminate me....not to be confused with drinking from the fifth...that usually has me saying too much at the wrong times [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
Garey, have you ever tried pineapple juice for a tenderizer? Pineapple contains the enzyme that is the active ingredient of Adolph's Meat Tenderizer. Neat flavor... Hawaiian bacon.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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One these GO smokers... are you using the fine cuts wood or small chunk?
I'm so used to my pit (offset) that when I assembled the GO tonight I freaked out because the chip box is smaller than it looked in the store.
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Pat, I've used a lot of Pineapple juice...as a spritz and as an ingredient in some BBQ sauces...never knew it was a tenderizer...I just like the flavor [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Lister, I save the sawdust from the sawmill when I cut white oak, hickory and cherry...save the shavings from the planer...sack the chips from the PTO chipper & cut some of the larger limbs that won't fit the chipper on the bandsaw into smaller "cookies"...seems like a combination of sizes gives me a longer more consistent "smoke"...
Soaking all yer chips/chunks at least an hour in hot water seems to prolong the smoke too..I usually soak mine overnight.
I also usually throw a couple of "Kingsford w/mesquite" briquettes in the pan...a little charcoal seems to make a better smoke ring on the meat than just the wood alone...
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Sounds good. I've got some smaller chunk left around for when I do little foil pouches so I'll finally use that up [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Gary, Pineapple has papain in it (active ingredient of Adolph's.)
Papain is a protein-cleaving enzyme derived from papaya and certain other plants. Pineapple has a fair dose and as you indicated is tasty too.
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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[img]/forums/images/icons/confused.gif[/img]
I recently purchased the GO smoker. I finally got around to using it for the first time, and smoked a turkey.
Instead of using wood chips, I used very small, cut mesquite mini logs (about 3" diameter by 6" long). I placed these in a #10 can instead of the chip burner. I noticed that it did not smoke hardly at all, until I turned off the gas. Then it really smoked. I just didn't think I should have to turn the gas off for the smoker to work.
Also, the wood did not burn. It seemed like it turned the mini logs into charcoal. After 6+ hours of smoking, the wood was blackend, but still intact. I took it out of the smoker, and it burned just like charcoal.
My first thought was that it wasn't getting enough 0xygen; however, there is no way to change that, except on the top of the smoker (which did not make any difference when I changed it.)
Also, I could not get the temperature to stay below 250 to 260 degress. I really was hoping to keep it at 225. Any ideas? Do any of you have the same problems? I'm anxious to hear.
THANKS!!
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Mine maintained 225 like clock work with the valve set to a needle width above low and the vent set and about half way open.
It took about 45 minutes to generate smoke with wet chips and it lasted about 1 hour, then I had to swap chips and repeat. I'll try it with dry chips this weekend.
It's not going to "burn" the chips as the flame is not directly on the wood but they will smolder nicely. When I threw the smoldered chips in the pit burner they went up quick. I may punch one or two air holes in the bottom of the chip box to get a bit more air flow and keep using wet chips if the dry chips don't fair well.
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I've got a big smoker but wanted something that was easier on fuel and portable. I saw this on ebay and made one similar except I Dremell-ed out a door on the side so I could feed a real fire instead of using an electric hot plate. Great for a party of two!
Flower Pot Smoker
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pcluff,
I found that wood chips don’t last long enough for me. I have a pretty good supply of scrap hardwood boards around the shop and cut them about 6â€ÂX6â€ÂX1†or so thick. Just small enough to fit into the wood box. These pieces are dry and burn much as you describe. You don’t really want billowing smoke for the smoker. Just thin wisps of smoke that you can barely notice should last for a couple of hours or so. Look at the picture I posted in my first post and maybe you’ll get some idea of how much smoke mine is generating.
You should have a vent on top of the smoker, as well as on the side near the bottom. I’ve got mine “wide openâ€Â. Regulating the temperature takes a little time. Like ListerD says, once you get it where you want it it maintains that temperature pretty well. Small adjustments to the valve take some time to show up on the thermometer so you just have to be patient. I’ve read that you achieve the smoked taste in a relatively short time and that you don’t really need more than a couple hours smoke.
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I’ve read that you achieve the smoked taste in a relatively short time and that you don’t really need more than a couple hours smoke.
[/ QUOTE ]
That's pretty much how I see it. Heck even in my pit I don't do much over 2 - 2 1/2 hours of smoke for anything.
I want to taste the meat in the end with a hint of smoke, not taste the after results of a house fire.
Smoke is a flavor not the main ingredient [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
I played with my GO last night some too, I noticed that adjustments to the valve take about 10 minutes to balance out visually on the thermometer on the door.
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I'm no expert, just a southern boy who likes his BBQ and has had a little practice and a whole lotta luck with various smokers...here are some of the things I have found out....maybe they will help [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]
First thing I noticed with the GO smoker is that ya need to orient the bottom vent holes with the prevailin' wind...it doesn't seem to draft well on it's own...a breeze blowin' through really seem to help the wood to stay lit better....
On days that I decide to run the smoker, I pull the meat outta the fridge and set it on the counter to come up to or close to room temp....go out a couple of hours later and load the wood box and turn the flame without the water pan in the smoker to get everything warmed up and the smoke to rollin'...when the smoke goes from a "house on fire" dark color and starts to turn light gray, I load the meat and fill the water tray with BOILING water, using the hot water keeps the temp from dropping and having to bring the smoker back up to temp...
Check your thermometer that came with the smoker...put a pan of water on the stovetop and bring it to a boil...temp should read 212 degrees...my thermometer read 235 degrees, so to smoke at 220 degrees, I keep the temp near 240 [img]/forums/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]
Now I've not conducted any scientific experiments or nuthin' but I've been told that meat will only absorb smoke til it gets to 140 degrees...if ya start with near room temp meat, at 220 degrees smoker temp, it will reach 140 degrees in the first 90 minutes or so depending on thickness...any smokin after that time is pretty much for the operator's benefit [img]/forums/images/icons/wink.gif[/img] I gotta admit, I still throw a chunk or two in when the door is opened later in the "cook" probably don't help the meat, but it sure smells good when ya walk by the smoker [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/laugh.gif[/img]
There has been volumes written about the wood ya should use to smoke with...I'm lucky in that I live in the country and have a steady supply from my own land and sawmill...I would however be extremely careful using scraps from kiln dried purchased lumber...ya never now what kinda ugly stuff has been sprayed on them boards to keep the bugs in check before ya bought it and sprayin with permethrin is fairly common practice to keep down the powder post beetle [img]/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif[/img] when in doubt, light them scraps in a separate outdoor pit and when they are well charred transfer them to the smoker.
Sorry to be so long winded...but as ya could tell if ya could see the spare tire I lug around, smokin' is one of my passions [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] I hope some of these ideas help.
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Lister
You get one yet? I have had one of the great outdoor smoakers for over a year now - I LOVE IT. I've used all types before - this is the easiest (BAR FAR) & also the best results at the end (that's what counts)
I would recoment one for anyone!!
TW [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Yeah I got it [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
Had fun so far, just the one issue I mentioned with the amount of smoke generated (or lack of). But I haven't had a chance to play with it this last week due to work.
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Hi! Just bought the wide mouth version of this smoker for Father's Day. I have been googling and stumbled upon your thread here. Does anyone still visit here? Would love to discuss mods/etc on this smoker. We have been enjoying this smoker and hope yall return and put some life back into this forum. Looking forward to hearing from yall.
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Yup and use it fairly often (weekly)... [img]/forums/images/icons/cool.gif[/img]
For the price it's hard to beat. My only complaints:
It's not a very good cold smoker. As I said in the PM, I'm debating modifying it to take a Bradley smoke generator to allow cold smoking.
Mine (though a wide front) does not have the side vents. Only the top vent (air intake is in the bottom around the burner).
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What is the lowest temp you have achieved? Mine was 230* so they are sending me a new control panel, after a call to their 800 number. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] There are several of us new GOSM owners who all seem to be experiencing this similar problem. Is there a link to how to use the Bradley element in our unit? I like the sound of this [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
As mentioned in my PM, we have the same unit, the wide body. I got mine from WalMart but now wish I had gotten the Big Block from Home Depot.
Thanks for your help!
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I can get and maintain 220 on mine.
I have a post over at the BS forums. One guy there has done it and will post pics the next time he goes to his cabin.
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I also have the Great Outdoors unit and have trouble with maintaining a low temperature. Also at low temps I don't get much smoke. But the lack of smoke's not too big an issue as my wife doesn't like too heavy a flavor anyway. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
The Bradly unit looks nice. I've seen them in the Cabela's catalog for years. I'm assuming that if you added the Bradly generator to a Great Outdoors unit you'd still need the burner in the Great Outdoors unit to hot smoke rather than cold smoke. But it would solve my low smoke production issue.
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Gary, I thought a handy guy like you would have designed and built his own. There is no dearth of examples to wraw upon. We are so blessed with good BBQ in this area that I have not had sufficient motivation to build one but it is on my lo-pri list. Right now I have to go unload yesterdays HF treasures from the car and repair a cabriole leg on a desk my wife bought for $15. See why my low-pri list gathers dust!
[img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Pat [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Just an FYI for those folks who have low temp issues: I contacted CFM mfg and they told me that i should be able to get a low temp of 180*, so they are replacing my control panel to see if that will resolve my problem.
They also suggested that I turn the valve on the propane tank to almost off, which I had already done but saw no drop in my temp. 230* was the lowest I attained. The reason I want lower is to do overnite smokes.
Happy smoking all!
Michelle
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Re: Great Outdoors Propane Smoker
lanikai,
Thanks for the information. I'll dig out my manual and give them a call tomorrow.
Pat,
Some folks just need to be busy all the time! You need to learn to relax. [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
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Gary,
Hope it works out for ya, too. I bought my GOSM on Father's Day, not sure how their replacement parts warranty works, but I have read good things on them. Let us know.
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Anyone have a beer can chicken recipe to share? I tried one out tonite but it took what seemed like forever! I plugged the neck with half a lemon, which I guess slowed down the time. It must have taken 5 hours before it got to 175*. At any rate, it was good when it was done, but forgot to ask what recipe/link yall might use.
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I rub my chicken with Tang
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We've tried a number of things; lemon pepper isn't bad, but what we've found we like best is just to sprinkle it good with red pepper (cayenne).
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Thanks for the suggestions, all. I like the Tang idea! I wish I could rub cayenne all over ours but the kids won't touch spicy stuff. Just no fun, I tell ya! LOL [img]/forums/images/icons/grin.gif[/img]