SD7 wrote:
> I'm going to try smoking for the first time, and looking for a smoker. I
> would like to get a big green egg, but I'll probably never have that kind
> of cash to throw around. I also thought about making a home made bbq pit,
> but I'm sure I probably wouldn't be able to pull it off. I was looking at
> the weber 2820 smokey mountain cooker, and it's much more in my price
> range, but I don't know how good a metal smoker would be (I'm on a low carb
> diet and planning on using whatever I buy year round, including winter).
> It's also a charcoal smoker; and I'm wanting to use wood. I don't know who
> uses what around here, but I have read some messages and most of them talk
> about wood, and would like to know what kind of smokers everyone is using.

WSM is a good unit for the $. Is a BGE "better"? Probably.
Worth the $? I can't comment on that as I do very well with
the WSM and see no reason to change.

You can't beat the Weber Smokey Mountain for the money as
far as I'm concerned. I use mine all year around in upstate
NY and we get some serious winters sometimes. Not this year
thank heaven, at least so far! <knocking on wood>.

The only real problem in the winter is wind so you need to
block that. I have a plywood gizmo that I made to do that.
The other thing that another poster suggested was to warm
the "water" tray (which a lot of us have filled with clean
playground sand, covered with al. foil) in the oven.

I tried this last weekend and it was a great tip, thanks to
whomever posted it.

As for wood the wood/charcoal question, I always use a good
lump hardwood charcoal. I may add a couple chunks of apple,
maple, or some other wood but honestly for ribs I don't see
where it's necessary. You could use wood in the WSM but
you're going to be spending time getting the temp under
control with a "real" fire in it.

--
Steve