hoogl

I always thought it was better to use Lumpwood in a Kamado. Although both will work fine the Briquettes produce more ash and usually in the Kamado especially the mini there isn't alot of room.

This was the main reason I didn't go for a pellet smoker. I felt the cost of fuel and availability was too much of a barrier for me. But YMMV. That being said I was impressed with the Smokefire in videos. But I'm more interested in the Weber Connect. I like a thermometer that can predict how long is left in the cook It's one of the reasons i like the Meater. Plus I can pair them with any smoker.

Nice, what deflector plate did you go for? I just ordered one from Germany that was linked previously and they have a new drip bowl I added on. Happy Ramadan.

Why not just have Chicken Nah to each their own. My Dad always eats his steak well done due to Gastro issues. A "Grate" way of getting the cross hatching marks without halving to rotate etc. And if SWMBO is happy then you usually get to more often.

Every-days a school day. 🤓 I'll keep cooking until 74C but good to know. I do agree having a thermometer and cooking for temp is the best way. Probing with a Instant Thermometer in multiple spots just to double check.

I often cook many meats together on my WSM. At Christmas I do a Gammon Joint and Side of Salmon on the top rack at the same time. I do use Dual probes to monitor the individual cooks.

If you are doing a test burn just remember that the kettle will run different once you add chilled meat. Especially if it's 2kg of Brisket so when you cook it you may find it takes a little longer for the kettle to come back up to temp. I'm a believer in throwing some food on while learning. Pork is a very forgiving meat especially sausages. Or even some veg like peppers/potatoes to take up some flavour. and if it goes wrong its cheap. I started with ribs and chicken drumsticks on my first WSM cook. took longer than expected but it was tasty and subsequent cooks have only gotten better especially once the smoker has built up some carbon to assist in the sealing.

I haven't used it. But I have the Kamado grill chef and I love it. If it's in your budget then nothing to lose. You may find it's a great starter and later down the line you may be able to upgrade. Plus some shops such as Aldi/Lidl are doing deals on accessories such as charcoal baskets beer can holders so you can get a few different styles of cook for a cheaper price. Obviously spending less will mean more concessions in performance etc but I think you should have a decent enough experience with it. Either way post your experiences here for others in future if you do go for it

I have seen some people smoke frozen food. As Smoking says I'd rather defrost first in the normal safe manner then cook from chilled especially with chicken. As for supermarket wings I wouldn't worry about it. While butcher is better, any cut of meat smoked is a bonus and it all comes down to your budget and especially atm not everyone can get out to get their normal supplies.

it's a good place to find out some information. I too would like to see pics of you gardening

Sounds like a nice setup. The mini Kamado is a great addition to any collection.

Looking forward to updates. People may knock supermarket cuts of meat but they are great especially in the early days when you are learning how to use the smoker. Once you have the smoker down and can replicate cooks it's then worthwhile upgrading to better quality cuts from butchers etc. But again it comes down to each persons budget.

Even a cheap BBQ will give you great food once as smokinmonkey says you master the vents. Plus it will take a few cooks to build up carbon so your first few cooks may change slighlty. but keep going and it's worth keeping a wee logbook especially in the early days so you can remember what you did and how you adjusted IMO

How did it turn out?

I'm just outside Glasgow so know what you mean about the dreich weather. Be sure to post some pics of your homebuilt one.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garcima-Ideal-Polished-Steel-Paella/dp/B002M8K9EA I think this is the one.

Definitely a cover if it's living outdoors. Though you could build a smoke shed.😄 A chimney starter is great but you could use the gasser to light a few briquettes and save some cash and get later. Perhaps a pizza stone but any brand will do. I'd also say invest in a cold smoke generator as it adds another dimension to cooking. I'd say a dual probe thermometer but the meater is a good piece of kit. but maybe extra probes will be handy for more cuts of meat as the proq will allow you to do a bigger range at once. I'll assume you already have a instant read. I wouldn't rush out to get too many accessories too early. have a few cooks on it first and then pick them up as you feel you are wanting to try different cooks like rotisserie etc.

I'd say this is the most important thing. Even of the food is only ok it's still better than what you'd find pre made in shops etc. But learning how to control and use the smoker is key as each one will differ slightly and weather/temp will play a role as will how much fuel and how much is lit. I also found the first few cooks i was constantly looking so wasn't cooking.

I'd say go with the biggest you can afford. If you can spend the extra on the excel it'll give you the biggest space. I like having a whole salmon side on without having to cut it. But budget does play a factor plus if you go for smaller one you can afford an extra accessory or two

I always wrap my dish in foil and use boiling water as it saves the heat being used to heat that up and can get to cooking faster.

Is it 102 on the in built dial? These can be a little out but a good quick indicator. Yeah weather will play a factor plus if you have anything in the water bowl? Water/Sand and how much. or even dry. I built a wee shelter for my WSM and don't find that the wind plays too much a difference just the ambient temp but i just adjust vents to accommodate Also if it's a new smoker it will take a few cooks to seal it up with gunk/carbon and that will help shape and change the cooks until it does.

I debated this for a long time. I watched lots of WSM videos and ultimately decided to go for the 57cm one. Despite it being just my GF and me I figured if I need the extra space I have it. I can use without the mid section and make it a more kettle style cook for when its just a wee steak or two. The Pro Q is better designed for this but it is achievable on WSM. I find myself loading the WSM and cooking more than I need for a meal but I freeze and then I can have delicious Q later without having to wait. The Pro Qs do have a better range of accessories plus the in built handles are a dream but I generally don't move my WSM once it's set up for a cook. A lot of people seal their smokers but I have had mine since 2016 and haven't felt the need but others mileage may vary. I think either way you'll have a great time. A bullet smoker is a great place to learn however it is a gateway drug to wanting more smokers. 😋

A bullet smoker is a great place to learn and easy to pick up IMO. I'd suggest pork or chicken for a first cook. Pork is very forgiving and cheap. Smoked sausage is dynamite and hard to over do with a Thermometer. Oh yeah invest in a Dual probe thermometer at least. It'll make a difference.

I've watched a few of the video on YT gotta love auto translate for us mono linguistic. 😊

I deliberated over this decision for months. I finally decided to go for the bigger size as even though it's just me and the GF we might have a family later. I also have the flexibility of cooking more meat at once for when I have family over or I'm taking food to a party. I can fit a whole salmon side comfortably. You can use the WSM with just the bottom and lid for a smaller more kettle size cook. I do this frequently. It does use more fuel than the smaller size according to others. I have only used the 57cm one so can't compare but by using quality briquettes and the minion method you can get a great cook out of the fuel and reasonably efficient. The only downside is the 57cm is a bugger to move once full. but if you have it in a good place you shouldn't need to do this often. The water pan is a pain to foil if that's what you want to do (I do other don't personal preference) and the grates are a nightmare if you like to wash in a sink. The biggest decision was for me was to get the biggest size I can afford at the time as I can always cook less on a big grate but cant cook more on a smaller one. I suppose it all comes down to you and your budget/life style.