peatey Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 Hi, new member here. I am a keen cook but now looking to get a smokey BBQ fix. Currently looking at a 47cm WSM (hoping to purchase one soon) can anyone recommend any good books or websites that will help me on my smoking journey. Kind Regards Peatey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamG Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 (edited) Welcome to the forum Peatey!👍😁 Project Smoke is a book by Steven Raichlen and explains some of the basics pretty well. A few recipes which is a bonus. It also gives some insight into different types of grills aswell. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Project-Smoke-Steven-Raichlen/dp/0761181865/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2NQ7W0BKHG3UJ&keywords=project+smoke&qid=1678714917&sprefix=project+%2Caps%2C1178&sr=8-1 Edited March 13, 2023 by AdamG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peatey Posted March 13, 2023 Author Share Posted March 13, 2023 AdamG much appreciated, thank you 😊 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamG Posted March 13, 2023 Share Posted March 13, 2023 No problem, hope you enjoy the journey😁🍻 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 Hi Peatey, I started with a 57cm WSM. I spent months going back and forth over which model. The 37 was far too small, the 47cm looked like a winner but I though I'm only going to buy once and I'd like to have more capacity than less so I went with the 57cm and I don't regret it at all. It's just me and my Mrs so I'll often put the body aside and use as a Kettle style, but I love the extra room when I do my Christmas smokes. I can get a whole side of Salmon on, plus room to spare. It depends on what you are planning to cook and for how many. I don't do big cooks often but I did do 3 Pork butts, 3kg of Mac and Cheese and 40 footlong sausages at once last year for my Dad's bowling club. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
U can do that again Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 Welcome, an alternative to to the WSM is a ProQ, have a Napoleon version, have the largest model, can add multiple stacks/ sections & use as a low level kettle. Another book to consider is by Meathead Goldwyn, The science of great grilling & bbq. The other source is YouTube, but easy to spend all day watching and not cooking. Look forward to you posting your first cook 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pittmab Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 As Hoogl says go for as big as you can afford! I've heard a lot of good things about the ProQ smokers and I think they're a bit cheaper than the Webers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peatey Posted March 15, 2023 Author Share Posted March 15, 2023 So much great advice, thank you guys! I am trying to do as much research as possible (maybe I just need to stop procrastinating and just buy the damn smoker :p) I have been down a few YouTube rabbit holes already and lost a few afternoons in the process. I have had my head turned by an offset smoker (apparently the best for that authentic flavour, I don't know enough to clarify this) An oklahoma joe and a broil king have piqued my interest. I don't mind a steep learning curve or hardwork am I best going for an OFS from the off if ultimately its what I will buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted March 15, 2023 Share Posted March 15, 2023 It depends on what you are looking for. An offset apparently produces the most smoke flavour as it is fuelled by mostly wood splits where as a Bullet smoker/Kettle/ Kamado use charcoal with some wood for flavour. I personally feel there's enough smoke from briquettes/lump wood as the heat with some wood for smoke. My mum had my turkey at Christmas and found it to be a little too smoky for her taste. I had used Whisky Barrel at the time but could've opted for a fruit wood for a milder flavour. I personally prefer a higher smoke flavour but not too over powering. Whilst the offset should produce more smoke that can also be a burden as it is easy to over smoke and turn it bitter with an acrid smoke. I haven't used an offset so others may be better info. What attracted me to my WSM and later the Kamado is the ease of use. They both are set it and forget it smokers. I can dial in my temp and go to bed if I want and wake up to a fire that is still the same temp. That for me is the real winner. A smoker that is easy to use will get used more often. The offset needs baby sat and fed wood every 15 - 30 mins depending on firebox/wood size/temp etc and that for me is just not an option. So I would focus more on what kind of cooks do I want to do? How involved do I want to be before going for highest smoke flavour. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamG Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) To add onto what @hoogl said. I would basically choose the grill that suits your lifestyle. If you like to actively be part of the cook (monitoring and tinkering, even with other things in life) then the offset maybe the perfect choice as it will require you to be actively involved which can lead to a greater satisfaction when your food is cooked brilliantly. Each cook will require you to be more adaptive which is great if you enjoy challenges. However if you like to stick to tried and tested recipe's and a more methodical approach, so you can do other things while your food cooks then the bullet smoker/kettle/kamado styles maybe more suited as these will let you cook more passively (some tinkering involved to begin with though). I started with an offset because I liked the idea of being more involved but I found it was hard to get low n slow cooks in due to other plans in life getting in the way. Eventually I got a kamado (I wanted just one grill that could cook a whole variety of things and allow for overnight cooks without doing an all-nighter). The offset I had was just a cheapo thing that was awful (i did no research and just bought the cheapest I found😒), not a true offset due to bad quality build. I could only cook low n slow during summer due to its inefficiency. If you do decide to get an offset make sure its good quality so you can cook year round, allowing more time for cooking. In the end it comes down to which suits your style and lifestyle. hopefully we all help👍 Edited March 16, 2023 by AdamG Spelling 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peatey Posted March 16, 2023 Author Share Posted March 16, 2023 Great advice, thank you guys! The idea of getting involved may lose it's appeal when life gets in the way. Such a friendly community here, very glad I joined. Not always been a pleasant experience using forums and asking noob (sometimes seen as tedious) questions. Thanks again. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamG Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Questions of any kind are always welcome here!😁 Let us know what grill you get, pics of cooks always good and any recipe's you discover😋🍻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peatey Posted March 17, 2023 Author Share Posted March 17, 2023 UPDATE WSM 47 incoming!! 🤤 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamG Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 Nice!!👍🍻 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoogl Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 On 3/16/2023 at 11:11 AM, peatey said: Such a friendly community here, very glad I joined. Not always been a pleasant experience using forums and asking noob (sometimes seen as tedious) questions. I don't see the point in getting annoyed at these questions. We all have to begin somewhere, we all need to learn and the more people that BBQ in uk might mean more access to better cuts of meat / equipment being imported cheaper etc. best of luck with the 47cm wsm. I've had mine since 2017 and haven't felt the need to make any mods, others have. I'd say use it first a few times then decide if you want to mod anything. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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