Smokers

[hook]

Looking to buy a smoker for my fish. I could use some advice on the difference between electric,and regular. Pros and cons for each would be helpful.
Thanks, Dennis

[Life_is_Yak]

electric are pretty much automatic.  they control the heat and the smoke output.  you basically set it and come back when its done.  My uncle has one and he can set it to smoke during the day while he is working and come home to a smoked meal. The old school type you have to control everything, the air the chips, etc.  so it just takes a little more practice and you will have to spend time watching your meal.

[PJ]

I have an old school one.  I paid something like $50 for it.  I respectfully disagree with the old school ones being difficult.  I do the same thing everytime.  Throw in the coal, flame it up, throw in the wood chips & fish after 30.  Let it go for an hour & half to 3 hours.  Usually the coals burn down enough that smoking it a lot longer doesn't dry it out, at least for me.  I love the smell & taste from it too.  Charcoal & applewood, brined in applejuice & I get rave reviews everytime

[Life_is_Yak]

I have an old school one.  I paid something like $50 for it.  I respectfully disagree with the old school ones being difficult.  I do the same thing everytime.  Throw in the coal, flame it up, throw in the wood chips & fish after 30.  Let it go for an hour & half to 3 hours.  Usually the coals burn down enough that smoking it a lot longer doesn't dry it out, at least for me.  I love the smell & taste from it too.  Charcoal & applewood, brined in applejuice & I get rave reviews everytime

I didn't mean the old school were difficult.  But practice does make it easy.  I also probably shouldn't have said you have to spend time watching your meal.  What  I should have said it you have to spend time setting the fire/smoke or cook temp.  not hard, but it does take time.  If you compare it to an electric setup your ready to go in a few minutes. 

So

Both:
cook great meals easy
both smoke with wood

Electric-quick setup done in a few minutes
old school- takes 30 min to setup up fire/smoke

Electric - you buy wood designed to be used in that stove.. probably going to cost a little more
old school - burn what every you want in what ever shape you want - cost will be cheaper

I would say it comes down to what you like/want, how often your going to use it, if you like starting fire, and how much money your willing to spend.  If you want cheap and cost saving or like to get the do it yourself and don't mind a 30 minute start go old school.  If your a microwave simplicity kind of person or you want to smoke often and want to save some time, and don't mind spending a little more money go electric.  Choice is your.  either way the food will be smoked and be great

[Night_Hawk]

As a Meat Scientist I highly recommend the book "Meat Smoking and Smokehouse Design" by Robert Marianski.  This book will have all the information you need on recipes as well as smoke house design.  You can make a much better smoker (vs cooker) for your money.  I will try to post some pics of some that I have made very inexpensively.   

[RHYAK]

Nice set up Night_Hawk

[Night_Hawk]

Thank you, been a while since I was on the site. I'm in NC now, but really miss the west coast ... fishing and the people.  The key to smoking anything but especially fish is keeping the heat away from the product.  You want the smoke not the heat for fish. 

[RHYAK]

Thank you, been a while since I was on the site. I'm in NC now, but really miss the west coast ... fishing and the people.  The key to smoking anything but especially fish is keeping the heat away from the product.  You want the smoke not the heat for fish. 

That is why I love the chiefs for fish. Little to no heat really comes from that thing unless its Hot outside
 
Lot of people like to rush the process.

[MrPukaShell]

Have an electric Big Chief that I use for fish only.  Had the thing for 30 years or so and it works awesome for fish. 

[Dogpound]

That is a cool smoker night hawk.  is that a cold smoker?   it almost looks lIke there is still a little ice on the freezer of that mini fridge..  I assume you have the chips at the end of the tube and that little fan draws smoke into the box?  long tube to let the smoke cool before it gets to the fish? 

for pure smoking I think any way you can control the heat output consistently Is the best.

[MikeinFresno]

Green Mountain Grill, Davy Crockett model...runs on 12V and 110, is portable and kicks arse. Cooked my XMAS turkey to perfection in 3 hrs.