Traeger Pellet Lil' Tex

Wood pellets are a byproduct of the wood industry that can be used to heat or for cooking. Traeger has taken high quality, hardwood pellets and used them to make great barbecue. It works something like this:

Wood pellets, held in a small hopper are moved into the cooking chamber by a mechanical auger. In the center of the cooking chamber is a small fire-pot with a small electric heating element. The heat element ignites the pellets to create the cooking heat and the smoke. During the ignition period (4 minutes) the unit uses 300 watts. After that the unit uses 50 watts. This means that the electric usage is low and won't drive up your power bills.

Years of design improvements and practical testing have improved the Traeger grills and smokers to the point of being some of the best outdoor cooking equipment on the market. If you are serious about barbecue and want a unit that will grill a steak and smoke a brisket, then this is a unit for you to seriously consider.

The Lil' Tex smoker is Traeger's smallest unit, but at 418 square inches of cooking space you will have plenty of room for any family cookout. This unit will run you about $700, but I would recommend the thermostatic control unit as a necessarily accessory. This will put the price at closer to $900.

The wood pellets that this unit runs on are specialized fuel and you will need a good source of these to run your smoker. You can purchase them online. There are several companies that supply these pellets, including Traeger.

Char-Broil Electric H2O Smoker

Of the vertical water smokers on the market for around or under $100USD this one of the easiest to operate. Basically a big can (sometimes referred to as a trash can smoker) with a large electric heating element in the bottom. The 1650 watt (120 volt) heating element can produce enough heat to grill over so it can heat this smoker quickly and easily. The control lets you set the temperature but remember that this unit is not thermostatically controlled.

Above the heating element of this unit is a pan for wood chips to produce the smoker for true barbecue. Above this is a large porcelain coated water pan that serves to catch drippings, produce moisture for the smoking chamber, and to help keep the heat even and consistent. Above the water pan are the two chrome plated cooking grates to hold up to 50 pounds of food. The whole unit is topped off with the lid.

This is a good unit that is perfect for the person just starting out in barbecue or the person who wants good barbecue without spending a lot of money or doing a lot of work.

I consider the Old Smokey Electric Smoker as a similar but superior smoker. However the Char-Broil is generally easier to find.

Weber Smokey Mountain 22.5 Inch Smoker

You've probably seen pictures of the incredible smokers that hit this barbecue competition circuit every year. Custom smokers costing tens of thousands of dollars (or more) that are the pride of serious barbecue cooks. Well for every one of these on the road there are probably a dozen Weber Smokey Mountains (WSMs). These easy to use smokers produce fantastic barbecue, hold temperatures for very long periods of time cost a whole lot less (list price is $499 but can be found for $399).

With this kind of popularity Weber has finally come up with a larger version of this smoker. With 726 square inches of cooking space divided between two cooking surfaces, the 22.5 inch Smokey Mountain is perfect for the person who wants to produce a lot of barbecue. What is particularly good about this size is that it more easily holds whole racks of spare ribs in addition to giving you enough space for 60 pound of pork butts or perhaps 4 large turkeys.

Added to the WSM with this model is a lid mounted thermometer which is a necessarily addition. Previously people had been drilling holes in this smokers to put in a thermometer so they could determine the cooking temperature without having to open the lid. The large thermometer mounted in this unit is accurate and divided at the 5 degree mark giving it a high level of accuracy. Also added is a bottom heat shield to help protect any surface that the smoker is put on. This heat shield also seems to have the affect of reflecting heat upwards making the smoker more efficient.

On the one down side, the front access door is a little flimsy so you should be careful not to bend it out of shape. The upside of this is that you can "custom" fit it so that it holds in the smoke better.

Or try the: Weber Smokey Mountain 18.5 Inch Smoker.

Smoker: Fast Eddy's by Cookshack FEC100

They say that nothing succeeds like success, and the FEC (Fast Eddy Cooker) line of competition smokers have proven it. In the last decade this smoker has become the cooker of choice for competition cooks who want to win. More and more you see grand championships going to teams using FEC smokers including two the last three Jack Daniel's Invitational.

The secret is in the simplicity, simplicity of use. The basic design of this smoker is a dual layer of thick 304 stainless steel separated by high temperature insulation to hold in heat. Heat is provided by an electronically controlled 36,000 BTU pellet burner fed from an external hopper (you can add more pellets without opening the smoker). The computer controlled system maintains the smoker temperature with a high degree of precision so you don't have to deal with fluctuations. With the optional (definitely a must) temperature probe you can put your meat in the smoker, set the desired target temperature and the FEC will take it from there. Once the target temperature is reached the smoker temperature will drop into a holding position until you are ready to remove your barbecue.

This smoker is expertly constructed by Cookshack, makers of some of the best electric smokers on the market, from Ed Maurin's design. The attention to detail is amazing. This smoker is not only perfect for competitions but a perfect unit for anyone serious about barbecue who has the cash and the need for a lot of great food. The FEC 100 is the smallest of the FEC smokers and you will find many of the larger units being used in some of the best barbecue joints in the world.

Classic Barbecue Sauce

If you like a rich, thick barbecue sauce on your ribs, then this is the perfect one for you. By using tomato sauce and tomato paste instead of ketchup you get a richer flavor in your barbecue sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 4 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• fresh ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook minced onion and garlic in olive oil until onions turns opaque. Add remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 cups of barbecue sauce.

Carolina Style Sauce

Big Daddy says, "This is Carolina style barbecue sauce." This means that it is vinegar and mustard based, as opposed to the ketchup and molasses based sauces of the mid and southwest. The combination of sweet and tangy flavors brings out the absolute best in grilled or smoked pork or chicken.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon liquid smoke (hickory flavoring)

Preparation:

Mix all except soy, butter and smoke. Simmer 30 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Barbequing: An American Tradition

No matter if it is the 4th of July, or just another day in the summer, chances are someone in your area is barbequing. Barbequing has become a standard American tradition for families. The reason as clear as to why, not only does the food that comes from barbequing have a taste that is unmatched by other cooking methods, but barbequing presents a reason for families to gather together. Some on my most memorial experiences happened outdoors at one of my families many get-togethers.

Planning A Barbeque

First, no barbeque would be complete without guests and proper outdoors weather. Plan ahead of time, checking with your potential guests for scheduling conflicts and issues. Finding a date and time that is suitable for everyone should not be to hard as long as you everyone enough advanced notice. Alternatively, be sure to check the weather for that type of year. If you live in a climate that cannot be predicted, then you may want to have a backup plan just incase unusual weather comes. You cannot predict things like rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you can make sure that you hold you barbeque during the time of year that will be pleasant to your guests. A barbeque in cold weather may hold more negative memories of trying to keep warm rather then good memories of family and friends.

Barbequing has been around since early cavemen figured out that food tasted great after being cooked on an open fire. Perhaps one of the main memories attached to a family barbeque is what was on the menu that day. Barbequing opens a whole array of types of foods available. The type of foods you serve should largely depend on your crowd and the event in which you are celebrating. With the wide range of possibilities, you are sure to find at least a few items that will please your crowd.

Make sure that you prepare ahead for your barbeque. 12 to 24 hours before you plan on beginning the party, make sure to thaw, prepare, and marinate the meat you will be cooking. Once you have the meat stored away, soaking up the marinate, then you must start thinking about what types of side dishes you will be having. If you want a completely tradition barbeque, you may want to stick with traditional sizes. Traditional barbeque sides include potatoes and potato salad, baked beans, and coleslaw. Your traditional condiment bar should include pickles, relish, and onions. These foods are typically severed at barbeques because they are easy to prepare and store until the event happens. You may want to cook other items, but any barbeque is complete with just the items listed above.

A themed barbeque may present more opportunities to hold a festive event. With a themed event, you can splurge on the atmosphere and decorations. Matching tablecloths, napkins, and plates can be found at any local store. You can also match your décor to the party. For example, a luau could simply be creative colored utensils, leis, and Tiki torches, all of which are extremely cheap. You can even reuse the Tiki torches later!

Your party area should be set up before guest arrive. It only takes a few minutes to get everything ready, but the reaction you get from your arriving guests may make you feel like you were preparing and decorating all day. Depending on the situation, you may or may not want to have the food already cooking on the grill. The smell will surely be inviting if you start cooking ahead!