BRINKMANN ELECTRIC SMOKER REVIEW
The
Brinkmann is a fabulous all-around smoker. This unit is known as a wet smoker
(the wood chips or chunks are put directly on lava rock adjacent to the electric
heating element). A steel pot filled with water is then placed on top of the
electric element that. Heat from the element boils the water into steam and
this mixes with the smoke from the smoldering wood and passes over the meat.
Some of the moisture escapes through a designed 1/2" gap between the top and the smoker, but drippings from the meat fall back into the water pan. They can then pass over and through the meat again as they are steamed. The result is a wet basting smoke that tenderizes while it smokes leaving meat moist, tender and full of flavor. I have used this unit for beef & deer jerky, smoked salmon steaks, whole turkeys, hams, ribs and pork chops and I can tell you:
NOTHING beats this cooking--- NOTHING!
There are unfortunately some down-sides to this pleasure. They are:
1. There are space limitations when it comes to making jerky. While you can fit in a turkey or ham, the unit is not set up for multiple trays for stacking jerky. Of course you can modify the unit and add trays (I got a total of 5 trays) but they are a pain in the ass to stack.
2. The time it takes to cook averages anywhere from 4 to10 hours depending on what you are cooking. You may find yourself up at 5am one Thanksgiving morning putting on the dinner bird. Combine this with the fact that the wood only lasts for 2 hours (a refill on wood results in that much more of a smoky flavor) and the water only lasts for 4 hours before you have to refill it. Miss this water addition and you'll have one dry piece of meat.
3. Clean-up leaves a lot to be desired.
The Brinkmann Smoke n' Grill (in electric and charcoal) is available through the Brinkmann Corp. Web site for $119.95 + S/H ($169.95 for charcoal).
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