Northwest Fishing Reports

Can someone recommend a failry cheap smoker? I mean like around $100 give or take a few bucks. I admit the Bradleys look really nice but they are expensive.
does anybody still use The Little Chief by Jensen, or the Brinkman?
I would want either propane or electric, no charcoal.

p.s. I've got until about 3:00 until I need to start shmokin'.
I am leaning towards "The Great Outdoors Propane Smoker" $129.00

I have the Big chief smoker. It has 5 racks and works real well. I use 3 or 4 pans of chips then just heat the rest of the time.
The little chief is the same unit but it only has 3 racks.

Here is the one we have.Its the Brinkmann Gourmet Electric Smoker.It is a awesome smoker.I have smoked countless fish a couple of turkeys,some cheeses.I would high recomend it.Here is the link to it at Home Depot.This is a killer smoker at a good price like $64.00 and tax.Cant go wrong with this one.http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/sto ... arketID=44

I hope this helps.

Thanks guys.... I decided to go Old School and stick with the Little Chief. On my way out now.

I've got the little chief! Not bad, I've used it once so far, I was using the charcoal one before. The little chief is suppose to retain heat better than the big one, but still it took time to cook. It was more than enough room for 2 steelies this winter. It's worth it for a smoker under 100bucks.

quadradomus wrote:Thanks guys.... I decided to go Old School and stick with the Little Chief. On my way out now.

Nice, you're going with the old school Little Chief. Let us know how it smokes them cutts up. I'm eager to hear...I run a Bradley Smoker and love it; but it's pricey and so are its burquettes.

I have the big chief and for the most part it works well but you will want to get the thermal blanket. I have been looking at a unit from walmart that looks like it will work better, and for $140 it is not much more than the big chief.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... id=3342508

I guess I'm old school because I still use the Little Chief smoker, too. I've constantly had one since 1979 and have seen no reason to trade (up?) to something different.

Big Chief has my vote. Holds about double the amount as a Little Chief. I slide the box over the outside to smoke during the colder months.

northfork wrote:Big Chief has my vote. Holds about double the amount as a Little Chief. I slide the box over the outside to smoke during the colder months.

Both of those smokers are great smokers. I love my Bradley and feed my family with the Bradley smoker. It does great work with the fish I catch and I owe many a good lunches to the Bradley Smoker.

Side note - my heart goes out to the crew that died in Alaska today. Very sad news. You have my prayers.

The only issue I have with my Big Chief is when you smoke something bigger you need to finish it in the oven. Otherwise it has been a great intro smoker.

I've always been hit or miss on the Big/Little chief systems. Enough people seem to like them and they do not hurt the pocket, so why not?

Part of the deal is that I've never taken the time to really work on getting my smoking skills real good, and I just enjoy cooking up fresh fish and the taste of it too much. If I don't cook the fish I kept after a day or two, it's off to the neighbors who always appreciate a fillet or two...

This is the smoker I use: http://www.joessports.com/product/index ... age=search

It's $399 new at Joe's, but it's worth every penny. I know it's a little costly, but I have smoking down to a science with this smoker...it does an amazing job. Less expensive smokers still work well and do a good job.

Also, another option is to take your meat to a professional smoker and they will do a good job as well. They vacuum pack your fish and you're good to go...I use a smoker out in Monroe, Wa.

Waaa!!!

Whatever.... I got out to the store and I got the Brinkman which Shawn from Poulsbo had mentioned instead. Well see how it all turns out in the end.
I must say though, that this whole world of smokin' foods looks really cool. You know how some people are just freaks about their bbq recipes etc. Well, there is a whole school of similar behaviour/thinking out there with smoking foods. Some amazing sounding recipes, I'll have to add some to the culinary forum.

I hear that this smoker is cheap and easy...




(I kill me.)

=d> Pretty Good Hillbilly!