What 'Fer?I've long touted my 18 inch Old Smokey Charcoal Grill (OSCG) as the perfect combination grill and smoker for the outdoor charcoal enthusiast and BBQ purist. So why an electric smoker?
Several reasons. In my review of the OSCG, I noted the trivial limitations of the 18 inch charcoal grill I've come to love and use year-round to grill steaks, burgers, dogs, sausages, whole chickens and small roasts. Namely, the 18 inch model is a tad too small to effectively cook larger pork butts, shoulders, and whole turkeys. Especially if you favor the indirect cooking method.
Enter the Old Smokey Electric Smoker. Made by the same all-American company in Texas, the Old Smokey Electric Smoker, is, surprise, the perfect complement to its charcoal sister.
Electric Really Does Work
I was skeptical that you could get authentic wood smoke flavor using a heating element and an aluminum tube, which essentially characterizes the design of the Old Smokey Electric Smoker.
As simple as the Old Smokey sounds, the design and function are somewhat novel. You have an entirely enclosed system that functions
without the addition or use of water. Just inches from the bottom--which is lined with grease absorbing stones--you have a shallow aluminum plate that rests on a 120 volt heating element. You control the element from the exterior by selecting one of three heat levels: low, medium, and high, for an
effective cooking range of 200 - 400 deg. F. Just above the element is a large bowl that captures the grease from the two dripping grills spaced above it. The
first of the two grills inside the unit is roughly
12 inches in diameter and sits on the bowl, giving you about 14-16 inches of clearance from the second grill. The second, which is
14.5 inches in diameter, sits below the lid giving you about four inches of clearance from the lid. Both grills come equipped with handles so you can remove them easily from the opening at the top. The tight lid fits snug and keeps moisture from escaping. The heating element heats the aluminum chip tray, and creates smoke and heat that flavor and cook the meat. The moisture then drips down to the pan and circulates back through the unit. There is no need to add water--the natural moisture is enough to create a steamy, juicy environment.
The result is delicious meat that is tender and smoky. I've used my smoker to smoke and cook 12 lbs. of summer sausage, a whole turkey, duck, chickens, beef briskets, sweet corn, and ribs. The smoker would also be perfect for crabs, shellfish, lobsters, and salmon. I've been amazed at how fast this thing cooks meat.
I finished a 14 lb. whole turkey in about 3 hours. The second shelf is large enough for your turkeys, while the top shelf should be reserved for flatter cuts of meat. So far, I've used apple, maple and alder wood chips with great success.
Clean-up is generally simple. You basically have a pan and two grills to clean. Change the wood with each session (wood chips and sawdust are easy to replace), and after three or four sessions, replace the stones in the bottom.
The user manual provides assembly instructions, advice on how to initially cure your smoker, and recipes. This information is also available on-line at the Old Smokey web site at http://www.oldsmokey.com/index.html.
How Big Is This Thing?The Old Smokey Electric Smoker is
29" tall x 15.5" in diameter. The unit has two external handles for easy transportation. The company offers a 1-year warranty.
CostThe Barbecue Store sells the Old Smokey for less than
$140.00. I've had excellent luck with them in the past when ordering lump charcoal and other grill accessories, so I'm confident they'll ship you a damage-free unit. Their shipping charge is $15 and they stock the
full line of replacement parts should something break on your original unit. A note on price...You might save a little by buying from Amazon, but make sure the vendor isn't Northern Tool (see below).
DrawbacksReal smoking takes time and tends to leave the exterior of the meat somewhat dry and crispy. The
Old Smokey tends to steam everything, so any dry rub or seasonings you apply tends to get washed away by the steam and exiting meat juices. On the whole, this is a small price to pay for the convenience of an electric smoker that doesn't require the constant attention one would have to pay to an offset wood fire box. Much to my disappointment, I also learned the Old Smokey cooks too hot on its smallest setting to cold smoke salmon. That's not really a knock against the Old Smokey, as there are very few, if any, commercial smokers capable of cold smoking fish at the requisite 80-90 deg. F. temperature. I'll have to figure out some other way to make my own lox!
Another drawback is that the
unit does not come with an external thermometer, so you have to open the lid to check the temps of your meat. Of course, doing so releases the smoke and moisture captured inside so you really shouldn't fuss with the meat much once you've started cooking. Also, if you do buy an Old Smokey Electric Smoker,
make sure you invest in a heavy 6-8 foot extension cord. The cord to the heating element is only 3-4 feet in length.
Getting your unit shipped to you may pose a problem as well, especially if you use
Northern Tool. The folks there don't carefully wrap the smoker,
so mine arrived with a few dings in the lid and main body. According to reviews left elsewhere, this is common. I used a hammer to knock them out, but the lid has never really fit right without some minor adjustments from a hammer on cook day. My unit, while a cinch to assemble, was also missing a few nuts and bolts. While annoying, these issues weren't major enough to warrant my returning the product for replacement. If you can get your Old Smokey from an alternate vendor, do it.
Conclusion
For the price and convenience, you can't beat the Old Smokey Electric Smoker. It's an affordable way to round out your grill set up.
Happy Grilling!
Contact InformationOld Smokey Products Company
PO Box 4
Houston, TX 77001-0004
1-800-999-1923
info@oldsmokey.com
http://www.oldsmokey.com/index.html
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