Electric Smoker Question

[captain cook]

Has anyone had any experience with the "Luhr Jensen Big Chief" electric smoker (50 lb capacity front loading). They are now selling a 240 VAC model in Australia. I would welcome any feed back on this particular model and electric smokers in general.
I have been asked a few questions about them.

I am going to talk to the Australian Importer in the next 2 days. One of the comments that came up a few times in product reviews was that it did not cook the food and if you left in in too long it dried it out. It does not have an adjustable temp control and maintains 80 C (about 175 F) It does have an optional thermal blanket which gets it up to 110 C (about 225 F.)

What is the difference between these and soking in a Weber Kettle or charcoal smoker?

Cheers

[Bad Flynch]

Cap'n.
Years ago, I started out with a Luhr Yensen Lil' Chief smoker. Its one fault was that it did cook and I wanted to cold smoke summersausage and cheese. Well, I learned to live with it and to distinguish between the merits of hot and cold smoking; you should, too.

225 degrees F will adequately hot smoke most anything, if one gives it long enough (1-1.5 hrs per pound). One of the big problems is with wind stripping away the heat on a cold day, so a well-insulated model or one with a heat retaining jacket would be a real advantage for smoke-cooking.

Cold smoke is great for sausagees and cheeses.

[captain cook]

Thanks Brad
Am I to assume that 80 C is ok for cold smoking or should it be less.
I am at a bit of a loss here.

Can you explain.

Regards

[wheels]

No it's not, cold smoking ideally needs to be below 25°C, and preferably lower.

Are you thinking of 80°F - that's about an OK temp for cold smoking.

Phil