Propane Smoker

[ipyrek]

Any recommendations for a good propane smoker for under $200.? Is a 2 door much better then a single door ? should I look for one with a brass burner ?

[eye shot]

I would'nt buy a store bought, most of them you can't turn down below 200 deg. and thats not real smoking. This book will show how to biuld your own with cost of book included for less than $100. Then you have the book with all the recipeis and how to avoid bochalizum. I did the one in the book made out of an old upright freezer- fridg. and it works great. Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing by Rytek Kutas.

[mcwoodduck]

Why do you want Propane?  Propane when burned has water vapor in it. (propane and O2 = Co2 and H2OV.  Depending on your burner you will get CO, NOx, and Carbon.  That water vapor is acidic and will condense on your food.  Flue product condinsate is about as acidic as apple juice and working with boilers, Condinsate will eat steel, eat concrete, and having gathered some of it in condinsate traps it smells aweful.  I can not see how it will help your rub.
A million BTU boiler will produce 10 gallons of condinsate per hour of run time.  Your smoker is going to create about 3 gallons of condinsate for 12 hours of smoking. 
If you are looking for ease I would get an electric, only water and wood chips and an even heat source.
Other than that it is hard to be the $90 webber silver kettle grill and a couple of bricks as a smoker.  You can also go the Alton Brown way and use $40 woth of clay pots and an electric hot plate.  Good eats on Food network.  If you want I will find out the eposide and a parts list.
 

[Ron 1]

a guy i know bought one and was telling me how good it worked..when i was there i decided to try some of his smoked turkey..after i smelled it i did not want to taste it.. seems the fire was blown out and the turkey was in there with the propane gas..yes it tastes as it smelled PROPANE  yum..  yum..
      rw

[eye shot]

In the winter I use propane as a kicker to my electric hot plate. In summer the hot plate is enough by it's self, this is inside a insulated old upright freezer. The little bit of propane used is usually no more than a pilot light and it doesn't add any unusual tast to the meat. I cure my meat and the temps in the smokehouse never get above 165deg. Heres an example "Smoked Venison Sausage- After stuffing hang on smoke sticks and dry at room temp. for 4-5 hr.Place in smokehouse preheated to 120-130deg. Apply a heavy smudge and smoke at this temp for 3-4hrs. until the desired color is obtained. Raise to 165degs. and cook until the internal temp reaches 145deg After cooking shower with cold water until internal temp is at least 120deg". Remember this is cured meat! As you can see the smoker is never run at 200degs.

[ipyrek]

Thanks for the Info, now I have to decide what way to go.