We went with a smaller-sized 5-7kg young turkey, and the total smoking time was 2.5 hours. Sure, the quality could be a little better, but the structural strength of the smoker is more than adequate. While I didn’t have any way of testing this smoker with pit boss electric smoker external temperature probes, the smoker seemed to stay pretty close (within 20°ish F) from what I set it at. The latch in the back of the smoker at the bottom for draining the pellets could have been done much better, poor design and quality of that.
Finally, they’re excellent options for quicker smoke sessions, as for vegetables or fish. The 440 outperformed some more expensive models in heating time, retention, and temperature recovery. The grill does have some hard-to-avoid hot spots, with the firebox adjacent to the cooking space and a heat shield that doesn’t cover the entire grill. We also noted some temperature dips during our long smoke test, about 50°F below the preset temperature. These fluctuations gave pork shoulder a somewhat astringent taste.
That’s the beauty of a smoked turkey, it’s a more casual approach to a bird that is often prepared for formal occasions. This smoked turkey recipe can be enjoyed any time of year; winter or summer, it’s a delicious and easy dish to prepare. While the Z Grills 700D ($500 at Home Depot) offers consistent heat, making it suitable for baking or smoking, its upper-temperature limit of 450°F doesn’t translate into a good sear.
It didn’t score the highest in our baking tests, but the unit did not drop temperature at mid-range operation when opening and adding food. Even with an 18-pound capacity, we’d like to see a larger hopper, as it seems outsized by the available cooking area. The most expensive grill on this list, the Timberline has a high cost-to-value ratio. The cost is due, in part, to its double-wall construction and convection design, which paid off in the grill’s superior heat control and retention. Test after test, the Timberline stood out for the amount of smoke it gave chicken, pizza, flank steaks, and pork shoulder (the juiciest pork shoulder any of the grills produced).
We like its large capacity, which can handle up to eight racks of ribs, nine chickens, or six pork butts. Three tiers of stainless steel grates allowed us to move food on and off the grill easily. Pellet smokers are known for being mostly self-operating, and these Pit Boss models live up to that standard of convenience.
Made with a striking copper color and hammertone finish, they have an automatic prime function that ignites pellets using a fan-forced draft and 300-watt igniter. You can also take advantage of their 10 temperature presets, start-up and cool-down cycles, and control knob with an external heat indicator on the front panel. Pit Boss Copperhead smokers are outfitted with four swivel caster wheels so you can move them around your outdoor area as needed.
Refunds
are issued to the original form of payment; some exclusions may apply. I think the smoker control board would be more user-friendly if it was located at the top of the smoker instead of the bottom, It would be easier pit boss pellets to see and use. Once I managed to get everything assembled I could tell that the smoker was built well and is very easy to roll around. You can also skip the freezing stage and slice your jerky using a jerky slicer.
It was a snap to clean and was one of the least expensive models we tested. While these smokers get low ratings I don’t entirely blame Pit Boss. There are inherent problems with electric smokers in general such as difficulty generating enough smoke at the right temperature, slow heat up times and difficulty maintaining temperatures in cold weather. Many of these problems will be become magnified when the smoker has an analog control system that must be manually adjusted to adapt to different weather conditions.
The target temperature is then maintained with wood chips, which also influence the overall flavor of the food cooked in the smoker. The big appeal of an electric smoker is that it’s quick and easy to start, and the heating rod does the work when it comes to temperature maintenance. There’s a new boss in town – introducing the Pit Boss 3 Series Digital Electric pit boss electric smoker Smoker. The ability to infuse flavor into your smoker is easy with the oversized front load wood chip tray, offering up to two hours of cooking time per load. The superior ground up engineered design gives you the ability to reach higher highs and lower lows. This solid Traeger grill brings most of the functionality of larger models to a mobile form.
Lower the temperature back to 160°F and DO NOT add any more wood chips. Too much smoke will also ruin the jerky; 30 minutes to an hour of smoke is just perfect in my opinion. Leaving the wood tray door halfway open (after all the wood has finished burning) to allow airflow through the smoker also helps dry the jerky faster. Setting aside the Wi-Fi angle, the Traeger Pro 575 is one of the best-regarded smokers on the market. It maintains temperatures up to 500 degrees F, it can be used to grill, smoke, or roast almost anything, and it creates less mess than traditional charcoal and offset smokers. On longer smoking sessions, we appreciated the large door to add fuel and wood chips.