It's time to buy the Bullet. Weber's Smokey Mountain is fabulous.
I toyed with the idea of buying a barbecue smoker for a long time. I really wanted some home smoked ribs and barbecue, but I knew it took a long time to smoke. The prices on smokers were "up there" too.
After doing research and drooling all over my computer for about a year, I finally ordered the Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet.
Yes. There are other models out there. Some of them are cheaper.
I did see a few comments about the little door on the Bullet and also about the drip pan. Other than that, folks seemed mighty happy with the Smokey Mountain.
We got our SMB and set it up right up. Very easy. Then, we tossed on some ribs. Those first ones were a tad undercooked, but we could see (or taste) the light.
As far as the door, that's just for adding water. It doesn't have to be cast iron. In fact, it would probably fall off it were heavier. No complaints on that here.
The drip pan is lightweight, but I'm not into weight lifting when it comes to grill gear. Our pan has held up well. We do cover it with tin foil (mostly to help with clean up). I suppose we might have to replace it one of these days but certainly not anytime soon.
I guess the only real issue with the Smokey Mountain Bullet is that it does not have a thermometer built in. If you do much smoking at all, you can guage that anyway. I'd guess something like that would probably wear out and then be in the way. I'd just as soon eyeball my food or use a pocket thermometer.
If you've been thinking about a smoker but haven't been sure whether to get one and what kind to get, I say thumbs up to Weber. They make grills, and they make a wonderful smoker.
We got our Smokey Mountain Bullet by Weber from Amazon.
With a price check, they did have the lowest price when we were buying.
Weber 2820 Smokey Mountain Cooker/Smoker
Amazon Price: $202.95 (as of 10/12/2008)
Reasons to Buy a Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet
And, I'm sure you can come up with some others.
- You know you want some smoked ribs, butts, shoulders, chickens and turkeys.
You're tired of tough ribs on the grill.
Sliding the charcoal around to the sides is just not working.
You want a smoker that's easy to use.
Quality matters. You want to invest in a smoker - not just buy it one year and toss it out the next.
Weber is a company you know and can trust.
You love a party.
Waiting a while is worth it for really super food.
You're a fan of Grill Girl and do everything she tells you to.
Yes! You Can Grill (and smoke)
Once you get a smoker or even if you don't . . .
Smoking meat is a little more advanced than grilling, but it's definately worth the extra time and effort.Once you get smoking down, it's really more about time than effort. While the food is smoking, I watch TV, read, whatever. The food and fire just needs checked now and then.
I know some folks have a hard time smoking and grilling, so I am working on a web site. Yes You Can Grill covers everything from very basic grill recipes and tips up through more advanced outdoor recipes. It just went live, so I'm still building.
It's much easier to smoke ribs with rib racks.
These are really inexpensive too. Buy one or two or more.
Weber 3601 Rib Rack
Amazon Price: $11.99 (as of 10/12/2008)
Weber 6406 Rib Rack
Amazon Price: $9.72 (as of 10/12/2008)
That Beer Butt Chicken I keep talking about . . .
It's a lot easier to do a beer butt chicken on a smoker.
You can smoke a Beer Butt Chicken on a grill with a kettle lid, but it gets a little tight in there. Trust me. I climbed in and checked. Oh no. That was our new city trashcan. I had to write a newspaper article and climbed in to get an estimate of the size.In any case, a smoker is perfect for cooking chicken of any type and especially Beer Butt Chicken (which sits upright).
At this point, you are probably wondering exactly how to make a Beer Butt Chicken. Check out my Beer Butt Chicken article on my Yes! You Can Grill web site. I also have a lot of other great smoker, grill and side dish recipes posted there and more coming soon.
We get fired up with a Chimney Starter.
All you need are a couple of sheets of newspaper. Super easy!
The chimney starter was another grill accessory that I debated about. It sounded like a great idea, but I wasn't sure exactly how it worked.Once I got my chimney starter, I couldn't believe I'd waited so long.
Seriously, this is easy, easy, easy.
You don't have to use lighter fluid, and the coals burn much more evenly.
Best of all, this is an inexpensive item that pays for itself over and over again.
Stop pouring that lighter fluid in your smoker.
You're going to blow it up or have the food tasting like lighter fluid.
Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter
Amazon Price: $12.49 (as of 10/12/2008)
Weber 87886 Chimney Starter
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 10/12/2008)
What can I do with my Smokey Mountain Bullet?
Mercy me. A better question is: What can't you do with the Bullet?
My friends all call me the Grill Girl. They call when they need recipes, tips or help.If you want ideas for outdoor cooking including smoking, check out my Barbeque Master blog. I'm also working on a web site to help others master the grill and smoker. That site will be Yes! You Can Grill. I'll check back when I get that up and rolling.
You'll also want to visit Virtual Weber Bullet. For some reason, I've never been able to get there through the Weber site, but it's a great community of Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet fans who can hook you up with anything you need or want to know about smoking or about the WSMB.">
Great Stuff on Amazon
Other Barbecue Smokers
Backyard BBQ: The Art of Smokology
Amazon Price: $15.95 (as of 10/12/2008)
Weber 87886 Chimney Starter
Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 10/12/2008)
Master Barbecue 7 In 1 Smoker
Amazon Price: (as of 10/12/2008)
All You Need to Know About the Smokey Mountain Bullet
Put the meat on the smoker and pull up a chair.
You've got some time to check in and talk turkey, ribs, and shoulders.
"Q" folks are good people. Drop in and chat. No telling who you might meet up with.
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Meendaal
Another great informative lens! Some ideas are to remove the membrane before cooking. Don't peek too often as that cuts the heat big times and adds to the cooking time. Posted September 17, 2008 |
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GrillGirl
Oh my. I'm not sure how to get in touch. I've been adding rib info at my Yes You Can Grill site today. It does sound like you need to cook longer. Some ideas are to remove the membrane before cooking. Don't peek too often as that cuts the heat big times and adds to the cooking time. Hum. If you email cyndiallison@gmail.com then I can try to help some more. It helps when I know where folks run into problems, so I can add more to directions for others. Posted July 08, 2008 |
I've smoked ribs on the Bullet a few times and haven't got it perfected quite yet. Since it doesn't have a thermometer, I have a surface thermometer to keep the temp around 200-225 degrees. However, the meat doesn't fall off the bone like I would expect it. I'm not sure if I should have the temperature higher to make sure the water heats up enough to add moisture or if I am just cooking them too long. I have them in the smoker for 4-5 hours. I don't think I am cooking them too long because the meat isn't too dry. I realize it will take time to perfect and am more than willing to put in the time, but any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Posted July 08, 2008
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eccles1
Ribs in the bullet yum ! Posted March 03, 2008 |
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pondlady
I can see beer butt chicken on our grill or in a smoker at our house this summer. Posted June 12, 2007 |
