Quote:
Originally Posted by White Out 403
Whats the cost of entry into meat smoking for a total novice? And effort?
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It's actually not as intimidating as it seems, trust me I was in your shoes just over a year ago!
I invested in a pellet smoker to start, the "mini fridge" digital electric smokers are a bit cheaper but not nearly as good as a pellet smoker, and then it only goes up from there.
I think I paid around $500-650 for mine and its been absolutely wonderful to work with. A bag of pellets is about $20 which fills the hopper 2 times, and your hopper lasts about 4-5 smokes depending on what you're cooking and how long your smoke time is.
A lot of smoking can be left alone for extended periods of time, the prep work usually takes the longest (trimming briskets, seasoning the meats etc) but the reward/payoff is outstanding.
There are a LOT of good resources on youtube to help walk you through the process, though I find cook times are always different depending on your personal smoker so you'll learn as you go. Invest in a good digital thermometer ($50-100) and you'll be set.
Malcom Reed aka Howtobbqright on youtube is my go to for most things.