So I've taken up smoking lately

I recently took up smoking, and after reading mountains of opinions online (analysis paralysis), I've had some success. The smoker I'm using I picked up used (well, not from a store but not ever used to smoke anything) for $10 or so, but have had some issues with getting it up to heat. To deal with this, after many smokings with cardboard boxes over the smoker, I finally added to hotplate to the bottom of the smoker. The ribs and pork shoulder are the first attempt at smoking after adding the additional heat and came out pretty good...better than most bbq from a restaurants.


These ribs were also my first time using mesquite, I usually use hickory. I'll probably switch back to hickory after I use up the rest of the mesquite, I like the sweeter aromatics in the hickory that I don't get with the mesquite. The food was excellent, tender and juicy, but still not perfect. To help with improvements, I added a more accurate temperature gauge to the smoker so I know the actual temp of the smoker, not just whether it is "warm", "ideal", or "hot". Worthless. I'll be sticking it at 220 for the most part now.


I can usually only smoke once every couple months, being covered in smoke all day while out camping is one thing, but around the house it makes me nuts and I crave a shower almost as much as eating. Hopefully with some work on the smoker I won't have to stand out in the smoke messing with the temperature as much.


So here are some pics of the recent smoking:

Here it is from the store, all wrapped in plastic and unrubbed. Speaking of rub, I just cover them with mustard and put a cheap rub on from the store...obviously I'm far from hard core on this.


















Getting the smoker ready, filled the bottom with wood chips (for fast smoke) and wood chunks (so I don't have to put more chips in every hour). Note the two power cords coming from the unit :-).


















Ribs just getting started on the smoker, there are more ribs and the pork shoulder on the rack below them.
















And here they are coming out, they look like they're worth eating now:

The lower rack. We're all addicted to pulled pork, so it's hard to smoke without doing at least a small shoulder.





































And the money shot, yum. I was so stuffed when I got done with these I could hardly finish the pork shoulder.
















so...some other smokings...turkey is always good. I put some olive oil on this one per some site's recommendation, but wouldn't do it again. The last turkey I smoked had a real nice crispy skin and more smoke penetrated the meat.
















Alright...picture of the previous turkey...note the skin texture, delicious.