question on charcoal smoking vs gas

First off, HERE’S the unit I’ve got. Works like a champ.

Here’s the question: this thing is a 7-in-1 smoker/grill, the whole works. I love this thing. I’ve smoked with it a few times with gas, and it works very well. But I’d like to try charcoal smoking sometime. So do you put the charcoal and wood all in the same tray and just light it up? Try to get the charcoal on the bottom and wood on top of it somehow? Any suggestions? Never done it before with charcoal, but really wanna try the taste.

While I’m thinking of it, does anyone smoke fish? If so, how does it turn out? What tricks/suggestions do you have for that?

Thanks guys!

I made an old refrigerator into a smoker. I heat it with a double element hotplate to the temperature I need for what im smoking, one element is for heat and the other is to heat the smoking materials in the pan. I Have a water pan that I use to keep whatever im smoking from drying out and thats above the elements so it heats up and the moisture rises. With fish and chicken I keep the skin on to keep it from drying out. A slow cool smoke is what I use instead of letting the smoker get to hot. I use corncobs to flavor with when doing fish and chicken. The cornsuryp is what sweetens the meat. Oak or hickory for pork and beef. I use a pan to put my smoking materials in and presoak them so they don’t catch fire and get the smoker too hot. I take my time when smoking and do it all day starting early in the morning. All I use is a small plume of smoke and adjust the damper at the top to keep the draft down and the heat where it needs to be. A lower temp for fish, next is beef then chicken and pork. 170 to 190 does everything I smoke or cook. I check the temperature of my smoking material so it dosen’t dry out and catch fire. I soak my fish in a heavy salt brine to break down the oils and make the meat more solid plus to give it more shelf life. A long cool smoke instead of the smoker getting over 200 works for me and it gives it more time for the meat to smoke. Its an art to get a good smoke and not let the meat dry out or cook too fast. You’ll find the ranges you need for what you like and watch your air flow so things don’t catch on fire.

I use Apple wood and Willow Branchs for smoking.Spring time i try to get some Crap or SheepHead.

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Spring time i try to get some Crap or SheepHead.

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Im not sure I want to come to dinner!

I used to have a little sportsman smoker that was charcoal. The wood would sit in a pan above the coals. I smoked fish many times and they come out great.

These cook way hotter than traditional smokers. The fish would be done in the life of the charcoal. I generally use apple and cherry for fish. Hickory is good with about anything too.

If you are interested in a very informative forum on smoking “anything”, here’s the place for you………… SMOKING MEATS

If it can’t be answered there……..It can’t be answered!!!

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Spring time i try to get some Crap or SheepHead.

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I’ll try the sheephead please……….

for pork or beef hickory mixed with some type of fruit or nut wood is hard to beat. (Try pecan) I like the bigger chunks as they will continue to smolder longer, and always soak in water, or beer or cider for an hour. I like to use about 1/2 charcoal and 1/2 lump coal. The charcoal will hold the heat and the lump coal will get things rolling quicker. after the charcoal is ready put in the bottom and sprinkle a few unlit charcoal brick on top, put the soaked wood directly on the charcoal, keep uncovered till smoke is flowing (now would be a good time to warm up the water in your pan) then assemble the cooker. Takes 6-8 hours for a good brisket or pork shoulder. I would brine the fish first and I have no experience with smoked crap, so let me know how it turns out.

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Spring time i try to get some Crap or SheepHead.

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I’ll try the sheephead please……….

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I use birch most of the time. Lighter taste, not quite so bitter.

Brian,
soak your wood in water then place it on top of your all ready hot coals, a little wood makes a lot of smoke,

I’ll try the Sheephead…

Does anyone have a goog brine recipe for smoking trout they would like to share with me???????

Thanks guys, I do appreciate it. I think once I get my replacement water bowl, I will try the charcoal method. I can only imagine the taste, it’s gotta be great.