Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker Review

Because we needed a new grill, our search lead us to the Weber Genesis E320 and we are very happy with our choice. 

Once my husband got busy trying out some of the recipes in his BBQ cookbook that he got for Father's Day he started experimenting with smoking his meat. (If you have every had smoked meat you know how delicious it is.)

 Because Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we were hosting the family this year, we decided that we wanted to cook our turkey by smoking it so we decided to buy one.

My husband did try smoking a roast on our new Weber Genesis grill however found that it really didn't work as planned. This is because once you add your smoker chips to one side of the grill, there really isn't enough room to handle larger cuts of meat such as roasts or turkeys. As my husband decided that smoking his meat was a new hobby, I was off in search of a smoker type of grill that could handle what he wanted to cook.  

After searching online for hours I discovered that one product kept cropping up in many of the reviews - the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker. Now I know from just buying Weber's Genesis E320 that they sell a solid product so knew that it would be a good investment.

 Off I went in search a smoker grill to our local big box store and couldn't believe the price they wanted. I knew from searching on the internet that I could pick one up cheaper by buying online. We also learned the hard way from buying our Weber Genesis that the actually box didn't fit in the back of our vehicle so we had to have it  delivered. I knew the Smokey Mountain Cooker would come in a large box so we thought that if we had to get it delivered anyway we might as well order online.

 Anyway, I did find it much cheaper online. Loads cheaper than the local big box store.

I ended up buying the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 18.5" smoker and ended up with free shipping which was a bonus. Some may want to get the 22.5" Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker as it is a little bit bigger though we are happy with our 18.5" smoker grill.

Basically buying the Weber smoker solved the problem of getting large cuts of meat smoked properly. Now we start smoking our meat earlier while leaving the Weber Genesis free to use for cooking our veggies for supper.

While some might think it strange to have two grills back on our deck we are extremely happy with both Weber grills. The smoker grill is very easy to set up and is very easy to use. 

Once you get your charcoal lit  and heated up in the base of the bullet shaped grill, you can assemble the middle which has your water basin. Once that is securely placed on the bottom you can then add the top grill half. Once it is all assembled you are good to go.

The Weber smokey mountain comes with its own build in thermometer which we have found to be quite accurate so unless you already own an external temperature gauge you probably don't need to buy one. It also has vents on the top which allows you control the internal temperature for optimum cooking.

Don't be afraid to experiment with different types of wood as you will get different flavours with each type. You could try apple, pecan, walnut, cherry, maple - you name it you could try it. Each will put a little different spin on the different cuts of meat.

All in all, we are extremely happy with our purchase. With its sturdy American made metal construction and 10 year limited warranty - we plan on smoking for years to come. If you're in the market for a smoker - then this is it! Whether you are an experienced smoker or a newbie - it is worth the price. 

Ratings?

We are very happy with our grill and would have to give it 5 stars - we haven't found anything to complain about yet!

Behind ever pro grill smoker, there stands some necessary grill accessories! When it comes to using  your Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, it is important to have a chimney starter to help heat up your coals as well as having the right grilling tools to flip and clean your grill.

When it comes to smoking your food, probably the most important ingredient you need is wood chips. Each different type of wood imparts a different flavor into your meat and not all woods are good to use for each different type of meat. Here are the most popular wood chip flavors and what they are best used to flavor:

• Cherry adds a mild, fruity smoked flavour and is best for pork, chicken and fish
• Pecan is a popular wood that is gives a pungent flavor and is best used for pork or chicken
• Mesquite wood chips impart a more delicate flavour and are best used for fish, chicken and veggies
• Hickory is a more traditional wood used for smoking that gives a great flavour to beef, ribs and pork
• Apple wood chips add a nice fruity smoke which is best suited for chicken and pork

When you order your Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker, don't forget to order a variety of different flavored wood chips.