Questions on Electric Smokers - Timing, Use, Etc.

Hey all,

After having to move residences last year, I unfortunately had to surrender my WSM. Now, for the family reunion this Saturday, I would like to bring pulled pork, as I do every year. However, now I will need to use my father's electric smoker.

This is the smoker that he has, I believe:
http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-E ... 7894/45432

My concern is, after I've talked to him about his using it, he reports exceptionally shorter cook times--like, 1.5-2 hours for ribs, whereas I would typically do a 2-2-1 smoke on baby backs.

So do I need to reconsider my timing when using an electric smoker? When doing two pork shoulders, I would typically leave them in the WSM for 14-16 hours. Will they cook much more rapidly in the electric? Are there any other significant differences between electric and charcoal smokers in terms of use?

Any advice/info is, as always, appreciated...

2 things...

The temperature and no smoke ring.

Electric smokers will not make a smoke ring. Nature of the beast.

Watch the temperature. Electic smokers are very temperature stable. My CG Outlaw varies temp wise quite a bit with coal additions, wind, etc. On the other hand, my Smokin-it 2 will hold within 10 degrees.

Best thing about the #2 is load it, set temp, walk away. Brisket and pulled pork on weekdays!!!!

For shoulder, at 225 degrees, figure 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours per pound. 8My last 8 lb shoulder took 12 hours. Let it rest, wrapped in foil for two hours!! Good to go.

The smoker you are going to use has a wood tray for adding wood. Chips work best, soaked no more than 30 minutes.

Side note, it will make good bark!

Mark

Thanks for the tips! Unfortunately, I got them after the fact, but everything you said was spot-on. I did two pork butts, 8.5 and 9 pounds apiece. Started them at 6pm, they were essentially done at 7am, a little earlier than I wanted. I stretched it out until 9. But yeah, turned out to be about 1.5 hours per pound.

Food was delicious, but smoke flavor was minimal.

Only real issue with the smoker was that it leaked grease around the front left leg. Discovered a pool of it around the foot of the smoker, and inside, a large pool of grease in the front left corner. In the future, I will put down a grease mat and some sort of collecting tray, as I'm not sure if I could seal that corner easily.