I couldn't determine where you live, but I'm in Ontario and have a smoker -
an aluminium cylindrical affair that looks like a three-tiered black BBQ
with a top.  The meat that comes of this smoker is absolutely delicious
- the wood (store-bought chips are fine, but apple, maple, hickory branches
also work) smoking over charcoal on the bottom tier
- adds to the flavour of the liquor marinade (water & herbs/spices etc) on
the middle tier
- smoking the meat on the top tier to perfection without any additional
ingredients
IF I'M THERE TO TEND IT CONSTANTLY!!  I assume the distributor had all good
intentions, but didn't realize that selling an uninsulated smoker -
manufactured in Texas - to a resident of The Great White North could be a
mistake.  It takes hours to smoke meat - here in Ontario, using an
uninsulated smoker, it means stoking the fire every fifteen minutes just to
maintain the relatively minimal heat required for smoking.

But there is a book on the subject which tells you how to construct various
smokers (eg.  from a steel drum or a converted fridge).  "The Smoked Foods
Cookbook" Lue & Ed Park, Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA, 1992.

Chris
(looling longingly at the decrepit fridge hidden behind the garage, and
wondering if I could figure out how to use that darned torch...or
maybe...wonder what would happen if I just wrapped Fiberglass-Pink around
the aluminium smoker????)

t 08:11 AM 5/17/97 -0700, you wrote:
>Regina M. Lubbers <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>> I am trying to find out some information about smokers. .
>>.  Has anyone ever used one?
>> Also, what kind would you buy . .?
>
>I've been eagerly watching this thread hoping for answers too, but haven't
>seen any :(