TravelTalkOnline Forums People Talk Recipes Help!... Smoking meats

I guess I am asking for a crash course in smoking meats and recipes for doing the same. My old grill just rotted away, after 15 years of great service, and I replaced it with a Traeger Pellet grill. I can smoke, BBQ, Grill and bake on it.
I have always enjoyed smoked meats but have never cooked them myself for a number of reasons. So...If any of you smoke meats, I would love it if you would share some recipes and more importantly, some tips.
Thanks

Here's a good resource:
http://www.smoking-meat.com/

You've got a pretty dogone good piece of hardware. Brian's link is a good one and you can google others. Just remember: Low and Slow <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/dine.gif" alt="" />

WOW! I just looked up a Traeger Pellet grill on GOOGLE...
What a NICE UNIT!
a tad pricey, but if you are a diehard smoker, this is the unit to get!
It's the WEBER of SMOKERS!
have fun with it!

I, personally, like to use green applewood for my smoking... esp. for a smoked turkey...
I also like to make jerkey out of a cheap, on sale, london broil...
brine with salt, red wine and terriaki for a few days beforehand!
Brining is key to a good smoked meat!

Not sure what thermostat your unit came with (I read yours comes with a 225F thermostat) but I did find an aftermarket thermostat that you can get that is for 180F...
MUCH better, and it will save you a lot of pellets, and refilling the liquid so often (as it's below the boiling point of H2O... 212F)...
The rule is ALWAYS (as seaside said)... LOW and SLOW!

BTW... you can't smoke cheese, of any kind at 225F... it just melts into a useless blob!

Here's the link for the 180F aftermarket thermostat:
http://www.pelletgrilloutlet.com/temperature-controllers?b=1

"BTW... you can't smoke cheese, of any kind at 225F... it just melts into a useless blob!"

Is there a story here? <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

Yepr... from personal experience! a waste of a couple pounds of good cheese!
It was a disater! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />
but obvious after about 20 minutes!
happened years ago on an old Brinkman Charcoal Smoker that was too hot!
I have figured it out now... cold smoke... about 120F...

Smoked Gouda!!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Clapping.gif" alt="" />

Yum!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Banana.gif" alt="" />

Be sure to have plenty of HOT water in the unit. Start with boiling water so you don't waste the heat in heating water. Keeps everything moist during the slllloooooow cooking.