I'm going into this as a complete novice so be gentle , but I'm on the gas side, I believe I can create a cleaner tastier product with a gas ring and wood chunks/chips than the traditional wood burning method. Is there anyone with me?
At the end of the day, wood burning smokers are messy and hard to break in. Gas smokers can give the same amount of smoke with a cleaner end product and better temp control.....thoughts?
Sorry bud, I'm for burning wood and charcoal. I only ever use gas for convenience when grilling after work or when time is limited. Not that I'm saying you won't get a good product using gas, it's just not my bag.
Each to his own mate, if you like cooking on gas and enjoy the food you produce then fire away. I've tasted some great food in the States that has come off gas smokers.
Charcoal for heat, wood for flavour, that's how i roll
Apart from when I use the pellet pooper I cook on bullets and UDS, both of which are designed to work with charcoal for the fire with a bit of wood mixed in for smoke. I use very little wood, a light wisp of smoke is all I'm trying to get.
I have never owned or used a gas grill or smoker in my life (and I am now retired, so that's a few years).
Gas is convenient, instant heat. To me that is the only advantage. With charcoal, even if not using wood chunks / chip, you get a much better flavor than with gas, IMO.
I have a gas connection that came with one of my Cactus jacks so I gave it a try. The cooking chamber heated up quickly and maintained a fairly consistent heat. I then placed chunks of wood in the firebox next to the gas burner and let them smoulder away during the first few hours of the cook as usual. The major difference that i noticed was that when I cupped my hand over the exhaust to get a smell of the smoke , my palm stayed dry whereas with charcoal it would be damp. This to me suggests a moister cooking chamber with charcoal. I cooked a brisket and a pork butt, both of which came out nice, and with a decent smoke ring and flavour but I would say slightly dryer than usual. For me it was a convenient but unsatisfying cook. Possibly like driving an electric car.
interesting stuff Joker. Did you use a water pan? I just recieved a few bags of weber chunks today, thought they would last longer and smoulder better than the chips. Also, how many chunks would you recommend for a cook in a gas smoker. Chunks are about 3" square
, but I'm on the gas side, I believe I can create a cleaner tastier product with a gas ring and wood chunks/chips than the traditional wood burning method. Is there anyone with me? 
...hell, my gas smoker is still going ahead, might paint it pink 
