Smoking (not NUance's lame cigar thread. Lame.)

[carlfense]

i consider you my best friend. you introduced me to the love of my life, after all. claymore scotch ale. trying oskar's take probably tonight.

 

i got an electric smoker like 4 years ago. do not use it as much as i would like, but i am smoking some ribs this weekend.

 

i think a charcoal one would be fun to mess around with, but much more labor intensive.

 

what kind of smoker you got?

 

For now I just have a Masterbuilt electric. It works pretty well with the pellet tray that I bought for it. (This: http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AMNPS5X8)

 

I've done a couple briskets with OK results and ~10 pork butts with average to great results. Smoked around 18lbs of pork for the first game of the season and every bit was gone in under 15 minutes . . . but the fact that everyone was a little tipsy played into that.

 

I'd definitely like to get into charcoal. I'm intrigued by those electric controllers that you can use in Weber kettles or drum smokers. Supposed to be nearly as foolproof as electric but with the better results of charcoal.

[sd'sker]

this is what i have. pork shoulder is definitely my favorite. i have had good results, but my last one was phenomenal. the meat was in there (giggle) from about 6:45 am till 7:00 pm. but around 5:30, i took it out and wrapped it in tin foil and put it back in. and brother, it made all the difference. it was so tender. i was always apprehensive about that method because i thought it would create soggy, mushy meat. but i was wrong. easiest to pull apart i have had.

 

i smoked another in july. it was good. but a pain to tear apart. still pretty tough. maybe a bad cut of meat? i don't know. but the tissue was not broken apart. bummed me out because it was for my family. they all loved it, the flavor was good, but it could have been better. probably should have kept it in longer (snicker). but, i can't see myself not using the tin foil method.

 

with ribs, i do the 3-2-1 method. 3 hours in, 2 wrapped in tin foil, 1 last hour unwrapped. but i think i use too much smoke. when i smoke them this sunday, i think i will just put one dose of chips in.

 

otherwise, i have tried whole chicken (my wife's favorite) and ham. i like ham and then trying to make a good honey mustard cole slaw to put on top. finally, smoking chicken wings is pretty good and easy.

 

i think charcoal would be a lot more work with not much gain. but, i do believe it is the right way to do it.

[NUpolo8]

I have a traeger pellet smoker and it's very easy to use. And the results are very good.

 

What I did do too was jettison my propane grill and I have returned to the hobo weber circle grill. Organic charcoal.

 

When we do grill, it's amazing how much better it is than gas.

 

I also have switched to cast iron cooking when indoors.

 

I feel quite positive I will be steampunk within a year.

[carlfense]

Haha. That's the exact same model that I have, sd.

 

I would highly recommend that pellet tray that I linked above. It gives me around 5-7 hours of continuous thin blue smoke.

 

I think the long smoke times are pretty common with pork in the Masterbuilt electrics. When I smoked the 18lbs at once I put it on at 10:30pm and it didn't hit 200 degrees until just after 5pm. Damned good though. I think that I got that pork at Costco. My worst results have been with HyVee Hormel brand pork.

[carlfense]

Organic charcoal.

Hipster.

[NUpolo8]

 

Organic charcoal.

 

Hipster.

Tellin ya man, it is so choice.

 

Btw, hormel pork is Nightmare Meat Tube of Death.

[sd'sker]

Haha. That's the exact same model that I have, sd.

 

I would highly recommend that pellet tray that I linked above. It gives me around 5-7 hours of continuous thin blue smoke.

 

I think the long smoke times are pretty common with pork in the Masterbuilt electrics. When I smoked the 18lbs at once I put it on at 10:30pm and it didn't hit 200 degrees until just after 5pm. Damned good though. I think that I got that pork at Costco. My worst results have been with HyVee Hormel brand pork.

first time i smoked ribs was with that bagged pork from hormel. man, those were terrible. i was crushed. i was hoping my meat sweats would be victorious, they were just sad.

[BigRedBuster]

Ahhhhh....BBQ. I love it and I have fun finding knew stuff to cook and new ways of doing it.

 

I have a gas grill for grilling stuff like steaks or burgers when i want something done quick.

 

I have made a barrel smoker where I can used charcoal to grill steaks or I can go low and slow to do something like ribs.

 

Then, I have a cooker that...let's say....is a little over board for most people. I can fit 200-300 lbs of meat on it and I have had it packed full for certain events. Usually, I use it to cook anywhere from 50 - 200 lbs of something like pulled pork. I'll put the butts on around 5:30 - 6:00 am. pour the smoke to it around 225 - 250 degrees. Then, around noon I will wrap it in aluminum foil and keep cooking it till 3:00 - 4:00pm. You know it's done when a digital thermometer reaches 195 degrees. Or, when you can pull the bone out clean.

 

Brisket....Burnt ends are the way to go. Much easier and everyone loves them.

 

Ribs....I have about 10 different ways of doing them and it changes every time I cook.

 

I am going to try venison ribs this year. Should be interesting.

[sd'sker]

this thread is just so ripe for the out of context thread. i propose we make it off limits so we can freely speak of our meat and what we do to it.

[sd'sker]

I am going to try venison ribs this year. Should be interesting.

you will have to let us know how that goes. preferably with pictures.

[carlfense]

Btw, hormel pork is Nightmare Meat Tube of Death.

 

first time i smoked ribs was with that bagged pork from hormel. man, those were terrible. i was crushed. i was hoping my meat sweats would be victorious, they were just sad.

Yes. Really gross. I'm not sure if it's whatever mystery solution they inject to "enhance" the flavor or what . . . but the local butcher shops and Costco both blow that sh!t out of the water.

[carlfense]

Then, I have a cooker that...let's say....is a little over board for most people. I can fit 200-300 lbs of meat on it and I have had it packed full for certain events. Usually, I use it to cook anywhere from 50 - 200 lbs of something like pulled pork. I'll put the butts on around 5:30 - 6:00 am. pour the smoke to it around 225 - 250 degrees. Then, around noon I will wrap it in aluminum foil and keep cooking it till 3:00 - 4:00pm. You know it's done when a digital thermometer reaches 195 degrees. Or, when you can pull the bone out clean.

Good god man. Is it one of those trailer mounted rigs?

 

I start checking pork at 195 but I usually pull it out right at 200 degrees. That might just be my thermometer being off . . .

[sd'sker]

i have had bad luck with wireless therometers. i know you have a good/expensive one carlfense. i might have to invest in it.

 

i just trust that it's done.

 

i do think i usually get my pork shoulders in some bagged variety, perhaps hormel. those usually turn out pretty well.

 

occasionally i will go to the meat shop for shoulder. everything else i get at the meat shop or butcher, though.

[carlfense]

i have had bad luck with wireless therometers. i know you have a good/expensive one carlfense. i might have to invest in it.

I think that the one that I have has certain problems . . . apparently the probes fail. I use it enough that I'll probably spend the ~$10 or so on replacement probes when that day comes.

[Redux]

I have an old charcoal smoker that works great with quality charcoal.

 

I also have a Traeger. Have had it for a year and so far it wont do long smokes. 20-40 minute grilling, no problem. But several hour or overnighters arent possible. The auger shoots the pellets out of the burner where they fall into the belly of the grill, then it turns into a super smoker and not in a good way. Some sort of factory defect Im guessing.