It's All About The Smoke
Information
For those of us who love smokers as much, or more than we love grills.
Members: 204
Latest Activity: Feb 26
Tips
Tips;
My smoking basics 101. I recently answered a question on the forum as to who makes the best and reasonably priced smoker. I really don't care who makes the smoker, unless it's a total piece of trash, I really do believe that after just a few runs I could learn to make good smoked meat on just about anybody's equipment. As long as the smoke is forced to travel through the food chamber to get out, and there is a decent means to be able to control the amount of air that is allowed to enter the burn area and smoke out of the food area, I believe I could probably make decent smoked food in it and I have even toyed with the idea of digging a very old time in ground, or making a brick smoker. Granted, either would be immobile.
If the smoke isn't forced to enter the food chamber, you don't get smoked food and the purpose of the air inlet control to the burn area is a means to control the temperature of the fire. The, "Golden Rule" of smoking meats is, "Low and Slow", meaning, low temperature for a long period of time. If the temperature is too high, your either going to have to remove the meat from the smoker because, it's cooked, or your going to ruin it by leaving it in too long and over cooking it. I personally like to keep my smoker pretty cool until the end when I am trying to cook the meat so I can eat it. I have no problem starting a smoke early in the morning and running the smoker all day to finish in time for dinner in the evening. I'd say some where between 120-130 degrees F is about right for most of my smoking.
The outlet control allows me to control how much contact the smoke has with the food and to insure the whole food chamber is filled with smoke. If you let it flow through the chamber too fast, you may not do a good job of smoking all your food very good, especially if you have a pretty full smoker. By restricting the out flow of the smoke, you force it to fill the food chamber and you get a good smoke to all of your food.
My last tip to smoking is, Mop Sauce. I'm a big believer in a mop sauce. The use of a mop sauce helps prevent the drying out of your meat during smoking and if your trying to smoke a piece of meat for 6-12 hrs. and particularly the more lean the cut of meat you are trying to smoke the more you risk making smoked jerky. The use of a good mop sauce helps to keep the meat moist for the duration of the smoke. One of my favorite mop sauces is a mixture of apple juice and olive oil in a spray bottle. Don't try running anything pulpy or spices through a spray bottle, it will clog it up.
Those are my basics, there is an endless list of variations of where you can go from there, different types of wood. I even once used Mulberry and it did have kind of an interesting fruity flavor to it. Some people use dry rubs, some not. Some people like to pre boil their ribs, I don't. There are a zillion different marinades and bar-b-que sauces and we all have our own taste buds we have to deal with.
Have Fun With This Folks
TTFN,
Chuck
My smoking basics 101. I recently answered a question on the forum as to who makes the best and reasonably priced smoker. I really don't care who makes the smoker, unless it's a total piece of trash, I really do believe that after just a few runs I could learn to make good smoked meat on just about anybody's equipment. As long as the smoke is forced to travel through the food chamber to get out, and there is a decent means to be able to control the amount of air that is allowed to enter the burn area and smoke out of the food area, I believe I could probably make decent smoked food in it and I have even toyed with the idea of digging a very old time in ground, or making a brick smoker. Granted, either would be immobile.
If the smoke isn't forced to enter the food chamber, you don't get smoked food and the purpose of the air inlet control to the burn area is a means to control the temperature of the fire. The, "Golden Rule" of smoking meats is, "Low and Slow", meaning, low temperature for a long period of time. If the temperature is too high, your either going to have to remove the meat from the smoker because, it's cooked, or your going to ruin it by leaving it in too long and over cooking it. I personally like to keep my smoker pretty cool until the end when I am trying to cook the meat so I can eat it. I have no problem starting a smoke early in the morning and running the smoker all day to finish in time for dinner in the evening. I'd say some where between 120-130 degrees F is about right for most of my smoking.
The outlet control allows me to control how much contact the smoke has with the food and to insure the whole food chamber is filled with smoke. If you let it flow through the chamber too fast, you may not do a good job of smoking all your food very good, especially if you have a pretty full smoker. By restricting the out flow of the smoke, you force it to fill the food chamber and you get a good smoke to all of your food.
My last tip to smoking is, Mop Sauce. I'm a big believer in a mop sauce. The use of a mop sauce helps prevent the drying out of your meat during smoking and if your trying to smoke a piece of meat for 6-12 hrs. and particularly the more lean the cut of meat you are trying to smoke the more you risk making smoked jerky. The use of a good mop sauce helps to keep the meat moist for the duration of the smoke. One of my favorite mop sauces is a mixture of apple juice and olive oil in a spray bottle. Don't try running anything pulpy or spices through a spray bottle, it will clog it up.
Those are my basics, there is an endless list of variations of where you can go from there, different types of wood. I even once used Mulberry and it did have kind of an interesting fruity flavor to it. Some people use dry rubs, some not. Some people like to pre boil their ribs, I don't. There are a zillion different marinades and bar-b-que sauces and we all have our own taste buds we have to deal with.
Have Fun With This Folks
TTFN,
Chuck
Discussion Forum
War Stories 2 Replies
Started by Chuck Nute. Last reply by Nick Carano Jun. 24, 2009.
Comment Wall
Comment
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Comment by Anthony kemp on February 26, 2010 at 4:12pm - I have a tip for anyone that can use it. if your smoker leaks smoke try using mustard as caulking it burns in and can be re applyed as needed no discoloration either. I have even formed gaskets arround the doors with it.
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Comment by Steve Korot on February 11, 2010 at 2:25pm -
Hey Allen, here's some plans for that smoke house....
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Comment by Kevin Tobolka on January 24, 2010 at 9:46am - OK, I have FINALLY uploaded the Pics from my New Years Party. The Ribs and Chicken came out GREAT!!! Go on to my page and check them out!!
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Comment by allen howard on January 22, 2010 at 10:30am
- fixing to build a new smoke house for the first time any help would be nice.
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Comment by Dan Bettan on January 14, 2010 at 11:34am -
There's deli pastrami and then there' NY deli pastrami...the difference is large. (So says the snotty NYer). Try this recipe: http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/pastrami.htm
There's some very good recipes & videos online to walk you through the process that I have found.I researched this a few months back but still haven't been able to make one myself. Let me know what you do and how it goes for you. I'd be interested to hear more.
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Comment by Joe Abad on January 14, 2010 at 11:29am - Last year I bought a chunk of Corned Beef at Safeway because it was on a 40% off sale. Soaked it 24 hour in water, with several changes then smoked it. I am not a purist but it tasted as good as pastrami from a deli...
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Comment by Stephen Bates on January 14, 2010 at 9:40am - Guys, I've been thinking about broadening my skills and I'm considering making homemade pastrami. Has anyone attempted this before, and if so, can you provide a recipe? I know it involves a few weeks of brining and the last step is smoking. Thanks in advance.
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Comment by Chris Rupe on November 25, 2009 at 5:45pm - good discussion points here. thanks for the information and the caution with poultry. Smoke those birds!!!!!!!
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Comment by Dave Maxwell on November 25, 2009 at 4:28pm -
Hey Brian!
You’re my kind of Griller…keep them birds outta the kitchen.
We got our Weber Performer grill for that specific reason! We haven’t used the oven in our house yet in the 3 years that we’ve been here.
Sounds like you got a 5 hour bird at least. Just right for smoking.
I don't know what your weapon of choice is, but here's how it goes with the Weber -
On the 8 pounder in my 1st post here, I used about 2 ½ cups of soaked sugar maple chips, 1 cup at 20 mins. in, another cup at 1 ½ hrs. (after the added coals had turned gray) and finally ½ cup at 2 ½ hrs on a 3hr. & 10 min. roaster. It was plenty.
(My wife said she thought this one was just a little too smokey for her which means it’s JUST RIGHT!)
Any excuse to stay out of the kitchen and use the grill, works for me.
Good Luck and have a great Thanksgiving.
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Comment by Brian Brouse on November 25, 2009 at 12:45pm - One more question: If I don't smoke it but want to still bbq it, say at a temp of 350, about how long should that take for a 22 pounder? Trying to keep the bird out of the kitchen.
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