BBQ/Smoking Meat

[Ralphman]

I must've got lucky! For the most part it wasn't dry when pulling it. There were a couple of spots on the ends that were (I promptly ate these bits to destroy the evidence!) but overall not bad. I've had worse.

Next time I'll get up earlier and try it all in one piece and at a lower temp. The first one I tried I think I ran it at 275 to get it done quicker (I'm good with smokes in the 6 hour range, after that I get antsy) even though I know better... :hungry: Still working on the patience bit. I do recall that is why I dropped to the 250 range today.

Regardless, we'll be eating good for a few days! :becky:

On long cooks you cant count time in hours but in beers consumed, this also helps pass the time. Can also hinder you if you miss read a fire while adding wood and or charcoal and the next thing you know your temp is through the roof or you pass out and the temps dive. Food looks great by the way, only done a few pork butts my self and its a very forgiving cut especially with its big fat cap. What kinda wood are you using, if any at all?

 

[Jernik]

On long cooks you cant count time in hours but in beers consumed, this also helps pass the time. Can also hinder you if you miss read a fire while adding wood and or charcoal and the next thing you know your temp is through the roof or you pass out and the temps dive. Food looks great by the way, only done a few pork butts my self and its a very forgiving cut especially with its big fat cap. What kinda wood are you using, if any at all?

I use a WSM, so charcoal is the main fuel source. This time I had some oak lump, and put in a couple chunks (about 3"x4"x8") of pecan.

 

[GangsterOfLove]

I'm going to do two whole chickens and am thinking about using this technique:

http://www.extraordinarybbq.com/smoked-whole-chicken/

This recipe is a definite keeper. Best darn chicken I have ever eaten anywhere at any price.

I brined the chickens for 24 hours per the instructions. Then I stuffed them with apple, onion, garlic, sage ('cuz I am growing it), lemon and lime ('cuz I am growing them, too).



Rubbed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. I tied them off even thought the instructions did not say to do so. I think it makes the bird cook more evenly.



Started the smoker using a chimney lit by this method I found on the 'net. Works perfectly:



Smoked for 5 hours at about 230 degrees and they looked like this:



Crazy juicy, meat fell off the bones. Great flavor. I put sauce on one of them but it didn't need it.

Tomorrow I'll strip the carcasses and make stock out of them.

 

[amalik]

This recipe is a definite keeper. Best darn chicken I have ever eaten anywhere at any price.

I brined the chickens for 24 hours per the instructions. Then I stuffed them with apple, onion, garlic, sage ('cuz I am growing it), lemon and lime ('cuz I am growing them, too).



Rubbed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. I tied them off even thought the instructions did not say to do so. I think it makes the bird cook more evenly.



Started the smoker using a chimney lit by this method I found on the 'net. Works perfectly:



Smoked for 5 hours at about 230 degrees and they looked like this:



Crazy juicy, meat fell off the bones. Great flavor. I put sauce on one of them but it didn't need it.

Tomorrow I'll strip the carcasses and make stock out of them.

I have the same chimney and a similar charcoal grill... but how do you keep 1 temp for 5 hours with charcoal? That's quite impressive.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Had my parents and gf over for dinner. This was my first attempt at pulled pork / pork butt, and everything came out fantastic!*

My 2 beautiful butts from the butcher

First I oiled my butts :naughty:

Then I added my homemade rub

Flavory goodness :yum:

Rubbed and ready to chill overnight*

I also brined my salmon over night

The next morning, my fridge smelled amazing!

Smoked with hardwood (oak) charcoal and cherry wood chunks and chips, this was after about 2 hrs

This is after about 4 hrs, I sprayed water on the outside to keep it moist. Bought apple juice but didn't really want to add sugar or sweetness, the bark was awesome

Lifted the butts after about 8 hrs when internal temp hit 195 deg

Once the pork was lifted I threw on the salmon

Highly recommend getting a set of bear claws, they really help with shredding the meat

Everyone agreed that this was the best pulled pork they had ever tasted. I learned a lot and definitely will make this again in the future. And now I have leftovers for days!

​:thumb3:

 

[GangsterOfLove]

I have the same chimney and a similar charcoal grill... but how do you keep 1 temp for 5 hours with charcoal? That's quite impressive.

It's not actually a grill, it's a Weber smoker.



The temp wasn't as steady as all that, "about 230" means somewhere between about 220 and 250. I did learn that 240-250 is a lot easier to maintain than 220 - at 220 the fire keeps wanting to go out. I put gaskets on the door and the lid of the smoker and that helps keep temps a lot more steady

It took some fiddling to keep the temp in that range but not a whole lot - maybe once per hour. I used a remote reading thermometer (a "Maverick") to keep an eye on things while I did other stuff. I'm new at this and still learning - I know that there are guys who smoke overnight and never have to fiddle at all. Not sure how they do that.

 

[GangsterOfLove]

Had my parents and gf over for dinner. This was my first attempt at pulled pork / pork butt, and everything came out fantastic!*

Everyone agreed that this was the best pulled pork they had ever tasted. I learned a lot and definitely will make this again in the future. And now I have leftovers for days!

​:thumb3:

That all looks terrific!

I need to try doing salmon. Any tips?

 

[97BlackAckCL]

That all looks terrific!

I need to try doing salmon. Any tips?

Thanks man. I always "dry brine" over night with salt, pepper and onion powder, I do a hybrid brining though because I add fresh lime juice squeezed over it and let it sit over night. Always had good results!

Use lighter fruity woods like cherry or apple.

 

[GangsterOfLove]

"Dry brine". That makes sense.

Thanks!

 

[Ralphman]

It's not actually a grill, it's a Weber smoker.


The temp wasn't as steady as all that, "about 230" means somewhere between about 220 and 250. I did learn that 240-250 is a lot easier to maintain than 220 - at 220 the fire keeps wanting to go out. I put gaskets on the door and the lid of the smoker and that helps keep temps a lot more steady

It took some fiddling to keep the temp in that range but not a whole lot - maybe once per hour. I used a remote reading thermometer (a "Maverick") to keep an eye on things while I did other stuff. I'm new at this and still learning - I know that there are guys who smoke overnight and never have to fiddle at all. Not sure how they do that.

Are you using a charcoal basket?

 

[Ralphman]

Rib time

 

[Jernik]

It's not actually a grill, it's a Weber smoker.



The temp wasn't as steady as all that, "about 230" means somewhere between about 220 and 250. I did learn that 240-250 is a lot easier to maintain than 220 - at 220 the fire keeps wanting to go out. I put gaskets on the door and the lid of the smoker and that helps keep temps a lot more steady

It took some fiddling to keep the temp in that range but not a whole lot - maybe once per hour. I used a remote reading thermometer (a "Maverick") to keep an eye on things while I did other stuff. I'm new at this and still learning - I know that there are guys who smoke overnight and never have to fiddle at all. Not sure how they do that.

This pit blower works really well with the WSM. It's about as close to "set it and forget it" as you can get. I have the IQ110 and have been completely satisfied with it. It has a pit temp probe and adjusts air flow to keep the temp you set. No more fiddling with the air vents!

I think they make them for other smokers too, but I only have experience with it on the WSM.

 

[Ralphman]

Built this uds, just need to get it sand bladted and powdercoated but as it sits it will run at 250 for about 10-12 hours on about 10lbs of lump charcoal at half open on the intake, now granted there wasnt a big chunk of meet in there but if you open it up all the way it will get very hot. Found a place that will sand blast and powdercoat a 55gallon drum for $50, just to schedule a time to take it in

 

[Ralphman]

Just saused the ribs, must of been one fat and happy pig, this thing is thick

 

[Ralphman]

Just pulled, letting them rest then destroying them

 

[GangsterOfLove]

I think they make them for other smokers too, but I only have experience with it on the WSM.

Thanks very much for this. My son got me one of those blowers for my birthday and I have yet to install it because I didn't know if it would work or not.

Let me install it and I'll tell ya'll what I think!

 

[GangsterOfLove]

Are you using a charcoal basket?

Not sure what you mean. I am using the ring with the holes
in it that came with the smoker. I tried doing without it and the temps were all over the place.

What do you use?

 

[Jernik]

Thanks very much for this. My son got me one of those blowers for my birthday and I have yet to install it because I didn't know if it would work or not.

Let me install it and I'll tell ya'll what I think!

Works really well! Just make sure the vent where it is installed is open all the way, close the others (except for the exhaust on the lid, obviously).

On the unit itself, mine has a little slide to adjust air flow allowed. I usually leave mine at "4", which is full open. However, there has been a time or two when temps started to creep a little. In those cases, I just slid it over to "3" and it came back to where I wanted it. If I remember, those days were a little windy, I think it was forcing the breeze through the unit and that kicked the temps up.

 

[Ralphman]

You just put the charcoal in the basket and its helps keep and even temp once you get the intake set where it needs to be. I only use charcoal to get a good coal bed and get the fire box up to temp which takes a while because its double 1/4" wall with 1.5" of fiberglass insulation then i switch to splits of oak when im ready to put the meat on the pit when ever i get my drum sandblasted i will have a charcoal basket in it. Good thing about 55 gallon drums is you can use almost anything from a wsm or 22.5" grill brcause the drum is also 22.5"

 

[AKmoney]

So I wound up cooking a brisket via the sous vide method.

Seasoned/rubbed only with salt and grinded pepper.

155F for 36 hours (!) followed by 3 hours in a weber kettle for the actual smoke.

First time I've ever done this. The meat was *extremely* moist and tender. Very tasty. I'm not sure if it was just the particular piece of meat I got (from Costco) but it was kinda fatty.