BBQ/Smoking Meat

I've got a buddy that oven bakes foil-wrapped ribs for 3 hours at 250°, they come out pretty good but not smoked.

The concept behind low and slow does two things, it renders the fat out slowly and gets the connective tissue to break down. High heat won't do either of those.

If you can't control the heat in your Kettle, you may want to pull your ribs after two hours and wrap them in foil. This is typically called crutching .At which point you can also put sauce on them if you like and then put them back in the barbecue or in the oven to finish.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
3-2-1 has always served me well on ribs.

3 hours smoke @225

2 hours in foil w/a spritz of apple juice/water

1 hour out of the foil @225 (I put light coating of sauce on mine for this hour)

I think if you'd pulled at 3 hours instead of 4, then foil for two with some moisture it'd have turned out fine even at 240-250.
 
Jernik said:
3-2-1 has always served me well on ribs.

3 hours smoke @225

2 hours in foil w/a spritz of apple juice/water

1 hour out of the foil @225 (I put light coating of sauce on mine for this hour)

I think if you'd pulled at 3 hours instead of 4, then foil for two with some moisture it'd have turned out fine even at 240-250.
Click to expand...
5 hours is too long for pork ribs. I'd die of starvation [emoji51]

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
Jernik said:
3-2-1 has always served me well on ribs.

3 hours smoke @225

2 hours in foil w/a spritz of apple juice/water

1 hour out of the foil @225 (I put light coating of sauce on mine for this hour)

I think if you'd pulled at 3 hours instead of 4, then foil for two with some moisture it'd have turned out fine even at 240-250.
Click to expand...

The Texas crutch!!

I've done it myself.. 321 for me is too long.

Done 2/2/1, seemed to be better.
Want to try 2/2/.30
 
AKmoney said:
Hmm.. From what I was reading it seemed like anything under 300 would probably be fine. Maybe I just need to take them out an hour sooner. I wasn't spraying/basting them with anything... Just olive oil and a mesquite rub prior to "going in". Maintaining 225 in a Weber is gonna be tricky.. Hmm..

Edit: Come to think, it was around 240F or so for the first hour, then the temps slowly increased to 250-260 as the afternoon went on and the sun started shining on the kettle. When I started, it was in the shade. I'm pretty certain that has an effect.
Click to expand...

Yeah, from my experience that's too hot. I always aim for 220-225. I will actually take the smoker tube with the ribs off of the coals if it climbs that high so as to not burn the meat. I've burned ribs once and never want to do that again. The higher heat will dry them out, like octane said, the high heat doesn't let the fat render down correctly and the meat will dry out. I don't mop my ribs, and only use olive oil and rub and I've never had them dry out like that, just have to control the temp
 
cfranck1 said:
The Texas crutch!!

I've done it myself.. 321 for me is too long.

Done 2/2/1, seemed to be better.
Want to try 2/2/.30
Click to expand...
Maybe it's just me, but I've never cooked ribs for more than four hours and had good results.

In fact, depending on the thickness / meatiness of the ribs, sometimes three hours seems more apropos - and always at 225 degrees

YMMV

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
cfranck1 said:
The Texas crutch!!

I've done it myself.. 321 for me is too long.

Done 2/2/1, seemed to be better.
Want to try 2/2/.30
Click to expand...

I wish I could get them done in 10 minutes! But I like them fall off the bone. I'd imagine 2-2-1 would give a little more "pull", which some people like. Should be just as tasty though. :cheers:
 
First salmon smoke, it was alright

I got a 1.5# slab of fresh salmon from the market yesterday and decided to smoke it.

Prepped the smoker same as usual, and set temp to 225.

Smoked salmon with one drop of apple wood for about an hour and pulled it.

The meat was fully cooked, just less "done" than I typically care for or am used to with fish. I will often just pan fry salmon in butter and lemon juice and get a nice char/crisp on the fish. The smoked salmon was light pink in color, and the last was nice, mildly smokey.

Next time I think I'm gonna do a combo of smoker to pan to get that crisp after flavoring it. Or maybe try it at a higher temp, like 250.

Remind me how you guys do fish, specifically salmon, in the smoker.
 
Jernik said:
I did this chicken last week. Used a Jerk rub, smoked with some walnut I had. Still struggle with chicken... specifically the skin. It looks great, but was tough. Not chewy, not crispy. Really couldn't eat skin. Meat was great though. Made some mashed potatoes and green beans with it. Was good, hated to waste the spices/skin though.

Any thoughts on skin? At this point, I wonder if I should peel back the skin where I can, put rub directly on the meat, then put skin back on and pin it with toothpicks to help keep it moist?
Click to expand...

You have two choices, chuck the skin from the jump, but you lose some "protection" or throw the chicken on the grill, or in a super hot oven, after smoking to "finish" the skin - be careful not to over cook the bird, however you go.

In the past, I have made a "chicken under a brick" type dish with a flattened chicken in a oven proof pan. First sear the bird on the stove top skin side down weighted down by a foil-wrapped brick or similar, then flip pull the chicken and put root veggies in the pan under the chicken and put in a 450 pre-heated oven for about 40 mins, or until desired doneness (always measured in thigh). Skin is crispy and you have veggies to serve with the meal that are flavored in rendered chicken fat.

You might use a similar technique for the skin on a smoked bird, but again, be weary not to over cook the meat. Lots of experimenting is probably required to find what will work right for you.

Good luck :thumb:
 
octanejunkie said:
I got a 1.5# slab of fresh salmon from the market yesterday and decided to smoke it.

Prepped the smoker same as usual, and set temp to 225.

Smoked salmon with one drop of apple wood for about an hour and pulled it.

The meat was fully cooked, just less "done" than I typically care for or am used to with fish. I will often just pan fry salmon in butter and lemon juice and get a nice char/crisp on the fish. The smoked salmon was light pink in color, and the last was nice, mildly smokey.

Next time I think I'm gonna do a combo of smoker to pan to get that crisp after flavoring it. Or maybe try it at a higher temp, like 250.

Remind me how you guys do fish, specifically salmon, in the smoker.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you like your salmon well done. You can get a crisper salmon but you'll have to either go for a higher temp or cook it for longer. I've loved the last few batches of salmon that I did on the smoker, I did a "dry brine" over night with fresh lime juice, onion powder, salt and pepper and it's been great. Mine is always cooked all the way through, but not necessarily crispy since it's smoked and juicy still. If you want it more cured, do a dry brine with salt over night and rinse it off before smoking, that will cure the salmon a bit more
 
Thanks for the tips! Wish I had some for your salmon dilemma, but I've always just grilled it, never smoked. Don't know why, I love smoked salmon!
 
97BlackAckCL said:
It sounds like you like your salmon well done. You can get a crisper salmon but you'll have to either go for a higher temp or cook it for longer. I've loved the last few batches of salmon that I did on the smoker, I did a "dry brine" over night with fresh lime juice, onion powder, salt and pepper and it's been great. Mine is always cooked all the way through, but not necessarily crispy since it's smoked and juicy still. If you want it more cured, do a dry brine with salt over night and rinse it off before smoking, that will cure the salmon a bit more
Click to expand...

Honestly, I liked it regardless, but my kid is a bit pickier than I :lmao:

I might smoke then pan finish next time to please us both, coz the smoked flavor was outstanding.

I'll look into your dry brining suggestion too, thanks :thumb:
 
I dry brine all my smoked salmon overnight. Usually rock salt, dry mustard, brown sugar, I run to little chief smokers. Start it about 3pm with a pan of what ever wood I decide to use. Check it and rotate it (top and bottom swap typically) before I go to sleep. Then usually at most a 1/2 pan of chips till she is done. Most of the smoke it will take is in the first few hours. And I don't like to over smoke it either. Sometime I have to crack the lid or put a cover over it to manipulate the temp. In winter I smoke it overnight because it's a lot cooler out. In summer it's a much quicker smoke. But it should break when bent for my standards and be lightly moist. Unless I am taking it on a long camping trip. Then fish or jerky I make sure it's well done to extend time out of the fridge.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Did some buffalo wings last night and getting ready to do some planked salmon this evening.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7673.jpg
    IMG_7673.jpg
    129.3 KB · Views: 122
Seasoned my new Brinkmann on Monday night, going to do another dry run with woodchips tomorrow night and then ribs on Friday :tongue:
 
How do you guys "clean" your smokers?

I use concentrated vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it down after each smoke and let it self clean on high for 30 mins

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
 
octanejunkie said:
How do you guys "clean" your smokers?

I use concentrated vinegar in a spray bottle and spray it down after each smoke and let it self clean on high for 30 mins

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I don't, I like the nice smoked inside of my smoker. I clean the grill grates and the ashes but that's it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 1,536 (members: 2, guests: 1,534)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,312
Messages
3,554,085
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top