BBQing/smoking suggestion/tips

[damaticous]

About 2 months ago I picked up the Chargriller smokin' Pro with smoke box and have had mild success with it. I've smoked lots of ribs, a few briskets, a few looins, steaks, , dear steaks, dear loin and salmon. the salmon by far was the best tasting and most tender.

After practice I've pretty much got the hang of being able to keep the temp consistent at 210-225. I use wood logs (mostly hickory so far) for heat and smoke.

The problem I'm coming across is that the meat is just drier than I'd like. I know it's going to dry out a little bit, but the ribs and mainly, the brisket is pretty dry.

i know there are a lot of techniques to bbq'n but here is what I do.

get meat. wash down mean with water and sometimes vinager if it has a real strong odor.

I then spread mustard on the meat and put on my dry rub (KC Masterpiece).

Sometimes I sear the meat...depends on how I feel that day.

Then I smoke the meat to desired doneness checking it by using a meat thermotomer.

The last hour or two I start puting on the bbq sauce.

Most of the time I put bacon on and sometimes IN the meat...again depending on how I feel at the time.

But it still comes out pretty dry. I have yet to have ribs that pulled away from the bone and the only tender ribs I have a baby back.

Should I brine or not? Any suggestions?

[Kclee]

Yes to brine. Overnight or even 24 hours.

[Dave Lane]

Add water in the grill. Basically wood burners dry meat out it is unavoidable really.

Dave

[Donger]

My Weber gas grill keeps catching on fire. Well, not the whole grill, but the underside of the grate thingies. Why is that happening?

[Stewie]

Are you using a pan of water in your smoker to add moisture?

It would be tricky to smoke venison without it drying out.

If your ribs are dry you're overcooking them.

Don't put any bbq sauce on until the very end.

Spritz meat with apple juice or similar to add moisture.

[sedated]

My Weber gas grill keeps catching on fire. Well, not the whole grill, but the underside of the grate thingies. Why is that happening?

clean it, you lazy slob

[damaticous]

i do put a pan of water in the smoker.

at what tempature are the ribs considered done? It is possible that I am over cooking them...but most of the time they are pretty pink/redish.

[Dave Lane]

i do put a pan of water in the smoker.

at what tempature are the ribs considered done? It is possible that I am over cooking them...but most of the time they are pretty pink/redish.

cook the ribs until the internal meat temperature is 180-185 F that you will have perfect tenderness ribs. You need to buy a meat thermometer.

[KC Kings]

A lot of meat is going to be dry if you smoke it. It is hard to make good smoked chicken, venison, roast, etc... The easiest I think to start with is ribs. I would get a good rib dry rub, (have not used KC masterpiece), which can be as simple as salt and brown sugar. Don't sprinkle the rub on the ribs, like you would sprinkle seasoning salt on burgers, cake the stuff on and rub it in. I rub it the night before. Cook on low heat for at least 4 hours. I try to keep the grill right at 250. I will use a water pan for some meats, but I never use it for ribs or brisket, the 2 meats I think are easiest to cook.

If your temperature is too low and you have to cook longer than 4 hours, a lot of people I know wrap the meat in foil after 4 hours to help keep the moisture in. If you want good left overs, you should take the meat off of the grill and put it in a cooler for an hour before cutting it. You know how when you cut meat right off the grill all the juice oozes out and you ebd up with a pan full of juice? If you put it in an air tight container and let it cool slowly it will retain the moisture.

[Stewie]

i do put a pan of water in the smoker.

at what tempature are the ribs considered done? It is possible that I am over cooking them...but most of the time they are pretty pink/redish.

Don't worry about temperature when smoking ribs. It's more of an appearance and pull test. You never want the meat "falling off the bone." A general rule of thumb is that the meat should expose about 1/4" of the rib bone when done.

[damaticous]

I have a thermometer, but I've been setting it for "pork-Medium" Maybe I am overcooking the ribs.

What about the brisket? Will brining help? any tips on how long to brine a brisket?

[KC Kings]

cook the ribs until the internal meat temperature is 180-185 F that you will have perfect tenderness ribs. You need to buy a meat thermometer.

But you have to slowly bring it to 180. Cooking the meat a long time melts all of the fat off from the meat and makes it very tender. You can cook ribs on the grill for 45 minutes to get to 180 but the fat will still their and they will still be chewy. That's why some of the worst cuts of meat make the best bbq.

[tooge]

cook the ribs for three hours spraying with apple juice or other mop sauce every hour. then put them in foil and cook them for another 2 hours and they will "steam" and moisten. The last half hour open the foil top and put on the sauce. they will be very moist and tender. Everything else you are doing sounds about right. Remember to remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs.

[tooge]

Don't worry about temperature when smoking ribs. It's more of an appearance and pull test. You never want the meat "falling off the bone." A general rule of thumb is that the meat should expose about 1/4" of the rib bone when done.
Yeah, for competition they want a certain doneness, but everyone I know, including myself like the rib meat "fallin off the bone". I say make it that way. As far as brisket, take the internal temp to 170 then foil and take to 195. Take it off and let it rest for 1 hour before slicing/chopping. dont overtrim the brisket. it need a quarter inch of fat cap (side up on the smoker) to render and moisten the meat. the flats you buy at the store are way overtrimmed. Just by the packer cut and trim yourself.

[KC Dan]

How about some tips for smoking legs?

Man finds human leg in smoker
Purchase at auction results in macabre discovery

MAIDEN, N.C. - A man who bought a smoker Tuesday at an auction of abandoned items might have thought twice had he looked inside first. Maiden police said the man opened up the smoker and saw what he thought was a piece of driftwood wrapped in paper.

When he unwrapped it, he found a human leg, cut off 2 to 3 inches above the knee. The smoker had been sold at an auction of items left behind at a storage facility, so investigators contacted the mother and son who had rented the space where the smoker was found.

The mother, Peg Steele, explained her son had his leg amputated after a plane crash and kept the leg following the surgery “for religious reasons” she doesn’t know much about. “The rest of the family was very much against it,” Steele said.

Steele said her son, John Wood, plans to drive to Maiden, about 35 miles northwest of Charlotte, to reclaim his amputated leg, police said.

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Stewie]

Yeah, for competition they want a certain doneness, but everyone I know, including myself like the rib meat "fallin off the bone".

When I say falling off the bone I mean grabbing a rib and all you have is a rib. I'll defer to your expertise, though, since you beat us in ribs at the Shawnee BBQ Contest. We did finish higher overall, though. :p

[unlurking]

How does your dear like you smoking him?

[damaticous]

But you have to slowly bring it to 180. Cooking the meat a long time melts all of the fat off from the meat and makes it very tender. You can cook ribs on the grill for 45 minutes to get to 180 but the fat will still their and they will still be chewy. That's why some of the worst cuts of meat make the best bbq.


I usually get the smoker up to 225 then put the meat on. I should put the meat on the smoker THEN bring the temp up to 225?

[KC Kings]

I usually get the smoker up to 225 then put the meat on. I should put the meat on the smoker THEN bring the temp up to 225?

No, you should get the grill going to 225 first. When I said slowly bring the temperature up I was refering to the temperature of the meat. I was replying to the post that said 180 for internal temperature, but I think that is a little high. The only thing I go 180 on is chicken, and really with ribs as long as you keep the grill at 225 for at least 4 hours, I think they should be ok and I never check the temp.

[Dave Lane]

But you have to slowly bring it to 180. Cooking the meat a long time melts all of the fat off from the meat and makes it very tender. You can cook ribs on the grill for 45 minutes to get to 180 but the fat will still their and they will still be chewy. That's why some of the worst cuts of meat make the best bbq.


This is for a smoker at 225. Not sure if he's using a grill...

[damaticous]

Good tips. thank you all.

I have been pulling the membrane from the ribs and I try to get brisket with at leat 1/4 " fat on the bottom.

- use brine overnight to 24 hours - Will do this for BIG meats like brisket and loins.

- put meat on smoker then bring temp up to 225.

- put brisket in air-tight container and let slowly cool in fridge before cutting (great tip as i always bbq on sundays and have leftovers till Friday).

- 180-185 degrees for ribs

[damaticous]

This is for a smoker at 225. Not sure if he's using a grill...


I'm using a smoker. Chargriller smokin' pro

[Dave Lane]

I usually get the smoker up to 225 then put the meat on. I should put the meat on the smoker THEN bring the temp up to 225?

It makes no difference. I alway start mine at air temp load meat then start the heating but I have an electric smoker which is a huge plus...

[mlyonsd]

cook the ribs for three hours spraying with apple juice or other mop sauce every hour. then put them in foil and cook them for another 2 hours and they will "steam" and moisten. The last half hour open the foil top and put on the sauce. they will be very moist and tender. Everything else you are doing sounds about right. Remember to remove the membrane from the bone side of the ribs.

Bingo. Putting a tire iron in foil for a couple hours at the end would make it tender.

Serious, if you want fall off the bone ribs foil is the foolproof way to go.

[Dave Lane]

Good tips. thank you all.

I have been pulling the membrane from the ribs and I try to get brisket with at leat 1/4 " fat on the bottom.

- use brine overnight to 24 hours - Will do this for BIG meats like brisket and loins.

- put meat on smoker then bring temp up to 225.

- put brisket in air-tight container and let slowly cool in fridge before cutting (great tip as i always bbq on sundays and have leftovers till Friday).

- 180-185 degrees for ribs


Put fat on top. will drip down through the meat...

Foil the meat, wrap completely in foil after you finish shiny side in and then place in contained warm place ie stove at 150 or small area with no heat. It allows the meat to draw the moisture back into the meat. DO NOT refrigerate till 100 degrees or at least 1/2 hour.

Dave

[damaticous]

It makes no difference. I alway start mine at air temp load meat then start the heating but I have an electric smoker which is a huge plus...

I was kind o curious about that. I think I will continue getting the smoker up to 225 first, then put the meat on.

[MOhillbilly]

tin foil

[cdcox]

Phobia once said "Foil is your friend". Best BBQ advice I ever got as far as avoiding dry meat. Also don't sear your meat!

You may want to check this post for how I use foil when cooking ribs.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showpost.php?p=3991937&postcount=9

[damaticous]

Phobia once said "Foil is your friend". Best BBQ advice I ever got as far as avoiding dry meat. Also don't sear your meat!

You may want to check this post for how I use foil when cooking ribs.

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showpost.php?p=3991937&postcount=9

Great read! Thank you.

[damaticous]

Where does everyone get their meat from?

Walmart? Sams? butcher?

[Stewie]

Where does everyone get their meat from?

Walmart? Sams? butcher?

Butcher, mostly. I'll get ribs at Dillon's (Kroger) because they sell Smithfield which I've found to be much more consistent than other brands.

[Phobia]

You know what is crazy? I never mop my ribs. I don't spritz them. I don't use a water pan. I rarely use foil any longer. But my ribs are almost always plenty moist. But I wouldn't listen to me because I like my ribs jerkeyed. I smoke them at 210 or below for about 6-8 hours which makes them tast like jerkey. That's apparently a no-no.

[dtebbe]

Checkout the forums at http://forum.cookshack.com/eve/forums

Most of the advice is aimed at folks with cookshack smokers, but there are a lot of great prep and seasoning ideas on there.

DT

[Fire Me Boy!]

I'm the same as Phil on ribs... I don't do anything to them and they come out good... same way with my briskets (which I'm much better at than ribs).

I suck at chickens.

Pork butts are the easiest things in the world to smoke. A very forgiving meat.

I don't personally care for the flavor of brining beef, so do it if you like it, but I don't.

One other thing: let the meat you're smoking come to room temperature before you put it on the smoker. You also want the outside of the meat to be as dry as possible in order to get a nice bark. I find I can do both by setting the meat in front of a box fan for 45-60 minutes before it goes on the smoker.

[Dave Lane]

Checkout the forums at http://forum.cookshack.com/eve/forums

Most of the advice is aimed at folks with cookshack smokers, but there are a lot of great prep and seasoning ideas on there.

DT

Hey I have one and even post there :)

Dave

[Phobia]

Cookshack is cheating.

[Dave Lane]

Yeah I just did 2 slabs and a brisket yesterday and damn they are good :)

Dave

[Phobia]

Yeah I just did 2 slabs and a brisket yesterday and damn they are good :)

Dave

Cookshack is like riding a Harley in a marathon. Cheater.

[KCChiefsMan]

i do put a pan of water in the smoker.

at what tempature are the ribs considered done? It is possible that I am over cooking them...but most of the time they are pretty pink/redish.

grab the rack of ribs with tongs, if the ribs drop they're done. If they are still stiff they need more time.

[Fire Me Boy!]

grab the rack of ribs with tongs, if the ribs drop they're done. If they are still stiff they need more time.
Actually... if they drop they're over done. Do the pull test... go three or four ribs in, and grab a rib between your thumb and first finger and another rib with your other hand. Gently pull. If it starts to pull apart with a little resistance it's done.

[MOhillbilly]

meat + fire = yum

repeat

[Simply Red]

pork butt

[Groves]

I'm still not getting the picture on these ribs. I'll send you my address, and you can just send some on ovah!

[tooge]

When I say falling off the bone I mean grabbing a rib and all you have is a rib. I'll defer to your expertise, though, since you beat us in ribs at the Shawnee BBQ Contest. We did finish higher overall, though. :p
I make a great humble pie, but It sure sucks having to eat it. Our chicken was 91st (ouch) and that really killed us.

[Phobia]

I make a great humble pie, but It sure sucks having to eat it. Our chicken was 91st (ouch) and that really killed us.
Do you have to make everything to compete? I don't even like making brisket.

I thought everything was incredible but I agreed with the judges on your chicken, tooge. I took my wife's plate and hid the chunk I was tossing in the can. ;) The ribs were incredible though as was your brisket.

[Dartgod]

Can someone explain "brining"?

[Dave Lane]

Can someone explain "brining"?


Soaking the meat in something liquid. Like salt water or apple juice.

Dave

[Phobia]

Soaking the meat in something liquid. Like salt water or apple juice.

Dave
I think brining is soaking something in salt water as a base. Lots of people have their own variation of brine "recipe" but it starts as a salt water base to my understanding.

One generally only brines pork or poultry - I think. I've never used a brine on beef or any other red meat.

[R&GHomer]

i do put a pan of water in the smoker.

at what tempature are the ribs considered done? It is possible that I am over cooking them...but most of the time they are pretty pink/redish.

I like to wrap the ribs in aluminum foil about an hour before they are done. Oh, and put a little apple juice in there with them and seal it up.

[Dartgod]

I think brining is soaking something in salt water as a base. Lots of people have their own variation of brine "recipe" but it starts as a salt water base to my understanding.

One generally only brines pork or poultry - I think. I've never used a brine on beef or any other red meat.
I've never done it and my "Q" turns out just fine. I'm just wondering what the advantages are.

[Phobia]

I've never done it and my "Q" turns out just fine. I'm just wondering what the advantages are.

I think it's essential to my Q because I don't do all the mopping and water pan steps. Try it sometime and see if it changes your Q. You can use just a simple salt water brine for 3-24 hours. If it does change your results I'd like to hear about it. I'm too scared to try without brining my ribs.

[cdcox]

I'll use the discussion on brining as a jumping off point to complain about enhanced meat again. I avoid any meat that has be enhanced or injected with an up to x% solution of sodium phosphate, salt, or any other variant goat piss when I am smoking. It is kind of a commercial brining process that ruins the flavor of the meat when you smoke, IMO. I'm not so picky when cooking indoors (fast). If you do your own brining on top of the commercial enhancement, the results are likely to be unpredictable. Read the label carefully, and know what you are buying.

I've brined chicken before with good results, but I'm not really much of a smoked chicken fan. I've never brined pork, because it tastes so dang good just the way it came off the pig.

[damaticous]

I'll use the discussion on brining as a jumping off point to complain about enhanced meat again. I avoid any meat that has be enhanced or injected with an up to x% solution of sodium phosphate, salt, or any other variant goat piss when I am smoking. It is kind of a commercial brining process that ruins the flavor of the meat when you smoke, IMO. I'm not so picky when cooking indoors (fast). If you do your own brining on top of the commercial enhancement, the results are likely to be unpredictable. Read the label carefully, and know what you are buying.

I've brined chicken before with good results, but I'm not really much of a smoked chicken fan. I've never brined pork, because it tastes so dang good just the way it came off the pig.


I just recently discovered that most grocery stores (walmart) sell enhanced meat. So I decided that I was going to go to a butcher this weekend and try some non-enhanced meat. I'm really excited about it.

I will most likely buy 3-4 slab of ribs, a couple briskets, and I want to try to make smoked prime rib. I will probably brine 1-2 rib slabs and 1 brisket just to try it. I'm really curious to see and taste the difference.

[cdcox]

I just recently discovered that most grocery stores (walmart) sell enhanced meat. So I decided that I was going to go to a butcher this weekend and try some non-enhanced meat. I'm really excited about it.

I will most likely buy 3-4 slab of ribs, a couple briskets, and I want to try to make smoked prime rib. I will probably brine 1-2 rib slabs and 1 brisket just to try it. I'm really curious to see and taste the difference.

I made some beautiful looking ribs earlier this year using enhanced meat that was on sale at Kroger. They were good, but fell short of their promise. My wife made the observation that the meat tasted like hotdogs. I had to agree with her, and realized the culprit was the enhanced meat.

[cdcox]

I just recently discovered that most grocery stores (walmart) sell enhanced meat. So I decided that I was going to go to a butcher this weekend and try some non-enhanced meat. I'm really excited about it.

I will most likely buy 3-4 slab of ribs, a couple briskets, and I want to try to make smoked prime rib. I will probably brine 1-2 rib slabs and 1 brisket just to try it. I'm really curious to see and taste the difference.

BTW, I'm sure you'll be able to taste the difference between brined and unbrined meats. I'll be interested in hearing which you preferred and what the differences were. Be sure to report back.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I brine pork and chicken... leave it the hell away from my beef.

[Phobia]

I brine pork and chicken... leave it the hell away from my beef.

Yup. Marinate red meat, brine white.

[damaticous]

BTW, I'm sure you'll be able to taste the difference between brined and unbrined meats. I'll be interested in hearing which you preferred and what the differences were. Be sure to report back.

I'll do.

[Stewie]

I just recently discovered that most grocery stores (walmart) sell enhanced meat. So I decided that I was going to go to a butcher this weekend and try some non-enhanced meat. I'm really excited about it.

I will most likely buy 3-4 slab of ribs, a couple briskets, and I want to try to make smoked prime rib. I will probably brine 1-2 rib slabs and 1 brisket just to try it. I'm really curious to see and taste the difference.

You can find unenhanced meat at grocery stores, too. You just have to look. I still prefer my butcher because it's one stop and done.

[Groves]

Yup. Marinate red meat, brine white.
What's the difference? (between marinade and brine, I mean.)

[Fire Me Boy!]

Brining is a salt/sugar/water mixture (often with herbs, other flavors added) that imparts seasoning and moisture. Marinating is usually acidic that helps to break down the fibers and tenderize, moisten and impart flavor.

[Stewie]

Do you have to make everything to compete? I don't even like making brisket.

You don't have to make everything. You will score a zero on anything not turned in which will put you at the bottom of the overall score list. You are required to purchase all the meats (ribs, pork shoulder, brisket, chicken) because they want to see all four at check-in. This is so they can see that you haven't pre-prepared anything.

[tooge]

Do you have to make everything to compete? I don't even like making brisket.

I thought everything was incredible but I agreed with the judges on your chicken, tooge. I took my wife's plate and hid the chunk I was tossing in the can. ;) The ribs were incredible though as was your brisket.
Dont blame ya. My budy came up with that recipe (i did the chicken last year he did the ribs and we switched) and none of us had the heart to tell him his chicken wasn't very good. You dont have to cook everything, but they score everything, so you wont score a very good total score without cooking everything. You need to do this a few times a year.

[tooge]

by the way, a real simple brine recipe is :
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup salt (sea salt dissoves better)
1 gallon of water
4 lemons juiced and throw in the remaining lemons
you can add other spices to this like thyme, cilantro, etc. But this is great on fish and chicken and pork. It essentially drives moisture into the meat due to osmosis. You will not ever have more moist chicken.