HELP! I have a smoker and don't know how to use it!

[Buehler445]

OK. Here's the deal. I got a smoker for Christmas. But the deal is that I have no idea how to use it. I know there are some excellent smokers on the Planet, so here is my plea for help.

Description of smoker here (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602009-cat20120_TGP&id=0034425516721a&navCount=1&podId=0034425&parentId=cat20120&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=XH&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20120&hasJS=true)

Basically, I know nothing about smoking meats. I'm looking for advice from you guys as basically a beginners guide to smoking. I know the recipe supercenter is out there, but as far as how to smoke something, I have no clue.

As far as what kinds of meat to use, how long to cook it for, what to season it with, what kind of wood chips to use, and what to do to keep it from drying out. As well as any tips for me to get started.

Any recipes that would be good for beginners would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

(I already know that antifreeze makes an excellent marinade)

[StcChief]

nice Smoker.... puts my Brinkman to shame

[cdcox]

As for how to cook, I'd follow the directions that came with it.

What to cook: I'd do an 8 lb Boston butt the first time. I'd put on a good bit of rub (I'll post one below) the night before. You want to cook until it is done, which means about 190 for a butt. Plan on at least an hour per pound at 210 to 220 F, but it may take up to an hour and a half per pound. Wood chips: hickory, apple, cherry, oak would be good. Not critical as long as it is a hardwood.

That smoker looks like it has a water pan, so drying out shouldn't be too much of an issue. Again read the directions that came with the smoker. If they don't say anthing about basting, you should be good to go. If they say to baste, you can use almost anything: apple cider, beer, vinegar and water...

A lot of BBQing is experimenting and developing your own style. The biggest thing is to get experience and have fun.

Oh, and you're cheating by using that smoker, just so you know. :p

[HonestChieffan]

I have one almost the same....Teach yourself with a couple chickens...

Set the dude up and turn on and stabilize temperature at 225 or so...

Put a TINY bit of wood chips in TINY

Put birds in and let it run for about 3 hours.

[Fire Me Boy!]

The easiest thing in the world to smoke is pork butt.

By a bone-in pork butt and remember LOW AND SLOW!

Low temps for a long time. The bigger the piece of meat, the longer it will take.

A 10-pound pork butt will likely take 12-14 hours.

Brisket is harder because cook too little and it's shoe leather, cook too long and it's mush.

I have a difficult time with chicken. The meat tastes good and all, but the skin is terribly rubbery. May be just me. And I've certainly not practiced with chicken.

Phil will tell you, and I agree, that the pork is the way to go. It's a very forgiving meat.

Be careful what kind of wood you use. Hickory and Mesquite are both VERY strong woods. It's easy to over-smoke something with either of those.

Fruit tree wood is mild and very nice, as is maple and pecan.

I like a mix of primarily apple or cherry with a little hickory.

[cdcox]

Rub (ingredients and amounts aren't critical. Experiment):

1/4 cup black pepper
1/3 cup paprika
1 T kosher salt
2 T sugar (I use turbinado sugar becuase it doesn't burn, you could omit it all together)
1 T each of chilli powder, garlic powder, onion
1 t cayenne

mix ingredients, rub on pork to taste.

[HonestChieffan]

Porks a good start but i found learning to establish heat with that electric is important. I only use it occasionally cause real fire is key to great BBQ

[cdcox]

Porks a good start but i found learning to establish heat with that electric is important. I only use it occasionally cause real fire is key to great BBQ

I see your point. With the chicken it only takes a few hours as opposed to a long day. And if you screw it up, its only chicken.

[Buehler445]

Great info guys! I appreciate all the help.

I have a Pork Roast in the freezer. Would that be similary to a Boston Butt that you were talking about cdcox?

Also, HonestChiefFan, What do you mean "Learning to establish the heat?"

[HonestChieffan]

its electric and your first go...chicken is cheap, fast and you will find out if the thermostat works is consistant and correct

[tyton75]

if I were you.. I would still invest in a meat thermometer as well...

just to make sure that the internal temp is getting where it needs to be...

never used a cheater smoker like that.. .but it does look nice and convenient!!

also... just to my preference... using hickory and apple wood in combination is the way to go in my book

also, if you are planning on smoking a brisket.. i have had success marinating it in apple juice for 24 hours before putting it on...

good luck.. it will become an addiction

[Stewie]

Great info guys! I appreciate all the help.

I have a Pork Roast in the freezer. Would that be similary to a Boston Butt that you were talking about cdcox?

Also, HonestChiefFan, What do you mean "Learning to establish the heat?"

For your first try I wouldn't do a pork roast. It's from the loin, is much leaner, and can dry out easily.

[tyton75]

For your first try I wouldn't do a pork roast. It's from the loin, is much leaner, and can dry out easily.


ehh.. Just drape a couple pounds of bacon over it..

lol


j/k... he's right... thats a difficult smoke.. one I probably wouldn't attempt until I get more practice

[Buehler445]

I didn't know I have a cheater smoker. What kind of smokers do you guys have?

[Stewie]

I didn't know I have a cheater smoker. What kind of smokers do you guys have?

Yours is electric. Most smokers use charcoal/wood for heat/smoke. Not to worry, you'll turn out some fine Q with what you have.

[cdcox]

I didn't know I have a cheater smoker. What kind of smokers do you guys have?

Don't mind me. I like to do everything the hard way. It's a snob thing.

My rig in action:

[Stewie]

Don't mind me. I like to do everything the hard way. It's a snob thing.

My rig in action:

Is that a Horizon smoker? Sure looks like one, if not.

[cdcox]

Is that a Horizon smoker? Sure looks like one, if not.

It is the Brinkmann Cimarron. They are pretty similar. Phob has the same one.

[RJ]

It is the Brinkmann Cimarron. They are pretty similar. Phob has the same one.




How many years have you had that? If you were buying a new one would you buy the same brand? Same model? I'm thinking of buying a smoker in the spring.

[Skip Towne]

Does the electric smoker have a smoke stack?

[cdcox]

How many years have you had that? If you were buying a new one would you buy the same brand? Same model? I'm thinking of buying a smoker in the spring.

I've had it for two years. I have no complaints. The food capacity is adequate but not enormous. In the picture, that is two racks of St. Louis style ribs and 1 rack of baby backs. Not much room for more even with a rib rack (which I used earlier in the cooking process). I could probably do 3 to 4 butts or a briskett and 1 butt.

It takes some practice to manage the heat. Since you're an experienced cook, I doubt you'd have much problem after a few times. This type of smoker requires periodic attention during the cook (once per hour or two).

Phobia had some problems with his firebox door warping and Brinkmann wouldn't fix it, even though it has a 75 year warranty. I've never had mine anywhere near hot enough to warp 1/4" steel.

If I could get it for the same price, I'd buy it again. I paid $399 at Westlakes Tru Value in KC. When I bought it, they were in the process of raising the price to $499 (I found it still marked at $399 on the sales floor, even though their computer said $499). On the internet you're looking at $500 and up plus another $100 to $150 shipping. I don't think I'd pay that much for it. I'd be 1) looking for a bargain, 2) considering if I could get one fabbed for less, or 3) considering building a backyard unit out of brick.

[Buehler445]

Does the electric smoker have a smoke stack?

Mine has a closeable opening for the smoke to escape. Pretty much like a charcoal grill.

[Phobia]

Don't mind me. I like to do everything the hard way. It's a snob thing.

My rig in action:

I thought that was mine until I saw that yellow ride in the background. Is that your daughter's?

[dtebbe]

I didn't know I have a cheater smoker. What kind of smokers do you guys have?

It's not. They're just jealous... you won't have to babysit your smoker while it does the work.

I'd start with a pork butt and some ribs. Get you a 6-8 pound butt, rub it up with your favorite spices, put a few chunks of wood in there, set it at about 210 and smoke it until the butt hits 190. When it hits 190 wrap it up in foil and but it back in for about another 4-6 hours at around 140. You'll have perfect pulled pork.

A big slab of ribs usually takes about 6 hours at 220, again rub em up and let em smoke.

Brisket is probably the biggest challenge. There is a really good electric smoker forum here:
http://forum.cookshack.com/eve/forums

DT

[Buehler445]

It's not. They're just jealous... you won't have to babysit your smoker while it does the work.

I'd start with a pork butt and some ribs. Get you a 6-8 pound butt, rub it up with your favorite spices, put a few chunks of wood in there, set it at about 210 and smoke it until the butt hits 190. When it hits 190 wrap it up in foil and but it back in for about another 4-6 hours at around 140. You'll have perfect pulled pork.

A big slab of ribs usually takes about 6 hours at 220, again rub em up and let em smoke.

Brisket is probably the biggest challenge. There is a really good electric smoker forum here:
http://forum.cookshack.com/eve/forums

DT

Great site! Thanks!

[dtebbe]

Great site! Thanks!

Thier rubs & sauces are pretty top notch too..

DT

[cdcox]

I thought that was mine until I saw that yellow ride in the background. Is that your daughter's?

I bought the loss leader. Stick, no air, no carpet, no radio. The paint was the only option on the whole thing. Oh, and I bought a bumper for $80.

[Phobia]

I bought the loss leader. Stick, no air, no carpet, no radio. The paint was the only option on the whole thing. Oh, and I bought a bumper for $80.
So, what you're saying is you CHOSE that paint?

[cdcox]

So, what you're saying is you CHOSE that paint?

Loss leader. They advertised a new truck for a very low price in the paper. You show up and they walk you over to it. When you say "Oh", they take you over to one that costs 50% more then convince you to buy it because the mothly payments are only $xxx per month.

Except I bought it, because a car is just transportation to me.

The paint was listed as an option on the sticker.

[xbarretx]

Is that a Horizon smoker? Sure looks like one, if not.

its an Oklahoma Joe smoker.

[Extra Point]

I do everything the hard way, too. I smoke using a 22" Weber grill. No attaching smoking attachment, just the grill and a cakepan with water in it. The meat goes over the pan, the coals to on the sides of the pan. Did a brisket and a couple slabs so far this year.

[Bugeater]

I do everything the hard way, too. I smoke using a 22" Weber grill. No attaching smoking attachment, just the grill and a cakepan with water in it. The meat goes over the pan, the coals to on the sides of the pan. Did a brisket and a couple slabs so far this year.
I once converted an old propane grill into a similar contraption and actually made some damn fine grub on it. Then I sent it to the dump when I bought my new Weber and I've regretted it ever since. I've never achieved the same results with it for some reason.

[RJ]

I do everything the hard way, too. I smoke using a 22" Weber grill. No attaching smoking attachment, just the grill and a cakepan with water in it. The meat goes over the pan, the coals to on the sides of the pan. Did a brisket and a couple slabs so far this year.




I usually use the same technique and have usually been pleased with the results. I bought a grate with hinges on the sides to make it easier to add charcoal and wood chips. I also have a larger rectangular shaped grill that I use when smoke/grilling larger quantities. But still, I gots my eye on one of them smokers......

[Braincase]

Get the book "Smoke & Spice".

When you smoke, make sure you have a grate in your off-set firebox. It's important to provide an air path underneath your fire. I use a chimney starter to get a load of Kingsford (NOT MATCHLIGHT!) to get the heat going. After I get one load whited, I dump onto the grate, dump another load of charcoal on top. It takes heat to ignite the next bunch of charcoal, so that helps to balance the heat. After you get the temperature in the cooking chamber up to about 220 degrees, close all of the air intake areas, including side vents, chimney top, etc. Hopefully you'll lock in your temperature to about 200-220. You'll want to add fuel, and that's when I start adding hickory or pecan chunks. If it get's too hot, open up the main cooking chamber to vent heat. Double check and make sure you've got your airvent on the side of the firebox closed.

I usually get mine going around 9:30 AM, and pull meat off around 5:30. Ribs not as long, and they're done as far away from the firebox as possible in side the cooking chamber.

[Buehler445]

I did a chicken yesterday.

It turned out pretty well. I used Hickory chips. I wanted mesquite, but the only place to get that stuff here is Cabela's, and they were out. But it went very well. The chicken came out nice and moist with nice flavor. I didn't season it or marinade it at all to see what kind of taste I would get from the smoke. It definitely wasn't a masterpiece, but it was a good start.

Not sure what I'm gonna do next, but I'm excited!

Looking at your guys' posts, I'm glad I have a cheater version. I would definitely screw it all up if I had to do all the stuff you guys have to do.

But anyway, :clap: :clap: :clap: for you guys. I really appreciate the help.

Any more helpful hints would be appreciated:)

Thanks again fellas!

[Phobia]

It's not. They're just jealous... you won't have to babysit your smoker while it does the work.
I'm not jealous at all. It's the equivalent of boiling your ribs and then carmelizing some sauce on them on your grill. It still tastes pretty good but it's not really BBQ. You can't derive near the pleasure a purist enjoys by using fire and smoke. I'm not mad at the cheaters because it makes no difference to me. I just feel sorry for them.

[HonestChieffan]

Try a Pork shoulder next...

EVERYONES a BBQ expert so listen to a lot.

I do a rub of salt pepper a little brown sugar and let it sit in fridge overnight. In my electric like yours, I put in at 225 and let it go with NO smoke for 2-3 hours. Then I add water to water pan and some apple wood chips...Im not a hickory guy..let it go for aboit 2 hours more then take it out...

[Buehler445]

I'm not jealous at all. It's the equivalent of boiling your ribs and then carmelizing some sauce on them on your grill. It still tastes pretty good but it's not really BBQ. You can't derive near the pleasure a purist enjoys by using fire and smoke. I'm not mad at the cheaters because it makes no difference to me. I just feel sorry for them.

Hey man, I feel you. At this point, if I had a rig like yours, it wouldn't do me any good because I would **** everything up, plus it was a Christmas present, so I'm not going to complain. Maybe someday down the road I can do it like you guys do. I'm just trying to get started.

The deal is I moved up here to Western Nebraska, and they have NO BBQ at all, and goddamn do I miss it. So this is the best I can do to get some decent BBQ.

I'm not trying to draw any lines between cheaters or not or whatever. I'm just looking for some help because I'm a moron.

[HonestChieffan]

I'm not jealous at all. It's the equivalent of boiling your ribs and then carmelizing some sauce on them on your grill. It still tastes pretty good but it's not really BBQ. You can't derive near the pleasure a purist enjoys by using fire and smoke. I'm not mad at the cheaters because it makes no difference to me. I just feel sorry for them.

He will get there...I have 5 smokers...keep buying them like an addict

[Buehler445]

Try a Pork shoulder next...

EVERYONES a BBQ expert so listen to a lot.

I do a rub of salt pepper a little brown sugar and let it sit in fridge overnight. In my electric like yours, I put in at 225 and let it go with NO smoke for 2-3 hours. Then I add water to water pan and some apple wood chips...Im not a hickory guy..let it go for aboit 2 hours more then take it out...

I'll try that, thanks. I'll have to try some different wood. I can see where you guys suggest that Hickory is kinda strong. I can see how it could possibly clash with some seasonings.

I appreciate the help.

[mlyonsd]

I'll try that, thanks. I'll have to try some different wood. I can see where you guys suggest that Hickory is kinda strong. I can see how it could possibly clash with some seasonings.

I appreciate the help.

I like pecan chunks.

One other thing, I've been using an electrical smoker for 20 years and have found if you see smoke rolling out of it you're cooking it too hard with too much wood. I try to set mine so I just see a wisp now and then.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I'm not jealous at all. It's the equivalent of boiling your ribs and then carmelizing some sauce on them on your grill. It still tastes pretty good but it's not really BBQ. You can't derive near the pleasure a purist enjoys by using fire and smoke. I'm not mad at the cheaters because it makes no difference to me. I just feel sorry for them.
I agree 100 percent. I used to smoke stuff all the time on my propane smoker, and while the results were good, I wasn't as proud of what I've accomplished on the one you helped me get to my house.

[Stewie]

Phobia had some problems with his firebox door warping and Brinkmann wouldn't fix it, even though it has a 75 year warranty. I've never had mine anywhere near hot enough to warp 1/4" steel.

Dang, Phobia. Were you burning hedge wood or something to get that much heat?

[Phobia]

Dang, Phobia. Were you burning hedge wood or something to get that much heat?

I've never had that much heat to my knowledge.

[tooge]

I did a chicken yesterday.

It turned out pretty well. I used Hickory chips. I wanted mesquite, but the only place to get that stuff here is Cabela's, and they were out. But it went very well. The chicken came out nice and moist with nice flavor. I didn't season it or marinade it at all to see what kind of taste I would get from the smoke. It definitely wasn't a masterpiece, but it was a good start.

Not sure what I'm gonna do next, but I'm excited!

Looking at your guys' posts, I'm glad I have a cheater version. I would definitely screw it all up if I had to do all the stuff you guys have to do.

But anyway, :clap: :clap: :clap: for you guys. I really appreciate the help.

Any more helpful hints would be appreciated:)

Thanks again fellas!

Do NOT use mesquite. It will overpower almost anything other than beef done rather quickly. It is great for grilling, but not for smoking. My favorites are cherry and apple. Here is a great rub recipe also:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsn pepper
1 tspn cumin add cayene to taste.
Buy one of the BBQ books at smoke and fire. Steve Raichles is good, so is the BBQ Bible. They have tons of marinades, smoke times and temps, and rubs for all kinds of meats. Bottom line though is once you really get into it you will probably buy a stick burner (wood fired smoker) and come up with most of your own rubs, mop sauces and bastes. Have fun with it. It is addicting. I started with one vertical brinkman (still my favorite) and now have three smokers and compete in 3 competitions a year. It is too much fun.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Do NOT use mesquite. It will overpower almost anything other than beef done rather quickly. It is great for grilling, but not for smoking. My favorites are cherry and apple. Here is a great rub recipe also:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsn pepper
1 tspn cumin add cayene to taste.
Buy one of the BBQ books at smoke and fire. Steve Raichles is good, so is the BBQ Bible. They have tons of marinades, smoke times and temps, and rubs for all kinds of meats. Bottom line though is once you really get into it you will probably buy a stick burner (wood fired smoker) and come up with most of your own rubs, mop sauces and bastes. Have fun with it. It is addicting. I started with one vertical brinkman (still my favorite) and now have three smokers and compete in 3 competitions a year. It is too much fun.
That sounds like a good rub for ribs, but maybe not for brisket or pork butt. That much sugar might burn in those longer times.

[tooge]

It is great on Butt. It carmelizes real well, however, I typically do my butts around 225, not higher so it is fine. It is Ok on brisket, but my favorite for brisket is just pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Then mop it with apple sider vinegar, soy sauce and beer. Sometimes I will throw in some oregano and chili powder too.

[Braincase]

Do NOT use mesquite. It will overpower almost anything other than beef done rather quickly. It is great for grilling, but not for smoking. My favorites are cherry and apple. Here is a great rub recipe also:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup paprika
2 tbsp garlic powder
2tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsn pepper
1 tspn cumin add cayene to taste.
Buy one of the BBQ books at smoke and fire. Steve Raichles is good, so is the BBQ Bible. They have tons of marinades, smoke times and temps, and rubs for all kinds of meats. Bottom line though is once you really get into it you will probably buy a stick burner (wood fired smoker) and come up with most of your own rubs, mop sauces and bastes. Have fun with it. It is addicting. I started with one vertical brinkman (still my favorite) and now have three smokers and compete in 3 competitions a year. It is too much fun.

I prefer cherry, apple & pear for poultry, pecan for most beef & pork. Hickory is kind of a "universal", meaning if I can't find a specialty wood, I fall back on hickory due to it's availability and wide-spread appeal. Some guys will do beef with oak as well. I absolutely agree about avoiding mesquite, as it adds a strong burnt taste. Anybody that tells you that mesquite is their favorite must have the taste buds of an 8-cigar a day smoker.

As I mentioned earlier, the one book I use as a reference is "Smoke & Spice". Great variety of rubs and recipes, as well as alot of useful general information. There are some other books out there, and a number of respected authors. Some folks swear by Bobby Flay, but it's all very subjective, kind of like the difference between wet & dry, and whether or not you want to use aluminum foil or not. I'm a fan of using aluminum foil, because there's alot of ash that gets kicked up during the process, even with an offset firebox. That, and I'm not reall good about getting all of the kreosote peeled off the interior of my cooking chamber, so using foil helps me from a cleanliness perspective.

[dtebbe]

I'm not jealous at all. It's the equivalent of boiling your ribs and then carmelizing some sauce on them on your grill. It still tastes pretty good but it's not really BBQ. You can't derive near the pleasure a purist enjoys by using fire and smoke. I'm not mad at the cheaters because it makes no difference to me. I just feel sorry for them.

LMAO LMAO

A cinder snob revealed!

LMAO LMAO

DT

[RJ]

There are many good books on barbecue available but if I had to own just one it would be The Barbecue Bible by Steve Raichlen, as Tooge had mentioned. This book isn't just recipes. It's also about the equipment, tools, fuels.....basically everything involved in the process. Also, the recipes have versions for gas grills, charcoal grills and smokers, and most of them come with a story about the origins of the recipe. This book is both informative and interesting and at times entertaining.


http://www.amazon.com/Barbecue-Bible-Steven-Raichlen/dp/1563058669

[tomahawk kid]

Ok - I'm going to piggyback on this thread.

I bought a wood / charcoal Weber smoker last fall, and have failed miserably twice trying to cook meat on it.

The main issue is that I can't seem to get the fire to stay hot enough. It's always just below the where it needs to be per the dial on top of the smoker.

That usually leads me to add coals, which leads to the meat tasting like fuel.

Any help would be most appreciated.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Ok - I'm going to piggyback on this thread.

I bought a wood / charcoal Weber smoker last fall, and have failed miserably twice trying to cook meat on it.

The main issue is that I can't seem to get the fire to stay hot enough. It's always just below the where it needs to be per the dial on top of the smoker.

That usually leads me to add coals, which leads to the meat tasting like fuel.

Any help would be most appreciated.
Is it an offset smoker or is it a large grill?

Check your vents and open them more, if possible.

[tomahawk kid]

Is it an offset smoker or is it a large grill?

Check your vents and open them more, if possible.

It's not a grill.

It's one of those cylinder shaped red Weber smokers.

Only vent on the thing (other than the fire door) is the garden variety circle vent on the lid.

I thought about drilling holes in the bottom of the charcoal pan to get more airflow.

[Fire Me Boy!]

It's not a grill.

It's one of those cylinder shaped red Weber smokers.

Only vent on the thing (other than the fire door) is the garden variety circle vent on the lid.

I thought about drilling holes in the bottom of the charcoal pan to get more airflow.
I'd say it's almost assuredly a ventilation issue. You need something on the bottom to bring air in.

The garden-variety vents work perfectly, if you have them.

[RJ]

It's not a grill.

It's one of those cylinder shaped red Weber smokers.

Only vent on the thing (other than the fire door) is the garden variety circle vent on the lid.

I thought about drilling holes in the bottom of the charcoal pan to get more airflow.



How are you starting your charcoal?

[tooge]

It's not a grill.

It's one of those cylinder shaped red Weber smokers.

Only vent on the thing (other than the fire door) is the garden variety circle vent on the lid.

I thought about drilling holes in the bottom of the charcoal pan to get more airflow.

A couple of suggestions. First, regulate the amount of water you are using. too much can really cool it down. Next, add quite a bit of coals at the beginning, fill that sucker up. It is easier to add water to cool it than to add heat. Next, when you add coals, never use lighter fluid. Start your coals on a chimney then just add them when they are ready. In fact, never use fuel. If you want easy start, then buy an electric igniter and put it in your chimney lighter to start. It is a piece of cake. Finally, you may need to insulate it with a moving blanket, those arent real thick. It should do fine with the holes and vents it already has. The top vents should make it almost too hot if fully opened with a decent fire and about 3/4 full of water. Oh, did I mention, dont use lighter fluid!

[cdcox]

It's not a grill.

It's one of those cylinder shaped red Weber smokers.

Only vent on the thing (other than the fire door) is the garden variety circle vent on the lid.

I thought about drilling holes in the bottom of the charcoal pan to get more airflow.

From your description, it doesn't sound like you have the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker (that has an air vent on both the top and the bottom). Instead you probably have Weber's version of the ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann) which you probably paid less than $50 for. Those are notoriously difficult to keep up to temperature, especially on a long cook. Here is how I modified mine when I had one:

As it comes out of the box, you will have a hard time keeping the temperature up into the cooking range (200 F) on this smoker, unless you add hot coals every 30 to 45 minutes. The problem is that the fire does not get enough oxygen with the fire pan provided. To increase air flow, I drilled about 30 half-inch diameter holes in the bottom of my fire pan. Then, I bought a charcoal grate from Home Depot. I set on top of a 3 inch tall collar made of aluminum flashing that sits in the drilled out fire pan. Many of the barbecue sites on the web have other detailed instructions for modification of water smokers.
As the fire burns, ash will drop through the fire grate into the fire pan. Eventually enough ash will accumulate to block the air holes, so it is important to keep these open by poking a stick around to keep the air paths open. Be careful of hot coals dropping from your smoker and starting a fire. I put my smoker on top of a large shallow pan filled with moist sand to protect my deck. Also, I heat up the water to boiling on the stove before adding to my smoker. With these modifications, I can keep the fire in a reasonable temperature range by adding wood chunks and cold briquettes a few at a time.

[tooge]

Yeah, or you could get a WSM (weber smokey mountain) on line for about $179. They are one of the easiest to use and many of them are on the competition circuit. I frequent a site called bbqforum.com and there are lots of very nice informative folks there.

[tomahawk kid]

How are you starting your charcoal?

Instant light.

Stacking it in pyramid style like you would a grill. Lighting it up - letting it burn off.

[tomahawk kid]

From your description, it doesn't sound like you have the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker (that has an air vent on both the top and the bottom). Instead you probably have Weber's version of the ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann) which you probably paid less than $50 for. Those are notoriously difficult to keep up to temperature, especially on a long cook. Here is how I modified mine when I had one:

As it comes out of the box, you will have a hard time keeping the temperature up into the cooking range (200 F) on this smoker, unless you add hot coals every 30 to 45 minutes. The problem is that the fire does not get enough oxygen with the fire pan provided. To increase air flow, I drilled about 30 half-inch diameter holes in the bottom of my fire pan. Then, I bought a charcoal grate from Home Depot. I set on top of a 3 inch tall collar made of aluminum flashing that sits in the drilled out fire pan. Many of the barbecue sites on the web have other detailed instructions for modification of water smokers.
As the fire burns, ash will drop through the fire grate into the fire pan. Eventually enough ash will accumulate to block the air holes, so it is important to keep these open by poking a stick around to keep the air paths open. Be careful of hot coals dropping from your smoker and starting a fire. I put my smoker on top of a large shallow pan filled with moist sand to protect my deck. Also, I heat up the water to boiling on the stove before adding to my smoker. With these modifications, I can keep the fire in a reasonable temperature range by adding wood chunks and cold briquettes a few at a time.

That's what I thought.

Thanks for the tip.

Is the aluminum collar something you have to make yourself?

[Stewie]

Yeah, that's not a Weber he's using. The WSM was the first smoker I ever bought and still use it alot. The WSM has three vents on the bottom and one in the lid. Using lump charcoal and wood for smoke you can get the smoker to way over 300, no problem.

As tooge suggested don't use starter fluid. Invest in a charcoal chimney. They're only about $10 and easy to use.

Hey tooge, have you signed up for the Great American BBQ contest yet?

[Fire Me Boy!]

Yeah, that's not a Weber he's using. The WSM was the first smoker I ever bought and still use it alot. The WSM has three vents on the bottom and one in the lid. Using lump charcoal and wood for smoke you can get the smoker to way over 300, no problem.

As tooge suggested don't use starter fluid. Invest in a charcoal chimney. They're only about $10 and easy to use.

Hey tooge, have you signed up for the Great American BBQ contest yet?
My experience with the $10 chimney starters from Wal-Mart and $13 chimney starter from Weber (http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7416-Chimney-Starter/dp/B00004U9VV/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1200942210&sr=8-1) says the extra $3 is completely and totally worth the money.

Those el-cheapos from Wal-Mart suck ass. It amazing that something with the same basic structural design on something so simple can have a major difference in how it performs.

If you're smoking a lot, buy two. They'll come in handy.

[Stewie]

My experience with the $10 chimney starters from Wal-Mart and $13 chimney starter from Weber (http://www.amazon.com/Weber-7416-Chimney-Starter/dp/B00004U9VV/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1200942210&sr=8-1) says the extra $3 is completely and totally worth the money.

Those el-cheapos from Wal-Mart suck ass. It amazing that something with the same basic structural design on something so simple can have a major difference in how it performs.

If you're smoking a lot, buy two. They'll come in handy.

I didn't even know Walmart sold chimney starters, but then I've never looked. Yeah, go to ACE and get the real deal.

[tooge]

Yeah, that's not a Weber he's using. The WSM was the first smoker I ever bought and still use it alot. The WSM has three vents on the bottom and one in the lid. Using lump charcoal and wood for smoke you can get the smoker to way over 300, no problem.

As tooge suggested don't use starter fluid. Invest in a charcoal chimney. They're only about $10 and easy to use.

Hey tooge, have you signed up for the Great American BBQ contest yet?

Yeah, I believe so. One of my teamates always signs us up. We should be in the same spot as last year. We will bring more tarps though as it seems to rain its ass off every year at that one. Are you going to it?

[Stewie]

Yeah, I believe so. One of my teamates always signs us up. We should be in the same spot as last year. We will bring more tarps though as it seems to rain its ass off every year at that one. Are you going to it?

Planning on going. It may not be our whole team, but should be a good time. Do you guys just do the basic four entries, or do you do the sides, OK Joe's brisket, etc.?

[tooge]

We do the four basics, the OK joes brisket, and One of our guys does a beans dish and I usually try a potato side dish. Last year I tried a potato dish which is diced up taters with skin on, mayo, garlic, onions. grated cheddar, and cilantro with a little lime juice. sort of a spruced up tater salad. People at parties and tailgates etc are always asking for it, but it absolutely tanked at the competition. What gives? Oh well, back to the drawing board I guess with the tater entry.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I want to do a competition... think it'd be a lot of fun.

HEY PHIL! We gonna get something going to represent?

[RJ]

Instant light.

Stacking it in pyramid style like you would a grill. Lighting it up - letting it burn off.



That's likely the reason you're getting the "fuel taste" you mentioned earlier. As others have mentioned, buy a $10 chimney starter and get rid of the instant light or any starter fluid. That should solve that problem.

[Stewie]

I want to do a competition... think it'd be a lot of fun.

HEY PHIL! We gonna get something going to represent?

You should do it. It's basically a big party with a BBQ contest as an excuse. I told Phil he should compete since I've heard his Q is very good. BTW, it's a party, but a hell of a lot of work, too.

[tomahawk kid]

That's likely the reason you're getting the "fuel taste" you mentioned earlier. As others have mentioned, buy a $10 chimney starter and get rid of the instant light or any starter fluid. That should solve that problem.

Thanks.

The chimney will effectively start the charcoal without any fluid?

[Stewie]

Thanks.

The chimney will effectively start the charcoal without any fluid?

No fuel needed. It starts the coals really quick using newspaper. Another bit of information that may help. Use lump charcoal. I use Ozark Oak in my Weber, but if you shop at Price Chopper buy their brand of lump. It's made by Royal Oak. Briquettes have too much ash and don't burn as hot. Just a couple of ideas.

[cdcox]

I didn't discover lump charcoal until I'd graduated to my current rig. But for a cheap vertical smoker, that is a GREAT recommendation. Hotter burning and less ash to impede oxygen flow to boot.

[tomahawk kid]

No fuel needed. It starts the coals really quick using newspaper. Another bit of information that may help. Use lump charcoal. I use Ozark Oak in my Weber, but if you shop at Price Chopper buy their brand of lump. It's made by Royal Oak. Briquettes have too much ash and don't burn as hot. Just a couple of ideas.

Will do.

[tooge]

You should do it. It's basically a big party with a BBQ contest as an excuse. I told Phil he should compete since I've heard his Q is very good. BTW, it's a party, but a hell of a lot of work, too.
We have always had a huge party at all the comps we do. It is a ton of work though. Last year we did Paola and didn't tell anyone at all. It was probably the most fun of any of them just becasue it was so much easier. If I were gonna do it all again, I would suggest only telling your close friends and a few bbq pals (ya know, like me for instance). Then build the party size up from there if you want. It is kinda hard Qing for 70 people in the wind and rain when you have competition meat to get ready and cook. Plus you (well, me) are usually somewhat impaired the entire time. Having said all that, I will let you all know where we are at the Great American as it gets closer to Memorial Day.

[HemiEd]

Good thread! I always learn something from these smoker threads from you guys. I have a question please.
I have a offset firebox smoker, it was new last spring. I remember reading on here about breaking them in and getting it seasoned.

What do you guys do about cleaning them? I used it so much last year, it has a very thick "crust" of black stuff covering the entire inner surface of the lid and sides. Should I clean that stuff off? What are your smoker cleaning regimens?
Thanks.

[Stewie]

Good thread! I always learn something from these smoker threads from you guys. I have a question please.
I have a offset firebox smoker, it was new last spring. I remember reading on here about breaking them in and getting it seasoned.

What do you guys do about cleaning them? I used it so much last year, it has a very thick "crust" of black stuff covering the entire inner surface of the lid and sides. Should I clean that stuff off? What are your smoker cleaning regimens?
Thanks.

It sounds like your smoker is seasoned, for sure. A stiff wire brush to remove the easy pickins from the offset firebox and the smoking chamber. You don't want to remove more than that so you save the "seasoning." Clean your grate(s) using elbow grease. Another little hint here. Use 80% lump charcoal and 20% smoking wood (your choice) when you smoke. Too much wood is a NO NO as it imparts too much smoke and is unstable temperature wise. Lump charcoal does a fabulous job of controlling heat and is complemented by the smoke of the flavoring wood. My 2 cents.

[HemiEd]

It sounds like your smoker is seasoned, for sure. A stiff wire brush to remove the easy pickins from the offset firebox and the smoking chamber. You don't want to remove more than that so you save the "seasoning." Clean your grate(s) using elbow grease. Another little hint here. Use 80% lump charcoal and 20% smoking wood (your choice) when you smoke. Too much wood is a NO NO as it imparts too much smoke and is unstable temperature wise. Lump charcoal does a fabulous job of controlling heat and is complemented by the smoke of the flavoring wood. My 2 cents.

Thanks a lot, that makes sense. I was only using small amounts of charcoal, mainly to keep the wood going. I was consuming mostly wood. I had entire face chord of Cherry delivered last year and used most of it. :D Thanks again!

[Stewie]

Thanks a lot, that makes sense. I was only using small amounts of charcoal, mainly to keep the wood going. I was consuming mostly wood. I had entire face chord of Cherry delivered last year and used most of it. :D Thanks again!

Glad to help. It seems that charcoal is a nasty word for some reason. Charcoal is THE ABSOLUTE most important ingredient in smoking. The flavoring wood is a minor constituent, but very, very important. Lump charcoal is a hardwood that is burned in an oxygen-free environment. That's important. It removes all the nasty soot and other contaminants that can ruin smoked meats. Think of it as a hot, clean, flavorful fire. Here's a great site for rankings of lump (I use Ozark Oak):

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lumpindexpage.htm?bag

Edit: After about 4 hours you can use charcoal or wood for your fire, or both. The meat doesn't get anything useful from smoke after that point since it can't penetrate more than about 1/8".

[RJ]

Chief fans' motto:


"Sure, our team sucks, but we'll kick your ass at barbecue!"

Good thread, lots of useful tips here.

[Nightfyre]

This thread is awesome, it makes me so hungry.

[cdcox]

Is the aluminum collar something you have to make yourself?

Sorry, missed this question earlier. If I remember correctly, I walked around Home Depot looking for something that would work. Avoid galvanized though because it can give off bad fumes when heated. The basic idea was that the charcoal grate was too small to sit on top of the fire pan, so I needed something to support it.

[Buehler445]

Rub (ingredients and amounts aren't critical. Experiment):

1/4 cup black pepper
1/3 cup paprika
1 T kosher salt
2 T sugar (I use turbinado sugar becuase it doesn't burn, you could omit it all together)
1 T each of chilli powder, garlic powder, onion
1 t cayenne

mix ingredients, rub on pork to taste.

Alright boys, update time. I did the chicken. It turned out really good. Then I did some beef chuck steaks. They dried out pretty badly. I'm thinking I should have foiled them, or maybe seared each side for a minute or two.

My next conquest is going to be a 3lb Boston Roast. It was the closest thing I could find at the store to what you guys are talking about. I was going to use the rub cdcox posted here. Do I need to foil this at all? I don't particularly want it to dry out like the beef did.

I'm having some trouble finding decent meat. My town is very small and the stores don't carry a lot of what you guys are suggesting. There are some pork butts around, but they are "partially cooked" and I don't want that. I think I am going to have to find a butcher.

Anyway, any additional pointers from you guys would be appreciated.

Thanks again for all your help.

[Phobia]

Beef will always dry out unless there's plenty of fatty tissue such as is the case with brisket and beef ribs.

I don't smoke beef very often. Beef is more suited for the grill.

[Buehler445]

Beef will always dry out unless there's plenty of fatty tissue such as is the case with brisket and beef ribs.

I don't smoke beef very often. Beef is more suited for the grill.

This was fatty for being cut into steaks. It was probably pretty crappy meat, but it was still a little dissappointing. I still have a little left. I may throw it on the grill and see how it tastes off there. It may have just been crappy meat.

[RJ]

My next conquest is going to be a 3lb Boston Roast. It was the closest thing I could find at the store to what you guys are talking about. I was going to use the rub cdcox posted here. Do I need to foil this at all? I don't particularly want it to dry out like the beef did.
.



A Boston butt is a great cut for slow cooking. There's plenty of fat so you shouldn't have any worries over it drying out. Three pounds sounds on the small side, is it boneless? If so, I'd use bone-in in the future, they're more flavorful. But that's a small point, I think you'll enjoy your pork.

[cdcox]

I'm 90% sure that the Boston Roast is a smaller cut of the Boston Butt. Should be fine. You are only going to need to cook that for 3 to 4 hours so drying out should not be a problem. A little "bark" on the outside of the meat is a sign of good BBQ. You want to get a digital thermometer and cook the meat to 185 to 190, then let it rest. You can use foil during the last hour or so if you think it is getting dried out, but I normally don't need that for a butt. (For a 18 hour briskett smoke, I might foil it about 2/3 through. A butt normally has a decent layer of fat, and you smoke it fat side up. If the butcher trimmed that off, you can layer some bacon over the top. Does your smoker have a water pan? If not, you may need to periodically (every hour or so) baste the roast with liquid (apple juice, beer, red cider vinegar, your choice). You can throw some rub in with the liquid if you want. Don't baste so much that you rince off all the rub.

Experimenting (which includes failures) is part of learning to Q. Don't get discouraged.

[Fire Me Boy!]

And 90 percent of your "failures" will still be good.

Just have fun!



FTR, I like chuck on the grill -- it's tough, but has a lot of flavor. Never done it on the smoker, though.

[cdcox]

Beef will always dry out unless there's plenty of fatty tissue such as is the case with brisket and beef ribs.

I don't smoke beef very often. Beef is more suited for the grill.

Smoked briskett is my absolute favorite BBQ.

[RJ]

Experimenting (which includes failures) is part of learning to Q. Don't get discouraged.




That is the very best piece of advice anyone has posted in this thread. And remember, even the failures will most likely still be edible.

[Buehler445]

Thanks guys. I'll get the rub on tonight and stick it in the fridge. Thanks for the help fellas.

[ChiefsFan4Life]

I'll get the rub on tonight and stick it in the fridge.

TMI!!!!!!!! TMI!!!!!!

[Buehler445]

TMI!!!!!!!! TMI!!!!!!

ROFL My bad.

[Buehler445]

So I did the Boston Shoulder roast today and it was Awesome. I used cdcox's rub. It was fantastic. Thanks for all the help!

[RJ]

So I did the Boston Shoulder roast today and it was Awesome. I used cdcox's rub. It was fantastic. Thanks for all the help!



Excellent, glad to hear it.

[cdcox]

So I did the Boston Shoulder roast today and it was Awesome. I used cdcox's rub. It was fantastic. Thanks for all the help!

Any rub'll do ya. Seriously, as long as you get the salt and sugar right, it's hard to get the rub wrong.

What about the rest of the details? What wood chips (snicker) did you use? How long and at what temp did you smoke it at? Did you baste? How did it pull?

[Buehler445]

Any rub'll do ya. Seriously, as long as you get the salt and sugar right, it's hard to get the rub wrong.

What about the rest of the details? What wood chips (snicker) did you use? How long and at what temp did you smoke it at? Did you baste? How did it pull?

I used hickory chips. I cooked it at 200 for 3 hours and then 225 for another 2. I didn't use any baste, and I just cut it off and ate it. I was too hungry to pull it!!!

It probably doesn't compare to the Q you guys put together, but it was pretty damn good for what I usually eat:).

[Fire Me Boy!]

It probably doesn't compare to the Q you guys put together, but it was pretty damn good for what I usually eat:).
Yup. Like I said earlier, 90 percent of your "failures" will still be pretty damn good eats.

[HonestChieffan]

Now that you are hooked....Check these babys out..

http://www.bbqpits.com/klose.htm

http://www.bbqpits.com/backyard_smokers/20x42_grillchef.jpg

[Buehler445]

Now that you are hooked....Check these babys out..



:eek: Holy crap. I'm sure that's out of my price range. Maybe someday! :thumb:

[Buehler445]

Hey fellers, I'm getting ready to do some ribs tomorrow. I've never done them and am looking for some advice.

I was going to make a dry rub and put it on tonight,

I was going to use a cup or so of Brown Sugar
Some Season Salt
Paprika
Pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
and some crushed red pepper flakes

Is there anything else I should add?
Should I baste some sauce on there?
If so what kind (I live in BFE, so they don't have a lot of good stuff)?
How long should I leave them on there? I'm assuimg 225...
They are pork spare ribs, is there anything different from babybacks?

Sorry for the 20Q, but I'm a n00b...

Appreciate any help you guys could provide. Thanks in Advance!

[RJ]

I used this rub last week. Makes enough for several racks. It was quite good.



1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-iodized table salt
1/8 cup brown sugar, dried
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Accent (MSG)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder

[RJ]

I forgot to mention.......Put the brown sugar in a low temp oven on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes or so to let it dry out. That way you won't get those clumps and it will sprinkle evenly. This recipe is part of a rib cooking technique that is immodestly titled Best Ribs in the Universe. I must admit that they were damn good. Here's the source...


http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/rib1.html

[Fire Me Boy!]

I made crab diablo tonight... spicy marinara sauce and crab and pasta. :drool:

[Buehler445]

I used this rub last week. Makes enough for several racks. It was quite good.



1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-iodized table salt
1/8 cup brown sugar, dried
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Accent (MSG)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder

That sounds good. I think I will go with this. Thanks RJ!

[Fire Me Boy!]

That sounds good. I think I will go with this. Thanks RJ!

Yeah... I'd be wary of the Accent. I try to keep MSG away from anything I make.

[Buehler445]

Yeah... I'd be wary of the Accent. I try to keep MSG away from anything I make.

I was thinking the same thing. I picked it up, but I think I will leave it out.

[Buehler445]

I used this rub last week. Makes enough for several racks. It was quite good.



1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-iodized table salt
1/8 cup brown sugar, dried
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon Accent (MSG)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder

Hey RJ, did you rub them on 2 hours before or did you let them sit overnight?

[RJ]

Yeah... I'd be wary of the Accent. I try to keep MSG away from anything I make.



I've always felt the same but I have to say this was a good rub.

[RJ]

Hey RJ, did you rub them on 2 hours before or did you let them sit overnight?


About two hours is best. The recipe calls for them to sit at room temperature. Apply the rub and leave your ribs out while you get the fire going.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I've always felt the same but I have to say this was a good rub.

I wonder what it'd be like without the MSG. :hmmm:

[Buehler445]

About two hours is best. The recipe calls for them to sit at room temperature. Apply the rub and leave your ribs out while you get the fire going.

Cool man, I do appreciate the help. We'll see how these turn out. My parents had a vendor give them a half a pig for Christmas (that they didn't really want) so they pawned some of it off on me. I got spareribs, which I imagine are not as good as baby backs since they are cheaper than baby backs at the store, but we'll see. Hopefully they come out OK.

Thanks again for the help!

[Buehler445]

I wonder what it'd be like without the MSG. :hmmm:

I left the MSG out. I also went half season salt/half table salt. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Cool man, I do appreciate the help. We'll see how these turn out. My parents had a vendor give them a half a pig for Christmas (that they didn't really want) so they pawned some of it off on me. I got spareribs, which I imagine are not as good as baby backs since they are cheaper than baby backs at the store, but we'll see. Hopefully they come out OK.

Thanks again for the help!

I like spare ribs better than baby backs. More meat to bone ratio. I also think the flavor is better on spare ribs.

[Buehler445]

I like spare ribs better than baby backs. More meat to bone ratio. I also think the flavor is better on spare ribs.

Cool. Maybe I'm in a better boat than I had imagined. Hopefully I can execute well tomorrow and they turn out OK.

Thanks for the help and insight. Unfortunately I'm still a n00b.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Don't forget to take the silverskin off (peel the back of the ribs off).

[MTG#10]

I like spare ribs better than baby backs. More meat to bone ratio. I also think the flavor is better on spare ribs.

Do you trim your spares St. Louis style? I made some spares a few weeks ago and trimmed them up so I could fit more racks on my WSM, and they just look better. Only problem is I wasted a lot of good meat. I tried to put the scraps on there too but they came out so tough I threw them to the dogs. I prefer the taste of spares to baby backs but baby backs are so much more convenient and less waste.

[RJ]

I forgot to mention.......Put the brown sugar in a low temp oven on a cookie sheet for 20 minutes or so to let it dry out. That way you won't get those clumps and it will sprinkle evenly. This recipe is part of a rib cooking technique that is immodestly titled Best Ribs in the Universe. I must admit that they were damn good. Here's the source...


http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/rib1.html


Hey Buehler, don't know if you checked out this link but it has some photos of how the ribs should look after the rub is applied. It's not a real heavy rub, they call it a "dusting" I believe. You don't want them too salty. Since you omitted the Accent and cut the salt in half it's probably not a worry.

Hell, you have meat, spices and smoke......it's gotta be good.

[Buehler445]

Hey Buehler, don't know if you checked out this link but it has some photos of how the ribs should look after the rub is applied. It's not a real heavy rub, they call it a "dusting" I believe. You don't want them too salty. Since you omitted the Accent and cut the salt in half it's probably not a worry.

Hell, you have meat, spices and smoke......it's gotta be good.

Yeah, I did. I also checked out some sites that talked about removing the membrane FMB was talking about. I have my rub a little thicker than he put his on, but I think it will be OK. Hopefully I don't show my n00bness and be part of the EPIC FAIL thread!

[Fire Me Boy!]

Do you trim your spares St. Louis style? I made some spares a few weeks ago and trimmed them up so I could fit more racks on my WSM, and they just look better. Only problem is I wasted a lot of good meat. I tried to put the scraps on there too but they came out so tough I threw them to the dogs. I prefer the taste of spares to baby backs but baby backs are so much more convenient and less waste.

I always cut mine St. Louis style, but I also always smoke the sirloin. Never had problems with it being tough - just keep it a little closer to the heat so it cooks a tad faster.

[RJ]

FMB, I am thoroughly confused by your avatar. What does it mean?

[boogblaster]

All the meat-smokers I know start by asking your age-wants-stats-freedom-then usually price ....

[Buehler445]

Well, my ribs turned out a solid "OK". The rub was good, but I used a little too much. But the flavor was excellent. I don't know what the MSG would have added, but the flavor was pretty solid. Might consider taking out the season salt and adding it back to salt, just to see what I'm missing.

There were 2 different sets of ribs I cooked. One set were essentially quartered ribs so they were easier to pack. Those I got from my parents. I overcooked those. Tasted good once you got in past the outside rib, but you could definitely tell they were overcooked.

The next set I bought from Wal-Mart because they were cheap (I wanna say like $1.50 per pound) and I was doing this anyway, so I picked them up. Those were turned out really pretty solid. Although that chunk of meat on the backside made them a little harder to manage and monitor.

I did half of them with Cattleman's Classic and the others with KC Masterpiece original. In BFE, we don't have any of the good stuff. I think I'll stick with the Masterpiece though.

All in all it was a good experience. Came out with some OK Q and learned a lot. Thanks for your help fellas. It is much appreciated.

[Fire Me Boy!]

FMB, I am thoroughly confused by your avatar. What does it mean?

It's just an animated .gif of the scene from LOTR where Sam was talking about potatoes.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I did half of them with Cattleman's Classic and the others with KC Masterpiece original. In BFE, we don't have any of the good stuff. I think I'll stick with the Masterpiece though.

All in all it was a good experience. Came out with some OK Q and learned a lot. Thanks for your help fellas. It is much appreciated.

:thumb:

You'll be very, very happy if you start making your own BBQ sauce. That KC Masterpiece stuff is swill.

3/4 c. packed dark brown sugar
1-2 Tbsp. ground black pepper (I use 2)
1 oz. package of chili seasoning (I use Alton Brown's homemade chili powder (http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28230,00.html))
2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. ground ginger (I use 2 tsp. fresh grated)
1/2 tsp. allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper (I prefer chipotle pepper)
1/4 tsp. mace
1 c. vinegar (I like unfiltered apple cider vinegar)
1/4 c. molasses
1/4 c. water
32 oz. bottle of Heinz ketchup

Combine all the dry ingredients in a saucepan and mix well. Add vinegar, molasses and water, stirring until blended. Stir in ketchup (I find a whisk does the best job). Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you like, add 1-3 tsp. liquid smoke. I always use this sauce on brisket and ribs that I've smoked, so I don't want any of the fake stuff near my Q.

It makes quite a bit, but it'll what you don't use will fit back inside the ketchup bottle and will keep in the fridge for up to a year.

This recipe is from the Kansas City BBQ Society, called Kansas City Classic Sauce. As you see, I've made a few alterations for what I like better. But if you only do one thing, make your own chili powder.

Another tip: buy all of your spices whole. Keep them in the freezer until you need them. When you need them, pull out what you need, lightly toast them in a DRY skillet, then grind them. It makes all the difference in the world. Toasting them brings their essential oils to life. If they're already cracked or ground, you lose a tremendous amount of flavor in very little time.

[Fire Me Boy!]

If you need any other sauce ideas, I can hook you up - I hate to see a BBQ brother in need, using Masterpiece.

I rarely EVER buy sauce anymore. And if you're partial to Gates, this recipe is spot on.

http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1689.html

1 c. sugar
1/4 c. salt
2 Tbsp. celery seed
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
2 Tbsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 qt. ketchup
2 c. apple cider vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. liquid smoke (I leave this out)
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine sugar, salt, celery seed, cumin, red pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, liquid smoke, and lemon juice. Add dry ingredients and mix until very well blended. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sauce may be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in freezer for up to 6 months.

Yield: about 3 quarts

[Buehler445]

That's great FMB. I'd give you rep, but I can't give you anymore. I've found some sauce recipes online, but nothing very good. I don't know where to get whole spices out here, but may head to Denver sometime for some.

[Fire Me Boy!]

That's great FMB. I'd give you rep, but I can't give you anymore. I've found some sauce recipes online, but nothing very good. I don't know where to get whole spices out here, but may head to Denver sometime for some.

I get mine here: http://www.wholespice.com/

Whole spices in the freezer will last a LONG time.

[Buehler445]

Cool. Thanks!

[Mojo Rising]

I am going to buy this smoker at SportsAuthority tomorrow. It looked like the same one from the picture on the box. I found it for $135 (with coupon.)

I will be smoking this weekend.

[RJ]

That's a great price. I've been told that Sports Authority sells that model and that they also carry some nice wood chunks.

Lest there be any confusion, the name is Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker/Smoker.

Let us know if it is indeed the same, I know some others who might like to buy one at that price.

[Mojo Rising]

No. It is a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. On sale for $179, 25% off coupon good through tomorrow makes it $135. The coupon is good through tomorrow.

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=854907

Bought my wife a nice new bike there too. They are 20% off and then the 25% off for the coupon.

[sedated]

I will be smoking this weekend.

what a coincidence...

[RJ]

No. It is a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. On sale for $179, 25% off coupon good through tomorrow makes it $135. The coupon is good through tomorrow.

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?t=854907

Bought my wife a nice new bike there too. They are 20% off and then the 25% off for the coupon.


Dang, I misunderstood. But I certainly hope you enjoy your new smoker. Let us know how your first smoke goes.

[Mojo Rising]

When I clicked the link in the main post that is the smoker that came up. Got great reviews on Cabelas website. almost a 4 out of 4 with over 120 reviewers.

[Buehler445]

Yeah, I really like mine. It is a "cheater" smoker, but I am nowhere near good enough to try what some of these guys pull off. I'm moving that way though.

I think you will really enjoy it. Read the directions about using for the first time. Read through some of the responses here. These guys helped me out a lot. Let me know if you have specific questions.

I think it will be a good investment for you. :)

[Phobia]

Yeah, I really like mine. It is a "cheater" smoker,
Thank you for acknowledging that. If you stipulate as much I don't think the purists will whine very much. For some reason it makes me feel better. There's no shame in producing quality Q with a cheater rig but those who make out like it's legitimate BBQ irritate the guys who are using fire and steel.

[damaticous]

I've been looking at the Weber Smokey Mountain for about 2 months now and finally made the plunge this morning and picked it up. I'm now smoking 3 slabs of baby backs and one 7 pound brisket flat.

I have had a Chargriller Smokin Pro with Side Fire Box for about a year. It is a really good starter smoker but pretty difficult (even after the mods) to keep the temperature consistent.

I fired up the weber this morning and it's been at 225 for 3 hours now. So far I'm LOVING it!

So, right now, I'm smoking on both smokers. Total of two 7 pound brisket flats and 6 slabs of Baby Back Ribs.

I'm practicing for a local KCBS BBQ Contest. will be my first one.

anyway, I'm extremely happy with the Weber Smokey Mountain and I see myself buying at least one more for future use and competitions.

[JuicesFlowing]

Once you master it, I'd recommend smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving ...

[damaticous]

Once you master it, I'd recommend smoking a turkey for Thanksgiving ...

my girlfriend insists on cooking the Turkey for Thanksgiving every year but I get to do it at x-mas. Last year I got a turkey fryer and decided to give that a try, I failed, but only because I was sold a Blue Rhino propane tank that was almost empty. I ended up having to fry the turkey on the stove. :(

If I smoke a turkey this year I want to brine it for at least 12 hours. I have smoked chicken but don't brine it...I'd like to though, but just not enough patience.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Thank you for acknowledging that. If you stipulate as much I don't think the purists will whine very much. For some reason it makes me feel better. There's no shame in producing quality Q with a cheater rig but those who make out like it's legitimate BBQ irritate the guys who are using fire and steel.

QFT

[Mojo Rising]

I want to smoke a brisket next week. I have a digital probe thermometer so I can monitor the temp of the brisket pretty well.

What is the ideal temp for brisket? What temp is best for the smoker?

Also, I forgot if you cook it with the fat side on top or bottom.

Any tips will be appreciated.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Buy the brisket whole in a cryovac. Open the cryovac and rinse the whole thing with cool water. You want the meat to have the fat cap remaining. I always leave 1/8 to 1/4 inch of fat on the back, so you'll probably have to do a little trimming. Try to find one that is roughly the same thickness from point to flat. You're not going to find one that is perfect, just get the best one you can find.

Season that bad boy up using whatever rub you have around, but make sure there's not a ton of sugar. The time it'll take to smoke it will burn the sugar. Wrap it up, throw it in the fridge for 12 hours.

When you're ready to smoke, bring the brisket out of the fridge and unwrap it. You'll want to take a paper towel and dry up all the moisture that's come to the top, and do another dusting of rub. If you have a box fan, put the brisket on a drying rack in front of the box fan and let it sit there while you get the coals for the smoker going. That 45 minutes will do wonders for the bark. That moisture will hinder the bark's formation, so make sure the brisket is dry on the outside, even if you don't have a fan.

Put the brisket on the smoker fat side UP. As that fat renders, it'll melt into the meat and keep it moist. Keep your temp between 200 and 225, and open the lid to the brisket as infrequently as possible for the first four hours. This will be a lot easier if you have an offset smoke box. Keep the thickest part of the brisket (the point) the closest to the fire, but as a whole you want to keep the entire thing away from the flame.

After that first four hours, turn the meat over and baste with apple juice or beer every couple of hours until it's ready (usually about 90 minutes per pound). If you feel at any point it's getting burned, pull it out and wrap a couple of times with a heavy duty foil. After that first four hours you're wasting wood, so stop burning it unless that's your heat source.

Once it's come to temperature, let it sit for 20-30 minutes under foil. This will make slicing a LOT easier. Trim off that fat cap now. I like to separate the point from the flat - there's a line of fat going between the two, so it should be fairly easy to do. I also will put the point back out on the smoker and make me some burnt ends.

[heapshake]

Are you cooking it on the Matserbuilt Smoker? If so I wasn't sure if a packer brisket could fit in it. If so the only thing I'd add to FMB's advice is to shoot for a final temp of 190-200. Also if you're using the Masterbuilt I'd probably put the fat cap down since the heat is right under the meat.

[Mojo Rising]

Are you cooking it on the Matserbuilt Smoker? If so I wasn't sure if a packer brisket could fit in it. If so the only thing I'd add to FMB's advice is to shoot for a final temp of 190-200. Also if you're using the Masterbuilt I'd probably put the fat cap down since the heat is right under the meat.

Yes. I smoked it for the 1st time today. It ran a little hot as the chicken (5 lb roasters) and baby backs were done in 4 hours when set at 225.

I am planning on setting it 10 - 15 degrees under next time.

Do you recommend injecting the meat with apple juice? I saw a site that suggested wrapping it in foil and putting it in a cooler for 2 hours for after-cook. Anyone do this?

Can you put it in the stove after 4-6 hours if the smoke effect is gone at that point? Seems easier than cooking it in the back yard considering I am using an electric smoker?

[Fire Me Boy!]

Yes. I smoked it for the 1st time today. It ran a little hot as the chicken (5 lb roasters) and baby backs were done in 4 hours when set at 225.

I am planning on setting it 10 - 15 degrees under next time.

Do you recommend injecting the meat with apple juice? I saw a site that suggested wrapping it in foil and putting it in a cooler for 2 hours for after-cook. Anyone do this?

Can you put it in the stove after 4-6 hours if the smoke effect is gone at that point? Seems easier than cooking it in the back yard considering I am using an electric smoker?

I don't ever inject the meat. I baste with apple juice, most often. A made an apple ale (a homemade apple beer sitting around 25-30 proof) that I'm going to baste with next time.

Brisket should not just fall apart. If it falls apart, it's overdone. When all else fails, use the pull test. Brisket should pull apart with a little resistance, but still pull away easily.

[Dartgod]

I put an 8 lb pork butt on a couple of hours ago. Can't wait to tear into that bad boy.

[SNAFU]

Question on cooking times. I am going to be smoking a couple of 7-8 lbs pork butts this Thursday. I usually go 1 to 1-1/2 hours per pound. In this situation, should I figure total pounds for cooking time or can I assume each one will cook about the same as they would individually? Awesome thread by the way!

[Fire Me Boy!]

Question on cooking times. I am going to be smoking a couple of 7-8 lbs pork butts this Thursday. I usually go 1 to 1-1/2 hours per pound. In this situation, should I figure total pounds for cooking time or can I assume each one will cook about the same as they would individually? Awesome thread by the way!

How big is the smoker? It shouldn't matter, but that's assuming the butts aren't crowded. If they're crowded, it'll be a little more time, but not 1.5/per pound. Probably more like an extra hour or two - again, that's only if they're really crowded in the smoker.

[Phobia]

Question on cooking times. I am going to be smoking a couple of 7-8 lbs pork butts this Thursday. I usually go 1 to 1-1/2 hours per pound. In this situation, should I figure total pounds for cooking time or can I assume each one will cook about the same as they would individually? Awesome thread by the way!
Your latter thought is correct - unless you've got them butted right up against each other. As long as you have about an inch of circulation between them you'll be fine.

[SNAFU]

It's a cheap wal-mart Brinkman charcoal smoker. Pretty basic set up but it's done well for me. I have a little trouble maintaining a constant temp if there is wind or cool weather but other than that, no problems. I should be able to get plenty of circulation between the 2 butts. Thanks for the help guys.

[Phobia]

It's a cheap wal-mart Brinkman charcoal smoker. Pretty basic set up but it's done well for me. I have a little trouble maintaining a constant temp if there is wind or cool weather but other than that, no problems. I should be able to get plenty of circulation between the 2 butts. Thanks for the help guys.
Are you pulling or slicing?

The important thing is you want to get the internal temp to 190-195 for pulling and about 175 for slices. Until that happens the 1.5 hours per lbs is kinda unimportant, it's just a guideline. But you shouldn't have to double your cooktime because you doubled your meat.

[SNAFU]

Are you pulling or slicing?

The important thing is you want to get the internal temp to 190-195 for pulling and about 175 for slices. Until that happens the 1.5 hours per lbs is kinda unimportant, it's just a guideline. But you shouldn't have to double your cooktime because you doubled your meat.

I'm going to try and get it up to pulling temp but the deciding factor is time. I don't want to be up all night. I'll start it tomorrow morning. That should give me plenty of time. I wish it had a temp gauge but all it has is a gauge that shows warm, ideal and hot. Hopefully, it all comes together okay. I'm under a little pressure because I am doing this for a food day we are having at work on Friday.

[Phobia]

I'm going to try and get it up to pulling temp but the deciding factor is time. I don't want to be up all night. I'll start it tomorrow morning. That should give me plenty of time. I wish it had a temp gauge but all it has is a gauge that shows warm, ideal and hot. Hopefully, it all comes together okay. I'm under a little pressure because I am doing this for a food day we are having at work on Friday.

Dude - if I'm going to bed I'll make sure a butt has at least 4 hours of smoker time and then finish in an oven or crockpot overnight. If you drop it in a crockpot on low it won't dry out and should be ready to pull in the morning.

[tooge]

Our team met last night to go over the details for the Paola comp this weekend. Should be a good one. There are a few live bands throughout the night too. Anyhow, looks like I am the pork butt guy. I am gonna try injecting it for the first time. Any suggestions on the injection mix? I have the BBQ BIble, but wanted to know if any of you guys have tried one and love it.

[Phobia]

Our team met last night to go over the details for the Paola comp this weekend. Should be a good one. There are a few live bands throughout the night too. Anyhow, looks like I am the pork butt guy. I am gonna try injecting it for the first time. Any suggestions on the injection mix? I have the BBQ BIble, but wanted to know if any of you guys have tried one and love it.

I did 100% cherry juice on one of my recent butts. I couldn't really tell a difference but my mother thought it was my best ever. I presume spices would be more noticeable.

[SNAFU]

Dude - if I'm going to bed I'll make sure a butt has at least 4 hours of smoker time and then finish in an oven or crockpot overnight. If you drop it in a crockpot on low it won't dry out and should be ready to pull in the morning.

Thats a great idea! I have a large slow cooker that should be big enough to get both in. Should I wrap in foil before puttin them in the slow cooker?

[tooge]

I did 100% cherry juice on one of my recent butts. I couldn't really tell a difference but my mother thought it was my best ever. I presume spices would be more noticeable.

What kind of cherry juice? Also, did you inject it the night before then let it sit, or right before smoking it?

[Fire Me Boy!]

I did 100% cherry juice on one of my recent butts. I couldn't really tell a difference but my mother thought it was my best ever. I presume spices would be more noticeable.

I tried 100% unfiltered apple juice once and it was very good. Also smoked with apple/hickory wood. Very nice.

You could also brine with a mix of juice and water.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Dude - if I'm going to bed I'll make sure a butt has at least 4 hours of smoker time and then finish in an oven or crockpot overnight. If you drop it in a crockpot on low it won't dry out and should be ready to pull in the morning.

I'd wrap it and put it in the oven at 190-200 degrees. You don't want it to get above boiling temp or it will dry out.

[Phobia]

Thats a great idea! I have a large slow cooker that should be big enough to get both in. Should I wrap in foil before puttin them in the slow cooker?

It probably depends on how important bark is to you. Cooking in its own juices adds some flavor but destroys your bark. If you really really want your bark, I'd probably wrap in foil and then finish unwrapped for half an hour or so with higher heat (300?) to stabilize that bark.

That said, I like my bark but I usually just drop it in the crock-pot unwrapped - when I do employ this technique. Clearly it's not something you'd do for competition. It's cheating.

[Phobia]

I'd wrap it and put it in the oven at 190-200 degrees. You don't want it to get above boiling temp or it will dry out.

But you're gonna get a lot of fat rendering out and likely in the bottom of your oven if your wrap isn't perfect. That's why I like the slow-cooker.

[Phobia]

What kind of cherry juice? Also, did you inject it the night before then let it sit, or right before smoking it?

I dunno - something the wife had laying around for the kid to drink. I probably injected it a couple hours before or so.

[Fire Me Boy!]

It probably depends on how important bark is to you. Cooking in its own juices adds some flavor but destroys your bark. If you really really want your bark, I'd probably wrap in foil and then finish unwrapped for half an hour or so with higher heat (300?) to stabilize that bark.

That said, I like my bark but I usually just drop it in the crock-pot unwrapped - when I do employ this technique. Clearly it's not something you'd do for competition. It's cheating.

And the bark is exactly why I'd use the over. I love it, and I won't give it up.

[Fire Me Boy!]

But you're gonna get a lot of fat rendering out and likely in the bottom of your oven if your wrap isn't perfect. That's why I like the slow-cooker.

Forgot to mention, I'd put it in a roaster on a rack. I don't want it sitting there in the juice.

[shitgoose]

This is a great thread. I bought my first smoker back on the 4th of july. After many days of research I settled on the Weber Smokey Mountain and couldn't be happier. My first smoke was a 10lb brisket and a 7lb pork tenderloin. I used a harley's bbq seasoning that I got from a friend on the brisket and a kosher salt/brown sugar/garlic salt brine for the pork. I cooked with kingsford using the minion method? where you load the charcoal and then start 10-15 briquettes in the chimney and then add to the rest of the unlit coals to keep temps down (this is different than what the instructions tell you to do). I used a combo of mesquite/oak (mistake- to much smoke). The brisket turned out about a 3.5 out of ten but the pork was about a 7 of 10 as I kept it from drying out. Since then I have done pork and beef ribs, chicken, and some sausage that was used to make gumbo. Turned out excellent.

Anyway, I would definitely recommend the WSM smoker to anyone regardless of experience. As long as you have patience and read up on how to use the smoker than anyone can use it and it makes great Q.

[booyaf2]

Our team met last night to go over the details for the Paola comp this weekend. Should be a good one. There are a few live bands throughout the night too. Anyhow, looks like I am the pork butt guy. I am gonna try injecting it for the first time. Any suggestions on the injection mix? I have the BBQ BIble, but wanted to know if any of you guys have tried one and love it.

Heres the injection i use. This makes plenty for 15 lbs of pork butt. I've always found that most of it will leak out, but i still do it every time.

Pork injection
3/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
2 tablespoons Worcestershire

[Fire Me Boy!]

I used a combo of mesquite/oak (mistake- to much smoke).

Just FTR, I never... NEVER... use mesquite. It's a very powerful smoke, and it's VERY easy to oversmoke something with mesquite.

Try a nice fruit wood with a little hickory - My ratio is about 3:1 fruit to hickory.

Apple and cherry are VERY nice, and that blend is pretty forgiving, while lending a great flavor, IMO.

[RJ]

I'm going to try and get it up to pulling temp but the deciding factor is time. I don't want to be up all night. I'll start it tomorrow morning. That should give me plenty of time. I wish it had a temp gauge but all it has is a gauge that shows warm, ideal and hot. Hopefully, it all comes together okay. I'm under a little pressure because I am doing this for a food day we are having at work on Friday.


I would invest in a remote thermometer, very handy for keeping track of meat and smoker temps at the same time. I wouldn't buy a Polder, though I've recommended them before, cause mine has crapped out on me. Apparently they don't hold up well with extended exposure to temperature, they're designed more for a quick read. I've heard better things about this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-RediChek-Remote-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B0000DIU49


Or, if you just want an inexpensive thermometer to monitor your smoker temp, buy something like this and place it in the top vent hole.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8587354&sourceid=1500000000000003260350&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=8587354

[RJ]

Just FTR, I never... NEVER... use mesquite. It's a very powerful smoke, and it's VERY easy to oversmoke something with mesquite.

Try a nice fruit wood with a little hickory - My ratio is about 3:1 fruit to hickory.

Apple and cherry are VERY nice, and that blend is pretty forgiving, while lending a great flavor, IMO.



I came across some plum wood at a farmers market recently, been mixing it with apple. I've done ribs, chicken and brisket using that combination, they all came out great. Very nice flavor.

The only time I use mesquite is in the chip form for grilling. Adds a nice touch of flavor to a steak without overpowering the meat.

[shitgoose]

Just FTR, I never... NEVER... use mesquite. It's a very powerful smoke, and it's VERY easy to oversmoke something with mesquite.

Try a nice fruit wood with a little hickory - My ratio is about 3:1 fruit to hickory.

Apple and cherry are VERY nice, and that blend is pretty forgiving, while lending a great flavor, IMO.

Yeah, have been mixing apple/oak....apple/pecan. Has turned out much better.

[Fire Me Boy!]

I really want to get involved in some comps down here. Looking through the web last night... there's a KCBS-sanctioned event here in SC. I thought that was weird.

Also probably going to become a certified SC BBQ Association judge. Sounds like fun.

[Phobia]

When in Rome.... especially if you want to actually compete for prizes, I guess.

Though I suspect you'll at least try submitting KC BBQ a couple times. I definitely wouldn't want to submit Carolina style up here though.

[Fire Me Boy!]

When in Rome.... especially if you want to actually compete for prizes, I guess.

Though I suspect you'll at least try submitting KC BBQ a couple times. I definitely wouldn't want to submit Carolina style up here though.
Actually, what I'm reading is all four methods of BBQ are widely accepted at many of the South Carolina contests. Supposedly, anyway. We'll see.

I absolutely refuse to make a BBQ that I don't like. I refuse. Which means I'll be sticking with Memphis, KC and Texas styles. I will not do vinegar or mustard based sauces.

For now, I'm just wanting to do it for fun.

[Fire Me Boy!]

So... oddly... not 30 minutes after I posted this, my news director came and asked me if I'd be interesting in judging a BBQ next weekend here in Myrtle Beach.

[Buehler445]

I'm going to do a brisket this weekend. Any tips/advice would be welcomed.

[MOhillbilly]

Actually, what I'm reading is all four methods of BBQ are widely accepted at many of the South Carolina contests. Supposedly, anyway. We'll see.

I absolutely refuse to make a BBQ that I don't like. I refuse. Which means I'll be sticking with Memphis, KC and Texas styles. I will not do vinegar or mustard based sauces.

For now, I'm just wanting to do it for fun.

mustard and vinegar are your friend esp. vinegar itll make your pork & chicken on the grill super moist and tender(first sauce)-2 parts vinegar 1 part cooking oil. add black pepper to taste. heat in a small sauce pan till the oil & vinegar mix and get to mopping,mopping,mopping.-
Add 2nd sauce(BBQ) about 20 minutes before you take it up.

Bona-fide.

[MOhillbilly]

I'm going to do a brisket this weekend. Any tips/advice would be welcomed.

Foil is your friend.

[Fire Me Boy!]

mustard and vinegar are your friend esp. vinegar itll make your pork & chicken on the grill super moist and tender(first sauce)-2 parts vinegar 1 part cooking oil. add black pepper to taste. heat in a small sauce pan till the oil & vinegar mix and get to mopping,mopping,mopping.-
Add 2nd sauce(BBQ) about 20 minutes before you take it up.

Bona-fide.

Ummm.... I'm OK. I'm not new to this whole BBQ thing. And the only thing mustard and vinegar sauces will do to pork, chicken or beef is making it friggin' nasty.

But thanks? :spock:

[MOhillbilly]

Just FTR, I never... NEVER... use mesquite. It's a very powerful smoke, and it's VERY easy to oversmoke something with mesquite.

Try a nice fruit wood with a little hickory - My ratio is about 3:1 fruit to hickory.

Apple and cherry are VERY nice, and that blend is pretty forgiving, while lending a great flavor, IMO.

i like mesquite for pork better than beef. but prefer Apple,Hickory,Oak,Pecan in that order.
Whats the point of mixing woods? never seen the point even though ive screwed with it many times. Seems to me any hardwood runs the flavor of the fruit wood.

[MOhillbilly]

Ummm.... I'm OK. I'm not new to this whole BBQ thing. And the only thing mustard and vinegar sauces will do to pork, chicken or beef is making it friggin' nasty.

But thanks? :spock:

i gave some good tips. thanks for being a **** bbq snob.

Edit- your post lets me know you know fuck.

[Fire Me Boy!]

i gave some good tips. thanks for being a **** bbq snob.

Edit- your post lets me know you know ****.

No being a barbecue snob, but in the very post you quoted I commented that I've tried all of those things and don't like them. And I refuse, even on the competition circuit, to make a barbecue that I won't eat.

If you like them, good for you. I use a very light mustard slather when I'm putting the rub on pork ribs or butt, but that's the only thing. As for a baste, I find the vinegar gives the meat a bit of a sour taste, at least on my palate, and I prefer to use a beer or fruit juice. As for sauce, I think vinegar and pepper is pretty gross, but the mustard sauces I've tasted make it inedible. It's personal taste, man, and I don't like it at all.

And my post lets you know I don't know anything? Because BBQ is a friggin' science, right? I don't like the flavor, I didn't say your points weren't valid, did I? Both things you mention are correct and will result in moist, tender meat. I just don't like it.

[Fire Me Boy!]

i like mesquite for pork better than beef. but prefer Apple,Hickory,Oak,Pecan in that order.
Whats the point of mixing woods? never seen the point even though ive screwed with it many times. Seems to me any hardwood runs the flavor of the fruit wood.

I find mixing gives it a subtlety that I like. I like the flavor of hickory, but not too much, while fruit woods are very, very forgiving. So I use primarily the fruit wood, with a little hickory thrown in.

Personally, I don't like cooking with mesquite, it gets too overpowering very quickly for me. If I'm really wanting that smoky flavor I'll go all out on hickory.

[MOhillbilly]

No being a barbecue snob, but in the very post you quoted I commented that I've tried all of those things and don't like them. And I refuse, even on the competition circuit, to make a barbecue that I won't eat.

If you like them, good for you. I use a very light mustard slather when I'm putting the rub on pork ribs or butt, but that's the only thing. As for a baste, I find the vinegar gives the meat a bit of a sour taste, at least on my palate, and I prefer to use a beer or fruit juice.

And my post lets you know I don't know anything? Because BBQ is a friggin' science, right? I don't like the flavor, I didn't say your points weren't valid, did I? I just don't like it. I was confused by your post when you quoted the particular one of mine that you did.

you dont taste the vinegar and yes BBQ is a science. id suggest you go back to class hoss.

[Fire Me Boy!]

you dont taste the vinegar and yes BBQ is a science. id suggest you go back to class hoss.

Any time you're dealing with something that's based on taste, it's not a science, Ace.

Can we drop the condescending names now? Really, we have a difference of opinion. Can't we talk to each other respectfully? You know me around here, and I think I've spoken enough on this subject to have people know that while I don't think I'm the best, I certainly know what I'm doing.

There is a science behind what is happening and why it's happening, but making good barbecue is an art, not a science. If it was a science, anyone that can follow a recipe can make good barbecue, and that's just not the case.

As I said, I think there is a flavor from using vinegar and oil as a mop. It tenderizes, yes, and makes the meat moist, yes, but also gives a bit of a sour taste that I find off-putting. I don't have a problem getting the meat tender, and I've found using beer or apple juice is just as effective at helping the moisture issue.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Come on, MO... Barbecue is supposed to bring people together.

:grouphug:

[Great Expectations]

I'm going to do a brisket this weekend. Any tips/advice would be welcomed.

I've found this site http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php to be extremely helpful, of course the Big Green Egg is almost fool proof.

The first step with a brisket is to pat it dry with paper towels, then put a rub on of your choice.

Next if your heat source is coming from below the brisket make sure you put the fat side down. A lot of people mess up and think that by putting the fat side up you will get it to drip down through the meat. What ends up actually happening is that the non-fat side gets dry from the heat.

I usually smoke mine for about 10 hours for a 10-12 pound brisket at 225-250 then finish it wrapped in foil fat side up in the oven at 250 for 2 hours. Next wrap the existing foil with foil and put it in a cooler lined with towels at the top and bottom for 2-4 hours and it will be perfect.

My real key is that the Big Green Egg makes temperature control very easy and also seals in the moisture to make extremely juicy BBQ.

[Buehler445]

I'm going to do a brisket this weekend. Any tips/advice would be welcomed.

Bumpedy bump