Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)

[Fred W]

Tomorrow AM I'll be firing up the UDS pit at oh-dark-thirty for a major smoke-a-thon.

I have an 8 1/2 lb boneless butt (couldn't find any bone-in butts at the butcher) and 4 nice racks of Baby Backs that I'm smoking up in advance of our vacation next week. We have a cottage (house really) rented on a lake up in Norway (Maine) and the whole fam damily is coming for the whole week.

I'm going to smoke the ribs at home and cook them most of the way, then wrap them up and give them a quick once over on the gas grille up at the lake. The shoulder I cut in half and tied up (rolled) the half that was cut for the bone, so I can get a lot of smoke into it and lots of crusty bark. I'll cook it fully and pull it so it's all ready to heat and eat.

Going with Kingsford Blue and Hickory wood chunks for this one. Gonna be a mess of deliciousness happenin'.

Photos to follow

 

[gixxerjasen]

No pics but thought I'd report on using unfamiliar equipment while on vacation at my dad's place in Florida.

Did some ribs on the grill along with some shish-ka-bobs over charcoal. All was going well till a Florida thunderstorm came in. Grill was on the far side of the patio on the other side of the swimming pool and it sounded like the lightning was popping in the backyard. The womenfolk were yelling at me to not go out but I knew the charcoal was flaring up and I was past time to pull the ribs. Sigh, me and brother in law got tired of waiting and ran outside between lightning blasts (yea right) and yanked them. Half the ribs were awesome and the other half were charred with burned bones. Sigh.

Did a 14 pound brisket. I dropped it in the smoker for a couple of hours then brought it in and put it in the oven. The meat will only absorb so much smoke and this was more manageable as I could keep a consistent temp in the oven rather than on the unfamiliar cheap offset smoker. I set the oven for 200F and let it go low and slow. Turns out I miscalculated and this turned into a 24 hour cook. I pulled it and let it rest for an hour or so before it went over to the lunch location.

Downsides to that cook. We had to alternate dinner plans and push the brisket to lunch the next day. By the next day I'd contracted full on Bronchitis and had lost all my appetite. All that cooking time and I didn't eat a single bite. Actually didn't eat for a full 48 hours and only then forced myself to eat a little bit of soup because I knew I needed something even though I wasn't hungry.

Even though I didn't go to lunch, apparently the brisket was a big hit. I wouldn't know. Danged if brisket wasn't super expensive in Florida compared to Texas.

 

[Fred W]

All meat is on at 0600. It was tough finding enough space for everything on a single rack even using a rib rack.

Had to improvise and put a second grille (over the main one) using some 2x4 wood block spacers cut 5 1/2" long.

The hickory smells delightful with my morning coffee.

 

[ionbeam]

All meat is on at 0600...The hickory smells delightful with my morning coffee.

1. How did you manage to sneak all that meat out past your dogs without getting attacked?

2. If you neighbors smell smoke at 6:00 am, will they call the fire department?

3. Enjoy your family vacation!

 

[LittleJon]

"How much do I love bacon?"....

"Thiiiiis much."

This is Frankensmoker. I'm figuring out how to post pictures. Still got a bunch to put up.

 

[Fred W]

1. How did you manage to sneak all that meat out past your dogs without getting attacked?

Deception, and trickery. I am a Pats fan, afterall.

2. If you neighbors smell smoke at 6:00 am, will they call the fire department?

No, but they may show up this afternoon looking for handouts.

3. Enjoy your family vacation!

Thanks. It should be interesting. We'll have our two grandsons, two grand dogs, and our own two dogs, all up at the lake with 8 "adults" to supervise. All of this will require a stop at the state liquor store on the way up for proper lubrication.

@LittleJon - Gaging the size of that pit off the keg underneath... Now THAT'S WHAT I CALL A SMOKER!! (I'm jealous

)

 

[LittleJon]

 

[LittleJon]

Ben likes to smoke with hickory. I prefer apple.

 

[LittleJon]

That's the best way I have ever collected wood. Not my loader, not my trailer. But it's good to know people. What doesn't go in the smoker will heat my house. It's a beautiful thing.

 

[TomInPA]

Thought I'd add (with pride) LittleJon is my roomie at EOM!

He is towing that smoker behind his FJR and I'll be bringing a cord of wood. JSNS

 

[LittleJon]

Looks like my next farkle has to be a trailer hitch.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Love the smoker...bottle opener, catch can for the bottle tops...and the whole kitchen sink.

 

[Fred W]

Baby Backs be dun now!

Pork Butts are still chuggin' along. Got 'em foil wrapped and busting through the stall now.

 

[TomInPA]

Lookin' good Fred!

 

[hppants]

Ooohhh - that's some nice bark on that pit. Not too burnt, but crispy. Nice job, Fred.

I'm envisioning a future tour:

(ride report title)

My Quest for the Perfectly Cooked Pig - If At First You Don't Succeed......

 

[Fred W]

Actually, I consider that bark to be "light", as I took the ribs off early so I can continue cooking and darkening them on the gas grille later.

Wait till you see the shoulder. I'm making some bark to be proud of on that one.

 

[08FJR4ME]

I am planning on smoking tomorrow. Ribs, chicken and boneless ribs roast. It may be that your water pan was to close to the meat Fred. My brinkman comes with a water pan and I do fill it up. I can tell you that it just above the coals and not close to the meat. There was still water and drippings left in the pan when I smoked a couple of weeks ago when finished. Yeh, in my opinion smoking is best done with cheap cuts of meet. No need to go all out with expensive cuts. You can't get much cheaper that boneless chicken thighs and those things were freakin awesome.
Stay posted for tomorrows attempt,

Dave

Well it did happen but I never got around to posting pic's. So here they are.

Before

After

Still sampling the goods,

Dave

 

[Fred W]

That sure looks good, Dave.

Here's my Boneless Butt after 14 hours of cookin':

The pork pulled out real nice, and the few tastes I sneaked were very nice. All set for vacationing next week.

 

[hppants]

I prefer the lighter bark, but there is a fine line between "not enough" and "too much", especially with my brisket. I trim it so close that it can dry if not watched. Pork is not as big an issue for me.

 

[TomInPA]

Double or nothing. I got a late start on this due to a 7:30 surgical appointment this morning. I'm hoping to cut into something other than my back to make up for it.