Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)

[Fred W]

Big BBQ weekend up here. Saturday I smoked up about 15 lbs (4 big racks) of Baby Backs on Hickory smoke. as usual. 5 1/2 hours with no crutching. Came out deliriously delicious. Had the meat sweats that night.

Then Sunday I talked SWMBO into letting me double smoke the Easter Sunday Ham. The "excuse" was it would free up her kitchen oven for all the fixin's.

It was just a light, 2 hour second smoking (at 225F) with some apple wood chunks, and then heating it up to serving temp (140F internal) on the pit running at a higher temp (285F), while drizzling it all over with a maple sugar and Dijon mustard glaze. It was something I saw in some spam from ThermoWorks.

Sorry, no pix. Guess it never happened.

 

[Knifemaker]

Well I believe you...

I had thought about smoking (instead of baking) a ham, but neither of us are big ham lovers to begin with. But was planning on doing up a HOF Sunday, but the forecast predicted rain all morning,

and I cancelled the cook (and of course it didn't rain till late in the afternoon)

So, going to try and do it May 7th. Possible I might be doing ribs and brats earlier that weekend, then thinking of doing all three at the same time.

 

[Bounce]

Small smoke Sunday. As the kids took their kids to hunt eggs, I fired up the smoker and did a couple of pork tenderloins. If you've followed my posts in this thread, that's my go-to for short turn-around smokes.

Turned out great. Typical picnic sides of potato salad, mashed potatoes, man&cheese, green salad, and tea, water, and home brew (a red ale).

No photos since they looked (and tasted) as good as last time.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Something you UDS guys might want to take a look at:

https://www.pitbarrelcooker.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwxPbHBRCdxJLF3qen3dYBEiQAMRyxS7FlMx6MgaisbocdZvmBZG6LDD_N2bcFqWx1HdELIuoaAgz-8P8HAQ#welcome

He has a mod on his that hangs the meat.

 

[Knifemaker]

^ I think I'd buy the Weber cooker first (same price $300), but then you can find 50 gallon smokers for around $200.

This was posted a while back...and I'll say the same thing - I wouldn't trust my ribs on a hook as they tend to break apart just picking them up, and you sure don't want to hang a pork butt unless you tie it up really really good.

 

[eflyguy]

Agreed.. The only thing I could find a use for is sausage..

 

[Fred W]

+3 - I like my cooking grilles better than hanging.

Lately my UDS has been relegated to use for pork butts and brisket, both of which don't hang very well. I have plenty of room for ribs using a side standing rib rack on top of the offset smoker's grill racks.

The other thing not mentioned is when you hang the ribs in a vertical drum, the end at the bottom will be done long before the top. There is a certain amount of radiant heat that just can't be avoided. Scott's side hanger setup is unique in the you don't get that effect as much. More like what happens with the side standing racks, though I still tend to flip my ribs part way through the cook to even the cooking.

 

[Knifemaker]

Well after weeks of record rain, horrible flooding., and fall like temperatures...a weekend with sunny weather and mid 70 temps have arrived. So the plan to do a brisket can now be put into place. Got a 3.7 pound HOF (hunk o flat) dry brining overnight.

Am going to smoke it tomorrow using my propane burner and new wood tray. Will likely finish it in the oven after it hits the stall (wrapping it in foil) I pre-made some beef rub which I'll use just prior to sticking it in the smoker.

I was looking for a HOP (hunk of point) but none were available. The hunk of flat is "certified angus beef", and looks to be well marbled, so hopefully it will come out edible

Photos tomorrow...

 

[Fred W]

Looking forward to your results. Weather in the upper right corner has been shee tay for awhile and I still haven't got the pits running after breaking them out of their hibernation. Soon I hope...

 

[Knifemaker]

Well, an hour in, and I think I finally got the temperature zeroed in as stable at 225-227 F

Wood tray working well, pale blue smoke, using hickory, mesquite and some left over cherry.

Before shot:

Surprised how much lower the burner needs to be compared to last time when I was cooking at 235F.

(It was cold that day) its mid 60's right now.

Edit: @ hours in hit the stall at 156F....wrapped it up, in the oven at 225F. Hopefully will be good to go around dinner time.

 

[Knifemaker]

OK came out looking good and smelling great:

Sadly, I think I over salted it when I dry brined it. Was edible, but definitely a bit more salty than I'd prefer.

Next time I'll know ...

 

[Fred W]

If you don't do this already, measure your salt out for the brining. I think the rule of thumb is 1 tsp per lb of meat, but double check my memory isn't what it once was.

 

[Knifemaker]

If you don't do this already, measure your salt out for the brining. I think the rule of thumb is 1 tsp per lb of meat, but double check my memory isn't what it once was.

Neither is mine...because I used one tablespoon per pound....

 

[Fred W]

Don't feel bad. I made the exact same error once with the same results.

PS - Just looked and Amazing Ribs says 1/2 teaspoon of salt per pound.

 

[Knifemaker]

Yes, sadly I read that the next day... I rinsed the meat off as much as I could, but as it already sat overnight the salt was already absorbed. Still happy with how it came out, and I'll know better next time.

The propane rig worked great. It held the temperature at 225 pretty solidly. However I think if I do it again next time, where I finish it it the oven anyway, I'm going to use charcoal and wood. Even though there seemed to be good smoke going through the pit, I think you get better smoke in the meat using charcoal and wood instead of gas and wood.

Well, going to do up a load of ribs next weekend ....

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Many of the "pro" places only smoke their meat for 2-3 hours before transferring them to ovens.

 

[Bounce]

Many of the "pro" places only smoke their meat for 2-3 hours before transferring them to ovens.

Sounds like a buncha carpet baggers. All the best smoked meat places do the pits and move the smokey goodness inside to serve.

 

[Fred W]

There's no question that you'll get more smoke flavor cooking over charcoal and wood vs. gas and wood chunks. My last batch of baby backs were under smoked, IMO, and they were also cooked with propane heat and wood in a hot pan.

Guess I'll be going back to charcoal for my ribs. The lighter smoke flavor works good good for pork loins and poultry. And for really long cooks (pork butts or brisket) nothing beats the vertical drum smoker for getting massive smoke flavor. Different tools for different dishes.

 

[eflyguy]

Considering the "smoke ring" isn't caused by smoke, it's likely you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference.

I use wood chips, scattered around my coal basket. Visible smoke tends to taper off after 3-4 hours or so. If I fill my basket, it will only burn about 4" diameter in the middle during a typical 6-hr smoke.

Did three racks of ribs on Sunday, using three different rubs - my own, which I now mix up by shaking each ingredient directly over the meat, and two "purchased" versions that were given to me. Honestly very little difference in taste, probably because they all have the usual common ingredients.

Had an issue getting my top vent open - I'd noticed a steady increase in force required to open it at first, due to a build up of grease from years of smoking, but I could usually bump it open. Not on Sunday - pulled out an impact hammer - applied gingerly as the vent is cast iron - and it broke free. Yesterday I removed it, disassembled the parts, and cleaned up the mating surfaces (only those surfaces) with a brass brush. In hindsight, I wish I'd used my steel grill brush! Duh..

So if your vent(s) are getting sticky, you might want to clean them up before you get, well, stuck!

 

[Knifemaker]

Many of the "pro" places only smoke their meat for 2-3 hours before transferring them to ovens.

I guess I'd need a better definition of the word "pro" here. Most smoked food places around me here keep their briskets going in the pit until ready to carve. Some make a point in telling you how long the brisket was cooked.I do know many "pro" BBQ cooks do their briskets at higher temperatures... but even then 3 hours seems pretty quick.

The best place here, Sugarfire Smoke House, I'm told gets whole briskets, but seperates the two parts before smokeing. The reason they give is it cooks quicker, but more importantly you get more smoke on both sides of the cut.

"Considering the "smoke ring" isn't caused by smoke, it's likely you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference."

Well if ain't the smoke, I'll ask why I don't get "smoke rings" on the grill or in the oven?

Yes, it's not the "smoke" you see, but the Nitrogen and Carbon monoxide produced by the wood or charcoal when it burns. But not sure how you could produce the levels of those without the smoke coming along with them.

Amusing quote from Texas Monthly BBQ:

"This is Texas and if you cant make a good tasting brisket with a smoke ring, then keep learnin.

If you have no intention of getting a smoke ring, then your bus to New Jersey is about to leaveplease dont miss it!"

I realize the "smoke ring" is no indication of taste.. but it looks cool, and most BBQ judges still want to see it...