Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)

[Fred W]

I’d agree with everything km just said above, except I like to cook poultry in a hotter smoker, around 275 to 300F. That and oiling the skin before dry rubbing (without salt) will give you a nicely browned skin. At 225F the skin never gets much color and stays rubbery.

 

[Knifemaker]

^ Yes, that makes sense...the breasts I cooked were skinless. You can use butter instead of oil too. If it has a skin, it also help to let it set in the refrigerator uncovered for awhile. (This is why many dry brine their birds)

 

[biknflyfisher]

Well, the turkey turned out very moist and tender, but was perhaps a touch underdone when it came off the smoker, so I popped it into the oven just to zap it a bit. The skin was indeed rubbery and not good at all......

Next time I will:

1. Make sure the brine ingredients are basically the same as the dry rub on the outside of the breast. I think I muddled the flavors a bit by mixing flavors.

2.Rub the skin with some melted butter to get it crisp.

3. Try to run a higher temp during the smoke.

The leftovers should make for some great turkey sandwiches!

Biknflyfisher

 

[juniorfjr]

I did my turkey on the Traeger and followed the spatchcock recipe from their website. Second time doing this and it turned out perfect, golden brown and delicious. Smoked for 1 hour then up to 350 for two hours and it hit 165 degrees. Next year I think I'll try a dry brine for comparison.

 

[TomInPA]

I broke in the electric smoker on an 18 lb turkey. Worked great and timed perfectly. I followed the whole turkey recipe from Meatheads, but wet-brined instead of dry, then used a Simon and Garfunkel rub (sage, thyme, rosemary, oregano). I started the cook at 225, to a temperature of 150, then finished at 275 to crisp the skin. Used apple chips, and had plenty of smoke. Not overdoing the smoke on poultry is good advise. The bird finished perfectly with a center - breast temperature at 162 when pulled.

Advantage of the electric smoker is a set and forget capability. Disadvantage is there was more steam than normal, and I needed the high heat at the end to finish the appearance and texture.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Ok...here are the pictures of the pastrami...

after 26 hours of brining, and 8 hours resting...



then it was time to do the rub, and smoke to an internal temp of 150 degrees (around 6 hours)...





After steaming to an internal temp of 202 degrees, the finished product came out excellent...



It was quite a long process...but well worth the outcome.

 

[Fred W]

Hoo boy, that looks quite awesome, Joe. Mind sharing your corning-brine recipe?

 

[El Toro Joe]

Hoo boy, that looks quite awesome, Joe. Mind sharing your corning-brine recipe?

I will tonight, Fred...it's at home.

 

[TomInPA]

I could use an Ohio Ruben! RTE?

 

[BikerGeek99]

I could use an Ohio Ruben! RTE?

Meat ya there!

(Do you see what I did?)

 

[Knifemaker]

Last slab of smoked baby backs reheated up for dinner. Luckily got a photo before they all disappeared:

Added flavor enhancement...have 2 pounds of seasoned meat in the dehydrator.....you seriously can't walk into my house without finding yourself salivating from the smell of all this......

Last slab means I'll be doing another smoke very soon....

 

[Knifemaker]

OK...it's 24 degrees out, smoker is at 193 with just under 2 dozen brats inside. Using hickory and mesquite....

Lid was frozen shut when I came out.

 

[eflyguy]

I've smoked a turkey (and other poultry) before, family didn't care for the flavor, even when using a light fruit wood like apple. The go-to became the fryer, and that's the only way I'll cook one now (although thin sliced smoked turkey breast makes awesome sandwiches!)

Don't know why I didn't see posts from way back over Thanksgiving, but going back to the brine and rinse - if your water is too bad to rinse with, were you using it for the brine as well? Gallons can be had for pennies at walmart. I brine mine in one of those sideline-style water/gatorade coolers, and put the bird and brine in a kitchen trash bag inside it. I don't use that cooler for anything else, and it's the perfect size for a good sized bird. Reason I mention it, is that you don't need a lot of the brine when you bag it, because you can twist the bag closed and pull all the air out. If you buy a bag of ice, it can make up the bulk of the "fresh water" needed.

I figured out the bag trick years ago - I use it to wash vegetables like broccoli or asparagus, and to marinate meats. You can use a LOT less ingredients that way. Put enough water in the bag to cover, then spin it closed getting all the air out, then pop it upside down, so the weight is on the twisted end. I make flank steak fairly often, and used to have to make a couple of cups of marinade for a typical piece of flank, and turn it over and over while marinating. With the bag method, I barely need half a cup to completely cover it, and it can then be rolled up saving space in the fridge as well..

 

[Knifemaker]

Yeah, did a couple smoked turkey "roasts" a while back, taste was definitely different, more like some weird cross between turkey and ham. I kinda liked it, but could see how others would miss the "Turkey" taste. Small pieces of chicken I think work fine, only because they don't take long and this get less smoke penetration. Those bacon wrapped chicken thighs I do are definitely more awesome smoked compared to grilled.

Been using bags for marinades for years. Wife used to get 2-1/2 gallon bags from work which were great for big hunks of meat. I think Hefty makes that size too. When I do ribs, I normally use a dry brine, but use a kitchen bag to hold the 6 slabs overnight in my mini fridge I have downstairs.

I think Alton Brown demonstrated using one of those cylindrical coolers for wet brining a turkey.

Anyway, brats out of the smoker after just around two hours. Went for an internal temp of 165. Smoker kept at 200-220 F for most of the cook. Wrapped in foil and in the oven to have left for the next hour. Smell filling the house. Replacing slowly the smell of the two pounds of bacon the wife cooked up. Luckily the 12 year old single malt I've been sucking on all day has kept my salivation in check.

 

[eflyguy]

Yup! Cooler idea came from Good Eats!

Bacon-wrapped anything would benefit from smoking vs. grilling! Time for the heat to get thru to the center, and smoke & bacon are meant for each other. Which reminds me.. I need to make (and smoke) some more bacon!

I'm nursing a glass of Knob Creek, my girl bought me two gift sets for Christmas, so I'd have 4 etched glasses.. Keeper..

 

[08FJR4ME]

I took some ribs out today from the freezer for tomorrow nights supper. I have several bags left so should be able to support my BBQ addiction for the next couple of months.

Dave

 

[BikerGeek99]

eflyguy - no, I didn't use our tap water for the marinade. I used water from a dispenser in the kitchen. I have yet to drink or cook with our tap water. Funny thing is, we have neighbors aboot 5 minutes from the house who run a winery on their property. I was talking to the owners recently and asked where they get their water because they just got their beer license (yah - a winery / brewery 5 minutes from my house - what's the worst that could happen?). They just use their well water. I aboot fell over since our water is soooooo terrible.

Anyhoo.

I smoked a turkey breast on Saturday.

Same basic technique as before, however this time, I did rinse it when it came outta the brine, and then I let it sit in the fridge after the brine and rinse for aboot 6 hours.

Time needed in the smoker for this one was 6 1/2 hours to get the internal temp to 160 - this hunk of meat was a bit bigger than the last one.

I think that the rinse did help knock down the saltiness.

We had family in for the holiday (the last of 'em just left today) and the turkey was, to put it mildly (and not to pat myself on the back too much), a hit.

The longer time spent in the smoker gave it a tad more of a smokey flavor, and the meat - especially away from the skin - was really, really moist.

For new year's, I'm thinking of smoking a pork tenderloin, maybe wrapped in bacon. We'll see...

 

[Bounce]

about 2 or 3 hours tops for a tenderloin. they reach temp quickly and can dry out if over cooked.

 

[900gc]

Got a propane smoker for Christmas, did a 12 lb. turkey with mesquite chips, water in bowl. 6 hrs. @ about 220, rubbed with olive oil before hand, seasoned AFTERwards w/sage and chives while sitting under foil for 30 min. before carving (how my buddy from TX does it). Moist and delicious! Can't wait to do more with it once we get out of the deep freeze!

 

[BikerGeek99]

about 2 or 3 hours tops for a tenderloin. they reach temp quickly and can dry out if over cooked.

Since we had a high of 5 degrees yesterday and wind chill advisories in effect, I decided to not smoke the tenderloin. Mebbe next year.