Smokers (BBQ - not grilling)

[Knifemaker]

Smoked a small 2 pound pork loin roast on the pellet smoker last night. Took exactly 2 hours at 225F.
No photos, we ate it, it was good.

 

[Levi Franke]

I know there are some experienced Barbeque guys (and gals) out there. Heretofore I've always been a big fan of consuming it (in unhealthy quantities at times) but I've never before delved into the production side of the hobby.

The past few weeks I've been messing around with an old cheapo charcoal grille and managed to make a few fairly credible attempts at imparting the smoke spice into some meats. I've read a little (enough to be dangerous) and know that this is one of those hobbies (like most others) that you can go "whole hog" on and spend a literal fortune on equipment and supplies. That, I have not done as yet.

As you can see, I am using some pretty low budget (Ok, it's ghetto!) equipment, but I did drill a hole in the lid for a thermometer for monitoring the smoker interior temps and do have a digital cooking thermometer to poke down through the main upper vent into the meat.

First attempt was just some relatively thin pork chops that I smoked for about 2 hours at 225F and just used some dried oak wood chunks that I had out on the firewood pile for the smoke on a whim. The flavor was good but they were a tad dry as I had not done enough to redirect the heat from the meat that time.

Sunday I made a second attempt, this one was a bit more ambitious as I bought a small (4 1/2 lb) brisket. Made up a dry rub and rested it over the prior night in the fridge. And this time I built the charcoal fire towards the back of the grille bottom, and laid some foil across the main cooking rack (that I wasn't otherwise using) to make the heat travel to the front side before wafting around and upwards to the meat, which was perched up high on the "warming rack." I also used some hickory wood chips in lieu of the oak chunks for a finer smoke flavor.

I ended up being able to cook it low and slow, attempted to hold to ~225F, for a bit over 6 hours total while listening to the kickoff of football season, with the first 2-3 hours being the smokiest ones by design. The brisket came out pretty nicely done, the rub turned into a nice bark, and the meat had a great 1/4" smoke ring with real good flavor. (Sorry about the crappy cell phone pics)

But the meat is still a bit tougher than what I'd like. I think I need to do one of a couple of things the next time:

I've read about brining the meat overnight first. Not sure exactly what that adds, but I assume that the brine breaks down some of the collagen and tenderizes the meat before cooking? Anyone practice this witchcraft?

I've also read about hypodermic-ally injecting the meat with stuff (baste), but I would assume that has more to do with flavorizing than tenderizing.

Maybe I need to introduce some steam in the smoke environment? I see where some folks have a dish full of water in their smokers to add moisture throughout the long smoking.

I also realize I need to learn how to cut the meat cross grain, as I tried, but screwed the pooch on that this time. Looks like I need to cut at the 90 degree opposite angle to get that

So, what say ye BBQ gurus?

PS - Before anyone else suggests it, yes I am already shopping for options to replace the frugal Kmart grille, though I really don't think that is a cause of many problems, it will make smoking much more enjoyable as I will have more even temps with less hassle.

Do you season the meat somehow? Here are some suggestions for improving the tenderness of your meat:

1. Brining: Brining involves soaking the meat in a saltwater solution for several hours or overnight. This can help to break down some of the proteins in the meat, resulting in a more tender finished product. You can add other seasonings or flavors to the brine as well. Be sure to rinse the meat thoroughly after bringing to remove any excess salt.
2. Injecting: Injecting can help to add flavor and moisture to the meat, but it is not necessarily a tenderizing method. If you do decide to inject, be sure to use a meat injector and inject the meat in several different spots.
3. Steam: Adding a dish of water to the smoker can help to keep the meat moist during the smoking process, but it may not necessarily make the meat more tender.
4. Cutting: Cutting the meat against the grain can help to break up the muscle fibers and make the meat more tender. It may take some practice to get the hang of it, but it is worth it for a better-finished product.

Since you are great progress with your smoking experiments try the fried cabbage and kielbasa recipe. You won't regret it.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Picked up 4 racks of St Louis ribs at the market yesterday $2.99 lb. Now I just need some cooperation with the weather.

Dave

 

[Bounce]

We went with out daughter to CostCo the other day (see other post about hearing aids).

Meat was something like $12/Lb! YIKES!

Probably not all of it, but the ones I saw were around that so I quit looking.

 

[biknflyfisher]

Anybody got their smoker running today?
I had contemplated smoking a pork shoulder but was scheduled to rain in Central Cally, so I passed on the thought.
Raining now……
Biknflyfisher

 

[JessieJim1]

Sorry to hear about the rain. Do you have any indoor cooking or baking projects to keep you occupied?

 

[wingshot]

My smoking journey continues...
Picked up a used Treager with some working issues - it kept tripping breakers. A little pb blaster on the moving parts, cleaned the fan blades, and changed out the pot and heat stick - Presto a brand new working Treager.

 

[Knifemaker]

Cool. And if you have a spare $7,500 you can buy Super Smokers old competition rig:

 

[Bounce]

Cool. And if you have a spare $7,500 you can buy Super Smokers old competition rig:

Makes you wonder how long it takes them to burn through one of those. One season? Two?

 

[Knifemaker]

Not sure what you mean by “burn through”
Both the smokers on the trailer likely have quite a bit of miles left on them.
Super Smokers were on the competition circuit for several years. They opened a restaurant near here shortly after winning a few awards (in 2003) They just recently opened a 2nd restaurant a bit father in towards the city (St. Louis) They also operate a food truck. They offer your usual smoked meat fair, along with Cajun dishes.
I believe they no longer compete. I’ve seen their food truck at a few events. They also have a catering wing.
Truth be told I’ve never eaten there. The one near us just moved to a new location, taking over a closed Steak & Shake about a half mile closer to us.
The price for the trailer with the two smokers onboard seems fair. And considering how long it’s been out there, you likely could offer them less.

 

[Bounce]

I've seen "grills" burned through by owners. Too much heat? Too long? I wasn't there to see how it was used/abused.

 

[08FJR4ME]

I broke down and cooked a slab of ribs in the oven last weekend. Truth be told they came out pretty good. All be it without
the usual smoked flavor. I still did the rubs and placed both sides under the broiler for several minutes to give them a BBQ look
at least. After that I cooked them low and slow for 6 hours in the oven on 230 F. It will satisfy my craving for a little while at least.

 

[Knifemaker]

^ I have done ribs in the oven before with good results.
I once did two slabs by first “browning” them on my gas grill, then baking them in the oven for 3 hours, then slathering them with sauce, wrapping in foil, and cooking them for another hour. Came out great.
I do now prefer the smoked flavor, but have no issues with baking inside if that’s the only option.
Ditto for pork steaks.

 

[wingshot]

Anyone with a good pork chop recipe?

 

[Knifemaker]

Never had much luck with pork chops.
Speaking of pork, tomorrows guests for Easter Dinner:

 

[Knifemaker]

Six racks of baby backs on my rack before going into my offset.

 

[Knifemaker]

Cut up 3 slabs. Gave another one to my son and one to my stepdaughter. So, one left for the freezer and leftovers from the 3 for lunch tomorrow.
Can not say enough on how great they turned out. Tender AF and just the right amount of smoke. So far nothing has beat ribs from the offset….pellet and UDS just can’t do ribs the same.

 

[Bounce]

Need to unlimber the smoker once all the thunderstorms pass.

 

[Knifemaker]

Just a quick note here. The ribs we had were from our local Walmart and were the Prairie Fresh Natural brand. A bit of research shows that they try to source locally (Midwest) and their ribs are “all natural”, no antibiotics and no artificial ingredients added. “We have a commitment to offer the best cuts available from American pig farmers”
I was impressed with quality of these, which I think were a major contributor to how well they came out (besides my own skill at smoking ribs)
So, definitely would buy this brand again, over Tyson and definitely over Smithfield, which has been of questionable quality now.

 

[Knifemaker]

Picked of a package of pork tenderloins. As usual, I just tied the two together. Put in the pellet smoker with no rub, just salt, pepper, onion, and garlic powder. Coated with EVO.
Pictures when they are done.