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Any smokers out there?

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posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:20 AM
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This show bbq pit masters caught my eye and I wanted to try some smoking....

Ribs, brisket, chicken???

Any tips, is it worth it.???

Got to get a smoker, good bu5cher, 6 hour plus cook times???

Seems fun?



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:23 AM
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Im just an amateur but it’s a hell of a way to spend a day a reply to: Bloodworth



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:28 AM
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a reply to: Bloodworth

Totally worth it.

When you do it, you have an excuse from pretty much everything that day " I really got to keep an eye on my meat". Also, you can drink beers while doing it, truly the perfect hobby.

The only tip I would give you, is if you get an oldschool non pellet smoker... Make sure your fuel source is fully caught and burning efficiently. Many think that a lot of smoke is good, it's not. You want a very light stream of smoke coming off, with almost a blue hue.

Start with cheap meats to get everything down, that way if it doesn't come out "perfect", you're not kicking yourself in the ass.

Keep a super cheap metal pan of water in the smoker as well, this serves two purposes, it helps buffer heat fluctuations by providing steam, and that also helps prevent drying out of meat.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:33 AM
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a reply to: Bloodworth

I love it. Theres a few considerations: vertical smoket, offset smoker, wood and brquets, propane, electric and so on.

Personally, the artform is best with briquets and fruit wood where it becomes an hours long challenge to keep the temperature right where you want it.

Theres cold smoking to for instance with salmon, or wild boar say at 140, or theres ribs at 250-270 for 4-5 hours ( considered bbq really at that temp)

one of the most important things is to not over smoke as it will make your meat tough, I stop adding the fruit wood for smoke after 1.5 hours and continue with lump coal.

Its a great excuse to be outside and throw back a couple adult bevvies. Enjoy



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:34 AM
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a reply to: Bloodworth

A thread I did on my first brisket

www.abovetopsecret.com...



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:43 AM
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originally posted by: Bloodworth
This show bbq pit masters caught my eye and I wanted to try some smoking....

Ribs, brisket, chicken???

Any tips, is it worth it.???

Got to get a smoker, good bu5cher, 6 hour plus cook times???

Seems fun?



Its cool for a minute then everyone in your family wants you to smoke a cut for them. I have two smokers and so far i prefer LP/ gas conversion if you have sn outside line. Dont buy the hype that wood and coal are superior -- its just harder to maintain a solid 225 degrees for 6 hours to do a 3-2-1 on ribs, or 14 hours for a boston butt. Also you will smell like a smoker for at least a day after smoking no matter how many times you shower.

I would start with ribs. Use the 3-2-1 method. Dont run your water pan dry or they will burn.

A lot of rubs out there. I like mustard based sauce like "Lillies" and rubs with mustard powder in them. Its personal preference of course.

Stay away from mesquite chips for any pork because pork is already kinda salty and its too much. Cherry, hickory, whisper oak, and pecan are all good choices. I dont use maple because i dont want my meat to taste like breakfast.

Best of luck!



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:43 AM
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Get yourself some pecan wood. It's the sweetest of smokes, never bitter or astringent. It's also compatible with every type of food out there Where as some smokes dont pair with certain foods well.

Good thermometers/temperature probes are helpful if your new to smoking/grilling/bbq.

If you harvest your own woods, remember to peel any barks/skins off, and scrub with wire brush and warm water.

Good luck.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 10:58 AM
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a reply to: Notoneofyou

Good advice. Pecan is my wood of choice, but whisper oak is also very mild.

I would also add that i shy away from those ceramic bluetooth temp probes. They have a tendency to catch on fire when fatty oils get on them, causing meat to burn a little. Not to mention the whole spying on your ass thing.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:05 AM
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a reply to: Bloodworth

I started with a Weber charcoal smoker and got really sick of cleaning it up after a long smoke, so I bought a Masterbuilt electric smoker several years back and don't regret it. One thing I would highly recommend you buy is a bluetooth, digital meat thermometer with real time notifications. You download the thermometer's app onto your cell phone and it will notify you when the meat reaches a certain temperature. I never had issues with the accuracy, app or probe on this thermometer and I highly recommend it.

Once you smoke your first brisket, or pork shoulder, you'll be hooked...have fun!



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:13 AM
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a reply to: shawmanfromny

One of mine is a masterbuilt and it has been a solid performer.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:19 AM
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Yes. Love it.

My tip... if you are doing a full bird, like a beer can chicken or similar, brine it for at least 12 hours. I use a recipe similar to this for the brine:

4 cans of beer
Lots and lots and lots of salt
Sugar
Orange juice
Orange rind
Cardamoms
Apple cider vinegar
Salt
Salt



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:40 AM
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If you're looking to experiment to see if you like to do it, I'd recommend starting on a Weber kettle grill. There's nothing you can't do on a Weber kettle short of a whole hog, which you're not going to start with anyway. A good kamado grill could cost thousands and you can get a Weber in the $100ish range. There's a reason they've been around forever.

The most forgiving thing you can start with is a pork shoulder or butt or whatever your area calls it. I'd use some Kingsford briquettes and some wood chunks of your choosing. For pork, I like a mix of hickory and apple.

Some equipment requires more fussing, some works almost by itself. But get good meat, season it properly, cook it the right way (you need a meat thermometer), and you'll get good results no matter how much the grill costs.

And best advice, head to amazingribs.com which is my preferred go-to for ~anything~ to do with cooking outdoors. Techniques, equipment reviews, recipes, all of it. Top notch. You can join, but you don't have to.
edit on 10/9/2019 by yeahright because: typo



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:41 AM
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a reply to: Bloodworth

I'm relatively new to smoking, and did a thread on some baby back ribs here.

There's also some good advice from people who have been smoking a while.

Most recently, I smoked some brats and some Chipotle drumsticks, which turned out awesome. I'm actually going to smoke some more this evening.

I don't have a smoker per se, just a barrel grill. But it works.


edit on 9-10-2019 by Liquesence because: (no reason given)



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:52 AM
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a reply to: Liquesence

Little tip for the sausages, smoke at a way lower temp than other meats. The trick is good amount of time, but low enough heat you don't render the fat out of the casing.

Everyone has a different method, but do some searching online, and if you can get to the point you get internal temp to the safe threshold without losing your fat... It's an absolute game changer.

One of my favorite things in Central Texas is the smoked sausage, there are a lot of Eastern European immigrants there who brought their exceptional knack for sausage making... And when everyone travels and says they are excited to get the brisket, I tell them to get some smoked sausage too (depending where at in Texas).

Smoked sausage can truly be one of the best things a smoker can produce IMO.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:54 AM
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a reply to: Bloodworth

Have (4) smokers now, so yeah I love to smoke things. Biggest challenge is temperature control (by far), it requires constant management. I've got a Traeger, a Masterbuilt, a LEM and a Weber. For truly 'smoking' something I'd have to say I like the Masterbuilt and the LEM the best (though Weber is right in there). The Traeger is nice, but they have trouble on long smokes after a while (i.e. they'll shut down a lot of times). The LEM and the Masterbuilt are dedicated electric smokers.

As others have noted, you don't need smoke billowing out of the thing the whole time. Just a little. Meat takes up the most smoke in the beginning.

As for meats, I would recommend starting with something other than a brisket. Brisket is by far the hardest to get right; it's almost an art form of its own. I have to say, as an accomplished smoker, I have yet to get a brisket truly to perfection (in my opinion).

A really good starting point is to make some Canadian Bacon. Brine a couple pork tenderloins for about 5 days, and smoke those bad boys up. Wash thoroughly afterwards else it will be too salty, and smoke 'em up. Cured and smoked Canadian Bacon is hard to beat, and hard to screw up.

One thing about smoking things is patience and confidence. It takes time, lots of time. And, your confidence can easily be shaken if you screw one up. Start small and easy and work your way up

Of all the things I've smoked, probably one of my most favorites to date was some Summer Sausage I made up with buffalo and antelope. I smoked the sausage after it was cured. I made about 20 lbs. of the stuff and it was gone in about a week, it was that good! I was actually hiding from my friends who would come over Jonesing for some more.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 11:55 AM
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a reply to: Liquesence

Haha I was all over that thread, too. It's one of those topics I can't avoid. If somebody comes up with a combo UFO/outdoor cooking thread, I'd probably collapse from the excitement.




posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 12:00 PM
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a reply to: Flyingclaydisk


One thing about smoking things is patience and confidence. It takes time, lots of time. And, your confidence can easily be shaken if you screw one up. Start small and easy and work your way up


Excellent point, I'd just like to add just thinking you've messed up part way through is just as bad. Little temperature spikes here and there aren't the end of the world. Sure they aren't ideal and may lead to things not coming out perfect, but it's all part of the learning process and things will come out just fine more times than not unless something like the wrong smoke from a choked fire, or wet wood.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 01:28 PM
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a reply to: CriticalStinker

Yeah, your mind starts playing tricks on you after several hours, and impatience can get the best of you. (One of the reasons briskets drive me nuts).

"It's not hot enough...it's too hot...what's it doing now?...is it burning?...is it raw?...should I cut into it?...what's going on???...maybe I should adjust the smoke...is it getting enough? Let's look at it (for the 12th time)"

I'm sure you know the drill. Smoking is like a crockpot, you have to get the temp right and leave it alone...and sometimes this is the hardest thing in the world (seemingly) to do! Leaving it alone...but not leaving it alone.



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 01:34 PM
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a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

The biggest thing I had to break myself was opening the damn lid every 30 minutes


"If you're lookin, you ain't cookin"



posted on Oct, 9 2019 @ 01:44 PM
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a reply to: yeahright

Haha, yeah I remember that thread very well, and you and BFFT's contributions.




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