Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

I do fat up as well, but I usually leave a butt on the smoker until I see 195. Also, I take a knife and cut one inch deep slices into the butt in a crossing patteren before ever putting any rub on. This greatly increases surface area, hence, more bark.

 

2 pork roasts. 8 hrs on the traeger at 150 with apple. 1 hr on 350 wrapped in foil with an angry Orchard in the foil with it.

 

8 hours at 150? I make jerky at 150. Is this more of a cold smoke technique? Can you share the reason for that temp setting? I'm intrigued!

 

That's what the traeger website had... In fact they had it lower on only smoke. I can taste the apple flavor from the wood down about 3/4". I'll get a picture of how far the smoke went in here in a few. At 8hrs it was at the 150 internal

 

Here is dome good info on the danger zone when smoking meat.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/59236/danger-zone-info

 

I understand "danger zones" working in my dads old kitchen, but it would be hard to get a good smoke on something in a short time before the item itself is fully cooked. I have never had a problem while slow cooking something like that, and have been eating that for a long time. I mean, that's how they cook briskets and a lot of meats like that in good BBQ joints. Pulled porks can take upwards of 12 hours until it's at a "decent" internal temp they call for.

But, typically the internal temp will equal the outer by 4hrs if you have it at the 150-180 range I had it at.

 

Interesting. So it is a type of cold smoking, kind of. Since it's a pellet grill, you get smoke at any temp - makes sense. You couldn't really do pulled pork that low and expect it to be pullable, but with something lean like a loin that you slice, I'll bet it works well.

And I wouldn't worry too much about safety - not a lot of bacteria are going to be able to grow on a piece of meat in an active smoker, especially if you use a sugar or salt dry rub. With the last hour at 300+, you're killing everything on the surface too.

ETA - By that of course I mean, don't worry about that particular cooking method being unsafe. I didn't mean that you shouldn't consider food safety and cleanliness in general...

 

I'm doing a pulled pork tomorrow. I may put it on the rack itself for the first few hours... fat cap down? Then give it a bath in Apple juice wrapped up?

 

Sounds pretty great.

 

3 1/2 hours at this point at 225 on the rack. It's now in the tray with apple cider, cider vinegar and brown sugar at 275. I'll wrap it at hour 6.

 

Looks awesome!!

 

Just received this...some good stuff I tell ya!

 

Here is the before & after of my lastest brisket.


I picked up this brisket for $1.77/lb!



This time I only rubbed lightly with Kosher Salt & Pepper & brought it up to room temp before I put it on the smoker.



13 Hours over Oak about 250*



Came out Perfect...the bark was sweeter and more carmelly. I think I will use just salt & pepper from now on..everyone like the taste over previous rub mixtures.

 

Looks good even though I'm not a brisket fan. I'm at hour seven with a Boston Butt right now. Internal was 165 the last I checked.

 

Only another 25 degrees to go. So another 3hrs or so

 

I hit the stall at high 160s, time to foil and wait on 195.

 

At hour 4 at 230F on a rack of baby back ribs over hickory and apple cider I'll wrap them in another hour or two

 

Pics, or it didn't happen....