Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Yup, that looks pretty great. I've found the oven is the best way to cook it since the connective tissue needs more time to render than bacon fat. Nice work.

 

Due to the record setting temps yesterday in the 90's it was hard keeping the temp in the smoker down low. I actually used the oven after about an hour of smoke to control the temp.
I honestly think an electric smoker would work best for this due to the ability to keep the low temps steady. Like all things, more research is required.

 

Thanks for the hints, I've been doing some research and done up a few drawings from what I've seen and liked. I'm not going to try and reinvent the wheel, would much rather have a consistent and predictable smoker. Pretty sure there will be some refinement required but I don't mind spending the time.

 

After making the buckboard bacon last week, I made some changes to my little smoker to improve the process... details here.
http://concoxtions.blogspot.com/2015/10/upgrading-charcoal-smoker-to-electric.html?m=1

 

Looks awesome! So you simply grilled sausages first then piled the veggies on top and grilled longer??

 

What's Buckboard bacon??

I know I want to eat it! Looks tasty!

 

I had to ask the same question a couple of weeks ago. It's bacon that's made from the pork shoulder instead of the pork belly. Way less fat, still the same amount of work. Haha

 

Oh! Gonna have to google that one.

 

Getting ready to make a ton of deer jerky and smoke a wild hog ham this weekend.
Does anyone have any tips for smoking wild hog hams? I'd like to hear them.

 

ALRIGHT!

I'm doing my first smoke. Meaning, I am the captain on this here cruise.

Probably ribs....I might take some photos for ya.

 

Well a leg quarter etc the 'ham' of the boar is just a huge chunk of pork. It's not a ham till it's been cured etc to make it ham.

If it ain't hammied' I'd thaw it well, trim it up, get some good rub and smoke it like a pork picnic or a Boston Butt.

 

Yes, par grilled the sausages, then piled on the veggies. Then into the smoker for about 3 hours.

 

Ate a big mess of bacon tonight. I definitely like belly bacon more than buck board. It's just more bacony. My next experiment will be capocollo (capicola, or my favorite, gabagool). No smoking there, just pure salumi.

 

So, I'm figuring out that I am almost completely unprepared for my rib smoke.

(I'm a virgin, go easy on me guys...)

I need suggestions on:

Type of ribs for best flavor
Killer rub recipe



I could potentially be serving 10 people. So, how many racks/bones? We will have plenty of sides.

 

Baby back pork ribs work well. For 10 people I would probably due at least 4 racks because you always want some leftovers. Below is a pretty easy, common rub for ribs. I apply my rub the night before and then rap them in plastic wrap. Pull them from the fridge about an hour before I'm going to put them on the smoker. Don't forget to remove the silverskin before applying the rub.

1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup paprika
1/3 cup garlic salt
2 tablespoons onion salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 teaspoon cumin

 

You cant go wrong with the baby backs from Costco/Sams.

If you are using a smoker follow this from Aaron Franklin or something similar to a 3-2-1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eSFdddaRnk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMQ7g2EJMoM


I also get great results using my (natural) gas grill ...
I wrap in foil for an hour First. (should fall apart with your fingers)
Then just brush with sauce and put directly over the fire for a bit make them look nice.

 

I will either have them remove the membrane or do so myself.

 

Im concerned about space inside my green egg. can I break down the full rack to half racks to make them all fit?

 

The condition I suffer from is, that I have eaten a copious amount of great, great ribs.

I have just never DONE it, myself. I am by no means timid. As a matter of fact, I'd much rather do something a bit different and experiment with it. You know, go big or go home.

 

Yep, I cut mine in half sometimes.