Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

i just picked up a lil tex elite, its big enough for 80% of what I cook but I still wish I would have gone all out and bought the full size

 

6 Hour update, The temperature of the meat has plateaued and I have discontinued mopping. I think another 3-4 hours is a fair guess.

 

No crutch for you?

 

You know I never have but as soon as it reaches 200 It goes straight into foil and into the cooler.

 

Smoking bacon in the snow. About 15 degrees here right now.

 

Just checked it at the 90 minute mark. Looking good.

 

No meat this weekend, but I did throw on a pound each of mozzarella, sharp cheddar and Gouda cheese for a cold smoke. I hope I can wait till the Super Bowl party it is being prepared for. I'll smoke it over hickory for 3-4 hours, wrap and seal and let it sit for three weeks.

 

That should be some awesome cheese! I did this back in early December and it's been excruciating seeing it in my refer and not opening them. It's killing me. We did 4 or 5 (maybe 6 or 7) different kinds, in two groups: 1 with Apple wood and the other with hickory. Every time I open the fridge I look at it and think "soon"...

 

Did you ever go with that Oklahoma Joe smoker? Thoughts? Regrets?

Later.

 

Yours looks like a higher quality of cheese than I'm doing (still on). But it's just for some beer swelling guys at a Super Bowl party (prolly wouldn't even know "good" cheese). How long do you let yours age? I've read that mozzarella doesn't even need to be. I let mine sit at least two weeks, this will age for three. How long do you smoke yours? I'm just going on a thread from smokingmeatforums. I've did cheese quite a few times just never strayed very far from what I posted above.

 

Buy a weber and call it a day .

 

Buy a Yoder YS640 and call it a lifetime.

 

This is the first time I smoked cheese. They will have aged at least 6 weeks before we get to them. I've heard longer is better, but we are having a big dinner party coming up and that was what we were shooting for. I smoked the Apple Wood batch for about 2 1/2 hours (it's a milder smoke) and the Hickory for about 90 minutes.

 

Thanks.

 

i see what you did there ...

 

Smoking up some ribs and pork chops and enjoying some home brew (coffee stout)

 

Just pulled this off the smoker after 14-1/2 hours. Can hardly wait another hour for it to rest.

 

Anybody tried making beef jerky start to finish in their smoker? i don't have a dehydrator, so I'm thinking about giving it a go in my barrel. What do i need to know?

 

I did a 5lb batch on the traeger this morning.

I used this as my guide the first time I tried it and have since modified my marinade to taste with more soy sauce, less beer and a 3 day soak of jalepenos in the marinade before it goes in with the meat. Super easy, smokes for about 5 hours at 145-165*

http://www.traegergrills.com/recipe?recipeid=peppered-beef-jerky

 

that's perfect- i have a hard time keeping my temp that low in my barrel, but i'll give it a go. what meat did you use?