Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Where u get it?

 

If you're asking me, I think I picked mine up from Amazon. Honestly, I don't even use it any longer because it pulls trace elements from the water that I just had to add back (for saltwater invertebrate needs). They typically sell for around $100.00 or so.

 

What temp did you cook/smoke them? I really never looked at that...maybe they are old chickens or something? Maybe try a salt brine? cook them till the thigh bone separates easily.

 

Kirkland mastercarve ham. Smoked to 100, turned up to 325 w/glaze, and cooked to 130 internal. Wrapped and rested to 140. Bourbon, OJ, brown sugar glaze. Tasty!


EDIT: wife not feeling well, and basically slept all day, so this meal really was just for me. And I had to wash my own dishes.

 

even after a couple good meals today that looks really good.

 

Just added a small 4.5 lb butt w/bone to the smoker for the second cook. Just a little guy in case something goes awry, then I'm not wasting too much.

 

This was the initial build. Trimmed the rebar flush. 6'x3' 18ga expanded steel on top of the rebar. Used 6x8x18 cmu.

Use a sheet of plywood wrapped in hd foil for a lid. Also lined the bottom with some old pavers. I know I could get better heat retention with caps on top, but it works well enough as it is. Drilled a hole in the center of the plywood and inserted an old thermometer to give me an approximate temp. Easily fits a 50lb pig. This summer Ill probably do a goat, traditional barbacoa style.

 

Very clean
so you feed fire from one spot...then do u scatter coals throughout or keep em piled there?
Temp control thru fire size or do u cover fire hole with block to slow air supply?
Sorry to ask so many questions but I have a thing for masonry pits lol. Someday I will have a combo outdoor pizza oven/BBQ pit setup

 

Well it depends on what and how much Im doing. If its a small amount like a chicken i keep the fire to one side and feed from that side. Bigger things ill usually spread out the coals for a more even temp.

Temp control is uasually done through fire size, which is a combo of material and air supply blocking.

But honestly the most important recommendation I can make is a portable mini fan. Thing is a time saver. I bought a cheapy 4AA one from Wal Mart. Start some charcoal in a chimney. Put them in and cover with wood, turn on the mini fan. Ready to cook in less then an hour.

 

Little bit of chicken and turkey breasts for my meal prep this week.

 

Nice.

 

LOL... if you read my original post you'd know I tried to pull a wing off (my personal favorite) and couldn't even pull it free, tried drumstick next, same thing. Twenty years ago that's how I checked doneness, by pulling a drumstick, if it pulled clean, it's done. On this hen I literally couldn't pull a wing or a leg free. Even though the temps checked out. As far as brining, I'll never buy one of these again.

 

got some old roosters it sounds like

 

http://www.thekitchn.com/whats-the-...pes-of-chickens-ingredient-intelligence-47323

 

This may very well turn into TL;DR, but oh well, I figure maybe some other beginner may get some use out of it.... And if you expect pics, you will be greatly disappointed, I usually don't take and post foodie stuff.

Wanted to say thanks to everyone on here, and extra thanks to @greeneggsnspam for some great instructions for the beginner smoker. I decided I wanted to get a WSM several months ago, but never pulled the trigger for a while, as I was having a hard time trying to justify if I would use one enough to sink the dollars and find storage space for "one more thing". I have been picking up tips and info tidbits on here for months, and also PM'd Mr. GE Nspam on some specific questions, since I know he has great knowledge of the smoking process with "cost-effective reality" solutions and also picked up a WSM recently.

So Thurs, I picked up my "WSM Starter Kit" :

• 18.5" WSM (figured this size would be best for me)
• chimney coal starter
• dual lead remote bbq thermometer
• 2 bag bundle of Kingsford
• 1 bag of hickory chunks
• 1 pork shoulder

So, for the first 3, hardware cost, about $350, then another $50 for the fuel and meat and we are ready to start.

Fri morning I assembled the WSM and then, using advice from Mr Nspam on fuel and WSM setup (embed 6-8 chunks of wood into a full ring of coal, hollow out a spot for the chimney started coal, set dampers, go), fired it up the first time. Note that I did not "season" the WSM first, again on some advice of "why waste the smoke", I threw the shoulder on the rack, closed the lid and brought it up to temperature.

Took about an hour to reach 225, then I just adjusted it back and forth to keep it between 225-245. Heard that they ran hot the first time, but I did not have any issues keeping the temp in the range. Although it did end up taking 11 hours (after reaching 225), or 12 hours (from the start and when I put the shoulder on) which seemed long to get to 200 meat temp. But it was perfectly done for pulled pork.

Also note that I decided on no seasoning/rubs on the meat for the first few tries, that way I know what it may add later to just the taste of the smoke.

The shoulder turned out so well, I went out and got a brisket to do on Sat. Used the same fuel setup and no rubs/seasoning for it. 12 hours at temp, 13 hours from start, to get to 205. I did the brisket overnight, since my sleep patterns are messed up and I am usually up every hour or two, so not a big deal to watch the temp.

Brisket also turned out quite well. I am quite impressed with how a little bit of beginner level instruction and a about $400 you can be smoking da meats at a reasonably good level.

Also, just made myself some observations, questions, notes along the way:

• On a full ring of coal/wood, the WSM will run at smoking temps (225-245) for 14-15 hours. Seems quite efficient for about 12-13 pounds of coal/wood total.
• First time, I clipped grill temp probe to lower grill, second time I just stuck it into the gasket. First time probe and lid temps were totally sync'd up, second time probe was 15-20 degrees less than lid.
• For the first smoke, the shoulder, was expecting 7-8 hours to get to 205, ended up being 12 hours to get to 200
• When you dump the ashes, make sure they are cooled off, or do not use a plastic bag (brain death is not always wonderful )
• When you close up the WSM and start the smoke, make sure the dampers are OPEN (please refer back to brain death above...)
• First time I was micro-managing the temp with the dampers, second time I adjusted them probably a total of twice, once initially, once mid-smoke

Again, thanks to all and Mr Nspam. Smoke on Dooode.

 

We went to friends house for Easter and they had a pit boss, similar to traeger but not as expensive. Meat came out tender and good flavor!

https://north40.com/dansons-pit-boss-700-deluxe-wood-pellet-grill

 

@greeneggsnspam == disappointment

 

Nice write up. Welcome to the loony bin.

 

Impossible, my understanding is you always beat it first.