Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Some do it right before it goes on, some do it overnight, some do a few hours. I personally think longer is better.

 

So a couple of pork butt roasts today. Tried two new things for me from this thread.

-about three times as much rub as I usually use

-doubled up the amount of unlit coals and halved the lit ones.

Only two hours into the smoke but pork is up to 160f. I usually get a nice long stall at this temp. We'll see.

Also I like smoking when it's hot outside because I can put my smoker in a tub with about an inch of water. Really really helps with temp control and I'm not afraid to leave it for a little while. Also adds additional moisture to the steam.

 

If the rub has salt, I do night before except ribs, meat is so thin it'll get hammy if salted too far ahead of cook. Night before works as great dry brine treatment for thick cuts. If no salt in rub (I make my own) then it doesn't matter IMO. Spices and herbs aren't going to penetrate hardly at all, salt will. In that last case, I kosher salt night before and then apply rub right before cook.

 

The meat is rubbed. Going on in about an hour. Got some corn soaking right now too

 

Dude that thing is so clean, have forgotten mine ever being that color inside. Now you just need to build a table!

 

That needs more rub... pat dry first, then shake rub on and pat it in, get coverage over the whole thing. Should cover the whole exterior except fat cap

 

I thought it looked shy too but I think he said he put initial coat on last night, this is just a refresh. Maybe it wasn't him? Idk, if it wasn't then yeah, more rub. Btw, I don't see a benefit putting actual rub on twice... if there's salt in the rub, meat will be so wet after overnight that the second coat will just be paste at best, lose lots to you hands.

 

Looking good

 

These last 8.5°'s are killing me!

 

Patience will pay off.

 

Yep, it's rough. 172 on my brisket now, should be done by Thursday

 

Did 6 fat NY Strips in the WSM with hickory chunks tonight, and three large sweet potatoes. Dry smoke for the first time, and oh, man. Those steaks were just bursting with flavor. The sweet potatoes we had to finish in the oven with butter, but they were very good, too.

 

That reminds me, wanna ask you guys... have you ever cooked a thick ribeye and the not eaten it until next day? Plans are firm for dinner but I got a great price on one big ribeye and I want to cook it after brisket is done, use up the coals. I was thinking get it into fridge right away on a plate covered with foil, and then tomorrow when it's cold slice thinly and reheat barely on griddle for cheese steak sammies. Any other ideas? Aside from me driving to your house and donating it

 

I dunno that I wouldn't foil it, wrap it in a thick towel, then stuff it in a good quality cooler.

 

It won't get eaten til tomorrow, gotta put it in fridge at some point.

 

Forgot to take a picture of the chicken I just pulled off and ate but it was delicious. Just wrapped the pork up in some foil for a bit. Corn going on soon.

 

It had been sitting for a while with rub before I took the pic. I did as you said as well. I feel I put enough for my liking though. A good amount was used

 

We had leftovers from this 3.5 lb bad boy, and they were good, not like fresh off the smoker, but good. This was reversed sear though, not 100% smoke.



The chops I reverse seared tonight were good. Only critique is I used a sweet rub, should have stuck with savory. Took em off at 145, rested, they climbed to 150. Good, just a tad sweet. If we weren't starving, I would have left them in the smoke.

 

Pork goin good. Almost done. Just threw on the corn. Maybe another hour and we'll be eating.