Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Guess it depends on how long the meat is on. If his was too smokey, then the solution is less smoke or less time in the smoke.

 

Those GrillGrates dominate the SCA events, apparently. Those events sound fun, but I've also talked to guys that do them and they say that it is all the same. Salt, pepper, maybe a little garlic and/or onion, then reverse sear, finishing on scorching hot GrillGrates. Not that it is a bad thing, but perfection seems to be less open to interpretation in the steak world than BBQ.

I dig all of the mods you did to the Jumbo Joe. I especially like the idea of the crosshatch on the charcoal grate. I am kind of like you with hoarding BBQ stuff, I just don't have enough extra bits to make anything else at the moment.

As always, I enjoy the pics. Food looks great.

 

Nothing to be ashamed of. Reverse searing is a pretty wild change from the traditional searing method. I ruined a lot of good meat in learning.

Let me ask this: Was it too much smoke or was it bad tasting smoke? The two can be mistaken for one another. I don't cook with maple too often, so I can't recall how long or how hot it takes to get it to the point that the smoke is good and not bitter. I use mesquite on my steaks. I put a chunk or two in with the coals as they're coming up to temp for the first phase. The wood is not just smoldering, but putting off a very desirable smoke. When it comes time to sear, I put in little chips from the bag that ignite almost instantly. Those are never just smoldering and struggling to ignite, which is where a lot of "bad" smoke comes from. Mesquite is a pretty bold smoke flavor, but even so, it never overwhelms.

Keep at it, but if it is wood chunks, maybe get them in a bit earlier than the steaks so that they can get going.

 

You have a good point about too much smoke vs bad tasting smoke. I never thought of it like that. I would definitely say it was bad tasting smoke. I suppose it was possible that I didn't let the wood chunk burn down enough before I threw the meat on?

At any rate, I'll be trying it again here shortly but with different technique. I'm sure it will come out better the next time!

 

Reverse sear with smoke can be a great thing. Just remember it's not all about a long time on the smoke you want a nice hint of the smoke flavor but you don't want it to over power. Let the wood your using burn off a while to get rid of any funk that may be on it, also make sure the wood looks clean and no extras on it to start with. Once you have a good clean looking smoke going toss the steak in there for a little while (I usually do no more than 15-20 mins max). Once that's all done you are on to your nice searing action now. Since I have been doing this the steaks are getting rave reviews.

 

I have an a-maze-n tube and prefer to cold smoke a steak before i cook it if i am looking for a little extra smoke.

 

Looks like it’s time to stock up.

 

me looking at our meat prices here vs the south...

 

$0.79/lb! id be buying a new freezer so I could buy all the had!

 

Please forgive me but what is the difference in a boston butt and a picnic? One of our local grocery stores have picnics on sale this week for 99 cent a lb. I've only bought and cooked boston butts before. Do they cook any different if I picked up one or two?

 

The butt is the top of the shoulder, the picnic is the bottom including the front leg. I've never smoked a picnic, let us know.....

 

No offense, but

Cheapest around here is like $2.00/lb.

 

We typically only use the picnic for traditional inside pork roast. It seems a good bit fattier than the Boston Butt to me. It makes terrific rice and gravy though...

 

I've noticed the pinic has a more ham flavor.

 

This is my opinion as well. Very rarely (around here at least) you’ll see a “whole shoulder” it’s both cuts, just not separated.

 

Putting this little piggy to bed before firing up the kettle in the a.m.



Of course it’s rubbed with @bvbull200 pitfaced, its amazing how quick it starts to liquify on the meat. Dis gon b good.

 

Yes! Looking forward to the results! Gonna be eating mighty fine, that's for sure.

 

Someone else already answered the difference. I've smoked both and usually get whichever is on sale. I've also done one of each and mixed them together. Both make excellent pulled pork and as long as you get in bone-in for Boston butts, they cook the same. If you've been buying boneless butts, they'll cook differently.

 

True dat. Boneless cooks faster but not better. I always get bone in, better flavor imo.

 

This x100, even in yard birds.