Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Could you just cut one in half and do it that way?

I’ll take those end slices any day!!

 

Maybe?

That’s an excellent idea.

Any reason not to? Most cuts of meat it’d be ok.

I’ve gotten away with just buying small cuts of meat so far but I might just need to bite the bullet and cut a larger cut in half.

Maybe New Year’s Day I’ll do a brisket instead of a rib roast.

 

Honestly, I don’t know. I can’t think of a reason it would be bad? I’m not talking separating the flat and point, just cutting straight in half. I normally take slices from the flat up to a few inches into the point. Can’t see why it would hurt cutting it right at that point.

 

Brisket is pretty finicky but it’s definitely worth a shot if you have 30 bucks to spare on an experiment. Either way it’ll be edible and not wasted.

 

I have to say. This is the damn best beef roast I've ever had. Can't believe I lived this long without a smoker.

 

I’d think the smoke would seal those cuts up, helping to retain moisture.

Ain’t no brisket $30 around here!!!

 

Welcome to the madness!!

 

Seattle, Prime at Costco, 3.25 a pound or so
I guess at anywhere near that rate it’d be $40 plus for a bigger one.

 

When i smoke brisket I always cut mine into 3 pieces . Have not had a problem. Just need to monitor temps separately

 

I've been hesitant to trim off fat from my cuts of meat for the heat shield reason. I lay the meat fat side down, that way if I eff up the temp it's that piece that dries out and sticks to the grates LOL

 

I was at Sam's yesterday. Had a 13lb brisket for $2.30 per lb. While trying to decide if I should grab it or not someone came up and got it.

He was going to cut it into two pieces, the thick end and the thin end. Thick end was becoming pastrami and thin end was going to end up corned beef.

 

Very good. I’m that answers that question.

How do you cut it, where?

 

I just cut at flat side first to were the thickness is about even than cut point side in half .
Only reason I do it this way is the first brisket I made did I was worried the flat side would be over cooked because I was going hot and fast .Came out alright so just stuck to this way.

 

My smoker/BBQ is at the lake house so I’m using my gas grill for flank steak and chicken kabobs on this beautiful 5 degree day

 

Some friends are coming over tonight, got wings marinating in stubb’s citrus & lemon, jack daniels honey teriyaki (marinate in a bag thing) and of course @bvbull200 spicy pitfaced

 

Yes! You treat your friends well .

 

With curing and smoking season well under way I picked up a Sockeye fillet today to cure and then cold smoke. I like Sockeye as it has great color is the only salmon that I can get that is not farm raised and its thin so it cures quickly (as in as little as a couple hours).
Cure for a 1-1/2lb fillet:
1/4 cup Kosher salt (table or pink salt have iodine and are not to be used)
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 TBLS spoon of sugar. I used maple sugar but white or brown sugar is fine)

1. Lay out a section of plactic wrap and dust with some cure:

2. Lay fish on plastic wrap skin down and the rest of the cure goes on the meat.

3. Pull the plastic wrap up around all side of the fish and squeeze out all the air.

4. Cut plastic wrap on both side of the fillet to allow juice to drain out.

5. Lay fillet in a flat non-reactive container lined with paper towels to collect the juice. Place something flat on top of the fillet and then put a weight on top of that. Typically I use a 5lb bag of flour but today the trusty Dutch over is serving duty. Place in fridge or cold temp between 35 and 42* for 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Once cured to your satisfaction unwrap and rinse off all remaining cure pat dry and place fish on a wire rack in a cool area (between 50 and 70*) for a couple hours to let the surface dry out an become tacky. Then onto the smoker. I will post that process up in a day or two after my salmon cures.

 

If it’s 5 degrees, you don’t need a koozie!

 

Actually you do. Beer freezes and they help keep it from turning into a frozen brown slug.

Sometimes I wish that I didn't know these things. High of -7 today

 

Finished smoking the dried beefs the other day and let them hang in the cold garage (below 40*F) for a couple days to bloom. Took one down yesterday and it was AMAZING. Slice and eat by itself or this morning made a little shit on a shingle out of it.