Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Well I got my side smoker installed, I had to cut about 7-8 small tack welds that was holding the plate in the main smoker. Then had to drill the holes out as they were tack welded also but I didnt want to mess with cutting the welds. It was easier to just to drill it out. I bolted it on and I lit up some coals and going to season the side smoker and see what temp I can get it to hold at. As always pics later since I have to get to a better cell signal to send a pic to myself Next thing this spring/summer is to repaint the outside of the main smoker since the side looks all pretty and new

 

in for pics I love my side box. Its big enough for 4-6 full size pieces of just about any wood plus coals. I can cook for a really looooooooong time on just an initial load up.

 

basically like this but the only thing new is the side box...Ill hope it helps even out the hot spot I had basically next to the coals.

 

Just remember to put thickest and fattiest part towards the fire and you should be fine. I tend to even move the meat as far away as possible too.

 

Picked up this Prime Tri-Tip at Costco for $7.99/lb along with 2 Choice at $4.49.

Salt and some Montreal Steak Rub with a dash of Pork Pleasoning. Letting the rub penetrate for 2 hours and will toss it into the Traeger at 225F for around an hour until internal gets to 125F and pull and rest for 10.

One of the other tri-tips is going into a chili I'm making Sunday night to bring into work Monday. My department of 7 guys is doing a chili cook-off. Going with a Texas style no-bean.

 

Yeah I just checked and even with low 30's outside temp the Temp dial is currently at 225. I like the fact I dont really have to open the Main side now, just add more coals to the side box. That way I dont lose all my heat checking on the "meats". That little side smoker has added about 40lbs to the smoker now. What I need to fix is the rickety plastic tires.

 

yup once I got the box seasoned well and the metal settled in from heat, that sucker maintains whatever temp I want without effort. You will love yours

 

damn that looks so good

 

Mine is longer and has a basket on the front instead of a shelf

 

Finished product, decided at 100F to turn it up to 375F and see if it crisped up the surface a little more. Worked ok, I will try doing a reverse sear soon and pull it at 110F, give it a little rest and the toss it on gas grill as hot as I can for a minute or 2 per side. it was 2.7 lbs and between me and the wife we ate 2+ lbs, I have less than a half lb have with eggs tomorrow. Beaver horseradish sauce and Johnny's Au Jus.

 

Looks great. Reverse sear works great for tri tip btw imo.

 

Have a gift certificate to Snake River Farms, and thinking about picking up some beef short ribs, since I don't really ever see them around here. Anybody have any pointers for smoking these bad boys? Separate or keep together? Thinking of going 225-250 with pecan and just rubbed with salt, pepper and garlic, or maybe let them sit in a little worcestershire for a while and them rub with montreal seasoning.

 

Oh yay, supposed to get 6" of snow today/tonight. So there goes my brisket for the weekend if it's going to be like this. Can't stand this weather, was 60 yesterday. Oh well at least I'm going to a Brazilian steak house tomorrow for a couple of friends bdays.

 

I'd like to slap the crap out of anyone that says "global warming", they can come up here and shovel or plow this global warming....

 

how good is the gift certificate... . there is some things I want to try from them just to see the hype, but dayum, they is pricey.

 

how many is a brazilian?! (stupid old joke popped into my head...)

I haven't been to one of those in awhile. I need to. I always have such mixed emotions of regret, satisfaction, loathing, awesomesauceness.... but I always have to eat enough for 2 to make it worth it. The wife can't hang.


Also, a friend of mine, when discussing the 2 different ones here in Austin, said his wife preferred one over the other because it had a better salad bar...

 

haha, not enough to get in the wagyu section. It isn't that much, but a good excuse for me to spend some of my own money without a second look from the wife.

What do you have your eye on?

 

same here. pockets aren't deep enough for the kurobuta pork or wagyu... Just always curious about it. It always show up in comps (vids I see anyway) and people talk about them all the time, so really just curiosity.

 

Yeah, unfortunately the short ribs are out of stock right now, but I'm not spending over $100 on a brisket, haha, so I'll probably wait on them.