Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

How do you forget corn?!? Hurts my Nebraskan nature . Rest looks good though

 

I know. Dammit

 

Smoking some baby back ribs today. This time I took the membrane off from the ribs and I’m doing the 3-2-1 method. Issue i had already is i put a chimney of kingsford and only about a quarter of chimney of lit charcoal. I looked at the temp gauge and it was reading close to 400 degrees. I’ve closed the damper on the side box and lifted the lid for a minute to let the heat out. Not sure how they will turn out.

 

Well you know who you are. And thank you! Best $100 spent in a long time.



It is ~3-4" taller than my old kettle and love it. Was afraid the lid didn't seal because there is a lot of play on it compared to my old one. Burning it off now and put the Vortex in.



Yeah she is sealed LOL. First time using the Smoke and rotating the lid 90 degrees at a time it is holding steady at 500° at the grate. Almost burnt in time to pull the vortex spread the coals and add some more to get the chicken going that has been marinating all day.

I am a happy camper had this in my Amazon cart since pre release but couldn't pull the trigger at $200. It would have been worth it though, at $100 I stole it. With some help from some friends

I'm willing to bet that they will turn out fine as long as you got the temp down. The PBC works like that, you dump a full lit chimney of KBB in it and go. They start out at around 400 but then drop fast and hold steady. So even though your not using a PBC yours should be fine too.

 

Mine is still in the box. And just like you mine was on Amazon pre order also but changed my mind last minute. Cancelled my red and I spent a little more to get the Canadian white kettle.

But for $116 shipped, I had to get me a red limited edition also. Smoke on!!!

 

I missed out

 

Country ribs.

 

LOL yeah I thought about the white Canadian one you have today IIRC that will go to your son someday, good move.

Marinated chicken thighs and tenderloins all day in soy, ginger ale, and Italian dressing. My sons like white meat and picked the tenderloins out. Found a couple of zukes today for the first time in a long time. And had to have some corn and try out some of the tenderloin, juicy and full of flavor for skinless white meat. Yeah that works



Of course chicken skin goes down hill fast and is never good warmed up. So ate the skin off the other thighs for dessert

 

We posted it here when Academy has their sale last weekend. Within a few hours , they sold out.

Next time there’s another sale, I’ll let you know

 

Those limited are cool, are they always in red? And every year? What are you guys using for a regular kettle to get the inside temperature ? I use a thermapen for the meat but nothing for the cook temp

 

Tag me too! Damn. Never saw the old alert

 

Something doesn’t look right with your first picture, oh yeah, there is no snow in sight....

 

Lid thermometers can't be trusted. I usually do chicken around 300 indirect and then move it right on top of the heat at the end to crisp up the skin.

 

That was a one time deal AFAIK, they announced it last summer. If they release a 26" red Kettle with all the same features as the limited I'm afraid I'd have to get that too.

I use a thermapop for checking meat temps. For the smoker have a BBQ Guru Cyber Q so it has 3 meat probes, grate probe and a fan controller. Overkill for the grill, and for almost 10 years have had a Maverick for the grill. It has held up well considering the age and use it has had but have moved it to the dog crate. I am becoming a fan of Thermoworks and just picked up the Smoke on open box clearance for $76 the quality is far above the Maverick. I used it last night for the first time and am very pleased with it.

I don't always use a remote for the kettle you get used to how they work but there are times they are nice to have. And if using it for whole chickens or smoking almost a need to have item. The lid thermometer was pegged at 600+ with the vortex but grate was solid 500 degrees. Cooking the chicken it was 325° at the grate and the dome showed 175 degrees. Lid thermometers are about worthless IME.

Damn you are observant, I almost made a comment about it! Last of the snow in the yard melted Thursday. First time been snow free since Oct. 27th of last year.



4 years ago we got 18" of snow first week of May. I'm saying the hell with it and going to live dangerously, putting the snow shovels in the storage shed today. Will wait another week or 2 to drain and summerize the snow blower. But I think piss poor sledding season just might finally be here

 

I wouldn't be able to say no to a 26 red...

 

First time smoking ribs, cross your fingers!

 

WSM is loaded up with a 7lb butt, and three racks of spare ribs. Going slow for about 3-4 hours, then cranking it up to get done in time for dinner around 6:30-7 tonight. This is all the stuff I had planned to make last weekend before getting sick. Going to eat well this week!

 

Well? How did it go?

 

Not started yet!