Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Went to a bbq joint here, got some really good brisket. This is the brisket from there, but not a pic I took. Best I can tell its salt pepper and coffee grounds and a little smoke. Im not picking up anything else major and its got a good crust on it. Beats anything we've had at bbq places up here.

 

What's some good BBQ in the Dallas area? I'm going to be staying in Plano.

 

I went to one place about an hour from Plano. Called triple R bbq. http://www.rrrbbq.com/ its out of the big city stuff but it was really good. I didnt get to eat many places around there but looking at google search theres a Tejano bbq and more closer to plano...has 4.8 star rating. So cant be too bad. theres prob hundreds of places to eat around there...

 

Run up to Harbor Freight and get a welders blanket to put on it. I have a Traeger insulated cover for mine. When I was in MI I was smoking with it under 0 and I burned more fuel than normal I had no issues.

 

I think I needed the insulated cover last night . About to go try again. Not much warmer but gotta try

 

I've used a water heater blanket before on previous pits. But may have to go get one. Although it's already after 8 so today may be lost. I'm not opposed to trying a hotter cook but don't want to go too hot on the brisket. 275 still an option possibly and butcher paper crutch later.

 

I got a flat only. I’m going high temp and foil pan on that bad boy. Adding some kind of liquid as well, maybe beef broth or beer, maybe both.

 

Ya that would work also. I mentioned the harbor freight one because they are relatively cheap.

 

Pulled pork for dinner. Man it’s cold 34 degrees here in Texas


Just found out we didn’t have any potatoes to make me a grate probe holder. All I had was a kids sliced apple. Oh wells

 

That should work!

That they are. But cold days like this are few and far between here.


Climbed to 80* pretty quick

 

Same here in FL, my thermal blanket is in our storage unit though in a place we can get to it pretty quick lol.

 

Throwing in the proverbial towel for today... Will attempt later tonight/tomorrow

 

Just get a few hours of smoke on it and finish in the oven.

 

Keeps timing out. Be a bitch to get those few hours without a blanket. May swing by norther tool or harbor later for tonight though.

 

Brisket flat all trimmed and ready to go tomorrow. Salt, pepper, garlic, onion, and PF regular.


I tried to to a rib braid, but I don't think it’s going to work, i’ll just 2-2-1 them instead.
Straight PF regular on these. I’ll wrap with apple juice and brown sugar.


Since i’m doing both, I’m going to use the ok joes, have the brisket on a rack on top of the ribs for two hours. I’ll move it down after the ribs get wrapped and put in the oven. When the initial load of coal goes below 225, I’m going to pan/wrap the flat and finish it in the oven as well. Hoping for 6 hours on the smoke. I think apple and hickory chunks will be used for wood.

With the wind and cold, I found a small water pan does wonders in the Joe with keeping temps even and around 250. Without it, temps go to high quickly.

 

Educate me, what does timing out mean? Just shutdowns cuase it can’t reach temp?

 

Yeah .if after 30 mins I believe if it hasn't changed by some amount it throws an error. Prevents overfeeding and safety if pellets run out.

 

I forget if you’ve tried, but couldn’t you just run it at a higher setting to warm it up, then turn it down? Or is it just too cold to even do that.

 

Got two confirmation that Academy is doing a lot of 50% off. Random items including some smokers. Someone got this for $90 after an additionional 10% military discount on top of the 50%

 

What are y'all's thoughts on fire bricks in my Traeger? Good idea or bad idea?