Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Do one that's ground beef and cheddar.. slice it thick and lay it on its side on a bun.. basically a bacon cheeseburger!

 

Thats kind of what i was thinking, may do that.

 

Hey, TW smokers and cookers, looking for a little advice. I put myself in a pinch by thawing a butt for smoking this Saturday morning, but it turns out we'll be going to my niece's birthday party, then camping and wouldn't be able to even get the smoker fired up until early evening Saturday. I was thinking about putting it on the smoker tonight for a few hours of smoke, then finishing in the oven or slow cooker and reheating over open flame tomorrow night. The kicker is I won't have time to brine the butt, or maybe just for an hour or two. Without the good brine I am worried about the meat coming out too dry. What do you think?

 

I have not once brined any of my butts and all have turned out great.

 

Philly style. Pastrami, cream cheese, bell peppers and onions inside sausage. Always a hit at my house!

 

I "brine" mine by slathering in yellow mustard. Give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

 

I have never brined a butt, and have never cooked a dry butt. Is there a reason you would finish in the oven or slow cooker? If you are going to smoke, and then reheat, I would just leave it on the smoker until finished. I like leftover pulled pork just as much if not more than freshly smoked/pulled, for what its worth.

 

That sounds good too, may do that since i have done bacon cheeseburger ones before

 

I've been using a saltwater brine for a while now and it really seems to help the meat with the moisture content. But I usually brine for at least 24 hours.

Thanks, I've used a light base of mustard to hold rub in place, but never thought of using it for a "brine" before.

 

I’ve never brined and never had a dry one so far. I think you’ll be fine. I just been doing a bit of olive oil and then regular pit face rub. Delicious every time

 

Mostly because once my head hits the pillow tonight I will not wake up again to check the temps in the smoker. It holds temps pretty good, or at least it used to, but it's been almost a year since I've smoked anything and I don't want to screw up tomorrow night's dinner.

 

Swap that olive oil for mustard some time!

 

I did mustard before. I don’t feel it adds anything though.

 

I use a slather of mustard and Worcestershire sauce, to hold my rub on, and left in the refrigerator 12 hours prior to smoking. Never dry, and the neighbors always bring over Tupperware to take home any leftovers, if there are any.

 

I find the acidity in mustard, if applied the night before, helps to tenderize the meat some and lends to a better end product. But hey, to each their own.

 

If it works for you then great haha. The last few I’ve done I have Just woken up, opened the butt up, trim it up and rub with olive oil and pitface while the smoker comes to temp, then throw it on and go back to sleep haha. They’ve all turned out damn good! I really don’t notice a difference in mustard vs non mustard. Maybe I’ll have to smoke 2 next time and do 1 of each and do a side by side testing

 

I like lubing butts up with virgin olive oil.

 

I'll drink to that!

 

I just rub and smoke. If you’re worried about dry then wrap it in foil when it goes down for its rest after the smoke.