Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Thanks for the info guys. Wife gave me permission to spend up to $100. for new thermometer. Normally I just go buy stuff, but I'm trying to be nice LOL.

 

Good timing though. I have been considering the same as my current one is starting to produce some weird temps occasionally, so I am looking to upgrade.

 

This is what I've been using for a few years -- its bluetooth and works as advertised. I'll be smoking a pig butt tomorrow -- one sensor goes into the pig, I use one sensor for ambient temperature (alarms go off if the temp is too high or too low). <40$

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MVVK5JK/

 

Nice evening for a Q

 

Wood.

 

Hey group, just wanted to introduce myself to this part of the group. I have been smoking for about 4 years now. I have a weber kettle, OK joe bronco and highland, and a stump XL baby gravity fed. I try to make everything as simple as possible using ONLY SPG. Im a big fan of a long rest for butts and briskets, im talking 12 hours at 170. I love talking about food and smoking so I may be a regular contributor since I dont use facebook

 

Welcome!! Simple is the way to go!

K.I.S.S.

“keep it simple, stupid!”

 

This is the last time I used my Cuisinart smoker, September 12, 2021. Since then I’ve been using the 22” kettle.

A few weeks ago I was considering doing some ribs on it and it occurred to me “did I clean that thing out last time I used it?” I remember saying I’d leave it until the next day but couldn’t remember if I actually did.

…nope. It looked like a science experiment in the water pan. 5 months of pork fat drippings sitting in there and hanging off the grates.

So I threw the grates and water pan out, fired up a bunch of charcoal and burned anything that may have been on the walls out for a few hours. Buried the temperature gauge on the lid to the point it didn’t bounce back, it bottoms out at 400F.

I bought two new Weber grates, a Weber temperature gauge and bought a Winco stainless steel mixing bowl as a water pan. Good as new.

 

Found some ribs on sale. Saturday planned.

 

Oooo I am ready to smoke some ribs. My local store didn’t have any. It makes me miss the days of a butcher shop and going with dad to pick up 4-6 racks of some of the best cut ribs ever!

 

Ya, I love my Weber grills. I've used them for my home smoker/grill. Ive smoked plenty of briskets, ribs, Salmon, chiggens, and roasts on them over the years. If I were ever to try to make monies from this, I would totally build a proper smoker for events. Otherwise, The weber kettle is the pinnacle for personal needs. IMO.



Brisket, then pork. Also, the drip pan is key.

 

Man it’s like 10:30 pm here and that is making me hungry. Looks good.

 

I used a weber exclusively for several years. Did just what you said. I upgraded to a stumps a few years ago, and an offset OK Joe Highland. I love how the kettle can make some incredible bbq if you know how to use it right.

 

Wife asked me to pick up some chicken… I saw a little rack of baby backs 50% off that needed a good home... Little bit of cherry a little bit of oak and a little bit of hickory.
oh and a little something tasty on ice.

 

When I put dry rub on ribs I use yellow mustard to help it stick. I tried something different this time, Dijon mustard with worchestire sauce and thyme. Sounded good in theory, couldn’t tell a difference though.

3-2-1 method over charcoal and apple wood on the Weber kettle. Before wrapping for 2 hours I put some butter, honey, apple juice and brown sugar on them.

Basted them with some Sweet Baby Ray’s sweet and spicy BBQ sauce at then end.

 

Ive noticed a few things with binders... 1 a lot of times they aren't really necessary and 2 I can't taste the difference in what i use. I will use hot sauce if the outside of the meat is dry and i feel like it needs it and the hot sauce is runnier than mustard so it spreads easier. I did 2 pork butts yesterday

Also, how do you like baby back vs St Louis style? I feel like the st Louis don't get enough appreciation

 

I’ve never tried St Louis style, I almost bought some this go around but decided not to.

Any tips on smoking them or does the 3-2-1 method work for them as well?

 

Last time I did them I don’t believe I wrapped them at all, just straight smoke for about 7 hours. The first time I made them I DID wrap and they got way too “fall apart” for me.. they literally just fell apart into something like pulled pork. I like the St. Louis style because it’s almost like pork belly, but with built in handles. Hit them with a little sweetness at the end and you’ve got candied bacon on a stick

 

That settles it, trying St. Louis ribs next.

 

I prefer St Louis over baby backs here, they just sometimes take longer. I don’t wrap either, the bark is incredible and the meat underneath is moist & tender but with more chew than baby backs which get a bit too mushy for me. I’ve learned on my kettle it’s about 5-6 hours at like 275 and I’m good to go