Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Where's the fun in that?

 

This should be on grilling thread but since I'm here.....
1st time using Guinness and molasses in a marinade for these ribeyes. (and 1 top round)
F#$&ing delicious, is all I can say..

 

I'm lazy, that's all

 

they are heavy. Only thing ive had small issue with is cleaning out the ash cup. If you dont it will give an error. Lowes has different pellets. I use competition blend.

 

Rural King near me has a bunch of different kinds in store. My favorite wood is Pecan though and it seems like those are harder to find.

 

I like the ease of use. I put aluminum foil under the grates on the heat shield for easier cleanup. And some disposable aluminum cups for the drip tray.

$18 (15 Pack) Grease Bucket Liner Compatible with Pit Boss Grills 67292 Foil, Oklahoma Joe's 9518545P06, Rec Tec Large Bucket & Other Grill Bucket Accessories l 6.3” x 6.0” l Disposable Aluminum

https://www.amazon.com/Compatible-O...cint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4584070153341558

 

@Delta09 do you have power out there?

Pellet grills /smokers require power. There also must be a cover of some sort for weather.

You'll want to keep your extra pellets dry so ponder a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid.

A 27 gallon tote from home depot holds (3) 40 pound bags of pellets. Walmart is the cheapest place to buy pellets. I use the Pit Boss brand at $15 a 40 pound bag. Never had an issue with the pellets.

I own several Pit Boss smokers and all of them have been reliable.

 

One of my smokers is a vertical Pit Boss.. it's literally an outdoor easy bake oven. It's designed with a water pan so I use that (all the naysayers can just hush). I have to refill that every couple of hours but the hopper on that thing holds 60 pounds of pellets I can smoke for days without ever worrying about those. A newer version I saw will hold 80 pounds!

For those curious, in my experience, depending on the weather, I burn about 1.5 to 2 pounds of pellets per hour. Seems to be consistent across the different styles I have.

 

Wow 60-80lbs!

 

After that much time on the smoker it's taken about as much smoke as its going to, just move it to the oven to finish it up to temp. I have done this a few times when its gone longer then I thought and my fuel has/is running out.

 

I think the food takes on all the smoke it can in the 1st 30min but don't quote me on that.
I like doing reverse smoke sears with steaks sometimes. (Maybe an hour in the smoker then flash them on a hot grill after.)

 

I got by temp on steaks this way... take them to about 125F the the reverse seared on the grill takes them to 140F then pull it and let it rest give a perfect 145.

 

Like you don't know already I don't mess around hahaha

 

I add a couple diced jalapeño to mine too

 

Most everything I have read indicates proteins will take on smoke up to 3 hours.
smoke reverse sear.

 

Thats a good rule of thumb.

I wrap when the bark I like starts to form and pull when it’s tender (probe goes in like room temperature butter).

 

As long as it is exposed to smoke, meat will continue to take it on.

As an example, you could cook an unwrapped brisket for 12 hours with perfect smoke throughout and absolutely ruin it with dirty smoke in the last 30 minutes.

Science says ‘things’ don’t magically become immune to smoke after a certain time or temperature.

 

Logic, reality, science?? On an Internet board?

GET OUT!!

 

I've modified this recipe several times with additions.. the basics remain the same.

Examples:

Added Crawfish and Andouille Sausage with Cajun Seasonings.


Added shredded rotisserie chicken, Buffalo Sauce and Blue Cheese.

Added corn, Jalapeños, Cilanto, Garlic, Chipotle powder, lime zest and Cotija Cheese (think Elote or Mexican Street Corn)