Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Not so chilly today…but still did smoked brisket chili since fall temps seem to be arriving.

 

Well dang, I ordered the Flagship today lol. I started thinking about the 2500 and for the price difference I was like well if I need the space I can just about buy another Flagship and then I have even MORE room.

 

What area you in, I lived in Alpharetta for a few years, several years back.

 

We moved to the Acworth area.

 

I think you made the right choice. I didn’t need that big of a model so when they released the updated 590 deck boss last year I finally bit the bullet. After several years of all of my friends raving about them lol. I was also stubborn wanting to smoke meat on my kettle the “real” way

edit: I also was only willing to look at rectec because they are local and their customer service is amazing (especially for locals who can just stop by).

 

People get so mixed up when it comes to corned beef/pastrami and what is/isn't because it's smoked or not or "Oh my god you did THAT wrong" blah blah blah.

It looks good. It tastes good (I assume). People get way too caught up in semantics. And they aren't even French!

Grats, welcome to the warmth! I am jealous.

This week is sunny and 75 so it's been stellar, but I know what's around the corner (especially next weekend with DST shafting us to a 4:45 sundown).

Oh, I got a tabletop on sale at the end of season last year and I regret nothing. A pork but juuuuuuuuust fits on height, I can fit sausages around it though. A brisket would probably fit, but I don't do them much. I do sausages, chicken, the whole bit, all the time. It's so easy to set and forget.

It's nice to stick burn time to time, but the efficiency and being, maybe, 90% of the quality is worth the trade off for me!





Went camping in PA a couple weeks ago, one of the guys brought a pig and a trailer smoker.
This was left over, after feeding about 40 people.... I ended up with a bag coming home with me, lovely leftovers. Vac sealed when I got home.

 

Mind sharing that Nacho recipe? Look stellar!

 

How much power do those little tabletop units consume? I've been thinking about snagging one when they go on sale (Maybe Black Friday), but I want to make sure I'd be able to sufficiently power it with my 1000W Jackery with enough juice to power other things. I think the biggest chunk of meat I'd put on it is a 3 or so pound tri-tip that wouldn't take any more than an hour.

 

This is the one I got

https://pitboss-grills.com/grills/wood-pellet/pit-boss-pp150ppg-portable-tabletop-pellet-grill

Got it on clearance for I think 150 last year at the end of the year at walmart.

Here's the user manual:

https://dansons-users-manuals.s3.us... 110V/10724_PB150PPG_manual_110V_EN_FR_ES.pdf







Could have sworn there was a power draw rating in the user manual, but there isn't. Once it's going, the electrical draw is just monitoring temps, and turning the auger. All the heat is coming from dropping more pellets in. Once you start it and get it running, it's a pretty low draw use. I'd have confidence you'd be able to go for an hour, easy.

 

I used to do it the real way then I went to my first Traeger and never looked back. When we moved back to FL for a year I sold it to my in-laws when we moved back to MI. There I got a just for now Cuisinart, this time I was like I want something higher end with a good reputation. I looked at Yoder and the like but the money is beyond what I want to spend. Got an email the other day that it's been processed to a shipper. So hoping I get it either this weekend or early next week. Then I need to figure out how to get it together since it's just me and the wife and from what I see this thing ain't light lol.

Hoping to do at least a butt soon to give it a try out. Wife wants to have some of her work friends over so she had told me you need to hurry up and get your new smoker ordered. Well I couldn't argue with that.

Ya the weather here has been pretty nice so far even in the hot months of July and August. So I can't complain. It's also a lot closer for us to get to our cabin in NC so that's a bonus.

I love leftover BBQ, we usually freeze some of it and then reuse it for like BBQ Baked Potatoes or BBQ Nachos and stuff like that.

 

Thanks! This is exactly what I needed.

Is it any good for grilling/searing?

 

I haven't a clue. I only ever used it for smoking. But my friend has a big version that is, so i can imagine it does well for a couple burgers or bacon wrapped cheese stuffed jalapenos.

 

Give it a try. Sometimes you can get a crispy outside. Some people like that.

You can sear smoked meat if the smoker goes up to about 400F. Basically, preheat to 400+, then throw the meat on, then bring the temp to smoking temp.

Or you can reverse sear. Cook to whatever internal temp you want, or a little less, take out the meat, turn it up to 400+. When it’s ready( throw the meat back on and sear it on the grate.

 

Smoker is supposed to be delivered tomorrow morning/afternoon. Now I have to figure out how to get it into the garage and then get it assembled. The frieght statement they send says it's 350lbs lol

 

Big ole recteq box arrived a couple hours ago. Now i just have to figure out how to assemble it by myself and need to find somewhere around here I can get my pellets that aren't a ripoff.

 

I've had good luck with Pit Boss Competition Blend at Walmart.. $15 for 40 pounds.

Buy a 27 gallon tote for like $10 and that will hold (3) 40 pound bags and keep then dry

 

You know I’m a Lumberjack Pellets guy lol. I was getting the competition blend for like $9 a bag in MI. Academy Sports wants $19 for the same bag.

The beast in my garage.

 

The start of 750 mini meatballs. 10 lbs. of ground pork belly. I’ll mix with ~12 lbs. of ground beef and all the fixings tomorrow.

 

I want to see what 22lbs of 750 meatballs looks like. I made a small batch the other night. I get about 40-50 out of 2 lbs of my pork/beef mix with 1.5-2oz balls.