Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

6 hours and counting on the 9 lb shoulder from today. I would normally bring it in at this point since the temp fell to around 200, and finish it in the oven. This time, I restoked the fire with more charcoal and hickory. I'd like to get another 3 or 4 hours on the smoker and try to get the bark formed really well. I also refilled the water pan, so hopefully I don't dry out $18 worth of pork shoulder in the name of smoker science.

 

I'd love to get into cold smoking. I might look into something like BamaToy posted fr a cold smoking setup. My propane BBQ grill is rusted and beat up, so I might just get rid of it and replace it with something like that.

 

I am going to attempt the alton brown ceramic smoker. I already have the stuff laying around I just need to get off my butt and do it
I had a Luhr Jenson model years ago. Didn't work that well
polymerhead, that looks really good. Do you clean the insides of your keg or is that stuff just allowed to build up?

 

Nah, it just builds up. I should probably clean it though. I do scrape off the thermometer for accurate readings. I cook all my food on oiled tin foil.

 

We use a smokehouse. Probably 10x12. An old steel box my uncle made with a lid on it for the wood. Cut a hickory or some apple. Start the fire with line, throw some oak in and let it burn down a bit then put the hickory in. Throw the lid on and drag it in and shut the door quick. Have to refill the box 2 or 3 times.

I'd like to talk to some of the old boys around here and learn how to brine hams and smoke them. Some fellas around here do Canadian bacons every year and they're incredible

 

Me too, man. 4H is popular around here and all the kids cure hams for the fair. I need to figure that out.

I have a buddy who basically lives off venison and pork he shoots himself. He's made some really great smoked brats and the like out of venison with some bacon added. Yum.

 

My grandfather, uncle, and A few other distant relatives were/are farmers. It's a dying art. More people need to learn how to do it and carry on the tradition. I've been told by my mom and my aunts that pap would brine hams for 5 to 7 days before he smoked them.

 

I'm all about smoking and BBQ i smoke a few chickens a months I really want to tackle cold smoking a Salmon so good
speaking of smokers keep your eyes pealed over the next few months there will be a B.A.M.F smoker on the market soon

 

I only smoke cheese when it's 20* or below. I don't like risking hundreds of dollars being melted through the racks.

 

I like that brine I just use the stock from the last bird I smoked I'm going to try that apple juice brine hell my water bath is apple juice so why not

 

That's great.

 

Whoa. If you need a beta tester, let me know. I can also write some wicked copy...

 

noted

 

Nice smoke ring, yyyuuuummmm

 

8.5 hours now, and surprisingly it's still in its "stall" stage. Probably because my smoker was right on 225 this time, and usually I stoke it a little more to 250-275 for the first few hours. Not concerned though - the bark looks awesome and I know it'll eventually come out of its stall and rise quickly. Guess I'll check it again after True Blood.

 

10 hours and the shallow portion was registering 195. Took it out, and it's resting on the counter.


Excited about the bark!

 

Dang, I'm coming over. I will bring beer and buns. PM your address.

 

Lol, I'll stop by. A good college buddy lives in Ballwin (had to google Wildwood).

 

Looking good Polyhead. I take I knife and make deep crisscross cuts so I can have even more surface area/bark. Cooks a little faster as well. If y'all guys want to get into cold smoking, look up A-Maz-n Smoke Generator. It's the tits. You could smoke cheese in a cardboard box if you've so desired. I use it in an electric smoker.