Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

One difference, I can imagine, is the kamado (green egg) type cookers have to be closed up fairly tight when trying to maintain a low/long cooking temp. Therefore a lot of steamy moisture stays in there as well. That could affect how the outer "bark" turns out.

 

Well I don't have any pics of it right now but I did a couple of brisket flats for fathers day. I will try to take some pics of the leftovers today when I have lunch. First real smoking attempt on the Traeger. Came out great everyone loved it, nice smoke ring great smoke taste, nice bark and very tender. All in all was a very good first real run on it.

I was up all of Saturday night working (big project for work) so about 5:30 am I went and started up the Traeger, brisket was in the fridge where it had been rubbed with some bone sucking sauce rub and stored in vacuum sealed bags for hours.

Once the Traeger was ready I threw them both on on the smoking setting (was about 6am by this time), right around 12:30-1 they both just passed 160 so I pulled them one at a time, wrapped in heavy foil mopped them with just straight up organic apple juice and got them back on.

About 6am the smaller of the two was about 202 so I pulled it and put it in the cooler larger one took about another 30 or so minutes to get up there. After they had both been in the cooler for an hour or so I pulled them and started carving to serve to the guests. Everyone loved it.

 

That I can see.

 

Coupla' BBR's chillin' with homemade rub while smoker gets up to 225*...

3-2-1 method, with Pecan smoke, and Arizona Ranch sauce......nailed it.

 

4th of July goodness.

 

I picked up a 7lbs pork loin this morning and my only question is. How long do you think to smoke it. Just need to decide when to get up and put it on. Probably do pulled pork out of it

 

About 1 hr per pound...until 190.....dont mess around with pork.

 

Pork loin is very lean and not really suitable for pulling. I smoked an 8 lb today. Removed at 145 that took less than 2 hours. Anything over about 150 will be very dry

http://www.porkbeinspired.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2924.pdf

Also smoked this today

 

Brining drumsticks and thighs tonight (brown sugar and salt) for a few hours. Pics to come tomorrow.

 

This. You won't be able to do pulled pork, but sliced smoked loin is great. Smoke it at 250-275 until you hit 140 internal then let it rest for a while and it'll end up around 150. I wouldn't smoke loin for more than about 4 hours - it's got a pretty delicate flavor. Finish in the oven if needed.

 

Did steaks tonight. Fired up my metal egg smoker and did a cleaning cycle on it. 650 degrees for 15 minutes wiped out a year's worth of grease and grime that an hour of scrubbing wouldn't have cleaned. A quick brushing with a bronze brush and coat of oil on the grates and she's good as new. Think I'll fire it back up to 600 tomorrow for some pizza now that it's clean.

 

Did two pork butts yesterday. Took about 8hrs @ 250. I have tried the 3:2:1 on ribs, but they literally turn to mush. We are doing 2:2:1/2 275:250:300 and getting some killer results. Love to see an ugly drum in action above, that's how it all begins

 

This, pull at 140 internal. 190 as someone suggested and it'll be trash. And as above stated, loin won't make pulled pork, you need a butt/shoulder for that.

 

Ok thanks guys. Just wasn't sure if you low and slowed the loin if it would have worked for pulled pork. I have done shoulders before and they turned out great. I just have never tried a loin this big. I've done tenderloins and they turned out also.

 

When you do the 3,2,1 do you also do those very high temps? You wanna be like 220° for the ribs the whole time. I've never had them turn mushy ever. 》》》》

 

If you are getting mushy ribs, then don't foil them as long or at all. Last time I did ribs I smoked them straight through for about 5 hours at 225 (3 racks) and they turned out great. I'm using an akorn though, so not much air flow to dry out the ribs. You might try tenting the foil in the oven instead of wrapping. Basically you're boiling them to death, which is not good.

 

Never have, but 36 hours should be more than enough 3 or 4 times over considering how thin the meat is. Let us know how they turn out.

 

Good to know! It's awesome that you're trying new techniques. Keep it up.

 

Did some wings and ribs the other day. Some family members don't care for heavy smoke flavor, so I just smoked them with cherry chips for a little while and then finished them off on the grill, indirect heat with a little direct heat to carmelize. No smoke ring to be proud of, but it was really good.
Photos are in the wrong order, LOL.

 

Pork shoulder was 97¢/lb at the store. Looks like I get to smoke this weekend.