Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

I think I got the idea from this thread.

Makes a big difference, plus gives a space to make a charcoal “snake” around.

 

I've been using the vortex and snaking around that......but gonna try the bricks.

 

Wow.. mouth got super watery..

 

Yeah but I see green in the picture.. And no white, so jealous! Blizzard warning here for Sunday and 8-12" of snow. With 50+ mph winds on Sunday just shoot me. Oh 1-3" tonight with ice in the morning. And below zero again starting on Monday. Still might have to grill something.

Curt brought up a good point the other day about having too much of a good thing when only cooking for one or two people. I didn't go to Costco today for that very reason. Chicken thighs are my favorite part of the chicken and can't go wrong with a rack of ribs. I normally do 2 or 3 racks and end up freezing most of it, you done good IMO, real good. No I will make that great!

The only problem with "normal" bricks is if you get them too hot. And it is cold which isn't likely a problem where you are. Water can seep into them and when they heat up the frozen water can split them and if it has gone down far enough can even make them explode. Sedimentary rocks will do that to you if making a fire ring and your not careful. My advice is just don't get the fire too hot if not using fire bricks. And of course don't let them freeze below zero. Well scratch the last one for you

Speaking of hot, discovered Hot Wings on YouTube today. During several back to back conference meetings I attended on line

Many of us do wings on the smoker and the sauce is make it or break it. I really like Alton Brown and have learned a lot from him over the years. Don't agree with his statements about Buffalo in this video because wings to me are a "comfort" food and Franks and butter works for me. Hey I put that shit on everything. Too many Franks commercials LOL.

Alton is an intelligent class act and reverses the flow and arranges hot sauce based on taste.



Gordon Ramsey isn't so tough despite his TV tough guy act.



Interesting evaluation of wings and hot sauce. And by the "Experts". Think I will record more Alton Brown after watching these.

 

Watch it there! There was some white frozen stuff on my truck once since we moved down here. Shut the Houston area down!


Speaking of not getting them too hot, guess I won't use the bricks in the wonderful SE Texas summers!

 

Looking for info on trimming pork belly for pbbes. Looks like an awful lot of fat there.

 

Fat is flavor.

 

Thanks for sharing the Alton brown video! Really enjoyed it.

Also we don’t ever see much more then low teens here. So bricks have been ok.

 

Quoted to show my wife I'm not always wrong.

 

She’ll just say you’re wrong in thinking you’re not always wrong.

 

More options so I can say more options LOL. No IMO your right more times than wrong. Even admit when you don't get it right the first time and at your expense. But that is not always the case for many people.

I dump the juices from my pork belly burnt ends and coat them with Sweet Rays. Fuck it works for me. Just saying...



Damn that is Spring Fest when I am sure that Bitch Mother Nature is not going to kick me in the groin any more. Or close to it. Sorry.

Sweet Baby Rays on my finished pork belly brunt ends



You do know if you soften those bitches up and add some Texas toast, lettuce and tomato it will make some of the best BLT you have eaten. At least IMO.



Love me some Sweet Baby Rays.

 

I lived in Dutch Harbor for a year. It forever ruined crab for me, because fresh caught crab is incomparable to anything you get from a processor.

Got some more fresh Alaskan pork waiting in the fridge...

 

Hot Wings is a great show! I've watched the alton and gordon episodes many times. I love their reactions.

That's pretty much what it is

 

Yes but what do people trim? Where does one draw the line?

 

I did not trim any of the fat, I just figured some of it will cook off. I smoked them fat cap down and no one complained about the fat. But I have only done PBBEs once so I am no way an expert.

 

I trim nothing. It'll render down quite a bit and the remaining fat is very flavorful and isn't excessively heavy or rich.

 

One of the hanger steaks last night. $2.80/lb and crazy tender with great flavor. I'm heading back there to buy them out of their hangers.

 

I can't use restaurant supply, No business license

 

I asked a friend to save me a hanger steak next time they butcher a cow. Hope to try one soon.