Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Yeah in 2018 we had a Hawaiian themed Luau for our 10th anniversary. I smoked more food than ever. We also had catered in food. My wife and I were so busy the whole night making sure everything went well neither of us ate a bit. There was so much food but leftover packages were given to everyone that attended. At the end of the night we were both starving but realized just then that there was no food left for us. We kinda just laughed about it since it was otherwise a great success. We had projection screen videos, real hula dancers with singers and drums and much more. People still talk about it.

 

Sounds like you aren’t buying enough meats.

I am like you though. I smoke a lot for myself but that’s all sausages and pork loins etc. when I cook for others I’ll do butts and the like, which are good but a lot more work. For me it’s about being the host and feeding people. Last years Friendsgiving we were looking like having a ton of leftovers. I asked if anyone wanted to bring anything home. Success. Loaded everyone out the door. Nobody leaves my place hungry. Even the vegans.

 

So, did you soak the chips at all or just chuck 'em in dry? I like that.....might try that later this week

 

Got my first chamber vac sealer a week ago, now wish I had done it sooner.



For years had the Weston pro external sealer sitting on the counter top of the island. Takes up a lot of horizontal space however. Recently picked up a counter top ice maker and realized how little counter top I had left after I got it. So put it and the chamber vac on a cart instead, keeping the Weston Pro for longer items that I can custom cut bags for. But don't see myself using it often.

Got the ice maker because freezers are so hard to find now and the son and I are going through so much ice lately. Little chest freezer in the garage wasn't cutting it anymore. And is mainly full of dead birds for training the dogs. Then after getting everything setup found an upright freezer on line at Home Depot supposed to be delivered Friday, will see if they come through. But pleased with the setup I have now.

Only have had the chamber vac for a week but used it every day so far. And find it hard to even think about using the external vac sealer now. Also picked up 1,000 quart sized smooth sided bags as that is the size I use the most with the Weston. A LOT cheaper than the bags for the horizontal sealer.

I make jerky both with and without cure, it depends. In the dehydrator yes, smoker usually not but sometimes do. Ground meat through the jerky shooter always. FDA recommends going to at least 160° to kill bacteria when making jerky. The cure isn't so much to make it last longer but protect the meat from bacteria while smoking\drying it and going over the 4 hour window of the danger zone of meat if the temperature isn't high enough and even throughout the smoker or dehydrator.

I will make my own rubs and brines for jerky but also buy commercial which always has cure #1 in it. LEM backwoods jerky mix goes on sale at Fleet Farm often and I will pick up a few packages there when it does, it is good stuff IMO.

I'm not a social animal so much just my son and me so I don't have that problem if anything the opposite. All my friends seem to be the ones I shoot clays and hunt with and they all smoke too. When we have a multiple day shoot we all show up with food, lots of food. I have come home with more food than I took more than once LOL.

I do on occasion smoke meat for neighbors and people at work but I always make sure I have some for me too. Besides, have to make sure it is good before delivering it

 

I did the same thing. I got the heavier 5mil 8"x10" bags and use them almost exclusively. They were a little more expensive (about $0.12 each), but I never have to worry about pinholes.

 

Did some ribs and queso last night.

 

Ha I went with the 5 mil too. In the reviews for the 3 mil bags some people complained that a chamber vac gives such a high vacuum that even jerky sometimes would pierce the bags.

First time I ran it to calibrate the machine I watched the vacuum gauge and didn't have my reading glasses on. But watched the vacuum gauge on main condensers of ship engines for many years. Figured the large slash second to the end was 25" of mercury. Put on the glasses and it was. She got down to 28.5" which is outstanding IMO but don't know how accurate the gauge is or will remain without calibration. We always considered 29.9" of Hg a perfect vacuum. And only seen that when in cold water inside the Arctic Circle and with clean tubes.

 

His book is great as well.

 

I tend to make my jerky pretty dry, and depending on the recipe I get some pokey-bits too. Even with the 5 mil I occasionally get a puncture still. I have settled on just using a lower vacuum and throwing in an oxygen absorbing packet.

 

Dry .. just folded up a piece of foil to make a pouch and poked some holes in it to let the smoke escape. Old school method long before tubes and boxes etc.. Works best over direct fire and can be tossed /replaced with ease. Works well in gas grills to add flavor and in the case of pork and cherry.. that great red color!

Didn't know he had a book but I will look into it. maybe Amazon or something has it cheap.

Where are you all getting your bags? And do you have a link to the chamber sealer?

 

If you were doing an outdoor kitchen-type thing for your smoking and grilling, what would you consider necessary storage? I don't have any room in our kitchen for the utensils, and don't have a garage to store charcoal or wood, or anything really.

I'm going to design something that provides for some rain protection and storage, and I'm trying to figure out what to include. I bought a plastic bin to keep the charcoal in, and that will have a spot. Thinking about something similar for some different wood chunks, plus a spot for my spare gas tank, maybe a cooler, etc.

 

Hmmmmmm. Unfortunately I don't know that I'll have pork for a long time, but I will definitely be trying that the next time I have Pork/Cherry to go with. Heck I might try it tonight with some chicken

 

He has two, actually. One on BBQ, and one on steaks.

$16 Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto [A Cookbook]

https://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Bar...d=1593441074&sprefix=aaron+frn,aps,422&sr=8-3

 

I bought mine from https://vacuumsealersunlimited.com/...eVuiInAIGfKSKy2KSbB7MZiZVYjB_CDcaAg_tEALw_wcB

Good service, reasonable shipping.

 

$498 Avid Armor Ultra Series USV32: Premium Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine High-Performance Vacuum Chamber Sealer for Professional and Home Use, Ideal Commercial Vacuum Sealer Machine for Food Preservation

Avid Armor It has a 1 year warranty but once it arrived said if you post a review they will give you a 2 warranty. I purchased the 4 year extended warranty though Amazon just in case however. Fairly new company but really high reviews so far. Always figured I'd end up with an ARY (VacMaster) but the reviews aren't so great on ARY support. If I went with VacMaster I'd go with vacuum sealers unlimited. But like freezers many models are sold out and shipping dates are out a month or more.

Bags from Walton's. I like them and when I order from them usually purchase a few other things too, usually seasonings. Walton's *Everything but the meat*

 

Maybe consider one of this

$324 Rubbermaid Compact Vertical Resin Storage Shed With Floor (2 x 2.5 Ft), Weather Resistant, Beige/Brown, Organization for Home/Backyard/Garden Tools/Porch/Patio Cushions/Pool Chemicals/Toys

https://www.amazon.com/Rubbermaid-Outdoor-Vertical-Sandstone-FG374901OLVSS/dp/B000L0CPPM

You can use any pellets on anything.. a page or two ago I posted a chart of what pellets work with what.. check that out and save it for reference

AWESOME! Thank you for the link.. I'll check it out !

Thank you for the link sir! I'm going to have to check into that whole site when I get some time!

 

Deets on the queso??

 

I was thinking more along these lines.

 

Thank you!! Best ramen bowl I've ever made... and I'm trying to take different pictures thanks to people like @Misplaced Nebraskan and @medic2230 throwing out tips

haha... looks like I have more research to do... I'd considered buying these for small blocks for smoked cheese
https://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=97937&clickid=related-slider


i know they're only 3 mil but the cost is significantly less. Thoughts on that ?



Also - side note - if anyone can teach me how to past a link under a word like @Cold Iron did with Walton's above.. I'd be happy!