Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

@Beef Nachos you're the only one I recall aging beef.. thoughts?

Spoiler: IG

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsYtd0Mvllc/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

I’ve been dry aging beef for a while, but only with Umai Dry bags. I’ve also watched Guga and his experiments…and this one is….interesting. It didn’t really age like you see with dry aging with air. As he said, it preserved and i take that as preserved to its original form. But it is all in the taste I guess!

Thanks for sharing that!

 

I've no experience with any of it so naturally I was curious. Cheese wax is far cheaper than most things I guess!

 

I was going to say the same. It looks preserved as the wax still held all of the moisture (almost like a vacuum seal). All in the name of science!

 

You're gonna need to foil that shoulder when it stalls if you want to have it for dinner Saturday.....

 

Following the Traeger recipe. Foiling after about 4-5 hours with apple juice inside.

 

If you foil it and add liquid, you will not have the often desired bark on the outside.

Obviously everyone has their own way and it's cool to follow a recipe the first time but I'd like to offer you a suggestion for your new adventures.

Get a notebook. Keep track of what you did. Include your prep, your cook and your finished thoughts. Make adjustments for what you did or didn't like.

It doesn't matter if you use a mustard binder or hot sauce or water - those are all personal preferences. It's ok to use commercial rubs or make your own. It's ok to make a Vampire Pork Shoulder.

The only real rules you have to follow are food safety rules. Beyond that, experiment! Have fun! Eat well!

 

Im just using a Traeger pork and poultry rub. I guess the apple juice is supposed to add that particular flavor. Are you saying it’s better to just use rub and then foil dry?

 

Kilo Charlie provides some great advice. I don’t wrap anything I smoke - i let it go because i want the bark to stay set. If you are going to wrap in the future, I’d suggest using butcher paper. It helps keep the bark set compared to foil. But, given it’s your first smoke - just go with what you are doing so it’s not an overwhelming process and you have fun! but keep the notes for the next cook like KC mentions and make adjustments from there. Cookers can play a part in how things turn out, so just follow something that you can adjust on the next go.

For those of you that like to keep notes, there is an app called Paprika 3 that has replaced my notebook. You can download recipes with two clicks of a button, and it rolls into the app seamlessly. It’s such a great app that allows for pantry items, menus, meals, groceries. Then the recipes, where you can categorize by type, or whatever. And, sits in a cloud, so accessible on all of your devices that you may use. I am an apple user, so iPad, iPhone.

 

I foil wrap once I get the bark I like. It generally happens about halfway through the stall. I might ruffle feathers here, but if the bark doesn’t hold once you wrap, it wasn’t actually bark. Bark is the dried pellicle on the surface of the meat, like a layer of “jerky”.

 

I should add that I'm also not a fan of foiling anything I smoke.... only to push through a stall. Which isn't often because I prefer to do overnight cooks on briskets/butts/shoulders. Last cook I had a 8.5lb boston butt on for around 19 hours at 215 degrees, and when I took it off the smoker there was still the slightest hint of resistance when I probed it dead center. Just something to keep in mind when doing big cuts of meat. Weather can play a big part on how a cook goes on a pellet pooper too... Temperature, humidity, wind, etc.

One other thing... do some homework on what a 'flameout' is and how to mitigate the risk.

 

Went ahead and checked this out. If the flame goes dead, I’ll clean it out and restart.

 

No, you can totally add some liquid if you want.

 

Reported!

 

Oh great another 'which oil is best for my truck' thread but the barbecue version.

 

Going to follow the recipe first time around

 

Smoked bone in Pork Chop stuffed with Garlic, Grilled Rosemary and Thyme Fondant Potatoes and Grilled Garlic Thai Chili Green Beans

 

Holy guacamole