Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

A char has to build up on the inside to make it not as reflective, but I'm not convinced that cooking tons of fatty food really helps much. I mean, it's a baked on finish. It's not absorbing the fat like a cast iron skillet. On mine, I did a dry run to bake the insides and get used to the temp control, but then I ate the food the next time I cooked in it.

Pro tip... Competition BBQ is not good eats. Every competition BBQer swears they have THE secret to good BBQ, but really they are using every hack they can to trick the judges. I've heard more than one say that the BBQ the cook at the competitions is way different and not as good as what they cook in their own back yards. So take their advice with a grain of salt. It's good info to have, but these guys are just average Joes that rely on anecdotal evidence, pretty much like the rest of us home BBQers.

 

Yeah. I think I'll play it safe. Put the brisket in the freezer for next weekend. Picked up a pork butt and ribs for this Friday. Still good prices on booty, just wished they were as cheap at sweet potatoes right now.

 

18lbs is about the max you want. Ive learned not to pack the basket to tight. You will fight air flow through the basket and get temp drops/spikes. I fill it to the ring and just dump a 3/4 basket on top. Depending on the weather that should get you 10-12 hrs at 225-250.

 

Can't agree more! Did many of comps and the food is gross. So much MSG,meat glue and crazy brine solutions.

 

I think the best tip for smoking food is just enjoy it and experiment. Every smoker will run differently doesn't matter if you're running hardwood, coal or a pellet pooper. Best thing that will come out of that smoker is the next thing you make and then the next and so on and so on. It's like anything in life you get your own rhythm to doing it, we all have varying tastes and I can tell even the stuff that has come out of our smoker that wasn't that great was still edible and was a learning lesson for me.

Don't be afraid to try new things. I mean seriously we are all insane anyway. What non insane person gets up in the middle of the night to check on their food cooking outside rain/snow/freezing cold. Got to get up at 3AM to get that hunk of meat on the smoker? NO PROBLEM. Nothing like a good Sunday with some beer, some football and some awesome smoked meat.

 

One good tip for the wsm 22" is to buy an extra charcoal grid at Lowe's or hd. Put it 90 degrees to the one already in there. This will help prevent little pieces of lit charcoal from falling through. The one I got fits perfectly inside the ring so if I lift the ring it stays attached inside it.

 

Except the football part.

 

As long as the smoked meats are there the other things are optional lol. Though it does go good with a nice beer.

 

It'll go great with my homebrew.

 

I'm not a football fanatic but I do support my home team through the thin and the thin (yes I know it's think and thin but I'm a Lions fan there is no thick).

 

I mock my local teams, all except for the soccer team (Dynamo). If I go back to the game, I'm just buying tailgating passes. The stadium is a block away from the parking lot. And it's an open air stadium.

 

Or think. Nobody is judging

 

Thinking is hard. Smoking is easy.

 

lol I should probably try some proofreading

 

Sounds like the motto of a stoner

 

Turkey is in the fridge chillin and this evening I'm going to mix up some butter with some of my rub to put under the skin. Then tomorrow on the smoker till done. Hopefully it comes out good.

 

Smoker gets here on Friday. Looks like I'll have to wait for the weekend to take it on a test drive.

 

Giggity

 

Make sure you put some handles on it. This will save you alot of headaches and charcoal