Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

And remember you're prolly gonna take that thing to 190 which will kill anything
As mentioned above if it smells bad it's gonna taste bad lol

 

Was a double packer from SAMs. I separated, vaccum packed this one, and smoked the other. It's been in the fridge since the 15th. I going to go open it now and have my wife smell it.

 

It looked and smelled fine. Her nose is more refined then mine.

I unwrapped it and put some rub on it. It'll go on the smoke when I get home. Wanted an hour or two for the rub to do its magic.

 

Looks like I'm late to the party, as you've already decided to cook it. But with it being a packer it was packaged with nitrates, so I'd guess it would still be good in another week.

 

It's on the smoke now. Wasnt the faintest idea of it going bad anywhere.

 

had it on the smoke about three hours. Wrapped and put it in the oven to finish it. Don't like doing that, but the charcoal was starting to lose heat, and I don't feel like tending it another 6-7 hours.

 

Are you saying all packers have nitrates? Thought they didn't unless it specifically said so somewhere on label.

 

I can't say they all do, but most all the ones I see do. Yes, it should be on the packaging, but may just say "brined".

 

Hmmm. The brisket and ribs I buy from Costco and RD say nothing about that. I'll have to keep an eye out for other packers.

 

I have neither of those near me. Does the packaging say anything about a brine solution?

 

Nada. I've seen what you're talking about at regular grocery stores where they say extra tender or some shit.

 

That's all I see here if it's a packer. I try to stay away from them, but those are what you can get for a great price .99lb not uncommon. And they are not bad but I'd much rather have fresh.

 

Piles of meat







Behold, my meat...

 

Dang that all looks good. Ordered a kit now just need to get off my butt and make some sausage.

 

Uhhhhhhhhh.........

 

Awesome...how do you store the end product? Also is that a special rack for smoking or some homemade job?

 

OR were you

 

Vacuum seal and in the deep freeze. It'll hold for 2 years.

That rack is a Weber deal. Fantastically handy. On problem is I have to cut the salamis in half to keep the ends out of the water, do you wind up with two crusty ends.

 

I've been doing this for about 20 years. One thing that I have learned is that Con Yeager is about the most consistent salami/sausage/bologna kits out there. They are not necessarily the best- but they are consistent. You know what you are going to get year in and year out.

Hi-Mountain can be funky- one year their salami kits are fantastic, the next they just don't taste right. This year we used Con Yeager on 40lbs worth and Hi Mountain on 20 lbs worth. This year was a 'good year' for Hi-Mountain. Tasted great. But all in all- Con Yeager is tough to beat.

Some day I'm going to try and 'cure' real salami- but botulism is a bitch and I really need to set everything up right and take it slow. For now- the kits work just fine, lol.

 

I have a Hi-mountain summer sausage kit and it worked great on my last rutty buck! It didnt taste gamey at all...

I'll have to try the con yeager brand