Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Thanks. I've only started smoking about a year ago. So I have many things to learn. You like you have your stuff down like there's no tomorrow. Have you smoked for a large crowd yet? 50+ people? I've only made one pig for 75, but that was on a Caja China.

And as to what I'm smoking on




#poortexanproblems

 

I have never BBQed for 50 people, except for tri-tips. If your not familiar, that is done on a special "Santa Maria Style" grill. I don't really consider is BBQing due to its relatively fast cook time. But you can fit a lot of Tri Tips on the Grills we would use, they were trailers haha. I was a catering chef prior to the Navy, and we would do 300+ people at a time, and serve up grilled oysters on the half shell as well.(gross) I have been BBQing for about 6 years now. All it takes is is practice, I am by no means a pro. I don't even have a bbq sauce recipe of my own

 

Summer dog days here in MO. Been 90+ with 80%+ humidity for a couple weeks. Give it another month and I'll be back to smoking 2 or 3x per month!

 

It's been triple digits here for the last few weeks and I still smoke. The only thing is that I have been drinking more beer to stay hydrated.

 

I picked mine up for sale for 97¢ /lb

 

What temp did you keep the smoker at for that amount of time? 225?

 

What's a top loin? If that the same as a loin, it's a hot-n-fast cut that is too lean to pull. I'd rub it, smoke it at 275-300 until it's 145 or so. Don't overcook or over smoke it. Will be sliceable & wonderful.

 

Did some googling and I still don't know what a top loin is. I assume it's a loin, which we call backstraps on deer. See above to cook those. A tenderloin is much smaller (about 10" long and 2-3" in diameter on an average pig) and is a much more fragile piece of meat. On deer, I sear the exterior of a tenderloin, slice it and eat it bloody rare. Not great to do that with pork.

 

This, but upper 90s and triple digits here. I always say smoking is a cool weather sport. College football season is right around the corner.

 

Yes you can grill. It can be simple or you can get a little more involved. I have a Char Griller pellet pooper (copy of the Treager) and it grills awesome. The nice thing is they have an electronic temp setting so you can set it and forget it. I grilled the best cheeseburger I've ever had the other night. No lie. And it was from frozen pre-made patties. The best bet is to get some Grill Grates. Put them in when you fire up the grill (using High setting - which gets up to 450f or so in mine) and they will give you nice grill lines and the best, juciest burger you've ever had.

http://www.grillgrate.com

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...rds=Amazen+tube&rh=n:2972638011,k:Amazen+tube

The more involved method- I Pulled a frozen pattie out of the freezer at lunch, put it in a tin pan and splashed on some worchestersire sauce, a small amount of soy sauce and a sprinkling of Chicago Steak seasoning, then popped it in the fridge. By dinner it was partially thawed (which is what I wanted) and I set it in the grill (not turned on). I have a smoke tube, which adds additional smoke by burning pellets in a stainless steel tube, which I had going in there. This sort of cold smokes the burger... Left it in for 20 minutes then put it back in the fridge. Fired up the grill on High setting with Grill Grates in it. Put it on, flip it once, add cheese towards the end and in 10 minutes or so it's done.

The easy, less invloved method - fire up the grill using the High setting, wait 10 minutes or so for it to get to temp and toss your burger on. I would add 2 things to this and make it a semi-less involved method; use the Smoke setting and smoke the burger at at a lower temp for 15 minutes or so before going to high and absolutely get at least 1 Grill Grate. Works magic.

 

I did my first brisket and was dissapointed. It had good flavor from the rub I mixed up and a nice smoke ring but it was dry. I cooked fat cap down, injected with worchestersire and beef broth, mopped it a few times, wrapped it in foil with a little beer when it hit the stall at 160f and pulled it when it hit 195f. Still dry. It may have been too lean or who knows what. What a waste of time and money...

Covered it with rub the night before. This is in the morning just before going in.



Looking good so far...



Beautiful smoke ring but just too dry...

 

Yeah, there's a lot of debate about that. The other view is the fat cap down protects the brisket from the heat coming up from underneath. I've read a lot of guys who win competitions say this so I thought I'd try it. I may go cap up next time and try to get a better brisket - this was a 13 pound packer from Walmart.

 

I always try to cook 9-10 lb briskets. When selecting make sure you check out the "flexibility" ( how easy it folds in half. I try to get the most flexible ones I can find. With my new pit it tends to run a little hotter so I cook them now in 6-7 hours with no wrapping.

 

Just put the pork butt on. Should be done around 830am tomorrow and then ready to rest.

Pulled pork for lunch?

 

Started with a Traeger Junior. Perfect for what your dad is looking for. It's the old "set it and forget it"! Purists always wanna argue that it ain't true BBQ.... I say use what works for you.

I now have a Louisiana Grills pellet grill....I love it! Works great, turns out great BBQ! The only thing I enjoy more about my LG-700 is the temp control. More fine tuned if you will than the Traeger. IMHO.

 

Ok Greeneggs, it's off topic but after looking at it for weeks I have to know - is Canyonero your dog? He appears to be driving your truck into a large crevice!

 

This guy gets it.

Canyonero is something from the Simpsons. And the dog is doge.

Go go google!

 

Good night, sweet prince.



(Smoke temp is off by 15°)

 

Just woke up and checked the temp. 178° food temp with a pit temp of 228°.