Just got my first smoker

[*michaelsean*]

Kroger has ribs on sale today. I now have a total 14 racks. Should probably think about cooking some.

[Sled21]

(10-30-2021, 07:24 PM)bfine32 Wrote: My family is getting together the Saturday after Thanksgiving. They'll be spending Thanksgiving with other sides of the family or some are working.

I want to smoke something that will get the taste of 2 days of turkey and ham out of folks mouths. I'm thinking of trying a brisket, but they're getting kinda pricey and hard to find. Also thinking of smoking a pork butt/shoulder.

For all the experts out there: Is the brisket worth it compared to the pork and what other types of beef cuts can be smoked?

I'd do pork butt if I were you, and get them at Boones. The quality is head and shoulders above what you will get at Kroger's, and it's cheaper. I recently went down there and picked up a 2 pack of butts for about 35 dollars. So much better than the ones I get at the grocery. I love a brisket, and Boones has some great ones, but it's now outrageous. You're looking at 100 dollars or more for a decent sized one. 

[Sled21]

(11-02-2021, 04:11 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I made ribs this weekend and I have one takeaway...

I am anti putting brown sugar in the wrap. The brown sugar gets burnt and turns bitter and into a tar like substance. It's disgusting.

I don't know why so many bbq guys recommended doing this...but I wont do it again.

Sugar burns at around 350 degrees. Does your pit temp spike when you add fuel? I've done it, and I used to do it a lot when I was competing (only because the judges expected everything to taste like Johnny Trigg ribs..... I really hate that Pitmasters show) I don't do it when I cook them at home because I do not like candied ribs. When I wrap, I use a little butter (Kerrygold, not that Parkay crap) and Tiger Sauce. Then as I am sealing the foil, I put some apple juice in the pouch. Then when they are almost done I unwrap and sauce, then put them back in to set the sauce.

[BmorePat87]

it's turkey smoking season!!

my favorite recipe:

Brine overnight in 3 gallons of water with 3 spoons of garlic, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 or Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup of sweet and smokey rub (I like McCormicks, which is salt, sugar, brown sugar, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder )

Rub it with some of the rub before too.

For a 15lb bird, smoke for two hours at 180, bump it to 220 for an hour, and then go to 350 for 2 hours. .

[Benton]

(11-02-2021, 04:11 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I made ribs this weekend and I have one takeaway...

I am anti putting brown sugar in the wrap. The brown sugar gets burnt and turns bitter and into a tar like substance. It's disgusting.

I don't know why so many bbq guys recommended doing this...but I wont do it again.

Hmm.

By wrap, are you talking about foil?

I make ribs every couple of weeks. Rub and brown sugar, no foil, couple hours at 225, then broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes depending on thickness of the slab. No burnt, no sticky, just beautiful ribs. All I do is mop them halfway through and again before they go into the broil.

[Benton]

(11-05-2021, 09:05 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: it's turkey smoking season!!

my favorite recipe:

Brine overnight in 3 gallons of water with 3 spoons of garlic, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 or Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup of sweet and smokey rub (I like McCormicks, which is salt, sugar, brown sugar, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder )

Rub it with some of the rub before too.

For a 15lb bird, smoke for two hours at 180, bump it to 220 for an hour, and then go to 350 for 2 hours. .

One of the best smoked turkeys I did was also the ugliest. No brine, just a mix of cream of chicken and melted butter, garlic, salt and pepper. Worked it up under the turkey skin and smoked it at 220 for about three hours, then pushed it up to 350ish for  1-2 hours until the internal temp got up. The skin was kind of grey and rubbery, but dang the turkey underneath was amazing.

I've thought about trying it again and broiling it for a bit to see if I can get the skin to brown.

[jfkbengals]

(11-05-2021, 04:03 PM)michaelsean Wrote: Kroger has ribs on sale today. I now have a total 14 racks. Should probably think about cooking some.

If I didn't already have 5 racks in the freezer waiting to be smoked, I would probably jump on that...

(11-05-2021, 09:05 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: it's turkey smoking season!!

my favorite recipe:

Brine overnight in 3 gallons of water with 3 spoons of garlic, 1 cup of sugar, 1/2 or Worcestershire sauce, 1 cup of sweet and smokey rub (I like McCormicks, which is salt, sugar, brown sugar, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder )

Rub it with some of the rub before too.

For a 15lb bird, smoke for two hours at 180, bump it to 220 for an hour, and then go to 350 for 2 hours. .

Those boots are made for walkin', and those birds are made for fryin'!

[BmorePat87]

(11-06-2021, 11:05 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: If I didn't already have 5 racks in the freezer waiting to be smoked, I would probably jump on that...




Those boots are made for walkin', and those birds are made for fryin'!

Smoked turkeys are delicious and don't cause the local fire department to come out 

[MileHighGrowler]

(11-05-2021, 02:42 PM)WeezyBengal Wrote: I was rolling at 225. 

That's really odd.  If that temp was consistent, I'm not sure how it would have happened.  Like Sled, when I do occasionally add brown sugar, I'm putting in some butter and a little apple juice as well.  But more often than not, I actually use a combo of pickle juice and apple cider vinegar/water (same I use to spray when I'm smoking bigger cuts of meat) when I wrap in foil.  When I take it out of the foil, I usually put a think coat of bbq sauce on them and let that caramelize over the last hour on the smoker and they're just the way I like them. 

[*bfine32*]

(11-06-2021, 11:05 PM)jfkbengals Wrote: Those boots are made for walkin', and those birds are made for fryin'!

I got one word for you: spatchcock

Do that, smoke it, and get back to me..

[MileHighGrowler]

(11-09-2021, 11:04 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I got one word for you: spatchcock

Do that, smoke it, and get back to me..

I LOVE fried turkey.  But I started smoking them a few years ago and my eyes were opened.  I don't spatchock myself, but I can't even get leftovers of my smoked turkey each year because it's so popular.  

I'm happy to eat someone else's fried turkey (so I don't burn down my house in the process) but I'm a smoked guy all the way.  

I've probably said it before in this thread, but I don't wet brine it, either (I used to, though).  Instead, I dry-brine it, rinse it before smoking, then give it a fairly simple dry rub (SPG, basically).  Put it on the smoker at 225* (oak and a little pecan), smoke for ~4hrs (I put a pan underneath to catch the drippings), then put it in the pan with the drippings collected, about a box of butter in little chunks all over and wrap in foil for another ~3 hours (till the breast hits 165*), let it rest an hour and that's it.  I've had a moist bird, good skin and flavor for days.  I'll do a smaller turkey this way (compared to what I'd do in the oven), usually around 12 pounds, and this is probably where spatchcocking the bird would give me more flexibility on size.  But damn, a cold turkey sandwich (with scraps for me) from a smoked bird?  You can't beat that. 

[*michaelsean*]

(11-09-2021, 11:04 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I got one word for you: spatchcock

Do that, smoke it, and get back to me..

They make it look so easy in videos, but I know I would butcher it, and not in a good way.

[Tiger Teeth]

Whoops. I'm in the wrong thread. I read the title, and was expecting something a little different.

[MileHighGrowler]

Last fall I got a half a steer. Grass fed, corn finished. Some really great meat from a local Colorado rancher. I'd asked for the whole brisket, but they only gave me the flat. So I put it in the freezer and finally pulled it out to smoke this weekend. It was about 9 pounds trimmed. I knew it would smoke faster than a packer, but I've never smoked just a flat before. I was shocked that it only took 6 hours. Used my usual combo of oak and cherry. I took about 2/3 of the meat and made a huge pot of chili yesterday, and will be using the rest for enchiladas. Usually when I do a full packer, I'll slice the point for eating straight and use the flat for recipes. I just don't think the flat is ever as good without the additional fat. This was a good brisket, and it was nice to smoke a brisket in 12 less hours than it normally takes me, but if I get another side of beef in the future, I'm going to be very clear that I want the FULL brisket but I just enjoy that so much more.

[*michaelsean*]

(11-15-2021, 07:51 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: Last fall I got a half a steer. Grass fed, corn finished. Some really great meat from a local Colorado rancher. I'd asked for the whole brisket, but they only gave me the flat. So I put it in the freezer and finally pulled it out to smoke this weekend. It was about 9 pounds trimmed. I knew it would smoke faster than a packer, but I've never smoked just a flat before. I was shocked that it only took 6 hours. Used my usual combo of oak and cherry. I took about 2/3 of the meat and made a huge pot of chili yesterday, and will be using the rest for enchiladas. Usually when I do a full packer, I'll slice the point for eating straight and use the flat for recipes. I just don't think the flat is ever as good without the additional fat. This was a good brisket, and it was nice to smoke a brisket in 12 less hours than it normally takes me, but if I get another side of beef in the future, I'm going to be very clear that I want the FULL brisket but I just enjoy that so much more.

I have no idea about buying half a steer, but how does half a steer not come with a full brisket? What did he do with the point? Was it part or f another cut?

The best flat I’ve made so far is when I overcooked the point. The two were ten degrees apart. I had the point at 205 and the flat was only 195. I ran the flat to 202 and was scared to check the point. The point just fell into pieces but it tasted good. The flat was as moist and tender as I’ve made in my short time.

[MileHighGrowler]

(11-15-2021, 10:52 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I have no idea about buying half a steer, but how does half a steer not come with a full brisket?  What did he do with the point?  Was it part or f another cut?

The best flat I’ve made so far is when I overcooked the point. The two were ten degrees apart.  I had the point at 205 and the flat was only 195. I ran the flat to 202 and was scared to check the point. The point just fell into pieces but it tasted good. The flat was as moist and tender as I’ve made in my short time.

I'm not entirely sure what happened to the point.  It could have ended up in a roast of some kind, or ground down into burger meat.  My side was 377lbs hanging weight so there were a lot of cuts and roasts I'd never even heard of before (like a Pikes Peak roast?).  The few other people I know who got their sides from the same rancher and processer ended up with the same brisket situation as me.  I also know people who got sides in 2 other states around the same time, and their briskets were also done that way.  So there appears to be some odd standard.  Either that or the processers just steal everyone's points 

[*michaelsean*]

(11-16-2021, 12:29 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I'm not entirely sure what happened to the point.  It could have ended up in a roast of some kind, or ground down into burger meat.  My side was 377lbs hanging weight so there were a lot of cuts and roasts I'd never even heard of before (like a Pikes Peak roast?).  The few other people I know who got their sides from the same rancher and processer ended up with the same brisket situation as me.  I also know people who got sides in 2 other states around the same time, and their briskets were also done that way.  So there appears to be some odd standard.  Either that or the processers just steal everyone's points 

I believe only steer in Colorado have a Pike’s Peak roast.

[fredtoast]

(11-15-2021, 07:51 PM)MileHighGrowler Wrote: I was shocked that it only took 6 hours.  

I don't know a lot about smoking but I know there is a big difference between cooking fresh meat and meat that has been frozen. My parents raised cattle for years. I like having free beef but the freezing breaks down the cells and releases most of the moisture. It just is not as good as fresh.

[MileHighGrowler]

(11-17-2021, 12:28 PM)fredtoast Wrote: I don't know a lot about smoking but I know there is a big difference between cooking fresh meat and meat that has been frozen. My parents raised cattle for years. I like having free beef but the freezing breaks down the cells and releases most of the moisture. It just is not as good as fresh.

I always prefer fresh, but I've frozen ribs, roasts, briskets, pork butts, turkeys, chickens, tri-tip, etc. and as long as it's vacuum sealed and not in the freezer too long, I've never had an issue with the taste or texture.  Especially when smoking, there's usually some element of fat being added (butter, tallow) and moisture doesn't seem to be much of a problem.  But yes, if I could pick every time between fresh and frozen, I'd go fresh.  

[jfkbengals]

(11-09-2021, 11:04 PM)bfine32 Wrote: I got one word for you: spatchcock

Do that, smoke it, and get back to me..

Don't get me wrong, I've had smoked turkey and it is superior to roasted turkey if it is done properly.  But smoked turkey is still inferior to deep fried turkey, especially cajun style.