Noobie Smoker - Page 1

General » Cooking

Posted: 9/6/2017 9:00:04 AM EDT

Can anyone recommend me a a good recipe for a noobie. I will be doing my first smoke on Sunday, was thinking of just doing chicken wings. Is there something easier?

Thanks

Posted: 9/6/2017 9:10:36 AM EDT

[#1]

https://www.amazon.com/Old-World-KC-Butt-Spice/dp/B00488VMH0

Do a whole chicken, they are really easy.

Set up a water pan, use the above spice, and do a simple brine of Water, Brown Sugar, and salt. Do the Brine for 24 hours before cooking. If you got some left over spices you want to toss in the brine to get rid of them it ain't gonna hurt. My last brine was a simple brine as mentioned but I also tossed in this older bottle of onion, soy, Worcestershire, and garlic sauce thing someone gave me as a gift. I used apple chunks because thats what i had on hand and 3 hours later I had a delicious meal. Chicken is the easiest to work with especially if you brine it, it's hard to dry out.

I'll add i'm no expert and still haven't gotten ribs to be legit, flavor is there but my last batch was tough.

Posted: 9/6/2017 3:33:46 PM EDT

[#2]

I find that pork loin is also pretty easy. As mentioned, chicken is easy too. Neither takes too long. The most important thing is to use a meat thermometer to get the internal temperature right. For lean pork, pull it off when it hits 140 F.

Fruitwood is good for pork, chicken works with almost every kind of wood.

Good luck and happy smoking.

Posted: 9/6/2017 10:22:52 PM EDT

[#3]

Chuck a few loops of keilbasa in there too.

Posted: 9/7/2017 12:25:16 AM EDT

[#4]

Whole chicken if your wanting to do a short 3-4 HR cool. Pork But if your wanting to do a 12 HR cook.

Whole chicken rub the skin with butter then season with onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, black pepper, and a little salt.

Posted: 9/7/2017 9:53:29 AM EDT

[#5]

thanks guys, I'll update this with how it turns out. Smoker is coming today, depending how much room I have it will be a whole chicken and some wings. A kielbasa or 2 would be awesome if I can squeeze it in also

Posted: 9/9/2017 8:41:17 PM EDT

[#6]

Cripes. But a pork shoulder for 1.19/lbs at Publix

Cut the skin off and leave the fat

Rub it with spices and leave it in the fridge over night

Put on smoker at 250-275 until the internal temperature hits 160.
This will get you a nice bark.

Wrap in foil and continue on smoker at 275 until internal temperature hits 200-205

Pull and put in a cooler for a couple hours.

Shred with fingers or forks.

Posted: 9/10/2017 9:02:24 PM EDT

[#7]

Tried a pork shoulder as I read it is more forgiving. No matter how much charcoal I added I could not get my temps up past 230. I'm assuming it has to do with my cheap smoker, but the thing took nearly 14 hours to get the internal temp up to 160. Last 2 hours I fired up the weber and wrapped it in foil and stuck it on there to get it cooked.

Any ideas to boost the temps?

Posted: 9/10/2017 9:13:01 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
Tried a pork shoulder as I read it is more forgiving. No matter how much charcoal I added I could not get my temps up past 230. I'm assuming it has to do with my cheap smoker, but the thing took nearly 14 hours to get the internal temp up to 160. Last 2 hours I fired up the weber and wrapped it in foil and stuck it on there to get it cooked.

Any ideas to boost the temps?

View Quote

ETA : what kind of smoker?

Something is choking your fire.

Use larger lump charcoal, small pieces layer and smother. There should be a clear run from the draft to vent.

Posted: 9/11/2017 8:12:38 AM EDT

[#9]

A little off-set smoker. I'll try the larger coal, I think you're right that the smaller stuff kind of suffocated itself

Edit:

Posted: 9/11/2017 8:24:50 AM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
Tried a pork shoulder as I read it is more forgiving. No matter how much charcoal I added I could not get my temps up past 230. I'm assuming it has to do with my cheap smoker, but the thing took nearly 14 hours to get the internal temp up to 160. Last 2 hours I fired up the weber and wrapped it in foil and stuck it on there to get it cooked.

Any ideas to boost the temps?

View Quote

Meat only takes smoke up until about 140-145 degrees. I cook pork butts all the time, it's my favorite cut to smoke. If you pull it off at 145 and wrap in foil, and finish in your oven, the bark won't be as nice but it will taste fantastic anyway. It will take you far less time to do, too. I prefer mine at 210 internal before pulling, but if you pull it at 205 and put it in a towel/cooler it will pull very easily as well.

Posted: 9/18/2017 4:33:09 PM EDT

[#11]

You probably have leaks too which might be the blame for heat loss. Seal it up everywhere you can. How big was the butt you did?

Posted: 9/19/2017 10:28:47 AM EDT

[#12]

You need not only charcoal but also wood in an offset smoker.

You can buy chunks at walmart or even split logs.

You will have to cut the wood to length in order to make it fit in the smaller box.

Get a chimney starter and always add coal and wood to the box that has already been lit.

The initial smoke that comes off wood and charcoal can taste bitter.

Posted: 9/19/2017 3:55:42 PM EDT

[#13]

Quote History

Quoted:
You probably have leaks too which might be the blame for heat loss. Seal it up everywhere you can. How big was the butt you did?

View Quote

It was 7.5 lbs. Going to try again this Sunday if weather holds out

Posted: 9/19/2017 4:00:02 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
You need not only charcoal but also wood in an offset smoker.

You can buy chunks at walmart or even split logs.

You will have to cut the wood to length in order to make it fit in the smaller box.

Get a chimney starter and always add coal and wood to the box that has already been lit.

The initial smoke that comes off wood and charcoal can taste bitter.

View Quote

I started the coals in a chimney, just tossed split logs/ chunks in.

Posted: 9/27/2017 8:44:45 AM EDT

[#15]

I did 2 chicken smokes this past weekend.

Wings with hickory.

Thighs with apple.

I found the wings to be a super smokey flavor, almost too much. Is that just hickory wood and chicken? Or did I screw that up. The thighs turned out beautifully, shredded for pulled chicken.

Both were smoked at 230* for 2.5-3 hours and finished on the grill.

Posted: 10/1/2017 10:32:38 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
I did 2 chicken smokes this past weekend.

Wings with hickory.

Thighs with apple.

I found the wings to be a super smokey flavor, almost too much. Is that just hickory wood and chicken? Or did I screw that up. The thighs turned out beautifully, shredded for pulled chicken.

Both were smoked at 230* for 2.5-3 hours and finished on the grill.

View Quote

It depends on hickory. It can be overpowering if you use a lot and those wings don't think much smoke is needed to get a good flavor.

I'd smoke them with as much apple as you used on the thighs and just a small chunk of hickory.

Posted: 10/4/2017 11:32:40 AM EDT

[#17]

I'll have to give that a try. Thanks

Posted: 10/4/2017 11:39:05 AM EDT

[#18]

If you are going to do a whole chicken, spatchcock it.

Posted: 10/4/2017 11:51:47 AM EDT

[#19]

Pork Shoulder/Butt. Easy Peasy and cheap.

Posted: 10/11/2017 9:03:33 AM EDT

[#20]

Quote History

Quoted:
https://www.amazon.com/Old-World-KC-Butt-Spice/dp/B00488VMH0

Do a whole chicken, they are really easy.

Set up a water pan, use the above spice, and do a simple brine of Water, Brown Sugar, and salt. Do the Brine for 24 hours before cooking. If you got some left over spices you want to toss in the brine to get rid of them it ain't gonna hurt. My last brine was a simple brine as mentioned but I also tossed in this older bottle of onion, soy, Worcestershire, and garlic sauce thing someone gave me as a gift. I used apple chunks because thats what i had on hand and 3 hours later I had a delicious meal. Chicken is the easiest to work with especially if you brine it, it's hard to dry out.

I'll add i'm no expert and still haven't gotten ribs to be legit, flavor is there but my last batch was tough.

View Quote

@MPDC6DVICE

Used this stuff on a pork shoulder this weekend. Absolutely delicious

Posted: 10/11/2017 10:03:18 AM EDT

[#21]

Awesome bro glad you liked it! Did you hit the pork with mustard too and shred it?

Posted: 10/11/2017 1:54:22 PM EDT

[#22]

Quote History

Quoted:
Awesome bro glad you liked it! Did you hit the pork with mustard too and shred it?

View Quote

No mustard, shredded it with 2 forks. It just fell apart. This whole smoking meat thing is addicting, and the byproduct makes this a hobby my SO can agree with financially

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