Advise on what to smoke

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Advise on what to smoke

Posted: 8/31/2010 6:01:03 AM EDT

I'm wanting to break in my new smoker this labor day weekend but don't know what to smoke. I thought about brisket but I don't want to f%@k it up. I thought about chicken breasts but it doesn't sound like it would take long enough. Id like to do a "low and slow" smoke. I've got some hickory wood chunks if that helps and simple recipes are a plus. Thanks!

Posted: 8/31/2010 6:30:00 AM EDT

[#1]

the beauty of smoking is you just about CAN'T screw it up. A Packers cut brisket can be had at wally world for under a couple bucks a pound last I checked and will take 10-14 hours to finish. 225-250 until internal temp is 195.

You can do ribs in 4-5 hours.

If whole chickens are cheep ( $.59/lb) I might get 4-5 and smoke them all. Vacuum pack all but one and freeze. You can thaw one in the microwave in about 30 minutes for a GREAT spur of the moment meal. It will really impress drop in guests.

Posted: 8/31/2010 6:46:57 AM EDT

[#2]

Easy one, do a small pork roast.

Pork is a very fatty meat so a lot more forgiving, Its also not as dense as beef so a little faster but allows more of the smoke in.

Tj

Posted: 8/31/2010 6:49:24 AM EDT

[#3]

Ok I see. What would be a good meat to smoke with hickory? I'm also thinkin I may want another wood to keep th hickory from over powering the meats natural flavor.

Posted: 8/31/2010 6:56:17 AM EDT

[#4]

I'd suggest applewood for pork.

Posted: 8/31/2010 7:02:04 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
Ok I see. What would be a good meat to smoke with hickory? I'm also thinkin I may want another wood to keep th hickory from over powering the meats natural flavor.

You don't have to apply smoke the whole time you're cooking......you actually don't want to do that as your food will be too smoky, IMO. I think people tend to apply too much smoke when they're just starting out.

As mentioned above, apple wood is really nice with pork and chicken. You can also smoke predominantly with apple but throw a little hickory on for a nice accent flavor.

Experimentation is called for.......just remember to write down what you do so you can reference it next time.

Posted: 8/31/2010 7:23:21 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Ok I see. What would be a good meat to smoke with hickory? I'm also thinkin I may want another wood to keep th hickory from over powering the meats natural flavor.

Living east and having lived west, its hickory for pork and mesquite for beef. The blander the meat or cheaper the cut, the stronger you want your smoke. In that regard, its not any different than "All ya all sauce" or BBQ sauce.

Good meat you don't smoke but grill it, sear then cook to desired level, so that you preserve the natural taste. That's why cuts like ribeye, T bone, thick cut pork chops, BBQ'd hasn't become like a big hit while brisket and pork ribs have.

Now I'm going simplify this but having lived in both part of the countries and travel them often, I can't wait for western mesquite smoked beef BBQ (TX and OK mainly) and back east here I can't wait for hickory smoked pork BBQ (mostly NC and TN).

Up north especially NYC, they ain't quite figured it out and still boil, bake, then throw some BBQ sauce on. Finding good BBQ up north is like trying to find good pizza down south. It can be done but not on every corner.

Tj

Posted: 8/31/2010 7:31:40 AM EDT

[#7]

I have some charcoal with misquite chips in it. I used this and my hickory wood a few weeks ago on some cubed steak on my grill (felt like smokin but had to improvise with my grill) and apparently my friends and family loved it. Had kind of a.... bacon, maybe cheezy bacon favor? Bottom line is they liked it and it suprised me. So +1 for me there

I'm seeing refferances to ribs. With my charcoal and wood mixture, would pork ribs be ok and how long would I want to smoke them for?

Posted: 8/31/2010 7:34:02 AM EDT

[#8]

Its time and temperature by the lb just like baking.

Tj

Posted: 8/31/2010 3:16:47 PM EDT

[#9]

Salmon, ribs, pork loin, chicken, potatoes, Zucchini, yellow squash, etc

make sure you wrap in aluminum foil so the meat doesn't get to dry and then open it halfway through the smoking

we also use a prob thermometer so we can check on the chicken and loin inside temp. enjoy

Posted: 8/31/2010 5:38:52 PM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:
we also use a prob thermometer so we can check on the chicken and loin inside temp. enjoy

+1 on the probe,

try a piece of beef,

ribeye roast, tenderloin roast, or even a sirlion tip,

all smoke well,
go to 122 for rare, and let sit for 30 minutes or so before slicing,

yum!

Posted: 9/1/2010 6:44:29 AM EDT

[#11]

I am a fan of Lamb that has been smoked, ymmv. Try what sounds good. Duck, Goose, Beef, Chicken, Venison, Pork, Trout, Salmon, etc. Try all the different woods too. Hickory is comon around here in the stores, but try Apple, Alder, Cherry, Pecan, or whatever you can find. Do some google searches for mops, brines and rubs too. Post pics.

Posted: 9/1/2010 7:22:11 AM EDT

[#12]

Pork roast is good to start with. Cheap and is tasty. Might want to try either of these recipes from the Texas BBQ rub newsletter.

Bill's Smoked Meat Loaf

This is not your Moms ordinary Meat Loaf- Cooked in the pit and

just plain delicious (you can also do it in the oven)

I have always wanted to smoke a meat loaf so a few months ago at

a cook-off I decided to do just that. And for all of those that

tasted the meat loaf they just could not believe the flavor they

enjoyed. And it is absolutely wonderful.

What you will need:

3 pounds of your favorite ground beef. (I used beef chuck)

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium bell pepper, minced

1 small jalapeno pepper, minced (optional)

6 eggs

1½ stacks of Ritz crackers

½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese (I used the parmesan and

Romano cheese mixture)

1/3 cup of Texas BBQ Rub

¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce

½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce (I used Texas' Own BBQ

Sauce-Original)

¼ cup of liquid smoke if you are doing this in the oven

1 large foil loaf pan or pan approx 10x5x4

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients. It is best to use your

hands for this, as a spoon just does not work as well. If you are

going to cook this in the oven add the liquid smoke to the

mixture, if you are going to cook on the pit leave out the liquid

smoke. Spread evenly in the foil pan.

Pit cooking - I like to cut about 6 slits in the side of the

aluminum pan before I place the meat loaf on the pit. Cut them

about half way up the sides of the pan. This will allow some

smoke to enter the meat and will also allow for some of the meats

juices to escape so the meat loaf is not as full of grease. Cook

uncovered for about 2 to 2 ½ hours at 225 degrees on the pit.

Remove from the pit and pour the BBQ sauce on top of the meatloaf

and return to the pit for about 30 to 45 more minutes. Cook to an

internal temperature of 175 degrees. The meatloaf should be a bit

firm.

Oven Cooking - Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for about 1 to 1 ½

hours. Remove from oven and spread the BBQ sauce on the top of

the meatloaf and then return to the oven for and additional 15

minutes.

Serve the meatloaf with a big scoop of mashed potatoes. By the

way when you are making the potatoes add about 1 tablespoon of

Texas BBQ Rub to the tators for an additional great taste. And I

also like to add about 2 tablespoons of cream cheese to my tators

for a creamy delight.

I got so many compliments on this dish at the cook-off it was

unbelievable. Give this one a try. The leftovers make great

sandwiches.

Smoked Hamburgers

OK seems every time I mention smoked hamburgers to friends of

mine they just kind of look at me with this "what are you talking

about' expression on their faces. They just say "smoked

hamburgers I never thought of that." And I love them and they are

so wonderful after they have been in the refrigerator and served

the next day. So if you are sitting there and thinking, I never

thought of this, don't feel alone cause seems like not many

people have.

By the way these are just simple burgers and we are going to

cover some stuffed burgers in another newsletter.

What you will need:

One 1/3 pound meat patty for each person you are feeding (about ½

inches thick) I like to

use an 80/20 meat to fat ration patty and I love when it

is Angus beef (and you can

use ground turkey if you want as well)

Enough hamburger buns for the patties

1 stick of butter

¼ cup of Texas BBQ Rub (any of the rubs work great)

¼ cup of Worcestershire sauce

Your favorite cheese if you so desire on the hamburger

Onions, tomatoes, and lettuce if you want these on your burger

OK prepare the patties and try to keep them about ½ inches thick

if you can. Prepare them on wax paper and they will easily come

off once we get to the next step.

TIP: Once you have them prepared then place in the freezer for

about 10 minutes to let them get good and cold almost stiff but

not frozen. This will keep them from falling apart whether you

are grilling or smoking the hamburger patties.

Take the patties out of the freezer and on both sides cover them

with Worcestershire sauce. On one side, the top side for the

smoker, sprinkle on Texas BBQ Rub not to heavy but a nice

sprinkle will do.

Place the patties on the smoker at 225 degrees and cook for about

1 hour. These will be the juiciest hamburgers you ever sank your

teeth into and do not shrink much so get big buns for the

burgers. Add your favorite cheese the last 10 minutes of the

smoking process and you do not have to flip these burgers over.

Just let them smoke and absorb that great smoke and you are going

to love them. You are even going to see a nice smoke ring on the

patty when you bite into it.

For the buns, I love to heat them up on a grill (or a skillet on

the stove is great). Spread them with some butter and grill the

buns.

Place a patty on each bun or eat them separate if you want. These

are just so much better than hamburgers cooked on the grill, at

least in my opinion.

These will make a great item to cook ahead and take to a tail

gate party or over to the friends house for a football party.

They will be talking about your smoked hamburgers well after the

football game is over.

Ribs are easy too, just remember 3-2-1. 3 hours over smoke, wrap in foil for 2 hours then let set 1 hour before cutting.

Posted: 9/1/2010 11:48:56 AM EDT

[#13]

I have decided to try my hand at pork ribs. Anyone have a recipe for a decent rub?

Posted: 9/1/2010 9:36:19 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
I have decided to try my hand at pork ribs. Anyone have a recipe for a decent rub?

Everyone has their own special rub. That's part of the fun of bbq. I spent one summer experimenting with a different rub every weekend. The friends loved me that year.

Here's a basic rub that you can start with:

1 cup brown sugar
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs salt
1 tbs pepper
1 tbs chili powder

Also, here's a helpful site with ideas for rub ingredients: *link*

Posted: 9/9/2010 5:33:25 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I have decided to try my hand at pork ribs. Anyone have a recipe for a decent rub?

Everyone has their own special rub. That's part of the fun of bbq. I spent one summer experimenting with a different rub every weekend. The friends loved me that year.

Here's a basic rub that you can start with:

1 cup brown sugar
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs onion powder
1 tbs paprika
1 tbs salt
1 tbs pepper
1 tbs chili powder

Also, here's a helpful site with ideas for rub ingredients: *link*

Holy crap! This rub was great. Smelled good and was good to taste, I almost ate the rub by itself

Posted: 9/9/2010 6:00:49 AM EDT

[#16]

I am a smoked turkey fan myself

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Advise on what to smoke

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