Thanks. I was very happy with how it turned out.
BBQ GAF - Smokin' Your Meat, USA Style
- Thread starter POWERSPHERE
- Start date
Thanks. I was very happy with how it turned out.
shiftplusone
Member
I'm buying a weber smokey mountain this next week
I'm gonna get the big boy (22.5) because my parents want me to be responsible for thanksgiving. gonna need to get some practice smokes in over the next few weeks and months.
It's also my first real smoker, so anything I should look out for? Anything I need to get accessory wise day 1?
Just some charcoal, right? I've got tongs and spatulas and forks and all that shit for my grill.
also, any tips or recommendations for the first smoke? I know I need to season it and burn off all the factory chemicals and stuff, so i'll do that friday night.
We're having a watch party for the season opener on sunday, but that'll just be 4 of us. Was going to start small with a chicken or something.
I'm gonna get the big boy (22.5) because my parents want me to be responsible for thanksgiving. gonna need to get some practice smokes in over the next few weeks and months.
It's also my first real smoker, so anything I should look out for? Anything I need to get accessory wise day 1?
Just some charcoal, right? I've got tongs and spatulas and forks and all that shit for my grill.
also, any tips or recommendations for the first smoke? I know I need to season it and burn off all the factory chemicals and stuff, so i'll do that friday night.
We're having a watch party for the season opener on sunday, but that'll just be 4 of us. Was going to start small with a chicken or something.
You need wood in addition to charcoal for smoking. get chunks not chips as chips burn too fast. Chicken is hard to smoke as it has so little fat. Start with a pork shoulder. Hit up amazingribs.com for tips.
UpDownLeftRight
Banned
These two are super helpful. Thermometer is a must being new since the temperature can vary a lot by distance in the chamber and those chimney's are super helpful. Not necessary perhaps but your other option is to light in the pit which is slower, less likely to light evenly and means you'll have to put whatever you're using to light it in the pit, which personally I'd rather keep stuff like that out of the pit.
I'm very new to using a smoker and seems you're better versed in it that I was starting out. Enjoy testing out your new BBQ! If you enjoy cooking I'd say you're gonna have a lot of fun with it.
My buddies had us over for a pig picking. It was ridiculous delicious. https://www.instagram.com/p/BYojIgUF1T4/
I'll post an actual picture later
I'll post an actual picture later
Here it is
Pulled pork & Mac and cheese sandwich with pickled onions on top.
I would eat the shyittt outta that. Nice work
Slackerish
Member
Pulled pork & Mac and cheese sandwich with pickled onions on top.
Think I may have to try that out next weekend. Been wanting to try the habanero death dust rub on a larger meat. Thanks for the idea!
Save your money, i just use a paper towel twisted and dipped in conola oil lights every time.
My neighbor who also has an egg called me yesterday asking if I had any starter cubes. I told her how I lit my egg and she tried it and loved it.
Empyrean Heaven
Member
Just put a beautiful 8 lbs pork butt (boneless, unfortunately, but I got a great deal) on my smoker. I injected it with italian dressing last night, then rubbed it down and added some yellow mustard and the peppers from the dressing. Will send pics later.
shiftplusone
Member
Yep, got all that stuff. Thanks!
I haven't actually ordered it yet because I keep fighting with myself over getting the 22 inch.
One of the amazon reviews for the 14 inch says
Which if that's true, the 22 inch seems way too much, and the 14 seems like what I should get. 99% of the time when we do a cook out, It's 6-8 people. The one time a year when we entertain more people it's still only about 14 or 15 people, which some of them would not want ribs or pork or anything, which is why i'd also have the grill to do burgers and such.
does anyone have the 14 and can say the above number is accurate at all?
Also it using less charcoal and being easier to control the heat seems like positives to me.
edit: I think i'm just gonna go with the 18. 22 seems like overkill, and 14 doesn't seem quite big enough
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
If you ever want to do brisket the 22" might be the only one that you can fit it on. Comfortably anyways. Ribs would probably have to be cut in half too. I would at least go for the 18.5" ... briskets take up a lot of linear space compared to pork butts.
I agree. Go 18 to save $100 and be more fuel efficient, or go all out and get the 22. A 14 would make a good secondary smoker to bust out when you are doing something small and don't want to use much coal/wood, but if it's your only smoker you'll find yourself constantly frustrated at what you can't do in it.
LocknessMobster
Member
Went through this myself earlier this year,ultimately I went with the 22,if i ever have a super large cook I will be covered no matter what,the extra space if I need it was important to me. Plus Im getting to the point where Im taking orders from people wanting my BBQ so I can knock out more at once. Cant go wrong with either size tho,which ever you choose will be your smoking buddy for a long long time
I have the Gen 1 330 havent assembled it yet but reviews are very positive. Id imagine yours would be the same,webbers are SOLID grills,go ahead and set that sucka up!
the day finally arrived. I did a pastrami start to finish. got a nice brisket flat and got it brining a week ago thursday. took it out wednesday night and let it soak in water for 8 hours and then dry rubbed it thursday morning with coriander, pepper, and a little bit of ground mustard. let it sit rubbed in the fridge until yesterday morning. smoked it at 215 with oak until it got to 170 then I let it rest until it got to room temperature and then fridged it until this morning. then I steamed it until it got to 203. sliced and served on seeded rye with latkes and apple sauce. it was fucking amazing. that first bite was unreal. I didn't think it would turn out bad or anything but I didn't think my socks would have been blown off like they were. legit the best pastrami I've ever eaten. first time I've ever cured something so that was cool.
pics
pics
brining
rubbed
after it rest
done steaming
shiftplusone
Member
I did chicken anyway with the smoker, since I had a little bit of experience with smoking before and decided I wanted to try it
Shit came out wonderful. I unfortunately didn't get any pics yet of the actual smoked inside, but it was some of the best chicken I've ever had
This was the first batch on friday, 2 whole chickens. I ended up having done 6 chickens before the weekend was over
Shit came out wonderful. I unfortunately didn't get any pics yet of the actual smoked inside, but it was some of the best chicken I've ever had
This was the first batch on friday, 2 whole chickens. I ended up having done 6 chickens before the weekend was over
Skel1ingt0n
I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
My gas grill went to shit. It had been on its last leg for a while - the grease catcher was fucked. I go outside one day and my food is on fire, under a - not exaggerating - 10 foot flame. Damn near caught the house on fire. So one - don't be stupid like me and stretch a gas grill past it's prime. Two - time to get a grill I actually want.
Have wanted something like a Weber Smokey Mountain or Big Green Egg for a while. As a decent cook semi-familiar with smoking and who enjoys entertaining over a grill, will I get a benefit in going "balls out" on the Egg? Or should I save my money?
Have wanted something like a Weber Smokey Mountain or Big Green Egg for a while. As a decent cook semi-familiar with smoking and who enjoys entertaining over a grill, will I get a benefit in going "balls out" on the Egg? Or should I save my money?
yes!
holds temp extremely well, when people say its set it and forget it, it really is and no need to add fuel even for a long cook. I've done 18 hours on one cook before.
its also very versatile. Brick oven pizza, smoker, roaster, grill.
everyone i know has one. My brother and I got smokers at the same time, but he got cheap offset stick burner, 3 years later he's asking me about the egg and his two biggest complaints were having to add fuel all the time and not holding temp.
Re: Big Green Egg.
get one or one of the competitor's kamado styles
personally i have a vision grills version and love it- on one batch of coals i have done a 12 hr cook and had about 1/3rd of the charcoal left....
the only thing i don't like smoking with it is if i don't block the outer ~3" of the lower grill to deflect the heat for smoking, anything that overlays the end(like ribs), ends up a bit burnt/extremely well done on that end. if i have something - pork butt, chicken, turkey, etc that stays centered, comes out fine, but a full rack of ribs (or 4) the ends get too well done when i use the C method, next batch i might try centering the wood/charcoal under the heat deflector so that it is all under that..
get one or one of the competitor's kamado styles
personally i have a vision grills version and love it- on one batch of coals i have done a 12 hr cook and had about 1/3rd of the charcoal left....
the only thing i don't like smoking with it is if i don't block the outer ~3" of the lower grill to deflect the heat for smoking, anything that overlays the end(like ribs), ends up a bit burnt/extremely well done on that end. if i have something - pork butt, chicken, turkey, etc that stays centered, comes out fine, but a full rack of ribs (or 4) the ends get too well done when i use the C method, next batch i might try centering the wood/charcoal under the heat deflector so that it is all under that..
for you and anyone else. Dont buy any of the accessories. check out ceramicgrillstore.com they have rack systems for ceramic cookers. For the ribs your talking about i can do 4 or 6 sets of ribs with their rack systems, if i do the 4 the stone is an rectangle with rounded edges so the edges of your meat are protected from the direct heat.
I got a Vision kamado a couple years ago and really like it. I've run plenty of overnight cooks with just a temp alarm to wake me if it flares up, and I've even run out to the store while it's going. It's just that stable. Other benefit beside low coal consumption is less air flow than a stick burner, so you won't need a water pan and can cook a bit higher temp without drying out the meat.
Main downside is that you have to let it slowly come up to temp, so it's worse/ less convenient than a standard charcoal grill if you just want burgers and dogs.
Check out www.kamadoguru.com for lots of recipes, example cooks, and owner reviews for all the different brands. A BGE is nice, but to me will never justify the premium.
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
I followed this recipe
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html
didn't add anything to the brine, just water, kosher salt, and that prague powder #1
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
That's the same one I used lol
nice, yeah I love that website
no you don't?
BGE like Weber offers lifetime warranty. Also never pay full price. Negotiate with the dealer.
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
I think he was comparing it to a stick burner, not sure why though since the post he quoted didn't mention a stick burner.
Stick burners can be fired pretty quickly if you know what you are doing, but they are mainly for BBQ. If you want a dual purpose griller / BBQ machine then there are more practical options.
I have a pit boss Kamado style ceramic grill. That thing is amazing.
I mostly use if for chicken and pork. One of my co-workers uses it for all the meats and swears by it.
Supposedly Big Green does some cookoff comp thing and sells the grills right after for cheap.
Be warn, these things are extremely heavy.
This will give you an idea how much room you have to work with.
LocknessMobster
Member
Spending all day smoking today,did jamaican jerk wings,bbq wings,bbq chicken legs,red hots and featherbones
Stay tuned for after pics
Stay tuned for after pics
LocknessMobster
Member
Finished
Time to eat
Time to eat
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
Damn all of that food looks amazing. It is remarkable how much food will fit in one half of a Weber Kettle for BBQ
Eye for an Eye
Member
I bought a second rack to sit on top as well to expand my cooking surface. I have a rack of ribs, leg of lamb, chicken, steaks, and pork for a bbq tonight. Inviting a bunch of people over for the fight. I hope it turns out good.
H.Cornerstone
Member
Hey Gaf,
I really want to try to make this BBQ sauce, but looks like they guy didn't put measurements with the video:
http://thesouthernweekend.com/making-south-carolina-mustard-based-bbq-sauce/
Any ideas on what portions to use?
Thank you
I really want to try to make this BBQ sauce, but looks like they guy didn't put measurements with the video:
http://thesouthernweekend.com/making-south-carolina-mustard-based-bbq-sauce/
Any ideas on what portions to use?
Thank you
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
Here is one with similar looking ingredients. I wouldn't waste my time trying to eyeball the quantities. Definitely add a little bit of molasses to it though, it will make a difference in the end. And I personally don't ever fuck with dried mustard powder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F__Vvbw5Y4
Edit : I also recommend measuring by weight and not by volume. First thing I do with a new recipe is convert to grams. I hate measuring by volume.
H.Cornerstone
Member
Perfect, thanks. Just add the same amount of Molasses as Worcestershire sauce?
I never measure when I make BBQ sauce. Just keep tasting until it's how you like it. If you want it more acidic add more apple cider vinegar. More sweet go brown sugar, darker molasses, spicier more dry rub or hot sauce, etc. I just keep adding more of whatever I feel it needs until it's where I want it. Only "downside" is you end up with more BBQ sauce.
Mr. Giggles
Member
Guys my girlfriend doesn't like smoked meat... I don't know what do
get a new girlfriend. pretty simple really.
Mr. Giggles
Member
Thinking about it. Just kidding.... but she doesn't like the bark because it's too "burnt looking.
I don't wanna slather the whole thing with BBQ sauce but I was wondering is there any way I can perhaps control the black coloring?
depending on the meat, foil or foil earlier.
If you do like chicken or turkey you can just have her pull the skin off, though i would say if your poultry is black you're doing something terribly wrong. Pork butt and brisket you can give her pieces that dont have bark on them. The only thing you would have a hard time with is ribs just cause theres so much bone and not much meat.
My wife hasn't been that into BBQ this summer. It's definitely a challenge. She'll still eat grilled meat which is something at least.
Mr. Giggles
Member
Hmmmm, I hadn't considered foiling earlier... Ok I'll give it a shot and see what comes about
Same with mine. Grill = good. Smoke = bad.
Applesauce
Boom! Bitch-slapped!
Yeah, you dont need Much
UpDownLeftRight
Banned
Doing a small cook of burgers and dogs again for a couple friends. Wondering if maybe you guys can give me a bit of advice with a problem I've ran into twice. I'm doing small cooks since wood is expensive here and I'm a bit low on cash right now still but often my temps start to plummet hard around the two hour mark where it's almost done.
Would doing another half a chimney about an hour be a good solution? Don't really wanna have to put two more logs on just to hold those temperatures for another 10-15 minutes.
Would doing another half a chimney about an hour be a good solution? Don't really wanna have to put two more logs on just to hold those temperatures for another 10-15 minutes.
H.Cornerstone
Member
When making Brisket, do you guys end up taking a lot of the "Bad fat" off? I am using the rule of pushing on it and removing any firm fat but i feel like I am taking a lot off and may be taking almost too much off.