Who's smoking meat this weekend?

Williams 728
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Fairly new to the smoking amd home brew community. Doing both only since May. But figured I'd share my weekend last week.

I don't have a picture. But last weekend I spent brewing a weisenbier while smoking some italian sausage. I'm excited to try the beer, but I still got time to wait while it carbonates. Anyway.

My favorite part of a vertical smoker is playing with flavors. Sausage turned out to be a generally easy smoke. Only took 3 hours to smoke 5lbs. In addition to my mesquite wood in the coals, in my water pan I blended 1 cup single barrel bourbon, 2 to 3 tbsp maple syrup , and 4 cups water. Easily the best smoke I've made.

Before that it was some pork chops that turn out pretty good and a pork shoulder that I didn't smoke long enough. Live and learn, I guess.
 
Smoked a 6# brisket yesterday. FIL dropped off his old vertical smoker on Saturday while I was brewing a pumpkin ale and a strawberry/rhubarb ale.

Brisket turned out ok but this was the first time using this smoker. The coals sit in a pan at the bottom and end up smothering themselves with the ash. This made it hard to keep the temp correct. Brisket had to be on for 9 hours. Any way to keep the temp steadier?
 
This was a 12lbs Brisket, 2 slabs of ribs, and a yard bird. The bird was brined for 24hrs. Also did a 5lbs Pork butt that was brined for 24hrs. Used unused brine to make the sauce for pulled pork samiches.

bbq.jpg


bbq2.jpg
 
passedpawn said:
Timing depends on the size of the flat, so going by temps, I let the brisket get to 175, then wrap in foil, then leave in till 190 - 200. I foiled after about 3 hours, and I'll take it off after 3 more. Something like that. I'll post pics of mine when it's done. The flat I have is under 2#. Wrap the foil so it collects juices, then pour those juices over the meat after slicing.

I just pulled the ribs off, lathered in KC Masterpiece, and foiled and resting. I'm leaving the flat in there for a while longer. I haven't even stuck a probe in the pork yet.
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I did just this on Saturday. I had a 6.5# flat under 2 9# pork buts. Pulled the flat at around 170 ish and foiled with some beef broth until it hit 200. I am close to what I want out of a brisket. I wanted more smoke flavor. The lacking in smoke flavor I assume is because I used apple wood only, next time I will throw on a hunk or two of hickory. Next time I will take pictures.
 
I also did a pork butt this weekend, but I didn't have the energy to pull it when it came off at midnight Friday. So, I wrapped in foil and put in fridge, then Sunday heated in oven to 200 and it fell right apart. Then mixed in a bit of sauce, parceled out into foodsaver vacuum bags and back into the freezer.
 
Marmike600 said:
Do you guys put the wood directly on the coals or do you do the tinfoil pouch?
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Depends on what I am cooking. If I'm doing any kind of poultry, 2-3 fist-size chunks of fruit wood (cherry, apple) or maple. Same with pork (ribs, tenderloins).

Beef can handle more smoke so I usually go with oak, hickory and a chunk or two or fruit wood. The total is here 5-6 fist-size chunks.

I mix with lump (Royal Oak) or Kingsford (blue).

I have a WSM, by the way.
 
Let me add...I always, always pre-heat the wood I use for smoking on my WSM. I don't like that smoldering, ugly, thick, white smoke. I like my smokes to have thin, blue smoke coming out of the top vents. That's why when I heat my charcoal in the charcoal chimney (before adding to the smoker), I throw as many pieces of wood in there as possible so I get a cleaner burn once I add it to the smoker.

Hope that helps. Cheers, fellas.
 
Remmy said:
Let me add...I always, always pre-heat the wood I use for smoking on my WSM. I don't like that smoldering, ugly, thick, white smoke. I like my smokes to have thin, blue smoke coming out of the top vents. That's why when I heat my charcoal in the charcoal chimney (before adding to the smoker), I throw as many pieces of wood in there as possible so I get a cleaner burn once I add it to the smoker.

Hope that helps. Cheers, fellas.
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Good advice bro.
 
JokerOnJack said:
Fairly new to the smoking amd home brew community.....
in my water pan I blended 1 cup single barrel bourbon, 2 to 3 tbsp maple syrup , and 4 cups water. Easily the best smoke I've made.
Live and learn, I guess.
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No no no. You DRINK the bourbon!
Seriously, I don't think such volatile aromatics add much. The big difference the water pan makes is moisture in your pork and a gentler cooking process from the steam.
 
passedpawn said:
I also did a pork butt this weekend, but I didn't have the energy to pull it when it came off at midnight Friday. So, I wrapped in foil and put in fridge, then Sunday heated in oven to 200 and it fell right apart. Then mixed in a bit of sauce, parceled out into foodsaver vacuum bags and back into the freezer.
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God, in a commercial setting the health dept would be up yer a** for doing that. But I do such at home all the time.
 
passedpawn said:
I also did a pork butt this weekend, but I didn't have the energy to pull it when it came off at midnight Friday. So, I wrapped in foil and put in fridge, then Sunday heated in oven to 200 and it fell right apart. Then mixed in a bit of sauce, parceled out into foodsaver vacuum bags and back into the freezer.
Click to expand...

I do this on a regular basis. Smoke to 195-200. Then to the fridge without pulling. The quick cooling locks the dissolved juice in place.

I pull it when still cool then warm to serving temp while releases all the juices at once.
 
I always start with logs of the wood I will use in the burn box. Let it build up a good fire and preheat the smoking chamber. Once the logs have started to breakdown and become coal, I will damper down and start adding smaller logs and chunks of wood. These sit right on top of my coals and will smolder but will replenish my coal. All this sits on a grate so to allow ash to drop away. Adjust dampers to maintain heat and never ever go above 300. Even 275 makes me cringe. I hold temp between 225-250. Once the meat starts to give off renderings I will allow it to smoke for an hour then wrap in foil. This traps the juice in the pouch and will help retain moisture. When all is done I let it rest wrapped in the pouch so that the meat will suck up the runoffs.
 
No control, i run a string of briquets 2 wide,one on top around the outside of my Weber kettle, wood chunks on top.
Light one end, adjust the vents to burn around 225f and forget it. works great. It's been burning for 13 hours and winding down.
 
smakudwn said:
What are you all paying for you brisket and pork butt?
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Brisket $2.59/lb. (purchased in New Haven, CT). My local supermarket has brisket for $4.99/lb...ridiculous.

Pork butt used to be $.99/lb. about three years ago. It's been in the $1.59-1.69/lb. range ever since.
 
I went to a new butcher and paid 4.50 for the brisket and about 2.50 for the butt. I don't think I will be going back there again.
 
finsfan said:
any chance you have a picture of how you do this? sounds interesting but im a little confused on these strings
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I put 2 briquets side by side around the perimeter of the kettle then one on top making a pyramid, light one end and it will slowly follow the pile around.
 
This sounds kinda like the "Minion Method". My only problem with it is using unlit briquettes. I don't like the chemically smoke flavor that it imparts on the meat, but I suppose that would apply to other methods as well. This same technique can be used with lump but its a bit trickier. I guess I just like lump better, to each his own.
 
pickles said:
This sounds kinda like the "Minion Method". My only problem with it is using unlit briquettes. I don't like the chemically smoke flavor that it imparts on the meat, but I suppose that would apply to other methods as well. This same technique can be used with lump but its a bit trickier. I guess I just like lump better, to each his own.
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To give credit where it is due, i believe this is where i got the idea.
As much as i like using lump it's expensive, iv'e never noticed a chemical flavor, i use no fluid and i know iv'e done worse thing to myself though the years:rockin:
 

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