Who's smoking meat this weekend?

^damn - that looks like perfection!

how did you cook it?

jammin said:

^damn - that looks like perfection!

how did you cook it?

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Thanks!

In my UDS. Virgin smoke with it. I used applewood. Forgot thats all I had on hand. Smoked it at 220-250 (still dialing in controlling the temp) for 10 hours. Ive never had a brisket done that fast. Normally they take me 18-20. This one was at 204* in the flat, so I pulled it, wrapped it, and went back to bed (4am)

Nice brisket cook.


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calebstringer said:

Texas Style USDA Prime Brisket

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Beautiful... Nothing in this world tastes better than the bark from a well smoked brisket

Gentlemen, I need some advice on preparing a belly for bacon. I ordered a pork belly from our local butcher and according to him I Should have it next week. Not looking for anything too fancy. Never done it so I'm looking for advice and recipes.

oooh...I'm interested in this as well. I've never done a belly. I do have a theory related to bacon. You can almost never have too much pepper.

HoppyDaze said:

oooh...I'm interested in this as well. I've never done a belly. I do have a theory related to bacon. You can almost never have too much pepper.

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Love some pepper bacon. It sounds like I am going to end up with a belly of 10 to 13 lbs so I am going to have plenty to experiment with. I've never cured a meat before so this will be fun, and after all, it is bacon.

Cheers to that!

I've been wanting to do this and have been doing a ton of reading. The best place I've found is, ironically a brewer!

http://chopandbrew.com/2013/03/01/chop-brew-episode-02-makin-bacon/

There are some links on Chip's page to recipes too, but the video will do most of the magic. Warning! You will want to run out and order at least two more bellies.

TrainSafe said:

I've been wanting to do this and have been doing a ton of reading. The best place I've found is, ironically a brewer!

http://chopandbrew.com/2013/03/01/chop-brew-episode-02-makin-bacon/

There are some links on Chip's page to recipes too, but the video will do most of the magic. Warning! You will want to run out and order at least two more bellies.

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Excellent! Thanks

I picked up the book "Chartruterie" or however you spell it. So far have only made the basic curing rub, but mixed one pork belly with a crapload of pepper and the curing rub. The other got a bottle of maple syrup that was aged in a rye whiskey barrel and the curing rub. Both sat in the fridge, being flipped every day, for 10 days. Then smoked with applewood till it his 160 degrees. Cooled down, then sliced up. It was awesome.

These have all been rubbed down and re vacuum sealed (36 racks of baby backs). Going in the smoker tomorrow for our Caveman BBQ. Will try to remember pics from before/after tomorrow, no promises. Also have 48 ear of corn to shuk, and 5 bags of salt potatoes to go with it. Repurpose the HLT! All with 60 gal of homebrew on tap. Hoping that lasts till 8pm or so (better part of 3 hockey teams, 2 soccer teams, and one homebrew club coming over).

Meat, yeast and a beer.. there is one problem. You only have one beer that will not be enough to smoke all those ribs lol

DisturbdChemist said:

Meat, yeast and a beer.. there is one problem. You only have one beer that will not be enough to smoke all those ribs lol

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haha, nope. Under the ribs are two crisper drawers full of labatt blue (did I mention the hockey teams??). The top shelf and the door have some high end stuff, stone vertical epics, hopslam, etc. The chest freezer next to this fridge has 7 kegs carbing, to go with the 3 already on tap in the house...

gotta try this!

HoppyDaze said:

gotta try this!

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Haha now that is awesome :rockin:

Smoking a brisket tomorrow. My first try at one!

Smoking 80 chicken thighs tomorrow for a wedding on sunday. The wife has them in her secret brine that she won't tell me. I won't tell her my rub so I guess were even. Sauce them and throw them under the broiler to heat and crisp the skin just before service and they should be awesome.

EHV said:

Gentlemen, I need some advice on preparing a belly for bacon. I ordered a pork belly from our local butcher and according to him I Should have it next week. Not looking for anything too fancy. Never done it so I'm looking for advice and recipes.

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Super easy to do. Base brine of 1 gallon water, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 TBS of sodium nitrite (cure #1), 1 cup of salt.

Mix as much of that solution as you need to submerge the belly. Cure for three weeks in the fridge. When its done, pull it out, dry it off, and place flat in the fridge for it to dry (form a pelicle. Don't worry, its a good kind) Then into the smoker to cold smoke for 12-24 hours with the wood of your choice.

Ive done 200-300 pounds like this. And feel free to experiment with the brine. Add whatever you want for flavor profile.

Is charcoal considered smoking? Doing up some ribs tomorrow, but don't have my wood chips yet. Gonna use propane, but just curious if any of you consider charcoal addition as a sub for some smoke. Recipe calls for smoke.

grathan said:

Is charcoal considered smoking? Doing up some ribs tomorrow, but don't have my wood chips yet. Gonna use propane, but just curious if any of you consider charcoal addition as a sub for some smoke. Recipe calls for smoke.

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While I do prefer smoked food I would not worry about it and would proceed with the cook on the gas grill, I'm sure they will still be good.

EHV said:

Gentlemen, I need some advice on preparing a belly for bacon. I ordered a pork belly from our local butcher and according to him I Should have it next week. Not looking for anything too fancy. Never done it so I'm looking for advice and recipes.

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I got this from Bob on TVWBB. It works like a charm.

I'm not knocking any posts/recipes on bacon making, but if you want to try your hand at curing/smoking bacon, here is an easy way to start.

Buy some Morton's Tender Quick, locally if available, or online.

For slab bacon, buy a pork belly.
For Canadian bacon, buy a pork loin.

Add 1 Tablespoon of TQ for each pound of meat.
Rub it on the meat.
Add brown sugar, and/or spices, if you would like.
Place it in a plastic bag.
Put it in the fridge for 7 days, turning each day.
Day 7, rinse very well in cool water, pat dry, put on a cookie cooling rack, place in the fridge for a day, or at least several hours.
Cool smoke to around 145/F degrees internal.
Slice, fry, and enjoy!

I've made bacon several ways, for many years, and this is still my preferred method.

Edit to add:
After removing from the smoker or grill, bag it air tight and place in ice water to rapidly cool.


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Shrimp ABTs


Brisket




Spares




Smacked.

Remmy raising the stakes. Looks great, in a OMG sorta way.

Editing post. Wrong thread.

Ok guys, silly question.
What temp/technique is considered cool smoking as it pertains to bacon?


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moscoeb said:

Ok guys, silly question.
What temp/technique is considered cool smoking as it pertains to bacon?


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I try to keep it around 160-170*F. Fat renders at 180*F and I don't want that but it has to be high enough to get the bacon to temp in a reasonable timeline.

Cold smoke is 80-90*F for cheese and such. But that's way too low for bacon.


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My first brisket. And it is freaking awesome!

Every time I see this thread pop up, I visualize various alternative meanings....... Is "meat" code like "420"? Or perhaps it represents hot sex... an orgy perhaps "smoking meat" ;-)

Seriously, I enjoy lightly smoked / smoke cooked meats, but currently don't have any set up for it. Years ago, I learned the value of smoke cooking. My girlfriend and I would decide on the spur of the moment to go for a hike somewhere, and we'd hit the grocery store for a couple of Tbones, and raid some bank for free book matches on the way. But we always forgot salt, and neglected to bring a grill or anything. Being young, our minds were on other things!! (perhaps "smoking the meat"). Invariably we would be down along a creek somewhere and "coming up for air" we'd be ravenously hungry. We'd build a small fire and let it burn down to coals as we cut willows and wove a grill..... This became a tradition after the first time. When the fire had burned down to nice coals, we'd toss a bunch of willow or maple leaves (green) on top of the coals, and lay our willow grill and steaks on top allowing the sweet smoke from the leaves to pour up past the steaks until things got out of control and we had leaves blazing dripping grease. We'd lift the "grill" and rake off the charred leaves and put fresh on, and repeat, while returning to our romantic activities until we had to repeat the process. After 3 or 4 repeats, we'd allow the steaks to cool enough to handle and eat them with bare hands like real barbarians. We never missed salt even a bit.

In that same time period, I built a small brick firebox and chimney and used it in the same manner by hanging freshly caught fish by the gills in the short chimney and smoke cooking them just enough to make them edible. Most people over cook fish........and most meats. Doing this method of cooking with trout results in a very mild smokey flavor, and the grease runs out making a fish that is in my opinion a mediocre fish at best (trout) a truly gourmet meal.

I have steak for breakfast nearly every day, and every time I bite into it, I think of those days of steak seasoned with smoke and lust! And I wonder why I don't make a setup to smoke cook my steaks. You can easily overcook steaks, roasts, etc, but its difficult to under cook them. I don't know about other folks, but I want some Moo left in my beef!! I suspect that steak seasoned with smoke alone eaten at home alone would simply not measure up........ that second seasoning is pretty important!!

H.W.

brewbama said:

I try to keep it around 160-170*F. Fat renders at 180*F and I don't want that but it has to be high enough to get the bacon to temp in a reasonable timeline.

Cold smoke is 80-90*F for cheese and such. But that's way too low for bacon.


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Depending on ambient temp, I cold smoke between 40-100 degrees for 12-24 hours. Cut a piece off and pan fry to test if it took the amount of smoke you want

HoppyDaze said:

gotta try this!

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Catching up on missed smoker porn. Is that a... Tur-gator-en?

brewbama said:

I try to keep it around 160-170*F. Fat renders at 180*F and I don't want that but it has to be high enough to get the bacon to temp in a reasonable timeline.

Cold smoke is 80-90*F for cheese and such. But that's way too low for bacon.


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Great, thanks. I had seen about the cold smoke for cheese, but figured it had to be warmer for bacon.

Use small load of charcoal to keep it that low? I have a kamado (vision classic)


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Oops

What's everyone paying for a pork belly these days. I paid 4.79 a pound. IMO that's insane. I can buy bacon cheaper than I can make it.

Wrong thread. Crap.

Remmy said:

Wrong thread. Crap.

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You in the sauce again?

8 pork shoulders, a brisket, and a whole turkey.... pics later

EHV said:

You in the sauce again?

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That is par for the course isn't it?