Who's smoking meat this weekend?

[Pyg]

first try at pork. 4#, cooked at 225 for 4 hours.
Wrapped at 160f.
Pulled off at 190f and let sit.
I was following instruction I found on line.
Came out dry!
Will have to try again

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Whoa, cool. Careful with the sugar at that temperature. Sure you know that but good for all. Blasts right through stall. Hope you update with finished butts. Awesome kamado.

Finished!

 

[JB_Brewing2]

Venison jerky from backstraps smoked yesterday. Marinated overnight in soy, teriyaki, liquid smoke, worcestershire, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, black pepper, sea salt, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Hence, I refer to it as the "kitchen sink" marinade.

Yum!!!

 

[applescrap]

View attachment 639517
Chicken thighs. Trying out 2 new rubs.
Preparing for my first 4# pork shoulder tomorrow. Should be a fun adventure.

Side question- anyone ever throw their beer soaked oak in the smoker?
I had some Hungarian oak that soaked in bourbon then stout. Not sure if this is a good idea?

Sounds like a good idea. Hope you let us know how it turned out. Also hope you update on rub results. Awesome experimenting and I like all the indirect grilling you do. Looks great.

 

[applescrap]

Venison jerky from backstraps smoked yesterday. Marinated overnight in soy, teriyaki, liquid smoke, worcestershire, maple syrup, brown sugar, honey, black pepper, sea salt, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Hence, I refer to it as the "kitchen sink" marinade.

Yum!!!

View attachment 639711

Sounds awseome. How did the smoke go? Any tips on temps or jerky in general? Thanks man, appreciate it.

@bwarbiany man those look good. How did the higher temp go? Was curious about how long they took, couldn't remember if it was 4 or 6 hours at that temp.

 

[JB_Brewing2]

Sounds awseome. How did the smoke go? Any tips on temps or jerky in general? Thanks man, appreciate it.

I have a Masterbuilt 40 electric smoker which I set at 200 degrees for two hours with hickory chips. I use beef flank steak or venison back straps for jerky and follow this marinade recipe with an overnight soak:

5 lbs beef flank steak (or venison back strap, just ensure you trim the fat)

• 2 cups Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1⁄2 cups teriyaki sauce
• 3 teaspoons liquid smoke
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 4 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 tablespoon red pepper flakes (original recipe called for 1 1/4 tablespoon)
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

@bwarbiany man those look good. How did the higher temp go? Was curious about how long they took, couldn't remember if it was 4 or 6 hours at that temp.

I put them on at 7 AM, and pulled them off (if I remember correctly) a little before 2 PM. Temp was probably closer to 300-325 for most of the cook. I didn't wrap/crutch them at any point.

I've done turbo butts before. In general it sometimes leads to the bark having a different texture than doing it truly low and slow, but not in a bad way--just different. The inside turns out just as shreddable and delicious as always.

We had 12 adults and 9 kids, and I fed everyone off just one of the butts. Now I've got about 11-12 packages of pulled pork in the freezer for future meals.

 

[HoppyDaze]

your poor cardiovascular system....

 

[treacheroustexan]

I usually smoke with my electric analog smoke hollow 26" smoker. My co-worker bought a digital masterbuilt 30" a few months ago but his family doesn't care for smoked food (poor guy) so he is selling his to me for $60 since I've always wanted a digital controller and hate the analog. Going to break it in this weekend!

 

[Buck*49]

I usually smoke with my electric analog smoke hollow 26" smoker. My co-worker bought a digital masterbuilt 30" a few months ago but his family doesn't care for smoked food (poor guy) so he is selling his to me for $60 since I've always wanted a digital controller and hate the analog. Going to break it in this weekend!

Sounds like you hit paydirt. Feel sorry for your friend’s family, they don’t what they are missing.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Sounds like you hit paydirt. Feel sorry for your friend’s family, they don’t what they are missing.

No kidding! It's super clean, barely used and he threw in three bags of chips as well. Couldn't pass it up.

 

[Damon Chango]

I'm going to put in two pork butts in my Masterbuilt Smoker tonight for Saturday BBQ, and then tap a Irish Red Ale and Oktoberfest that we brewed a couple weeks ago.

 

[brewbama]

I smoked a rack of Babybacks today. Served alongside Black Eye Peas and Corn Bread.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Costco was out of whole packers yesterday, and only had flats. I offered last week to smoke a brisket for a get-together with my in-laws, so I needed to make do with what I could. Bought one flat, and I had another left over from using the point of a packer for burger grind. Slathered with sriracha to get the rub to adhere, then rubbed with 50/50 dalmation rub with about 2 teaspoons of ancho/chipotle chile powder mixed in.

Waiting for these to hit the stall and the bark to develop nicely, then I'll crutch them. I want them very juicy when I slice.

While I'd rather have had a full packer, at least the benefit of this is that I could start them at 7 AM instead this morning of midnight last night...

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I can't stand when people don't take care of their knives. I took the brisket to my sister in law's house last night. I thought beforehand "I should bring my slicing knife", but thought that might be rude.

When it comes time to slice, she hands me a chef's knife and a honing steel with a "you're gonna need that" look in her eye. No, what I needed was an hour with my whetstones.

The steel did nothing. It was like trying to slice brisket with a butter knife.

C'mon, people, sharpen your damn knives!

 

[benco]

I can't stand when people don't take care of their knives. I took the brisket to my sister in law's house last night. I thought beforehand "I should bring my slicing knife", but thought that might be rude.

When it comes time to slice, she hands me a chef's knife and a honing steel with a "you're gonna need that" look in her eye. No, what I needed was an hour with my whetstones.

The steel did nothing. It was like trying to slice brisket with a butter knife.

C'mon, people, sharpen your damn knives!

I hear you, that’s a terrible thing to do. I guess a lot of people think that is not on the top of the list to take care of. I have decent knives and keep them in shape. My BIL is a chef and it doesn’t bother him to bring his fancy knives over.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I hear you, that’s a terrible thing to do. I guess a lot of people think that is not on the top of the list to take care of. I have decent knives and keep them in shape. My BIL is a chef and it doesn’t bother him to bring his fancy knives over.

I don't even have "great" knives. I've got Victorinox with the Fibrox handles. When I bought them, it was while getting divorced and furnishing a house fresh, so I didn't want to break the bank. But as long as they're maintained, they're sharp af.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I sharpp end a set for SWMBO 5 years ago. Every time the get used by me they go on the steel. Still sharp now so what's the problem with all these people not being able to take of their knives?
As for my newest ones....

These should stay sharp for a while.

 

[Daniele96]

Last Week I smoked this big porchetta for 10 hours and it was fantastic

 

[S-Met]

I thought beforehand "I should bring my slicing knife", but thought that might be rude.

I take my own knives. No shame here. I know I almost always get asked to carve. When I flew a cross the country, I ordered a cheap-ish 1000/6000 whetstone and had it delivered to my Sil's placeand sharpened the knives. Still cheap knives, but they had a good enough edge after I got done. 1st time they saw a tomato get sliced without being smashed.

 

[ericbw]

I don't even have "great" knives. I've got Victorinox with the Fibrox handles. When I bought them, it was while getting divorced and furnishing a house fresh, so I didn't want to break the bank. But as long as they're maintained, they're sharp af.

It is funny the knives that some people have. My peeve is when they only have short paring knives.

 

[HoppyDaze]

Knives! This is a great place to dip your toe in the world if good steel. My next knife:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kobl2nagy24.html

Learn to use a whetstone instead of sharpening steel and you can make anything sharp as hell

 

[NGD]

Knives! This is a great place to dip your toe in the world if good steel. My next knife:

https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kobl2nagy24.html

Learn to use a whetstone instead of sharpening steel and you can make anything sharp as hell

Please don’t post links like that again, I only have so much money and very little self control. [emoji106]

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I take my own knives. No shame here. I know I almost always get asked to carve. When I flew a cross the country, I ordered a cheap-ish 1000/6000 whetstone and had it delivered to my Sil's placeand sharpened the knives. Still cheap knives, but they had a good enough edge after I got done. 1st time they saw a tomato get sliced without being smashed.

I've just recently been teaching my eldest (he just turned 12) some knife skills. Even with a freshly-sharpened knife, he was still trying to press through tomatoes rather than slice through--he wasn't mastering the rocking motion. When I showed him how you can slice right through a tomato with basically ZERO pressure with the right motion, he was floored.

BTW I've been teaching him knife skills by making him make salsa. It gets him dicing tomato and onion, mincing garlic, and fine-dicing jalapeno. All the important skills, and at the end of it we get salsa. Everyone loves salsa!

It is funny the knives that some people have. My peeve is when they only have short paring knives.

The knife that I'm surprised isn't more popular is what I refer to as a "utility knife", although I don't know there's a consistent convention on what to call it. Essentially it'll be a 5-6" blade between the 8" chef's knife and the 3 1/2" paring knife. Useful for so many quick jobs.

The one I lost in the knife set that the ex took was this: https://www.amazon.com/Wusthof-Classic-6-Inch-Utility-Knife/dp/B00005MEGT/
I replaced it with this: https://www.amazon.com/Victorinox-Inch-Fibrox-Chefs-Knife/dp/B0000CFDD5/

An intermediate knife in this range just seems so incredibly useful, but it seems to be a forgotten form factor...

Learn to use a whetstone instead of sharpening steel and you can make anything sharp as hell

Agreed. When I first had to get the new house furnished and before I had gotten decent knives, I picked up an utterly crap $25 Chicago Cutlery three-knife set including a chef's, serrated, and paring knife from Target. I knew I just needed something to get through a week or two.

Those knives are barely worth their price point lol. But with a whetstone, they'll take an edge with no problem, and you can get them sharp. The won't keep their edge long, but they'll take one.

 

[S-Met]

It is funny the knives that some people have. My peeve is when they only have short paring knives.

My peeve are sh!tty knive sets. 14 in a block and all are essential useless other than as paper weights.

Buy what you need. A good all-purpose like a chef or santoku and a Pairing. Then maybe whatever other knive you frequently use. I've got my daily drivers then added based on needs.

 

[bleme]

We got a block knife set for our wedding that get's used every day for something but when I'm fixing dinner I usually use a vintage carbon steel Henckel that I grabbed at a yard sale for $5. I'd intended to resell it on eBay but it is just too useful to give up! It's ugly, but it holds an edge better than any of my stainless knives.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

My peeve are sh!tty knive sets. 14 in a block and all are essential useless other than as paper weights.

Buy what you need. A good all-purpose like a chef or santoku and a Pairing. Then maybe whatever other knive you frequently use. I've got my daily drivers then added based on needs.

I agree with you, that too many people buy a knife set based on how many knives it has, not based on the quality or usefulness of those knives. "Oooh, it has a tomato knife!" Yeah, I've got a tomato knife too. It's my 10" chef's knife. But even a sh!tty knife set can be useful if the knives are kept sharp. Most people who buy those sets don't know what a sharp knife even feels like though.

But yeah, most people would be better off evaluating up front which knives they need, and buying fewer knives but of better quality. But like @bleme above, a lot of people get their first "real" knives in a block they register for when they get married. And then they keep those knives for a very long period of time--which is fine if they're maintained, though they rarely are.

However, I will say this. Cutco has a special place reserved in hell.

 

[NGD]

However, I will say this. Cutco has a special place reserved in hell.

Gotta ask, whats your beef with Cutco? BIL has a set and they seem pretty good. Especially since I don’t think he sharpens them but once every few months.

Funny this topic came up. Last week I started browsing whetstones. Apparently for as well as my knives cut, they could cut much better.

 

[Blacksmith1]

What are you people doing to your edges that your blades need to be sharppend that much? Or maybe mine are no longer as sharp as I think, but they seem to cut well on everything I aim them at.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Gotta ask, whats your beef with Cutco? BIL has a set and they seem pretty good. Especially since I don’t think he sharpens them but once every few months.

Well, part of it is based on old data. I hate serrated blades and I think most of their blades, including things like chef's knives, even used to use that serrated edge. Looking at them now, it appears that they've finally started getting to the point where they are actually using some straight edged blades more often.

So I should take that back. A review I looked at suggests that their steel is fairly decent quality too.

However, looking at the knives, it appears they're still quite overpriced. I'm not sure that the prices and the quality match up very well.