Who's smoking meat this weekend?

[OG-wan Kenobi]

Last bird before the Traeger goes in the garage for the winter, getting possibly over 1.5 ft tomorrow.

Pit Boss sells a blanket for my pellet pooper so I'd bet Traeger makes one for yours. Snow is coming and I am seriously considering grabbing one from Walmart for me its a $100 purchase and probably would pay for itself in fuel consumption savings alone. Unless your not into cooking outside in the snow which I fully understand as well

 

[Dgallo]

Pit Boss sells a blanket for my pellet pooper so I'd bet Traeger makes one for yours. Snow is coming and I am seriously considering grabbing one from Walmart for me its a $100 purchase and probably would pay for itself in fuel consumption savings alone. Unless your not into cooking outside in the snow which I fully understand as well

I do have actually have the weather cover, but it was too expensive to take the risk of there are any issues

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

I do have actually have the weather cover, but it was too expensive to take the risk of there are any issues

I understand, I got my Pit Boss for $175 (Walmart can be awesome) and it has a 5 year warranty so I just dont think much if she breaks I have several other options luckily and can wait for the parts.

How do you like the blanket? Did you notice any differences? Gimmick? Does it get messy?

 

[Beer-lord]

Got a new smoker-Rectec RC-700. Love it. Gonna smoke a huge brisket flat this weekend. Tried my hand at pizza last week and was amazed.
Did 3 whole chickens this past weekend and tried a slightly different pellet in a smoke tube for the first hour. It really added some good smoky flavor. My only minor gripe on this RC-700 is short cooks aren't smoky enough so having this smoke tube fixes it perfectly.
Smoked oysters for New Years Eve!

 

[Dgallo]

I understand, I got my Pit Boss for $175 (Walmart can be awesome) and it has a 5 year warranty so I just dont think much if she breaks I have several other options luckily and can wait for the parts.

How do you like the blanket? Did you notice any differences? Gimmick? Does it get messy?

It seems to work great keeping it dry. I’ve been staying on top of cleaning the grill every time I have to clear out the firebox so it hasn’t gotten messy

 

[ehall]

Staying up way too late tonight drinking homebrew but looking forward to tomorrow. Firing up the Pit Boss bright and early to put on a 4# pork butt for pulled sandwiches and then later in the day closer to dinner time I'm throwing on a few garlic lime marinated chicken breasts for the wife who only eats poultry. Going to smoke with the pit boss pellet blend of cherry, apple and maple wood.

I mixed that blend with pecan pellets. F'n awesome! pecan and maple are a fantastic combo.

 

[treacheroustexan]

I mixed that blend with pecan pellets. F'n awesome! pecan and maple are a fantastic combo.

I just got a bag of pecan so I'll try that. But that fruited blend has been my go to lately!

 

[Shalenkur]

Deer ribs and goose......

 

[Kent88]

I haven't had a chance to smoke venison yet. I'd like to try it someday, as my in-laws hunt and the venison isn't as good roasted in the oven, Crock-Potted, or made into stroganoff as I'd like.

It would make my life easier if I could find a way to enjoy venison.

 

[Dgallo]

I haven't had a chance to smoke venison yet. I'd like to try it someday, as my in-laws hunt and the venison isn't as good roasted in the oven, Crock-Potted, or made into stroganoff as I'd like.

It would make my life easier if I could find a way to enjoy venison.

I love most cuts of venison. Smoked backstrap is absolutely stunning and so is smoking some of the hind quarter and chopping it up and adding it to verde chili with hominy and lime is so amazing. But the ribs for me are the gamiest cut of of venison and I just can’t do it. Even the smell of the meat while cooking just is not for me. It’s especially worse in older deer.

 

[applescrap]

Brisket for Christmas! Haha, I put killer hogs rub on it. I have never used anything on steak other than evoo and oil. Didnt cut it in half, was a weird trimmed brisket they called a flat at Sam's. Seemed like a full packer trimmed up. Needed very little trimming, was a little more iirc, but minus loss of fat and stuff would consider again.

Sry, back to the brisket, I dont have time right now to go further but this was the worst brisket I have ever made by far. Still awesome though . My theory, by cutting the packer in half, I cook each half independently pulling the flat often HOURS before the fatty thick point. That way I cook each side perfectly. In full size this holds even more true. This flat was as thick as point. On the other hand I did take to 200 which is high for brisket for me, iirc. I dont leave a whole lot of fat on them. Look forward to any all discussion.

 

[Buck*49]

Maple Glazed Smoked salmon
Use external smoke chamber with alder for the complete smoke time.
After a couple of hours, build a fire inside smoker to bring finish temp of salmon to 135-140*.
Amazing results.

 

[Dgallo]

Brisket for Christmas! Haha, I put killer hogs rub on it. I have never used anything on steak other than evoo and oil. Didnt cut it in half, was a weird trimmed brisket they called a flat at Sam's. Seemed like a full packer trimmed up. Needed very little trimming, was a little more iirc, but minus loss of fat and stuff would consider again.

Sry, back to the brisket, I dont have time right now to go further but this was the worst brisket I have ever made by far. Still awesome though . My theory, by cutting the packer in half, I cook each half independently pulling the flat often HOURS before the fatty thick point. That way I cook each side perfectly. In full size this holds even more true. This flat was as thick as point. On the other hand I did take to 200 which is high for brisket for me, iirc. I dont leave a whole lot of fat on them. Look forward to any all discussion.View attachment 711001View attachment 711002View attachment 711003View attachment 711004View attachment 711005View attachment 711006

I always bring my brisket to 203*f and after a good rest I can squeeze the juices out as if it were a sponge, so I would say it’s not the internal temp.

What grade was the brisket

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

Sams typically sells those flats as choice grade and you have to be really picky with them, the whole packers they sell are usually prime (by me anyway) so I always grab the packers especially considering they are significantly less money and it's prime it seems crazy to me they even sell those flats. I just grabbed this one yesterday $41 for a 15lb prime packer it's almost like stealing

 

[Dgallo]

Sams typically sells those flats as choice grade and you have to be really picky with them, the whole packers they sell are usually prime (by me anyway) so I always grab the packers especially considering they are significantly less money and it's prime it seems crazy to me they even sell those flats. I just grabbed this one yesterday $41 for a 15lb prime packer it's almost like stealing
View attachment 711148

That’s a great price! Most places by me are 8.99/lb for prime full packer

 

[Rodent]

Don't remember if I posted any of these BGE adventures, but I'd rather post a dupe than to not post it ...

Bacon-wrapped cheese & jalapeno stuffed meatballs

Bacon wrapped meat logs

Meatloaf

Beef ribs

 

[Knightshade]

Youngest son put in a request for ribs when he got his braces off, which was on Wednesday. So this was the end product on Saturday.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Brisket for Christmas! Haha, I put killer hogs rub on it. I have never used anything on steak other than evoo and oil. Didnt cut it in half, was a weird trimmed brisket they called a flat at Sam's. Seemed like a full packer trimmed up. Needed very little trimming, was a little more iirc, but minus loss of fat and stuff would consider again.

Sry, back to the brisket, I dont have time right now to go further but this was the worst brisket I have ever made by far. Still awesome though . My theory, by cutting the packer in half, I cook each half independently pulling the flat often HOURS before the fatty thick point. That way I cook each side perfectly. In full size this holds even more true. This flat was as thick as point. On the other hand I did take to 200 which is high for brisket for me, iirc. I dont leave a whole lot of fat on them. Look forward to any all discussion.

Ok... Lots of questions...

1. When you cut a packer in "half" how do you cut it? Do you carefully remove the point muscle from the flat muscle (they overlap significantly) or do you literally cut the big hunk of beef in half cross-wise?
2. You pull the flat before the point? My experience has been that the point often gets cooked through before the flat--and with all the fat in the point, it's tender and juicy before the flat too.
3. This looks like a flat, but you're saying it seems like a full packer trimmed up? I don't think I have a clue what you're saying.
4. 200 often isn't a very high temp for brisket. Did you probe test it? Was it tender?

I suspect what might have happened is that you undercooked it. Typically undercooked is dry and tough, properly cooked is moist and tender, and overcooked is moist and falling apart.

That said, doing a flat specifically has a little more tendency to dry out than a whole packer--getting the flat of brisket perfect is an art. If you're doing just the flat, sometimes that's a good time to wrap in foil when you reach the stall and it helps to keep it more moist.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Sams typically sells those flats as choice grade and you have to be really picky with them, the whole packers they sell are usually prime (by me anyway) so I always grab the packers especially considering they are significantly less money and it's prime it seems crazy to me they even sell those flats. I just grabbed this one yesterday $41 for a 15lb prime packer it's almost like stealing

I don't trust grading on brisket. Grading of entire cow is based purely on the rib section, so what you actually end up with elsewhere on the animal may not always match. Usually I go by sight and feel.

And likewise I don't buy flats. If I want to make just a flat (for example my wife and I might do our own home-cured corned beef this year for St Patrick's Day), I buy the full packer and either grind the point into a burger mix, or use it to simply smoke some burnt ends, or something... Not going to pay double per pound to let someone else trim for me when I'm certainly going to get every bit I can out of the whole thing for much lower cost.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

I don't trust grading on brisket. Grading of entire cow is based purely on the rib section, so what you actually end up with elsewhere on the animal may not always match. Usually I go by sight and feel.

And likewise I don't buy flats. If I want to make just a flat (for example my wife and I might do our own home-cured corned beef this year for St Patrick's Day), I buy the full packer and either grind the point into a burger mix, or use it to simply smoke some burnt ends, or something... Not going to pay double per pound to let someone else trim for me when I'm certainly going to get every bit I can out of the whole thing for much lower cost.

100% agree, I usually go through every piece/pack of meat before I make my choice my wife is a little embarrassed and usually tells me "I'll be over here go get your meats"

And the point going into the grinder for burgers sounds awesome

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

BTW point by itself would be too fatty for burgers. I usually mix about 50/50 point and chuck by weight. Which is STILL very fatty--but that's how I like my burgers. It allows me to cook them to safe (150-160 degree) temps without giving up any juiciness.

If you don't like your burgers very fatty, you'd want to mix the point with a much leaner cut.

 

[Dgallo]

BTW point by itself would be too fatty for burgers. I usually mix about 50/50 point and chuck by weight. Which is STILL very fatty--but that's how I like my burgers. It allows me to cook them to safe (150-160 degree) temps without giving up any juiciness.

If you don't like your burgers very fatty, you'd want to mix the point with a much leaner cut.

I’ve see Steve Renella use point and venison(I think it was prong horn) in burgers. Can’t remember the ratio though

 

[bleme]

My wife volunteered me to take a smoked turkey to the family Christmas Eve dinner and pulled pork to the Christmas Day dinner. I wish I had known a couple days ago so I could have the turkey thawing!

I'm considering putting the pork on the top rack to make the turkey self-basting. Thoughts???

 

[Ruint]

You have the distance in your smoker @bleme?? I would have to Spatchcock the turkey to be able to do them both at the same time! I think it would definitely be doable!!!! and tasty!!

 

[Brownyard]

Smoked two chuck roasts and kegged an IPA yesterday. It was a good day.

 

[Dgallo]

Smoking a prime rib tonight for dinner!

 

[Dgallo]

Smoking a prime rib tonight for dinner!View attachment 711668View attachment 711669

Finished product. My wife is currently pregnant and doesn’t feel comfortable with me going rarer right now.

 

[deuc224]

Did you cover that stuff in compound butter?!!!!!!!

 

[bleme]

It was a tight fit but it worked. Cut the thickest part of the fat cap off the pork and draped it over the seasoned breast. Turkey was done in 5 hours and I wasn’t going to be home so I wrapped up the pork and put it in a 200F oven for the next 21 hours. Both turned out awesome!

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

Smoked a brisket and a turkey for Christmas dinner