Smoking Meat

Strong Smoky Undesirable Taste

2007-06-09T18:31:00.000-07:00

Q: I bought a smoker this weekend and tried to smoke some ribs. I used dry hickory chunks from the store. The meat had a really strong smoke taste that kinda numbed your tongue. Do you have any tips to avoid this strong undesirable taste?

A: That was the chemical known as creosote which has a somewhat burny taste and numbs the lips and tongue upon contact. This is usually the result of green wood, not enough air flow into and out of the smoker, using only wood in too small of a smoker or a combination of the three.

Unless you have a fairly large smoker then, in spite of what it says on the bag of hickory chunks, it really needs to be used in addition to lump charcoal.

Use lump charcoal to get the fire going and get the smoker to the desired temperature, then add wood chunks on top of the coals for smoke or you can place them in a smoke box for even better results.

I like to use wood chips in smaller smokers wrapped up in a big piece of aluminum foil with some holes poked in the top and laid right on top of the coals. It will start smoking pretty quickly and you can have another one ready to put on when that one stops smoking.

Keep applying smoke until the meat reaches about 140 degrees at which point you just keep applying heat with the lump charcoal until the meat reaches the desired level of doneness.

Free Meat Smoking Log - PDF Format

2007-06-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

I have created a Smoking Meat Log based on the one at the virtual bullet website. That one has its' good points but is designed primarily for the weber smoker.

I designed this one to be more user friendly and to allow some flexibility in using charcoal, electric propane or wood.

This file is in PDF format.. easily downloadable and printable.

smoking-meat-log.pdf

Smoking Beef Ribs

2007-06-06T06:12:00.000-07:00

Q: Jeff, how long would you smoke a rack of beef ribs at a temp of 225 - 250 degrees? Go by looks, or time?
Thanks

A: Beef ribs are not a specialty of mine but I have turned out some good ones in the past.. I like to remove the membrane on these things especially since it is thicker and more rubbery than the ones on pork ribs.

Be sure to season them real good as well with a sticking agent like plain yellow mustard or you can mix together some apple juice + oil (90/10 mix) and use a really flavorful rub.

All beef ribs are different so it can take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours to get them tender at 225 degrees. I have not tried the 3-2-1 method on them but I have a sneaky feeling that it would do wonders for them.

I think the main test for doneness would be to check the tenderness by trying to pull a couple of them apart. When they start tearing easily, they are done.

Like brisket, they have a lot of connective tissues and only low and slow will get them to the point of being tender and tasty.. patience is the key.

New Smoking-Meat dot com Newsletter Archive

2007-06-05T08:26:00.000-07:00

I have completely reworked the existing Smoking Meat Newsletter archive to make it easier for me as well as easier for you.

It is now simply 4 columns representing the last 4 years. Below these 4 columns are the months in chronological order with each one being a link to that month's newsletter.

Feel free to check it out at:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/smoking-meat-newsletter-archive.html

Have a wonderful Day!!

Jeff Phillips
www.smoking-meat.com

How to Smoke Meat - Free eBook

2007-06-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

Here is my newest eBook on the subject of smoking meat. Interestingly enough it is called, "How to Smoke Meat".

Some of the contents include:

Smoking Meat Terminology
How to use a Charcoal Chimney
How to make a Foil Smoking Pouch
How to use a Brinkmann Water Smoker (ECB)
How to use a Vertical Charcoal Vault-type Brinkmann Smoker
How to Smoke Meat on an Electric Smoker
How to use a Horizontal Offset Charcoal/Wood Smoker
and much more..

For now it is free for the taking;-)

Click here to download a copy

Enjoy!!

April 2007 Smoking Meat Newsletter

2007-04-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

FYI

The SM Newsletter for April 2007 has been posted to the website.

If anyone is subscribed to the newsletter but not getting the emails then it may be that your email service is filtering out what it "thinks" is SPAM.I have a great article on how to whitelist the smoking-meat.com domain.

If you are having this problem.. be sure to read over it at your convenience and take the proper steps to make sure that emails from smoking-meat.com always end up in your inbox.

Thanks and everyone have a fantastic day!

Jeff Phillips
Pitmaster/Webmaster

January 2007 Smoking Meat Newsletter

2007-01-28T12:13:00.000-08:00

The January 2007 Edition of the Smoking Meat Newsletter is now ready to be viewed at the following link:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/january-2007-smoking-times-and-temperatures.html

Best Regards,

Jeff Phillips
Webmaster/Pitmaster
Smoking-Meat.com
SmokingMeatForums.com

November 2006 SM Newsletter

2006-11-12T04:17:00.000-08:00

Folks the November 2006 Smoking Meat Newsletter is now available at http://www.smoking-meat.com/november-2006-how-to-smoke-turkey.html and it is a really good one.

I have written a complete how-to guide for smoking turkey complete with some very special tips to help you be successful this holiday season and beyond.

Let me know if you have any questions after reading the newsletter and be sure to support the site with your finances by purchasing products and/or placing a few dollars in the tip jar at the top left of each page at www.smoking-meat.com.

Your word of mouth advertising is also appreciated.. be sure to tell all your friends about the website and be sure to send the link to everyone you know.

T-Day Just Around the Corner

2006-11-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

Folks.. the Thanksgiving holiday is just around the corner and so many of you have emailed with various questions about smoking turkey that it is virtually impossible for me to answer all of them.

I will be covering everything from start to finish about smoking a turkey in the upcoming issue of the smoking meat newsletter and if you have not subscribed then simply go to http://www.smoking-meat.com/subscribe.html and give us your email address so we can send you this hot issue just as soon as it comes out.

For starters, I do not recommend a turkey over 12 pounds for the smoker. If you need more turkey just smoke two turkeys of equal size/weight instead of one.

For best results you will want to purchase turkeys that are "MINIMALLY PROCESSED" and have no sulution added to the meat.

I also recommend that you practice smoke one ahead of time if you are having lots of family and friends come over and you have never smoked one before. While this is more expensive, it could save you an embarrassing situation by helping you work out any problem areas before you smoke the main one.

A 12 pound turkey at 225-240 degrees will require around 6.5 hours to smoke and is done when the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh or breast reads 170 degrees. I like to remove the turkey from the smoker at 167 degrees since I know that it will continue to cook even after it is removed.

Be watching for the newsletter to come out on Sunday and until then please read my article on smoking turkey at the following address:

http://www.wyntk.us/food/smoked-turkey.shtml

How Long to Brine Turkey

2006-11-02T20:06:00.000-08:00

Q: How long do you allow the turkey to soak in the brine?

A: I normally go with a 10-12 pound turkey and let it soak overnight or about 10 hours. I would say that is about the right amount of time unless you are using a really big tom of 16 to 20 pounds and then you may want to soak for 12 hours or so.

Because of the slow cooking that is required with smoking meat I do not recommend a bird larger than 12 pounds. It just tends to stay in the danger zone of 40 to 140 degrees for too long and allows for a greater chance of someone getting sick.

If you have never brined turkey before then you are in for a big treat!

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Brining Turkey

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Smoking Methods

2006-10-29T20:43:00.000-08:00

Q: unbelievable website! I am new to smoking and I was wondering how important it was to constantly monitor foods like turkey, ribs, ham. Thanks!

A: Smoking is one of those hobbies where the fun is in sitting back and watching the smoke with a cold glass of southern ice tea in hand. I understand that some just enjoy the flavor but would rather it be more of an automatic thing while they do other things around the house or even sleep.

To answer you question.. it really depends on what type of smoker you have and what you are cooking. I like to baste every hour or so with apple juice or other liquids and marinades and so this pretty much forces me to monitor the meat that often.

Using a gas or electric smoker you could technically leave turkey, ham, etc. in the smoker unattended for several hours at a time if your chip box/container is large enough to hold a good bit of wood chips or chunks and it would probably be ok. Using charcoal you would be constantly adjusting the vents and adding charcoal as needed to maintain temperatures in the smoking range and you would need to stay pretty close to the action.

Smoking meat is a labor intensive chore but it is fun labor so it cannot be classified as work.

I am not sure if that adequately answers your question.. I think it is very important to stay really close to what you are cooking and to know at all times what is going on in the smoker. This ensures that the end product will be a delightful thing.

I can think back to some of my mistakes and most of the time it was a result of trying to do too many other things while operating the smoker leading to forgetting to baste, add charcoal, wood, etc.

Give the smoker and the meat the attention it deserves and it will pay you back a hundred times over.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Methods

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Brisket Cook Time

2006-10-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

Q: I bought an 18 pound piece of majestic beef. Sheared about four+ pounds of EXCESS fat, leaving a nice collar of trim. Did a delicate dry rub for overnight, and "yes" split the two pieces for thinness/thickness issues. Have seen a varied amount of (cook/smoke) times. I think too much smoking is overkill and still needing proper cooking times for best meat tenderness. Hence my fears, over smoke and under cook ~ what is the in between factor?

A: Proper smoking/cooking times is something to use as a guideline but the real guide is the internal temperature of the meat and this is true for almost anything. These is that perfect temperature when it is at its best and ready to melt in your mouth.

This is why I recommend a instant read probe meat thermometer like the ones that I advertise on the website from amazon.com.. it allows you to constantly monitor the temperature of the meat instead of trying to guess by touch or visually when the meat is done and ready to take out of the smoker.

I have also seen these recently at places like Wal-mart, Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, etc. at very reasonable prices.

I like to cook my briskets until they reach about 185 internally and this is ideal for slicing thick and having that tenderness that is not falling apart but easy to cut and eat. I usually pull the brisket at 180 knowing that it will continue to rise a few more degrees before it levels out and begans to cool down.

If you are using lump charcoal for heat and wood for smoke then you only need to apply smoke until the brisket reaches about 140 degrees. From my experience this will yield the best flavor.

This same theory would apply to smoking with gas as well.

If you are using an all wood smoker then I suggest plenty of airflow to keep the smoke moving into and out of the smoker so as to not oversaturate the meat with smoke. I also recommend a good mild base wood like well seasoned oak with a little cherry, apple, mesquite, or hickory added in for that additional flavor.

You can normally figure on 1.5 hours per pound as a simple guideline but it is just that.. a guideline and like I said, the real test of doneness is in the internal temperature of the meat.

Since you cut the brisket in half then the time per pound will be based on the weight of the individual pieces and not the combined weight.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Brisket Cook Time

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Smoking Meat Loaf

2006-10-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

Q: Okay! I have thought about it and I am willing to try your meat loaf recipe. I have what may be a dumb question. Do you put the meat loaf directly on the rack or do you have a small cookie sheet that you leave it on?

A: Finally getting back with you on this... the meat loaf is wonderful. Just form it into a loaf and place it on a flat cookie sheet. It does not hurt to place it on a cookie sheet that is quite a bit larger than the loaf itself since there will be some juices that collect on the bottom and the larger area will allow it to have a place to go instead of dripping down into your smoker.

Alternatively you could place it it in a flat pan that has holes in the bottom and let the juices fall into a drip pan or the water pan if you like. I like the flat cookie sheet method personally but now you have options.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Meat Loaf

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

How to Pull Brisket

2006-10-25T21:09:00.000-07:00

Q: I need a little help. We are tailgaiting for the UK game this weekend. I am having a bunch of people over and want to have pulled pork which i think i am comfortable doing. I was going to get a pork tenderloin and smoke it then pull it. I also want to do a beef brisket. I am a little nervous.
I just bought a propane cabinet smoker. Pretty nifty little outfit. Long story short how do i do the brisket and then can i pull it and have sandwiches with the pulled pork? How long do i cook it if i am going to shred it? Is basting all night a must? Any help would be appreciated.

A: I have written a brand new tutorial on the complete process of smoking a brisket and don't think I can improve much on that however I will give you a few tips on the pulling/shredding process since I did not cover that in the article.

By the way the article is at http://www.wyntk.us/food/smoking-brisket.shtml

If you want to pull the brisket then you will cook it until it reaches about 195-200 degrees. Allow about 1.5 to 1.75 hours per pound minimum for pulled brisket. An average 10 pounder will require as much as 18 hours to cook to pulling temperatures if you are able to maintain 225 to 240 degrees.

Let it cool down on the cabinet for about 30 minutes then take 2 forks and pull the meat in opposite directions to shred it. If you want to separate the point from the flat first you can do that but it will not be as flavorful. Healthy or not the fat contains the flavor so you want at least some of it mixed in with the brisket. If it is not juicy enough you can always pour beef broth over the pulled brisket to give it some juiciness.

I like to mix in some barbecue sauce before serving for extra flavor but that is just another option for you if you feel the meat is too dry or needs some extra flavor.

You do not have to marinade the brisket all night but it tends to give much better results if you do.. the pulled pork as well as the brisket will make awesome sandwiches and your guests will love it!

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Pulling Brisket

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Common Smoker Modifications

2006-10-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Q: Ooops, I am trying to go this site, as I have a brand new offset horizontal box and your course says that it needs a modification ( which I already suspected as I was putting it together.

http://www.velvitoil.com/Smokermods.html does not work, I am getting an error msg.

So what is the secret mods?

A: Those links work sometimes and sometimes not.. I posted some different links at the blog a while back to other sites that talked about modifications to various types of smokers. I have posted the links and hopefully they are working as well. I need to get some of this information on the smoking-meat.com site so I can verify that they always work.

For the offset smoker you will need a baffle just under the grating to help disperse the heat more evenly.. it is normally a sheet of metal with long narrow holes or notches cut out in it perpendicular to the smoke chamber. The holes should be smaller and spaced further apart close to the firebox end and should get larger and spaced closer together toward the opposite end of the smoker.

This will allow less heat to come up on the hot end toward the firebox and more heat to come up on the cool end away from the firebox thus helping to even out the heat and get rid of some of the characteristic hot spots in the offset horizontal smokers.

You can also place a water pan at the entrance of the firebox into the smoke chamber to act as a barrier to the radiant heat.

http://www.randyq.addr.com/ecb/ecbmods.html
http://bbqinstitute.com/smokermods.htm
http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/7.html#7.2.1

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoker Modifications

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Smoking Ribs on a Gas Grill

2006-10-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

Q: Before I get to my email...You have the BEST BBQ sites!!! Very informative!!!!

I know this is an old email, but I am planning on smokin' some spare ribs on Monday and have a question from this email response you sent me. I don't have a coffee can, but my wife has a bunch of empty cans, about the same size as a Pork and Beans can. Would these work? How many would I need? How full would I fill them with wood chips? Do the chips need to soak prior to adding them to my "smoke cans"?

Also, by using a gas grill, how do I monitor the amount of smoke being applied to the ribs...My grill has two 1" holes on each side, plus in the back it has 6 vents that are about 4 1/2 " wide. Is this enough vent space for smoke to escape or is it too much?

I can't wait for Monday!!! It will be my first attempt with your rub & sauce recipes!!!!!!

A: I think a smaller can would work just fine.. just fill one all the way up with dry chips and place a piece of foil on top of the can with a few holes poked in it to let the smoke escape.

As far as the vents.. that sounds like a lot of vent space for the grill.. I would only allow about 4 square inches of vent and that should be plenty. Besides the lid is probably not airtight and will let the smoke escape as well.

This may mean you will need to plug 2 or 3 of the vents so that you are left with minimal venting.

This is more important in a gas grill simply because there is much less danger of creosote and the smoke will have a lighter impact.

Keep replenishing the cans for about the first 3 or 4 hours of the smoke time.. when the smoke stops, quickly insert another one.

Try to maintain 225 degrees as much as possible and allow at least 7 hours from start to finish.. if they happen to get done sooner then simply wrap in foil and place in a warm oven for up to 2 hours.

You might also look into purposely getting done a few hours early and foiling the ribs and placing them in a warm oven for an hour or two to allow them to tenderize before serving.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Ribs on a Gas Grill

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Various Smoking Questions

2006-10-21T20:09:00.000-07:00

Q: I have a grill with a side fire box (not an upright smoker which you seem to focus on) and 2nd, I like to use wood. I have a friend who is an arborist and I can almost always get apple wood, cherry, etc. Can you translate? Do you use all wood if you smoke with wood or do you use a mix? Do you use a water bowl with a side box? Those are the kind of things I'm not clear on. Another big thing is do you put the meat in right away or wait until you get the heat regulated? And how do you regulate it? With the vents? If you can help, I'd really appreciate it. I'm a pretty good cook and I've kind of taken on smoking as my next project.

A: An entire book could be written on the few simple questions that you have posed.. I will try to give you a few basic answers that should help and as you run into issues you can email me or for an even quicker response, post your question at www.smokingmeatforums.com and see what the folks come up with.

Sounds like you are very lucky to have such a friend.. most of us would be envious of you. Whether you use all wood or a mix is really up to you. The problem with using all wood is that it can overpower the meat unless your smoker is large enough to handle it. At any rate, make sure to allow plenty of airflow into the smoker and out of the smoker and build the fire small enough so that with the intake half open and the vents 3/4 or so open it will not get hotter than 225 degrees or whatever your target temperature is.

You can also mix your various types of woods together to create your own flavor combinations such as apple/cherry or peach/plum, etc.

I think you will find that you will get better results from using lump charcoal for heat and chunks or sticks of wood for the smoke. You can also burn your wood down in a separate container and transfer the coals to your firebox as needed to maintain 225 degrees.

Place your meat in the smoker when the target temperature is reached and you have adequate smoke being created.

The water pan is mainly a barrier to prevent the radiant heat from bruning the meat.. this is something that you will have to deal with most likely. Where the heat enters the smoke chamber it will be hotter than at the far end. Meat right next to that entrance will overcook while the meat at the far end may not even get done properly.

There are modifications you can do to make your horizontal smoker/grill heat more evenly and is basically a piece of metal called a baffle that is placed below the grate with small notches at the firebox end and larger notches as you get toward the opposite end. This allows more heat into the cooler area and less heat into the hotter area and thus evens the temperature and serves as a barrier from the radiant heat.

A water pan can also be placed in the area where the heat enters the smoke chamber to serve as a barrier for the radiant heat and this may be the best option until you can modify the smoker with the baffle I mentioned above.

It is best to build the right sized fire to begin with so that you can have plenty of airflow and still not be too hot. For minor adjustments to the fire use the vents on the firebox but make sure to not shut them all the way down or you will have an improper burn and begin to create some nasty creosote on your meat and in the smoker.

The ideal situation is for the air to enter the smoker and create a nice draft so that the smoke moves quickly over the meat and out of the smoker. This will create the best flavor and will keep you out of danger of creating creosote.

If you find that you need more smoke flavor you can close the vents just a little where the smoke exits the unit on the smoke chamber end to allow the smoke a little more time with the meat before it exits.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Meat

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

September 06 SM Newsletter

2006-09-10T05:46:00.000-07:00

The September edition of the Smoking Meat Newsletter is published at the website.. you can not view it at the following address:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/september-2006-baby-beer-can-chickens.html

Adding Charcoal During Smoking

2006-08-22T20:10:00.000-07:00

Q: Is it ok to add cold charcoal to the already hot coal to keep up the heat or should it be already hot when added to my heat source?

A: You will acheive the best results from using a charcoal chimney or something similar to start the charcoal and get it hot and glowing before adding it to the firebox to replenish the coals.

Adding cold charcoal to the already hot coals will start the coals eventually but there will be a warm up period, and ignition period and could even cause some creosote to form during this process causing your meat to take on a bitter taste.

If you do not have access to a charcoal chimney or are unable to buy one you can use an old metal pan or a pan out of a bullet style water smoker to start the charcoal for adding to the firebox.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Charcoal Smoker

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

August 2006 SM Newsletter

2006-08-20T05:44:00.000-07:00

The Smoking Meat newsletter for August 2006 has been sent and can be read at the following address:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/august-2006-smoking-fundamentals.html

Jeff Phillips

Smoker Getting Too Hot

2006-08-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

Q: My last email may have been lost somewhere. I need your advice on
two points: 1.) My GMS is showing

over 300 degrees while smoking, and I am trying to get the 225 you
recommended. How can I keep it

under that 3000 mark? 2.) My baby back ribs and country ribs were
too hard and dry.

Thanks for any advice.

A: I apologize for the delay in answering.. I have been swamped with email the last month or so. I think it is so hot outside that everyone is inside on the computer instead of out smoking meat.

To answer your question...

There are several things you need to do.. first off you should double check your thermometer just to make absolutely sure that it is reading correctly.

Then you should make sure that your burner is operating correctly.. get the flame to burning and then watch the flames as you go from high down to low in a gradual descent and you should notice a big difference in the size of the flames.

This is just to ensure that the burner is operating correctly.

A few things to do to temporarily help the smoker to stay cooler is to replenish the pan with ice cold water. You may also be able to prop the door open a little to ward off some of the un-needed heat that is causing your smoker to get too hot.

In all honesty.. I own one of these smokers and while it has no trouble maintaining 225 degrees even in the winter time, it still will cook at low temps if I put it on low.

I am almost wondering if the propane is not being regulated correctly.. I am not a propane expert by any means but I have to wonder if you have tried a different propane bottle or you may need to call the company and see if they would be willing to send you a replacement burner or regulator.

Another option.. if the flame does not get low enough on the "LOW" setting then try turning down the propane bottle to allow less gas into the burner. Somehow you have to get the flame small enough to maintain 225 without getting up into the 300 degree range.

Make sure to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the meat.. even if it is cooked too hot, it should still get tender just as if you grilled it or baked it in the oven and the higher temperatures.

You might also look into the 3-2-1 method which is great for turning out super moist and tender ribs. I have written a page on this method as you can see below. The baby backs would actually be more of a 2-2-1 method which you will understand fully upon reading the information I have provided below.

http://www.wyntk.us/food/3-2-1-rib-method.shtml

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Importance of Monitoring Smoker

2006-08-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Q: unbelievable website!
I am new to smoking and I was wondering how important it was to constantly monitor foods like turkey, ribs, ham. Thanks!

A: Smoking is one of those hobbies where the fun is in sitting back and watching the smoke with a cold glass of southern ice tea in hand. I understand that some just enjoy the flavor but would rather it be more of an automatic thing while they do other things around the house or even sleep.

To answer you question.. it really depends on what type of smoker you have and what you are cooking. I like to baste every hour or so with apple juice or other liquids and marinades and so this pretty much forces me to monitor the meat that often.

Using a gas or electric smoker you could technically leave turkey, ham, etc. in the smoker unattended for several hours at a time if your chip box/container is large enough to hold a good bit of wood chips or chunks and it would probably be ok. Using charcoal you would be constantly adjusting the vents and adding charcoal as needed to maintain temperatures in the smoking range and you would need to stay pretty close to the action.

Smoking meat is a labor intensive chore but it is fun labor so it cannot be classified as work.

I am not sure if that adequately answers your question.. I think it is very important to stay really close to what you are cooking and to know at all times what is going on in the smoker. This ensures that the end product will be a delightful thing.

I can think back to some of my mistakes and most of the time it was a result of trying to do too many other things while operating the smoker leading to forgetting to baste, add charcoal, wood, etc.

Give the smoker and the meat the attention it deserves and it will pay back a hundred times over.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Meat

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Toxic Tasting Ribs

2006-08-15T16:50:00.000-07:00

Q: Hey I am new to smoking and whenever I smoke ribs the end up with a very bad taste almost like a toxic taste any suggestions? Thanks

A: Sounds like you are experiencing creosote.. not a good thing and usually caused by using green wood or not enough airflow into and out of your smoker. Let me know what type, model, size of your smoker and I will try to get you some more specific directions.

For now here are some tips to help you..

Make sure the wood you are using is a hardwood that bears fruit or nuts and is not coniferous such as pine, evergreen, cedar, etc.

Make sure the wood you are using has been seasoned for at least 6 months before using.

If you have vents in your smoker make sure the smoker can pull air into the fire area through some type of opening and make sure there is ample opening at the opposite end of the smoker for the smoke to exit.

Smoke will create creosote if it is allowed to linger instead of quickly moving over the meat and out of the smoker.. this chemical is very harsh tasting and may even make your tongue feel numb on contact.

I also recommend that you use lump charcoal for heat and seasoned wood for smoke unless you have a really large smoker like the kind you see mounted on trailers otherwise it will be too much smoke in too small of an area and leave your meat tasting very bad.

Try to get me more information about your smoker and the wood you are using and I will try to be a little more specific.

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Ribs

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Out of Town

2006-08-14T21:15:00.000-07:00

Please forgive the lack of posts over the last few days.. I have been out of state on some personal business that had to be attended to and my internet connections have been quite sketchy to say the least.

Should be posting in full swing starting tomorrow (Tuesday the 14th).

Y'all take care now!

Jeff Phillips

Brinkmann Thermometer

2006-08-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

Q: The thermometer on my smoker has an "ideal" range. I am assuming, from what I've read so far, that this ideal range is around 225 degrees because the water in the pan has regulated the temperature. Is that right? I want to make sure I have the right temperature the whole time its cooking.

A: Those thermometers are not very reliable.. "Ideal" should be pretty close to what you need but it is no guarantee. If you have a meat thermometer or any kind of thermometer at all you may want to see if you can get a reading at meat level when the smoker thermometer says "Ideal" and see what temperature it is.

If I remember correctly.. "Ideal" is a pretty wide range. I would try to keep it in the center of the "Ideal" for now.

You should be able to buy a dial themometer at Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc. that will mount in the lid of your smoker to give you more accurate reading.

You are correct in that the steam from the water pan will work very hard at regulating the temperature inside the smoker. It is not perfect but it is better than nothing.

Good luck on the ribs!

Visit Smoking-Meat.com and WYNTK.us for hundreds of great tutorials and guides on smoking meat.

The Technorati Tag for this post is Brinkmann Thermometer

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)