Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Most or all the horse meat in Europe comes from Canada from what I understand. Every major supermarket has horse products if not filets and sirloins. The filet by far is the best horse cut. Every regular restaurant has horse on the menu. Horse dried sausage is really popular. Like a bigger slim jim yet worlds apart. Horse is also dried like and sliced thin like jamon- uttlerly amazing. All the processed horse is done with smoke. Very lean, but delicate.

As for the moralty part; the horse is as regarded in Switzerland.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Horse meat is what Napolean's army subsisted on while escaping Russia in 1812.

Anyway... Moses, just one stupid question on the picture you provided. I see that a SmokeShack unit is being used, or rather mis-used (or one of its copies), and the question is, Why? As in why was it disassembled and used as a grill now (I just don't agree the meat is being smoked in such a way, it is simply cooked with some residual smoke, as opposed to smoke being the primary flavor enhancer in a closed off smoker).

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

We were using a direct flame over the food, not really smoking. The aluminium tray was for ease. This was my first time cooking on such a grill. There are several ways you could use this set up and everyone has a similar grill in Switzerland. The grate sliders are built in the grill.

The method to start the grill is also traditional Swiss. You'll go through a lot of wood using it this way. One bushel of wood cooks one meal!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Horse is the only thing we raised or caught on our farm that I haven't eaten. Well, I have eaten horse nuts after we gelded them... but that isn't the whole animal. When one died we would call one of the greyhound kennels and they would feed it to the dogs. I certainly have no problem with anyone eating one and I would without hesitation. It's just animal protein.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:eek:.....smoked?....I'm thinkin' some apple wood...take 'em to 190 or so....so they get real tender....then a chipotle-peach glaze to finish 'em off....:r

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Well DUH!!! I'd thing 190 might be a little too high depending on the fat content. I'm thinking more like venison. Do it in TK's Dr Pepper marinade, wrap in bacon, and take it to about 140:banger ;)

To each his own though!!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Well my 11 year old barrell style electric smoker finally died last weekend :( I got an Orignal Bradley Electric for christmas but have not used it yet. I cleaned and seasoned it a few weeks back and will Christen it this weekend w/ some Beef Ribs. the Bradley is a neat concept but I think I might find myself getting another Barrell electric too. I know mine so well.
What i'm gonna miss is the 11 years of yummy smoke resin built up on the inside of Ol Faithfull. she will be missed.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

It looks like a semi-assembled CookShack, wow. How long does it take to grill a nice one inch thick T-bone steak, let's say, on this thing?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I've had my Bradley for about two years now. Turned out some pretty good food. I've made all sorts of stuff, ribs, whole chickens, sausages, bacon, etc. If you haven't already, check out the Bradley forums for great recipes and such. Best place for the wood pucks is Amazon. Not sure if they still are running it, but you used to be able to get 4 boxes for the price of 3.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

You mean not even Graingers or McMaster-Carr has the parts to repair it?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Traditional smoking at 225 is not going to work with horse. There's not enough fat on it. We ate some thin sliced filets raw. ;s Perhaps the front shoulder is tough enough to do, but that must be a friggin huge piece!

Horse is best as a filet or entrecote up to medium rare; often with a sauce on top (this is Europe).

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

It depends at what point you put the meat on. If you just broke the logs down into charcoal and the meat is 1.5" from coals, it will cook in 10 minutes. Once the charcoal is "made", it's the same as a habachi or webber.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I got my Bradley, cover and pucks on Amazon:tu They had some great sales over Christmas time.
I used it this weekend. I ran the smoke for 4 of the 5 hours on my Pork Ribs (Apple, Alder and Hickory) I will run less smoke next time. A little overpowering. I miss using my Soaked Wood Chips though. Ribs came out great otherwise.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Greg, I callibrated my Thermomoter this weekend and found out it was running about 5-10 degrees cold. So I was actually smoking at almost 200 not 190. So thats why the Pork Shoulder was cooking a little faster (12 hrs)

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Not only did the adjustable temp reostat go out (melted 2 extension cords :td) But the entire bottom of the smoker has basically rusted away and there is about a 9 inch diameter hole in the bottom where I put the wood chips. I have been using a flattened aluminum pie pan to cover it for the last year. This puppy had some miles on it.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I can see where the hole in the bottom of the smoker would be a bit difficut for Grainger/McMaster-Carr to help with...

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Yea, I only apply smoke for about 2 hours for ribs, 2.5 for bacon and 3 or so for pork butts/briskets. The rest of the time is just hanging out in the Bradley.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Geez, how many pucks did it take? The reason I nixed Bradly when I was shopping and researching electric smokers was their high cost of "upkeep". I settled on CookShack (SmokeShack is a Chinese knock off with same price tag).

How much are the pucks and how many do you need for "4 hours"?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Being it was my first time using the Bradley, I now know to use less smoke.
The Bradley takes 3 pucks per hour.
1 box of 48 pucks runs about $15-$17. Its really not that expensive about $1 per hour.

I will probably run the smoke for 2-2.5 hrs on the next ribs.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Hmmm... From the research on electric smokers, you only need a very small amount of wood to get great results. I only use 2-3 ounces of chips, if that, to smoke 2 pork butts (and less wood if I smoke something smaller). I'd try running enough pucks for 1 hour's worth of smoke, should be plenty, IMO. Smoking itslef takes place rather early, you then cook through for the remainder of the time?

I've done cold smoking in mine and it really takes about 30 minutes and this with a special plate sitting between the smoking element and food (only allowing smoke through for the most part). So, smoking itslef does not take much time.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Wow, I would'nt even think about using that little wood chips. I use at least 4-6 cups of soaked chips for 4 hours of smoke per pork shoulder in my old Barell smoker.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I use chunks, split up. No water soaking at all. We're talking electric versus barrel smokers. I am sure I'd be using more wood in a barrel smoker. We're talking a two-box barrel smoker, right?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That is a highly debated question. IME, the more clean smoke the better. There are world champions that do long smokes and some that do short smokes but not so clean. The argument goes "after 3 hours the meat has taken all the smoke it is going to take and after that you should foil to not mess up the look of the meat". YMMV.

I have no experience with electric smokers, but 2-3oz of chips is tiny compared to the amount of smoke I use in my offset. I use at least 10lbs of wood.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That is absolutely the truth. One of the guys I compete against regularly is four time Memphis in May whole hog champion Myron Mixon. Myron uses green, and I mean just cut down green, peach wood. When he fires his smoker up it is belching so much smoke it is unreal. However, he cooks at high temps and the smoke is clean by the time he puts the meat on.

As for smoke absorption, I feel like the meat generally stops taking more smoke at around 130-140 degrees. I usually go to 170 or so on butts and briskets to get the bark like I want it, but I don't think it gets any more past the 130-140 internal mark.

What I think a lot of people confused with too much smoke is actual the creosote that is deposited on meat that has been exposed to smoke that is not clean. I really don't think it makes any difference how much smoke you put to the meat as long as it is clean. White/grey smoke is dirty and will give you that off taste. All IMO only!!!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Amen my Brother in Smoke!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I think we're saying same thing? Simply that there is a point at which meat will not get any more "benefit". With the electric I use, even that small amount of wood gives enough smoke for about 2+ hours, at the least, at the lower temps (I use 180-190). For cold smoke, just a tiny bit and enough to get the smoke going (once you see the smoke coming out, you turn the thermo off after 20 minutes, you're done). More wood gives too much smoke flavor and I can attest to that.

As for the "cleanliness" of the smoke, or more specifically, color of it, I thought color mostly depends on the amount of (remaining) water in the wood? "Greener" wood leads to darker smoke?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That's part of it, but mostly it's a function of the completeness of the combustion plus the sap burning. Green wood = doesn't burn well for various reasons = incomplete combustion + sap burnoff = darker smoke.

I can take very well seasoned wood and create dark smoke by choking the combustion.

In an electric smoker, you can get a dark and/or heavy smoke because the wood smoulders rather than burns. Smouldering being an incomplete combustion, and as stated previously there are factors that can make it worse.

Unfortuantely, dark is kind of ambiguious.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

My Barell smoker (top loader) is electric with a temp controled reostat dial. Not charcoal or gas.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Very, very pale, not even gray. Sometimes I have to double check to make sure it is working...

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Mine is the upright Barell, top loader, 2 racks-one on top of the other with a water/drip pan below the racks and the Electric heat element below the water/drip pan.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

IMO, that's excellent.

Every brand of electric smoker is different. Some smolder the wood, others burn it off nicely. Hence why I said "can" and not "will", some are terrible, some are great.

I seem to recall that you have a commercial/food service grade electric smoker, no?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I've seen my model used in restaurants.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

You can't compare a barrell smoker's wood demands to an electric.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Perhaps I used the wrong term when saying Barrel smoker. It is not the side by side hinged lid smoker. The description is below as I previously posted. Many refer to them as an Electric H2O smoker.
And yes, I do use more than a few oz of chips in my Electric Smoker. Cant imagine using less than 4 or more cups for 3-4 hrs of smoke.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

We also call them "Capsule" shaped as well. But you're explaining it fine for me.
I have a charcoal-driven Weber, tend to smoke cooler than most (taking a lot longer).

I understand science, and use that for my understanding. The smoke penetrates - and continues to penetrate - until the meat is too cooked to allow more to penetrate.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Well I am a complete newb to smoking but just got a new smoker (pics in another thread) and will be starting off with a pork butt tomorrow.

Any tips and tricks are appreciated.


BTW after reading this thread and many others it looks like fruit woods, hickory, mesquite etc. are rare and hard to come by for most. Well I know for me down here in Texas it isn't that hard. We have all kinds. So if any BOTL out there would like some apple, appricot or whatnot and are willing to pay cost and shipping just let me know and I will go look to see what is available. :tu

As an FYI for that I recently purchased 1lb of apple chip for $4 at the store.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

TX is for sure the center of smoking woods in USA.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Here was my first pork butt thread...may help you out.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19926

One bit of advice...do not move the pork butt around at all. You do not want to damage the bottom bark which holds the juices in or the butt will dry out.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Thanks Tux and Steve for the tips.


I was up at 6am this morning to start the smoker and put the butt down. :D

Also smoking some sausage that just came off for a snack since the butt won't be done for another 25 degrees. And of course some homemade beans under the main course.



http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/9355/02202010898.jpg
By null, shot with N95 at 2010-02-20



http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8296/02202010899.jpg
By null, shot with N95 at 2010-02-20

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Looks good!

I cook my beans under my butts to catch the flavorful drippings as well, but be carefull if you have much salt in the rub you are using. I had some really salty beans once!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

looking good!
Posted via Mobile Device

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Steve thanks for the advice. My Dad has had heart disease since I was 12 and I cannot really stand much salt in my diet as a result of having very little in my diet since that time. So my rub that I just threw together on a whim has about a teaspoon of sea salt. Should be good I hope.


PS. A Sausage samich on italian hogie with bbq sauce goes nicely with an Anejo. :ss

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Question: How much fuel is normal on a 11-12 hour smoke?

I will be at about 15lbs charcoal, 6-8lbs of mesquite for smoke this morning by the time I am done.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That is an impossible to answer question... as every smoker is different.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Okay well 13.5 hours later I have pulled the pork butt and it is resting. The beans taste marvelous but next time I need more water. There are some beans that are a little tough despite the 14 hour soak last night I gave them.

Nevertheless I am ready for the next one. Went to the store and came back with Pecan, Apple, Cherry and Oak chips, 30lbs of mesquite and hickory lump charcoal and 4 inch by 6 inch mesquite rounds and some chips from a friend will be here tomorrow.. :tu

Smokin Gator, wouldn't be interested in a trade of some wood chips for some of those rubs I have read about on here would ya?? :)

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

How do you intend to use the chips in an offset smoker? I have a Brinkmann SnP and I have tried using chips before and noticed no difference.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I'm new to this I don't know if they will provide any difference. But here they are cheap and readily available so worth experimenting. The pork butt was smoked with mesquite and apple. To me there is some difference as compared to the local bbq joints. Might be I used more or less smoke them they do I don't know. Only way to find out is keep smoking. :D

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Use canned beans if doing baked beans under the butt. You'll be able to knock out some of the hours too. Just pull them when they are to your liking. Even 8+ hours on canned beans at those low temps works.

You'll find most BBQ joints are lighter on the smoke than most BBQ fans want, but you have to make something that pleases the most, so they go light.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Well the only way I could think of to use the chips is to make a foil bomb out of them. Otherwise they get totally lost in the fire. But even then the foil bomb did not seem to produce the amount of smoke I like. Then again I am mainly a stick burner in my offset.