Re: What's in your smoker?
 

The two hogs that didn't place in the top 5 getting sold:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...2/P1050639.jpg

4th place trophy:
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...2/P1050640.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Buddy that pork looks great though and great to see you got a trophy!
My brother wants to challenge me to see if I can do a pork shoulder for him. Look for a " how the hell do I do a shoulder" thread tomorrow. Never ever worked with one. It's either that or he picked brisket, one or the other as he is my guest for dinner.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

You sure are right that was for me! I love those pics. I would love to have seen and smelled that!
So you throw all the different kinds of meat together in a skin purse and sauce it? I guess I never really
understood how whole hog was done or judged. You can learn a lot in this thread. I thought they
walked up to your hog and sampled from the various areas for taste.

I like that HAT....BBQ & Shag. I lived in Myrtle Beach for a year working for Cox Cable. Do I shag?
Do I know how other people shag? Hell no, but I know where they do it, anyway. I kind of miss it.
When you live where I do, ALL of your former homes/haunts are great memories.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

It all depends on the venue. Some places come by and take the samples themselves from different areas of your hog. This ensures you didn't prepare something last week to submit for judging, but ended up with a chitty hog the day of the contest. Some places also test the temp as they come around to make sure the pork is within temp specs. Some allow you to take you own samples. I've also seen hogs barely tampered with, meaning all the bones are left in and the beast sauced and served that way. The vast majority of teams debone, pull the pork, remove fat and gristle, and sauce. This way you can get a piece of loin, ham, shoulder, etc. in a single serving. Also with different venues are heat levels. We know certain events like a sweet, milder pork. We know some like a hot, vinegary sauce.

And do I shag? Not the dancing type!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

YEAH, baby, yeah.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Damn that pig looks good.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Just wanted to say thank you to you and Brent (Smokin Gator) regarding the feedback on digital meat probes:tu

I'd been reading about the above prior to you guys getting back to me. Lot's of pro' and con'. More pro than con though and just decided to move forward and purchase the ET 732 from Amazon. Looking forward to receiving the unit to start playing around with it. Don't think I'll need the 300' remote feature, but nice to know that I can be sitting watching a Packer game only 70' away from the smoker.

Also, remodeled my Weber One Touch grill recently with some firebrick (similar to Adams (T.G) grill shown earlier on in this thread). Performed a little slicing with the circular saw and used a metal file to put the final touches to the brick. Looks good and it all fits pretty darn good where I can use the "minion" method for the charcoal. I'll post some pix later on this...

BTW, looks like you guys had a good time bbq pig at that event Jamie. Must of been great smelling all that flavor and smoke in the air:dr

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Thank goodness we don't ever seem to obsess about this minion method here like a true BBQ forum,
but I have to say I AM CURIOUS as to how this can work. I have never seen unlit charcoal do anything
but produce noxious fumes when it is lighting, so how do people allow the bulk of their briques to sit
unlit, waiting to catch fire like an extremely slow fuse and not get bad flavors? Am I describing it right?
Isn't that the basics of the minion method?? Isn't that how a 'maze' works?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

You're describing it right, Brad.

You don't get the big cloud of noxious gas like when you first light off a chimney of charcoal. While maybe not completely avoided, it seems that, in the MM, these fumes are significantly reduced.

It's a slower ignition, the briquettes are packed in there, so when a burning one is in contact with the unlit one, it's more like a half lit briquette burning from the from the lit to the unlit side, so it's only a small amount lighting off at one time, unlike a chimney where there is a huge volume of charcoal touching off all at once. Also, because it's happening slowly in a hot chamber, you're getting a more complete combustion. It's also possible that some of these noxious gases are being vaporized due to the heat of the chamber, something that is severely lacking when you first light off a chimney. If I still had access to stack gas analysis equipment on the ships, it would be a fun thing to test.

Think of a chimney of briquettes - when you first light them, you get the cloud of crap, then within a few minutes, they are burning clean, even if not all of them are lit. The smell when the chimney is half lit and the smell when it's fully ashed over are the same.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I have always been apprehensive about using this method, and since I am a fat guy,
I don't mind going up and down the stairs when it is time to replenish the coals. But
I'd be lying if I said I never thought of using a method like that on long cooks, of which
I do very few. Looking forward to some spares this weekend. I have a triple rack pack
that needs to be done up. That fact alone also means I get to do some pintos with the
trimmings. So it's all gonna be great, I hope.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I understand, at one time I had the very same questions & concerns that you raised about the method. It seems like there should be some problem with the briquettes lighting off, but yet there isn't, or at least I can't detect them.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

In my cooker when doing slow and low, I start with an empty paper towel tube. I use lump charcoal and build a 8" high by 8-10" wide mountain of lump around the tube. Slowly pulling out the tube leaves a volcano with a clear sight to the grating below. I then use a half a cotton ball soaked with olive oil as the fuel and drop it to the bottom of the hole. The hole in the volcano allows it to pull air up through the pile and ignite the entire inner ring. At 250-275 cooking temps, the fire slowly expands to the out lump. With a 10-hour cook, I'd dare say I've never seen it make half the way through. The large pile ensures consistent, evolving heat. There's always plenty left over to use with fresh lump for the next cooking. No noxious fumes from the lump, as far as I can tell.

I've never had to replenish a grill that was at work, for which I am happy.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

...and there you go:tu

Brad, there's a number of different applications for the MM. Jim Minion came up with the MM back in 1999 for his WSM due to useless manufacturer instructions. I'm sure you have, but if you have not, you can google "minion method" which will reveal a number of different articles and video' on You Tube as well.

Go for it brother...:=:

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

smoked these in my little electric smoker today (24th) for my bday on the 25 :tu:tu
and i agree it is not as smoky as other methods but hell of a lot smokier then my crock pot ever did :D
12 hours cooking and all i need to to do is toss a hand full of chips in every hour or two

#1 7 pounder

http://partynightandday.com/jkva/pics/butt1.jpg

#2 5 pounder

http://partynightandday.com/jkva/pics/butt2.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Hey Guys,
With Thanksgiving around the corner I have been giving thought to trying a smoked turkey... I have a small charcoal smoker and was wondering if anyone has tried this before? any luck/ words of advice?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Not sure if I'm breaking some sort of rule but..http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/ Lots of Turkeys over there, lol.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Thanks Mike :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Jason... great looking butts there.

Rob... my three tips for smoked turkey:
Don't do one that is bigger than 12-14 pounds - any bigger and they just don't seem to smoke well.
Brine it for 24 hours before cooking - makes a huge difference in the juiciness of the end product.
Set the turkey out breast up before putting it on the smoker. Put a gallon ziplock of ice on the breast while it is sitting out - helps the whole bird be at the correct doneness at the same time.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Thanks for the advice Gator... and also for all the work you do with the NST, Really makes noobs like me feel at home... :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Does anyone think that there's any difference between the quality of meat between Costco and Sams? They seem similar to me, but have bought so little from Costco compared to Sams that I don't know. I'm making some pork butts to take in for a pitch in for the ER I work in Friday nights and want to make the best impression.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I was hesitant too about using the minion method, but I tried it on an overnight brisket and it worked great. I do it all the time now and I never have experienced any noxious fumes or off putting smell/taste. It just works; so I keep using it. I have a Weber Smokey Mountain by the way.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I wouldn't do charcoal any other way. Had I known years ago about the chimney, it would have saved me a lot of lighter fluid and profanity from the charcoal taking forever to get going.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Both Costco and Sam's have multiple suppliers for beef and pork, so what might be in one region might not hold true in your area.

Out here in California, I've found that Costco beef is better, in part because they sell choice and prime only. Pork isn't graded by the USDA, it either passes or it doesn't, and I can't say that I've noticed any quality difference between the two club stores out here so long as you avoid the solution plumped cuts.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

LOVE the paper tube idea. I will be trying it this weekend. I have never had issues with the minion method, but I use lump charcoal. Not really any noxious fumes there. No chemicals. Just already burned wood.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Which cuts are those? :confused:

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Virtually every piece of poultry sold there and for pork it's most commonly it's the baby backs and spares in the small cryopacks. Not all of them are treated, but that seems to be the most commonly treated. Technically anything that comes from the manufacturer in a shelf-ready cryopack could be treated. FDA regulations require it be indicated on the packaging though.

Other than being charged a couple bucks a pound for salt water and adding unnecessary chemicals to your diet, it just makes everything taste over salty or like processed ham, at least to me.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Peter,

Here's a guide on it:
http://virtualweberbullet.com/enhancedmeat.html

Note photo #4, of the pork ribs.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Never have bought meat from Sams. The only steaks I buy are from Costco. I love those pound ribeyes!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

It seems to me that the pork at both Costco and Sams are packaged the exact same way, whether it's ribs or butts. I've noticed very little "drainage" from the butts from either place, but seems like I've seen such solutions inside the packages I've seen at Kroger and Meijer. I've never bought butts anywhere other than Sams or Costco though. One of these days, I'm going to start getting sides of beef and whole hogs butchered through local farmers who go the all natural route.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Has anyone ever used liquid smoke?

I was all ready to fire up the Traeger for an overnight of 4 butts to make for all of the nurses/docs in the ER for a pitch-in tonight. I turned the digital thermostat-dead. Changed fuses-turned on, great, click. Dead.

I did a bit of panicking and read up on liquid smoke and thought what the hell. 2 butts are in the oven now rather than all 4 and gonna hope they get done for tonight. It's my absolute last resort, but I have no other option really. I did some reading and it appears they claim you can fool some BBQ regulars with this stuff. I know at the place I worked at in college was a steak house that served some great tasting ribs using the stuff.

Please say a quick prayer it turns out somewhat close and forgive me of my BBQ sin. :<

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I know WHAT the minion method is, what I never understood was how it squares with what I smell
everytime I light off charcoal. I always thought it was just me, you know, the way I feel that
I am smarter than everyone else, lol, that with all these thousands of successful long-cook smokers
doing it, that it was odd that no one was complaining about the fumes. ;)

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Oh the blasphemy... :sad

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I've had jerky made with it. Not a fan. I hope it came out OK for you though.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Well technically it's the real deal, as I guess you already READ somewhere online where they tell you
that it's REALLY not that bad of a sin. But we all know better, lol. But its "made with real smoke". ;)

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

...:r You're a trip Brad. Now put that tube of airplane glue down:D;)

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Suppliers vary by region. It's possible that the pork at Sam's and Costco in your area comes from the same supplier.

Selection also varies by region, even by store. Sometimes I'll find a certain cut or two or food items at one Costco, but they aren't available at another Costco in the same sales district that is located only 15-20 miles away.

I think most of the pork at Costco around here, is not solution enhanced, but I have seen some solution enhanced ribs at the local Sam's.

If you like all the cuts on an animal, and have the space for the freezer, having sides of beef and whole hogs butchered is a great way to go. Personally though, I don't care for probably 2/3 of the cuts on a steer and half the cuts on a hog. And the ones I really like, there aren't enough of on one animal.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Put butts in around 8# each in for 7.5 hours at 300 (which is higher than I like to as I like to stay in the 225-250 range). Pulled them out and foiled for an hour and just got done pulling it.

Will it fool a lot of people? Most likely since I used a good rub and injected it and it's quite tender. Would I ever do it under any other circumstances? Hell no. There's just a different consistency in the bark, lack of smoke, and definitely no smoke ring.

Time to make some more injection to drizzle over and allow it to soak up the juices a bit in the crock pot.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Still looks good. How can they complain about someone cooking for them!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Open their mouth, exhale, move their larynx, change the position of their tongue. Pretty easy really.

I guess it all depends on how it's represented.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

They're all loving it. Guess they all had low expectations. :)

The liquid smoke does seem to be a bit salty.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Baby backs again...my brother came up for the weekend

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

18lb of boston butts.

Side bar---> I always just chop it up with a big cleaver. What technique do you guys use to shred/pull it?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I use two regular dinner forks to shred.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I use these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003IWI66W

They work great.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

thanks guys. The bear paws look fun.

Lost my fire at some point last night. First time ever. Sadface. Oh well. Pulled the meat off and foiled it to fire her back up. Meat back on in 15mins.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Same as Dom here, two dinner forks. I have a few older ones that are heavy enough that they don't bend.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Anyone know of something like this a bit more sturdy/durable.
I don't mind paying more. I am looking for quality.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

A friend of mine swears by the Meatrake. Seems like every other week he's cooking and shredding a couple of butts to take to work.
http://meatrake.com/whats-a-meatrake.html

Actually, you probably know him, or at least met him. Shawn (MACS) in Temecula.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I just use my hands to pull my pork...wait a minute, that doesn't sound right :)