Re: What's in your smoker?
 

PBC?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Go for it, you'll love it. The taste is definitely different than other smokers.

I think that $290 for a fully assembled PBC delivered is a great deal. By the time you add up the money, time and effort I put into the new one while I was rebuilding the old one, my costs probably work out to more than that.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Pit Barrel Cooker. It's a fully assembled 30-gallon UDS.

http://pitbarrelcooker.com/

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Oh, interesting. Thanks Adam.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I'm torn on whether to get a La Caja China. They cook quick, but use a lot of charcoal.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I don't personally own a China box, but I've used them a number of times. Two bags of KF doesn't seem that bad to me when you consider you're cooking a whole pig. Heck, I burn a third to half of a bag just to do two 9# shoulders.

What the China boxes don't do, being basically duch ovens, is get any smoke or fire flavor into the meat. This is not a bad thing, it's just a different way of doing things. The cooking really becomes all about the meat and marinade.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

wanted to expand on that, but ran out of time on the edit... here's paragraph 3


It's for that reason I'm torn on them. I like them, I like what they can turn out. I like how fast they do it. BUT, I also like a least a little bit of smoke char on there, otherwise it's just an oven. I like doing mojo marinaded Cuban style pork shoulders in a smoker with no smoke wood, just briquettes or lump - you get just a little bit of char and wood flavor in there. To me, that's the taste difference I prefer. :2

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That's part of my concern as well Adam. I've read about people using something like an Amaz-N-Smoker in them to impart the smoke flavor. I guess I'd really have to do a lot of whole pigs to justify getting one. Sure you can do multiple pork butts, etc, but my Bradley will do the same.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Bob, I have one, and can tell you Some of the pros and Cons to owning one.
I'm on my phone now, but I'll be sure to post something later.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Thanks Dom!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I tried smoking on the Kamado yesterday.
It turned into one of the more stressful cooks that I've had in awhile.
I had a hard time dialing it in, dealt with a faulty pit probe, and battled the rain the whole cook.
The food still turned out good, so I guess that's all that really matters.

I got the Kamado for a steal, but found out after the fact that it doesn't come with a heat diffuser for smoking.
Looking online, I could get what I needed for anywhere from $50 - $80.
Adding that cost doesn't make the deal as good, so before I spent the coin, I tried to see if there was something else I could do.
I had a cast iron pizza pan I bought for use with the pizza oven.
I went and laid it on the bottom rack, with a foil pan to catch the grease.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psr2kzzsri.jpg

This worked quite well for the shoulder I did.
Not sure if I would need a better diffuser if doing brisket or ribs.

Here's the start of the cook

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1etefjwa.jpg

About to foil.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0hwwhr8u.jpg

Pulled

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psjmvwx9lw.jpg

As usual, since the grill was lit, I threw on a fatty.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psu6fpybil.jpg[/quote]

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

15# Packer brisket on the Pit Barrel.
I wound up trimming nearly 3lbs of fat off before I started the cook.
I worked the knife in and cleaned out a lot of fat between the point and flat.

Start
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrss0lii0.jpg

Trimmed
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psazakgpqu.jpg

Cleaned out and partially separated.
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa9g8ldcx.jpg

Rubbed up
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psxj5jwuht.jpg

On the Pit
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps82fmqamo.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Ready to wrap

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psz5hvnscq.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pshhb36iaz.jpg

And back on the smoker.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps0eywooxa.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Looks tasty Dom! Are you opening up your own Deli?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

No, but I did drop a 13 pound brisket in some brine to make pastrami later in the week. :D

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspfdcxtu8.jpg[/quote]

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:banger:banger

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

All finished
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psfofh6lgm.jpg

Cubed up the point,
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbisbt78q.jpg

and sliced up the flat.
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbfuue04p.jpg

Did some beans and corn as well.
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspzbv5zcw.jpg

This was the best brisket yet.
It had amazing tenderness.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:ss

Great looking brisket Dom. One of these years I NEED to make it to your annual herf; if for no other reason than to sample your BBQ.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I forgot to ask Dom, did you put the point back on the smoke for burnt ends or just cube it up at the same time you sliced the flat? If you didn't put it back on, what was your feeling on how the point came out?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I didn't put it back on, Mike.
I wanted to, but I couldn't keep the vultures at bay.
As I was cubing it, everybody was picking chunks right off the cutting board.
Point was terrific the way it was. :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictur...Dry%20Rub.jpeg

Ba-Da-Bing...

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

There's nothing wrong with a little meat rubbing humor first thing in the morning. :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Pulled the brisket out of the brine and gave it some rest time to let the brine equalize.
Put it on the smoker, Friday, for an overnight smoke. Finished faster than I was expecting, so I had to hold it in a cooler.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspjtacmtk.jpg

On the smoker

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psnd8vuwzv.jpg

When it was done, I foiled and placed in a cooler. Before I served it, I steamed it for an hour and a half.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pswsgqj0nu.jpg

Finished product.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psgoguepe0.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psdxua88ip.png

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

do you know what to do if your smokehouse catches on fire?
grab your meat and beat it!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Dom, the pastrami looks awesome. :dr

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Wow Dom… that pastrami looks amazing. I have only done that a couple of times. Might have to put it on the agenda!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Nice Dom....btw, when did you paint your nails???

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

No pics, but we did 4 slabs of baby backs on my old offset stick burner out at my friends lake cottage. Then grilled up some marinated venison. Carnivores dream.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Dooosh! ;) :sl :r

Thanks for the comments, guys!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Nice looking work Dom.

Some random crappy photos from the last two weeks...

I mentioned these in another thread, burgers w/ 3 parts ground beef, 2 parts ground lamb or mutton, 1 part ground pork, 1 part crumbled blue cheese, a lot of cracked very coarse black pepper (for 7lbs of meat I use about 1/2 a cup or more), coarse grind fennel seed (at about 1 tsp per lb of meat), and salt. Made 20 patties, cooked in batches of 8 due to having only a small grill to work with, got to the last 4 and realized I should take a picture of the sear on those from the mesquite and heavy cast iron grate.

Served with roasted red peppers, arugula and red onions. Didn't get a photo of that though because all 20 burgers got devoured so quickly, I never even got one. :r

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1409681357



Beef short ribs in the UDS. I liked Dom's idea about pre-smoking a sausage roll then just cutting it up as needed for breakfasts or whatever, so I threw a chorizo one on too.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1409681397

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1409681397

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Labor day, put 2 very thick bone-in ribeyes on the smoker for about an hour, maybe just a little more. Brought the internal temp up to 135. Took them off, then through them on a hot grill to sear them. 3 minutes on each side was probably more than enough. Added some butter on top and that's about it.

I definitely should have taken some pics.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Some BBRs and another chorizo sausage. The yard smelled incredible from the spicy fat rendering out onto the coals. Like someone was frying a giant batch of pepperoni.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1409682355
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1409682378
http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1409682385
I went to cut a section and it was so tender that it literally split on it's own just under the weight of the knife, hence the torn bark.

Ok pnoon, your turn (order that PBC yet?)... :D

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I need to try smoking a Chorizo! Looks great, Adam.

Did some big cooks this weekend.
Friday Night I did some Rib tips and a brisket.

Brisket rubbed up
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskmqsexjq.jpg

Rib tips

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psdmkdrtie.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psn7x43maw.jpg

On the smoker, with a fatty.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pszx1ttwof.jpg

Saturday I started with 25lbs of roastbeef.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psiy3aut31.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Roastbeef continued....

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps79c25723.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps88bcddf6.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps2a82d578.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1166930f.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Next I moved on to some chicken and ribs.
12 racks of St. Louis cut and 30 lbs of quarters.
Also did some beans and bacon topped Mac & Cheese.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskchi4x1n.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psc041fb2b.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps20fb5a7a.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psab56345f.jpg

Finally finished up with 2 stuffed crown roasts.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf8b3db37.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Sunday morning, I did some Taylor Ham, egg, and cheese sandwiches for breakfast.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psevxuuurg.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psa5tzab9h.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I love the cooker line-up!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That grub looks awesome! I need to move to the South.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Dom definately cooks awesome food, but I'm not sure he really qualifies as "living in the south" :D

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Great looking food there, Dom. :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

True, but he is more south than me. Maybe I should just move into his back yard.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:tu:tu :dr :D

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Great pics guys. Dom when are you going to quit your day job and open a restaurant?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

From the looks of it he could definitely do some catering!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Thanks, guys. :)

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Nice as usual Dom. What is the cabinet style smoker… a FEC?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

It's an Assassin 28, Brent.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Dom, you clearly buy a lot of meat. Any preference in where to get it from, quality/price wise?

For me I've bopped around to different grocery stores but I can't beat the prices I find here: http://www.restaurantdepot.com/Branc...hio_valley.pdf

Unfortunately funding (lack thereof) doesn't allow me to buy as much or as often as I'd like.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Mike, I have a Restaurant Depot membership but haven't found the savings to be worth the trip.
I get a lot of my meat from Sams, Costco, etc...
They offer even cheaper prices if you buy by the case.
A case of ribs has 9 racks in it, and a case of butts has 8.
If I grab a case of butts I usually cook 2, use 4 for sausage, and freeze 2.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Did some Smoked Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers the other day.
Still needs work.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pspcst4nrv.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1h8i0mkm.jpg

Doing some beef ribs today.
Trying something different, started with a simple salt, pepper, garlic seasoning.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pskfd3eiu1.jpg

Then into a marinade.
Have to say this is the first time I've ever tried marinating ribs.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...pslftb8qys.jpg

Going to let them marinade for about 3 hours, then season them again before they hit the smoker.