Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Love smoking beef ribs. Usually we just go with the salt, pepper, garlic, onion.

Your Meatloaf Stuffed Peppers look interesting. When you say they need work...what do you think would help?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Dang Dom! :dr:dr

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Mostly I need to work on the technique. The flavors were there but the texture was off.
As the peppers and meatloaf cooked down, the moisture and fat that rendered got trapped inside the pepper, and caused the meatloaf to steam/boil.
Also, usually when I make stuffed peppers I use ground beef that I have browned. Using a raw meatloaf mixture caused some shrinkage, and left me with a poor pepper to meatloaf ratio.
Next time I have to remember to overstuff the peppers.

Pulled the ribs out of the marinade and added a coating of seasoning then it was onto the smoker.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps349vtwry.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psjym9xusf.jpg

All done!

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psuvj4qcmm.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psrghdt0jj.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

lookin' good!...I don't think I've ever made beef ribs...certainly not in recent memory...gonna give em a whirl...opinions on the marinade "technique"?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Nice looking stuff, Dom.

I've never marinaded or brined beef ribs, curious, how much flavor do you think came though, Dom?

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Very good.
They were different though.
None of the usual BBQ flavors. No paprika, no chili powder, no mustard, no sauce....etc..
They were a perfect balance of sweet and salty.
Most of the salt came from the marinade, as I usually am light with it.
I was expecting bolder flavor, and I didn't get that, more balanced.
Kept them in the marinade for 3 hours. Perhaps I'll go longer next time.
I think I got some of the sweetness from the smoking wood.
Used a mixture of Peach and Hickory.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Anyone smoke peppers for future use? I'm looking for suggestions/advice. I happen to have quite a few peppers of all sorts, from bell to ghost and thai peppers;Lots of jalapenos, orange habaneros, and even a few pablanos (spelling?).

I considered hanging some to dry and I am going to do ABTs with some of the jalapenos but I'm considering smoking some of the rest (the bulk of them) for use in sauces or other meals. I don't know how long, temps, how to store afterwards, or what to use them in if I do smoke a bunch of them up, other than sauces maybe.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Cold smoke if you can, Mike. That's keeping the temp under 90F. You dont want to cook them, but just impart a smoke flavor. Then proceed to hang/dry, or put in a dehydrator.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

My PBC arrived yesterday. Super excited for its maiden voyage on Sat. Gonna do 3 racks of BB ribs and a couple tri tips. Will post pics once it's done.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Can't wait to see the pics, Gary! :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I'd show up for dinner but I happen to be smoking a left-handed choice brisket on Saturday.

I'm very interested in your feedback on the PBC.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

And what are Dom and I? Chopped liver? :gary ;) :D

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Mea culpa.

Dom has every BBQ and BBQ toy known to man. A true BBQ legend.
You too, sir, set the bar high for BBQ, jams, cheeses, and a whole lot more.

I wanted to know what a commoner like me has to say.



















:hf

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Trying my best to tempt Peter.

Fired up the Pit Barrel, yesterday,
Did a pork loin. Have to say it might have been the tastiest thing I've made all summer!
Brined for 24 hours, and cooked over hickory.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psvfptlf6v.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psi09hs6pk.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psilit7y9i.jpg

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

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps9ezxmymb.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

O m g !

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:dr:dr

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That's a great idea. I didn't think of cold smoking them. I've had an AMNTS for a while and I haven't used it yet. I picked it up for cold smoking but haven't had a chance yet. I also have some venison in the freezer I may want to make into some jerky. I've yet to try my hand at it but if I'm going to use the AMNTS for some cold smoking and likely borrow my BIL's dehydrator it would be a waste not to at least try making some jerky. I think I may do some cheese while I'm at it too. My wife has some of that wax for preserving cheese. Looks like I have plan coming together.

I believe Peter posted some well received jerky recipes. I'll have to do some searching and see what I fine. I don't want to add a lot of sugar if I can help it.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That PBC looks like a normal UDS with the hanging hardware added. I wonder if you can just by the rods and hooks and mod an existing UDS. Of course I'd want some kind of plugs for the rod holes in case I still wanted to use the racks.

BTW, that pork loin looks great. Love the pics.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Sure you could. Just add some of those business card magnates to cover up the holes.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Sure you can, here's one of mine with them. PBCs are only 30-gal drums, so you get more capacity with the 55 - I can hang 6-8 whole chickens in there.

You can order the hooks from PitBarrelCooker.com and the rods are just rebar. I used two 30" sections of 5/8". You would also want to make yourself a hook remover, basically an eye bolt set into the end of a wooden rod, I used a section from an old hardwood paint roller pole.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1408545376

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/attach...1&d=1408545376



I've always found that those type of magnets fail once they heat up a time or two. Just leave the holes and they are your exhaust if you are still using the grate.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Very good point.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I'd like to sarcastically thank you guys for all the photos. I stayed up till the wee hours of the morning drooling and watching PBC videos!

Now the real thanks, just happens that my gas grill AND my little smoker both rusted out this year so I was looking for something different. I think the PBC may be it.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

You won't be disappointed! :tu

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Ribs two ways on the PBC.
One with my traditional seasonings, and one just salt and pepper, and finished with a sweet chili, lime, Sriracha sauce.
The sauce was a failure. It surprisingly was very bland. As I was adding the ingredients the flavors and aromas were bold, then they just faded behind the heat.
I'm hoping that after a few days in the fridge, the flavors will marry a bit, and shine through.

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

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psc9s1i7xd.jpg

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

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psk8mrubyq.jpg

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...psaha2h5w8.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Nice looking bbq Dom. Sorry to hear about the sauce.

FWIW - I sometimes will whip up a similar finishing sauce as what you described, usually some sort of berry fruit preserve and **** sauce, then reduce it on the stove. With additional lime at the end to thin it back out a bit. If I want more of a sour kick, I'll add some powdered citric acid. It seems to hold up well. I do use sweet chili sauce for some things, typically just as an uncooked dipping sauce though.:2

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

11 pound brisket has been on the Traeger for 10 hours @ 200
Currently at 162.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

So my wife catches me looking at pictures and watching more video reviews again last night :D and ask what am I doing...My reply was looking at BBQ P R O N on the net! :noon She says so that is what it has come to...watchng BBQ P R O N on the net :dr ...why don't we make our OWN BBQ P R O N and bought a PBC for me on the spot. :banger Guess since she misses smoked & grilled dinners and my b-day is next week, it was an easy call.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Today I will smoke rub eye steaks for an hour and then bring up the heat in the big green egg to about 700* and sear them for 30 seconds on a side. Cigars will be involved.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Love those left sided Briskets!;)

You're stoked, Wayne. The site and Amazon both say there is a 4-5 week lead time but mine came this past Tuesday and only took 2 weeks.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Sounds miserable Mark.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Now at 172.
Picture is deceiving. Slab of beef is 11 pounds.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...ps278a4f99.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I know it showed Free FedEx Ground Shipping 2-4 Days on the site, but I didn't think that was too realistic of a shipping time because I also saw the Amazon add.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Smoked some chicken wings to take by my friends house later. Got a second batch with a different rub. Tomorrow is a slab of lamb ribs. Going to marinate in some lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and hot chili flakes.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Bacon and mushroom pizza

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Larger pie

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5...ps75a4424b.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

That Pie looks great Mark!
Cooked on your Vision Kamado?

I would love to see the finish of the brisket Peter.
Was it just a flat? If so, 11lbs is pretty big at least much bigger than I am usually able to find for a flat only.

Gary, I didn't get a text! :tt

When I ordered my PBC there was a 3-4 week wait.
The night I placed my order, I received a personal phone call from Noah, the owner, thanking me for my purchase, and telling me he can be reached 24hrs a day on his cell phone, and then gave me his cell #.
Not sure if it's his true cell # because it is the same # that's on the PBC, but it is a nice spiel.
Had a nice little chat with him....seems very down to earth. He also told me they were behind on the orders and I should expect it the third week in May. I received mine May 21st, right on schedule.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Sorry, Dom. I did not get a picture post-cook. I will take a pic of what is left and post it up later this morning. When I bought the brisket, I thought is was flat and point. But when I opened it up for prep, I realized it was flat only. And very thick. It was USDA Choice from Costco. And quite possibly the best thing I've pulled off my Traeger in 3 1/2 years.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Yes, that pie looks great! The Kettlepizza is the other toy I'm curious about. :dr

I got a couple emails from Amber (Noah's wife) She says that they will be shipping next Wed. or Thurs. and the same call any time if needed. She has her own number in the email and also noted the direct number on the PBC. I'm curious if people do call for help. The whole thing is so simple after watching one video, it seems foolproof.

That being said I'll report back after our maiden voyage. :r

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Yes it was, Dom. Took it up to around 525 degrees. Love pizza on the Vision!

Doing some ABTs, and a beer can chicken today. Will post up some pics later.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

A friend of mine who is big into BBQ and judges KCBS has one and he isn't impressed. His comments were that it works ok, but not as well as one would hope, not as much heat ends up on top of the pizza as it should so you have to be careful about burning the crust before the topping cooks. Also, depending on what you use your kettle for and how much buildup you have in there, when you start getting that hot and the stone reflecting the heat back into the bottom of the kettle, inadvertently starting a grease fire is pretty easy to do; I've done it - completely ruined the food, fvcked the stone up and had to spend quite a bit of time and caustic cleaning the kettle afterwards.

And $150 is outrageous for what it is. I would think that for about $15 worth of sheet metal and $4 worth of bolts from home deopt or lowes, you could probably build a kettlepizza clone in an hour.

:2

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Getting ready to slice thin for brisket sammiches.

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...ps558e8cdc.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

ABTs - added a thin slice of onion with the cheese.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5...ps79472d40.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5...ps168ab67a.jpg

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e5...psbdecd697.jpg

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Agreed, after talking with my buddy who does fabricating, he is convinced we can make something to fit on the PBC. Will it work, won't know until we are done. :sh

side note: I was also glad to hear from him he could easily make the PBC but to clone it down to the new drum, powder coating, & grill, he couldn't beat the price. We live in a small town so getting the small things need to build ONE wouldn't be cost effective.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Great looking food, guys!
Mark, you take great pics!

Funny Peter, the best thing to ever come off my Traeger were 3 large 9lb flats I got from Costco.
They were literally my first cook on the Trager, and I feel like I've been chasing my tail, trying to reproduce the finished product ever since.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I have two 55 gallon UDSes, the first one came to me built, but damaged and in need of some minor repair. The second one I built from scratch from a used drum. By the time I was done building the second one, I'd say my material cost was about 1/3 to 1/2 of a PBC, would have been a bit higher if I hadn't scrounged some parts like the fire basket, but the amount of hours I had to put in shot the labor cost way over what a PBC would have cost.

When people ask me now about building their own UDS, I just tell them to order a PBC, it's just so much simpler than building one and it really just works out to be the same IMO. Yeah, the 55s have more capacity than the 30s, but for most cases (cooks), I don't think it's going to make that much of a difference, and, I don't know how many people want to dick around with the variable airflow controls fitted to the UDSes that allows them to run anywhere from 220-ish to 380-ish versus the set and forget 275 of the PBC. Plus if you ever want to take it somewhere, the 55 is a PITA to move around, even more so if you don't own a truck.

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

:dr I should know better than to look in this thread when I'm hungry. Some great looking grub, guys!

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Smoked some wings, and tossed with a Nando's Peri-Peri based sauce.

http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1fgd3iwx.jpg

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

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

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

Damn, those look good! :dr

Re: What's in your smoker?
 

I fired up the PBC for the first time on Sat. The results were awesome.

I learned 2 things...
- I take chitty pics
- I'm a PBC believer now

I made 3 racks of baby backs ...
2 with the all purpose rub that came with the PBC and 1 with garlic salt and pepper.

Also made 2 Tri Tips. 1 with the traditional Santa Maria style seasoning and 1 with Montreal Steak seasoning.

I was amazed with the outcome of the ribs. Juicy, flavorful insides with a crunchy bark on the outside that I have never come close to obtaining on my UDS.

The Tri Tips came out great as well but as a Traditional High Heat sear then indirect finish Tri Tip fan I would have liked to seen a little more bark on these. The meat was extremely tender and delicious but with only 40 mins on the PBC they didn't build up the exterior that I am used to. All my guests loved it though so it's all good.

Here are some pics (sorry for the poor quality, I may or may not have had an adult beverage or 7)

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...447DAE4B89.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...7779B260DB.jpg
I had to cut the bottom 2 ribs off the racks cause they were so damn long. That's what you see on the left there. Chefs snack if you will.

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...2E518DB6C7.jpg

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...4A3D87E7D5.jpg
Tri Tips added

http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/n...B9F321B09C.jpg

Next weekend is gonna be chicken. Dom says it's 2 hours every time. I hope he's right.

Also Peter needs to get one.