Fathers Day ~ 1st time Smoking

[Steve]

Originally Posted by 363

I found this rub and think I'm gonna try it out
http://www.bbqpitboys.com/pork_dry_rub.html

Looks pretty good. I might suggest splitting the sugar between light brown and turbino (or raw) sugar. Be careful because the brown is pretty moist and will clump together unless you dry it out in the oven (on a cookie sheet) first.

[OLS]

Originally Posted by steve

Practice, practice practice, and when you think you have it down, practice some more

BTW, Lump burns hotter (so you don't need as much) but probably costs more and may be harder to find.

Don't listen to Steve, he's like a weekend barbecuer or something.

He is right about one thing, practice is the best thing for you. It allows you to slowly make all the mistakes and
learn from them, and rarely will they ever be so big that you have no food to eat and share. It is almost always
fun and people are impressed.

BUT I have converted from Lump lately. It does burn hotter, so you do use less, but it also burns faster
so you use the same amount, lol. In the end it's simply a preference, or so I have found, in my limited experience.
I used the crap out of lump, and then one day I hit the semi-annual Kingsford sale at wherever it is, and that dang
stuff burned throughout my cook. It was no long cook or anything, but I was impressed by the fact that I tended
my smoker a LOT less with the briquets that day. Lump is awwesome for Steaks and grilling at high temps, but since
I cook low and slow most of the time, I want the bricks. I really liked the lump and used it for a few years.
But I am on the bricks now. You should try both to see which you prefer.

I am also thinking about getting one of those Brinkmann's for when I go to the Smokies later this summer. I want
something I can take over there new and leave it there. (cabin) I usually smoke 3 racks of ribs and a butt, and that
stuff is IMMENSELY BETTER off the grill than re-heated, even though i usually smoke it only the day before I travel over.
Is that taste worth 60 bucks?? I am not sure.
-----
Haha, I edited all my personal stories, I forgot we were not in the Smoker thread, where you can SEE Steve's mastery
firsthand....I was kidding, lol.

[363]

I've seen some of his stuff OLS. this smoker has 2 racks and I was thinking about putting some chicken on the other rack (the Spanish supermarket right down the street sells chicken legs like 10lbs for 8$), is that pushing it for a first timer or I should be okay? Also a: how to do I "maintain" the temp and when its time to add new coals do I add lit ones or add unlit ones? I am assuming lit ones but figured I would ask

[Steve]

Originally Posted by OLS

Don't listen to Steve, he's like a weekend barbecuer or something.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by OLS

BUT I have converted from Lump lately. It does burn hotter, so you do use less, but it also burns faster
so you use the same amount, lol. In the end it's simply a preference, or so I have found, in my limited experience.
I used the crap out of lump, and then one day I hit the semi-annual Kingsford sale at wherever it is, and that dang
stuff burned throughout my cook. It was no long cook or anything, but I was impressed by the fact that I tended
my smoker a LOT less with the briquets that day. Lump is awwesome for Steaks and grilling at high temps, but since
I cook low and slow most of the time, I want the bricks. I really liked the lump and used it for a few years.
But I am on the bricks now. You should try both to see which you prefer.

I would agree with this as well, but you also have to remember that most of my cooking is on the Lang, I only use lump to get the original bed of coals and the smoker heated up. Once that happens, unless I screw up and let my fire die down somehow ( ), I am feeding my bably quarter sticks about every hour or so.

[363]

Originally Posted by steve

I am feeding my bably quarter sticks about every hour or so.

?? quarter sticks?

[363]

oh yeah I wanted to ask if these were decent prices?

[Steve]

Originally Posted by 363

?? quarter sticks?

Quater sticks of wood, about 24" long.



Happy smoker



Another thing regarding lump vs. brickets. I find that charcoal brickettes ash a lot where lump burns more efficiently (?). In my stick burner, my fire sits up pretty high so I don't have to worry about ash overload, but when I used the ECB, I was always having to clean out the firepan of ash. With the modifications described previously, it is a lot easier to clean out the ash without loosing temp though. Like BRad said earlier though, I would recommend trying it both ways (seperate cooks though) to see which way works best for your style and situation.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by 363

oh yeah I wanted to ask if these were decent prices?

Price doesn't look unreasonable. Differnt parts of the country makes a difference in price too though.

[363]

Originally Posted by steve

Price doesn't look unreasonable. Differnt parts of the country makes a difference in price too though.

ok so they are not a steal then

[Steve]

Originally Posted by 363

ok so they are not a steal then

I don't know what the normal price up in your part of the country is.

[OLS]

NOTHING is a steal anymore. I wish I was kidding, but meat of every kind is out of control. I remember when
NO ONE would touch a chicken wing, it was like a giblet or something. You could buy 24 wings in a family
pack for about 3 bucks. Now the chicken wing is like filet mignon or something. And POARK? Don't get
me started on that (misspelled intentionally due to En Ess Ay filtering) The other white meat is so high now
that when it's time for a SALE, its still pricey. Beef has never been cheap. So I think you have to go by
what the store calls a sale. Now that you will be cruising the meat rack every Friday, you will see what
'normal' prices are and start watching the sales sheets.

It seems like what you are needing is what it took me 4 years to finally buy. I thought ten bucks was too much, lol.
You need a chimney starter. Start off your replenishment coals in it and tong them into the smoker when you
see a slight temp drop coming on. With that unit I would say that every 100 minutes or so you are going to
have to be adding coals. But I say that like I KNOW....I don't, lol. There are people here that mix burning coals and
unburned coals all the time, something they call the minion method, but I don't like the gasses that come from
unlit charcoal on top of lit coal. The smoke and gas are worse with a fresh start of coals, but I don't like
the smell of it, and don't want it near my meat. But that's because I use indirect smoking in the same unit
as my meat. I think it might be fine for people that have fireboxes, though. I am just handicapped by my cooker...

see attached pic................meat on one side, smoke on the other...fresh coals would be a prob.

BTW, chicken on the BOTTOM, dude....dripping juices are the issue.

[OLS]

You know you asked a question that I missed, and although I am not the best to answer it since I don't own
a Brinkmann or a Smokey Mountain, I WILL say that these people PACK those things, I would not fret about
chicken being "too much". YOU DO need some places for the smoke to be able to circulate, but Brinkmann
users are masters of efficient use of space. The only warning I would extend is if you have never done it
before, there is no sense in spending a lot of money on meat to try it out. Then again, if it's a home run,
you'd like to have more meat to show for it, lol. Remember as well that while smoked chicken is good,
not much smoke gets past that skin. And the skin is leathery, not crispy when you are done, unless you
give it a good crisping over the coals on a grill or in the oven. It's still good though. Wonderful in fact.

I guess I would get some chicken and check and see if there is anything beefy in the 'reduced for quick
sale' rack. What's there isn't always best for smoking, but you still have to look, lol. A lot of times you can
find 'Western Style Pork Ribs" which are to DIE FOR off the smoker! Great beginner's meat, too. MOST
important is to remember to take good pics. We live for em on the "what's in your smoker" thread. AND HAVE FUN!

[smitty81]

Maybe if you have time, do a mini smoke to get the feel for it before you play in the super bowl on sunday.

[galaga]

Here is a step by step guide from the site amazing ribs if you want to read it. Good luck and have fun with it. BTW, Old Bay seasoning makes good pulled pork too.

[363]

Originally Posted by smitty81

Maybe if you have time, do a mini smoke to get the feel for it before you play in the super bowl on sunday.

what could I constitute as a mini smoke? got free time sat that i could try

[363]

Originally Posted by galaga

Here is a step by step guide from the site amazing ribs if you want to read it. Good luck and have fun with it. BTW, Old Bay seasoning makes good pulled pork too.

thanks for this, good site

[363]

did a test run with some chicken breasts, didn't go quite as well as planned and also running out of time so finishing in the oven but I think I know the mistakes made and how to correct them, Ill let you know how tomorrow goes!

[smitty81]

Originally Posted by 363

did a test run with some chicken breasts, didn't go quite as well as planned and also running out of time so finishing in the oven but I think I know the mistakes made and how to correct them, Ill let you know how tomorrow goes!

Are you glad you did a test run?

You will feel more confident about your smoke tomorrow.

[363]

yeah, it has been making me nervous all week, hopefully tomorrow will go smoother