What's in your smoker?

[tsolomon]

Smoked the pastrami yesterday and I'm putting the rub together for the wings today. Just pulled the wife's brownies from the oven and will be making salted carmel ice cream to go with them. I'm heading out to see if I can find some beers from Colorado and Washington for a little tasting during the game.

[Fordman4ever]

Got a 7 quart crock pot full of pulled pork. Can't wait til game time.

[kydsid]

Smoking in the rain


IMG_20140202_110755 by kydsid, on Flickr

[GTsetGO]

making homemade bacon right now.

9.87 pounds of porkbelly.

1/3 in a 1 set salt cure with cracked black pepper
1/3 is a 1.5 set salt cure with cracked black pepper
1/3 in a maple brown sugar salt cure



cured them for a week and then started up the smoker about an hour ago. lots of good applewood smoke surrounding the belly.



situated on the smoker.

[kydsid]

That looks awesome. So you're smoking at 190 grate temp?

[GTsetGO]

]

Started at 190 for the initial smoke and then brought it up to 225.


Resting post smoke
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[tsolomon]

The pastrami turned out really well. Need to tone down the spiciness of the rub and slice it thinner, but it was really tasty.

[massphatness]

Super Bowl ribs ...

[Stevez]

Tom, that pastrami looks fantastic. So do the ribs Vin. Too damn cold here to smoke and too much snow/rain. I have heard of people smoking bacon, but never tried that Rob. Now I have to! Awesome looking. Thanks for sharing; now I'm drooling and dying for some smokalicious pig candy.

[GTsetGO]

Originally Posted by Stevez

Tom, that pastrami looks fantastic. So do the ribs Vin. Too damn cold here to smoke and too much snow/rain. I have heard of people smoking bacon, but never tried that Rob. Now I have to! Awesome looking. Thanks for sharing; now I'm drooling and dying for some smokalicious pig candy.

i will never buy store bought bacon again. this stuff is just too darned good.

[OLS]

Got around to this LATE, these got smoked weeks ago, et, too. But they got lost on a flash drive.

[357]

I am now in the possession of two Boston Butts and one Picnic roast. I'm trying to put together a herf at my place so I'm thinking I'll smoke them on the Friday night prior so they'll be ready to eat Saturday for the herf. Need to pick a date, but I'm waiting to hear back from my local guys.

Also, I haven't posted any pics but in November I was smoking quite a but of poultry. I did some chicken leg quarters, thighs, and a whole 13 lb turkey. All came out fantastic. I have quite a bit of leg quarters left in the freezer for next time as well. After how good they came out I grab more whenever they go on sale. It's hard to beat $0.75/lb.

[OLS]

Originally Posted by 357

I was smoking quite a but of poultry. I did some chicken leg quarters, thighs, and a whole 13 lb turkey. All came out fantastic. I have quite a bit of leg quarters left in the freezer for next time as well. After how good they came out I grab more whenever they go on sale. It's hard to beat $0.75/lb.

These days chicken is like frickin STEAK, but you CAN catch it on sale. I love to smoke legs and wings and
OVER-cook em so that they turn to smoked paste on the bone, lol. From time to time I will cook em to done
only, and I like it that way too. THIGHS are particularly good, especially with the skin crisped after smoking.
I need to STOP smoking pork and go back to chicken. But I get such good deals on freaking Baby backs.
I only have so much freezer space.

[357]

I wish I could get ANY kind of ribs for a decent price. The best you can find around here is $1.99/lb for pork spare ribs, and that's hard to find. Baby Back are always more expensive. I'd do brisket again if I could justify the cost. Best I can find that for is about $4/lb. Ribs are the one popular meat I've yet to smoke. I've done chuckies, brisket, pork shoulder, turkey, and chicken.

Brad, your post about cutting your pork shoulder into smaller pieces so you get more bark is very interesting. I LOVE the flavor I got in the bark on my pork shoulders but it is limited. The larger the cut, the less bark you get per pound. Do you have any suggestions on what shape/size to cut them into? I'm considering trying your method on my next smoke.

[OLS]

Originally Posted by 357

The larger the cut, the less bark you get per pound. Do you have any suggestions on what shape/size to cut them into? I'm considering trying your method on my next smoke.

You have to let the bone decide for the most part. I just start on one side and start cutting left to right in
about 2.5 inch slabs. When I encounter a bone, I try to slice down to it but I do not make too big of an
effort to skin it off the bone, since the bone really aids in cooking. But I do try to get consistent slabs,
so sometimes I do have to try and remove the meat from a bone area. There is no rule for doing it right,
it really comes down to how thick a smoke ring you can create and and how that makes you decide to
portion out the cuts. But I like 2.5 inches because if it gets to be ALL bark, you end up NOT having the
juicy benefit....I guess.

[357]

2.5 inch slabs is a good enough guide, Thanks Brad. This begs another question though. I assume this cut down on total cook time quite a bit. Any idea how much?

[OLS]

Originally Posted by 357

2.5 inch slabs is a good enough guide, Thanks Brad. This begs another question though. I assume this cut down on total cook time quite a bit. Any idea how much?

I really couldn't say, I do not use thermometers...when it looks done I pull it, or when I get tired of
making sure the coals are replenished. Cain't hep ya there. You could probably shave 30-45 mins...

[Chainsaw13]

Cold smoke 4 chubs of Nduja salami. It's a cured, spreadable sausage that's uses a boatload of paprika, both hot and sweet.

[OLS]

I have a chicken thawing, a couple of thick sirloin steaks cut up for jerky ($2.50) and I might thaw something else.
Krowgur had whole chickens on sale this week, they priced out at about $4.35 each, the 6 I bought. SO USEFUL! So
delicious.

[Flynnster]

Sounds good OLS! I always stock up when chickens go on sale. Smoke a couple and put the meat in the freezer, save the bones from stock.