Smoking

[Alpha]

Well, today, I finally lost my resistance and bought a smoker. After trying to smoke meat, veggies on my gas grill, despite what Rob Rainford ( License to Grill) and others say, it's not working the way I want it too.

Right now I'm looking at the box of this smoker....more than partial assembly required ;), looking at my expensive bags of mesquite, applewood, sugar maple chips.
Do any of you smoke stuff?

If you do, what do you use? For those who need a reference, here's a pretty good one for my first attempt at looking at this.

Have any of you used "birch"? I have a bunch of logs in my garage.

Why shredded wood is a better smoke flavor enhancer

Wood shreds are an innovative use of natural wood. When shreds are used, much more wood surface is exposed to heat to produce smoke as compared to chunks or chips. Wood shreds will yield a more intense smoke more quickly which seals the food, locking in natural moisture and adding smoke flavor exactly when it's needed.
http://www.davidtinney.net/images/shredded-cherry-wood3-mod.jpgThe normal way of using wood smoking chunks or chips is to soak them in water and place them on the coals. Once they catch fire, some smoke is released that flavors the meat on the grill. However, shredded wood is better in that more wood surface is exposed to heat, producing a more intense smoke in much less time. If you're going to be smoking meat for a longer period of time, simply use two pouches, one with dry shreds, the second pouch with shreds that have been soaked in water for 20 minutes. The dry shreds get things going right away, while the wet ones give you the legs to go the distance, adding more moisturized smoke during the longer cooking times.
Shredded wood is much more economical than traditional chunks or chips, too. Because a more intense smoke is released from the pouch, much less shredded wood is needed to produce better results. The cost per use is much less for wood shreds than any other form of smoking wood chips.
How To Use Shredded Wood For Smoking

Wood burns when heated. If you starve wood of oxygen when you heat it, it smokes rather than burning to ash. Wood shreds sealed in an aluminum foil pouch will produce an intense smoke that will flavor just about an steak, burger or poultry you place on the grill.
http://www.davidtinney.net/images/foil-pouch1.jpg http://www.davidtinney.net/images/foil-pouch2.jpg A pouch made of heavy duty aluminum foil with just one very small hole in one side works great to provide smoke in just about any outdoor cooker. To make the foil pouch, cut a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil 6" by 12" and fold in half making a 6"x6" square. Fold the side edges at least twice, pressing each fold firmly along the entire side. Put 1/2 of a cup of shredded wood in the pouch and fold the top to seal. Poke a hole in one side of the pouch with a toothpick or saftey pin.
http://www.davidtinney.net/images/foil-pouch3.jpg http://www.davidtinney.net/images/foil-pouch4.jpg Place the pouch on top of your charcoal briquettes or above the gas flame. When the smoke starts coming out of the hole in the pouch, put your food on the cooking grate and close the cover of your cooker. Smoke should last up to 30 minutes depending on the temperature of your cooker. Remember, one small hole is all you need.
For best results, soak your wood shreds for 20 minutes in water, shake excess water off before placing in the foil pouch.

Types of wood for smoking

http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Cherry - beef, burgers, pork, poultry, fish


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Apple - lamb, pork, poultry, fish


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Maple - pork, poultry, fish


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Oak - beef, burgers, lamb, poultry, fish


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Pecan - beef, burgers, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, game


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Hickory - beef, burgers, pork, poultry, fish


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Mesquite - beef, burgers, lamb, pork, poultry, fish


http://www.davidtinney.net/images/little-arrow.gif Dogwood - beef, burgers, pork


Oak - Heavy smoke flavor--the king of smoking wood. RED OAK is good on ribs, WHITE OAK makes the best coals for longer burning. All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking.


Pecan - Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory. Tasty with a subtle character. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood. A mellower version of hickory.


Hickory - Sweet to strong flavor. Probably the most commonly used wood for smoking.


Mesquite - Strong earthy flavor, one of the hottest burning smoking woods.
Cherry - Mild and fruity. Some say the cherry wood is the all-around best wood for smoking.


Apple - Very mild with a subtle fruity flavor, slightly sweet.


Maple - Delicate with a hint of sweetness, maple produces a mild and mellow smoke that imparts a sweet flavor that is traditional for smoking ham. Also good with poultry, pork, and seafood.


Dogwood - Medium smoke flavor, mixes well with fruity woods.
Useful Tips for smoking meats on your BBQ grill

Your barbecue grill can also be used as a smoker by using a smoke box and aromatic wood shreds. There are two approaches to take, depending on what you are grilling.



One is to mix equal parts dry and wet shreds, soaked in water or wine for at least 20 minutes, together. This works best for chicken, ribs, roasts or anything that will be cooking for more than 20 minutes. The dry shreds get things going right away, while the wet ones give you the legs to go the distance, adding more moisturized smoke during the longer cooking times.


For grilling steaks, fish or anything that will be on the grill a relatively short amount of time, use dry shreds only in a foil pouch. This will maximize the smoke flavor acquired by the food during the short amount of time it is on the grill.


A pan of water placed on the grill during long periods of smoke cooking will not only help keep the food moist, but will help maintain lower cooking temperatures as well.


When smoking, low temperatures (between 200° and 250°F) and longer cooking times will result in more intense smoke flavor and also more tender meats. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure meat has cooked all the way through to the right temperature. Smoke flavor that is created by a selection of wood shreds is usually a matter of personal preference. Some people will even create a blend of several flavors to satisfy their own preference.


Never grill or smoke over woods such as cottonwood, willow, pine, or poplar. These woods are high in resins and are unsuitable for grilling or smoking meats.

[Delphine]

Oh, sorry. I thought this was about something else.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/AnnabelleL/Smilies/15_4_1301.gif

[Dera]

Me, too, Delphs. Me too. Sigh.

[Captain Beyond]

Here is a good site Alphs.

http://www.askthemeatman.com/woods_to_use_for_smoking_art_updated_9300.htm

[MuseNoir]

Alpha - I am so excited for you!!! I have wanted a smoker for years now. From what I know about them, you have to be really patient. The best meats are smoked for hours and hours. Did you get a Big Green Egg???? Those are pretty incredible.

[whskyfan]

Just ran across this thread. This is what I use. Mostly with just mesquite charcoal. Home made and works great.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o247/whskyfan/Junk009.jpg

[Ivy]

Oh, sorry. I thought this was about something else.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/AnnabelleL/Smilies/15_4_1301.gif

me too... :theyareontome:

[Alpha]

:lmao: :lmao: ....well those of you who thought this thread was about something else can always start a thread about the "other " type of smoking :D ;) :lmao: :wall:

[Alpha]

Just ran across this thread. This is what I use. Mostly with just mesquite charcoal. Home made and works great.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o247/whskyfan/Junk009.jpg

That looks like one mean machine whskyfan :yup: :yup: :yumyum:

Do share some of your recipes with us sometime please.....

What do you like to smoke the best?....this kind of smoking ;)

[whskyfan]

My favorite is what is known as tri-tip here in California. I understand it is known as a brisket in other parts of the country. I marinate them in lemon juice for a couple of hours then season them with salt, pepper and garlic. Never have been much on a lot of seasoning. I rely mostly on the smoke from the fat on the meat for flavor.

I've put a lot of different things in this barrel, but beef seems to be the best.

I love "alternative" cooking. Got another device I use. If I can find the pics I'll post it a little later.

[whskyfan]

Found it. An old truck brake drum and a disc blade, the desert wok. Need to get some use out of this again soon.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o247/whskyfan/DesertWok-1.jpg
A couple of big aged rib steaks with the fat trimmed and cut into small pieces. Cut up the fat and heat in the wok over some nice dry grape vines 'til it smokes and throw in some bell pepper and onion. Then toss in the meat, when done (about 30 seconds), serve in a flour tortilla. Actually best for the cooler months of the year , grape vines burn HOT. Not exactly a heart healthy meal, but damn it's good!

[Judee]

That's an awesome cooker whskyfan!!! :yumyum:

[Alpha]

That's more than cool whskyfan :cool:

I've never seen anything like it before WOW!! Thanks for sharing that.

I've done beef brisket in the smoker before as well...it does turn out great...so does pork butt or shoulder :yup::yup:

Last year I did a small turkey.....that also turned out great.

I usually season or use a rub...then have a mop to baste during the process, depending of what type of meat I'm smoking.

I also like to put some aromatics in the water bowl....like onion, garlic, herbs ...sometimes some apple .....it gives the meat a nice flavour along with the flavor of the wood one uses.

[maryals]

With the return of outdoor cooking season, this thread deserves a bump up.

Mary http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f266/sithgoddess/icons/gardening.gif and Bessie

[Delphine]

Oh, sorry. I thought this was about something else.

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f382/AnnabelleL/Smilies/15_4_1301.gif

I fell for it, again. That's how long my memory is...:shocked: Hey, look...when did I start posting in GREEN?

[Judee]

I fell for it, again. That's how long my memory is...:shocked: Hey, look...when did I start posting in GREEN?

Don't feel bad Delphine! I thought the same thing too when I saw the title of the thread! :439:

[Alpha]

Just wanted to share my new toy....can't wait to "fire it up" !!!

http://images-p.qvc.com/is/image/k/68/k6268.002?$uslarge$

[Project]

I have one just like that Alpha (http://tinyurl.com/78o55xt). A Bradley smoker (not sure yours is a bradley, but looks very similar. You got the digital one I think? Mine is the basic model, but works great. I tend to not put much smoke, I smoke stuff for an hour usually and find that is more than enough smoke flavour. It is the slow cooking that is the key, as well as the brining and rub, both of which I put a lot of attention into, brining for 24 hours, homemade rub in the mortar/pestle with fresh dried herbs (I dehydrate my own herbs). I find this part is more important than the smoke.

My fave is salmon, I do tons of it. It makes great leftovers - whip up some fresh dill cream cheese and serve with some fresh bagels. I have made a few batches of maple-glazed candied salmon (rested on salt overnight to draw out the moisture, then washed, and glazed repeatedly throughout the cooking process - WOW).

My other fave is turkey breast. Get the quarter turkey, brine 24 hours in water mixed with salt and fresh herbs (rosemary works well), then rubbed and rested overnight again. The nice thing about our smokers is the capacity, I tend to load it totally full every time and freeze/gift the extra.

I actually put mine in the garage and use it there now, right next to the garage door, with a huge fan blowing from behind it. Works great and is weatherproof.

[Project]

Oh and pork ribs and pork tenderloin is awesome too :)

[Alpha]

I have one just like that Alpha (http://tinyurl.com/78o55xt). A Bradley smoker (not sure yours is a bradley, but looks very similar. You got the digital one I think? Mine is the basic model, but works great. I tend to not put much smoke, I smoke stuff for an hour usually and find that is more than enough smoke flavour. It is the slow cooking that is the key, as well as the brining and rub, both of which I put a lot of attention into, brining for 24 hours, homemade rub in the mortar/pestle with fresh dried herbs (I dehydrate my own herbs). I find this part is more important than the smoke.

My fave is salmon, I do tons of it. It makes great leftovers - whip up some fresh dill cream cheese and serve with some fresh bagels. I have made a few batches of maple-glazed candied salmon (rested on salt overnight to draw out the moisture, then washed, and glazed repeatedly throughout the cooking process - WOW).

My other fave is turkey breast. Get the quarter turkey, brine 24 hours in water mixed with salt and fresh herbs (rosemary works well), then rubbed and rested overnight again. The nice thing about our smokers is the capacity, I tend to load it totally full every time and freeze/gift the extra.

I actually put mine in the garage and use it there now, right next to the garage door, with a huge fan blowing from behind it. Works great and is weatherproof.

Thanks for the tips P.

I got the Masterbuilt digital: http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Electric-Smokehouse-Smoker/product/97894/45432

My son has one and he likes it so I thought I'd got the same, plus I didn't like the idea of the Bradley pucks because I want to play with blending some wood flavor which is better done with wood chips, I think.

I have a charcoal smoker, but I"m just not in to the effort anymore of constant monitoring for temp, adding charcoal etc. and I have just too many wonderful yet painful memories of smoking that way and I just can't go there....although I love the flavor you get from a charcoal smoker.

Please post some of your recipes, especially the one for maple glazed candied salmon, which I love and buy all the time, when I can find it.

Like you I grow fresh herbs and dry them too and have a huge spice/herb cupboard.

I've smoked pork butt, ribs and a whole turkey & chicken before, but in the charcoal smoker.

I think my first go at it will be to do some brined, then rubbed chicken quarters and ribs. I also want to try a brisket of course...and turkey and fish...well just about everything.

Do you or have you smoked any veggies along with your protein? Have you ever tried smoking cheese?

I'd love to have some of your recipes to try.

I also love your idea about the garage with a large fan....great idea since lately these past summers we usually get late afternoon storms that move in...going to try that too :)

...and yes of course, Montreal style bagels....only one's I will buy and eat. I can get St Viateur here at Metro.....going to have to do that maple glazed candied salmon of yours to go with some of those :yumyum:

[Judee]

Just wanted to share my new toy....can't wait to "fire it up" !!!

http://images-p.qvc.com/is/image/k/68/k6268.002?$uslarge$

That's an awesome toy Alpha!! I'll bet you will eating some incredible foods soon. Hope you smoke some cheese. Let me know how it is if you do! :veryhappy

[Alpha]

That's an awesome toy Alpha!! I'll bet you will eating some incredible foods soon. Hope you smoke some cheese. Let me know how it is if you do! :veryhappy

I'll let you guys know how I make out.

Right now this new toy is in my family room...I have put it together...now I have to run it for 3 hours to "season" it.

Re the cheese...HELP!!!

I'd love to try that but I have no clue....o.k. Ms. Cheese...aka Judee....what do I do??

[Project]

I never tried cheese but I do know you need to cold smoke it of course. Just chuck a piece in, turn on the smoke only, no heat and wait an hour :) Try some Gouda or Cheddar to begin with.

Chicken (I find) Does not fare as well as turkey. Chicken is better rotisseried for my tastes.

[Alpha]

I never tried cheese but I do know you need to cold smoke it of course. Just chuck a piece in, turn on the smoke only, no heat and wait an hour :) Try some Gouda or Cheddar to begin with.

Chicken (I find) Does not fare as well as turkey. Chicken is better rotisseried for my tastes.

Do you have a good cook book for an electric smoker that you would recommend P, or do you just hunt for recipes and tips on the net? Nothing much came with my smoker except for a few recipes in the user manual.

I really want your maple glazed candied salmon P...the recipe and the method. I know you can't really mop or baste in this electric smoker, so I am curious what you do with the glaze and when.

[Project]

I don't really use recipes for the smoker... the bradley site has some though http://www.bradleysmoker.com/bradley-recipes/

For the candied salmon:

- take skin off salmon
- lay it on coarse salt (about a half inch thick) for 6 hours then flip and another 6 hours. You can do this even longer, this draws the moisture out of the fish and makes it brittle. (pour off water if there is too much)
- wash it off well to get rid of as much salt as possible
- smoke/cook it (low temperature) (I actually only smoke it for 1-2 hours out of the whole cooking time or else the smoke flavour is overpowering imo)
- while cooking, glaze it with maple syrup as often as you can stand. I do it usually about 6 times.

Bradley has a similar recipe http://www.bradleysmoker.com/recipes/indian-candy/ but they use 50/50 salt and brown sugar and no maple syrup. I like my way :)

The longer you smoke it the more brittle and chewy it gets. You need to experiment with how you like it. Take one out early and one out later and see which you prefer (they will both be good hehe).

I have experimented with beef cuts and never been satisfied. Same with pork. I just don't like fatty meat. I smoke my ribs until they are really dried out then use a good homemade BBQ sauce on them. Fish, poultry and ribs are pretty much all I make. I would rather make a beef roast or cook it over a hardwood fire instead.

Maple syrup is a regular baste for me, I use it on lots of stuff. Just had salmon skewers last night on the wood grill marinated in and basted with maple syrup. So great!

There are some people who smoke coffee beans, have not tried that yet but may some day.

[Alpha]

Thanks P....I'm very much like you and wing stuff most of the time.

I did find these 2 recipes that look really good...lot's of maple syrup though :yikes:

SALMON CANDY

4.5 L cold water
1.5 cups of soy sauce
1 cup Kosher salt
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 tb garlic power
1.5 tb cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cups maple syrup

marinate in fridge for 24 hours

drain liquid and let dry off
put in ziplock with 1 cup maple syrup and toss for several minutes
glaze for 4 hours with fan on salmon strips

in smoker with 8 pucks of apple
120F for 2 hours
140F for 3 hours
175F for 1-3 hours until done

let cool
vacuum pack and freeze

--------------------------------------------------

Maple Glaze for Salmon

1 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Fresh ground pepper to taste

In a small heavy saucepan simmer maple syrup, gingerroot, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, soy sauce, garlic, lemon zest and pepper to taste until reduced to about 1 cup, about 30 minutes, and let cool. (Maple glaze may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring maple glaze to room temperature before proceeding.)

In another small saucepan heat half of glaze over low heat until heated through to use as a sauce. Stir in remaining tablespoon lemon juice. Remove pan from heat and keep sauce warm, covered.

NOTE: If you simmer the glaze for the full 30 minutes it will be more of a basting sauce. To use as a mop, divide the glaze into two equal portions after simmering for 5 - 10 minutes (long enough for the flavors to meld together). Simmer the second portion for the remaining 20 minutes and then add the last teaspoon of lemon juice. Serve as a side sauce.

The original recipe listed "Salt to taste". Since this recipe also contains soy sauce I omitted the salt altogether and replace the soy sauce with a "Low Sodium" Soy sauce.

If you choose to "spray" your mop, strain the sauce through some cheese cloth or pour though a fine mesh strainer to remove the garlic, ginger root and lemon zest.


This looks like another one to possibly try:

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=21712.0

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_0-aEomHvbkE/TaJE_6GOL1I/AAAAAAAAAkQ/Oh8C4WR1nVI/s800/P1020699.JPG

Man, this is making me hungry!!!

[Project]

haha yeah I am going out to buy some salmon right now to make a batch :)

[Alpha]

haha yeah I am going out to buy some salmon right now to make a batch :)

I'm jealous...I'm just seasoning my smoker now....first run before I can use it.

Take some pics P....we want to see your delicacies when they're done :yumyum:

Bon appetit!!!

[Judee]

Are these smokers something that could be used if one had close neighbors? How much smoke do they produce? Do they use wood, pellets, or what? Inquiring minds want to know! :lmao:

[Alpha]

Are these smokers something that could be used if one had close neighbors? How much smoke do they produce? Do they use wood, pellets, or what? Inquiring minds want to know! :lmao:

Judee....no-one has closer neighbours than what we have here in suburbia.

Where you are, that is not even an issue IMHO.

P & I have electric digital smokers, however there are propane ones and the old fashioned charcoal ones ( I have one of these too, however for reasons I have already posted about, it's both too painful and labor intensive for me to go back to doing it that way, although you'll never get better flavor than by using a regular charcoal smoker, bought or made yourself IMO.

The electric ones are basically effortless to some degree.

You can preset temp, time...feed the smoker how often you choose to for how much smokiness you want etc.

Project has the one that you have to buy pre-made wood "pucks" for....it has a feeder and you load them up and that's it.

I didn't get that one, because I like the idea of using wood chips, so one can mix and blend the wood you want to use.

I think mine could probably do pellets too, but I like the idea of wood chips better.

Of course, using a charcoal smoker you can just use wood you collect and dry....unless of course one wants to chip their own wood to use in one like mine.

Bottoms line, you lucky folks in the US can buy an electric smoker for about 1/2 the price we can get it up here in Canada....and get free shipping too.

Mine cost $85 to ship to me.

Here's the one that I bought and it's at a great price for you guys in the US at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Masterbuilt-20070910-30-Inch-Electric-Smokehouse/dp/B00104WRCY

Here's the one I think Project has:

http://www.amazon.com/Bradley-Smoker-BTDS76P-Digital-4-Rack/dp/B000FJZ150

[Project]

Just as a point, the wood pucks are nice becuase you can load up a pre-defined time amount of pucks, each puck lasts 20mins, so you can load up 10 to do 2 hours of smoking without having to go check it and change them etc. You can do a mix, just put one puck of something, then another on top of that.

If it is your first smoker I might suggest getting a charcoal one, they are really cheap, and double as a good charcoal BBQ as well. They definitely take more TLC, but this is how all the "real" smokers work. Then you don't need wood chips as you are using real wood. I have this one which is quite good http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=smoker&oe=utf-8&client=ubuntu&channel=fs&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=7293576543605130927&sa=X&ei=WELfT9eGDdGl6AGy_eSNCw&ved=0CJ8BEPICMAE

[Project]

This is actually the one I have, for the price it is awesome http://www.amazon.com/Bradley-BTIS1-Original-Automatic-Smoker/dp/B000FK2DNM/ref=pd_sbs_lg_3

The only difference to the one Alpha posted is the digital control, which is really not necessary since I use a handheld temperature probe on the meat, and there is a thermmometer on the smoker itself.

[Alpha]

I have a charcoal smoker as well...one of the "bullet" looking types. I love the charcoal taste and I will still use it from time to time, however this so far seems so much easier.

Actually I'm smoking ribs and chicken quarters as I type this.

I made 2 different rubs yesterday, brined the chicken and can't wait to see how it all turns out. I'm using applewood with a bit of hickory thrown in for the smoke.

P, tell me more about how you smoke in your garage. Is your garage attached to your home or is it detached?

I have a double car attached garage and was thinking of smoking in there, but was worried about how the smoke smell might permeate into the house...anyway thoughts and tips would be appreciated.

It's threatening thunder storms later and I'm petrified it's going to come on suddenly and start to rain, although I have 2 umbrella's up on the patio.

[Project]

My garage is attached, and my living room is on top of it. There is no real smell that I can smell, but the garage is pretty well sealed. I use a commercial-type fan - something similar to http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/1/HeatingAirConditioning/ElectricFans/PRD~0435695P/Mastercraft+High+Velocity+Fan%2C+24-in.jsp?locale=en - it seriously moves the air. The smoker is right at the front of garage next to the open door (maybe I did not mention, I only do it with the garage door fully open), and the fan is about 8 feet behind it, blowing directly at the vent on top for the smoke, and blowing it outside.

I don't think this is really recommended, but since there is so little combustion going on there is almost no carbon monoxide being produced, and since it is summer we have the house windows open anyways so there is no worry about that. It is really only the smell (which I don't even notice). I do keep a CO monitor active at all times in the house anyways since a close friend almost died and almost killed his whole family from a partially blocked flue a few winters ago.

Try a seasoning burn-in (or just a short smoke session) in the garage for a short time and see... The garage defintiely smells yummy for a few days after a smoke session, but even that goes away pretty fast.

One of the HUGE problems with my smoker, and I assume all electric smokers is they are not weather proof... so an 8 hour or 12 hour smoke (not to mention the smoker itself) can be really easily ruined by a freak shower.

[Project]

Another little tip I have learned, don't be afraid to throw the stuff you smoke in the oven afterwards to crisp it up. The low temps often can't crisp up skin and so on, chicken and turkey especially can benefit from a bit of time at a high temperature to finish them. Not long enough to cook more, just to crisp.

If you time it right you can remove the chicken at 150F and crisp it up till it hits 160F.

[Alpha]

Well, here is how it turned out....it doesn't look all the great in the photo, but it's tastes out of this world :yumyum:

10108

Ribs on the left, chicken on the right...and of course after my son and his friends ate a whole bunch, along with home shredded slaw & home made dressing, potato salad and 3 bean salad....I know, no baked beans and corn bread...mebbe next time.

I'm pleased with my first attempt...and this is so, so much easier than messing with a charcoal smoker. It looks burned, but it's not because it has been cooking for hours at 225F.

[Project]

Very nice!

I personally do ribs at a lower temp, never above 200, and do them until I can break one off easily. Then I finish in oven with (homemade of course) BBQ sauce over them (with lots of maple in it so it glazes), aluminum foil over it till it is really hot, then broil till really golden and bubbly.

I take almost all my smoking and vacuum seal it then freeze it. I strip all the breast meat off and freeze that and make a soup or gravy out of the dark meat.

[Judee]

Well, here is how it turned out....it doesn't look all the great in the photo, but it's tastes out of this world :yumyum:

10108

Ribs on the left, chicken on the right...and of course after my son and his friends ate a whole bunch, along with home shredded slaw & home made dressing, potato salad and 3 bean salad....I know, no baked beans and corn bread...mebbe next time.

I'm pleased with my first attempt...and this is so, so much easier than messing with a charcoal smoker. It looks burned, but it's not because it has been cooking for hours at 225F.

What a feast Alpha. I'm drooling...

[Judee]

Well, here is how it turned out....it doesn't look all the great in the photo, but it's tastes out of this world :yumyum:

10108

Ribs on the left, chicken on the right...and of course after my son and his friends ate a whole bunch, along with home shredded slaw & home made dressing, potato salad and 3 bean salad....I know, no baked beans and corn bread...mebbe next time.

I'm pleased with my first attempt...and this is so, so much easier than messing with a charcoal smoker. It looks burned, but it's not because it has been cooking for hours at 225F.

What a feast Alpha. I'm drooling...

[Alpha]

My garage is attached, and my living room is on top of it. There is no real smell that I can smell, but the garage is pretty well sealed. I use a commercial-type fan - something similar to http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/1/HeatingAirConditioning/ElectricFans/PRD~0435695P/Mastercraft+High+Velocity+Fan%2C+24-in.jsp?locale=en (http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/browse/3/HouseHome/1/HeatingAirConditioning/ElectricFans/PRD%7E0435695P/Mastercraft+High+Velocity+Fan%2C+24-in.jsp?locale=en) - it seriously moves the air. The smoker is right at the front of garage next to the open door (maybe I did not mention, I only do it with the garage door fully open), and the fan is about 8 feet behind it, blowing directly at the vent on top for the smoke, and blowing it outside.

I don't think this is really recommended, but since there is so little combustion going on there is almost no carbon monoxide being produced, and since it is summer we have the house windows open anyways so there is no worry about that. It is really only the smell (which I don't even notice). I do keep a CO monitor active at all times in the house anyways since a close friend almost died and almost killed his whole family from a partially blocked flue a few winters ago.

Try a seasoning burn-in (or just a short smoke session) in the garage for a short time and see... The garage defintiely smells yummy for a few days after a smoke session, but even that goes away pretty fast.

One of the HUGE problems with my smoker, and I assume all electric smokers is they are not weather proof... so an 8 hour or 12 hour smoke (not to mention the smoker itself) can be really easily ruined by a freak shower.

Thanks P...I appreciate the advice.

I tend to agree with you regarding the smoke being minimal and with a good fan it should not be a problem.

I prefer to smoke outside, but the summer weather here the last few years seem to produce thunder showers in late afternoon almost everyday or so it seems, which makes it really difficult to pick a perfect day to smoke something larger outside.

Take a look at what this guy built...it's pretty cool.

Smoking pork ribs on Masterbuilt Electric Smoker


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0n3-DQhTx4

BTW, this is exactly the smoker that I have.

[Alpha]

Very nice!

I personally do ribs at a lower temp, never above 200, and do them until I can break one off easily. Then I finish in oven with (homemade of course) BBQ sauce over them (with lots of maple in it so it glazes), aluminum foil over it till it is really hot, then broil till really golden and bubbly.

I take almost all my smoking and vacuum seal it then freeze it. I strip all the breast meat off and freeze that and make a soup or gravy out of the dark meat.

That sounds really fantastic P :yumyum:

I'm going to do that next time. This time I just made a Louisiana style sauce to dip into and a home made slaw to go with the meat...and some potato salad of course.

I like to vacuum seal too, and use left overs for sandwiches, especially when doing pulled pork, brisket or chicken. You can portion for one sandwich or just as a meat portion and then just heat it up in boiling water on the stove for an amazing sandwich.

Have you ever tried this? I saw a couple of videos where people are occasionally spraying the meat, either with cider, apple juice/other during the cooking process and then carefully basting the meat with BBQ sauce in the smoker near the end of the process.

I think I'm going to do turkey breast and thighs for my next smoke...then after that a pulled pork butt or shoulder :yup:

[Project]

Yes I sometimes "mop" with apple juice or other basting medium (ie maple syrup). I use something like this http://www.isi-store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=ISI+B20101&. which is very convenient as you don't have to go keep refilling it. Basically if I want a glaze on the meat I use this, or if it may get very dry - chicken especially can benefit from this.

However, brining is more important. Brine for 24 hours and keep temps right and you won't need to mop. In reality most of the mop will evaporate and not penetrate the meat anyways, so it is up to you whether this is worth it or not.

[Project]

One of the best things I have made from smoked turkey is turkey pot pie. Use the dark meat to make a gravy, then mix the white meat with peas, carrots, potato and put it in the pastry shell with the gravy. I make little lunch sized ones in aluminum roating pans (you can get them at grocery store and they come with lids, it is the sort of thing takeout restaurants use - if you are careful you can even wash and reuse these). I usually make 10+ pies at a time as well as a large one, and freeze all the small ones. Bake 'em for 40mins and you have an awesome yummy nutritious lunch.

[Alpha]

Yes I sometimes "mop" with apple juice or other basting medium (ie maple syrup). I use something like this http://www.isi-store.com/product_detail.asp?T1=ISI+B20101&. which is very convenient as you don't have to go keep refilling it. Basically if I want a glaze on the meat I use this, or if it may get very dry - chicken especially can benefit from this.

However, brining is more important. Brine for 24 hours and keep temps right and you won't need to mop. In reality most of the mop will evaporate and not penetrate the meat anyways, so it is up to you whether this is worth it or not.

I like that baster :biggthump

You are right. The chicken I brined and smoked a few days ago turned out amazing...it really made a huge difference.

[Project]

Thought I would post some mouth-watering pics of my last smoking session. The rub I used was great, demerara sugar and kosher salt plus rosemary, thyme, lots of paprika, garlic and olive oil. Smoked very low for almost 7 hours.

10368

10367

[Alpha]

Thought I would post some mouth-watering pics of my last smoking session. The rub I used was great, demerara sugar and kosher salt plus rosemary, thyme, lots of paprika, garlic and olive oil. Smoked very low for almost 7 hours.

10368

10367

That looks more than amazing P :yumyum: :biggthump

I have a large pork butt in my freezer that I'm going to smoke next week. Going to do the vaccum seal bit too.

Great job!!

[Judee]

You guys are getting me jazzed about getting an electric smoker one of these days! Can you smoke veggies too?

[Dera]

What the heck is "demerara sugar"? Never heard of it. Must be Canadian. :scratchch :hat:

[Judee]

What the heck is "demerara sugar"? Never heard of it. Must be Canadian. :scratchch :hat:

Here you go Dera:


Demerara sugar is a type of unrefined sugar with a large grain and a pale to golden yellow color. It is suitable for a number of cooking and baking projects, and tends to be very popular as a sweetener for tea and coffee. Many grocers stock demerara sugar along with other specialty sugars, often in small packages for consumers who simply want to experiment with it. It is also ubiquitous in coffee houses, often in single serving packets along with other sweeteners.

The sugar is named a once-colonized area in the now-independent country of Guyana, which first began producing and selling the sugar in large volume. The bulk of demerara production now takes place on the island of Mauritius, but the name appears to have endured. It is extracted primarily from sugar cane, rather than sugar beets, and tends to be more expensive than refined sugars as a result. The minimal processing gives demerara sugar a unique flavor and texture.

To make demerara sugar, sugar producers press sugar cane and steam the juice of the first pressing to form thick cane syrup. The cane syrup is allowed to dehydrate, leaving behind large golden brown crystals of sugar. Demerara sugar is not refined, so it has a rich, creamy, molasses-like flavor which enhances baked goods. The large grains also remain crunchy through cooking, which makes demerara sugar a great choice of sprinkled topping on scones and similar dishes which might otherwise have a uniform texture.

[Alpha]

You guys are getting me jazzed about getting an electric smoker one of these days! Can you smoke veggies too?

Of course....you can smoke veggies, cheese, fish, macaroni & cheese...just about anything.

I love my electric smoker Judee. If I knew years ago how well it worked and how easy it is, I would have bought one years ago.

Go for it...you won't regret the purchase. They are much less expensive in the US too.....as just about almost everything is :grumble:

[Project]

What the heck is "demerara sugar"? Never heard of it. Must be Canadian. :scratchch :hat:

It is my favourite sugar to cook with, highly recommended! Not processed, quite natural tasting. Think of it like a very mild brown sugar.

I don't actually have any white sugar in the house at all, it has been replaced by things like stevia, cane sugar, demerara, agave syrup, other sugar varieties (go to your local health food store and revel in the processed sugar alternatives)

[Alpha]

Time to share some more smoking experiences.

Yesterday we smoked baby back ribs and chicken wings done 2 ways.

The ribs were coated with a rub consisting of 2 types of sugar, paprika, ginger, rosemary powder, onion & garlic powder, salt, pepper.

One batch of chicken wings was done with a rub consisting of brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, onion & garlic powder and salt, the other was soaked in a buttermilk & hot sauce & cayenne marinade first and then dusted with a texas style chicken wing rub. We made 3 different types of BBQ sauce: Carolina Style, KC Style and another and also a blue cheese dip and a chipotle ranch dip for the wings.

Dual smoker actions going on yesterday:

11619 11620

Finished products:

11621 11622

We also made an Outback style "blooming onion" with the dip :yumyum:

11623

Dessert was carrot caramel cheesecake and a chocolate mousse torte...full tummies and happy faces from all!!

If anyone is looking for something new and fun to do this spring and summer, I highly recommend trying your hand with smoking....lots of fun and lots of good food too!!

[Project]

Alpha you are obviously a master smoker now! Great shots, great setup! Drooling....

Here is one I made last week just for me, proves you don't have to do a big deal when you fire up the smoker. This is beef side ribs, and I am very happy with the results, I like them more than pork ribs I think. Lots of meat, less fatty (if you cook it long enough). Beef side ribs with sweet potato biscuits, BBQ style shrimp, homemade guiness BBQ sauce.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8390/8673278224_677d5c5226_c.jpg

[maryals]

OMG you're making me hungry!
I'll have to go back and re-read each post and recipes and hints. Now that we have a back deck and big back yard, I just might buy a Smoker for us :yup:

Mary and Baby 11629

[Judee]

Time to share some more smoking experiences.

Yesterday we smoked baby back ribs and chicken wings done 2 ways.

The ribs were coated with a rub consisting of 2 types of sugar, paprika, ginger, rosemary powder, onion & garlic powder, salt, pepper.

One batch of chicken wings was done with a rub consisting of brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, onion & garlic powder and salt, the other was soaked in a buttermilk & hot sauce & cayenne marinade first and then dusted with a texas style chicken wing rub. We made 3 different types of BBQ sauce: Carolina Style, KC Style and another and also a blue cheese dip and a chipotle ranch dip for the wings.

Dual smoker actions going on yesterday:

11619 11620

Finished products:

11621 11622

We also made an Outback style "blooming onion" with the dip :yumyum:

11623

Dessert was carrot caramel cheesecake and a chocolate mousse torte...full tummies and happy faces from all!!

If anyone is looking for something new and fun to do this spring and summer, I highly recommend trying your hand with smoking....lots of fun and lots of good food too!!

All I can say is I wish I could have been at your house for the party!! 11630 Good, good stuff!!

[Alpha]

Alpha you are obviously a master smoker now! Great shots, great setup! Drooling....

Here is one I made last week just for me, proves you don't have to do a big deal when you fire up the smoker. This is beef side ribs, and I am very happy with the results, I like them more than pork ribs I think. Lots of meat, less fatty (if you cook it long enough). Beef side ribs with sweet potato biscuits, BBQ style shrimp, homemade guiness BBQ sauce.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8390/8673278224_677d5c5226_c.jpg

That looks more than amazing P!! :yumyum:

I haven't been a huge fan of beef ribs done conventionally, however those look amazing and the smoker does a great jog of just basting whatever you are cooking in the natural fat and leaving the meat tasty and without. I am going to have to try this for sure!!! ....I'd also love the recipe for your sweet potato biscuits.

Did you smoke or just BBQ your shrimp?

I'm no where nears a "master smoker" but I am getting better and more confident, but thanks for the nice words :hug:

So far the favorite things I have smoked are a whole packer beef brisket and chicken leg quarters that are brined abd then dusted with rub of choice.

I did a whole packer brisket and Christmas time in the freezing cold and it turned out more than great. I'll see if I have some photos somewhere and post them if I do.

Great shot P!!...thanks for sharing. :)

[Alpha]

OMG you're making me hungry!
I'll have to go back and re-read each post and recipes and hints. Now that we have a back deck and big back yard, I just might buy a Smoker for us :yup:

Mary and Baby 11629

Mary, I think you and James would love to have a smoker for that new deck and backyard of yours.

The food is slow cooked, delicious...you can play with all kinds of spices, rubs, marinades, brines, different types of wood for the smoke flavor and do all kinds of things in a smoker.

I have yet to smoke fish and especially maple candied salmon which I am dying to try.

I have smoked on the coldest winter days, so you can even do this in the winter if you like.

If you can find a good deal, snap one up....you won't be sorry :no: :no:

[Alpha]

All I can say is I wish I could have been at your house for the party!! 11630 Good, good stuff!!

You would have been more than welcome to join us Judee...any of my friends here at IW would be!! ...we have more than plenty of food as you can see by the photos!!

[Project]

The biscuits are a bit of a pain the butt, I basically followed http://www.chow.com/recipes/10886-sweet-potato-biscuits - the hard part is doing the initial kneading, it is a mess and it sure doesn't look like it will make dough (it is because of the grated butter, which melts fast so you have to move fast). I also used buttermilk (tblspoon of good apple cider vinegar added to the whole milk) to make them fluffier. They were amazing, 3rd time I made them and by far the best. Great way to sop up juices on your plate.

The beef ribs: Rubbed (basically paprika, garlic, pepper, salt and aleppo pepper) and sat for a few hours wrapped tightly. Applewood smoked for 4 hours at low temp (just under 200F). Take off, wrap tightly again with apple juice added (about 4-5 tablespoons I guess, a good splash), and sit for an hour or so. Reheated while still wrapped for 2 hours, then unwrapped and basted with good BBQ sauce, and baked until bubbly and slightly crisp. Totally fall off the bone and amazing flavour. Almost no fat rendered out while in last heat.

I'd like to see a pic of the brisket and any details about what you bought exactly and how much it was... I have yet to go that route.

[Alpha]

The biscuits are a bit of a pain the butt, I basically followed http://www.chow.com/recipes/10886-sweet-potato-biscuits - the hard part is doing the initial kneading, it is a mess and it sure doesn't look like it will make dough (it is because of the grated butter, which melts fast so you have to move fast). I also used buttermilk (tblspoon of good apple cider vinegar added to the whole milk) to make them fluffier. They were amazing, 3rd time I made them and by far the best. Great way to sop up juices on your plate.

The beef ribs: Rubbed (basically paprika, garlic, pepper, salt and aleppo pepper) and sat for a few hours wrapped tightly. Applewood smoked for 4 hours at low temp (just under 200F). Take off, wrap tightly again with apple juice added (about 4-5 tablespoons I guess, a good splash), and sit for an hour or so. Reheated while still wrapped for 2 hours, then unwrapped and basted with good BBQ sauce, and baked until bubbly and slightly crisp. Totally fall off the bone and amazing flavour. Almost no fat rendered out while in last heat.

I'd like to see a pic of the brisket and any details about what you bought exactly and how much it was... I have yet to go that route.

Thanks for the recipe P!! :) I'm going to try those next time I smoke.

OK, regarding the brisket. You need to get a whole packer brisket. It will usually be somewhere in the 12 - 16 lb range. The best price I can get here in Ontario for really good beef brisket it between $3.49 lb - 3.99/lb, although at a couple of butcher shops I have been quoted as high as $6.49 which I will not pay.

The brisket is usually too long to fit in the smoker flat, so you will have to roll the thin end up. It will usually take about 18 hours or so to smoke, so I usually start mine at night and let it go all night.

This is a really good website to get you started with brisket and will pretty much tell you all you need to know.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/texas_brisket.html

Of course, you don't have to do it Texas style. You can use whatever rub and prep you wish.

I have done 2 or 3 briskets and they have all turned out more than great, the last one being the best.

I coat the brisket all over with regular mustard ( you won't taste it at all and it helps the rub stick), then use the rub of your choice and refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours before smoking . Let me meat get to room temperature before you put it in the smoker.

I can't believe I haven't taken more pictures of the briskets I have smoked. Here is one, however it was the smallest one I did at about 12 lbs...the others all were larger and IMO better.

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Do try it...you will love it. You can always make smaller packets of the smoked brisket and vacuum seal them for an easy and tasty meal later.

[Project]

I will see what my butcher has next time and will try it. I have held off because I did not think I could brine it properly yet... but I only have found it really necessary to brine chicken and turkey since they have less fat. The resting period with some juice added makes up for any missing brining in my opinion, for now anyways until I open my restaurant :) Thanks!

[Alpha]

I will see what my butcher has next time and will try it. I have held off because I did not think I could brine it properly yet... but I only have found it really necessary to brine chicken and turkey since they have less fat. The resting period with some juice added makes up for any missing brining in my opinion, for now anyways until I open my restaurant :) Thanks!

You don't have to brine it P unless you are trying to do Montreal Smoked Meat, which I haven't tried yet but want to at some point.

Like you, I only brine chicken and turkey in a simple brine and I've done wings with a buttermilk marinade which was nice.

The brisket has a lot of fat, so you don't need brine.

Check your butcher, however if the price is too high, check out some wholesale meat places in your area that also sell to the public. You will probably get the best prices and the best meat.

Also wrap your brisket when it reaches 150 degrees....add some fluid if you wish and continue smoking until it's tender and done. I always take mine to 203-205 degrees and then let it rest, rest, rest.

Make a bunch of your favorite BBQ sauces and your ready to go.

This is one of my favorites and is good for all types of smoked meat:

Wilson's Barbecue Award-Winning Eastern Carolina Vinegar Sauce

About This Recipe

"From Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives cookbook. Courtesy of Ed Wilson, owner of Wilson's Barbeque, Fairfield, Conn."
Ingredients





2 cups cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon red chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
1 cup ketchup



Directions



Whisk the vinegar, water, chile flakes, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt , pepper, and ketchup in a medium saucepan over low heat. Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes.

[Dark Skies]

Time to share some more smoking experiences.

Yesterday we smoked baby back ribs and chicken wings done 2 ways.

The ribs were coated with a rub consisting of 2 types of sugar, paprika, ginger, rosemary powder, onion & garlic powder, salt, pepper.

One batch of chicken wings was done with a rub consisting of brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, onion & garlic powder and salt, the other was soaked in a buttermilk & hot sauce & cayenne marinade first and then dusted with a texas style chicken wing rub. We made 3 different types of BBQ sauce: Carolina Style, KC Style and another and also a blue cheese dip and a chipotle ranch dip for the wings.

Dual smoker actions going on yesterday:

11619 11620

Finished products:

11621 11622

We also made an Outback style "blooming onion" with the dip :yumyum:

11623

Dessert was carrot caramel cheesecake and a chocolate mousse torte...full tummies and happy faces from all!!

If anyone is looking for something new and fun to do this spring and summer, I highly recommend trying your hand with smoking....lots of fun and lots of good food too!!

Don't be surprised if the IW gang shows up at your house one of these days :)

[Project]

Alpha is to me what a catering company is to a bachelor. I bow to her smoking majesty. All hail the Queen!

Your majesty! Might we have more bloomin'onion?

[Alpha]

End result of a 16 lb packer brisket smoked for 18 hours yesterday with applewood and pecan.

11771

This time I wanted the sauces to enhance the flavor of the brisket so I went with a very mild rub of brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and oregano.

We made 3 sauces: A honey/chipotle sauce, an east Carolina Vinegar Sauce and mustard sweet with heat sauce.

Potato pancakes (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-special-latkes-recipe/index.html) and slaw to go with the brisket.

[Judee]

You guys sure feast well up there Alpha! :veryhappy

BTW, I didn't recognize you with your new hottie avatar! It almost looks like Betty Boop 2013 style! :laugh2: