Everything smoking...meat smoking !! Tips, tricks, and recipes + (poll added)

Well finally ate and man was it amazing!! I had to bump up the temp a few times to help finish it. I have another one of these boneless butts in the freezer. Going to do this again but not jack up the temp as I will be doing a 20# brisket at the same time. Soon as this social distancing thing is gone.

 

Damn that looks juicy!

 

Oh yeah it is. The bark did taste a bit sweet too. I ran out of the rub I used on it or I would have added a little bit after shredding.

 

Baby back ribs.

 

Yep...I'm doing ribs soon. Thx @Casper3

 

Bacon wrapped fatty for dinner tonight.

 

Mmmm, fatty. What did you stuff it with?

We try to do a pair of fatties at least once a year, sometimes twice. They freeze well too, for pulling out and making sandwiches

After a few bacon wrapped ones, we do them naked now.

 

This one is just stuffed with cheese, kids do not like all the extras. I usually do 2 at a time, but using what we got since I do not wanna go to the store. Naked huh, you cook it the same way and it stays together good?

 

When we do them, we usually do one grown up one and one kid friendly or pizza one.

As for naked staying together, no issue at all. I always make them in the morning and then wrap in clingwrap and put in fridge untill cook time. We haven't missed the bacon. That said, I usually use a high fat sausage such as Johnsonville which is probably more unhealthy than bacon.

I know it's not a true fatty if not wrapped in bacon, but Naked Fatty is our new go to.

 

Please define fatty.

 

You had me at bacon.....

 

It can't be defined....it's that good

I'll let the pictures explain. Here are a couple we did a while back.

Pic heavy

Spoiler

Naked, no traditional bacon weave on outside

 

I am trying to load a finished pic with one cut, but it is not loading. You can do so much with them it is hard to Describe.
Pic of it is uploaded.

 

Found an apple cider and peach nectar injection marinade. Going to give it a shot tonight for tomorrows smoking.

Here's a question. What do y'all think about trying a coconut water injection marinade? I have had that stuck in my crawl for a while.

 

I would be concerned about the coconut overpowering the taste of the meat. I can take coconut like on shrimp and stuff, but meat?

I guess there is only one way to find out. Try it on a small piece of meat to see how it comes out.

 

I've never been a fan of injections. When I do it, all I see are the fluids leaking out and leaving holes in the meat that fat and moisture can escape during the cook.

A few years ago two buddies and I were doing some testing in preparation for a huge church BBQ we were hosting. We injected a few pork shoulders and then cooked them along side a few that were not injected. The three of us couldn't tell a difference in moisture or flavor between the two preparations. I know this is counter to the way many do it, including most Pros, but I just haven't found injecting to be worth it.

I'll soak meats, especially poultry, in a brine and leave a water tray in the smoker to help keep the humidity up, but don't bother with injections.

 

That is why I was leaning towards the water and not the milk. Because of the sweetness and the difference in the taste. Been thinking about trying it on a small pork loin.

 

I Google Fu'd it, seems to be a chicken thing. I'll try that first I reckon.

 

Yeah. Try it on a small piece just in case. However, if you found a tried and true recipe online, then go for it.

 

Chasing squirrels today! Back to work.

 

10 lbs shoulder. Just took it out of the fridge. It will be going on in about an hour.



On the smoker

 

Shrimp and veggies for lunch and wings for dinner wings were smoked

 

So in an effort to keep my heat shield liners cleaner longer I tried this foil pan under my pork shoulder from last week. My question is do you notice longer cook times due to this? I think that shoulder took longer then it should have but I was busy working around the house so didn't really pay attention to the time till it was later in the afternoon.

My other theory is that I left the Timberline on "Super Smoke" longer then I wanted. It is my theory that this cook method on the Traeger pulses the fan and has a different cook program built into the controller. Still maintains temps really good just seems to add time to anything I cook using this method.

 

So this isn't necessarily smoker related....but could be.

Has anybody had Candied Bacon? Oh My GAWWD!! This stuff is amazing!!! Sorry no pictures but here is the recipe I used.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alexandra-guarnaschelli/candied-bacon-recipe-1942641

Anyway made some grilled chicken breasts on the Blackstone griddle seasoned with Mat Pitmans Holy Voodoo seasoning and then put some of this on top of the chicken. Definitely doing this again.

 

I cant give you on honest answer on that. I use the cook times as a guide. I can tell you the 10 lbs shoulder I cooked today was a little over 9 hours. I pulled it at180°. If I do pulled pork I let it go until it's around 195°. I am a little curious about the question, next time I will try it without the drip pan.

Add, I did it at 225°

 

Oh yes, Canadian Bacon is a requirement in our house. I do some scrambled eggs, hash browns, and Canadian bacon in my flattop griddle all the time. Canadian Bacon is awesome!!!

 

The cider vinegar and peach nectar marinade with the chili lime rub is da bomb!

 

Canadian or candied?

 

I also only use cook times as I guide. When going to culinary school if you asked”how long does this cook for chef” they would usually reply with “till it’s done” that’s why you have a thermometer in your sleeve pocket.

my original idea is that the foil pan would deflect more heat from the bottom of the shoulder causing longer cook times. I have nothing to back this up just a thought. I have done countless pork shoulders but this was my first boneless and my first cooking above a foil pan.

edit: I also smoked at 225. I think my 6’ish pound shoulder took like 10 hours. I wrapped at like 155 and cooked till 200.

 

Both!!!

Haha, completely misread your post!!!! I have had my fair share of candied bacon also. At fairs, done restaurants.... It is hard to mess up bacon. It is pretty popular around here. I have seen it on ice cream sundaes, deserts, etc....