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

I took a picture of mine once it hit its stall at 159 and had a great carmelized crust and took all the smoke it could take. I am getting ready to pull it in about 10 minutes to rest.

 

So I let it sit for 30 minutes and the wife said she is starving and time to eat. So I am going to shred it. I pulled it at 199.7 after testing the tenderness with my Thermoworks pen. It carries over to 201. Bone came right out and is really really tender!

 

@JMB

Nice log....I always log mine too.

These little butts today just wouldn't come up to pulling temp, so we went sliced. I think I ended up at about 185*, bone wouldn't slide out, so it was a no brainier to slice.

It turned out awesome by our standards. Was able to stack the pork easy with it being sliced, topped with mop sauce, creamy slaw and pickles

 

heck yeah that looks good! I tried slicing a pork butt one time and was still too tough. I gave up and always go the shredded and chopped route.

 

I didn't get a smoker until about 10-12 years ago. Masterbuilt electric which served me well. It died and I got a Pit Boss from Lowes that is basically the Pit Boss Copperhead. I had heard and read about keeping a log, so I just started in November. I wish I had one way before that, I've made some awesome, IMO, things that I can't remember the details. The basics, for this area, butt and baby backs, I can remember. But there's some chicken, fish and beef that I will have to start over on. There's also some things that I screwed up and don't want too again,

Sliced pork seems to be a mid West thing in the US, being you're our northern neighbor, I don't know. But I've had it and like it. With the slaw and mop sauce, you could be my next-door neighbor. As far as I can tell from our local food historians, mop sauce existed before actual mops.

 

Love reading and looking at your smokes. It is such a strange hobby. Kind of like trucks. Ask ten people for their opinion and you’ll get 12 answers.

 

@JMB

I keep a Field Notes with my tried and true recipes and smokes. When I'm making something, I write everything down in as much detail as possible. If it turns out, I write it out again in proper form in my Field Notes for future use.

Things like chili I have a base and usually change it up every time I make it. But I make sure to write down measurements and cook times on the ones that everyone likes, so I can replicate them at later dates.

It's fun and passes the time on long smokes.

I really got into Horizontal Stick burning last year and can taste the difference a full wood smoke is over lump and chunks on the ceramic. It's almost time to open it up for the year as the weather is turning for the better

 

I just started keeping an actual note book. We do have a lot of cookbooks that are filled with notes. I'm way into Cajun, grilled, smoked and skillet foods. My wife is way into casseroles, and one pot meals. She makes chicken in the pot a lot. Usually with collards and some kind of sausage. She doesn't keep notes on that, but it's always good.

The guys I know around here that are into stick burners, pits and whole pig cookers for sure produce the best flavors.

 

Wow 1,000 posts on this thread. Keep the smoke flowing!

 

Pork butt this weekend. I wanted to try something different so I started it off in a foil pan with a little beef broth to braise it for the first few hours. (I actually was out of pellets so this was a way to start it in the oven until I could make a run to the store to get pellets). It worked out great. About 2 hours in the oven, another 2 in the smoker in the pan, then removed and smoked it open for another 6; about 10 hours total. Testing the done-ness with the thermometer was one of the best "soft as butter" experiences I have had; I did not even have to look at the temperature; I just knew by sliding the probe in there that it was perfect (although I did peek at the temp and it was at 205). Unfortunately we had a guest who had to leave at a certain time so I had to get dinner on the table; no time for a rest. It pulled perfectly though.

 

@Boerseun wowsers.....that is what I am striving for on a consistent basis for my pulled pork.

Great color, lots of moisture, bark. What's not to like?

You nailed it.

I'm determined to do a big butt again soon, maybe this coming weekend if I can get one. I may even do an overnight and then have it for lunch. My problem seems to be time...I never give it enough.

 

Sounds like overnight smoke is the way to go for ya.

 

I've done it a few times and they always turn out, especially a big hunk of beef

It just meams it may be done at 11am or 3pm...but I'm fine with smoked meat at any point in the day

 

You can always "cheat". Not that I have ever done it

Smoke until the stall. Wrap in peach paper and throw in the oven at 300* until your desired IT. Put in a cooler to rest for the hour or so. Enjoy.

Believe it or not, you will still get and keep the bark after finishing in the oven. Probably not as deep a bark, but was still there. The good thing about the oven is it is consistent and you don't need to babysit it.

Like I said, I have never done this

 

That's the beauty of the pellet smoker. When I get in a bind with my timing I wrap it up and leave it in the smoker but turn the heat up to 300 or 350. No baby sitting needed and no guilty feelings about using the oven.

 

Did my break in with these from Home Depot

 

Smoking up some more venison.

 

That's pretty lean right? So does it try out fast?

 

Yeah, it'll dry out quick. I usually smoke just a few hrs to a med rare.

 

Trying out a new binder and a boneless pork shoulder. Usually do bone in but the Costco double pack was worth the experiment given current situation.

Just put in the pan to bring it in. Now wrapped in butcher paper to finish off.

 

By binder do you mean to bind the rub to the meat?

 

yes sir. Read somewhere that molasses will help give a darker color. Then seasoned liberally with Mat Pitman’s Honey bacon bbq seasoning.

 

Interesting. Let us know if you pick up the sweetness of the molasses. I usually use mustard as a binder.

 

What he said ^ Regular yellow mustard and my own blend of spices for a rub

 

I also usually use yellow mustard. This was just an experiment. I will report back with pictures and conclusion tonight.

 

The whole fun is in the experimenting. I wonder if maple syrup binder with a spicy rub will be a nice combo

 

I almost went that route! I couldn’t find molasses at Walmart. Was going to go get Honey Hog Hot for a rub and use syrup since I have the Costco twin pack of that too.

 

I have used honey with a cayenne garlic rub. Just don't put a lot of honey, when it begins to heat up it will run off of the shoulder. That's what I learned. The second time I put just enough to hold the rub on.

 

Y'all got me curious, so I consulted The Google and found a couple of recipes that look like good starting points. Sweet/spicy is usually a good combo.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 tsp Seasoned Salt
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• Dash Cayenne Pepper, adjust according to your tolerance

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients together into a paste in a bowl or jar and apply to your meat or veggies of choice before cooking. Enjoy!

Spicy Maple Rub


Ingredients

• 3 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/8 tsp Chipotle Powder
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup

Instructions

1. Coat both sides of meat liberally (works great with chicken or pork) and use desired method of cooking.
2. I used this rub for a pound of pork tenderloin. I coated the pork liberally on both sides, placed the pork on a rack in a roasting pan and cooked in an oven heated to 425 degrees for 25 minutes.