Meat smoking

[redogi73]

Hi everyone, being looking on the web so think I have a basic idea of smoking meat, got a BBQ which doubles up as a smoker, 2 compartments, one with a chimney type, any tips very much appreciated!

Planning on starting with pork shoulder, rub salt in, leave in fridge over night, rub spices, sugar etc in morning, and smoke low and slow for about 8 hrs, does this sound like a decent start?

Cheers

Martin

[jason g]

Let us know how you get on I'm in the process of building a smoker and don't have a clue what I'm doing meat wise 👍

[GingerCat]

I cure and cold smoke my own bacon and have no idea about hot smoking, however there are more videos than I can watch on youtube of people doing pretty much what you describe and it looks delicious. let us know how it goes. 

[fatchap]

11 hours ago, redogi73 said:

Hi everyone, being looking on the web so think I have a basic idea of smoking meat, got a BBQ which doubles up as a smoker, 2 compartments, one with a chimney type, any tips very much appreciated!

Planning on starting with pork shoulder, rub salt in, leave in fridge over night, rub spices, sugar etc in morning, and smoke low and slow for about 8 hrs, does this sound like a decent start?

Cheers

Martin

I had a brief spell of curing and smoking meats a few years back,, and found despite what it says on the tinternet, trial and error is the best way of getting it right. Careful obviously with pork and chicken- may look mouthwatering after what seems like ages in the smoker but its not done inside. 

8 hours will depend on the size of the cut of meat you intend to smoke. You will have to work out how long then for the last hour and half wrap it in tin foil. It will also need constant attention you cant let it alone for 8 hours it could end up like a piece of coal. Also a meat thermometer Most important!!

For the rub use what spices you like but you will need to find a method of getting them to stick because they just fall off otherwise. I was told a light smear of mustard all over it glues them on but as I'm not a fan of mustard I swapped it for bbq sauce and left it in the fridge overnight, not sure about salt but again its up to you.

Its great fun experimenting and thats the best way in my opinion of getting it right.

 

Edited June 6, 2019 by fatchap

[Fatcatsplat]

The key is maintaining temperature - For a long, slow smoke you want it to be somewhere around 220/250 Fahrenheit constant. Sounds like you have an offset and they're pretty difficult to leave alone. Get used to spending all day in the garden, drinking beer while you maintain the charcoal and wood chunks.

Or spunk a ton of cash on a proper smoker and electric thermometers with iPhone hook ups!

[redogi73]

Thanks for the responses, was planning on first go Friday gone but bloody rain stopped play, I'm not going to leave it for 8hrs but get it going and check hourly around dog walk, gym gardening etc.

Some say you only need wood chips smoke for end couple of hrs some seem to say throughout, what are people's views/ experience? Or has fatchap says it is basically suck it and see☺

[Walker570]

I mostly use a hot smoker and old ABU for pheasant/duck/pigeon breasts but built a larger hot smoker from a 45 gal drum and a brisket done in that is to die for.  I marinade the meat for 48hrs prior then rub with mustard and brown sugar. Get the heat at as near 230 as I can and place the meat on the grill which is 2ft above the now grey charcoal. Put half a dozen chunks of oak which I have soaked in water for an hour, on top of the coals and replace the lid. Go away for four hours and leave it alone. Return and replenish the charcoal if necessary but you get to know the initial amount to last the full 12hrs, wrap the meat in double tinfoil and leave it then for another six to eight hours.  I do this if we have friends in for a meal and will set it up at 6am and it will be ready for the table at 6pm.  I have a mix of herbs and oil which I brush on prior to wrapping and when I initially put it in the smoker.   Low and slow, that is the answer.

Check out the Barbecue Pit Boys on you tube for some great ideas.

[Jonty]

If i could suggest you be careful rubbing pork with salt too far in advance for smoking/cooking as you can end up with a distinct bacon flavour.

regards to wood chips and when to add them, the start of the cook is the ideal time.  Once the internal temperature of the meat gets to around 60 degrees centigrade, the chemistry of the meat changes and it stops it from being to absorb the smoke so any chips added after this are unnecessary.

when cooking large joints such as pork shoulder or beef brisket low and slow, you need to disregard time.  In order for the meat to end up super succulent it has to go through a 'stall' (this is more chemistry) where the collagen breaks down in the meat. This happens when the meat hits a temperature rather than after a set period of 'minutes per pound' - it also varies by individual piece of meat so a 4lb shoulder may make perfect pulled pork in 6 hours, but the next identical weight shoulder may take 8.  When I first read about cooking to internal temperatures I thought it was rubbish, but once you get your head around the very simple science involved, it makes perfect sense.  You can get a cheap digital meat thermometer from Amazon or the like, get one with a wire so you can stick the probe in the meat and watch the temperature from outside your bbq - have fun!

[redogi73]

👍 with the predicted heat wave might get chance to play soon, would say chicken thighs be easier to start with?

[Walker570]

Cooking any meat and even my game pies I swear by my meat thermometer which is an invaluable piece of kit in the kitchen.

I do a brisket in my big 45 gall smoker low and slow  10-12hrs and always put the wood chunks on  right at the start and I soak these in water for an hour prior to starting.

Don't know if it is the right way but there is never any left over when we have friends round, sometimes so tender it is difficult to carve.

As said above I am certain there is a little bit of a science to it.

Edited June 27, 2019 by Walker570

[Fatcatsplat]

Smoke will only penetrate so far - After the first couple of hours I rarely bother with any more wood - When you open the meat up there will be a little purple ring on the inside where the smoke has penetrated and it will go no further

[NoBodyImportant]

1 hour ago, Fatcatsplat said:

Smoke will only penetrate so far - After the first couple of hours I rarely bother with any more wood - When you open the meat up there will be a little purple ring on the inside where the smoke has penetrated and it will go no further

This is why a cut my meat up 

[ditchman]

hot smoked fish is nice.........let it cool and have a nice salad with it......

when i used to bbq...........i would bbq the meat that has been soaking in marinade overnite...then baste it with a sweet baste when cooking...and to finish it off i would throw a bit of hickory (wet) sawdust on the embers...drop the lid for 2 or 3 mins...then serve..........that way the  smoke wouldnt overpower taste of the meat and sweet baste but compliment it........

Edited June 28, 2019 by ditchman

[Walker570]

2 hours ago, ditchman said:

hot smoked fish is nice.........let it cool and have a nice salad with it......

when i used to bbq...........i would bbq the meat that has been soaking in marinade overnite...then baste it with a sweet baste when cooking...and to finish it off i would throw a bit of hickory (wet) sawdust on the embers...drop the lid for 2 or 3 mins...then serve..........that way the  smoke wouldnt overpower taste of the meat and sweet baste but compliment it........

I might try that system this Sunday

[fatchap]

Or you could just cheat and smother the meat in liquid smoke and cook it as normal.

Liquid smoke if you get the expensive American one (figaro)  not the rubbish from supermarkets, does mimic hickory or whatever flavour you get very closely. 

The cheap ones from Tesco's etc are just a very runny marinade, whereas the American one is actually believe it or not Liquid smoke. The cooled vapours apparently.

Edited June 29, 2019 by fatchap

[redogi73]

Well got around to it Sunday whilst watching cricket, chicken legs, drumsticks and thighs, salted and left for an hour, then poured a can of coke over and left for an hour, took out and covered in loads of ready mixed BBQ powder, left for an hour, temp was a little high so smoked for a 2-2.5 hrs (was drinking so memory not too clear) usedcedar wood throughout.......... absolutely delicious 😀

[figgy]

The hot smoking seems to add a salty taste so I'd leave the salt out.

If you can use another container to cold smoke from the smoke coming out, cheese is great for doing this way. 

[guzzicat]

I still recomend Ehrlandson;s "Home Smoking & Curing" book, info on building hot & cold smokers & loads of recipes Etc.

[KB1]

On 10/06/2019 at 08:16, Walker570 said:

I mostly use a hot smoker and old ABU for pheasant/duck/pigeon breasts but built a larger hot smoker from a 45 gal drum and a brisket done in that is to die for.  I marinade the meat for 48hrs prior then rub with mustard and brown sugar. Get the heat at as near 230 as I can and place the meat on the grill which is 2ft above the now grey charcoal. Put half a dozen chunks of oak which I have soaked in water for an hour, on top of the coals and replace the lid. Go away for four hours and leave it alone. Return and replenish the charcoal if necessary but you get to know the initial amount to last the full 12hrs, wrap the meat in double tinfoil and leave it then for another six to eight hours.  I do this if we have friends in for a meal and will set it up at 6am and it will be ready for the table at 6pm.  I have a mix of herbs and oil which I brush on prior to wrapping and when I initially put it in the smoker.   Low and slow, that is the answer.

Check out the Barbecue Pit Boys on you tube for some great ideas.

I've subscribed to the BPB's now, after your recommendation 👍  and this lead me onto Harry Soo, who goes into great detail about what others on here have posted………  Worth a watch if you get a spare 20 mins or so👍

 

 

[Walker570]

Thanks I will look him up.  Can always learn something new.

[NoBodyImportant]

Spice and rub 24 hours ahead of time.  Set temp to 225f. Low and slow the pork until 190 degrees F.   About 16 hours remove from smoker and wrap in tinfoil and place in cooler.  Lays towels on top and let rest for 6 hours or so.  It will fall apart.  You can not over season it.  

[NoBodyImportant]

The trick to good pork is to keep it between 185 and 195f   For as long as possible.  That is the magic temperature at witch the muscles break down and the meat falls apart.  Any hotter then 195f. The fat renders out and becomes dry.  

[Rewulf]

19 minutes ago, NoBodyImportant said:

The trick to good pork is to keep it between 185 and 195f   For as long as possible.  That is the magic temperature at witch the muscles break down and the meat falls apart.  Any hotter then 195f. The fat renders out and becomes dry.  

Met a man from NC on a cruise once, he could talk all day about smoking and pulled pork recipes.
People from the Carolinas are experts in the matter  

[NoBodyImportant]

2 minutes ago, Rewulf said:

Met a man from NC on a cruise once, he could talk all day about smoking and pulled pork recipes.
People from the Carolinas are experts in the matter  

Any where to go in America you can get Pulled pork, Carolina style, and Texas style.  Don’t matter what state it’s made is called one of the two.  Ask the waitress what kind it is.  If she says Texas style walk out,  that’s not the restaurant you want to be in.  

Carolina will have as much seasoning that you can get to stick.  It will be smoked to a dark bark and finished with a vinegar and ketchup sauce.  Texas style will look and taste like ****.  

[NoBodyImportant]

Around here it’s ok to leave work to check your pork and load more as long as you come back.