Grilling/smoking

[Bass & BBQ]

Looking good. No cooking outdoors here today. Rain pretty much all day long.

[Bass & BBQ]

So how did it turn out?

[flyfisher]

I totally forgot to post on the final results So it turned out pretty well i would say for my first time. I was planning on taking a pic but my fiancee started pulling it before i had a chance to snap a pic.

The dry rub i used created a good crust but it was a little to salty for my taste. I would also trim way more of the fat off for the next go around. I also think i used a little to much smoke as there was some bitterness that i think came from smoking to long. I will also soak the wood chips longer next time as they dried out a little to fast for my liking which also may have attributed to a little of the bitter flavor. I also think i am going to try and keep the temp more towards the 225 range and cook longer as i was more in the 230-245 range.

I may try injecting next time too but i may wait till the third time as i want to make my adjustments and see what the results are before i add in some new things. I am going to try a fruit wood next time though as i went with mesquite which may or may not be the best choice, who knows

It was alot of fun which is kind of surprising since basically it involved looking out the window to see if there was still smoke coming out of the vent and checking the temp every few hours.

Thanks to everyone for all the good advice as it definitely helped me out on my first try at smoking.

[HookUp]

Nice write up of your results.

Some thoughts ....

If your rub was too salty, reconsider injecting more salt in a brine solution.

I discovered there is a think about to much smoke. One of the cooking shows coined the phrase "only a kiss of smoke is needed...". Overdone that myself.

Typically smoke around 200 and keep the roast in longer; then use a meat thermometer to get it to the right temp. After it reached temp, wrap in foil, & put in a cooler for an hour.

I like the fat but typically the fat is mostly gone by the time the meat's served.

If not, it gets trimmed & tossed.

Welcome to the world of Que and enjoy the experiance.

[flyfisher]

Nice write up of your results.

Some thoughts ....

If your rub was too salty, reconsider injecting more salt in a brine solution.

I discovered there is a think about to much smoke. One of the cooking shows coined the phrase "only a kiss of smoke is needed...". Overdone that myself.

Typically smoke around 200 and keep the roast in longer; then use a meat thermometer to get it to the right temp. After it reached temp, wrap in foil, & put in a cooler for an hour.

I like the fat but typically the fat is mostly gone by the time the meat's served.

If not, it gets trimmed & tossed.

Welcome to the world of Que and enjoy the experiance.

I thought about using a brine as i have used it for turkeys and the like before but wasn't sure if that was needed. I started a little later than i would have liked so that is part of the reason i went with the little higher temperatures but i do think a few more hours at a lower temperature would have been better.

WHat are your guys thoughts on getting the meat to room temperature before putting it on the smoker?

Mine was out of the fridge for about two hours but i wonder if lettign the meats internal temperature come up a little higher before smoking would be better.

I know i am going to have fun with this and i may actually pick up a true smoker at some point too....

[HookUp]

WHat are your guys thoughts on getting the meat to room temperature before putting it on the smoker?

I do it when there's time.

If it's one cut of meat, it probably doesn't matter as long as you monitor the inside temp. Here's a good write up about the subject.

http://www.bonappetit.com/tipstools/tip ... e_grilling

[Bass & BBQ]

Nice write up of your results.

Some thoughts ....

If your rub was too salty, reconsider injecting more salt in a brine solution.

I discovered there is a think about to much smoke. One of the cooking shows coined the phrase "only a kiss of smoke is needed...". Overdone that myself.

Typically smoke around 200 and keep the roast in longer; then use a meat thermometer to get it to the right temp. After it reached temp, wrap in foil, & put in a cooler for an hour.

I like the fat but typically the fat is mostly gone by the time the meat's served.

If not, it gets trimmed & tossed.

Welcome to the world of Que and enjoy the experiance.

I thought about using a brine as i have used it for turkeys and the like before but wasn't sure if that was needed. I started a little later than i would have liked so that is part of the reason i went with the little higher temperatures but i do think a few more hours at a lower temperature would have been better.

WHat are your guys thoughts on getting the meat to room temperature before putting it on the smoker?

Mine was out of the fridge for about two hours but i wonder if lettign the meats internal temperature come up a little higher before smoking would be better.

I know i am going to have fun with this and i may actually pick up a true smoker at some point too....

First of all great job. The kettle is certainly capeable of smoking but it is more challenging than a regular smoker. Sounds like you pulled it off. There is something very satisfying about it, huh?

As for brine, I've never brined a pork butt but always inject. There are different mixtures you can create or just use some beef broth. I find the injecting makes a big difference as far as moisture is concerned.

Getting the meat to room tempurature would matter less with a smoker because maintaining temp is easier but 2 hours out is pretty good.

As far as your smoke goes, mesquite is a bit more bitter to me and a fruit wood would make a difference. Try cherry and you will love it. Also, I would use chunks and not chips and dont worry about soaking them. It really doesnt penetrate and makes a mess. Plus I think you can control your smoke better with chunks.

And dont sweat the fat too much. I cook with fat side down so the fat is just a barrier really. Just throw it out when you pull. Plus, the lower and slower you cook, the more fat will render.

If you really liked doing it, you will love doing it with a regular smoker. The Weber Smokey Mountain cooker is affordable and a fantastic unit. We use the big ones adn I think they sell for $400 and the smaller ones sell for $300. We have won bbq competitions cooking on them so I know they can cook. I'll cook pork butts overnight on mine. Get the temp rolling and go to bed.

Great job. I havent cooked in a while but you have inspired me to create something soon. Congrats on teh cook.

[HookUp]

just use some beef broth

I like that idea.

I havent cooked in a while but you have inspired me to create something soon.

Me too. Just reading this motivates me to buy meat.

Do not avoid smok'n salmon or any other oily fish. An asian style marinade of soy, teriaki, ginger, garlie & brown sugar plus some fruit-wood smoke can't be beat.

[flyfisher]

I think i am going to try again this weekend to refine my technique a little bit. I am also going to try those jalapeno popper things one of you guys posted on here the other day as they look delicious!!

What is funny is that even after monitoring the smoker and "cooking" all day i only ate two of the pulled pork sandwiches. I still have some in the fridge and am looking to how to make it better for the next go around and making another one this weekend...go figure.

Once i get this pork butt thing to a decent state i am going to move onto trying ribs...and i don't even really like ribs but my fiancee does

[Padre]

I would just add my opinion that i don't like mesquite for smoking either. Cherry is great; i really like pecan when i can get it.

I'd say 240 is a bit high, although i understand about the time constraints. Get it down to no more than 220, and you'll have juicier meat when you're done.

Having said that - great job. The first time is the hardest, i think, because you're so scared you're gonna screw it up. Once that's out of the way, and you know you can do it, the sky's the limit.