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What are the chances someone is selling or will sell a HeatMeter project kit? I'd love to build one but I can't really make heads or tails of the instructions and don't understand most of what's being discussed.
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Sep 8, 2012 15:51
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davey4283 posted:I usually smoke brisket @ 225f for 4 hours, then foil and transfer to the oven and bake @ 225f for another 6 or 7+ hours. Then for the last hour, I uncover and let the bark harden. After about 3 or 4 hours the meat becomes saturated with smoke and doesn't really absorb it anymore. TouchyMcFeely posted:What are the chances someone is selling or will sell a HeatMeter project kit? That said, I am working on a writeup that provides step by step instructions on what to buy and how to assemble it, with photos of all the assembly steps. I'll check back in once that's done and maybe it will make more sense.
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Sep 11, 2012 16:55
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CapnBry posted:That said, I am working on a writeup that provides step by step instructions on what to buy and how to assemble it, with photos of all the assembly steps. I'll check back in once that's done and maybe it will make more sense. That would be extremely helpful, a step by step would be much appreciated.
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Sep 11, 2012 17:44
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CapnBry posted:I made my first decent brisket this weekend with this method! Awesome, glad I could help 
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Sep 13, 2012 01:46
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I did pork shoulder last weekend that I smoked at around 250f for 5 hours then it had around 3 hours 15 minutes at 150c in the oven to finish it off. I've done this before and it was fine but this time it didn't shred anywhere near as easily as before and there was definite connective tissue in it. I'm not sure it was any bigger but it was definitely a lot fattier. Should I have left it in the oven longer or was it just a crappier cut of meat causing problems?
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Sep 13, 2012 11:48
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I know this is the smoking thread and not the grilling thread but has anyone used a rotisserie on their grill? I've built a cheap ring for my weber kettle and ordered a rotisserie that I'll mount this weekend. I'm looking for some yummy recipes to make on it. Also, I don't know know why but I really want one of these things for making wings and veggies. I think I'll get one next paycheck.
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Sep 13, 2012 13:09
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Scott Bakula posted:I did pork shoulder last weekend that I smoked at around 250f for 5 hours then it had around 3 hours 15 minutes at 150c in the oven to finish it off. I've done this before and it was fine but this time it didn't shred anywhere near as easily as before and there was definite connective tissue in it. I'm not sure it was any bigger but it was definitely a lot fattier. What was the internal temp when you took it out?
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Sep 13, 2012 14:08
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Not sure, the meat thermometer I've got has been broken a while and I've not got around to replacing it so have largely been cooking by time. What should I aim for when I get a new one?
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Sep 13, 2012 14:16
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Scott Bakula posted:Not sure, the meat thermometer I've got has been broken a while and I've not got around to replacing it so have largely been cooking by time. What should I aim for when I get a new one? Minimum of 185 if you just want to slice it up. A lot recommendations Ive seen say 195 for pulled pork but my experience is that is a little low. Seems like about 205 gets all the connective tissue completely dissolved pretty nicely. Also my technique when I finish in the oven is to foil it and put the heat anywhere between 250-300...works out fine.
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Sep 13, 2012 14:39
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vulturesrow posted:Minimum of 185 if you just want to slice it up. A lot recommendations Ive seen say 195 for pulled pork but my experience is that is a little low. Seems like about 205 gets all the connective tissue completely dissolved pretty nicely. Also my technique when I finish in the oven is to foil it and put the heat anywhere between 250-300...works out fine. At least 200.
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Sep 13, 2012 15:45
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My fiancé is getting into smoking on our Weber Kettle. Here's the first attempt at pulled pork.   Life-changing. We're doing spare ribs this weekend. 
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Sep 14, 2012 00:46
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CapnBry posted:I made my first decent brisket this weekend with this method! My brisket has always been pretty dry, so I did it on the smoke for about 4 hours at 225F over a drip pan (which I put a pint of beer in). I then put it in the drip pan (which was practically dry) and left it on until the internal temperature hit 200F, took it off and let it sit covered for a couple hours down to internal temperature 160F. Delicious and tender and not dry for the first time. I had been leaving it on the smoke for a few hours longer before.
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Sep 14, 2012 05:46
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MasterControl posted:give butcher paper a shot instead of Tin foil if your feeling adventurous. helps keep the bark better in my experience Interesting technique with the butcher paper. I'm always disappointed by my foiled bark, so would you think parchment paper would also work? And also, how do you wrap it up? Tight like foil or looser?
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Sep 14, 2012 06:05
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Would anyone mind sharing their favorite spice rubs? I'm going to base mine off of this guy, but I'm trying to gather ideas of what other people like to do with their rubs.
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Sep 16, 2012 20:22
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I use this on pork: 1 Tbsp cumin 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp onion powder 1 Tbsp chili powder (homemade) 1 Tbsp cayenne (or chipotle depending on how I feel) 1 Tbsp of salt 1 Tbsp of black pepper 1 tbsp (smoked) paprika 1/2 Cup of brown sugar measurements are never precise
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Sep 16, 2012 22:01
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If I am brining my pork, I cut the salt down to 1 part, otherwise this is what I use: 6 parts Brown Sugar 6 Parts Salt 3 Parts Spanish Style Paprika 2 parts black pepper 2 parts chili powder 1 part granulated garlic 1 part dry mustard 1 part onion powder 1 part cumin 1 part powdered thyme 1 part cayenne pepper
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Sep 16, 2012 23:05
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Mach420 posted:Interesting technique with the butcher paper. I'm always disappointed by my foiled bark, so would you think parchment paper would also work? And also, how do you wrap it up? Tight like foil or looser?
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Sep 17, 2012 07:00
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Well My work has an employee purchase program for the egg. If I spent $500 I would get a large egg, nest, egg mates and grill grippers. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford it so I got a Weber Smokey Mountain grill instead. I tried to cook ribs, but 6 hours was way too much! What should I do for steaks? Would 1 hour be enough?
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Sep 21, 2012 05:24
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rocket_man38 posted:Well My work has an employee purchase program for the egg. If I spent $500 I would get a large egg, nest, egg mates and grill grippers. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford it so I got a Weber Smokey Mountain grill instead. I tried to cook ribs, but 6 hours was way too much! What should I do for steaks? Would 1 hour be enough? No, you don't smoke steaks, per se. Steaks are lean meat and don't tenderize with long, slow heat like tough cuts such as brisket or pork shoulders do. You'll turn your steak into a tough, dry brick if you try to smoke it at 225. You want to cook steaks as you would on a normal grill, with ultra high heat and searing, leaving the inside medium rare, if that's how you like it. Add a bit of smoke wood to the coals and use the cover if you want that smoky taste. More details here: http://virtualweberbullet.com/grilling.html As for the ribs, 4-6 hours is par for the course if you want to do it the traditional way, both on the Weber and the Egg. You can cut down time if you are in a hurry and don't care about breaking tradition, like this: http://amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/rendezvous_ribs_in_a_hurry.html Oh, and thanks Mastercontrol, I'll try it out with the parchment paper, since it should be essentially the same thing. Mach420 fucked around with this message at 06:58 on Sep 21, 2012 |
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Sep 21, 2012 06:52
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Large bge with those extras is a fuckin deal for 500
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Sep 21, 2012 07:52
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My god yes. I would be on that. Especially if you want to grill. The WSM is an OK griller but the BGE is the poo poo.
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Sep 21, 2012 11:07
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BraveUlysses posted:Large bge with those extras is a fuckin deal for 500 Oh I agree! Problem is I make minimum wage there and have student loans to pay off too at the moment. So no go on steaks eh? Guess I'll try ribs again!
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Sep 21, 2012 18:00
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You can foil ribs to make them cook quicker. Depending on the cut you smoke them regular for 2-3 hours then wrap them in foil pouches for another 1-2 hours. Be careful as you can overcook them in the foil and turn them into mush. If you want nice smokey goodness without much time then try cooking chicken. Use an empty water pan (foiled for easy cleanup) and start a full chimney of charcoal. Get the WSM good and hot (350'ish) and just cook your chicken until it's done. Protip: brine your chicken before and use very little smoke wood.
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Sep 21, 2012 18:15
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ya I'm doing chicken tonight thanks for the tips guys
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Sep 21, 2012 20:25
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I know it might be sacrilege here but a friend in the restaurant industry recently turned me on to shortcutting ribs. Apply the dry rub then foil them and put them in a 300F oven for an hour and a half then remove the foil and take them to the grill. Smoke them at 250F for about 1-2 hours until they are done (the bones on the smaller ribs wiggle somewhat freely when you twist them). The longer cooking time of the 3-2-1 sort of method always left them too dry for my taste and this strikes a better balance for me. For those considering a HeaterMeter build, I wrote out a build guide and I'm hoping you can take a look at it. HeaterMeter Assembly It isn't complete quite yet but if you can take a look and let me know what parts you're still sensing confusion on, I'd appreciate it so I can fill it out. The only things left to do are to build the "buy this" lists from Digikey/Mouser. I'm hoping this makes it more approachable.
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Sep 22, 2012 04:47
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CapnBry posted:I know it might be sacrilege here but a friend in the restaurant industry recently turned me on to shortcutting ribs. Apply the dry rub then foil them and put them in a 300F oven for an hour and a half then remove the foil and take them to the grill. Smoke them at 250F for about 1-2 hours until they are done As I understood it, you should really do this the other way around, as once the meat is over about 140f, it stops absorbing smoke flavor.
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Sep 22, 2012 23:20
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Parchment paper instead of foil verdict: Fantastic. The bark turned out WAY better than foiling did. Not quite as good as 13 hours naked, but it wasn't a soggy wet mess like the foil always made it. I wrapped my butt in parchment semi-loose, completely covered, and held it in place with a couple of toothpicks. The difference has to be that the parchment paper was somewhat loose fitting and wasn't totally form fitting and airtight like foil is. It spent about 4 hours in the paper, out of 13 hours total, and came out great, if a bit greasy on the bottom from soaking in it. My entire cook was at 300F measured at grate level. I love my little Smoker Joe conversion. It kept steady temps the whole time and only had to adjust the vents twice. The only downside compared to foil is that there is no tasty au jus to mix with the pulled meat. Foil will usually give me 3/4 cup of juice after separating it from the grease, but the parchment only gives a big puddle of pure grease. No matter. I just boiled up some apple juice with some rub and mixed that in. Almost as good, and I'd gladly make that compromise for the bark quality. Mach420 fucked around with this message at 07:30 on Sep 23, 2012 |
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Sep 23, 2012 07:17
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Cooked what I think may have been my best smoked chicken to date over the weekend. Had a big family gathering on Saturday. Ended up smoking 24 leg quarters on my Large BGE. Well not quite 24, managed to fit 19 in there, had to do a few on my weber kettle. If I had a third grate I could have easily done all 24 at once. Had to be careful removing the chicken as it just wanted to fall apart on me. I let it rest for a bit, then wrapped it up in tinfoil and put them in a cooler for transport. It was a few hours later than we ended up eating, and they were still nice and hot when I went to serve them. No one could believe how juicy the chicken was, kept getting compliment after compliment on it. I was happy everyone enjoyed it so much.
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Sep 24, 2012 13:41
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For those of you with Weber grills, how do you like to get the heat of the grill down to the 225-250 range? I just added a full chimney, with all of the coals on one half of the grill. I had a drip pan on the other side, I couldn't get the temperature on the indirect side below 350, even with the bottom vent all the way closed. Is the solution less coals? I've heard some people like to get lower temperatures by adding half a chimney's worth a coals.
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Sep 26, 2012 23:56
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xcdude24 posted:For those of you with Weber grills, how do you like to get the heat of the grill down to the 225-250 range? I just added a full chimney, with all of the coals on one half of the grill. I had a drip pan on the other side, I couldn't get the temperature on the indirect side below 350, even with the bottom vent all the way closed. Is the solution less coals? I've heard some people like to get lower temperatures by adding half a chimney's worth a coals. I'd imagine some variation of the minion method with a kettle. It's hard to get the temperature down on a full load of lighted coals. I'd try starting off with 10 lit coals, putting them in a compact pile that touches your main pile of unlit coals, and let the burn slowly migrate to the other side. Keep the bottom vent open until you hit 180F, then close the vent off more and more as it nears your target temp.
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Sep 27, 2012 00:09
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xcdude24 posted:For those of you with Weber grills, how do you like to get the heat of the grill down to the 225-250 range? I just added a full chimney, with all of the coals on one half of the grill. I had a drip pan on the other side, I couldn't get the temperature on the indirect side below 350, even with the bottom vent all the way closed. Is the solution less coals? I've heard some people like to get lower temperatures by adding half a chimney's worth a coals. Weber sells a little smokebox thing for gas grills that sits on one side of the grill and holds the wood against the wall. This is not the best use for it, a friend of mine uses it to hold his coals AND wood against the wall of his charcoal kettle. He is able to achieve much lower temps for longer periods of time because of the small area it keeps the coals in, and the airflow regulation it offers. Not that you should go out a buy the thing, but if you could fabricate a little leanto of sorts out of sheet metal or something, and poke some holes in the top, it would probably work wonders. edit: here is the thing
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Sep 27, 2012 00:09
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I'm removing my WSM and stoker from mothballs in the next week or so. I refuse to smoke outdoors when it's hotter than hell outside as I don't have a permanent place to setup the smoker. Weather is finally reasonable to move/assemble/cook/cool/disassemble/move the smoker. Here is a pic from the baby backs I did last year along with the stoker log to go with it. Not much meat on the ribs (on sale for $2/lb). Not really necessary on a 4-5 hour cook, but why not since I have it?  
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Sep 27, 2012 02:25
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I have a huge backyard shed, I am thinking of moving my BBQ in there for winter. Would it be appropriate or I am stupid of even thinking of doing that? I want to keep smoking stuff trough the winter. Tomorow is pulled pork time woooh!
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Sep 28, 2012 02:40
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Niagalack posted:I have a huge backyard shed, I am thinking of moving my BBQ in there for winter. Would it be appropriate or I am stupid of even thinking of doing that? I want to keep smoking stuff trough the winter. Tomorow is pulled pork time woooh! You want to have a good amount of clearance for the top and sides of the cooker, good air ventilation, and you will definitely want to be sure that any coals, if you're not using a gas smoker, will not fall on the floor and start a fire. There are mats that you can buy that are fireproof. Remember that coals put out a ton of carbon monoxide.
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Sep 28, 2012 05:23
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niss posted:Cooked what I think may have been my best smoked chicken to date over the weekend. Had a big family gathering on Saturday. Ended up smoking 24 leg quarters on my Large BGE. Well not quite 24, managed to fit 19 in there, had to do a few on my weber kettle. If I had a third grate I could have easily done all 24 at once. I cooked my best smoked chicken on a BGE too, and it was only my second time using one. I brined a bunch of legs overnight with tons of spices, then dry rubbed and took them to the place I was cooking. fired up the BGE in smoker mode 200-230, threw about 15 legs on there, let it go for about 2-3 hours. they were so goddamn juicy and perfectly seasoned with crispy skin. I obsessed about the prep a bit since it was like a Major Family Function for my girl's relatives, but in the end I got so many compliments it was nuts. and usually I'm pretty critical of chicken cooking, but these legs were honestly the best I've ever done.
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Sep 28, 2012 07:58
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How did you get crispy skin at such a low temp? Every time I smoke chicken or turkey at smoking temps, I have to broil or grill them to crisp up the skin, otherwise it's very leathery.
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Sep 28, 2012 14:46
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Mach420 posted:You want to have a good amount of clearance for the top and sides of the cooker, good air ventilation, and you will definitely want to be sure that any coals, if you're not using a gas smoker, will not fall on the floor and start a fire. There are mats that you can buy that are fireproof. Remember that coals put out a ton of carbon monoxide. Thank you for the advice, it is a gas BBQ and there is plenty of clearance on the side. I will have to check for the top tough.
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Sep 29, 2012 02:32
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Niagalack posted:Thank you for the advice, it is a gas BBQ and there is plenty of clearance on the side. I will have to check for the top tough. Remember the saying - "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." You'll want a few good fire extinguishers rated for grease fires. Keep the area very clear of any flammable debris. Also, a lot of grease will drip off of something like a shoulder or brisket. If that happens to catch on fire somehow, you will have a serious problem with a big fire, first off, and a big propane tank that can explode if you can't wheel that BBQ out of the barn or control the fire. I still DON'T think it's the wisest of ideas, but you'll have to make the decision on whether to take that risk of burning that barn down along with personal injury to you or others. You never know if or when something will go wrong.
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Sep 29, 2012 03:00
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So, you GWS assholes, I poked my head into your subforum one evening and suddenly found myself purchasing a 40" MasterBuilt Electric Smoker and an AMNPS mere hours later. My goony waistline jiggles in frustration and then clenches in anger toward each of you who posted photos of the delicious poo poo you were smoking up. With those admonitions out of the way (I assume you feel properly contrite), I want to be ready when Amazon drops this thing off at my door. I've got probably a billion questions but I'll try to filter it down to just a few for now. You all have my greatest thanks for letting me tap into your collective wisdom in this awesome thread (still, shame on you!). I settled on electric because while I love making food (and doubly so eating it), babysitting a piece of equipment over an extended period just isn't for me. I feel kind of bad about it, but the AMNPS idea tempers that a bit. 1) Everything I read says the meat doesn't really absorb more smoke after 3-4 hours (maybe less). The AMNPS can burn for up to 11 hours. Is there any point to filling it more than, say, halfway with pellets? (Pellets seem cheap enough, so I'm not too concerned will filling it anyway, just in case. But I'm curious.) 2) Pork shoulder is the thing to try first, correct? Should I brine it or not? 3) Speaking of brining, I read some kinds of brining can give meat a "hammy" taste. Not surprising, since ham is brined pork... but I HATE the taste of ham. I had brined turkey legs once that totally tasted just like ham, too, and it was doubly disgusting to me (turkey should never, ever taste like that). What makes a brined piece of meat "hammy"? The ingredients in the brine? The length of brining time? I want to avoid "hammy" flavors if at all possible. 4) That lovely "smoke ring." Some people say you can't get it with an electric smoker. Others say they have done it. Everyone seems to say it's just about looks anyway. Should I be caring? 5) Meat pricing. I've never bought from an actual butcher before and I haven't bought many of these cuts of meat before either, so I know nothing about what kind of pricing is normal. Now, obviously there are going to be regional price differences (I'm in So Cal so I might expect slightly higher than average prices) and there's always sales and stuff, but if I could just get some general idea so I don't end up getting ripped off (or so I can recognize a good deal) that would be great. The butchers I'm looking at buying from have these prices on their website: * Pork backribs (meaty) $4.95/lb * Pork spareribs $3.95/lb * Pork leg (approx 25lb) $2.89/lb ( * Beef backribs (meaty) $4.95/lb * Beef short ribs $7.95/lb * Beef brisket $3.89/lb Are these reasonable-sounding prices? They didn't specifically list pork shoulder and I haven't gone in to ask them the pricing on that yet, but maybe it's similar to the pork leg. What do I know?  6) There are so many various instructions out there for how to set up a smoker (there are so many kinds of smokers!). My basic understanding of the components are: indirect heat source, smoke source (may be same as heat source), water pan, drip pan (may be same as water pan?), meat, vent(s), thermometer(s). I haven't gotten my MasterBuilt yet, so forgive me if these questions are obvious: I think it has a built-in water tray; should I be using it? I guess it has a wood chips tray too, that I guess I won't be using; where do I put the AMNPS? Do I need a drip pan? Are the temperature probes built in to the MasterBuilt reliable? I did buy a Maverick ET73 I can use instead. 7) Anyone ever smoked tri-tip? I can grill great tri-tip and it's one of my favorite meats, so I really want to try smoking it. I found some instructions via Google but if anyone here has any personal experience I'd love to hear. TL;DR I'm a total noob here. Tell me how to wipe my rear end. Many thanks. Choadmaster fucked around with this message at 23:49 on Sep 30, 2012 |
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Sep 30, 2012 23:45
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Choadmaster posted:1) Everything I read says the meat doesn't really absorb more smoke after 3-4 hours (maybe less). The AMNPS can burn for up to 11 hours. Is there any point to filling it more than, say, halfway with pellets? (Pellets seem cheap enough, so I'm not too concerned will filling it anyway, just in case. But I'm curious.) You'll probably just do halfway for most smokes. Keep an eye on it the first few times you use the AMNPS until you know how it acts. It can go out for a few reasons (lack of oxygen, insufficient coals). I just did chipotle peppers - they took 36 hours, so an 11 hour smoke time is nice. quote:2) Pork shoulder is the thing to try first, correct? Should I brine it or not? quote:4) That lovely "smoke ring." Some people say you can't get it with an electric smoker. Others say they have done it. Everyone seems to say it's just about looks anyway. Should I be caring? You won't get any smoke ring - its created by carbon monoxide, which only gets made with sufficient quantity in non-electric smokers. quote:6) There are so many various instructions out there for how to set up a smoker (there are so many kinds of smokers!). There's a tray in there, foil wrap it or its hell to clean. Use liquid in it if you feel it's necessary. The AMNPS fits perfectly on the bottom left. The built in food thermometer is okay - you're better off with a remote one anyways. The box thermometer is fine. quote:
Do the established cuts (butts, ribs, etc) and recipes initially until you get used to your new toy. Also it seasons the smoker nicely. :-)
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Oct 1, 2012 03:02
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