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Guitarchitect posted:I haven't been around the forums for a while but I'm hoping for a recommendation! I couldn't find a BBQ thread (?!) but this is as good a place as any to ask: anyone use a Traeger Pellet Grill? Here's my dilemma: I have a broil king keg, but it has just been frustrating for me. It's small (18" diameter) and proper direct/indirect cooking requires more juggling than I'd like. Cooks slow pretty well, though, but it's hard to keep it below 275 because it holds heat so well... and it takes a lot of babying. I was going to get an ATC for it but realized I might be throwing good money after bad. Learn how to use the Keg. Once you get it dialed in there's barely any work. A kamado style cooker like a Keg should be less work than a Weber kettle due to that heat retention. Sounds to me like you're starting with too large a fire since you can't keep it below 275. As for the direct/indirect, don't those things have inserts like other kamados do that allow for indirect cooking? It's probably an accessory that makes it painless. Pellet cookers like Traegers are fine for people who are OK with a "eh, its fine" end result with no effort, but that Keg will definitely produce a better product in the end.
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May 9, 2018 02:50
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Guitarchitect posted:I haven't been around the forums for a while but I'm hoping for a recommendation! I couldn't find a BBQ thread (?!) but this is as good a place as any to ask: anyone use a Traeger Pellet Grill? Here's my dilemma: I have a broil king keg, but it has just been frustrating for me. It's small (18" diameter) and proper direct/indirect cooking requires more juggling than I'd like. Cooks slow pretty well, though, but it's hard to keep it below 275 because it holds heat so well... and it takes a lot of babying. I was going to get an ATC for it but realized I might be throwing good money after bad. The keg? Uh, indirect cooking requires a drip pan. It is ridiculously simple to nail 225 with a decent stoker attached. It is infinitely easier to hold temp than a single-wall weber or traeger. As far as room, it comes with an upper swing out rack.
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May 9, 2018 04:33
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Guitarchitect posted:I haven't been around the forums for a while but I'm hoping for a recommendation! I couldn't find a BBQ thread (?!) but this is as good a place as any to ask: anyone use a Traeger Pellet Grill? Here's my dilemma: I have a broil king keg, but it has just been frustrating for me. It's small (18" diameter) and proper direct/indirect cooking requires more juggling than I'd like. Cooks slow pretty well, though, but it's hard to keep it below 275 because it holds heat so well... and it takes a lot of babying. I was going to get an ATC for it but realized I might be throwing good money after bad. I just got a Camp Chef SmokePro STX for $299 thanks to some goon posting a killer sale. It has been absolutely outstanding and I love it. It really is set and forget, which is pretty much my jam.
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May 9, 2018 14:38
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I've been really enjoying my MES 30. It feels like I'm cheating, and I think that's probably accurate, but that's about how much effort I want to put in right now. It seems like cleanup is probably a bit more of a pain than non-electric smokers, but it's not too bad. I'm in an apartment so I don't have much of a choice right now, but it's been working great for me and it was very reasonably priced. [Edit: For clarity, since there are multiple 30 inch MES, this is what I have - Masterbuilt 20078715 Electric Digital Smoker Front Controller, 30-Inch, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SKO7C18/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_O-V8AbZJ716EA ] Internet Explorer fucked around with this message at 15:05 on May 9, 2018 |
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May 9, 2018 15:02
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Hello, I just recently got a smoker. Haven't used it yet so this'll be my first time. I wanna make a brisket. Everything I see says to expect it to be about 16 hours cooking time. I also enjoy sleeping and not sitting on my back porch overnight so how does this timeline sound? Any recommendations? Put it in the smoker at about 5:00pm on Saturday. Pull it out when it hits 140* (probably about 5 hours) then wrap it in foil and put it in the oven @225* and go to bed. Set the alarm to go off when it hits 200* which should be around 7:00am-ish? Then I'll let it rest in a thermo-bag for a few hours.
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May 9, 2018 16:59
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What smoker do you have Am guessing it’s electric so you don’t have to know how to set and maintain temperature But if it is why foil it? You should also cook to temperature not time Do you know how to trim a brisket? If you foil and or bag it your bark will be mush. Welcome to bbq.
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May 9, 2018 17:03
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Croatoan posted:Hello, I just recently got a smoker. Haven't used it yet so this'll be my first time. I wanna make a brisket. Everything I see says to expect it to be about 16 hours cooking time. I also enjoy sleeping and not sitting on my back porch overnight so how does this timeline sound? Any recommendations? Start with a butt croat. Always start with the butt.
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May 9, 2018 17:03
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Croatoan posted:Hello, I just recently got a smoker. Haven't used it yet so this'll be my first time. I wanna make a brisket. Everything I see says to expect it to be about 16 hours cooking time. I also enjoy sleeping and not sitting on my back porch overnight so how does this timeline sound? Any recommendations? What kind of smoker do you have? Brisket is typically seen as a more advanced thing to cook to get it right. You really should start with something foolproof like a Pork shoulder (pulled pork) or even ribs just to get a feel for your new smoker. As for your time, yeah it is always good to start a few hours earlier than you think. It is fine to wrap in butcher paper then a towel and throw it in a cooler for a few hours.
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May 9, 2018 17:07
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sellouts posted:What smoker do you have Nope, charcoal. That's what the online recipes read said to do? yeah I know I was estimating duder, I even put the temps down Nahh I figured I'd wing it but duh cut against the grain Huh Flash Gordon Ramsay posted:Start with a butt croat. Always start with the butt.
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May 9, 2018 17:15
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I guess I can do ribs too. I've also got a few racks in the freezer because hell yeah $.99/lb pork sale.
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May 9, 2018 17:17
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Do anything but the brisket first. Make some mistakes so you can learn from them.
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May 9, 2018 17:18
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Poultry is how I learned. Goes fast, tasty, pretty cheap.
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May 9, 2018 17:19
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Butt is a recommended first smoke because it is extremely forgiving. Even if you over or undercook it it'll still turn out good. Use it to figure out how your cooker behaves. Brisket is considered a more advanced smoke because it is harder to get to that sweet spot. Over or under cooking a brisket would turn out a piece of meat that is less than ideal. Ribs are pretty easy too, and a much shorter cook than butts are.
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May 9, 2018 17:19
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Yeah butt is cheap and really hard to gently caress up. Brisket is on the other end of the spectrum. Starting with a butt will give you good practice getting your temps dialed in and tight amount of smoke and whatnot, and no matter what you do it will probably be tasty and good.
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May 9, 2018 18:11
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Also if you wrap it at 140F whatever bark was starting to form is going to slough off while it steams for 8 hours.
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May 9, 2018 18:45
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Croatoan posted:Uhh an offset char-broil thing? You will never be able to leave an offset char-grill to smoke for several hours without attending it. The thing eats charcoal and wood like a campfire and will never maintain temp for long.
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May 9, 2018 18:46
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In my experience at least, brisket is the same level of "difficultly" as pulled pork. As long as you have your smoker sorted out and can get it to hold temperature, there's not much else you really need to do. My worst brisket is still miles better than my best pulled pork.  I try to smoke at 225ish (my smoke pretty much will hold 21X or 23X, close enough) and keep refilling the water until it gets to 203 internally through the thickest part of the meat. No crutch, always amazing. For reference I have a propane smoker that holds temp pretty well and have done several overnight smokes without issue. Just fill up water before bed and goodnight. Maybe that's just meat bias too since I'm buying prime full packer briskets ($40-60) and grocery store on sale pork shoulder. 
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May 9, 2018 19:08
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Subjunctive posted:Poultry is how I learned. Goes fast, tasty, pretty cheap. Got any chicken tips? I'm trying to smoke thighs for the first time this weekend.
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May 9, 2018 19:36
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Indolent Bastard posted:Got any chicken tips? I'm trying to smoke thighs for the first time this weekend. Don't go crazy with the smoke and don't rest. Eat that poo poo hot.
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May 9, 2018 20:07
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With chicken there's no point in going low and slow. You just make rubber skin that way. Cook em at 350 with a little wood like apple, cherry or pecan. Stay away from mesquite. I did chicken for first meal I made for guests and I used too much smoke wood. They ate it anyways and told me it was good, but I know better. 
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May 9, 2018 20:27
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How the hell are you oversmoking a chicken at 350? You gotta be doing something wrong because mesquite is the perfect wood for short smokes like that.
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May 9, 2018 20:57
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Tezcatlipoca posted:How the hell are you oversmoking a chicken at 350? You gotta be doing something wrong because mesquite is the perfect wood for short smokes like that. Acclaimed poster and bbq enthusiast Dr. Gitmo has a great picture of over smoking:  You only need about two of those wood chunks
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May 9, 2018 21:02
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RisqueBarber posted:Acclaimed poster and bbq enthusiast Dr. Gitmo has a great picture of over smoking:  I do have to wonder if there is actually such a thing as too-much wood. Doesn't franklins pretty much use ONLY wood for their stuff? Granted it's offset from the meat chamber so it's not like a bonfire under the meat. As long as it is not actually flaming at all, is there much of a diff? Personally I toss a chunk or 3 of mixed wood depending on the meat.
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May 9, 2018 21:45
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Hasselblad posted:
I only use charcoal to start the fire and smoke entirely with wood, usually oak and/or pecan. It turns out great.
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May 9, 2018 22:01
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Meh, I can tell you that it didn't taste good and I like it with just a few chunks. If you like balls out mesquite flavour then good on ya, but it's not what I would recommend someone for their first cook.
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May 9, 2018 22:37
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Canuckistan posted:Meh, I can tell you that it didn't taste good and I like it with just a few chunks. If you like balls out mesquite flavour then good on ya, but it's not what I would recommend someone for their first cook. Of course not. That said, you can have tons of chunks in the pit and like charcoal only a few will be smoldering at a time. I don't think anyone is suggesting lighting all the wood at once. Well, maybe Dr Gitmo judging by that picture.
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May 9, 2018 22:43
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It takes like an 1-1.5 hours to smoke a chicken. You'd have to try really hard to get too much smoke. Unless you've got a ton of nasty white smoke it just doesn't have the time to get hosed up.
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May 9, 2018 23:24
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RE: Pulled chicken I'll throw this out there as a tip. If you have a stand mixer, shredding chicken is stupid easy. Throw the meat in there (meat only, no bones obv) with the paddle attachment and let it spin a minute or two at a low speed. Everything shreds up pretty nicely and is easier than loving about with a pair of forks or your hands.
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May 9, 2018 23:59
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Dr. Gitmo Moneyson posted:has anyone ever done grilled/smoked garlic parmesan wings, and if so, are there any particular recipes you like? About half the ones I found on Google use Frank’s Red Hot sauce, which I’m trying to decide if that’s a good thing to add to a garlic parmesan wing recipe. Asking this again because I’m planning on doing this in a day or two and I need to start narrowing down recipes.
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May 10, 2018 00:47
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Dr. Gitmo Moneyson posted:Asking this again because I’m planning on doing this in a day or two and I need to start narrowing down recipes. http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/buffalo-wild-wings-like-parmesan-garlic-sauce-471305#activity-feed or just go to a buffalo wild wings and ask for this: 
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May 10, 2018 01:09
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QuarkMartial posted:RE: Pulled chicken I've also used a hand mixer 
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May 10, 2018 02:06
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Indolent Bastard posted:Got any chicken tips? I'm trying to smoke thighs for the first time this weekend. My best thigh tip is to pull back the skin until it's only on by one edge, then use a paring knife to scrape off excess fat. That fat won't render, and while it's annoyingly labour intensive, I really thought it made a difference.
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May 10, 2018 13:07
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Subjunctive posted:My best thigh tip is to pull back the skin until it's only on by one edge, then use a paring knife to scrape off excess fat. That fat won't render, and while it's annoyingly labour intensive, I really thought it made a difference. This guy is a cop.
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May 10, 2018 13:24
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Anyone have good resources for pork ribs in an electric smoker? Rubs, temps, etc?
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May 10, 2018 13:36
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Stringent posted:This guy is a cop. Thigh cop is a noble profession.
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May 10, 2018 14:42
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Subjunctive posted:Thigh cop is a noble profession. Dark Meat Matters.
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May 10, 2018 16:50
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10 Beers posted:Anyone have good resources for pork ribs in an electric smoker? Rubs, temps, etc? Meathead's Memphis dust, 275 degrees, 3-4 hours for babybacks
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May 10, 2018 18:23
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VERTiG0 posted:Learn how to use the Keg. Once you get it dialed in there's barely any work. A kamado style cooker like a Keg should be less work than a Weber kettle due to that heat retention. Sounds to me like you're starting with too large a fire since you can't keep it below 275. As for the direct/indirect, don't those things have inserts like other kamados do that allow for indirect cooking? It's probably an accessory that makes it painless. Yeah, thats the theory on the keg... In practice most people have trouble keeping it below 250-275. I've put the fire out numerous times trying to keep it stable, and that's with basically closing the lid when the starter cube is going, or lighting the coals on top of a pyramid and closing the lid. As I move in on the temp I start shutting things down, overshoot, bring it down, overshoot, bring it down, stabilize, then it starts dropping. I think my biggest reservation aside from that with it is how hard it is to go between direct and indirect... Which is the same for all kamados. I bought the thing as a compromise instead of a primo oval (which is awesome for 2-zone) just because the primos are too pricey. But since I'm looking more for something I can both grill and smoke on, and really need the two zones, it's not really doing it. Even with the upper rack it ends up feeling too small for what I'm doing with it, which is just something I didn't anticipate. I'll probably end up going for a Weber 27" with a slow n sear, which should give me serious two zone capability with solid smoking ability. I hope!
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May 10, 2018 23:22
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Guitarchitect posted:Yeah, thats the theory on the keg... In practice most people have trouble keeping it below 250-275. What? Where are you pulling that statistic from? I routinely use my keg for smoking and super high temp grilling.If you cannot keep it below 250 then you are lighting too many coals and/or too much air flow. If you seriously do not want to take the time to learn how to use it properly, and you have money burning a hole in your pocket, get a proper stoker and 2-probe temp monitor. Hasselblad fucked around with this message at 00:44 on May 11, 2018 |
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May 11, 2018 00:41
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Hasselblad posted:What? Where are you pulling that statistic from? I routinely use my keg for smoking and super high temp grilling.If you cannot keep it below 250 then you are lighting too many coals and/or too much air flow. A bunch of guys on thee BSK forum and the Facebook group. Did you need to make any mods to get better air sealing on yours? Maybe I just haven't got the patience - I've waited for ages to bring it up slowly but it just constantly overshoots, or I get I to the up/down/snuff cycle I mentioned. I talked to one guy extensively who put a BBQ Guru port into his and he said he just gave up on 225 and adjusts his times to use 275 instead... He ends up using electrical tape on the pull out ash try for every cook (we both have the bsk5000, ironically the lower-tier 2000 is already set up for a stoker but the 5000 really isn't) I'm certainly going to keep trying (wife wants ribs for mother's day dinner), and its not as though i get bad food out of it... I'm just no longer beholden to the thing. The thing I didn't realize/appreciate about kamados when I bought it is that they are primarily smokers, when smoking is probably my secondary interest... I lost sight of that when I started looking at primo-alternates and had been focusing on finding a cheap kamado
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May 11, 2018 01:34
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