Just bought a charcoal upright smoker

[Big B Hova]

Ant tips or tricks from RDP members? I'm smoking a beef brisket and some bacon wrapped short ribs as we speak.

What do you smoke? What's your technique?

 

[500bbc]

Which one?

 

[RiverDave]

Ah I wish I wasn't allergic to smoked foods.. I love the fun in cooking it and the smells etc.. I actually had 2 bullet smokers and spent quite a bit of time learning how to use them. Stacy sent me to a pro bbq school that was very in depth about slow cooking etc.. If you get a chance definitely take one. The food alone is worth the price of admission.

RD

 

[Big B Hova]

http://m.lowes.com/pd/Southern-Coun...Satin-Black-Charcoal-Vertical-Smoker/50392246

I just bought a cheapie first one. Figured I can take it camping with me. Watched a few you tube videos on smoking beef brisket. So far the smoke bacon wrapped beef short ribs were amazing.

Keeping the temp a tempature low and the smoke flowing for the beef brisket. Gonna baste it with sweet baby rays during the last 1/2 hour.

 

[Big B Hova]

Ah I wish I wasn't allergic to smoked foods.. I love the fun in cooking it and the smells etc.. I actually had 2 bullet smokers and spent quite a bit of time learning how to use them. Stacy sent me to a pro bbq school that was very in depth about slow cooking etc.. If you get a chance definitely take one. The food alone is worth the price of admission.

RD

Are you alergic to the food or to the smoke? My wife says the smoke is bothering her, but at the same time she is sick...

 

[77charger]

You may need to add some vent holes in the charcoal tray to up the temperature.Just depends on if the smoker gets hot enough or the coals fade off easily cause of no air flow.Another ditch the themometer that comes with it and get an aftermarket one too.

Use it a couple times to get an idea on how yours works and you can look up online for mods to improve it.

 

[Big B Hova]

I had to add some charcoal while.smoking the brisket... temp was low

 

[RiverDave]

Are you alergic to the food or to the smoke? My wife says the smoke is bothering her, but at the same time she is sick...

Anything with a smoke ring puts me in the bathroom..

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

IMO....you're biggest challenge with charcoal is going to be keeping a consistent temp. You might end up liking one that is electric. I stopped using mine...takes too long. I use lump mesquite now in my propane bbq....faster...and still puts out gooD stuff. Just enough flavor and still tender. :thumbup:

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

Anything with a smoke ring puts me in the bathroom..

U might like my technique....just eno u gh flavor, but not over bearing. Might be kind to your bunghole.

 

[HOOTER SLED-]

I had to add some charcoal while.smoking the brisket... temp was low

Try lump mesquite charcoal next time....seems to burn a lil slower and gives that mesquite flavor. I like the the big brown bag one....trying to remember the brand name.....Staters always has it. ComeS in a 7 or 15 lb bag.

 

[77charger]

IMO....you're biggest challenge with charcoal is going to be keeping a consistent temp. You might end up liking one that is electric. I stopped using mine...takes too long. I use lump mesquite now in my propane bbq....faster...and still puts out gooD stuff. Just enough flavor and still tender. :thumbup:

Thats why i vented the charcoal pan on my brinkman.I also put a small grate to set the charcoal on vs just laying in the tray it will stay at 250 constant for a while and after some time it will go to 225 add some more charcoal its back to 250.

Takes a few tries to learn your smoker but then its dialed in.

 

[Big B Hova]

This smoker does have a charcoal tray that keeps its off the bottom of the smoker. The brisket turned out good, but I did cook it a little too long. According to the internal temp of the meat it still needed to be cooked, but when I cut it open it was defiantly done!

I know exactly which brown bag charcoal you guys are talking about, I've seen it at smart and final. I will pick it up next time and try it out!

 

[nrbr]

There a product called the stoker consists of 3 fans a thermostat an internal thermometer and an external one that are controlled by your phone. You can monitor the Temps as well as change them while on a ride!! There's a really great forum revolving around the smoky mountain weber. I'll write back when I remember it. Also try a 3 2 1 method on babybacks!!!

 

[teded]

this my 55 gallon Smoker, couple of pork butts, about 11 hrs or till it get to 195 degrees.

 

[Ibeplumbing]

My best advice would be to study howtobbqright.com
There is some great info on there, good videos too. There are a lot of do's and dont's in good smoked food. There are a lot of mods for that smoker which will make it better. A good smoker for home use is a ugly drum (UDS) smoker. Get a local one that is built well and you will be so much happier. Brisket has to be cooked to 195-205 internal temp to be right. It's a piece of leather otherwise. Brisket to me is perfect at 198 but I do whole packers, very little trimming, and wrapping at 160 internal temp will speed your cook process past your stall point and keep it moist. There are a lot of brisket techniques. I have tried many, it's a lot of fun

 

[Big B Hova]

My best advice would be to study howtobbqright.com
There is some great info on there, good videos too. There are a lot of do's and dont's in good smoked food. There are a lot of mods for that smoker which will make it better. A good smoker for home use is a ugly drum (UDS) smoker. Get a local one that is built well and you will be so much happier. Brisket has to be cooked to 195-205 internal temp to be right. It's a piece of leather otherwise. Brisket to me is perfect at 198 but I do whole packers, very little trimming, and wrapping at 160 internal temp will speed your cook process past your stall point and keep it moist. There are a lot of brisket techniques. I have tried many, it's a lot of fun

I cooked it till it reached 185 degrees but to me it was over done... I don't know. I will have to read up on that website and see what to do next time!

 

[500bbc]

Try the Orion, not slow but everything comes out nice and juicy.
It's more of a convection oven/smoker. The cooking chamber is sealed and it takes just a half a handful of chips. Will smoke a 16# turkey in an hour and forty five minutes perfectly.

 

[dave29]

I cooked it till it reached 185 degrees but to me it was over done... I don't know. I will have to read up on that website and see what to do next time!

Next time, put a bowl with water in it on the rack and keep adding water as necessary. This will keep the meat from drying out.

 

[cmayer]

Brisket is a harder piece of meat to smoke than say a pork butt.

Smaller briskets are hard to keep moist and I like to run them at a lower smoker temp for a longer time and bring them up to 195-200. You need to break down the connective tissue, high internal temp, without boiling off the moisture, lower smoker temp. On top of that some cuts are just better than others.

My recommendation is to season that smoker with some less expensive meats first to season the inside and learn your temperatures ect.

My verticle smoker runs 200-205 all day, but I do have to feed it lump every few hours. My kamado will run 250 for 12 hours on a modest load of lump.

BBQ brethren is a good forum to follow as well.

 

[TBI]

Best thing I bought for my smoker was one of these :thumbup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maverick-ET...957?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d5db09d

 

[Big B Hova]

Best thing I bought for my smoker was one of these :thumbup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maverick-ET...957?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d5db09d

I'm going to need to pick up one of these!

 

[TeamGreene]

I built a UDS and using the Minion method I can start it at 6am and it will run 12 hours at 225-250 and I can adjust air flow as needed.

 

[Big B Hova]

Next time, put a bowl with water in it on the rack and keep adding water as necessary. This will keep the meat from drying out.

I did come with the bowl for water. :thumbup: I was reading about some recipes call for you to add certain juices to the water for different flavors.

 

[Forensic]

Best thing I bought for my smoker was one of these :thumbup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maverick-ET...957?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item463d5db09d

I've had a maverick for 5-6 years so I've gotten my moneys worth but it failed recently. The BBQ input works, it's the food side that's bad. It still reads but the calibration is fuckered and there is no way to adjust it. Time for a new one.

 

[TBI]

I've had a maverick for 5-6 years so I've gotten my moneys worth but it failed recently. The BBQ input works, it's the food side that's bad. It still reads but the calibration is fuckered and there is no way to adjust it. Time for a new one.

They just came out with a new bluetooth model that uses your smart phone as the receiver


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maverick-ET...r-Brand-New-/371398249724?hash=item56790f8cfc

 

[TBI]

I'm going to need to pick up one of these!

This book is helpful, and a good read :thumbup:




http://www.ebay.com/itm/Franklin-Barbecue-A-Meat-Smoking-Manifesto-/221824151927?hash=item33a5bff177

 

[Forensic]

I did come with the bowl for water. :thumbup: I was reading about some recipes call for you to add certain juices to the water for different flavors.

I never needed to add water to my water pan. I just lower the temp a little and let the cook run longer. I've had much better results like this.

Find the bottom of a ceramic flower pot and put it in the water pan instead. It will radiate a more even heat and hold the heat a lot better than a thin sheet of metal. Your temps wont fluctuate as much either.

 

[Motor Boater]

Ah I wish I wasn't allergic to smoked foods.. I love the fun in cooking it and the smells etc.. I actually had 2 bullet smokers and spent quite a bit of time learning how to use them. Stacy sent me to a pro bbq school that was very in depth about slow cooking etc.. If you get a chance definitely take one. The food alone is worth the price of admission.

RD

It might be the wood. My mom is allergic to mesquite. I actually don't like smoked meats, it's like eating a campfire to me. What I do is slow (indirect) cook pork shoulders on my weber using just charcoal. Get a good pork marinade and it comes out great. Good flavorful, moist tender meat with little to no smoky flavor.

 

[Ryphraph]

Did you rest the meat after smoking? Sometimes it finishes after you take it off...

Ryph

 

[TeamGreene]

This book is helpful, and a good read :thumbup:




http://www.ebay.com/itm/Franklin-Barbecue-A-Meat-Smoking-Manifesto-/221824151927?hash=item33a5bff177

Just read this also a lot of good info for sure

 

[TBI]

Did you rest the meat after smoking? Sometimes it finishes after you take it off...

Ryph

I wrap it in foil, then two big towels and put it in a beer cooler, let it rest for two hours

Last weekend a few issues came up that postponed dinner a couple hours - the brisket ended up staying in the cooler for five hours,
when I got it out it was still 130 degrees internal temp :thumbup:

 

[TeamGreene]

I'm doing a packer brisket for fight night Saturday. First attempt on the UDS.

 

[Ibeplumbing]

I would definitely practice and learn on cheaper cuts. Whole chickens, pork butt, beef chuck roast for pulled beef are cheaper alternatives, where you can really learn your smoker and what you like. Brisket is less forgiving on your wallet and you are going to have a hard time fucking up a pork butt. The best smoke is a thin blueish smoke leaving your smoker, heavy smoke can be bitter and overpowering. Invest in digital temp probes. I wouldn't trust your temp gauge that came with the unit. They can be way off. Try the digital probe at different spots inside the smoker to see your temp at all points of the smoker so you know your temps in varying spots.

What wood have you used?

My favorites are blends of woods

Brisket I like 50% hickory, 25-30% pecan and then cherry

If I'm doing mesquite, I cut it back with some pecan to mellow the harshness of mesquite

 

[Ryphraph]

I wrap it in foil, then two big towels and put it in a beer cooler, let it rest for two hours

Last weekend a few issues came up that postponed dinner a couple hours - the brisket ended up staying in the cooler for five hours,
when I got it out it was still 130 degrees internal temp :thumbup:

I usually notice the temps climbing when I rest in a cooler for an hour or so and hold steady for a long while after. I generally don't go more than 2 hours but even then it is still quite hot.

Ryph

 

[TBI]

I usually notice the temps climbing when I rest in a cooler for an hour or so and hold steady for a long while after. I generally don't go more than 2 hours but even then it is still quite hot.

Ryph

I was really surprised the first time I tried it, after two hours it was still too hot to hold in my bare hands

 

[Ibeplumbing]

I was really surprised the first time I tried it, after two hours it was still too hot to hold in my bare hands

You can actually dry it out by resting straight from foil wrap. If you vent it on the counter for 5 min. Then rewrap, and rest in foil and towels in a cooler, it will not continue cooking at the same rate. It will retain juice better and be more tender

 

[Ibeplumbing]

I usually rest for 2 hours if possible too. I have rested up to 5, but the last 3 were in the oven on warmer at 140.

 

[Stainless]

Has anyone heard of smoked meat being a carcinogen?
Hold the pitchforks, I smoke meat and love to eat smoked meat too. [emoji2]

 

[Ryphraph]

Has anyone heard of smoked meat being a carcinogen?
Hold the pitchforks, I smoke meat and love to eat smoked meat too. [emoji2]

So, let us know what isn't a carcinogen...:yikes

Ryph

 

[TeamGreene]

Need to clarify it's the first brisket on the UDS. Have done butts, ribs, chicken etc...

 

[Old Texan]

Just read this also a lot of good info for sure

Aaron Franklin has a show on PBS. Airs Saturday afternoons. I record it and watch later. He's been declared the ultimate authority on BBQ, which is saying something around these parts.

 

[Ibeplumbing]

Franklin does a great brisket, the notoriety he got pushed his brisket further than it's probably worth. But a great brisket none the less. LA bbq in Austin, Louie mueller's is also off the chart good. Post oak is a great smoking wood, almost impossible to get anywhere else unless ordered in. The lines for Franklin are absolutely nuts though. There are so many more aspects to a great brisket than an average one. The quality franklin uses allows him to show off the meat with a mostly salt/pepper rub. He adds other stuff to it as well but won't give it away, it's still mostly salt and pepper. His smokers are next level too. It's not just a big old propane tank, it's got flow and heat that other don't have. They can put crazy amounts of brisket on and not have a constant rotation of the meat. They cool hot and fast too, they run 275-325. But they rest in warmers at 140 for a long time to get the tenderness they are famous for

 

[Old Texan]

Franklin does a great brisket, the notoriety he got pushed his brisket further than it's probably worth. But a great brisket none the less. LA bbq in Austin, Louie mueller's is also off the chart good. Post oak is a great smoking wood, almost impossible to get anywhere else unless ordered in. The lines for Franklin are absolutely nuts though. There are so many more aspects to a great brisket than an average one. The quality franklin uses allows him to show off the meat with a mostly salt/pepper rub. He adds other stuff to it as well but won't give it away, it's still mostly salt and pepper. His smokers are next level too. It's not just a big old propane tank, it's got flow and heat that other don't have. They can put crazy amounts of brisket on and not have a constant rotation of the meat. They cool hot and fast too, they run 275-325. But they rest in warmers at 140 for a long time to get the tenderness they are famous for

One of the hottest BBQ restaurants is Killen's, south of Houston in Pearland. This guy has had one of the top steak houses in the nation and did BBQ once in a while on Saturdays in an outside trailer mounted pit. He has a private source for all his beef and gets his brisket and ribs from them. Killen's BBQ is now in the top of the ratings. He sells his Wagyu brisket burnt ends for $25 per lb. on special:thumbup:

My SiL has a far less famous BBQ joint here locally. They use a high dollar commercial pit with revolving rack, pressure, and gas/wood combo fired. Temp control is precise. And it's amazing the TX BBQ expert critiques they get. Folks around her are crazy for BBQ, as are many regions/States for that matter. Sure is fun doing comparisons.:thumbup:


http://www.killensbarbecue.com/
http://www.killenssteakhouse.com/

 

[TeamGreene]

The brisket came out pretty good :thumbup: very tender and juicy. The salt and pepper rub was a little too heavy on the salt but all in all it was a hit and the next one will be better.