Ok all you Smokers......

[cany]

I know theres a few of you here. Heres my new Smoker doing a Pork Butt (pulled pork) and some Beef ribs today

 

 

[bcartervol98]

I only use charcoal and hickory and apple wood to smoke meat and used to do it quite regularly before we got so into boating. Now I only do it a few times a year but used to do competitions. I am originally from Memphis area so smoking meat is something we grew up doing.

I have never used an electric or gas smoker or grill, have always said I could do the same thing in the oven and have proven it several times lol. Two butts, side by side, mine in oven and others on electric smoker and those tasting could not tell us which was which lol.

[Earthling789]

Good looking smoker... I've not tried the electric route either, but I have cooked a couple of butts in the oven before, and they came out pretty good. 

Do you have some Hickory chips or fruit-wood in the smoker for flavor?

[bcartervol98]

When I am "really" cooking butts I usually put them on about 3pm the day before and keep my indirect heat as close to 230 as I can and let them go 20-22 hours. Usually that is around 70-80lbs of charcoal and quite a bit of hickory cut from my yard and I cure it myself. I prefer logs and sticks to chips. Usually I do 5 or 6 at a time because I only do it for "events" anymore.

When I want to smoke a butt for a small gathering or to take somewhere and do not want to take the time I will cook it in the oven on 250 with a drip pan overnight then carefully put it on the smoker with heavy smoke for 4-5 hours. It doesnt get the beautiful rings and bark I like but works well and everyone seems to like it.

Another trick is I keep a huge aluminum drip pan under the meat with apple juice, beer, apple slices, orange slices and other fruit based on how I feel and what I have on hand. Over the 20-22 hour cook time all the liquid evaporates and infuses the meat with the subtle flavor of the drip pans ingredients PLUS all the drippings are contained and easy to discard.

Edited August 8, 2015 by bcartervol98

[cany]

Good looking smoker... I've not tried the electric route either, but I have cooked a couple of butts in the oven before, and they came out pretty good. 

Do you have some Hickory chips or fruit-wood in the smoker for flavor?

Have Hickory and some Mesquite Waiting for Wife to get back so I can start lol

I only use charcoal and hickory and apple wood to smoke meat and used to do it quite regularly before we got so into boating. Now I only do it a few times a year but used to do competitions. I am originally from Memphis area so smoking meat is something we grew up doing.

I have never used an electric or gas smoker or grill, have always said I could do the same thing in the oven and have proven it several times lol. Two butts, side by side, mine in oven and others on electric smoker and those tasting could not tell us which was which lol.

Nice   so ya got any secret recipes you wanna share

When I am "really" cooking butts I usually put them on about 3pm the day before and keep my indirect heat as close to 230 as I can and let them go 20-22 hours. Usually that is around 70-80lbs of charcoal and quite a bit of hickory cut from my yard and I cure it myself. I prefer logs and sticks to chips. Usually I do 5 or 6 at a time because I only do it for "events" anymore.

When I want to smoke a butt for a small gathering or to take somewhere and do not want to take the time I will cook it in the oven on 250 with a drip pan overnight then carefully put it on the smoker with heavy smoke for 4-5 hours. It doesnt get the beautiful rings and bark I like but works well and everyone seems to like it.

Another trick is I keep a huge aluminum drip pan under the meat with apple juice, beer, apple slices, orange slices and other fruit based on how I feel and what I have on hand. Over the 20-22 hour cook time all the liquid evaporates and infuses the meat with the subtle flavor of the drip pans ingredients PLUS all the drippings are contained and easy to discard.

This smoker has a water/drip pan.........................20-22 hrs YOWZAAAAAAAAAA Im doing a 5lb butt I hope it dont take that long

[bcartervol98]

Have Hickory and some Mesquite Waiting for Wife to get back so I can start lol

Nice   so ya got any secret recipes you wanna share

I use "Stubbs" rib rub on my butts I spice up with more garlic, cayenne and salt and pepper. See the above post about my drip pan method I use it has won my old team several trophies lol. The main thing is constant temperature and giving it time to get the nice rings and bark on the outside. I do not injection baste at all and use only the rub and apple slices on the butt for additional flavor. I like to use Shiner Bock, apples, oranges and just about any fruit juice you like in my infusion drip pan.

In reality its all about the time and temperature. Even a completely unrubbed unseasoned butt will be awesome with the proper amount of smoke. Some people like to wrap theirs about 8 hours into cooking to not get it too smoky. I think that takes away from the bark (crust) that develops on the outside of the butt. I only use hickory or apple wood for smoke the first 7-8 hours of cooking then straight charcoal. Dont let the temp get above 250 or it will get tough and the bark will be too hard. I also cook the first 7-8 hours "skin side up" to allow the infusion from the drip pan to get into the meat I plan to eat PLUS it lets the rendered fat to drip down the meat sealing in your rub so when you flip it over to skin side down all you have to worry about is temp.

[jasonculp]

I know theres a few of you here. Heres my new Smoker doing a Pork Butt (pulled pork) and some Beef ribs today

 

Cool!  I like electric smokers.

I cooked competition every other weekend for 3 years, and really got burned out on smoking.  I have not done much in the last few years.  I gave (let borrow) my wood/charcoal fired smoker to my son-in-law.  I only have a gas one left.  I like it, but you have to fill bottles.

Here is the only one I have now (not my picture, mine it dirty) mine was bought from Cabela's years ago:

I really like using the propane/electric because you don't have to mess with them, just add wood chips/chunks/pellets.  (i prefer hickory, but I am in the mesquite capital of the world)

I only use charcoal and hickory and apple wood to smoke meat and used to do it quite regularly before we got so into boating. Now I only do it a few times a year but used to do competitions. I am originally from Memphis area so smoking meat is something we grew up doing.

I have never used an electric or gas smoker or grill, have always said I could do the same thing in the oven and have proven it several times lol. Two butts, side by side, mine in oven and others on electric smoker and those tasting could not tell us which was which lol.

I agree, wood/charcoal smoking is probably a bit better, but it can be done right with gas and electric.  Competitions around here went from being won by the guys running "low and slow" method" to the "Hot and Fast" method.  Cooking briskets at home I start in the smoker and then go to the oven.  I smoke them (less than 300 degrees) until they hit 160-180 internal temp, they have absorbed nearly all of the smoke that they will absorb.  We would then wrap (I know, a sin...) and kick the smoker up to 350 - 400 until they broke.  This would be in the 195 - 205 internal temp range, then unwrap to crisp up the bark.  We never got good at Spare ribs, best was 2nd place, but most times we wouldn't table. (top 10)  We made them like we like to eat them, which wasn't good at competitions (too tender, falling off the bones)  We did good on the 1/2 chicken, we used a simple Webber...

This is the smoker we used in competition (again not my picture).  One reason we liked it was it's smallish size and reverse flow.  It had a very even heat and if you kept the fire going, it was nearly as easy as using gas or propane.  I sold my 1/3 of it and swore to never do it again.  It was such an expensive, and tiring hobby.

 

I kinda miss it now.  I cook butts for my own personal use, but the competition down here never used them.  It was just Brisket, Spareribs, and 1/2 a fully jointed Chicken.  I never masterd them, but I love them.  They require much more smoke and care than a brisket.  I have cooked them slow for many, many hours, but they have never been "smokey" enough for me.

 

You may have given me the bug.  I want to do a few butts/briskets now.  I just don't want to drive to go get them (or pay for them).  Dang it!

 

I use "Stubbs" rib rub on my butts I spice up with more garlic, cayenne and salt and pepper. See the above post about my drip pan method I use it has won my old team several trophies lol. The main thing is constant temperature and giving it time to get the nice rings and bark on the outside. I do not injection baste at all and use only the rub and apple slices on the butt for additional flavor. I like to use Shiner Bock, apples, oranges and just about any fruit juice you like in my infusion drip pan.

In reality its all about the time and temperature. Even a completely unrubbed unseasoned butt will be awesome with the proper amount of smoke. Some people like to wrap theirs about 8 hours into cooking to not get it too smoky. I think that takes away from the bark (crust) that develops on the outside of the butt. I only use hickory or apple wood for smoke the first 7-8 hours of cooking then straight charcoal. Dont let the temp get above 250 or it will get tough and the bark will be too hard. I also cook the first 7-8 hours "skin side up" to allow the infusion from the drip pan to get into the meat I plan to eat PLUS it lets the rendered fat to drip down the meat sealing in your rub so when you flip it over to skin side down all you have to worry about is temp.

I like stubbs too.  It is funny, and sad.  I used to eat at his place in Lubbock, before the City of Lubbock ran him off to Austin.  There was actually city officials that lost their jobs/elections over stubbs.

I used sucklebuster's stuff in the competitions.  Their rubs and spicy peach bbq sauce was great on ribs, we also used "bone suckin sauce" (but we sucked at ribs)

 

Dang y'all are really giving me the fever!

[bcartervol98]

I like my sauce but for a bottled sauce I LOVE Famous Daves Sweet and Spicy. Its my "go to".

Never entered rib or brisket but the comps here (I am talking mid 90s) usually only had rib, butt and half chicken. I suck at ribs lol but butt is my thing and chickens are fairly easy too just touchy.

[cany]

DAMMMMMMMMMM Im a noob at Smokeing too here lol   Pork Butt

Edited August 8, 2015 by cany

[jasonculp]

I like my sauce but for a bottled sauce I LOVE Famous Daves Sweet and Spicy. Its my "go to".

Never entered rib or brisket but the comps here (I am talking mid 90s) usually only had rib, butt and half chicken. I suck at ribs lol but butt is my thing and chickens are fairly easy too just touchy.

One of my team mates was great at the butts and chicken, but they would never have a butt catagory, unless it was a "bonus" meat and you got no points for it.

Back then it was Lonestar Barbecue Association, and IBCA sanctioned competitions in our area.  The judging was totally different between the two, and the politics involved made it much less fun.

Another thing that made it much less fun is our Sponsor (the owner of the company we all worked for at the time) would invite all of our customers in the area and have us feed them.  It was a great tool for him, but it was hard enough to get the competitions done without adding a 25 to 50 person meal to the weekend.  We had to carry 3 pickup loads of stuff to each one, set up tables, tents and the likes.  We also had to cook sides and provide "refreshments".  Most of this happened Friday night, and turn in was always Saturday around noon.

DAMMMMMMMMMM Im a noob at Smokeing too here lol

Don't worry about that!  It seems like most of the people who vape also seem to have many other hobbies.  I have had so many over the years my wife gets uneasy every time something new comes up.  She knows I will spend so much money on it!  I have been watching quite a few bush flying videos lately and she has put her foot down.  She said you had your chance to be a pilot years ago, but you didn't finish, and sold your plane.  We don't have the money for you to get back in...lol

[cany]

[Earthling789]

When I am "really" cooking butts I usually put them on about 3pm the day before and keep my indirect heat as close to 230 as I can and let them go 20-22 hours. Usually that is around 70-80lbs of charcoal and quite a bit of hickory cut from my yard and I cure it myself. I prefer logs and sticks to chips. Usually I do 5 or 6 at a time because I only do it for "events" anymore.

When I want to smoke a butt for a small gathering or to take somewhere and do not want to take the time I will cook it in the oven on 250 with a drip pan overnight then carefully put it on the smoker with heavy smoke for 4-5 hours. It doesnt get the beautiful rings and bark I like but works well and everyone seems to like it.

Another trick is I keep a huge aluminum drip pan under the meat with apple juice, beer, apple slices, orange slices and other fruit based on how I feel and what I have on hand. Over the 20-22 hour cook time all the liquid evaporates and infuses the meat with the subtle flavor of the drip pans ingredients PLUS all the drippings are contained and easy to discard.

I smoked 4 big butts for my daughter's wedding back in May... and that is how I did them... about 18 hours or so in the smoker over-night with a big drip-pan full of OJ and Apple-juice... They came out fantastic, and all that meat disappeared quickly  

[cany]

Why so long on the butts?  I was told 6-8 hrs to do the one I have

[FXRich]

I used to do a lot of smoking in the past but not so much lately, mostly what I smoke now is salmon, due to the fact there is a lot of salmon fishermen in my family. The last red meat I smoked was a elk roast, sometimes I do pork butt or chops, but not very often.

[bcartervol98]

Why so long on the butts?  I was told 6-8 hrs to do the one I have

If you are cooking at the proper temp (230-250) it will still be raw at 6 hours in the middle and about as tender as strap leather. This is my test. I stick a fork in one side then the other side. If the forks pick up the meat instead of tearing through its not done imo. If my temp gets above 240 then I spray my firebox to cool it back down, cooking at too high of a temp is about the worst thing you can do for a butt in my experience. In a  perfect world my temp will fluctuate between 225 and 230 for 20-22 hours. Its a pain to get up every two hours throughout the night to check the temp but necessary if you are as OCD as me about stuff being perfect lol.

Another thing I like to smoke is King Mackerel when I can get it fresh. Smoked fish dip on a cracker with a dab of Crystal Hot Sauce is hard to beat for an app!

Edited August 8, 2015 by bcartervol98

[cany]

Thanks B   no way Im doing 20 hrs lol   I think this Smoker gets a bit above 250.....I will use your fork method Thanks

[bcartervol98]

Just make sure the interior of the meat is at least 150 after a 5-10 minute rest and you are good. All the time is to make it pull apart tender. Its technically done and edible once it reaches the right internal temp but may be tough.

[FXRich]

One way it can be done is to smoke it for 4 - 6 hours, then put it in a crock pot with coke or root beer for another 4 hours, it doesn't sound right but it makes for great pulled pork or beef sandwiches. And the meat is tender and done.

[jasonculp]

If you are cooking at the proper temp (230-250) it will still be raw at 6 hours in the middle and about as tender as strap leather. This is my test. I stick a fork in one side then the other side. If the forks pick up the meat instead of tearing through its not done imo. If my temp gets above 240 then I spray my firebox to cool it back down, cooking at too high of a temp is about the worst thing you can do for a butt in my experience. In a  perfect world my temp will fluctuate between 225 and 230 for 20-22 hours. Its a pain to get up every two hours throughout the night to check the temp but necessary if you are as OCD as me about stuff being perfect lol.

Another thing I like to smoke is King Mackerel when I can get it fresh. Smoked fish dip on a cracker with a dab of Crystal Hot Sauce is hard to beat for an app!

This is how I do mine too.  I am not an expert by any strech of the imagination.  If I am in a big hurry, I would smoke them at 250 for about 4-6 hours until I get 150-160 internal.  I would then put them in a foil pan with a couple cans of chicken broth, and a bottle of applejuice (about an inch deep) cover tightly and crank up the heat to 350 or so.  I keep an external probe thermometer in it, when it gets to 200 degrees I would unwrap and put on the grate until it is "Fork Tender"  I have never had any complaints, but, cooking it in that much liquid, you tend to get a different (braised) texture.  It isn't the best way, but I have used it when cooking a lot to pull for a large gathering.

One thing I find very useful is a maverick thermometer.  It has 2 probes and a remote.  I put the meat probe in the closest brisket/butt to the fire (hottest) and the smoker temp probe in the center of the cooking chamber.  You can then take the remote inside or near the bed and set alarms to alert you to high/low temps.

[cany]

UGG Im really confused now Everything I watched/read is thrown out the window

[bcartervol98]

Some of my favorite things:

1. Butt done and ready to serve

2. Filets and Corn on the boat

3. Whole Hens and a Butt (Yes I wrapped it the chickens needed more smoke and the butt was done lol)

4. Pork Tenderloin on the boat

5. Bacon Wrapped Dove smoked for an hour indirect heat then frilled on high heat to finish

 

[FXRich]

Smoking meats like vaping is dependent on what you want, different people have different ways to do things.

[bcartervol98]

Notice how the bone is recessed in my first pic? Thats a great indication too of it being done. You can grab the bone and pull it out with 0 effort.

 

And yea there is a million different ways to cook and no right or wrong BUT there are tried and true methods that have made my outdoor cooking much more enjoyable both for me and those eating it. Its like Ribs. In competition you should have a firm texture to your rib BUT I like my ribs literally falling off the bone which is a major points deduction in competition.

[jasonculp]

UGG Im really confused now Everything I watched/read is thrown out the window

Don't sweat it.  Unless you turn it into charcoal, you can't screw up a butt, too bad.  It has a lot of fat, and is a big chuck of meat.  The fat keeps it pretty moist, and being so big, it takes a while to get it to break (become tender).  Just keep an eye on it.  You can feel how tender it is just by poking a probe, icepick, long fork, etc into it.  It should slide easily, with little resistance.  Pork is done at around 150-160 degrees, but it takes longer to break down the collagen in the meat to make it tender.  I think it has been mentioned, when you pull it off of the smoker, let it rest. I wrap mine, but that will make your bark soggy, but resting it lets the juices go back to where they need to be in the meat.

Some of my favorite things:

1. Butt done and ready to serve

2. Filets and Corn on the boat

3. Whole Hens and a Butt (Yes I wrapped it the chickens needed more smoke and the butt was done lol)

4. Pork Tenderloin on the boat

5. Bacon Wrapped Dove smoked for an hour indirect heat then frilled on high heat to finish

All of this food porn is making me want to cook something.  I am out of propane and don't want to make the trip to the grocery store (best meat is a 2 hour round trip)

Edited August 8, 2015 by jasonculp

[bcartervol98]

Jason I would argue that the best meat is walking around the woods waiting for my 50 cal sabot or 180 grain 30-06 to put it on the grill lol. A couple more months till that time though.

 

Took me a while to sort through over 3000 pics on Facebook to find those pics haha.

Edited August 8, 2015 by bcartervol98