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My wonderful wife got me a cool grill/smoker for father's day. I've never smoked anything so i could use some tips. What is a good "starter" food for smoking? I want to start out with something fairly easy to smoke that won't take 12 + hours to do. The grill is like the one in the pic except it also has the gas grill too. Thanks in advance.
Wow. Nice grill.
I got a used George Foreman grill.:o
Start out with a couple a racks of baby back ribs. Make a dry rub outa 3 tblspns each of salt, pepper 2 tblspns each, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Rub down night before. Smoke for the first 2 hours, then wrap in foil and cook for 4 more hours. Keep grill around 200-210 degrees. after 6 hours , cook 30 minutes with sauce slathered on and your good to go!
PS: Dont forget to peel the membrane off the visceral ( inside ) side of the ribs. Just grab with some paper towel and it will peel right off! Good Luck.
I think a pork roast or butt is a good starter. You're still looking at a good 6+ hours of cook time, depending on how big a hunk of meat you're cooking. Keep your temp as close to 225 as you can maintain. Give your wood chips a good soak before using. Keep a spray bottle of apple juice handy to spritz the meat every hour. You can buy premade rubs, but the part I like the most is making my own and experimenting with different flavors.
I peel mine too, otherwise the flavor of the smoke and rub don't penetrate as well. I used to fix baby backs all the time, but have switched to spare ribs - they have more flavor and they're cheaper, too!Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfillingham
Got a smoker myself this year.
Check out: www.smoking-meat.com
More good info!
Thats a great choice also. Nothing better than some pulled pork!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs. Crappie Stalker
That's what I'm talking about!! I love ribs! The temperature of the grill was what i was wondering about too. I take it you have to add charcoal and wood while this is cooking.... Stupid question: do you have to add pre-lit charcoal or can you just throw a coal or two in occasionally and it will catch up? You can tell I've always been a gas grill kinda guy. I want to try a butt too. Thanks!!Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfillingham
My boss had a smoker made out of an old refridgerater and he smoked some fish fillets.I have no idea what kind of fish it was,but he caught it.Probably bass and gills and it was so addicting that you could'nt stop eating it.I'm sure that it would'nt take too long to cook that.Congrats on a great Fathers day Gift.Moma knew what she was doing,lol.
Get a couple of chickens-5lbs or so-A good rub from your local grocery store-Clean out inside of chickens-rub down with olive oil then your rub and put them over a half full can of beer or your favorite beverage and smoke at 225 for 3-4 hours. Don't forget to put water in your water pan. Add a bit of rub to your beverage. Go to any BBQ Internet site for good recipes.
Get a meat thermometer so you'll know when whatever meat you're cooking is done. While lookin you ain't cookin. While waiting put on a kielbasa link(it'll taste good) Mine looks similiar to yours but i've quit using the small side 'smoker' and can keep the temp up easier(just put chips on the charcoal)--good cooking--shu
Thanks for the info!!
I don't think mine has a water pan. can I make my own and, if so, where do you put it while you're smoking??Quote:
Originally Posted by Downwind
Thanks in advance
They all have one.It's the pan that you put your wood chips in.
Go to the "Smoke Ring" web site. It will amaze youQuote:
Originally Posted by Downwind
After smoking on the smoker wrapping it in aluminum foil is the secret that I learned from a friend a couple of years ago and I will never cook any other way. After taking the foil off, putting the sauce on 20 to 30 minutes before taking ribs off is another secret that I learned from my father years ago. Sounds like you and I cook pork about the same way and cooking this way causes the meat to literally fall off the bone. All this is making me hungry, I may just have to put a pork butt on today. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by rcfillingham
Just throw some more charcoal on the already glowing coals, they'll catch on with no problem.Quote:
Originally Posted by BigSandyRookie
"Shep"
If your doesn't have a water pan --use a tin (like a pie plate and fill it up. If not above the fire then under whatever your smoking. Helps to keep th meat moist.
I know that was a stupid question, but I had to ask. Do you add them as soon as the temp. starts to drop??? or sooner? I know...that's pretty dumb too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegill Bill
Not dumb at all, everyone has to learn some how. I usually put more coals on when it looks like the other coals are about halfway spent (burned up) and do that as many times as it takes to cook whatever your cooking. There's nothing like grilling and smoking meat, we grill out on the average of 4 to 5 times a week. Enjoy your smoker/grill and let us know how things work out for you. Oh, one more thing, use good charcoal, it makes the meat taste better and the coals will last longer. I always use "Kingsford" but it's mainly just personal preference.Quote:
Originally Posted by BigSandyRookie
Shep
Thanks. That's one thing I did right. My first bag was Kingsford Original!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluegill Bill
Ok, I finally broke the smoker in today!!! I smoked a rack of babybacks and a whole chicken. The chicken was an afterthought. I had trouble keeping the temp down. It held pretty steady at about 250 as long as i kept an eye on it. If i left it unattended, it would creep up toward 300. My first mistake was using wood chips i think. I used a combination of hickory and apple. It smelled and tasted great, but the chips would catch on fire a lot and they didn't smoke for long before you had to add more. Overall, i would give the ribs a 6.5-7 out of 10 and the chicken about 8.6-9!! It rocked!! I just rubbed it down a little with rib rub and threw it on. Question: do you need to trim that strip of meat off of the top off the ribs (that runs lengthwise...the meat-side)? It certainly made them meatier, but they seemed way too thick for babybacks.....or, maybe the restaurants just short you???
Big Sandy, sorry, we forgot to tell you to soak the wood chips in water overnight. This will prevent the flare ups. Also remember how much charcoal you used and reduce it a little next time. This will reduce the temp. it is mostly trial and error, but you will figure it out. My youngest is visiting from bham today and I am smoking a turkey breast right now. Gonna make bread in the breadmaker and salt potatoes for her. ummmmmmm! Also leave the strip on. Some guys call it St. Louis cut with it on. Its GOOD!
Thanks RC. I think I'll keep the strip on and soak the chips. Should I use chunks instead of chips?
Chunks are better than chips. Try to keep the smoke rolling for the first two hours. After that, the meat has taken all the smoke it can.
That's good to know. Is that why some people will wrap their ribs, etc. in foil after 2 hours?Quote:
Originally Posted by feelay
I soak the chips for an hour or so then wrap them in foil, punch a couple holes in the foil. It takes a while for the smoke to start. When I put put chips directly on the charcoal it seemed to have to much smoke flavor. But then I might have put to many chips on the charcoal. I have used both chunks and chips. Seems like the chunks take longer to start to smoke.
That, and wrapping holds some of the fat from dripping away, keeping the meat moist.Quote:
Originally Posted by BigSandyRookie
try thepickledpig.com great recipes for chicken beef pork