Smoking!

[Twopan]

Do any members Smoke?

 

[LeeH]

My first crack at smoking meat, the Weber kettle mainly lays dorment as the Gas BBQ is my preferred weapon, so after a few YouTube vids I have taken the plunge.

Pork shoulder
Generic pork rub
Apple tree from the garden
Apple juice
Snake method
ThermPro (Amazon same day delivery WTF?)
Apple wood from a dead limb from one of the fruit trees last night.

Aiming for 120 degC over 8 hours so it’s ready for tea.

It’s raining all day so the garage is going to be stinking.

 

[Graz]

Good luck.

Just something to be aware of if you aiming for a specific time is the "stall". You'll see the internal temperature rise on it fairly rapidly at first and then it will hit a certain point and plateau after which it will only rise a few degrees per hour. If you want nice tender pork you want an internal temperature of at least 95 °C, if a few hours out from eating time it's stuck stubbornly at ~85 °C consider wrapping it up in foil with a little apple juice for the remainder of the cook. The temperature should start to climb again after that. The job of the smoke will be long since passed by this time so the foil wrap won't stop it tasting good.

I've always had it stall even when cooking the smallest shoulder so just be prepared. It's a very forgiving bit of meat anyway and great for a first smoke.

 

[Sadfield]

Things to look at are bricks vs lump wood, the former burn longer at lower temperature.

There's also different ways to arrange the coals to prolong the burn time, such as the snake or bridging charcoal baskets. And, having the food on the lower grill at the same level as the coals, but with a the charcoal baskets or something (bricks, etc) else as a heat barrier.

 

[LeeH]

Good luck.

Just something to be aware of if you aiming for a specific time is the "stall". You'll see the internal temperature rise on it fairly rapidly at first and then it will hit a certain point and plateau after which it will only rise a few degrees per hour. If you want nice tender pork you want an internal temperature of at least 95 °C, if a few hours out from eating time it's stuck stubbornly at ~85 °C consider wrapping it up in foil with a little apple juice for the remainder of the cook. The temperature should start to climb again after that. The job of the smoke will be long since passed by this time so the foil wrap won't stop it tasting good.

I've always had it stall even when cooking the smallest shoulder so just be prepared. It's a very forgiving bit of meat anyway and great for a first smoke.

The exact same advice a friend gave me this morning.

Thanks.

 

[LeeH]

Things to look at are bricks vs lump wood, the former burn longer at lower temperature.

There's also different ways to arrange the coals to prolong the burn time, such as the snake or bridging charcoal baskets. And, having the food on the lower grill at the same level as the coals, but with a the charcoal baskets or something (bricks, etc) else as a heat barrier.

I went and bought some Weber briquettes yesterday as I only had commercial charcoal.

I did also did the snake method with the wood in the 1st 3rd.

 

[LeeH]

It’s definitely stalled at 71 but only put the Guiness Rye bread on so it’s got another 3 hours yet. Hopefully it will reach 80.

 

[LeeH]

 

[Graz]

View attachment 88044View attachment 88045View attachment 88046

That looks really good, bet it tasted good too. Good pink tinge on the outer parts from the smoke.

Hungry for pulled pork now

 

[LeeH]

This is in the fridge ready for Saturday. Not much fat on it so next time the local butchers will cut me a peace but leave the fat on. The ones from across the pond all have a layer of fat on the top.

 

[LeeH]

Morning!

Lit at 6, meet going on now. Using our own oak today and sticking plenty on early on. Also using the Weber method instead of the snake.

 

[Clint]

I'll check in later on this as I need to sleep...enjoy.

 

[LeeH]

Going back to the snake method, it just ripped through the coals on one side and was difficult to control the heat.

 

[LeeH]

Now wrapped in foil for the long trek up to the 90’s.

 

[Brewnaldo]

There's a smoking thread already that has a host of info, successes, failures etc btw, if you are looking for something to comb through of an evening

 

[LeeH]

Came out great, no where near as moist as the pork but didn’t expect it too.

 

[Graz]

Came out great, no where near as moist as the pork but didn’t expect it too.

That looks ace.

Never been brave enough to try a brisket (yet). My understanding is that grain fed American beef lends itself to this so much better as it is much more fatty. Grass fed British beef is leaner and therefore tends to be dryer. But it is hard to get hold of grain beef here.

Better for the cows though as they are free range and enjoy their lives up until they're slaughtered, and better for the environment.

 

[LeeH]

Makes sense. My local butcher is pretty good so I’ll see they can source.

 

[LeeH]

Pork shoulder again today.

Used hot dog mustard as a binder & a garlic paprika rub.

Oak

 

[LeeH]

Also almost chopped 2 fingers off cutting some oak up at 530 this morning.