I forgot I'm makeing a 1/4 barrel smoker to take on the trail to cook a 1-2 chicken / tri tip and if corse potatoes towards the bottom
The Ultimate BBQ Thread (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter Trollhole
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Pictures when done, please. Sounds interesting.
Will do it. It's a grease barrel I'm using and fyi a metal bucket lid or I wa told a small Little charcoal BBQ from hd and grill fit and I know the big BBQ round one grill and lid fit the big 55 gal drum/barrel
^Cool, I'd like to see that if you make one. It would be awesome to have a kit for camping. I'm pretty excited about my new drum smoker, I wish I had a day off this week to make some BBQ!
How many racks do you have in your 55 gallon smoker? I only have two in mine, still a lot of room though.
How many racks do you have in your 55 gallon smoker? I only have two in mine, still a lot of room though.
I couldn't wait to try out my new drum smoker, so I picked up some cheap fryer birds at Costco. I needed to use it anyway to see how it would hold temperature with different settings before I try to cook some big meat on it. Yard bird!
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Definitely a decent smoked bird, not my favorite though. The breasts came out a bit dry, does brining the birds help keep moisture? I just did those mainly to get familiar with settings on my smoker.
Also, I've seen some chatter about white smoke vs blue smoke. I read it's better to pre-heat your raw wood before throwing into the coals. Next smoke, I plan on getting my coals going in the smoker and set my raw wood on a rack and let it get hot. Does this seem like a good idea or does it need to be hotter than 300° or so?
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Doesn't matter for me, I soak my wood.. No one agrees with this, but it was the way I was taught and I like the results. Some heat up the wood to get it as dry as possible before using it. I have seen pitmasters soak wood, dry wood on top of their smokers, keep it in trash bags to try and keep the "natural" moisture, refrigerate it, warm it to their desired smoking target temp, the list goes on and on.......... What one person likes and has great results with, another has the exact opposite results with.. Or claims to.
Just try a few combos and see what you like and experiment..
Me: I use soaked wood and only use it for the first 30-60 minutes and try to keep my smoker between 190-210F through the entire cook, no matter what I'm smoking.
J
TXLX100, brining seems to be all the rage the past couple of years...you will need to try it to see if it works for you. Having said that I, like many, went over-board and brined everything...for awhile. But I've decided, generally, I don't like the taste of the meat/fowl saturated in salt through and through and the textural changes brining can impart.
When eating out, I can taste, most of the time, whether a piece of meat/fowl has been brined. I think in the context of a restaurant where line cooks typically don't have the time to care for cooking as we do at home it gives them a wider range for timing...
I prefer roasted chicken to smoked chicken; and rotisserie is my favorite tool for getting super crisp exterior/skin (chicken/turkey) with incredibly juicy interior/meat. But regardless if you slow down the air that is flowing across whatever fowl/meat you are smoking/roasting (for the duration of the cooking process) and use an internal meat thermometer (thermocouple style) you will be able to keep moisture within the fowl/meat from drying out as much. And of course remember 'carry over cooking' when deciding when to pull off the grill...
When eating out, I can taste, most of the time, whether a piece of meat/fowl has been brined. I think in the context of a restaurant where line cooks typically don't have the time to care for cooking as we do at home it gives them a wider range for timing...
I prefer roasted chicken to smoked chicken; and rotisserie is my favorite tool for getting super crisp exterior/skin (chicken/turkey) with incredibly juicy interior/meat. But regardless if you slow down the air that is flowing across whatever fowl/meat you are smoking/roasting (for the duration of the cooking process) and use an internal meat thermometer (thermocouple style) you will be able to keep moisture within the fowl/meat from drying out as much. And of course remember 'carry over cooking' when deciding when to pull off the grill...
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I've brined some chicken breast before baking/grilling and had good results. But I just don't see me doing it for whole birds. The dark meat comes out fine unbrined and the breasts aren't my favorite anyway.
Unrelated question... What does everyone do for brisket, cook the whole packer in one piece or split the flat and point? I have been splitting mine since the thickness is different (and my old smoker was small).
Unrelated question... What does everyone do for brisket, cook the whole packer in one piece or split the flat and point? I have been splitting mine since the thickness is different (and my old smoker was small).
I'm with Spress on preferring roast (higher cook temp) to smoked (low cook temp) chicken. But nothing stops me from adding wood chunks/chips even at higher temps. And play around with temp. I'm currently fond of legs and thighs at 300* for about 45 minutes, with smoke for the first 15-30 minutes, then raising to 425* to finish and crisp the skin.
I need to side-by-side some breasts to see what I prefer. Let me clarify that! Brined vs regular boneless/skinless breasts. The EGG has done great so far on bone in/skin on breasts without brining. I always brined all chicken on my charcoal grill and sometimes still do in the oven. He's right about it giving a wider window for timing mistakes - perfect when you're entertaining. Just adjust seasonings accordingly and make sure to rinse and dry well. I like brining a whole bird because it helps make up for hot spots in the grill and the white/dark difference.
Still haven't done brisket so I can't help. It's never on sale here in NC like pork is. Love it, though.
I need to side-by-side some breasts to see what I prefer. Let me clarify that! Brined vs regular boneless/skinless breasts. The EGG has done great so far on bone in/skin on breasts without brining. I always brined all chicken on my charcoal grill and sometimes still do in the oven. He's right about it giving a wider window for timing mistakes - perfect when you're entertaining. Just adjust seasonings accordingly and make sure to rinse and dry well. I like brining a whole bird because it helps make up for hot spots in the grill and the white/dark difference.
Still haven't done brisket so I can't help. It's never on sale here in NC like pork is. Love it, though.
Hornd
SILVER Star
http://old.cbbqa.org/wood/Kingsford.html
No Petroleum..
I like Hardwood Charcoal as well, but it throws sparks, gets very hot and is expensive
Hornd
SILVER Star
Weber Smokey Mountain is a grill that wins championships and it's only a few hundred dollars. If covered after use you should be able to give it to your kids.
Mesquite is good if not overdone. I have ruined meat to determine this.
Any fruit wood is good:
Wood Type: Characteristics:
Use With:
Alder Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good with fish, pork, poultry,and light-meat game birds. Traditionally used in the pacific Northwest to smoke Salmon.
Almond
A nutty and sweet smoke flavour, light ash. Good with all meats.
Apple Slightly sweet but denser, fruity smoke flavour. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Beef, poultry, game birds, pork (particularly ham).
Apricot The flavour is milder and sweeter than Hickory. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good with most meats.
Ash Fast burner, light but distinctive flavour. Good with fish and red meats.
Birch Medium hard wood with a flavour similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.
Cherry Slightly sweet, fruity smoke flavour. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good with all meats.
Chestnut Slightly sweet nutty smoke flavour, plentiful in the UK Good with most meats.
Grapevines Aromatic, similar to fruit wood. Good with most meats.
Hickory Pungent, smoky, bacon-like flavour. The most common wood used. Good for smoking all meats, especially pork and ribs.
Jack Daniel's Made from Jack Daniel's barrels. Adds a distinctive flavor to beef and poultry. Made from 100% Jack Daniel's Oak Aging Barrels. Upon completion of the aging process the barrels are hand selected for recycling into wood smoking chips. Good for smoking all meats, especially pork and ribs.
Lemon
Medium smoke flavour with a hint of fruitiness. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Lilac Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.
Maple Mildly smoky, somewhat sweet flavour. Maple chips add a sweet, subtle flavor that enhances the flavor of poultry and game birds. Smoke a pork roast with them for a sensational taste experience. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables and small game birds.
Mesquite Strong earthy flavour. One of the most popular woods in the country, mesquite is a scrubby tree that grows wild in the Southwest. Sweeter and more delicate than hickory, it's a perfect complement to richly flavored meats such as steak, duck or lamb. Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables.
Mulberry The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Beef, poultry,game birds, pork (particularly ham).
Nectarine The flavour is milder and sweeter than hickory. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good on most meats.
Oak
(White)
One of the most popular wood's, heavy smoke flavour. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.
Olive The smoke favour is similar to mesquite, but distinctly lighter. Delicious with poultry.
Orange Medium smoke flavour with a hint of fruitiness. Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Peach Slightly sweet, woodsy flavour. Good with most meats.
Pear Slightly sweet, woodsy flavour. Poultry, game birds and pork.
Pecan Similar to hickory, but not as strong. Try smoking with the shells as well. Pecan is the best for that beautiful golden-brown turkey. Try it with other poultry products, game birds and pork - for that delicate pecan flavor!! Good for most needs.
Plum/Prune The flavour is milder and sweeter than hickory Good with most meats.
Walnut
(English)
Very heavy smoke flavour, usually mixed with lighter woods like pecan or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.
Mesquite is good if not overdone. I have ruined meat to determine this.
Any fruit wood is good:
Wood Type: Characteristics:
Use With:
Alder Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good with fish, pork, poultry,and light-meat game birds. Traditionally used in the pacific Northwest to smoke Salmon.
Almond
A nutty and sweet smoke flavour, light ash. Good with all meats.
Apple Slightly sweet but denser, fruity smoke flavour. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Beef, poultry, game birds, pork (particularly ham).
Apricot The flavour is milder and sweeter than Hickory. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good with most meats.
Ash Fast burner, light but distinctive flavour. Good with fish and red meats.
Birch Medium hard wood with a flavour similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.
Cherry Slightly sweet, fruity smoke flavour. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good with all meats.
Chestnut Slightly sweet nutty smoke flavour, plentiful in the UK Good with most meats.
Grapevines Aromatic, similar to fruit wood. Good with most meats.
Hickory Pungent, smoky, bacon-like flavour. The most common wood used. Good for smoking all meats, especially pork and ribs.
Jack Daniel's Made from Jack Daniel's barrels. Adds a distinctive flavor to beef and poultry. Made from 100% Jack Daniel's Oak Aging Barrels. Upon completion of the aging process the barrels are hand selected for recycling into wood smoking chips. Good for smoking all meats, especially pork and ribs.
Lemon
Medium smoke flavour with a hint of fruitiness. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Lilac Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.
Maple Mildly smoky, somewhat sweet flavour. Maple chips add a sweet, subtle flavor that enhances the flavor of poultry and game birds. Smoke a pork roast with them for a sensational taste experience. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, vegetables and small game birds.
Mesquite Strong earthy flavour. One of the most popular woods in the country, mesquite is a scrubby tree that grows wild in the Southwest. Sweeter and more delicate than hickory, it's a perfect complement to richly flavored meats such as steak, duck or lamb. Good with most meats, especially beef and most vegetables.
Mulberry The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Beef, poultry,game birds, pork (particularly ham).
Nectarine The flavour is milder and sweeter than hickory. Serve chutney made from the same fruit to accentuate the flavor even more. Good on most meats.
Oak
(White)
One of the most popular wood's, heavy smoke flavour. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.
Olive The smoke favour is similar to mesquite, but distinctly lighter. Delicious with poultry.
Orange Medium smoke flavour with a hint of fruitiness. Excellent with beef, pork and poultry.
Peach Slightly sweet, woodsy flavour. Good with most meats.
Pear Slightly sweet, woodsy flavour. Poultry, game birds and pork.
Pecan Similar to hickory, but not as strong. Try smoking with the shells as well. Pecan is the best for that beautiful golden-brown turkey. Try it with other poultry products, game birds and pork - for that delicate pecan flavor!! Good for most needs.
Plum/Prune The flavour is milder and sweeter than hickory Good with most meats.
Walnut
(English)
Very heavy smoke flavour, usually mixed with lighter woods like pecan or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.
I've found mesquite to be the biggest spark throwing culprit in lump/pressed charcoal. I get zero to almost zero spark problems from oak, hickory, coco-char, etc. But finding lump and/or pressed charcoal that doesn't contain mesquite is difficult in some areas of the country.
I found out pretty early on I don't like heavy mesquite smoked meat, maybe I overdid it early in my smoking career. I haven't found the lump charcoal to be that expensive in Texas. The last bag I bought was a 35lb bag of Stubbs hardwood lump for $14-15 at Costco. On a relatively light load of lump (what will fit in a cheap brinkman pan), my smoker will run at least 7 hours with some to spare. When I get my real fire basket built, I'm sure I can go 10 hours on less than $5 of fuel.
There were only 3 briskets left at Costco today, guess they haven't got their weekend supply yet. I'm going to plan on splitting the flat and point again since I've had great results doing this in the past... Unless someone talks me into a better method.
There were only 3 briskets left at Costco today, guess they haven't got their weekend supply yet. I'm going to plan on splitting the flat and point again since I've had great results doing this in the past... Unless someone talks me into a better method.
I'll pass on the borax and sawdust. All that time and money tied up in the meat, a little more $ for lump hardwood charcoal is worth it to me. Plus, my opinion is it burns more complete. There's not much ash after a long burn and no ash clumps like I've seen when kings ford is burned.
The one thing I do like to smoke over mesquite: Habaneros! I've used a plethora of wood for smoking these peppers over the past 25-years and as much as I dislike mesquite for just about everything else I keep some around for habaneros.
Sure wish the Costcos out here carried lump!
Sure wish the Costcos out here carried lump!
Butt Ugly Chuck
Fish Biologist
I wet-brined chickens for a couple of years with decent results. Have lately taken to dry-brining and like it better. My 1st attempt or two at the dry-brine were too salty but recently have been right on the money. Dry takes a little longer for best results - overnight for wet, a couple days or more for dry. I'll buy the two-pack of fryers at Costco and butterfly them both. I vary my dry brine from time to time but it's usually a mixture of salt, fresh cracked pepper, rosemary and sometimes cumin, sometimes garlic. Really work it under the skin and bag up to sit in the fridge. I'll cook #1 two or three days later. A squeeze or two of lime or lemon while it's on the grill goes nicely with the cumin! By the time I get to chicken # 2 it's been in the fridge brining for 7 or 8 days. It seems to be more forgiving on the grill (harder to dry it out) and very tasty! Even the leftovers are moist and succulent.
Trunk Monkey
Moderator
Did a bird in the smoker yesterday, just rubbed with olive oil and salt/pepper just prior to putting it in. Stayed moist, great smoke flavor (used apple chips), took less time than I thought it would (4 hours). Also did some sausage links that turned out tasting like hot dogs, did not like. I'm a huge fan of Rudy's jalapeno/cheese sausage and have been trying to find a substitute for it since we don't have a Rudy's in Utah, but no luck so far.