smoker help?

[Cruisified]

Got a smoker, standard barrell. Smoked some pork ribs and peppers before, used cherry, I wasn't too impressed the 3 times I tried it. Too smokey.

I'm gonna make a run at pork ribs again on Friday night, hope to dry rub then use a mop. Any pointers? I got about 6 hours to kill.

Saturday I was gonna do a 6 lb. brisket. Dry rub in a pan and baste. again pointers?

What types of fuel/wood do you suggest? Charcoal and wood chips?

I can grill like a sumbitch, but I want to tame the black beast parked on the side of my house. Oh, and all this is being done on a mountain top during a man-camping trip.

 

[spressomon]

Back off the amount of wood you are using for smoke. It really doesn't take near as much as you originally would think especially with a relatively well sealed smoker. Otherwise you get that acrid nasty hypersmoke...well...nastiness!

I will ONLY use alder for salmon. Tried them all but alder is king for salmon. Pork I like any fruitwood: Apple, cherry, peach. For longer cooking pork cuts like butt or spare ribs hickory or mesquite is good too...but a little too strong for baby backs IMO.

Beef likes a heartier wood...again hickory, oak or mesquite will do nicely.

 

[Trollhole]

Lump charcoal and just a few chunks of wood to smoke with every hr or so. Smoke is used to enhance the flavor not overpower it. After 140 don't use any smoking wood.

 

[Degnol]

I generate smoke for the first 4 hours on brisket and butts keeping temp between 150-180 then just charcoal or very dry wood and take the temp to 200-225 intil meat reaches internal of 160, then wrap in Reynolds 915 Food Service film which looks like saran wrap but will take 300* of heat. Cooks up into an amniotic bag with all the fat and connective tissue breaking down at anything above 160*. When done, take them off and put in an empty cooler for an hour or so and the juice gets sucked back into the meat.
Only uncooked meat will actually absorb smoke, then it collects on the outside as creosote, burning your lips and giving you the runs.
GL

 

[john_eckels]

you can get some good advice here SmokingMeatForums.com - Smoker and smoking meat forums and reviews

 

[inthewall]

I use smoke for about half the time it takes to cook the food. It seems to work for me. I don't know your smoker. I use a bradley with the discs or pucks.

 

[FJ60Cam]

This is the easiest way ...

Lump charcoal and just a few chunks of wood to smoke with every hr or so.

The lump charcoal doesn't really have any smoke, very clean burning.

What I do is cook my wood down to coals first before adding to the fire. Its a little more work, and you need a firepit or extra grill, but yields excellent results. My favorite wood for cooking is pecan. It smells tasty before you even put on the meat.

I've also stopped using any sort of wet baste while cooking. That just seems to attract the creosote more than it adds any flavor. If you want to do it, a spray bottle works very well.

Also, make sure you leave the exhaust wide open. Control the heat with the intake & fire. Choking off the exhaust seems to build up creosote as well.

 

[titanpat57]

I like the Mesquite chunks (not chips) that avaiable in the big box stores. I use good ol' Kingsford (regular, not self starting) and a minimal amount of starter. Remember, everything you introduce adds flavor, weither negitive or positive. I've tried others woods, and find this (to me) to be the most palatable.

You can soak your chunks in water, wine, jack daniels (my fav) and once the meat is set and the lid is closed...LEAVE THE GODAMN THING ALONE!!!

Everytime you lft the lid it adds another 10 mins cooking time. Watch your guage, make sure it stay around medium, or just a hair higher. Introduce your chunks through the little door in front, 2-3 at a clip, no more than once an hour. You'll see on the left hand bottom of the picture the chunks soaking.

I have tried many dry rubs, and they're fine, but I'm a "mop a buncha' goo" on the meat kinda guy.

Just like one other "meat expert" we have hanging around here...

 

[jimd4x4]

you can get some good advice here SmokingMeatForums.com - Smoker and smoking meat forums and reviews

Good advice I am a member. They are as fanatic about smoking as we are about cruiser.

 

[fsusteve]

Lump charcoal and just a few chunks of wood to smoke with every hr or so. Smoke is used to enhance the flavor not overpower it. After 140 don't use any smoking wood.

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