The Ultimate BBQ Thread (5 Viewers)

[Combat Chuck]

just keeps good notes on what you do. I personally think being consistent while smoking is key. I do what I call hot warm smoking (add a specific amount of raw wood, get the smoker up to 350 for about 5 minutes then let it burn to small coals over about an hour, then repeat) Every smoker is different, you need to practice to understand the intricacies of your smoker. Test the vent once, or the coals, or the wood.. one at a time. If you change too many things you never know which item actually made the taste different.

What he's saying makes alot of sense. Alter as few of the vairables as possible, but keep track of everything changed, no matter how little, and mark the results. That way I'l have my own method to use my own smoker and get the results I like.

I bet you microwave everything and then get on the internet and bull****.

The bull**** is pretty convincing.

He boils his ribs first - - his opinion has a giant cock in it.

and I quote:

don't knock it until you try it.

Not a fan of the procedure, I thought that the result of boiled ribs was limp, flavorless, chewy meat; but I tried it. Life's too short to turn your nose up at things on the plate.

It's a method I would recommend to the avid sauce fan, because they're guaranteed to never taste the meat, only the sauce covering it.

 

[woooody]

Hey Chuck

I've tried doing baby backs both ways (Weber Kettle, Weber Smoker) and I actually prefer the way they turn out on the Kettle better. I think the smoker doesn't render the fat quite as well, but admittedly I have done far more on the kettle, so I probably am just more comfortable on the kettle.

When you get the Weber Smoker, jump up to the 22". I bought the 18 before the 22 came out. I think I'd like the extra space a 22 provides, as it's tough to do a lot of meat on the 18.

Did you place the coals to the side, or did you pile them in the middle?

 

[Combat Chuck]

Thanks Ross!
I'm thinking the 22 over myself, it just seems to make sense to carry over my grill's diameter, since I'm happy with the capacity (for now!)

I was really happy with how crisp my ribs turned out on the kettle, it was like having spicy bacon wrapped around the meat.

I piled the coals off the the RH side, meat on the left, and roasted quartered apples directly over the coals for adding to my glaze.

I plan on being at James' place for Fun Day this spring (even if I have to call in sick) so if you're cooking again, and need a hand I'll be there.

Thanks for cleaning this up Troll, it got kinda messy!

 

[weejub]

The 22" weber is well worth the extra dollars. I'd prolly jump to the new 26.5" if I was buying new as I found even the 22" a lil small for family use for indirect cooking (i.e. whole turkey, full brisket, etc.)

I use a 18" with the leg's cut down for camping - cut about halfway up with a pipe cutter, put on a cover like on the bottom of a cane and carry it on the back of the truck - would be fun to rig it up to a new rear bumper holder somehow, but only if you could take it off, of course

I primarily use a Primo Oval XL now - they are awesome - ceramic like a Big Green Egg. Never have to worry about moisture, super efficient and hold temperatures real well. They are HEAVY though.

 

[Combat Chuck]

...I use a 18" with the leg's cut down for camping - cut about halfway up with a pipe cutter, put on a cover like on the bottom of a cane and carry it on the back of the truck

That's my plan, too. I carry my Kettle camping right now, and I'll keep my fridge smoker at home, but a WSMC for mobility seems necessary, especially since I often have the itch to camp.

- would be fun to rig it up to a new rear bumper holder somehow, but only if you could take it off, of course

You mean like: Pitmaker of Houston Texas Custom builders of BBQ Trailers, Backyard BBQ Smoker Pits, and BBQ Grills

Better on a swingout arm higher up, like a spare, to preserve the AOD.

 

[woooody]

The 22" weber is well worth the extra dollars. I'd prolly jump to the new 26.5" if I was buying new as I found even the 22" a lil small for family use for indirect cooking (i.e. whole turkey, full brisket, etc.)

I meant the 22" Smoker. And yes, I have the new Weber XL Kettle (26.75) and it is nicer, but cooks differently. I found this year that the turkey didn't "crisp up" quite like on the 22" kettle, as there was more space between the bird and the lid.

I like the ribs better on the 26 over the 22, as you can get more space away from the charcoal mound. You can fit one more rack of Baby Backs on it as well.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Just got my 22" Weber Smokey Mountain in. It'll be my camping rig while my fridge smoker will stay home. (the fridge takes up all the space I have in the bed of The Mule).

Right now, I've thrown a 3lb Chuck roast onto the smoker with oak char. Steak's been seasoned with salt pepper cayenne and garlic. In a few hours I have some red wine to use for my crutch. We'll see.

Thanks for the thread guys, probably my favorite on 'Mud.

 

[Combat Chuck]

barbecue beef short ribs anybody?
4 hours over oak charcoal with pecan and whiskey barrel chunk.

Rub was cayenne, pepper, chile powder, and garlic.

 

[inthewall]

That looks goood!

 

[Trollhole]

I ate some great BBQ this weekend. It was in a little town right in between Clemson and Anderson, SC call Smokin Pig. I've eaten at hundreds of BBQ places and have to say this one us up in the top five. Great BBQ and Brisket. Good and smokey with a great smoke ring. Slaw was sweet with a kick and the fries were salty and spicy. Served with a sweet roll. Service was excellent. They must have asked a dozen times if we needed everything. Place was packed.


Ironically I actually had somewhat of a hand in this establishment. The owner used to own a bunch of Pizza places and wanted to get into BBQ. One of his employees asked me to give him some tips. I told him good sauces and quality smoke make for great BBQ joint. Pretty sure he followed my advice of cooking the sauces in the smoker. He also had a good smokey vinegar sauce which was one of my suggestions. They were excellent.

 

[weejub]

Chuck - love the crust and ring on your short-ribs! Looks wonderful.

Awesome Trollhole re: suggestion. Used to live in Savannah, but live in KC now - so would have to be a pretty good trip to try your spot, although I'd like to try your sauce recipe

Sauces are one thing I haven't really dealt with in an organized fashion - just use local stuff cause there is a lot of selection here in KC - sometimes add vinegar/apple juice/other depending on situation.

 

[rover67]

Here's my rig...

I threw it together late last summer. My goal was to have something I could burn logs in since I always used those smaller side box smokers from the HW store with briquettes.

I started using charcoal, then moved to hardwood lump coal, and then moved to this. I could never seem to get the other smokers to draft right or have even heat.

This one has a big plate/water tray underneath the cooking surface, so the firebox opens up under it. this channels the heat across the bottom of that plate, then back across the meat on top. It seems to work pretty well and heat evenly. I also added a propane lighter for the firebox.

So I gotta question.... I have been just throwing logs in there and lighting them off with the propane. When the temp gets to 250 or so and stabilizes and the logs are burning nice I throw the meat on. When I need more heat I just throw in a fresh log.

Is that the right way to add wood? Should I be lighting it first?

Also, I have been using pecan and apple since that's what I saw first at the wood place here in Boulder. I like them OK. Any suggestions?

I have only done 20 racks of ribs or so and a handful of shoulders. I am still learning the smoker. That's as far as I got then it started getting cold here.

 

[rover67]

fire box in this post.

So what do you guys think? would you change anything?

 

[Mace]

Why is "getting cold" outside an issue?


Looks like a nice setup!

 

[rover67]

I dunno, it snowed a foot or so here a few times and it was kind of a pain. Maybe I am Lazy But now it is dry and getting warmer

 

[weejub]

REAL nice set up Rover - Adding the plate below the smoker is a great idea - keeps particles to a minimum and supposed to help reduce carcinogens through the "reverse flow" process - adds more even heat, etc.

I don't have a reverse flow, but I know that guys that do burn wood and charcoal in them. You could also always try to stack wood on the far left and push charcoal closer to the smoke box opening. As far as lighting it - I think you could always do a little charcoal in a smokestack lighter (weber, etc) dump it in and then put your wood on top or to the side if hot enough in the box. Also, electric starters are REAL popular for charcoal, but I have never used them.

My favorite woods are the following:

Peach, Pecan; and Hickory is a must for pork and any Carolina/KC/Memphis style smoking

Pork: Hickory and any fruit wood (peach is my favorite, but also love cherry)
Beef: Oak, then Hickory and Apple
Birds: Pecan and any fruit
Fish: I mostly use planks of whatever I can find in plank form, but prefer alder, but cedar is "OK"

BBQing is like "which oil is the best" sometimes - key is have fun and be happy and try lots of different stuff.

If I had your rig - I would probably do a large weber full of any all wood charcoal. I'd sit a log (2-3 chunks) of my first wood on top of that weber as it warmed up. I'd dump it - let it sit for 10-15 mins or until decent temperature in the smoker, and then throw in another one foot long log of hickory on top right before I put in my meat. If I was doing a pork butt for 6 hours or so, I'd put peach/cherry/fruity in about 2 hours in. Not sure how efficient your box is, but may have to do more charcoal at that point as well, or add more wood and even earlier to keep heat up.

 

[yooper]

Nice!

I think your wood adding method is fine as long as you are able to maintain the temperature.

The baffle under the food grate is the only way to go, especially with your chimney on the same side as the firebox. I modified my commercially made smoker to have a smoke baffle.

One design thing I would have done: I would have built an ash pan so if you get a big ash buildup during a single session you can pull it out quickly.

I wish I had pecan and apple available for smoking.

 

[weejub]

BTW - i currently have 5-6 types of woods, but am always experimenting. I have yet to try a ton of them to include some listed on my primo-brand forums (persimmon for one).

Primo Users Forums - Primo Grill Forum

These are great forums to include topics such as the smoking woods, cuts of beef (several butchers are on full time), how to start keep smoke going, etc. Stickied wood chain:

Primo Grill Forum

My Dad used to smoke turkeys with Ash - I still want to try that

 

[rover67]

The ash pan is something that I wish I had done... I have to shovel it out after it runs for about 12 hours. That's a great Idea.

As far as lighting the thing goes, the propane log get's it going initially.. Jamie, are you saying I should pre burn the logs like one would with charcoal?

Yeah Yooper, the temps stays up fine when I throw a log in there... I usually have a decent bed of coals going, something like 4 logs worth. Then after that I usually throw a log in every hour or two. When I add the logs the temp stays up nice and usually gets hotter since there are more flames.

The big baffle pan works nice for catching grease and holding water also. I like to throw water in it and it will tend to boil a bit and keep it moist in the smoker. When I built this thing I knew I wanted a good baffle in it to circulate the heat a bit better.

I think the next time I make something I may start off with some hickory, then move to something not as sharp towards the end. I wonder if any of the apple or pecan would even come out in the flavor after something like hickory. Man, I need to fire it back up.

 

[bigndn]

I have only done 20 racks of ribs or so and a handful of shoulders. I am still learning the smoker. That's as far as I got then it started getting cold here.

And your smoker looks that clean? Something smells not so smoky here.

Otherwise, I'd say it's a sweet rig and you did a really nice job. But I think I would have put some collapsible/removable handles on the firebox, put the solid axle on the other end, and left off the swiveling casters.