Smoker/ Grilling

[Mossip]

Anybody have recs for instant read thermometers? I know thermapens pretty much dominate. Anything lower priced with similar performance?

I made a spatchcocked Korean hot chicken last night on the Weber. Damn tasty. Let's get our added daylight and warm weather and start cooking again! Jealous of you year-round grillers...

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Yeah, I still got another month. Deck still has snow. It's gonna be high 50's in a day or two, but then back down to the 30's.

I have the Javelin for quick reading meat, and I got the Meater for Christmas which I can't wait to try out with the weber.

 

[Wrong]

Been working with a Chargriller akorn and Blackstone 36" griddle with 2 side burners. Gonna try to make something like this to have better control of my space:

 

[Mossip]

Have that same Blackstone. I think my next cook might be some teppanyaki on the flat top.

I'd be interested in how you build that.

 

[Get Buckets]

Anybody have recs for instant read thermometers? I know thermapens pretty much dominate. Anything lower priced with similar performance?

I made a spatchcocked Korean hot chicken last night on the Weber. Damn tasty. Let's get our added daylight and warm weather and start cooking again! Jealous of you year-round grillers...

I got the cheaper therma-pop. Not as fast on the read as the therma-pen but still quick.

 

[Wrong]

I'd be interested in how you build that.

Me too.
The one I posted is over the top. I’m looking at some plans for BGE tables and then modifying.

 

[Hank Camacho]

Bump.

 

[dckala2_rivals16641]

crave for bbq, both eating and cooking is at its end of winter max. Gonna be out at my parents this weekend and might smoke some ribs. Gonna try and get them down this year.

think it’s more of a temp issue I need to dial in.

• 275 temp
• Bone side down for an hour
• Flip for an hour
• Wrap and smoke for an hour
• Unwrap to firm up
• Finishing on a charcoal grill

 

[IkeCat]

Tis the season! Having some way-back-when NASCAR buddies (all vaccinated) over to watch "Bristol On The Dirt". Menu: baby backs, pork tenderloin, boneless chicken breasts and thighs as well as a couple of spatchcock chickens, usual sides and beverage of choice (or whatever). Shaping up to be a good day.

 

[august-west]

I’m brand new to the “Smoking” world, got a Masterbuilt electric safe style smoker for my birthday. Gonna do a pork butt this weekend. Got a rub recipe from my SIL that he swears by (doesn’t everyone). What temp do you smoke your butts? 2hr/lb? Do you wrap through the stall? 195-200 degrees final temp? Wrap in tinfoil, paper, towel to rest? Do you keep the smoke rolling for the entire cook or just a few hours? Spray it while cooking or no? TIA

 

[Get Buckets]

What temp do you smoke your butts? 2hr/lb? -250 but will increase as the cook goes along if I’m pressed for time. Never noticed a difference.

Do you wrap through the stall? -If pressed for time. Never noticed a difference. You aren’t taking in much smoke if any at that point.

195-200 degrees final temp? Yep

Wrap in tinfoil, paper, towel to rest? -Nope. Softens the bark too much for my taste.

Do you keep the smoke rolling for the entire cook or just a few hours? -Entire time.

Spray it while cooking or no? -Nope. No need and messes with bark/cools the surface temp unnecessarily imo.

 

[august-west]

Preciate it

 

[IkeCat]

When smoking a butt, start early and be PATIENT, you can always kick the fire up, if you really, really feel like you need to. If you start early and it gets done early, loosely wrap and cover with a tea towel or 2, it will stay hot. Danger range for meat is between 40 and 140 for 4 hrs. Enjoy your cook and visit!

 

[DSmith21]

Anybody have recs for instant read thermometers? I know thermapens pretty much dominate. Anything lower priced with similar performance?

I made a spatchcocked Korean hot chicken last night on the Weber. Damn tasty. Let's get our added daylight and warm weather and start cooking again! Jealous of you year-round grillers...

Try this for $27

 

[specialkd24_rivals116121]

Anybody have a Rec Teq?

 

[august-west]

When smoking a butt, start early and be PATIENT, you can always kick the fire up, if you really, really feel like you need to. If you start early and it gets done early, loosely wrap and cover with a tea towel or 2, it will stay hot. Danger range for meat is between 40 and 140 for 4 hrs. Enjoy your cook and visit!

What do you mean by this?

 

[IkeCat]

If it is finished early, as long as the internal temp is above 140, it is safe to eat. If in doubt after that, (2 or 3 hrs even) can put in a cake pan, cover with foil, put in oven at lowest setting for a while. It has been my experience that a really good rest makes it better. Also, when you go to pull it into pulled pork, do it by hand so you can remove any globs of fat that may not have cooked down. Plus you will be able to feel any of the bark that may have got real hard. Make sure that you mix in as much bark as possible, that is where your smoke and seasoning is. BTW, the bark is the black stuff on the outside, where when you saw it you cussed out loud thinking you burnt it. Bark is what makes BBQ. Another thing, Whatever you set it on to pull it, that liquid on the surface isn't grease, it's au jus (butt juice), rub your pork in or if enough of it, pour it over your pulled pork and mix it in by hand. Enjoy, you got this. Butts are very forgiving and a good thing to start your smoking experience with.

 

[H. Lecter]

crave for bbq, both eating and cooking is at its end of winter max. Gonna be out at my parents this weekend and might smoke some ribs. Gonna try and get them down this year.

think it’s more of a temp issue I need to dial in.

• 275 temp
• Bone side down for an hour
• Flip for an hour
• Wrap and smoke for an hour
• Unwrap to firm up
• Finishing on a charcoal grill

No reason to smoke when wrapped. Google 3-2-1 method for ribs. You’re close.

 

[H. Lecter]

I’m brand new to the “Smoking” world, got a Masterbuilt electric safe style smoker for my birthday. Gonna do a pork butt this weekend. Got a rub recipe from my SIL that he swears by (doesn’t everyone). What temp do you smoke your butts? 2hr/lb? Do you wrap through the stall? 195-200 degrees final temp? Wrap in tinfoil, paper, towel to rest? Do you keep the smoke rolling for the entire cook or just a few hours? Spray it while cooking or no? TIA

Try and keep my temp between 225-250. I don’t usually wrap during stall but it WILL speed up your cook. (I always start smoking shoulders around 6am). I smoke with wood chunks for 3 first hours and after that just maintain temp. Final temp is 200 degrees. Anything less than 190 is hard to “pull”. I always wrap in foil and then a big towel or two for an hour plus. If need to wait longer throw wrapped shoulder in cooler for hours. I don’t spray. Good luck

 

[Kooky Kats_anon]

as a change of pace, do the Kenji Mojo Pork shoulder recipe on the egg.

make an aji verde side sauce.

cuban beans

profit for cubanos, and carnitas burritos for days.

 

[Ryan Lemonds Hair]

I purchased the Charbroil Kamander Smoker and have tried smoking a few things. My biggest issue is I can't seem to keep my temp regulated where I want it. It seems to either get over 300 degrees and then when I try closing the dampers just a little bit my fire chokes out. I think I will like it if I can just get the sweet spot for the dampers to smoke at 250-275. I have been using Royal Oak lump charcoal and have wondered if I am not letting my lump charcoal get lit well enough and that is why it is choking out so easily?

 

[Wrong]

Resting is the key after the smoke for both Pork Butt and Brisket. Try to wrap it in foil or butcher paper and then a towel and put in a cooler. 2 hours minimum but 4 hours preferred. It really renders out the fat.

 

[Wrong]

I purchased the Charbroil Kamander Smoker and have tried smoking a few things. My biggest issue is I can't seem to keep my temp regulated where I want it. It seems to either get over 300 degrees and then when I try closing the dampers just a little bit my fire chokes out. I think I will like it if I can just get the sweet spot for the dampers to smoke at 250-275. I have been using Royal Oak lump charcoal and have wondered if I am not letting my lump charcoal get lit well enough and that is why it is choking out so easily?

I have an Akorn and put BGE gasket on it every year. FireBlack. I use a IQ temp regulator at about 260 degrees.

 

[buckethead1978]

Resting is the key after the smoke for both Pork Butt and Brisket. Try to wrap it in foil or butcher paper and then a towel and put in a cooler. 2 hours minimum but 4 hours preferred. It really renders out the fat.

Yeah, I always rest for a long time in a cooler because I am bad about gauging the cook time.

I never have chunks of fat in my pork butt that have to be tossed. If there is any it just disintegrates when I shred it. If you have a bunch of chunks that didn't render then you either didn't trim correct or you didn't cook it long enough.

A guy I know was going to make a bunch of butts for something and was worried about transporting them. I told him about the faux cambro and he said it was the best he had ever made.

 

[numberonedad]

Hey guys, late to this thread. What do you guys think of the Blackstone grill? Thinking about getting one to go along with my Weber

 

[Get Buckets]

Yeah, I always rest for a long time in a cooler because I am bad about gauging the cook time.

I never have chunks of fat in my pork butt that have to be tossed. If there is any it just disintegrates when I shred it. If you have a bunch of chunks that didn't render then you either didn't trim correct or you didn't cook it long enough.

A guy I know was going to make a bunch of butts for something and was worried about transporting them. I told him about the faux cambro and he said it was the best he had ever made.

You don’t pull off all that nasty membrane that sits up against the bone?

 

[Wrong]

Hey guys, late to this thread. What do you guys think of the Blackstone grill? Thinking about getting one to go along with my Weber

Love it. Should be done with my Akorn/Blackstone table by end of this week. Smashburgers and Breakfast food are the best on it. I do some Japanese yakisoba also.

 

[Bill Cosby]

Blackstone griddle is great. Only thing better is the Blackstone pizza oven for those lucky enough to own one.

 

[Mossip]

I've got the same set-up (Weber and Blackstone). Couldn't be happier. Also, there are tons of youtube channels dedicated to all things Blackstone.

edit: Pay the extra $80 and get the lid attachment. The cover is ok, but I'm going to have some rust to sand and reseason the griddle this Spring.

 

[august-west]

Picked up an 8lb butt and a 3lb chub of bologna today to smoke this weekend. Wish me luck.

 

[IkeCat]

On the bologna, smoke until the outside has the color of your choice, pull off and wrap. When it's cool enough, put in the fridge overnight to let the smoke flavor meld. Of course, samples need to be tasted to make sure everything is ok...lol. Will smoke ok at the same temp as the butt. Wife demands that we always have some smoked loney in the freezer to snack on! Taste is somewhere between summer sausage and regular bologna. Sounds like your'e gonna have some mighty fine eats!

 

[august-west]

I’ve decided that this year is going to be one big trial period with regards to using my smoker. Going to keep a log to see what works and what changes need to be made. Going to be a fun summer, IMO.

 

[BGCATFAN2012]

crave for bbq, both eating and cooking is at its end of winter max. Gonna be out at my parents this weekend and might smoke some ribs. Gonna try and get them down this year.

think it’s more of a temp issue I need to dial in.

• 275 temp
• Bone side down for an hour
• Flip for an hour
• Wrap and smoke for an hour
• Unwrap to firm up
• Finishing on a charcoal grill

275 is to high,come down to 250 for 4hours and you can drink them they be so tender.

 

[IkeCat]

I’ve decided that this year is going to be one big trial period with regards to using my smoker. Going to keep a log to see what works and what changes need to be made. Going to be a fun summer, IMO.

just have patience, pay attention to how it came out so you can make adjustments to your liking. If you don't already have a meat thermometer, get one, the biggest trick is to cook to internal temp, not by time, time is an indicator when to start checking temps. By late this fall, you will be trying to figure out what you want to smoke, bag, and freeze so you can have that awesome meat all winter.

 

[80 Proof]

At the end of last season, my propane smoker bit the dust. I have a Weber and a nice gas grill, along with a bbq pit we use out at the farm. I need something at my house in the city to smoke meats though.

Been looking at pellet grills for the simplicity. I like the looks of the camp chef ones. Anybody have an endorsement for the CC, or another unit I should check out?

 

[krd7_99]

Re: Boston Butt/Pulled Pork; Personally I do roughly 1.5 hrs/lb for a good guesstimate for cook time. As others have said, once you are done smoking, wrap that baby in foil and a towel and put in a cooler to rest for as long as possible...the longer the better! Also, I of course MY dip I apply makes it the best BBQ out there:joy:

<---Camp Chef Woodwind owner here...I compared pellet grills for probably a year. The ease of cleaning out the ash tray, changing pellets and the side burner was the selling point for me. I am a big fan of the Camp Chef. My only complaint would be not enough smoke flavor (I prefer my weber smokey mountain for smoking). I bought a Pellet Smoker Tube and it def helped. Chicken drumsticks are killer on it. A buddy of mine recently got one of the new ones with the wifi capability and he is a fan as well.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

When smoking a butt, start early and be PATIENT, you can always kick the fire up, if you really, really feel like you need to. If you start early and it gets done early, loosely wrap and cover with a tea towel or 2, it will stay hot. Danger range for meat is between 40 and 140 for 4 hrs. Enjoy your cook and visit!

I think the first thing I'm gonna try is smoking a pork butt. I have a weber charcoal grill, and I think the best method is to try the snake-formation of the charcoal around the pork butt. I fully plan to botch it. But I really just want to get the method down.

 

[Barleycorn]

Due to the fat content, I’ve found pork butts to be the most forgiving cut. Get the internal temp to 195/200 and you’ll be fine. Wrap/rest as mentioned above.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Due to the fat content, I’ve found pork butts to be the most forgiving cut. Get the internal temp to 195/200 and you’ll be fine. Wrap/rest as mentioned above.

I think that's why I want to do.. not too pricey and I hear its forgiving. I've never truly BBQd or smoked anything. Id like to also give it a go on smoked wings.

But with just a Weber, I know its a little trickier.

 

[DSmith21]

I think that's why I want to do.. not too pricey and I hear its forgiving. I've never truly BBQd or smoked anything. Id like to also give it a go on smoked wings.

But with just a Weber, I know its a little trickier.

A couple of things to keep in mind for a first effort are that the butt will absorb almost all its smokey flavor in the first half of the cook. You don't need to add hickory or pecan wood chunks after that. Also if you have trouble managing the heat, you can always finish the cook in your oven.