Smoking Tender Cuts of Meat

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Save me or enable me!

 

Tonight I noticed Amazon was offering easy payments on the $559.99 price.  On another forum I jested that if Amazon ever offered easy payments I'd be interested.  Of course I should be paying medical bills or taxes, but what fun is that?

 

Besides turkey breasts what have people been smoking?  I'd be interested in chicken breasts or thighs.  Smoked eggplant sounds wonderful.  And I'd want to try making pastrami.  How about shellfish?  Of concern, I don't have much in the way of dentation, and the smoked items would have to be easy to gum into submission.  On the other forum I mentioned someone responded with a picture of a sign from a BBQ joint that read "You don't need no teeth to eat our meat".

 

Has anyone tried smoking tender cuts of beef or pork?

 

Help me in my weakness!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Smithy]

@JoNorvelleWalker, I can't help either way. I will note that anything, chopped finely enough, can be gummed into submission. I'll also note that I'd love to see more activity and use on this new appliance. 

[gfweb]

I'd make pastrami

Or if I was in Montreal, smoked meat

[rotuts]

I'd make MHSM over pastrami every time.

 

Odd MHSM  doent seem to travel elsewhere 

[rotuts]

over here :

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/154537-what-are-you-cooking-sous-vide-today-part-3/page/87/#comment-2452528

 

 

Over here is the first stage of a Pork trial in the GE-IDS

 

 I put the food in the GE-IDS cold , and it takes 20 min to pre-heat, then you have to tap start

 

to begin the smoking.   I decided 225 F for thirty minutes of smoking , turning down the temp to 180 f  for the first total 1.5 H of smoking:

 

 

note the post-it   the top roll is of course from the top rack , then , to replace the rolls in opposite racks :

 

front to back , and top to bottom :

 

 

I rotate the try and thus get the rotation correctly placed in the GE-IDS.  Patent-Pending for this technique.

 

I noted the bottom vs the top in appearance .   the GE-IDS does have significant temp differenced , which you need to manage.

 

I rotated again at 1.5 H  ( 3 hr mark ) , and kept cooking for another 1.5 hours . 4 .5 H smoking , 5 H counting the pre-heating

 

 

the top temp was 150 F , mid 147 F bottom 140 F.

 

Pan jus :

 

 

note no burning   saved this easily

 

 

let cool a bit , then sliced into the three whil warm 

 

 

 

 

 

and made a simple wrap

 

 

it was very tasty , but the slices were two thick , as its difficult to slice the logs thinly when warm .  and yes my knives are very sharp

 

I decided the result was ' good ' .  the meat was tender , but at the above thickness had a bit of chew.   I wondered if I let the meat stay in the 

 

GE-IDS too long , i.e. :  150 F  

 

the next day , from cold  I sliced a few more pieces , thinner :

 

 

again , sometimes my iPhone doesn't focus hat well .   these slices came from the log that was visibly fatter initially.

 

after seasoning , these were much better than the warm versions.   

 

so over all , this was very good , and worthy of a repeat should I see similar pork   @ MarketBasket .

 

the meat you see here will make a very nice ' carnitas '  with a very quick hot browning , on one side.

 

the fat was delicious .

 

nest time I might do the SV to 48 hours or some time thats convenient between 30 H and 48 H

 

so over all a success.

 

the port needed no trimming , and the turkey does.    wrapping w bacon , the same for each .

 

the SV was easy to do and required no attention.  the Turkey was very moist and tender   the pork was moist , and not as tender as the turkey

 

both version will be welcome in the summer months for wraps and etc.

 

all ave vac'd and Fz.

 

I enjoyed making each version .  and was rewarded w excellent results.   the turnkey has a wonderful , subtle smokiness that lingers

 

and you cant buy that anywhere.    the pork has similar smokiness , and Im looking forward to a ' carnitas ' style wrap

 

from the fattier versions , when it cools down a bit here .   Hot Hot Hot for several days.

 

BTW :  the GE-IDS has a fan that actively circulates the smoke , and sends a smokeless exhaust out the bottom while cooking

 

this would not be a good unit to use in your kitchen on a hot and humid day , if you dont have A/C .

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

For anyone in any doubt, I caved.  I had to relocate the ninja Creami and the Ankarsrum mixer to the bedroom, and a stack of too large jeans to the bedroom floor.  Full disclosure, there was no room on the bedroom floor.  I actually moved the pile of jeans to the top of another pile.

 

But the Profile is now on the kitchen counter.  Last night for my first experiment I smoked half of a ribeye steak:

Temperature 100C

Time 50 minutes

Smoke Level 5

Wood Kona Premium Blend (the pellets that come with the Profile)

 

After smoking I seared the steak in my Demeyere searing pan on the Paragon.  Final temperature was 59-60C.  The color of the meat was red and the texture was more like rare.  Yet the interstitial fat had melted and Thermapens can't lie.  With some difficulty I was able to masticate thin slices.  Flavor was good even though the smoke taste was subtle.  Not bad I thought for a first attempt.  I'm recording my trials in a red quad ruled notebook, with red ink (Monteverde Fireopal).

 

As an aside, both the Profile and the Paragon were developed in the same GE facility.  Tonight I had hoped to smoke shrimp, but at the moment it is 91F and 50% relative humidity in here.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Neither the shrimp nor I were getting any younger.  They are in the Profile now:

Temperature 110C

Time maybe an hour, we'll see

Smoke Level 5

Wood Kona Premium again

 

I oiled the shrimp and tossed with garlic, smoked paprika, salt.  Made coleslaw.  Totally exhausted.  Enjoying a Stone IPA while waiting for the shrimp.

 

One observation:  the cost of accessories for the Profile sure add up.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Amazon increased price from $559.99 to 628.28

 

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

Congratulations.  

 

the two add-ons I think are very helpful :   the ( seni ) disposable aluminum drips pans  ( line them w parchment paper )

 

and the non-stick mesh for the shelves.  the little plastic slid on ' filter ' for ease of draining the water // spent pellets is nice.

 

I got that as I needed a few bucks for free shipping.   now that I have It Im glad I got it.

 

currently my projects are the bacon wrapped boneless country ribs ( pork dark meat , mostly.

 

 

Set II chilling after 48 H SV 130 F.  Thursday in the GE-IDS , as its going to be much cooler then , they claim .

 

the three units will all have ground garlic , ground onion ( powder ) then 

 

1)  ' M "  ( Mexican ) =  adding fresh ground cumin

 

2)  ' F "  ( French  shy not ? )  = adding dried rosemary and dried thyme , crushed , not ground

 

3)  ' S "  ( Spanish )   = adding Spanish smoked paprika flakes .  again not ground.  from SpceTereckkers 

 

Im adding a decent amount of each seasoning , as I want more of that flavor to be evident.

 

set III is in the SV'der , again 48 H 130 f

 

Sat AM Ill go by MarketBasket early ( cooler ) and see if I can pic up a set or two.

 

my plan , over the next 10 days or so , heat permitting , is 6 total sets

 

why 6 ?  generic , but god quality bacon , was on sale last week and I picked up enough for 6 sets of something or other

 

and Fz them.

 

P.S.:  @JoNorvelleWalker : I coudn't possible run the GE-IDS in this sort of heat.

 

Edited June 24 by rotuts (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

2 hours ago, rotuts said:

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

Congratulations.  

...

 

P.S.:  @JoNorvelleWalker : I coudn't possible run the GE-IDS in this sort of heat.

 

 

I succumbed to all the attachments, including the prep tray.  Not sure what my next experiment will be.  Someone on another forum asked me to try something big that would smoke for several hours.

 

But as you say, not in this heat.

 

What woods have you been using?

 

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

I used the packet that came w the unit , I dont recall what they called it  the smoke was sweet , so some sort

 

of fruit wood.  did have the aroma of cherry .  that went into the several turkey breasts I made.

 

very nice flavor , not harsh , sweet , pleasantly lingering.

 

I two bags from

 

https://cookinpellets.com/

 

one is 

 

https://cookinpellets.com/premium-wood-pellets/

 

 

the other 40 lbs is 100 % Hickory.  that one might move down to the WHPS some day.

 

I dont know what the shipping charges are for several of their 3 lbs bags.

 

Home Depot sells some , as does walmart and Amazon.

 

look for a fruitwood blend.  go for 10 lbs bag , as its considerably cheaper.

 

[rotuts]

one other thing : isopropyl alcohol ,

 

on a paper towel , works nicely at cleaning the window , etc

 

and does not leave a ' perfume ' like commercial branded cleaners.

 

works better , and is cheaper.

[rotuts]

I continue to make my Pork Carnitas Logs.

 

Set II :  48 hrs SV , 130 F , rapid chill .

 

GE-IDS  set to 200 F , logs placed at start up.  takes 20 min.

 

200 F  1 hour , then 180 F , and rotation each hour .  these are 4 hours total :

 

 

sliced in 1/2 , 

 

 

Vac'D , and Fz.     PCL III is in the GE now.   I plan on making 5 - 6 total.

 

very good for sandwiches , actual Carnitas , and etc.  

 

my goal is to get the tenderness from the SV , and the smoke from the GE.  I like the final temps to be less than 145 F

 

the bag Jus is saved , and Fz into a brick , and Vac'D and Fz .  its delicious , and I plan to use a tbs or so from Fz  for Carnitas.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Four days ago I set out to smoke a hamburger:

 

Wood oak

Temperature 135C

Probe Target 60C

Keep Warm 60C

Smoke Level 5

 

I ground a bit less than a pound of ribeye, and used half of the ground beef for one patty.  It took about half an hour for the probe to reach 60C.  One of the finest hamburgers I have cooked or tasted.  Most importantly it was meat that I could enjoyably chew!

 

The next night I repeated the experiment with the remaining ground beef.  Somehow the results were not as good.  The burger was more like medium well than medium rare.  Chewing was painful.  I finished the burger but it was a disappointment.  Worse it demonstrates that I cannot cook consistently.  Though doubtless anyone with a bunch of teeth would have found the second burger more than satisfactory.  The discrepancy could have been probe placement.

 

Last night I intended to try smoking fish, however the plan was derailed when a friend invited me out for dinner.  I had excellent Unagi Don.

 

Tonight is hot and humid.  Not ideal weather for running an indoor smoker.  But Whole Foods had boneless pork shoulder on sale, and a kg is in the smoker.  The GE has a preset for pork shoulder but I want shoulder that can be thinly sliced rather than pull-apart tender.  No idea what hour I'll be eating.  My settings were/are:

 

Wood Kona Sweetwood Blend

Temperature 102C

Probe Target 65C

Keep Warm 60C

Smoke Level 5

 

I rubbed the roast with mustard and a dry spice blend of garlic, black pepper, allspice, thyme, ancho chili, cloves, cumin, coriander, star anise, nutmeg, mace, and who knows what else.  I had every good intention to write down the names and ratios, but when I realized I did not have all the spices in powdered form, that went by the wayside.  Grinding cloves and allspice was a particular pain.  Did I mention it is hot?

 

 

I've had more than a few little annoyances with the GE so far:  the probe is a real pain to use.  Doubly so if the device has been preheated.  There is supposedly a mode to skip preheating.  Once the smoker is hot enough the mode is supposed to transition directly to smoking.  No success at all.  If anyone has a GE and has used the mode to skip preheating, please let me know.  I suppose I could call customer service.

 

The door does not stay fully open by itself.

 

Venting smoke takes 9 minutes.  I have not used the feature, with the result that my kitchen (I do keep the smoker in the kitchen) has the reek of Sodom and Gomorra.  Not all considered a bad thing.  And no smoke gets out while the food is cooking.

 

The app, though free, requires signing up for an account.  I was pretty disgusted with that and didn't.

 

As mentioned above GE nickels and dimes their customers to death to get what should have been included accessories.

 

[gfweb]

@JoNorvelleWalker you are a wily veteran, so I ask this with hesitancy...were  the two burger meats at the same starting temp? Might make a big difference at low temps for short times.

 

Re the odor of  S & G...from what I recall of the Biblical account, brimstone was involved in the destruction..so it was a sulfurous smell in Lot's nostrils and, briefly, his wife's.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

46 minutes ago, gfweb said:

@JoNorvelleWalker you are a wily veteran, so I ask this with hesitancy...were  the two burger meats at the same starting temp? Might make a big difference at low temps for short times.

 

Re the odor of  S & G...from what I recall of the Biblical account, brimstone was involved in the destruction..so it was a sulfurous smell in Lot's nostrils and, briefly, his wife's.

 

Both burgers smoked from refrigerator temperature -- and I assert poetic license.  She was possibly asphyxiated, but I have a CO detector.

 

Tonight's pork shoulder smoked for three hours.  I pulled it when the probe reached 63C.  The shoulder is now in the Anova at 62C 80% relative humidity to rest and equalize.

 

I couldn't get the "clear smoke" function to work.  I think I figured out that when smoking is finished the machine clears the smoke automatically.  Apparently for the clear smoke function to work the GE has to be in smoking mode.  User interface is needlessly complex.  Practice should make it easier.

 

Another gripe I have is that some combinations of the display numerals are hard to read correctly.

 

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

Im sorry you are having frustrating issues w the GE-IDS.

 

I tried using the probe on the first IDS.  I gave up trying to learn how to use it.

 

after all , I use Past Experience , and recordings in the Red Engineer Lined Notebook  [ RELN ]

 

its very true the manual that explains how to use the Unit should be re-written for clarity.

 

For my purposes ,( longer , lower temperature IDS'ing ) , Im pleased with the unit.

 

Id never use the unit on hotter days .

 

BTW :  this topic initially was this one :

 

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/166120-ge-profile-smart-indoor-smoker/page/6/

 

 

No idea why it has been moved, but that's not really a problem.

 

I use the GE-IDS for tougher meat , but these days pre-treat that meat w SV.

 

Edited Monday at 11:47 AM by rotuts (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

 

Last night's GE Profile pork shoulder was delightful.  A few end bits were difficult to chew, but the rest was tender and juicy.  Lots of unctuous pork fat.

 

[rotuts]

@JoNorvelleWalker

 

looks very tasty.  nice crust .

 

what were your times and temp settings ?

 

[ElsieD]

Amazon.ca is now selling a knock-off.

 

https://www.amazon.ca/Filtration-Settings-Connected-Countertop-Appliance/dp/B0F4Y5WV6Q/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0_image?pd_rd_w=dcPjD&content-id=amzn1.sym.132f1a2b-de6d-4eb4-9982-d6fe080f8827%3Aamzn1.symc.40e6a10e-cbc4-4fa5-81e3-4435ff64d03b&pf_rd_p=132f1a2b-de6d-4eb4-9982-d6fe080f8827&pf_rd_r=Q6GM23YP4DD4Y0MXCYHD&pd_rd_wg=4khyU&pd_rd_r=a15042bc-a3ee-4fe2-b7bc-9087ae6fca33&pd_rd_i=B0F4Y5WV6Q

[rotuts]

Interesting

 

in the US Amazon , the Ge is selling for $ 678

 

the generic for $ 619 .

 

the certainly look the same .  doesnt seem like a big enough difference to justify the generic

 

but probably made by the same plant in China .

 

Odd.

[ElsieD]

@rotuts  I tried finding some info on the company.  Couldn't find a thing.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, ElsieD said:

@rotuts  I tried finding some info on the company.  Couldn't find a thing.

 

I suspect "Generic" is exactly the same GE Profile from a different seller.  It even says "Profile" on the corner, same as my unit.  If another company used the name Profile, GE would most likely see them in court.

 

[ElsieD]

2 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I suspect "Generic" is exactly the same GE Profile from a different seller.  It even says "Profile" on the corner, same as my unit.  If another company used the name Profile, GE would most likely see them in court.

 

I understand that.  What I was referring to was where it says "Sold and shipped by Sierra LLC".  Looking at the dimensions, the generic one is slightly different but that should surprise no one.  That way, it isn't an exact duplicate.  As @rotuts pointed out, they certainly look the same.  I'm still lusting for one, but I'm sure not buying anything from a company I can't find any info one, especially given the $$$ involved.