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Smoke it up


Daniel

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While leaving my girlfriends country house the other weekend, i noticed she had one of these guys in her garage. gallery_15057_181_1098803912.jpg

Now, being in New York the idea of having the opportunity to smoke a brisket or ribs in something other then my little indoor smoker is rather exciting. But again the bottom line is my experience with outdoor cooking is limited. I guess my first question is, does this type of smoker even produce a quality product. Is this the type of thing i will be able to smoke a brisket in for 8 to 10 hours? I guess once the grills viability is deterimened, i can ask my next question.

Thanks.

Edited by Daniel (log)
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Yes. The water smokers work very well and there are several interesting threads here on how to use them. But allow about 12 hours, longer if it is cold. Or you can smoke it for several hours and then finish it in the oven. Not a bad alternative in the Winter.

I marinate a brisket in grapefruit juice (canned) overnight before smoking.

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We have a smoker very similar to that one. We use it all the time with wonderful results. I would also agree -- especially given your location -- that to finish off in the oven is a viable plan. We have that a few times when the weather became uncooperative. You still get the smokiness and the great crust after several hours then the slow oven allows the tenderness to complete.

And grapefruit is great for brisket, either canned juice or rubbed down with cut fresh fruit all the juicy pulp covering the meat. A couple of other great choices for smoking in that size are pork butt and lamb shoulder or leg. You'll find it very useful, and it will love you for rescuing it from the garage. :wink:

Judith Love

North of the 30th parallel

One woman very courteously approached me in a grocery store, saying, "Excuse me, but I must ask why you've brought your dog into the store." I told her that Grace is a service dog.... "Excuse me, but you told me that your dog is allowed in the store because she's a service dog. Is she Army or Navy?" Terry Thistlewaite

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Yes. The water smokers work very well and there are several interesting threads here on how to use them. But allow about 12 hours, longer if it is cold. Or you can smoke it for several hours and then finish it in the oven. Not a bad alternative in the Winter.

Hmm.. this is a water smoker.. Looks like I have a lot of reading to do.. I have never heard of a water smoker.

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...I marinate a brisket in grapefruit juice (canned) overnight before smoking.

Grapefruit juice... that sounds pretty good.

Do you season the juice?

I don't think I have ever seasoned the juice. This tenderizes the brisket and unless the cut is a total loss, I have turned out incredibly tender and delicious briskets.

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Yes. The water smokers work very well and there are several interesting threads here on how to use them. But allow about 12 hours, longer if it is cold. Or you can smoke it for several hours and then finish it in the oven. Not a bad alternative in the Winter.

I marinate a brisket in grapefruit juice (canned) overnight before smoking.

I have looked and have not seen any threads on the matter.. Would you be able to send me one that describes the start to finish process including wood selection and such.

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That picture looks like a Brinkman. Those are pretty good and will work fine. True afficianados prefer the Weber. The temperature control (vent design) is a bit better and you can load more fuel, but why quibble. A water smoker is a wonderful thing. Using the Minion Method of firing the thing, I can keep my Weber at a steady 225F for at least 12 hours with very little fuss. That web site has a lot of good directions for smoking. I suggest a thorough perusal, Weber or not.

BTW... Contrary to popular opinion, the pan of water doesn't really add "moisture" to anything, much less the meat. Its purpose is to act as a heat sink to help moderate the temperature and keep it steady.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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That picture looks like a Brinkman. Those are pretty good and will work fine. True afficianados prefer the Weber. The temperature control (vent design) is a bit better and you can load more fuel, but why quibble. A water smoker is a wonderful thing. Using the Minion Method of firing the thing, I can keep my Weber at a steady 225F for at least 12 hours with very little fuss. That web site has a lot of good directions for smoking. I suggest a thorough perusal, Weber or not.

BTW... Contrary to popular opinion, the pan of water doesn't really add "moisture" to anything, much less the meat. Its purpose is to act as a heat sink to help moderate the temperature and keep it steady.

Definitely check out the site above. I purchased a smoker in August and have found that the site has a lot of good info plus the people on the site are most helpful. There is also this course about smoking meat at home http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=28501

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I occasionally add a cut onion and a few cloves of garlic to the water pan which gently permeates the meat with the smoke.

For woods -- you have choices. As you experiment you will find the woods you like to use with certain cuts. One of our most favorite woods to use is pecan. We usually smoke with about half charcoal and half wood for something large like a brisket or shoulder.

I have even soaked pecans in the shell, that weren't worth shelling to eat, in water overnight and added to the fire for smoking. You do need about a quart of those when smoking for several hours or more.

Judith Love

North of the 30th parallel

One woman very courteously approached me in a grocery store, saying, "Excuse me, but I must ask why you've brought your dog into the store." I told her that Grace is a service dog.... "Excuse me, but you told me that your dog is allowed in the store because she's a service dog. Is she Army or Navy?" Terry Thistlewaite

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I just thought of something. For your first trial run around the block, you might want to do a pork butt if you have no objections to pork. They are a little more forgiving than beef brisket. If you search the site for pork butt, you will probably find a lot of information... and shame on me for not putting in that link to the eGCI course. :blush:

If you do either a butt or a brisket, do not trim it. Fat is your friend. (I think col klink originated that phrase.) I generallly brine pork butt, 24 hours for a big one, before smoking. One of those probe type thermometers is also really handy for monitoring that internal temperature. The Virtual Bullet web site will also educate you on cooking times and the magic of the temperature stall.

Aw to heck with it... read klink's course. :laugh:

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Thank you everyone for your help.. The bbq was a success. I bought the brisket from the butcher which came sealed.. It was a 4 pounder with all the fat.. :biggrin: In addition to the brisket(my fave), we bought 4 pounds of baby back ribs, a pound and a half of kielbasa and we threw in a pound of duck breast we had in the fridge. We used a homemade rub for all the meat except the duck, which due to lack of molasses we used maple syrup.. (my least favorite) We used mesquite wood and about 7 hours later we were eating.

For sides we made an emerils four cheese macaroni, an epicurious creamed spinach, some corn bread, and ended with the jean -georges molten cakes that we made in a silicone mold.. Those things are really easy to pop those suckers out. (sounds like enough food for 6 people)

My first beer was at 9 am, my last margarita was at 830 pm. Everyone was asleep by 9 pm.. Dinner was a success.

Once again thank you everyone, and when i have time i really want to share this rub recipe i used.. It was one of the best i have ever had.

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  • 2 months later...
Or you can smoke it for several hours and then finish it in the oven. Not a bad alternative in the Winter.

It looks like I may have to do this. I'm smoking a 2-3lb pork loin. It's been in the smoker for 5 hours or so, but the temperature gauge on the smoker reads "warm" instead of "ideal." Which leads me to suspect that the sub-freezing temperatures outside are taking their toll.

I've never had to finish a smoked pork loin (or, for that matter, anything else) in the oven before. Anyone have suggestions on the best way to go about this to preserve flavor, juicyness, etc?

* AB drinks one of those "Guiness Pub Draught" beers, with the nitrogen cannister in the bottom of the can.

* AB wonders what Budweiser would taste like with one of those...

<AB> . o O (Like shit, still, I should think.)

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To finish in the oven, you may want to enclose it in either a disposable aluminum roasting bag or wrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil -- with just a little water or stock. Or I guess you could finish it in something like a Romertopf clay roaster if you haev one.

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Or you can smoke it for several hours and then finish it in the oven. Not a bad alternative in the Winter.

It looks like I may have to do this. I'm smoking a 2-3lb pork loin. It's been in the smoker for 5 hours or so, but the temperature gauge on the smoker reads "warm" instead of "ideal." Which leads me to suspect that the sub-freezing temperatures outside are taking their toll.

I've never had to finish a smoked pork loin (or, for that matter, anything else) in the oven before. Anyone have suggestions on the best way to go about this to preserve flavor, juicyness, etc?

This is too late to help you now, but in the future, get some of the insulating material that is used to wrap water heaters, line furnace closets, furnace outlet vents, etc., and wrap the sides and part of the hood of your smoker when the temps are below freezing. The stuff I found is rate for temps up to 600 degrees if not in direct contact with flames and works very well to insulate the smoker. I have heavy wires cut to fit and fasten them with leash snaps so the "jacket" can be placed and removed easily.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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To finish in the oven, you may want to enclose it in either a disposable aluminum roasting bag or wrap it in heavy duty aluminum foil -- with just a little water or stock. Or I guess you could finish it in something like a Romertopf clay roaster if you haev one.

Will non-heavy aluminum foil work? For that is all that I have.

And what would be the recommended temperature and length of cook time?

Edited by Afterburner (log)

* AB drinks one of those "Guiness Pub Draught" beers, with the nitrogen cannister in the bottom of the can.

* AB wonders what Budweiser would taste like with one of those...

<AB> . o O (Like shit, still, I should think.)

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I hope I am not too late to help. DON'T PANIC! (I still have my Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy button. :biggrin: ) Once your meat has gone above, say 140 degrees F, it really isn't going to absorb more smoke. Just continue to cook wherever to the desired degree of doneness. My big hunks of meat stay in the smoker because it is just easy.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

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Well, as it turns out, the temperature gauge on my smoker lied. The gauge itself may have been affected by the sub-freezing temps, but the pork loin got cooked through and through.

In fact, it got overcooked, since I left it in longer than I thought necessary before checking because I assumed that the temperature gauge was accurately reflecting what was going on inside the smoker. When I checked it after six hours of smoking, the internal meat temperature was 178F.

Oof.

It wasn't horrid, especially given that I've been overcooking my meat for years (if you know what I mean, and I think you do). But I was aiming for a less-done hunk of pork.

We live and learn.

* AB drinks one of those "Guiness Pub Draught" beers, with the nitrogen cannister in the bottom of the can.

* AB wonders what Budweiser would taste like with one of those...

<AB> . o O (Like shit, still, I should think.)

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  • 3 months later...
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