Dare I try a briskit or pulled pork this weekend?

Adillo303

Adillo303

*****
These are the two that I crave a lot.

In the "just learning" phase, I don't want to screw them up. Then this link suggested pulled pork for a beginner.

I have not had good pulled pork since my last trip to Virginia.

Choices, choices. If not one (or maybe both of those, then what?

Suggestions.
 
Adillo303 said:
Thank you Buzz - I wonder if a brisket could be on the other shelf? Hmmmmm.
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My true point is that smoking meats and other foods is an enjoyable, all day experience. Some like to sit at the beach for hours with a paint brush in hand but for those of us less talented it's fun to try and keep the temperature at 225. ;)

Most would say it's crazy to get up at 3 AM to start making smoke for pulled pork when the guests are arriving at 5 PM but each to his own.
 
Buzz said:
Most would say it's crazy to get up at 3 AM to start making smoke for pulled pork when the guests are arriving at 5 PM but each to his own.
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Boy do I hear that. My family is constantly telling me not to fuss that we will just get a 6' hero and no one has to work. I really enjoy cooking for company and if I do it well, I really enjoy it when they like it.

My woodshop is right next to the smoker, so it is a great day for me. Keep an eye on the smoker, make some wood and maybe sit and watch the fish for a few minutes.
 
It's a bonus to have a dual meat/smoker thermometer with remote capabilities so you can watch the temps while somewhere inside the house or garage.
 
Andy, you have two shelves, so what I've learned to do is to put a long-cooking meat on the bottom shelf and plan to have that for dinner the NEXT day.

Put a shorter-cooking meat on the top shelf and have that for dinner.

That way, you don't have to get up before dawn and you don't have to rush anything to get done in time for dinner.

Full packer briskets take about 10 hours. Large pork butts take 8 or 9 hours.

Shorter cooking meats include cooked hams, ribs, beef roasts, meat loaf - all good on the top of shelf of a smoker.

Turkey breasts and beer can chickens would be good at higher smoker temps than you want for pulled pork or brisket.

Lee
 
If you want the taste of brisket but not all the wait time, try a beef chuck roast. I inject mine with beef broth. Salt and pepper to the outside & let the cooker work it's magic.

Bring the chuckie up to 165• wrap in foil (carefully add some more beef broth to the foil wrapped meat) bring up to 200. Let it rest, then pull. Pulled beef sammies.

Or get a small pork butt, usually takes less time to come to pulling temp.
 
Andy, with the cheap pork prices you enjoy in NJ, I would make both the beef and the pork. If you're going to fire up the smoker for one thing, why not take advantage of the volume & smoke, and put as much as will comfortably fit? You can always freeze the leftovers for another day...we do that all the time. Just seems logical to me, but one of the smoker gurus may have to correct me. I've filled both shelves in my smoker with ribs, chicken and ABTs with no ill effects. The picture is hard to make out, but the bottom layer has chickens on the rack above the water pan (which is now filled with sand). I added the ABTs later in the process so they would be ready around dinner time. As we used to say at the old gas station, "fill 'er up, Mac.":D

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Bam - Thank you for the chuck roast idea.

Joe - Good idea on maximum usage. That rack is neat. Where did you get that?

I read about the sand in the water pan, i have not tried it yet.

Lee - i jave a small brisket in the freezer pairing that with a butt seems like a great idea.
Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried brining meat brfore smoking it?
 
Andy I believe Joe is using a rib rack of sorts. He will have to give you details on that one.

As far as brining I personally don't brine anymore, just personal preference I guess. They say it makes it juicy and tender but that's what low and slow does for me anyways.

A little reading.
http://www.smoking-meat.com/brining-meat.html
 
Mmmmm love this thread.
Good luck with your smoking Andy. Makes me hungry just reading about it. Now I'm thinking of breaking out my smoker this weekend IF I can't put the boat in due to trash still in the water from this weeks torrential downpours.

Joe, what kind of smoker is that? Would love to see a side pic of it.

What's up with sand in the water pan? :confused:
 
Thank you for the compliment Doc. I intend to keep at it.

Sand in the water pan adds heat. It does not keep the smoke chamber moister. Some like it, some do not. I am told that it depends on the cut of meat that you are smoking.

I wanted to ask, how often the sand is changed. I haven't smoked a lot yet. I have emptied enough water pans to know that grease 'n stuff lands in the pan. I would think that sand would need to be changed on occasion for sanitary reasons.

So far, I am happy with the water. Also some advocate apple juice. I am told that it does not do anything better than water.

Just my two cents. I am readin, tryin and learning as fast as I can.
 
Doc I think Joe's smoker is a Brinkmann Gourmet Deluxe smoker - not sure if its electric or propane.

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The.debate is huge whether to use water or.sand in the pan. A quick Google search and you will find many supporters for both.

Me personally? In my mini I use neither. I use a taracotta dish that had been wrapped in foil. It is a heat sink in mine basically.

Once you play with your smoker a.bit, she will tell you what works best. Mine is the plate or no plate depending on what I.am cooking.

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I really need to not look at threads like this before lunch. After reading all this talk of brisket and pork butts, and seeing Joe's pictures, I'm starving now!

And there isn't a decent BBQ around the office to get lunch at. Boo!
 
BamsBBQ said:
Doc I think Joe's smoker is a Brinkmann Gourmet Deluxe smoker - not sure if its electric or propane.

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Yup! that's the one. It's 110v and maintains good heat in the summer time, but once the weather cools down the thin outer skin loses heat too rapidly to do a good job. I should build an insulated box to put around it for late season smoking, or just buy a better smoker cabinet that is double walled. I bought the smoker at Home depot a couple of years ago for $69, and it has served my needs well.

As for brining, I always brine my chickens. I've smoked both ways, but brining does a better job of preserving moisture in the bird. JMHO

The rib rack came from Lowes. i think it was less than $10, and it increases the volume you can put on the rack because it's vertical orientation. You could probably build something similar, but I don't think its a good use of time. Folds up for easy storage back in the box it came in. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Brinkmann-812-9007-S-9007-Rib-Rack/dp/B002UKPTR2"]This is the one I have[/ame].

Sand in the pan makes it easier for me to cleanup after smoking. The grease congeals in the sand and I just scoop it out and I'm good to go. I have not noticed any difference between sand and water as far as heat goes, it's just a housekeeping thing for me.

I believe that smoking meats is like every other hobby. You start out small and inexpensive, and change as your skills increase. It can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be...your choice. Actually, you could smoke your dinner in a cardboard box is you really wanted to be fiscally retentive.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GgcMXB78b4[/ame]
 
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I'm in the crowd of sand in the pan, to act as a heat sink. I cover the top of the panful of sand with heavy duty aluminum foil, and just toss that after every cook. I never change the sand.

I don't brine anything but pork loin or loin pork chops, because brining, indeed, retains the moisture in the chops, but doesn't wreck the texture.

I don't brine poultry because I don't like poultry cooked low and slow, and I don't like the texture of brined bird ... at ALL! I DO, however, inject a whole turkey breast before putting it on the smoker and cook it as close to 350 as I can get it. Doesn't take long!

Heavy duty foil is a barbecuer's best friend! In addition to covering the sand in the pan, I use the foil to cover the bottom of the cooker, under the charcoal grate, making sure that I'm not covering any of the bottom vents. Then when the coals and ashes are cold, I lift up the foil and dump it, ashes and all, into a trash bag. MUCH easier!

And, of course, foiling meat speeds up the cook when you have to hurry to get dinner on the table (or to the judge's tent)!

Lee
 
During the winter I've actually used and indoor smoker. Now the one I have is like the picture below however several make them in different materials and such. The draw back is they are limited compared to a outdoor type smoker and use the pellets not wood chips or chunks but they do work and work well. Oh and mine is a Cameron's Multi-Roaster the largest they make it also is great for doing turkeys or other large cuts of meat in an oven. The top is also a cooking surface so you technically have two pans as well as the grilles. I also understand they no longer make the panel that I have but putting the pellets on the bottom in either a tin foil bag or covered with time foil with holes punched in both will also work as any large pot will that has a rack and tight top.

My out door smoker is a bit larger to say the least as shown beside the Cameron.
 

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Thanks everyone.
Sorry to hijack your thread Andy. Please do take pics of whatever you do smoke this weekend. :thumb:

Joe, my outdoor smoker is just like yours. :biggrin:
 
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