Meat smoking newbie
- Thread starter jj1252
- Start date
JJ, are you referring to smoke-cooking meat, low and slow, using wood or charcoal for fuel. Also known as "barbecue". Like chicken, ribs, pulled pork?
Or do you mean cold-smoking, which is done at a lower temperature, typically with sausages, salmon, and cheese.
If it's the former, check out our subforum on outdoor cooking. Several of us active members are pretty good at that.
Lee
Or do you mean cold-smoking, which is done at a lower temperature, typically with sausages, salmon, and cheese.
If it's the former, check out our subforum on outdoor cooking. Several of us active members are pretty good at that.
Lee
Cooksie
Well-known member
I'm going to assume this: "are you referring to smoke-cooking meat, low and slow, using wood or charcoal for fuel. Also known as "barbecue". Like chicken, ribs, pulled pork?" If not, you can ignore 
.
I still consider myself a newbie to smoking meats. Most of what I learned, I learned on here and by reading other bbq forums. I'll just tell you some of the things that were important for my learning curve.
If your pit has one of those built in thermometers, don't just blindly trust it. Mine was way off. I bought one of those digital probe thermometers, worth every penny.
Patience Grasshopper - resist the urge to lift the lid every 30 minutes.
I have better luck getting a smoke ring if I take the meat directly from the refrigerator to put it on the pit.
Most everyone disagrees with me on this one
, so take it or leave it...I soak my wood chips.
.I still consider myself a newbie to smoking meats. Most of what I learned, I learned on here and by reading other bbq forums. I'll just tell you some of the things that were important for my learning curve.
If your pit has one of those built in thermometers, don't just blindly trust it. Mine was way off. I bought one of those digital probe thermometers, worth every penny.
Patience Grasshopper - resist the urge to lift the lid every 30 minutes.
I have better luck getting a smoke ring if I take the meat directly from the refrigerator to put it on the pit.
Most everyone disagrees with me on this one
, so take it or leave it...I soak my wood chips.
Johnny West
Well-known member
K
Kimchee
Guest
Be sure you don't have the meat directly over the coals.
I've found that good quality charcoal briquets give a longer, more consistent heat than lump charcoal.
If you decide to do this often, invest in one of those leave-in thermometers.
Be patient. It takes hours...many hours, for some cuts of meat.
Read, read, read. The BBQ forum here is great, and there are plenty of other places to learn too.
I agree with the wood chunks as opposed to wood chips for your smoke.
Be sure to read up on how to control the heat in your BBQ; this is very important. But don't panic if your temps are higher than the 'perfect 225-250 degrees'. You can get just as good results with higher temperatures.
And ask questions here.
I've found that good quality charcoal briquets give a longer, more consistent heat than lump charcoal.
If you decide to do this often, invest in one of those leave-in thermometers.
Be patient. It takes hours...many hours, for some cuts of meat.
Read, read, read. The BBQ forum here is great, and there are plenty of other places to learn too.
I agree with the wood chunks as opposed to wood chips for your smoke.
Be sure to read up on how to control the heat in your BBQ; this is very important. But don't panic if your temps are higher than the 'perfect 225-250 degrees'. You can get just as good results with higher temperatures.
And ask questions here.
I think mostly cold smoking, but I am interested in learning more about both kinds.
Johnny West
Well-known member
There are a lot of salmon smoking recipes on the net. I use a hotter smoke and it works fine. The smoked samon freezes well but never lasts very long anyway.
Chicken and ribs I do low and slow on the grill and use hickory, cherry, and plum wood for smoke (apple when I can get it).
Chicken and ribs I do low and slow on the grill and use hickory, cherry, and plum wood for smoke (apple when I can get it).
jj, at-home cold smoking is something of a controversial subject: some experts say not to do it with meats or fish because the food stays in the danger zone far too long.
The only thing I've ever cold smoked on my Weber Kettle was a chunk of cheddar cheese. I sat next to the cooker for a couple of hours on a cold March day, with a couple of charcoal briquettes in the cooker and a chunk of apple wood, struggling to keep the kettle temp below 90 degrees.
It worked and was good, but I wouldn't do it again. Just wanted to see if I could!
Lee
The only thing I've ever cold smoked on my Weber Kettle was a chunk of cheddar cheese. I sat next to the cooker for a couple of hours on a cold March day, with a couple of charcoal briquettes in the cooker and a chunk of apple wood, struggling to keep the kettle temp below 90 degrees.
It worked and was good, but I wouldn't do it again. Just wanted to see if I could!
Lee
Johnny West
Well-known member
When I lived in Minnesota and caught lots of carp, the place we used for smoking did a hot smoke and the owner said it was law just as you said about bacteria. I 
hickory smoked carp but it's not found out here. It's just another thing I miss about the Midwest.
hickory smoked carp but it's not found out here. It's just another thing I miss about the Midwest.