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smokers

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
if a guy wants to get into smoking meats, what are some tips you can give me?

1. type of smoker to buy
2. Any tricks one must know?
3. Whats a good place to look up recipes?
4. Gas or electric?
5. Are the a pain to clean?


really looking for tips, now that Im leaving Texas I need to smoke brisket at least 1 time a month, I can't live without that! hahahah Also love chicken, turkey, ham smoked too!
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
Build a UDS. Check barbewue brethren for initial info then ask me or Beentown for more info.

Easy to build, took about two evenings after work and i have 150ish in it initially.
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
1) I would buy a UDS. A bunch of info on them in the web. If you go that route I have done some and can make recommendations.

2) The best "trick" is that overdone is WAY better than under.

3) www.amazingribs.comwill get you started on about everything.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Cookshack... Made in America...easy to use, great support and minimal cleanup
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
4) Bite yer tongue. Charcoal and wood or just wood is the only type I like

5) Some are tough to clean but I don't worry about it much. Let it build until it is a henderance then knock it back.

Chicken is the hardest to make perfect IMHO. The skin is just a pain in the ass. The first thing I recommend cooking is a pork butt. Hard to screw it up, unless you under cook it. Take it to almost 200 degrees IT then check for it to shred easily. Done.
 

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
4) Bite yer tongue. Charcoal and wood or just wood is the only type I like

5) Some are tough to clean but I don't worry about it much. Let it build until it is a henderance then knock it back.

Chicken is the hardest to make perfect IMHO. The skin is just a pain in the ass. The first thing I recommend cooking is a pork butt. Hard to screw it up, unless you under cook it. Take it to almost 200 degrees IT then check for it to shred easily. Done.
I'm a 190 degree guy. Edges get too dried out going to 200. What's the issue you have with the chicken skin?
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
Had a big thing all typed out and it got erased. Ugh...

Chicken was the hardest for me. Have it down now. The skin is the tough part to get perfect. Under done is rubbery and over done it all comes off on the first bite. That non-rubbery, bite through skin was hard to master.

Most of my pulled pork is pulled at around 195. In my experience 190 I would still have to chop some to finish (which isn't a bad thing but I have usually done enough cooking I am too lazy to chop). 200 is just a good place for a rookie to start.

I feel a rookie should overcook and work there way down in temp to start to keep the frustration of bad food from hindering them. Overcooked tends to fall apart which is what most people are used to at restaurants. Under cooked is tough.

The best thing you can do for your smoked meat once you have the cooking down a bit is to hold it for a couple hours.

I wrap mine in foil. Place it in a cooler stuffed with towels. It will hold up to 8 hours like this.
 
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Jamie

Senior Member
5,691
177
Ohio
hard to get chicken skin crisp in a smoker. correction, impossible.

I'm a 200+ IT guy and this seems to produce the most tender result for pork shoulders for me. plenty o bark, but it isn't dry, ever. I very much like my electric smoker with digital settings. set it and forget it for the most part for many things besides large sausages. very easy to use and control, and I'm totally fine with the results. hard to beat charcoal and wood. life is full of trade-offs.
 

Beentown

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
15,740
154
Sunbury, OH
hard to get chicken skin crisp in a smoker. correction, impossible.

I'm a 200+ IT guy and this seems to produce the most tender result for pork shoulders for me. plenty o bark, but it isn't dry, ever. I very much like my electric smoker with digital settings. set it and forget it for the most part for many things besides large sausages. very easy to use and control, and I'm totally fine with the results. hard to beat charcoal and wood. life is full of trade-offs.
I get why people use them but I have made my charcoal smoker "set and forget" by adding a temp control unit.

It ran 22 hours on one basket of coals at 225 without me having to do anything.

A good, cheap one to use with a UDS or Weber is the Pitmaster IQ110.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I bought a Weber Smokey Mountain and love it. IMO, charcoal and wood is the only way to roll. YouTube is a great place to learn and Pinterest is a solid place for recipes.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
wow thanks for a ll the tips.

I am defiantly going to do some research on these. Seems like it should be a fun thing screw with on weekends.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
I wrap mine in foil. Place it in a cooler stuffed with towels. It will hold up to 8 hours like this.

I did this the last time I did a pork shoulder and it is awesome! The meat was much juicer and it really holds temp well. Now when I do one, I allow 2 hours for it just to sit and mellow out.
 

at1010

*Supporting Member*
4,944
139
ok so after its smoked you wrap it in foil, a towel, and let it get cold?

How do you reheat it when you want to eat it?
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
ok so after its smoked you wrap it in foil, a towel, and let it get cold?

How do you reheat it when you want to eat it?
No it doesnt get cold between the mass of the meat and insulating it with towels in a cooler i have had pork butts stay warm 3-4 hours without a problem.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Yep. When I did mine, it damn near burnt my hands after 2 hours like that. I bet it would still be warm enough to eat after 5-6 hours depending on the cooler.