BBQing Reefers - What's on your grill/smoker?

[themcnertney]

Giving a go with some jerky today. Stay tuned.

 

[themcnertney]

Giving a go with some jerky today. Stay tuned.

3 hours in.

 

[a4edwin]

Purchased a pit boss 700fb a month ago from bj’s on a suggestion from my wife. I hesitated but pulled the trigger always been a charcoal kind of guy. But ever since I bought it I wanted to smoke a brisket. Got one from Costco flat brisket Texas style.


everybody loved it. Can’t wait to get a whole brisket. also it was my first time ever eating brisket. I was in heaven.

 

[KStatefan]

Purchased a pit boss 700fb a month ago from bj’s on a suggestion from my wife. I hesitated but pulled the trigger always been a charcoal kind of guy. But ever since I bought it I wanted to smoke a brisket. Got one from Costco flat brisket Texas style.


everybody loved it. Can’t wait to get a whole brisket. also it was my first time ever eating brisket. I was in heaven.

When I bought my first Traeger 17 years ago my wifes first response was "You spent how much on a grill" then I did a brisket for the 4th and her response was "why didn't we get a Traeger sooner?"

 

[|Frank|]

 

[revhtree]

Well I finally pulled the trigger on a pellet grill and got me a RECTEC 700. Can’t wait to try out some new foods!

 

[|Frank|]

Well I finally pulled the trigger on a pellet grill and got me a RECTEC 700. Can’t wait to try out some new foods!

I’ve been hearing some great things about the RECTEC. Can’t wait to see those pics!

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

I'm in the market for some heat resistant gloves (found out the wife's oven mitt isn't.... Hahaha) to work around the grill, preferably something that works for handling meat (picking up brisket/shoulder for wrapping) and all the way upto handling cast-iron.

What are you guys using?

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

First attempt at a brisket. Picked up a small 7lb flat from Costco and decided to finally brave a crack at a brisket on my weber kettle using a SnS.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the result, very juicy and tender. Cook took about 8 hours: 6h @250-270 then wrapped in foil and beef broth for about 2 hours, then wrap in towels for 2 mor hours. Couldn't get my hands on pecan or oak chunks so ended up using hickory.

Some things to improve and I'm not really sure how to go about it: better bark, it looked OK but it seems that it's just the rub getting burnt (coarse pepper (too coarse actually), salt, garlic powder, celery seed in about 3:2:1:1 ratio) ; smoke and smoke ring... I think this may be two-fold, part the coarseness of the rub taking up the smoke and the temperature (I threw the brisket on when grill was reading 225. Thinking I should have gone 225 the entire time and not bump it up to 250-270F like I did to let it take up more of the smoke.

Just gonna have to do it again! Think I'll add some sugar to the rub next time and maybe do a spritz to get a better bark.

 

[ecamden]

First time doing a brisket, turned out good but I would like to get a crispy bark. I wrapped it in foil, would butcher paper help with the bark?

Yes. It made a big difference for me

 

[homer1475]

I have a pair of shoulder length rubber gloves I think I bought at A local grill place. Great for handling meat, easy to clean, and their heat resistant(haven't found a peice of meat on my smoker I can't pick up with my gloved hands).

Very similar to these:

 

[homer1475]

First attempt at a brisket. Picked up a small 7lb flat from Costco and decided to finally brave a crack at a brisket on my weber kettle using a SnS.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the result, very juicy and tender. Cook took about 8 hours: 6h @250-270 then wrapped in foil and beef broth for about 2 hours, then wrap in towels for 2 mor hours. Couldn't get my hands on pecan or oak chunks so ended up using hickory.

Some things to improve and I'm not really sure how to go about it: better bark, it looked OK but it seems that it's just the rub getting burnt (coarse pepper (too coarse actually), salt, garlic powder, celery seed in about 3:2:1:1 ratio) ; smoke and smoke ring... I think this may be two-fold, part the coarseness of the rub taking up the smoke and the temperature (I threw the brisket on when grill was reading 225. Thinking I should have gone 225 the entire time and not bump it up to 250-270F like I did to let it take up more of the smoke.

Just gonna have to do it again! Think I'll add some sugar to the rub next time and maybe do a spritz to get a better bark.

Dark brown sugar, and plain white sugar creates your bark. It's the caramelizing of the sugars with the flavors of your rub that creates that great bark.

Also while wrapping shortens cook times, and makes meat tender, it destroys bark(you will still get bark, but it won't be crunchy). After you wrap meat, you should uncover, and return to the smoker for an hour or so to crispen up the bark after wrapping.

 

[homer1475]

First attempt at a brisket. Picked up a small 7lb flat from Costco and decided to finally brave a crack at a brisket on my weber kettle using a SnS.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the result, very juicy and tender. Cook took about 8 hours: 6h @250-270 then wrapped in foil and beef broth for about 2 hours, then wrap in towels for 2 mor hours. Couldn't get my hands on pecan or oak chunks so ended up using hickory.

Some things to improve and I'm not really sure how to go about it: better bark, it looked OK but it seems that it's just the rub getting burnt (coarse pepper (too coarse actually), salt, garlic powder, celery seed in about 3:2:1:1 ratio) ; smoke and smoke ring... I think this may be two-fold, part the coarseness of the rub taking up the smoke and the temperature (I threw the brisket on when grill was reading 225. Thinking I should have gone 225 the entire time and not bump it up to 250-270F like I did to let it take up more of the smoke.

Just gonna have to do it again! Think I'll add some sugar to the rub next time and maybe do a spritz to get a better bark.

I would say you didn't smoke long enough either. You normally have a nice pink ring to the outer part of the meat where smoke has penetrated. I see no pink "smoke ring" in your meat. You either did not supply enough smoke, or you wrapped too soon.

Fresh cuts of meat will only accept smoke for the first 3 hours of smoking. This is when you get that nice pink ring to the outer parts of your meat. Nothing other then slopping/spritizing should be done to the meat in those first 3 hours.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

I would say you didn't smoke long enough either. You normally have a nice pink ring to the outer part of the meat where smoke has penetrated. I see no pink "smoke ring" in your meat. You either did not supply enough smoke, or you wrapped too soon.

Fresh cuts of meat will only accept smoke for the first 3 hours of smoking. This is when you get that nice pink ring to the outer parts of your meat. Nothing other then slopping/spritizing should be done to the meat in those first 3 hours.

I wrapped at about the 6hr mark and didn't touch the lid for at least first 4h, so I'm thinking I didn't provide enough smoke.

Just gonna have to keep trying.

 

[homer1475]

A good all around rub thats pretty basic:

1C dark brown sugar
1/2C white sugar
1/2C paprika
1tbsp garlic powder
1tbsp onion powder
1tbsp kosher salt(kosher is better for smoking because of the course grind)
1tsp cumin
1tsp celery salt
1tsp cayenne pepper(adjust to taste and spiciness)

What type of smoker are you using? Pellet grill, vertical smoker, stick burner?

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

A good all around rub thats pretty basic:

1C dark brown sugar
1/2C white sugar
1/2C paprika
1tbsp garlic powder
1tbsp onion powder
1tbsp kosher salt(kosher is better for smoking because of the course grind)
1tsp cumin
1tsp celery salt
1tsp cayenne pepper(adjust to taste and spiciness)

What type of smoker are you using? Pellet grill, vertical smoker, stick burner?

Just the ol Weber kettle with a slow n sear, not dedicated smoker. Not being a wood burner probably also accounts for the lack of the smoke ring.

I'll try the rub above, looks to hit all the flavor points.

 

[AdamD76]

Just the ol Weber kettle with a slow n sear, not dedicated smoker. Not being a wood burner probably also accounts for the lack of the smoke ring.

I'll try the rub above, looks to hit all the flavor points.

What a person can do is get one of the smoker tubes and burn that along with the charcoal. It works for me.


I just cold smoked a block of gouda, pepper jack, and kielbasa yesterday.

 

[homer1475]

Yes it would be the lack of actual wood smoke that gave you the lack of a smoke ring.

Next time your in wally world, or lowes, pick up a back of wood chips(designed of gas or electric vertical smokers), throw in a metal box, and throw on the grill. This will give you that wonderful smoke flavor your looking for.

They actually sell smoke boxes to add to traditional gas/charcoal grills. Something like this:

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Rhino-1-73-in-L-x-9-65-in-W-x-4-06-in-H-Smoker-Box-with-Hinged-Lid/4437151?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-sol-_-google-_-lia-_-119-_-grillaccessories-_-4437151-_-0&placeholder=null&gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6PuY2uz-6gIVgP3jBx0fvAu5EAQYAiABEgKb9vD_BwE

One thing to keep in mind if you go the chip method, soak your wood chips in warm water for thirty minutes prior to using. This will prevent the chips from catching fire and just smolder, creating a ton of smoke.

Just to add.... I smoke almost daily at work, and am a professional chef by trade. I have found through the years in the industry, the basic rub mixture I posted above is a hit with most people(not to spicy, and not to overpowering).

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

What a person can do is get one of the smoker tubes and burn that along with the charcoal. It works for me.


I just cold smoked a block of gouda, pepper jack, and kielbasa yesterday.

Did you cold smoke in a kettle? I'd love to be able to smoke cheese/salmon.

 

[homer1475]

Cold smoke..... Just use the smoke box on your kettle, no heat. The idea is to infuse your meat/cheese/etc with the smoke flavor without cooking.