Smoking Meat in Windy Conditions

Q: I recently purchased a Smokevault (the big one) made by campchef. I'm having a problem with keeping a constant temp. We have quite a bit of wind around here, I think that might be the problem, any suggestions on some kind of protection like maybe a metal curtain or HELP!

A: Wind can be a huge problem for a smoker.. and like you said, the only way to eliminate the problem is to either use your house, garage etc. as a windbreak and/or set up a windbreak using plywood or other materials.

For smaller smokers it is much easier, in fact I had someone tell me a while back that they set a 55 gallon barrel over their little brinkmann propped up on bricks at the bottom to serve as a windbreak when they smoke in cold, windy conditions.

For a large smoker you may have to get a little creative..

Even setting the smoker under a carport or other structure with 3 sides blocked off would be a huge help.. only you know what you have available.

You also may have to be willing to move the smoker around a little.. depending on what type of access you have to the various sides of your house you can place the smoker on the side of the house that is opposite the wind direction.


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More Tips on How to Smoke Brisket

Q: I am new to the smoking thing. I just bought a beef brisket this evening and have yet to smoke anything. I am not sure how to smoke and was wondering when smoking meat do you only put wood in the smoker one time or do you constantly have to check the wood and once it is gone do you add more. Like I said I am a newbie at this and dont want to screw up $25.00 worth of meat.

Do you know of any place where I can find the basics of smoking?

Thanks and I love your site.


A: I do not know what kind of smoker you have so I will try and explain the basics in as few words as possible. I am assuming you are using charcoal and unless you have a really huge smoker that is best. You should use Lump Charcoal which is cleaner and burns hotter than briquettes.

Start your fire as usual and when you have a good bed of coals add some smoking wood chunks of hickory, mesquite or just about any hardwood or fruitwood to the coals. Just as soon as it starts to smoke add the meat to the smoker.

Maintain 225 degrees in the smoker using the air intake on the smoker to control the temperature.. more air makes the fire burn hotter, less air it burns cooler.

The brisket will require about 1.5 hours per pound cook time so an 8 pound brisket will take 12 hours or better to complete.

Note: You can also use wood chips by wrapping a handful in a large sheet of aluminum foil and then poking 4 or 5 holes in the top. Lay the foil package right on top of the coals.

You need to continue to replenish the chunks/chips until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees at which point the meat stops taking on smoke.

After that point you just continue to maintain 225 degrees until the brisket reaches 180 degrees for slicing or about 200 degrees for pulling.

Here are a few resources that you should definitely check out to help you turn out a perfect brisket:

My 4 Secrets to Smoking a Perfect Brisket

www.smoking-meat.com/brisket-smoke.html

www.smokingmeatforums.com



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How to Brine/Inject Chicken

Q: Please help me with smoking a whole chicken. I`ve tried things but can`t get a great spicy taste throughout and family says it`s plain tasting.

A: Have you tried brining?

Brining is a process in which you soak the chicken (or any meat) in a salt, sugar and water solution for a specified amount of time. You can also add spices and flavorings to the solution and believe it or not the flavors will get drawn deep into the meat creating a very wonderful taste.

I have a page that talks about brining in detail at http://www.smoking-meat.com/brining-meat.html and on there is a recipe in which I brine a turkey in water, salt, sugar, flavorings, and Zattarains Crab boil.

This creates a spiciness and really rich flavor throughout the meat that I think you should try.

You will need to amend the time in the recipe a little bit.. for a turkey it requires 10 hours however a whole chicken of around 4 pounds would only require about 3-4 hours.

Another alternative you should try is injecting the chicken with a spicy marinade of butter, water and cajun seasoning.. here is the recipe that I use and you can amend this however you like just be sure and taste it before you use it.. if it taste good to you then it will taste good in the chicken.

Mop Water/Injection Fluid

1 cup water
1 stick real butter (the salted kind)
2 TBS Tony Chacheres Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp Black Pepper

You will need an injector which you can pick up at Wal-mart or even in the supermarket.. if you cannot find one by itself go to the aisle with the barbecue sauce and marinades and sometimes the marinades made for injecting will have an injector attached to the bottle.

You may even see some spicy marinade that looks good.. the main thing is that you get the marinade down into the meat. Inject the chicken in about 20 different spots on the top and bottom and sides of the meat. Be sure and get the wings, legs and thighs a little.

Leave the skin on the chicken and dust on some lemon pepper, cajun seasoning and course black pepper in equal amounts just before smoking.

Smoke the chicken for around 4 hours at 225-250 or until it reaches 168 in the thickest part of the thigh or breast.. I like to use mesquite chunks/chips however, you can also get great results from oak, hickory, apple, plum, cherry, apricot or a mix of your favorite fruit or hard wood.

The chicken will be a deep golden brown when it is done.. let it rest for 20 minutes or so before carving to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.


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Help.. I've Ruined a Pork Butt

Q: I ruined a pork butt with too much smoke.how can that be. I did add some pecan about 3 hours after because temp was droping. any ideas?

A: Well.. there are several possibilities for that happening. The number one reason for that problem is not having enough airflow. In other words you need plenty of opening for air to come into the firebox and plenty of opening for it to escape out of the smoke chamber.

When this is not sufficient, the smoke gets stale and begins to allow creosote to form on the meat.

The size of your smoker is another issue. If you have anything other than a large trailer mounted smoker you will get your best results from using lump charcoal for heat and wood chunks or pieces for your smoke.

If you have a small smoker like a bullet smoker or even one of the smaller smokers with a horizontal firebox it is almost imparitive that you use lump charcoal with wood chunks/pieces as opposed to all wood.

This method allows you to control the amount of smoke flavor while still maintaining ample heat.

If you will let me know what type of smoker you have (brand, model, size, etc.) I can be more specific on how to make sure this does not happen again.

For more information on smoking Pork butt, pork shoulder, pork picnic, etc. please visit the Pork Shoulder Recipe page where I show you how I do it from start to finish.

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Smoking a Chuck Roast

Q: I am now marinating a chuck roast..when I bought it I assumed that you could smoke it...but I dont see any roast recipes. Is it ok to smoke?

A: You can in fact smoke any type of meat with very few exceptions however some meats do better than others due to their fat content. Meats that are less desirable in the kitchen are usually the best in the smoker. This is true for ribs, brisket, pork shoulder, etc.

A chuck roast is not going to have the fat content condusive to a juicy piece of meat and so you may have to do some things to help it. I would lay strips of fatty bacon across the top of the chuck roast as it smokes. I would also use a mop every 30 minutes or so to also help keep it moist.

It should turn out pretty tasty in the end if you are careful.. I have listed some time and temps below for doneness:

140°F Rare
160°F Medium
170°F Well

The marinading should go a long ways to helping it as well.


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Smoking a Pork Butt - Al Cohen

A good while back I recieved this PDF file from my good buddy Al Cohen.. it was a complete journal of his 16 hour journey in smoking a pork butt.

He has complete pictures for every step of the process from preparing the meat to taking it off the smoker when it is done and some text on the side to walk you through what is going on.

It is a good read.. this is how Al Cohen does it and according to him, it was the best he had ever done.

It is a free PDF file and should open in your Adobe Acrobat Reader. Note: it is a 457kb file which is pretty big if you are on dialup so it may take a bit

Download the file at the Smoking-Meat.com website by clicking here

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Making Beef Jerky in the Smoker

Q: Have you ever tried smoking jerky? If so, what is your method and/or tips?

A: It is not something I do often but I have done it and I have to tell you that it is very tasty but you have to be careful to not over-smoke the jerky. The meat is so thin that it gets plenty of smoke flavor in just a couple of hours.

I like to smoke for a couple of hours in the smoker and then transfer to the oven (if my wife allows me to) or the dehydrator.

The best way to do jerky in the oven or the smoker is to hang the jerky on the rack using toothpicks.. push a toothpick throught the meat and this allows the meat to hang right on the rack.. you can fit a lot of jerky in a small space this way. Make sure the jerky is not touching each other, however, that only requires about 1/4 inch spacing or so.

The best jerky I have made has been the kind that I just salt and pepper and let the smoke do the rest of the flavoring.

Most recipes will tell you to use extremely lean meat (which is expensive) however, I have had pretty good success with flank steak as well as brisket. I remove the visible fat and then freeze the meat for an hour or two to help it slice better. I then cut it into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Smoke it at the lowest temperature possible.. this may require leaving the door of the smoker open a little. 140 degrees is optimum since you are not trying to cook the meat, you are trying to dry it.

If you have a gas smoker then you can apply wood chips for the first couple of hours and then just use heat for the remaining time.

A good batch of jerky can take 10 to 12 hours to complete.. you are looking for jerky that cracks slightly when you bend it but does not break.


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Keeping Brisket from Drying Out

Q: You say that you get the enternal brisket temp. to be 180 degrees farh. and the meat is not dry? Is the the meat taken out once it gets to 180 or a bit below to comensate for the kcals that it will gain after it is removed from the heat. I am just worried about over cooking the meat and drying it out, (bad thing).

A: Brisket does have a tendency to dry out if you are not careful.. however, it has to be cooked up to at least 180 otherwise it will be too tough to eat.

I like to smoke the brisket to 180 or maybe even a tad higher if it needs it and then I let it rest for up to an hour or more. After slicing I like to pour some beef broth over the slices to add a little moisture. If I am really feeling good I will mix 1 cup of beef broth, 1 cup of drippings from the brisket and 1 cup of my famous bbq sauce and pour this over the sliced brisket. It always turns out great and I have never had anyone complain that the brisket was too dry.

Some folks smoke their briskets upside down (fat side down) to allow the fat layer to protect the meat from the direct heat. They claim this prevents the meat from drying out.

Be sure to slice the brisket thin and against the grain for a more tender effect if you decide to remove it a little early.. alternatively, if you happen to cook it too long and it is falling apart you can slice it a little thicker and with the grain.

For a complete tutorial on smoking a brisket please visit my brisket smoke tutorial


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A Great Tip for Viewing the Blog

If any of you use a newsreader to view various blogs then you know how to add the rss or xml address so that it automatically shows up without you having to login to the website and check it everyday.

I am kind of new to this myself so I may not be the best one to explain it.

Let me just give you the xml address and if you know what to do with it then good otherwise just ignore it or you can do some research online and learn how to use it when you get time..

Here is the address:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/atom.xml


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The Technorati Tag for this post is RSS Reader

How to Make Chipotle Ketchup

Q: What would be the equivilant in Australia of Chipotle Ketchup?

A: I am not sure what the equivelent would be.. I have found a recipe online for making your own chipotle ketchup but that is assuming you can get the needed ingredients which sounds like it could be a problem. I will tell you that chipotle is basically red Jalapeno peppers that have been smoked for several days over fairly low heat. I have also included a link to making your own chipotle.

http://www.randyq.addr.com/chiles/chipotles.html


And here is the recipe for Chipotle Ketchup which I found at cdkitchen.com:

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
* 3/4 cup ketchup
* 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped canned chipotle chilies
* 1 tablespoon spicy tomato sauce from chipotle can
* 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 1 tablespoon tequila

Directions:

Stir cumin seeds in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until fragrant and seeds darken, about 1 minute.

Transfer to plate and cool. Grind seeds in spice grinder or with mortar and pestle.

Return cumin to same saucepan. Whisk in ketchup, chipotle chilies, spicy tomato sauce, lime juice and tequila.

Simmer over medium-low heat until ketchup thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temp. Can be made one week ahead of time. Cover and chill.

This recipe for Chipotle Ketchup serves/makes 1 cup.


You may have to get a little creative but you can problably duplicate the taste of the ketchup above by looking at the ingredients and just adding what you can find and perhaps making your own chipotle chilis.


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Brinkmann Water Smoker Mods

Q: I have a brinkmann vertical smoker cant seem to get temp up past 150 deg. but water boils in the pan. is this the proper way or am I doing something wrong....thanks for any help.

A: This is a fairly common problem with the Brinkmann smoker.. the water pan is usually right over the fire so it is plenty hot enough to make it boil however there is more distance from the fire to the smoking rack and you have to get it hot enough to make it 225 degrees at the meat level.

To do this you will need to make sure you have plenty of draft which may require a few minor modifications to your smoker. I simply cut a circle out of a double layer of chicken wire that I had and placed it in the bottom of my charcoal pan to allow more air to get up under the coals and make them burn a little hotter.

I also drilled a few 1/4 inch holes in the bottom sides of the charcoal pan for increased airflow.

For better drafting, I drilled 5 or 6 3/8 inch holes in the lid of the smoker and made a little flat metal cover attached at one corner with a single screw to allow me to slide it completely over the holes or to slide it open a little and allow the holes to be uncovered at varying amounts.

In addition to these basic modifications to your smoker, you need to make sure you are using lump charcoal for best results since it burns much hotter and cleaner than the briquettes.

Fill the charcoal pan up and get it going real good and if that does not produce 225 degrees at meat level after 30 minutes or so, you will then need to make some hot coals in a charcoal chimney or separate metal container and add them to the charcoal pan on an as needed basis to compensate.

Now.. that is what I did to keep it simple but.. if you want to step out on a limb and get real technical you can do that by following the tutorial over at http://www.smoking-meat.com/modify-brinkmann-ecb-smoker.html.

If you have additional tips on Brinkmann smoker mods please fill free to send them to me using the form at the bottom of each page at the smoking-meat.com website or click on"comments" below and add them to this post.


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How to Apply Rub to Meat

Q: Hi Jeff! I have become a smoking-meat addict since discovering your site! The family thinks I'm a hero! What a great site. Easy to navigate and lots of helpful guidance.
Heres my question...
I finally got to purchase your naked rib rub recipe, and I cant wait to use it! I'm a little unclear on the instructions, however...
You indicate on the site that you "massage" with your dry rub; however, on the recipe you specifically instruct to just cover completely with the rub and let it set for 10 minutes, or until it achieves that wet look.
So I just want to clarify... Do you actually RUB the rub in? or do you just let it set?
Thanks for clearing this up!

A: Thank you for ordering, I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how good the rub and sauce really are... in answer to your question:

In reality it partly depends on what I am using it on. On ribs I generally just sprinkle it on real good and let it sit until it gets that wet look since ribs are flat for the most part and I tend to trim them St Louis style meaning I remove the brisket bone (that bone that sometimes runs perpendicular to the ribs on the top edge) and the skirt or flap which is that meaty "flap" looking piece that runs the length of the ribs.

This trimming removes all of the crevices and therefore the rub gets to where it needs to be very easily with no additional "rubbing" needed.

However.. take a pork butt for instance and you will notice that it is just full of nooks and crannies and folds of meat so I actually massage the rub in and make sure to get it in all of those places real good.

Mustard can be applied to the meat to help the rub stick a little better. (it loses its flavor during the cooking and just leaves a nice crust)

I know folks who believe that actually massaging the rub into the meat makes a difference but I have not seen this in my own cooking.. the main thing is to make sure it is making contact with all of the neccessary surfaces and that is all that is required.


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The Technorati Tag for this post is Rib Rub Recipes

Smoking Chicken Legs and Thighs

Q: Any tips for smoking chicken legs and thighs, like what temp. they should be and what temp. to smoke them? Thanks for your time!!

A: Normally you would smoke chicken at around 225 degrees and for a whole chicken you would be looking at about 4 hours or maybe a little less with ideal conditions.

With chicken pieces you run the risk of drying the meat out if you cook it too long so I recommend that you cook it a little hotter like in the 250 to 275 degree range to get it done a little quicker and it does not dry out as bad that way.

You want to try to pull them when they reach 165 in the thickest part of the meat and remember that your legs could get done sooner than the thighs so you'll need to keep a close eye on them and be ready to pull them when they get ready.

All in all it should go well since the leg and thigh is the dark meat and just naturally has more flavor and juice from the git-go.

On thighs and legs it is really difficult to try and estimate how long it will take since it kind of depends on how meaty they are but you can probaby figure on a couple of hours in the smoker maybe more and maybe less.

One other tip.. when you are checking the temp.. make sure the thermometer is not touching bone since that will throw off your readings.

For more information on smoking chicken please visit my "how to smoke chicken" tutorial



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Smoking Ribs - Wrap or Not?

Q: Just got a trailer wood smoker, on ribs do you wrap them in foil to start and take it off the last few hours or what is best, and is a water pan needed on a wood smoker?

A: I usually do not wrap my ribs at all however some do. The ones that do wrap follow what is known as the 3-2-1 method which just means they smoke them unwrapped for the first 3 hours or so at 225 to 250 degrees then they wrap them in foil with a splash of apple juice for the next 2 hours.

The last hour or so they unwrap them and let them finish cooking and firm them up a little.

I tend to just rub them real good with my "Jeff's Naked Rib Rub" and then I smoke them meaty side up at 225 for around 6 hours or until the meat starts pulling back from the bone about 1/4 inch or so.

I usually try to take them up to around 170 degrees to get them tender.For extra tenderness, I will sometimes wrap them in foil after they are done cooking/smoking and hold them in an insulated cooler for a couple of hours and they come out just melt in your mouth good!

The main use of a water pan is to help regulate temperature in the pit.. most big wood smokers do not have water pans but some folks just lay a pan of water in the smoke chamber right in front of where the heat enters the chamber.


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Proper Use of Charcoal-Wood

Q: Where do I get seasoned wood for my smoker. I've been using charcoal but not having much luck keeping my fire going....too much smoke build-up on the food...I did ribs and they turned out great...but the 2 times I tried drunkened chicken the fire has died both times....help

A: I hope I am understanding your question properly.. if so it is a good one. As far as where to find seasoned wood.. you kind of have to look for it a little but it can be found.

Here are some ideas:

• Run an ad in the paper offering free cutting and hauling of fruit/nut trees, etc.
• Drive around town.. you see an old tree that needs to be cut down or has fallen down after a storm, stop and offer to take care of it for free.
• Post a note on those bulletin boards in Wal-mart with your phone number attached
• If all else fails, you can usually buy the stuff from fireplace and grill stores or they may be able to tell you who sells it in the community.

If you are just using a small smoker like a Bullet type then you might be better off just buying pre-bagged wood chips or chunks at Wal-mart or the local hardware store.

Some of the best woods, in my opinion, are Mesquite, Hickory, Pecan, Oak, Apple and Plum and tend to add the best flavor to meat.

The most readily available woods are hickory and mesquite.

Now tending the fire and keeping it going is a different ballgame.. first off you should be using lump charcoal for best results since it burns cleaner and hotter and has no additives like briquettes.

Get a good fire going and you have to stay after it.. watch the temperature and when it starts to drop you will need to add more hot coals. This is where a charcoal chimney comes in handy.. it allows you to prepare more hot coals in just a few minutes.

Depending on the size of your smoker you will need to use wood chunks or chips.. for a smaller smoker you can wrap chips in a piece of foil and poke some holes in the top and lay it right on top of the coals for some good smoke.

Alternatively you can purchase a smoke box which is large enough to hold 4-6 chunks of wood and will produce adequate smoke for a small smoker.

Rule number one.. and I say this often.. make sure you have proper airflow in the smoker. Open the intake or firebox door on the bullet smoker at least 1/3 to 1/2 and make sure you are getting plenty of draft either through the lid, vent or stack of some sort.

Too much smoke flavor usually means improper airflow.


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The Technorati Tag for this post is Barbecue Woods

Taylor Probe Meat Thermometer

Q: Hi Jeff, I'm a newbie smoker just getting started. With the thermometer you use, how do you run the cord outside to the unit? You just let the door close on it? And do you leave the probes in the meat for the entire time you're smoking? Thanks for the help!

A: As most of you know, I use the Taylor probe thermometers for almost all of my outdoor cooking. These type of thermometers come with a 3 foot flat braided cord attached to a 6 inch metal probe.

This allows you to monitor the cooking temperature of the meat all the while it is smoking/cooking without having to constantly open the door and let out precious heat.

To answer this question..

Yes.. I place the probe of the thermometer into the thickest part of whatever meat I happen to be smoking and allow the door of the smoker to close on it. It is very flat and has never been a problem for me.

The end of the wire is then plugged into the monitor which sits on a little table right next to my smoker so I can watch the temperature and know the perfect time to pull it from the smoker.

I leave it in the meat the entire time it cooks.. from start to finish.

It is very important that you place the probe into the meat at the beginning of the cook.. if you wait until the meat starts cooking to insert the probe, you will lose valuable juices when you puncture the meat.

One word of caution.. do not let the end of the metal probe touch any metal while it is plugged into the monitor or the probe will be fried and you will have to order a new one from the company for $5 plus shipping.

I usually get the probe situated into the meat and routed out through the door before plugging it into the monitor to aleviate this problem.

Click here if you are interested in ordering a Taylor thermometer from Amazon. They ran right around $16 the last time I checked.

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Smoked Coffee Beans Tip

Here is a great tip from Dan.. something different but hey.. why not??!!

I'm sure you've run across this one before, but if not, you may want to try it. Place coffee beans in a basket and smoke with hickory for about 5 to 6 hours, stiring by hand every 2 hours. Then grind before using.

The flavor can be varied dependent upon the choice of wood chips.


Thank you, Dan.. will have to give it a try soon.



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The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoked Gourmet Coffee Beans

How Much Smoke is Enough?

Q: How do I know how much smoke is enough? I'm doing pork with hickory wood?

A: Excellent question! Pork generally handles smoke quite well and you can usually apply smoke for the first 1/4 of the total cook time and then work up from there depending on your personal taste.

As I will mention below.. hickory is strong so use with care and plenty of airflow.

Here are some more general considerations:


There are several factors that determine how much smoke is enough when smoking meat.

• Type of meat to be smoked
• You/Your Family's personal tastes
• Type of wood you will use

These are the main factors or variables that will determine the answer to this question.

Type of Meat to Be Smoked

Different meats can handle varying amounts of smoke.. while I do not have the space to list everything here I will tell you right off the bat that pork shoulder and poultry can handle more smoke than a brisket from my experience.

Brisket tends to be like a sponge when it comes to smoke so you have to be a little careful and for the record.. I have oversmoked a brisket before using the exact same settings that would have been fine for a turkey or pork butt or other similar cut of meat.

Your Personal Taste

This kind of goes without saying but I will mention it anyway.. you just have to learn what you and your family like. My family likes it pretty smoky while I know folks who just like to have the slightest hint of smoke. Over time you learn how to do it like you and your family like it and when you get it right, make some notes and try to duplicate your process.

Learn from your mistakes as well.

Type of Wood Used

This is another one of those things that can get you if you're not careful. Woods are as different from one another as day and night and you have to learn what woods produce strong smoke flavor and which ones are more on the mild side.

To give a few common examples:

Mesquite and hickory are on the wild side.. very strong and must be used with care.

Pecan and most fruit woods are considered mild and can be used without too much worry of oversmoking within certain limits.

In conclusion..

The things I have mentioned are the main factors however I do have some basic rhyme and reason for doing it correctly. In a charcoal, electric, or propane smoker I apply smoke for about the first 1/4 to 1/3 of the cook time and then finish it the rest of the way with heat only.

Also make sure you have adequate airflow since nothing is worse than stale smoke. The intake must me open at least half way and the damper(if you have one) must remain open 3/4 of the way for proper airflow in most smokers.

Improper airflow => stale smoke => creosote buildup on the surface of the meat.

An all wood smoker is a whole different beast.. I will tackle that one at a later time.

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The Technorati Tag for this post is Smoking Meat

Tip for Removing the Rib Membrane

Here is a great tip I recieved from Chef Bill on removing the membrane from a rack of ribs.. this is something that lots of folks struggle with and this tip might just help you out:

Jeff, I found something years ago that makes getting the membrain off of a rack of ribs easy.. I use an Old pair of "Catfish Skinning" pliars. The pair I have must be 30 years old and have skinned a 1000 times more ribs than catfish.

Thanks Bill!

For a complete tutorial on smoking ribs please visit my smoking ribs page


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How Long to Smoke Boston Butt

Q: About how long should a boston butt cook in a smoker?

A: How long to smoke a boston butt really depends on the size and how hot you are running your smoker so I will give you the basics on this without getting too lengthy.

Assuming you are able to maintain a perfect smoking temp of around 225 degrees and the weather is fairly normal such as no high winds and ambient outside temperatures are above 40-50 degrees, you should be able to figure on around 1.5 hours per pound.

Let's say you have a 8 pound boston butt (also known as pork butt).. we'll take 8 and multiply it by 1.5 giving us an estimated time frame of 12 hours in the smoker from start to finish.

Anytime you are using the smoker it is an estimate since so many variable and factors have to be taken into account.

For more reading on how to smoke a perfect pork shoulder see my article in the November edition of the Smoking Meat newsletter.

Fishy Flavored Smoker

Q: Will smoking fish in your smoker make it a fish only smoker ? I'm worried that when I go to smoke meat it will end up with a fishy taste. What should I do ?

A: Well.. I have to say that I have never experienced this in my smoking. I tend to smoke everything from salmon to chicken to briskets and pork shoulders and I have never noticed a fish flavor in any of my other meats or, on the contrary, any beef or pork flavors in my fish.

I think for the most part a smoker will pick up the smells of the smoke and that will be the dominant smell/flavor.

Now.. I would say that if you are up north and all you ever smoke is salmon, trout, etc. and then one day decide to smoke a chicken, I guess it is slightly possible that you could detect a hint of fish but that is not going to be the norm by any means.

Now if anyone has experienced this feel free to correct me or let me know but my answer is no.. not a problem under most circumstances.

Welcome to Smoking Meat!

Well.. I finally bit the bullet and started a blog on smoking meat. It is not a matter of starting it though, it is simply a matter of keeping it up.

I have started several blogs in the past and I always seem to get so busy that the blog just falls by the wayside.

I have a brand new idea for keeping this blog going though and I think it might actually work. I get lots of email from the site at www.smoking-meat.com and most of them are great questions that deserve answers.

I think I will take one or maybe two questions per day and answer them here on the blog for all to read and enjoy.

We'll see how it goes ok?!!

I started the smoking-meat.com site about 2 years ago and it is doing very well and now has more than 100 pages of information on how to smoke meat as well as what types of wood are best to use, information on smokers and their usage, where to purchase supplies and equipment and lots of great recipes as well as the opportunity to purchase my famous "Jeff's Naked Rib Rub" recipe and my "Goodness Gracious Sakes Alive" BBQ sauce both of which should be in everyone's recipe box.

Go to the site and check it out if you have not done so and meanwhile check back here daily for an answer to a new question every day.

As a disclaimer.. I may occasionally skip a day or two and then catch up if I am travelling, on vacation, etc. but that should not happen very often.

Let me know if you have some good questions that need to be answered about smoking meat by sending me an email. Go to www.smoking-meat.com and use the form at the bottom of each page to send your questions and/or comments.