BBQ Competitions in Texas

Q: Jeff, great website. Do you know of a website where i can find out about bbq competitions in Texas?


A: I think this link should help you out some.. it is the only one I know of at this time:

http://www.ibcabbq.org/2006IBCA/events.htm

Sidenote to BLOG readers: If you will notice on the KCBS site most of the competitions are midwest and north.. you will rarely if ever see competitions in Texas. The above site is the only one that I am aware of that lists almost all Texas events. Please let me know if you have other bbq event information for Texas.


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Smoking Times and Temps

As requested upon numerous occasions, I have put together a table of my recommended times and temperatures for smoke cooking meat. I have also added the time and temps for a few veggies as well.

This is one of those pages that you should bookmark for reference time and time again. I will continue to add to it as time goes on.

Smoking Times and Temperatures Table

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This table is located on our newest website at wyntk.us (WYNTK = Acronym for "What You Need To Know") and will contain various subjects that interest me like smoking meat, home and gardening, music, other types of cooking, etc. Save wyntks.us in your favorites and check back often for the best information available online.

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Using Apple Juice as a Mop

Q: What is the reason why you put apple juice on the ribs after 3 hours and when you are done? Is there other things you can use instead of apple juice? Does the apple juice flavor get into the ribs?

A: The apple juice just serves as as some good flavor and something to moisten the surface of the meat and keep it from drying out. Technically you could use any other fruit juice, beer, melted butter, vinegar, coke, tea, and even water to do the same thing.

The apple juice does help to add a little sweetness to the meat and since it works so well, everyone tends to use it.

When added to the foil, it serves as an agent to create steam and tenderize the meat as well as add some great flavor in the process.

The ribs do not come out tasting like apples.. the apple juice just adds a little essence to it but it is complimentary to the meat rather than overpowering.

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Why Cook Brisket Past 160 Degrees

Q: Why do you smoke the brisket to 185' when the thermometer says cook beef medium to 160'?

A: Brisket is a tough piece of meat from the breast area just below the neck of the cow.. it has so much connective tissue in it that according to legend, folks use to throw it away until they discovered that if you cook it at real low heat to about 180+ degrees it would finally get tender enough to eat.

At 160 it would be safe to eat but you would not be able to chew it. The word brisket can be traced back to an old Norse word which means "cartilage".

It is an extremely tasty meat if you know how to make it tender.. I sometimes cook/smoke it upwards of 190 degrees and then pull it or chop it for sandwiches.

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Two Methods for Tenderizing Ribs

Q: I have great outdoors smoker with propane, and what I usually do is season the ribs the night before. I smoke the ribs with hickory and apple chips,and I smoke them for about 2-3 hours and then on low for 2 hours. The problem im having is that the meat does not come that tender, what could I do to make ribs more tender ! And what kind of wood would be the best to use. thank you


A: There are several methods that will yield extremely tender ribs.. one of the methods that I prefer is to wrap them in foil for a couple of hours immediately after they reach 170 degrees in the smoker.

I wrote about this at one of my websites.. here is an excerpt from http://www.wyntk.us/food/smoking-ribs.shtml that explains my post-foil method for ribs:

..The ribs are done at 170 degrees. To further tenderize the ribs, quickly place the ribs in foil after removing from smoker. Splash on some apple juice just before closing them up. Wrap the foiled ribs in a thick towel and place in a tight cooler for up to 2 hours...

The other method is called the 3-2-1 method and will yield ribs that are literally falling off of the bone.. I have written about this method as well at the following link:

http://www.wyntk.us/food/3-2-1-rib-method.shtml

As far as what wood to use.. my favorite wood for ribs is mesquite but hickory and apple are both very good as well and should produce great flavor.

Try to maintain about 225 degrees the entire time for best results and expect the ribs to stay in the smoker for at least 6.5 hours. Be sure to calibrate your themometer in boiling water to make sure it is reading 212 degrees at the boiling point.

I highly recommend using a digital probe meat thermometer for monitoring the temperature of the ribs since it is impossible to accurately and consistently measure temperature of meat by simply looking at the meat or by feeling of it.

I have written a how to guide for the Propane GOSM.. doesn't sound like you need any help with the basic operation of the smoker but it is available if you are interested at the link below:

propane-gosm-smoker-instructional-guide.pdf


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Straight Wood Vs. Wood + Charcoal

Q: Hey Jeff, I would like to have your opinion on Wood Only Smoking and Wood plus Charcoal Smoking. What you prefer and the what the differences in cooking time and amount of smoke and such.

Also I am new to the smoking scene, My smoker is on offset firebox smoker, it doesn't have a water pan and frankly I don't know the purpose of a water pan. Should I get one for this smoker or not?

Thanks

A: Let me preface your question by saying that true smoking in it's purest form is smoking over wood coals. This will give you the most authentic flavor..

Personally I like to either burn my wood in a separate barrel and shovel in coals as needed to maintain 225 degrees with a stick or two of seasoned wood for extra smoke, or use lump charcoal in the same manner with the addition of a few sticks of wood for flavor.

The problem with using straight wood is that is possible to get too much smoke flavoring and ruin your food. If you have enough airflow it is possible but not the best use of wood in my opinion.

I am constantly experimenting with new techniques and it seems that over the last year I have decided that the live coals whether you burn your own wood in a separate barrel or use lump charcoal is the best way to go.

Just add additional sticks of wood depending on how much smoke flavoring you want.

You do need to know that lump charcoal puts off about twice the heat of briquettes and does not contain borax, glue and other ingredients like briquettes. If you can find the lump charcoal, it is well worth the money to go that route.

Heat is heat for the most part and there would be no time difference between using straight wood and using charcoal as long as you maintain 225 degrees when smoking your food.

Regarding the water pan.. there are many theories as to the necessity and please keep in mind that they are just that.. theories. I go so far to say that some of them are not just theories but have actually crossed the line into being an outright myth.

The water pan does a great job of helping to regulate the temperature inside a smoker... in vertical smokers it also acts as a barrier between the fire and the meat.

Water helps to regulate temperature simply because it boils at 212 degrees and as the 200+ degree steam fills the smoker it naturally seeks to create an atmosphere that is 200 or so degrees.

I have not seen proof that it keeps the meat moist or that it noticably has the ability to alter the taste of the meat if you add beer, juices, etc. to the pan.

In an offset smoker.. it is usually hotter at the firebox end and cooler as you get further from the firebox. This is a natural occurrence and without installing baffles, it requires you to move the meat around during cooking so that the uneven heating does not burn the meat close to the firebox.

A water pan set in the entrance of the smoke chamber can act as a baffle and help act as a barrier between the extreme heat and the meat you are trying to cook/smoke.

It will also create steam and help maintain a 225 degree temperature in the smoke chamber as well.

A water pan is not standard on offset smokers but is a nice addition if you are having the uneven heat problems I mentioned.


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Brining Meat Outside of the Fridge

Q: Can you brine the meat without putting it in the refrgerator?

A: There are no rules to where it has to be placed.. the only rule is that you must keep the water between 33 and 39 degrees to prevent the growth of bacteria.

(most refrigerators maintain about 37 degrees)

If you keep plenty of ice in the brine it should be fine.. it will dilute the brine a little over time but is still a workable solution if you cannot place the meat in the fridge.

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How to Smoke Corn and Potatoes

Q: I am new to the smoking process and am planning to smoke some ribs this weekend. What I am wondering is it possible to do the whole meal on the smoker. Can I Smoke Corn on the Cob and say potatoes with the ribs? If so can you give any instructions or recipees that may enhance this.

A: You can absolutely do potatoes as well as corn on the cob in the smoker with the ribs..

Potatoes.. wash well and brush on some vegetable oil or olive oil. Sprinkle on some kosher salt and place in the smoker for about 1.5 hours

Corn on the Cob.. pull back the husks and remove the silk (leave the husks intact) soak the corn in cool water for a couple of hours. Remove the corn from the water and brush on some vegetable oil or olive oil, sprinkle with a little kosher salt and/or cajun seasoning (to taste) and pull the husks back up around the corn.

Place in the smoker for 1.5 hours.

Alternate methods for the corn..

1. Take the husk off instead of leaving it on and let it get smoke flavored (be sure to baste with butter or an herb butter about 4 times during the cook.

2. Use chopped green onions instead of the salt/cajun seasoning.

3. About half way through the cook.. open the husk a little and put a tablespoon or so of jalapeno butter up under there and replace husk.

Jalapeno butter is simply pureed jalapeno peppers mixed with butter and you just have to do that to taste.. if you get it too hot just add more butter to the mix or if it isn't hot enough just add a little more jalapeno.

4. Remove husks, make the jalapeno butter from above method, baste the corn with the jalapeno butter 4 or 5 times during smoking.

As you can see, there are really no rules so if it sounds good then you should try it. chances are it will be delicious.

Baked beans.. you did not ask for this but I am throwing this in (man this email is making me hungry!)

Make beans as usual but place them in the smoker under the ribs or whatever you are smoking. The delicious juices will drip into the beans and oh what flavor! Set aside a little of the meat, chop it up a little and mix it with the beans for an even more delicious treat.


Since both corn and potatoes are going to require about 1.5 hours, simply place them in about 1.5 hours before the ribs are due to be finished.


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Too Smoky Sausage and Dry Brisket

Q: Jeff ,I had a smoker custom built for me about 8 months ago. I've been using hickory wood mostly because I can get it close by from a barbeque restaraunt. So far it has done pretty good.But this past weekend I entered my first cookoff and I used the same wood , the same way I have been ,but for some reason I had way , way to much smoke.I had the stack opened all the way and did everything the same as always.The brisket came out dry,the sausage has so much smoke flavor that it didnt taste good.Im not sure what went wrong , Ive never had that happen.What did I do wrong?

A: I am wondering if the wood was seasoned well.. green wood will create some creosote and get pretty strong at times depending on how green the wood is.

I got ahold of some unseasoned wood a while back and had to completely clean out my smoker afterwards before I could use it again. I was told it was a year old.

I recommend using lump charcoal or wood burned down a little in a separate container for heat and then just adding a couple sticks of the hickory for smoke flavoring to see if you get better results.

If the wood is well seasoned it is not a problem but when you are getting your wood from someone else, you only have their word that it is seasoned and unless you weigh it there is not a good way to tell without burning it a little.

(Seasoned wood can weigh as much as 40% less than unseasoned)

I have a custom smoker as well and have a had a few similar problems and I had to chalk it up to unseasoned wood since that was the only part of the process that could have varied.

You can get an old 55 gallon drum and use it to burn your wood down for a few minutes.. till they start glowing.. and shovel it from there into your firebox as needed to maintain 225 degrees.

This allows you to add sticks of hickory or mesquite or whatever wood you want to use for smoke without having to worry about oversmoking the meat. The more smoke flavor you want the more wood you use and if it is a strong flavored wood like mesqite or hickory you can use a little less than you would with milder woods like oak, pecan, apple, etc.

As far as the dry sausage.. not sure about why that happened all of a sudden if it is normally moist. I am assuming you mop the meat about every hour while it smokes. For any kind of meat that has a chance at being too dry, especially for a competition, drape a little fatty bacon over it to let the bacon fat render and keep the meat moist while it cooks.


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Multiple Q&A on Smoking Ribs

Q: On one of your RIB pages it states that smoking ribs is a long process and that the temp within the smoker should stay at or below 230. What would be the lowest range I should stay with in?

A: I usually shoot for right at 225 degrees as this seems to yield the best taste and gets them done in about 6.5 to 7 hours



Q: It also states that the ribs should come up to 170. Does that mean once the rib meat reaches 170 I should remove the meat or should it smoke to a higher temp?

A: Smoke the ribs until they reach about 140 degrees. After that, continue to cook them in the smoker with no additional wood chips/chunks added until they reach 170-172 degrees at which point you can pull them from the smoker. Let them rest on the cabinet for about 10 minutes or so before slicing to allow the juices to redistribute throughout the meat.


Q: I purchased a slab of rib to barbecue this past weekend and tried to pull the membrane off the back side of the ribs. It was almost a clear stretchy kind of film (almost reminded me of pre-wrap if you ever played sports or had to have your ankle rapped). The question I have here is that when I began to remove the membrane I started to smell a weird smell. Is that normal?

A: I have never noticed a wierd smell other than the smell of fresh pork. Try to find really fresh pork if possible and when you remove the membrane there should be no off smell. There are other visible clues that will tell you if the meat is less than fresh.. like the meat starting to turn brownish instead of the nice dark red tint it should have.

Usually if I smell something bad it gets thrown out since good meat should not have an unpleasant odor at all.



Q: I am getting ready to purchase your rib rub and sauce recipe. When I make the purchase should I expect an email or something to be mailed to me? What is the turn around time please?

A: Upon purchasing the recipes, you should receive an email with a link for downloading the recipes. The time from purchase to receipt should not be more than about an hour and is usually less than 10 minutes.

If for any reason you order and do not recieve an email within a reasonable time (1 hour) you can shoot me an email and I can send them manually if I need to. It is not uncommon for spam filters to prevent the receipt of email that it percieves to be unsolicited.



Q: Last question. I went to my local Lowe’s store and purchase Hickory chips (I might not even call them chips they more look like litter splinters on steroids). I soaked them for about 45 minutes and put some on top of my charcoal (by the way I use Kingsford it that ok?) and they burned up almost immediately. Should I look for more of a chunk of wood or if I soak them longer would that work better?

A: I think you will get much better results from chunks and you might look for a smoke box at lowes or home depot and possibly even walmart. This is a iron box with a lid, usually around 6 x 6 inches square and bigger would be better if you can find it. I use a box that is 10 by 10 and about 3 inches deep and it will smoke for about an hour and a half before needing to be replenished. The bigger the box the less often you will need to replenish the chunks.

You may also be able to use a cut down coffe can with a makeshift lid for the same purpose. Just bury the coffee can down in the coals with the top sticking out an inch or so. Fill it up with chunks and watch it smoke.

You should be able to find the chunks at lowes, home depot, Ace hardware, Walmart, and possibly your local grocer in the area with the charcoal.

As far as charcoal, you should use lump charcoal for best results. It burns hotter and is much cleaner than the briquettes. By the way briquettes contain borax, petroleum by products, glue, resins, and other non-edible items that you really do not want flavoring your food.

Lump charcoal is a little hard to find sometimes.. sometimes you can find it at the stores I mentioned above as well as at fireplace and grill stores.

By the way.. lump charcoal will usually say 100% hardwood lump charcoal on the bag and may say Charwood if you buy the kingsford brand of lump charcoal.


Q: If you have any other tips for me, I would sure appreciate them. I am becoming a quick fan.


A: Some other tips for you:

If you really want the ribs to be fall off the bone tender you might consider wrapping the ribs in foil when they are done smoking/cooking. Wrap them in foil with a splash of apple juice, wrap them in a thick towel and then place them in a tight cooler for up to 2 hours. The ribs will stay hot and will steam themselves to a very lovely tenderness that I think you will enjoy.

If you decide to use lump charcoal.. use about half as much as you would normally use since they burn twice as hot as briquettes. They are also about twice as expensive so it is just a complete wash.

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Using Different Woods in the Smoker

Q: ? is on swiching woods for different meats. I smoke w/hickory wood if I would go to apple wood would that mess up my cure/flavor of my smoker. I was told you should never switch woods. thanks for your help.

A: I cannot hang with that theory personally..

I enjoy mixing and matching various woods to come up with new flavor combinations. I occasionally use all mesquite or all hickory or even all apple and at other times I may use a 50/50 mix of oak and apple or other fruit wood.

The wood is what does the flavoring and the smoker is simply a modern tool to facilitate that.

The initial cure/season on the smoker is to get rid of any factory oils, smells, etc. used in the manufacturing process so that it does not influence the flavor of the meat and it also serves to seal the metal with some smoke residue to keep it from rusting.

I recommend that you use as many different types of smoking wood as possible in your smoker if you have access to it.. that is the joy of smoking.

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Smoking Chicken Breasts Delicious

Q: I want to smoke boneless chicken breast but cant find how long or any ideas on the net please help p.s. i tryed the meatloaf wow ty it was great

A: Chicken has a tendency to dry out and usually it is the skin that protects the meat and helps hold in some of the juices.

With boneless chicken breasts, you are going to have to be really careful to not let it dry out on you.

It is not common practice to smoke them for that reason however, with a few considerations you should be able to do ok with it.

I would definitely marinate it in some zesty italian dressing for at least a day before smoking and then sprinkle with some Zatarains blackened seasoning or some Cajun seasoning will work as well and some "lemon pepper with seasoning salt". During the smoking process you will need to drape a few pieces of fatty bacon over the top of the meat. The bacon will render (melt) and should keep the meat from drying out too much.

I would pull the chicken out of the smoker just as soon as it reaches 165 degrees and place it all together in a pan with foil covering the top of the pan. Let it sit in the pan in a 170 degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour to allow the steam to do some magic on the meat.

With a little luck it will turn out pretty good..

Just a side note.. I would smoke the chicken at around 275 to 300 (a little hotter than normal) and it should not take more than about an hour to finish.

Let the temperature be your guide rather than the time and don't overcook it.

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Fishy Smell in Smoker

Q: I have a horizontal smoker with side box (new braunfels from Academy sports) and am enjoying smoking with it. I would like to smoke some fish, maybe salmon, but my wife does not like seafood of any kind, not even the smell of it. If I smoke ribs, pork butt, chicken or anything else, and the fish at the same time, will the fish smell get into the other meat? I'm very new to smoking.
thanks

A: I have never known this to be a problem.. normally you would not be smoking fish with other items in the smoker since fish is normally smoked at a lower temp but in the event that you did, as long as the fish were not allowed to drip on or touch the other meat I think it would be just fine.

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Fire Control in a Charbroil Smoker

Q: I use a CharBroil Silver Smoker (barrel type with offset smoker box). I am learning to use the damper on the smokestack and the damper on the firebox to regulate the temperature. My
problem seems to be that I usually end up with too hot of a fire (sometimes upwards of 300-350). I have used mostly briquettes, but am going to give lump charcoal a try as well as just hardwood. Could it be that I am just using too much fuel at once? Also, since this model does not come with a water pan, I have used an old bread pan filled with water. Didn't seem to do much to help. I set it inside the cooking chamber. Maybe I need to put it in the fire chamber so it will be closer to the heat.

Your tips and analysis would be much appreciated.

A: Since you need plenty of airflow in your smoker to prevent creosote from building up on your meat and in your smoker, I recommend building a much smaller fire. It may take some practice to learn exactly what your smoker requres to maintain around 225 degrees.

The smaller fire will allow you to leave your intake open about half way and the damper open about 3/4 of the way. You can make very minor adjustments by closing/opening the intake just a little if you need to.

Be sure to take into consideration that lump burns about twice as hot as briquettes.

If the fire is too small and is maintaining a too low temperature just add a trowel full of lump charcoal into the firebox at a time and wait about 20 minutes for it to level out. If you need more repeat with another trowel full.

Once you get the hang of maintaining a 225 degree fire you can adjust your damper just a little to allow more smoke flavor or less.

Something else you can experiment with and may be able to get good results from is the Minion method which is simply piling a good bit of unlit charcoal in the firebox with a small chimney full of lit charcoal on top.

The lit charcoal will slowly light the unlit charcoal over time and will help to maintain an even temperature over long smokes like brisket and pork shoulder. It requires some practice and you may find it is not for you but you should at least try it.

This method works best with the cooler burning briquettes but it is not worth it to me to use the lower quality fuel with all of the extra additives.

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Delicious Smoked Bologna

Q: Have heard about smoked balogna. Love it fried. Got any recipes or ideas?

A: Smoked bologna or "baloney" as we call it in Oklahoma, is a delicious item on the smoker. Just pick up a 5 pound chub at your local grocer or meat market. Put it straight on the smoker as is for a couple of hours or you can quarter it lengthwise and then cut the quarters into pieces 1-2 inches wide. Place the pieces on a cookie sheet or in a 9 x 13 cake pan and place it in the smoker for a couple of hours.

I like to drizzle some of my delectable "Goodness Gracious Sakes Alive" BBQ Sauce over it about 30 minutes before I remove it from the smoker.

This is a great side item when you are serving pulled pork, ribs, brisket or chicken.

You will not believe how good this is.. enjoy!


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Using Bradford Pear for Smoking

Q: Is Bradford Pear wood suitable for smoking? I have searched the internet and am more confused now than before. Some people say yes and some say no.

Thank you

A: I will tell you this.. I have a buddy who claims he uses it all the time with no problems. I had an incident about 6 months ago where I mixed some bradford pear with oak and the meat came out tasting a little off.

Personally, I am not going to use it anymore but that is just me.

I told my buddy about the incident and he claims it had to be something wrong with the oak since the pear is always so good for him.

I guess I am as confused about it as you are.. I have just decided that there are too many other good woods that it is not worth the risk to me.

Now, having said that.. if I had access to tons of bradford pear then I would do more testing with it on chicken or something non-expensive so I could make a very informed decision about it and maybe it would turn out to be ok.

Let me know if you find out anything on it.

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Smoke Time for Boston Butt

Q: I am going to attempt my first smoked Boston butt, how long per pound should I smoke it.

A: You can usually figure on around 1.5 hours per pound for pork butt. This is a assuming that you are able to maintain 225 degrees and are going to cook the butt to about 190 degrees.

I have different methods that I use but I like to rub mine real good with Jeff's Naked Rib Rub, smoke it to about 140-150 degrees and then wrap in foil, splash on some apple juice just before closing it up and continuing to cook it at 225 until it reaches 200-205 degrees.

This yields a pork butt that pretty much falls apart when you open the foil and melts in your mouth like butter.

I have complete documentation on this method on the website at the link below:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/nov-2005-more-turkey-tips-and-recipes.html


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Making Tender Ribs Like Charlestons

Q: Just moved to Tulsa and want to learn the art of smoking! My question is: how does one smoke ribs to make them fall-off-the-bone good, such as the restaurant "Charlestons"? I love your site and will probably be a frequent visitor as I go along. Thanks for being there!

A: Welcome to Tulsa! Charlestons is one of our favorite restaurants here in the area.

The 3-2-1 method of cooking ribs will produce the kind of ribs that will literally come clean off the bone when you eat them.

This is a method by which you simply prepare and smoke the ribs as you normally would for the first 3 hours or until you see the meat pulling back from the bones a bit.

You then wrap the ribs in foil with a splash of apple juice and cook them for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, remove the ribs, unwrap them and place them back in the smoker for an additional hour.

These times are simply for a guideline and should be close but the visual cues and temperature are the real signs of when the ribs are done.

The 3-2-1 method is specifically for the spare ribs but can be accomplished quite adequately for baby backs as well only the first step will be a little shorter and is normally referred to as 2-2-1.

Another alternative to the 3-2-1 method is to smoke cook the ribs as usual and then double wrap them in heavy duty foil with a splash of apple juice when they are done. Wrap them in a thick towel as well and place them in a cooler for up to 2 hours.

They will stay nice and hot and will steam to a very tender state inside the foil without losing moisture.

This option works well for other meats as well such as brisket and pork shoulder.

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June 2006 SM Newsletter Roll Out

The June 2006 edition of the Smoking Meat Newsletter rolls out Sunday morning at 7:00 AM EST..



Check it out at:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/june-2006-smoked-meatloaf-extravaganza.html

Smoking Chicken Leg Quarters

Q: I want to cook a bunch of chicken leg quarters, as they are only$4.30 a 10 pound bag and I am cooking for like 15 people. Can I smoke them the same way as your whole chickens and can I check the doneness the same way as when I grill them, by twisting the leg bone and when it spins freely it is done. I do alot of charity barbques for the community and that is how we check the doneness of the chicken. I just bought a big smoker grill with a firebox attatched to the side of it from Walmart for $138 and I cant wait to start smoking food with it. I have never smoked anything before but have eaten it and I and excited to try it. Thanks alot.

A: Chicken leg quarters do really well in the smoker..

I would use some "Lemon Pepper with Seasoning Salt" and some "Zatarains Blackened Seasoning" on the skin and up under the skin where possible for great flavor.

Place the chicken quarters in the smoker and try to maintain a little hotter than normal temperatures to help crisp up the skin a little. I try to shoot for 250-260 degrees for leg quarters.

The quarters will require about 3 hours depending on how hot you maintain your smoker and how close to the firebox the meat is.

(most horizontal smokers tend to be hotter close to the firebox and cooler as you get further from the firebox.. you can modify the smoker with a baffle to help disperse the heat better for more even cooking throughout the smoker.)

To check for doneness I highly recommend using a good digital probe meat thermometer and make sure the temperature is 165 degrees before pulling off.

If you have further questions let me know.

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How to Make Pulled Turkey

Q: How do you smoke turkey for pulled turkey?

A: I have not tried this delicasy however, I hear it is an excellent subsititue for pulled pork for those with heath requirements.

Based on what little I know about it, you smoke turkey legs for about 3 hours using your favorite wood such as apple, hickory, mesquite, plum, etc. and then continue to cook them at 225 degrees until they reach 165 degrees.

Remove the turkey legs from the smoker, double wrap them in foil, wrap them in a thick towel and place in a cooler for about an hour.

One recipe I saw recommended you place some vaunted vinegar in with the legs before wrapping but I think apple juice might be just as good.

Remove the legs from the cooler, unwrap, remove the skin and shred into pieces just as you would pulled pork.

Another idea is to mix pulled turkey with pulled pork giving you at least 50 percent less pork fat and you still get a lot of that unbeatable pork flavor.

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Maintaining a Proper Fire

Q: Jeff-I live in OKC. Where can I get good lump charcoal? Can't seem to find any! Also- using the dampers on the side of the fire box and the smoke stack to maintain is quite a challenge. Any tips?

A: Lump charcoal can be a little evasive.. I have had the best luck finding it in smaller grocery stores believe it or not. The local Piggly Wiggly, Reasors, IGA, etc. all carry it around Tulsa. I can also get it at the local fireplace and grill store in Bixby and Sapulpa.

It can be a little difficult to maintain smoking temps using the damper and intake but with practice it gets a lot easier. The first thing you should try to do is to build a 225 degree fire with the damper 3/4 open and the intake open at least half way or better. This is optimum in that it gives you good airflow while maintaining near perfect temperatures and with time you will learn how often to add a stick of wood or another scoop of lit charcoal to maintain the temperature for as long as you need.

Many people build the fire too big at first and then have to shut down the dampers and intake to cool it down and this is a perfect recipe for adding nasty creosote to your food.

There is no perfect recipe for doing it correctly since every smoker is different.. you will have to learn what is required for your particular smoker by doing it and keeping good notes.

Just a good excuse to smoke something in my opinion and while you are learning you might consider things that are fairly inexpensive like chicken.

Another good item for learning is pork butt.. it is easy to smoke and a few temperature spikes is not going to hurt it beyond repair due to the high fat content within the meat.. the fact that it is a delicious meat is just an added bonus.

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Gone Fishing

I am off to go camping with my family for the next couple of days and therefore I will be out of pocket and not able to answer questions or post in the blog.

Have a wonderful week and I will take care of any issues , questions, etc. when I return.

Jeff Phillips
Smoking-Meat.com

Should I Use a Water Pan

Q: I recently purchased a New Braunfels smoker. It has the fire box on the side. A friend of mine who is an avid smoker and barbequer says the true way to smoke is with a water pan. I think a water pan adds moisture and makes the meat jucier, but isit necessary? Do ou use water. I am new to smoking so I would appreciate your input. By the way, this website is great!
Thanks!

A: The water pan is not neccessary for proper smoking but it does serve a very useful purpose for new smokers in that it helps to maintain normal smoking temps in the smoking chamber due to the fact that water boils at 212 and the 200+ degree steam fills the chamber and helps regulate the heat.

I have done much testing with using water vs. not using water and I have yet to see a shred of evidence that a water pan helps to make the meat moist.. I have concluded that this is a myth and one should utilize a good mop or marinade during smoking for that purpose.

Having said all of that..

It is a great idea to use a water pan to help maintain a good smoking temperature.. and this can easily be accomplished in a horizontal smoker by placing a pan of water in front of the area where the heat and smoke enters the chamber. This will help regulate the heat in the smoke chamber and may even act as a baffle to keep the heat from directly hitting the meat.

Your friend is correct in that lots of home smokers do utilize the use of a water pan and it is a great way to maintain good smoking temps but with your side firebox it is not necessary for smoking good meat and if you are able to maintain proper temperatures by building a good fire and doing some minor adjustments with the intake and damper then using a water pan is totally optional for you.

I have several small smokers that I use and most of them have a water pan and I use them just for the simple reason that it acts as a good baffle between the fire and the meat.

On my large horizontal smoker with side firebox mounted on a trailer, I do not use the water pan most of the time even though I had one installed when I had it custom built.. it is just a matter of preference really.

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Is Smoked Meat Cooked or Raw

Q: Dear Jeff, Could you please tell me if the food we smoke is raw or cooked? We have a debate going with friends that the heat of the smoke cooks the meat over a long period of time.Is this correct? Could you please tell me how the smoked meat is cooked?Is it by actual heat or just the heat of the smoke? Our friends feel that any meat, smoked, is raw. Can we feel safe eating this smoked meat, especially pork? Also, why does the meat appear pink when it is smoked? Thanks, Annie

A: There are 2 main types of smoking.. cold smoking and hot smoking. I do not delve into cold smoking for the most part, however I do know that it is smoking at a temperature of 90 degrees or less over a long period of time.

Hot smoking is the type of smoking that I deal with.. it is smoking meat at a temperature of 225 degrees.

The meat is fully cooked to the recommended safe USDA temperature.

The pink look of smoked meat comes from the pigments in the meat being affected chemically by the smoke which keeps the meat from turning to it's cooked color as it normally would.

Hot smoked meats are fully cooked just as they would be in any convection oven or even a crock pot. The only difference is the addition of smoke which flavors the meat based on the type of wood you are using.

Hope this helps settle the debate with your friends.


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How to Smoke Large Rabbits

Q: All of the rabbit recipes that I can find are for 2-3 lb. rabbits. Around here 4-H and others raise the New Zealand White meat rabbits.Do you have any suggestions for smoking or grilling these 6-8 lb. culinary delights ?

A: I don't know a lot about smoking rabbits other than the fact that they tend to be very lean which must be compensated for in the smoker.

I am speaking from what I know and not from my vast experience in smoking large rabbits however, if it was me, I would clean the rabbit up just like any other meat and maybe soak it for a day or two in a good game marinade or even one that is meant for poultry would also work well.

When you are ready to smoke the rabbit, get a large package of fatty bacon and drape bacon all over the rabbit holding it on with toothpicks where needed. The bacon will render during cooking and will keep the meat basted so it won't dry out.

I would guess about 4 to 6 hours in the smoker but that is a wild guess based on similar hunks of meat.

I recommend that you do some experimentation and see what works best in the smoker and even on the grill. I would be very interested to know how it turns out if you get the chance to shoot me an email about it.

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Smoking with Orange Wood

Q: Would like to know if anyone has ever used the wood of dead orange trees for smoking meat

A: Orange and lemon wood are both great flavored woods. When you say "dead" I am not sure how long you are talking.. most woods work best if they are cut up and seasoned for at least 6 months prior to using and not more than about 2 years.

Orange is known to be a fairly mild wood with a light fruity flavor and would be great for beef, poultry and pork.

I would test it on a less expensive meat like chicken until you discover whether you like it or not.

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Purchasing a New Smoker

Q: I am an avid smoker. I saw this smoker at Sam's Club that is airtight, has 4 grill racks, a water pan, 2 wood pans and is gas heated. I love it and it cost around $650, which is a lot but could be well worth it. I experiment a lot, but the water smoker I have tends to be difficult every step of the way. Your thoughts?

A: It really depends on how much smoking you plan to do.. I started out on an old Brinkmann that I found at a garage sale and it worked for a while but I quickly realized that I wanted something better and because of my love for the art and the fact that I used it so often, I was willing to invest in a really nice unit.

It sounds like you are looking at a vertical upright smoker which tends to do a really good job of smoking meat. It being gas will make it very easy to maintain temperature and you will get excellent flavor.

I prefer real wood and fire myself but I do own a gas smoker that I use occasionally and I am able to match the same great taste that I get from my charcoal/wood smokers.

I usually recommend that newbies start out using real fire (charcoal/wood) smokers but it sounds like you quite competent at the art and if you are looking for something easy to tend to that will produce great smoky flavor then Gas may be the way to go.

Before you buy any unit, type in the model number or name of the smoker plus the word "review" in google.com and see if you can find anyone recommending or not recommending the unit and what their reasoning is.

Another option is to go to Amazon.com and find the unit using their search feature. Once you find it scroll down to the bottom of the page to read reviews from folks who have purchased the unit.

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