Crabapple Smoking Wood

Q: Is there any wood types that I should stay away from? I was thinking of using crab apple. I wasn't sure if there are any woods that may be toxic.

A: Crabapple is a good flavored wood very similar to apple but with its own unique fruity flavor.

Most any fruit wood or nut bearing wood is fine with a few exceptions. Walnut tends to be bitter so I do not recommend using it.

Do not use any pine, evergreen, or other coniferous wood since it produces some really nasty flavors when it is burned. I also do not recommend the use of cottonwood, sweet gum or Bradford pear.

Other than that, woods range anywhere from mild to strong in flavor and the main thing is that you allow plenty of airflow to allow the smoke to flow freely out of the smoker so as to not linger and create creosote on the meat.

Make sure that any wood you use has been seasoned at least 6 months in the dry to avoid creosote and other chemicals that result from using non-seasoned wood.

Some of my favorite woods are mesquite, apple, hickory, plum, peach, oak, pecan, apricot and maple.

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To Rub or Brine Turkey

Q: I saw on another website where brining a turkey is the way to go, but you can also do it without the brine, by doing a dry rub similar to brisket or other types of barbeque. Do you recommend the dry rub only technique with turkey, and why?

A: I recommend brining if you can find a "Minimally Processed" bird that is not shot full of solution. The turkey will be the juciest turkey you ever did eat.

Rubbing it is fine as well and will turn out very tasty.. the main thing if you decide to rub is to get the rub up under the skin. The meat is where the flavor needs to be since a lot of people do not eat the skin and if they do they eat it separately from the meat.

You can rub the turkey down with some butter to help the rub stick to the meat. I have a rub offered below which works well on poultry. As an alternative you can also use some "Lemon Pepper with Seasoning Salt" and a light dusting of cajun seasoning for very good flavor.

I also like to use some "Zattarains Blackening Seasoning" but it is a little spicy so go easy with it.

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Dr Pepper Brined Pork Butt

Tip: Try boston butt (pork butt) and brine it in plastic bag with a 20oz bottle of dr pepper then soak it overnight, than smoke it with hickory chips in a smoker for 12 hrs. Very, very good

Comments: Thank you for the great tip!

Note: I would guess this is for a pork butt around 7 or 8 pounds and this is not the first time I have heard that Dr. Pepper or some other sugary pop makes a great brine/marinade so you owe it to yourself to try it out.

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Smoking Nuts - Almonds, Etc.

Q: I would like your insite on smoking nuts. Should they be cold smoked or can I just do them on my treagur on the smoke setting? what do you think?

A: Nuts are great off the smoker and really easy to smoke... they are done both ways but I prefer to do them pretty hot.

Toss the nuts in melted butter to coat or you can also spray with Pam or other butter flavored cooking spray. Place on a cookie sheet or other flat surfaces, shallow pan. Sprinkle with a fine table salt and any other spices you would like. I like to use a little cajun seasoning on my almonds but that is just what I like.

I would smoke them at 275 to 300 degrees for about 30-40 minutes and let them completely cool so they will be crunchy. I don't know what temperature the treager maintains on the smoke setting.. you can do them there but it may take a little longer if it maintains 225 degrees or so. If it has a higher setting then you may want to use that.

Peanuts,pecans and walnuts also do well.

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Red Oak and Cherry Brisket

Q: Jeff this is probably a stupid question, but I am planning to smoke some ribs Sunday with some red oak and cherry from my wood pile. Should I have flames or should the wood smolder? I have a hard time keeping the flames down with the damper open more than a third.

A: It really depends on how big your smoker is.. some smokers are so large that only real live flames will give you the heat you need to maintain 225 in the smoke chamber. For smaller smokers, I recommend only live coals with pieces of raw wood for smoke.

The only thing I can tell you is to make sure you have plenty of airflow to prevent creosote. Red oak is a really good wood and so is cherry so it should go fine.

I do recommend pre-heating the wood if possible. I stack my wood on top of the firebox and it is almost smoking by the time I put it into the firebox. That helps a little.

The way I define small smoker vs. larg smoker is in whether it is mounted on a trailer or not. If it is small enough to roll around on its' wheels or by hand then it is considered a small smoker. If it is mounted on a trailer to be pulled behind a truck then it is considered a large smoker.

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Smoking Multiple Pork Butts

Q: I have a weber charcoal smoker. I plan on smoking 8 pork butts avg 7-8 lbs/ea. What do you recommend for temp and time to be able to serve as pulled pork. What type of rub do you recommend.

A: For that many butts, I think you will probably be looking at 14-15 hours possibly just a little more. You can usually figure on 1.5 hours per pound but with that many it adds a lot of "cold" to the smoker and will add some additional time to the process.

You will need to try and maintain 225 degrees and smoke them to about 200 degrees for best results.

I like to wrap them in foil at about the 145 degree mark and once they reach 200-205 degrees, I take them out and place them in a cooler for a couple of hours to allow them to tenderize even further. When you take them out using this method, they will usually fall apart with very little or no pulling required.

As far as a rub, I always use my special rub recipe which I have available below.. rub down the butt with regular yellow mustard and then apply the rub very generously making sure to get it into every nook and cranny of the butt. It is best to do this the night before you smoke the butt if possible but it is still good even if you put it on right before smoking.

Unbelievable flavor!

I have not used any of the commercially available rubs.. just about anything that is good on ribs would be pretty good on the pork butt.

I have a Smoking Time and Temperature table available at the following url:

http://www.wyntk.us/food/smoking-times-and-temperatures.shtml


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Smoked Meat Too Dark

Q: All my meats are black when done. Is the smoke, or natural, or can I stop this somehow? Maybe wrapping w/foil. We want the meat to look not so dark. Is this possible?

A: It really depends on what type of meat you are referring to.. brisket and pork shoulder will almost always be very dark because of the long times in the smoker. Chicken and turkey on the other hand will be golden brown and not burnt looking at all.

It could also mean that creosote is forming on your meat and that is not a good thing.. creosote formation is usually the result of not enough airflow through and out of your smoker.

You have not divulged the type of smoker you have but if you have a smoker that has vents to control the airflow then I recommend you open the vent/intake next to the fire to at least 1/2 open and the vent that is on the chimney or away from the firebox where the smoke exits to at least 3/4 open.

It could also mean that you are using green wood.. this will creote a black greasy coating on your meat and in your smoker and is not healthy or tasty.

Make sure any wood you use is seasoned at least 6 months before use.

Another thing that comes to mind is that the meat is being charred by too much radiant heat.. horizontal smokers have a tendency to have a lot of radiant heat right where the heat enters the smoke chamber from the firebox.

If you have this type of smoker, I recommend you place your meat at the far end away from the firebox to all convection heat to cook your meat while it smokes instead of radiant heat by being too close to the firebox.

You can wrap your meat in foil, that is absolutely acceptable. I have found that most meat has plenty of smoke by the time it reaches about 140 degrees or so. This is usually about half way through the cooking process. I do not recommend wrapping poultry but brisket, pork shoulder, ribs, etc. can be wrapped just fine for a few hours to prevent over darkening of the outside of the meat.

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Leaky Smoker Lid

Q: My smoker lid leaks alot of smoke. Is that normal? It is a char broil silver smoker.

A: Smokers are designed to leak smoke since it is very neccessary for the smoke to escape from the smoker to prevent the formation of creosote.

Make sure to always have plenty of airflow into the smoker through the intake on your firebox and plenty of airflow out of the smoker through your damper on the chimney or stack. I recommend the intake to be 1/2 open and the damper to be open at least 3/4 of the way. This may require that you build a slightly smaller fire due to increased airflow which will result in a hotter fire. The smoke should pass over the meat and then quickly exit out of the smoker for the best flavor. When smoke moves slowly due to decreased airflow it gets stale and begins to form creosote on the meat and in your smoker.

Use the intake on the firebox for small adjustments to the temperature just do not close it down and restrict airflow at any time during the cooking process.

The smoke that is escaping from your lid is perfectly normal.

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How to Pull Pork and Brisket

Q: Thanks for the free course it helped me out quite a bit. My question is how do you pull pork or brisket?

A: There are several methods of pulling pork/brisket.. my method is to smoke it to about 150 degrees or so then wrap it in foil and cook it to 205. I then turn off the heat and let it stay in the foil for an additional 2 hours. When I open the foil it pretty much falls apart on its own.

Note: be sure to add the juice in the bottom of the foil back into the pork for maximum flavor and juiciness.

Many people do not like to cook it that high or may not want to use foil so in that case you can use 2 forks, one in each hand and rake the pork in separate directions to break it up into pieces. If it is cooked to about 190 or so it will usually be pretty easy to pull and needs very little help.

For brisket, it is sometimes just a little more difficult but once again, if it is cooked to about 195 degrees then wrapped in foil, wrapped in a thick towel and then placed in a picnic cooler for about 2 or 3 hours it will really be tender and juicy when you take it out and will pull pretty easily using the 2 fork method.

The only thing you sacrafice by placing brisket in foil is that nice, tasty brown crust.. it softens up inside the foil.


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Horizontal Smoker Modification

Q: Do you have an answer on how to make a baffle for my horizontal smoker so that it heats evenly throughout my smoker instead of heating real hot on one side and barely on the other. thanks alot and I will look forward to your response.

A: You have a very good question and while there is no way to completely explain with mere words how to modify your horizontal smoker with a baffle I will try to give you the basic idea and with a little creativity you may be able to make something that will work.

The problem with horizontals is that the area just inside the smoke chamber where the radiant heat enters from the firebox is blazing hot and will burn meat if placed there while the other end is usually too cool so you either have to keep the meat away from the firebox end and continually turn it and flip it to get it done evenly or you have to modify it with a baffle of some sort to more evenly distribute the heat.

I am not a welder and I did not modify mine myself but rather had it done for me however you must place a piece of flat metal just under the grate extending the full length of the smoke chamber. the baffle should have width-wise slots cut in it every couple of inches or so that are very narrow at the firebox end and continually larger/wider as you get further away from the firebox.

This allows less heat to enter at the hot end and more heat to enter at the cooler end and thereby evens out the temp a little bit.

You can also set a pan of water at the entrance of the firebox to the smoke chamber to act as a barrier to the radiant heat and to create some steam which will naturally try to regulate the temperature in the smoker.

In creating the baffle, if you do not have a welding machine you can have something fabricated and then use some long bolts anchored thru the smoke chamber walls to set the baffle onto.

Pictures would do this operation a lot more justice but at present I do not have any.

I hope to have a writeup with complete instructions and pictures for various smoker mods on the website soon..

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Thermometer Placement in Meat

Q: The ecourse was great. I knew very little about smoking meat, so the course was valuable in all aspects to me. And while I have you, Jeff where is the best placement of the thermometer in the meat since you have to flip it every hour or so. I know you said you shouldn't poke the meat too much. So should I put the therm. in the side of the meat to keep from having to remove it. By the way I'm smoking a brisket, ribs and butt as we speak.

A: You pretty much figured out the best place to put the thermometer.. if you need to flip the meat several times during the cooking process then it can be a little bit of a hassle to leave the thermometer in but the alternative is to pull the thermometer out and watch the juices just start pouring out of the meat.

When you place the thermometer in at the beginning, the meat will actually seal around the probe and keep the juices in.

Just place it in the side if possible making sure the tip of the probe is in the center of the meat at its thickest point.

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Smoking with Apricot Wood

Q: Have you ever smoked with Apricot wood, what do you think??

A: Apricot wood is excellent for most anything.. it is fairly mild and has a really nice sweet flavor to it. I love it and I think you will too.

Some of my other favorite fruit woods are plum, apple, pear, cherry and peach.


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Brining Turkey

Q: How much salt and how long would a Turkey stay in the brine solution? It's my first time smoking a turkey and I could use some help.

A: Just use 1 cup of kosher salt per gallon of water.. kosher salt is best since it dissolves much easier. If you ever have to use regular salt only use half as much of it.

Brine the turkey for about 10 hours for best results and be sure to rinse it well under cool water before smoking.

I have listed my own personal brine recipe at the following link:

http://www.wyntk.us/food/brining-meat.shtml


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Technique for Large Rib Party

Q: I've done some limited smoking in the past, now have committed to smoking pork ribs (baby back for the most part) for a party. I am somewhat nervous about this responsibility, as I've never smoked this many ribs at one time before. I am nervous about maintaining proper temperature for this long a period of time. I wil be smoking approximately 8-10 full racks in one session. My smoker, although large, isnt that large. I guess I will have to do this in a couple of sessions, wrap the completed ones in foil and refrigerate until the day of the party, and then re-heat in the oven, or on the grill. In the past, I have occassionally burned the marinate in the smoking process, do I guess to having too high a heat. My smoker has both a chimney, and an access door on the side, and I try to maintain constant temp by opening and closing these dampers. Any hints?

A: Your Rib Issue:

I understand your apprehension about getting them done and making sure they turn out great for your party. First off cooking them a day ahead should be ok if you need to do that but I think I have a plan that will work out great for you..

I recommend trying the 2-2-1 method for them which may allow you to do them all at once. In this method you would smoke the baby backs for 2 hours and then wrap in foil and cook for 2 hours. You would then unwrap and finish cooking for an additional hour.

I am thinking, while some may frown at this, a good way to get this done would be to smoke say half of them in the smoker for 2 hours or so and then wrap and cook the next 2 hours in the oven (since the smoke is not an issue at this stage. While that batch is in the oven you would smoke the next batch of the ribs in the smoker.

As the 2nd batch is ready to come off the smoker and go into the oven, the 1st batch is now ready for the last stage which is an additional hour unwrapped in the smoker.

That last hour is where you glaze if you want them to be "wet" ribs.

To get a better idea with a little more detail on the 2-2-1 method also known as the 3-2-1 method for spare ribs you can read more at:

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

This method is known for turning out super tender ribs that are extremely tender.

Settings on your smoker:

You really need to try to maintain about 225 degrees or maybe 240 at the most. Keep the damper on the stack or chimney open at least 3/4 of the way to allow the smoke to exit without getting stale and reduce the risk of creosote.

The air intake on the firebox can be used to control the temperature on a very minor scale but you need to try and build a small enough fire that will maintain the correct temperature with the intake open about half way. Then you can open/close the intake a little to raise or lower the temp as needed. Be sure to not close the intake all the way or it will stop the airflow and create creosote on your meat.

This is not as easy as some folks make it sound and requires some practice to get good at it but it will produce the best smoked meat and will keep the most consistent temperature in your smoker.


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How to Clean Your Smoker

Q: My husband got a smoker and he has a very thick buildup of what he calls creosote. I have looked everywhere and can find no good info on how to clean it, help please!

A: If it is really bad you can use some "simple green" and a scraper and/or wire brush to remove the buildup. Be sure to recoat with some type of cooking oil when finished to prevent rusting.

If it is not too bad, you can heat it up to about 400 degrees or so and spray it out real good with water. The water will turn to steam when it hits the hot metal and make the goo come loose.

Once again.. be sure to rub down with cooking oil to prevent rust after any type of cleanup like this.

Usually creosote buildup is caused by using green, unseasoned wood and/or inadequate airflow in and out of the smoker.

I don't know what type of smoker he has but if it is one that has an intake on the firebox and then a damper or stack coming out of the smoking chamber, tell him to keep the damper on the stack 3/4 to full open and the intake on the firebox should be at least half way open most of the time. This may require building a slightly smaller fire since the extra air will make it burn hotter but it will also burn cleaner.

If he has a vertical bullet type smoker then the only thing you can really do is make sure the wood chunks you are using are well seasoned and be sure to use good lump charcoal.


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July 2006 Newsletter Uploaded

The July 2006 Smoking Meat Newsletter - "A Complete Walkthrough for Smoking Chicken" has been uploaded and is available at the following link:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/july-2006-smoked-chicken-walkthrough.html

Download Brinkmann Smoker Manuals

Q: I bought a floor model brinkman smoker. no instructions. how do you start the fire and use the pans,water and wood ? please help !!!

A: I have included the link to the brinkmann storehouse of smoker manuals.. they are pdf files and free to download. Choose the smoker that matches yours and click the link to download.

http://www.brinkmann.net/Customer%20Service/OwnersList.aspx?category=Outdoor+Cooking

Let me know if you have any trouble with it.

If you need extended help after reading thru the manual let me know or you can post a question over at www.smokingmeatforums.com for lots of great help as well.

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Smoked Lamb Roast Recipe

Q: How to smoke a 4 lb lamb roast in a elec smoker?

A: This recipe came across the forum a while back and looks like a dandy.. it calls for a 5-6 pound leg of lamb but I am sure it would work fine for a slightly smaller roast of lamb. If you decide to try it, be sure to let me know how it goes.

Most electric smokers maintain a temperature of 225 to 250 degrees automatically so you may not need to do anything there.. just use a good mild wood like pecan, apple or maybe cherry if you can get ahold of some. Oak or hickory will also work but you may want to go easy on it and only apply smoke for about the first hour or so. The wood chunks will work best and just lay them right down next to the heating element for maximum smoke.

Enjoy!

************************************

Martini Lamb - Submitted by Ranger72 at www.SmokingMeatForums.com


Martini Paste

1/2 medium onion,chopped

10 garlic cloves

juice and zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons gin

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

5-6 pound leg of lamb, Boned, rolled and tied


Martini Mop

1 cup gin

1 cup beef stock

2/3 cup water

juice of a lemon

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil


Procedure:

The night before your going to "Que" prepare the paste. In a food processor, combine the onion, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, gin and salt and then process to combine.

When those items are processed pour your 1/4 cup olive oil in slowly while processing until a thin paste forms.

Generously spread the paste on the lamb. Place the lamb in a plastic bag and refridgerate overnight.

Next day remove the lamb from fridge and bag and let come to room temperature.Mix the mop ingredients in a saucepan and warm the ingredients over low heat.

Transfer the lamb to the smoker which has been preheated to 200*-220* and "Que" it up for 35-40 minutes a pound until the internal temperature of the meat is 145*. this will be rare to medium rare.

Start basteing your lamb with the heated mop after first hour and approximately every 45-50 minutes in charcoal/wood burning pit or as appropriate for your style of smoker.

remove the lamb, wrap in foil, let sit for 10-15 minutes slice and serve.

some people don't like lamb heavily smoked and they can wrap the roast in foil after the first hour in the smoker and cook down the mop a bit until it thickens and use as a dipping sauce on the side instead of using it as a mop.

In my opinion Lamb has the best flavor when it is served rare to medium rare so please don't overcook it unless you are the type of person who just can't eat rare meat.

Crusty Garlic bread, a nice green salad garlic mashed potatoes will round this baby out nicely!

************************************


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Where to Find Lump Charcoal

Q: ..where can I get "lump" coal? Grocery store, walmart,
gander mountain, bass pro shop, etc.
Just as important, you say use charcoal the ENTIRE time for the heat
source and the wood only for flavor...does this mean that I have to
continually add charcoal over the time it takes to smoke the meat? I mean
the charcoal will not last the whole time it takes to say, cook some spare
ribs, right? Ill have to add more to maintain the temperature in the
smoker?

A: You will need to continually add charcoal as needed.. I like to get it burning in a separate container and add "already lit" charcoal to the charcoal pan. They make a charcoal chimney which is made specifically for this purpose which you can pick up at Wal-mart, Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware, or online at amazon.com

Just add a trowel full every hour or so to maintain the 225 degrees or whatever your target temperature is for what you are smoking.

As far as Lump charcoal.. I have better luck finding it at my local grocery store but I have a feeling that the demand for it plays a big part on how easy it is to find. I have quite a few folks tell me that it is difficult to find in certain parts of the country.

You can order it on Amazon.com as well but there may be some other places you could order it from as well if you do a search in Google.com for "buy lump charcoal online" or something similar. You might also try to find a fireplace and grill store in your area and see if they have it or can order it for you.

Kingsford just began making lump a while back.. they call it charwood and you may be able to find that wherever you buy the briquettes.

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Choke Cherry for Smoking

Q: I have a choke cherry in my backyard.would that wood be good for smoking?

A: I have not used choke cherry myself (lack of access) but based on a discussion we had a while back it is completely fine.

I have heard a rumor that it can cause some bitterness if over used but I cannot personally attest to that.

My recommendation is to try it on something like chicken and see how it turns out.. if it turns out to be something you don't like then you've only lost a few bucks for the chicken.

If you decide to cut it down and use it for smoking, be sure to season it at least 6 months before using to prevent creosote formation.

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A Coffee Can for Wood Chunks

Q: Just reading your comments on propane smokers and I have a question, I just purchased a propane smoker from Costco, the Grand Cafe model, not sure if you are familiar with it. Anyway, I am haivng a hard time getting consistant smoke from it. I am thinking about doing your coffee can trick, and was wondering if you placed the can directly on the burners. In this cooker the chip tray sits about 4-5 inches above the burner, so I owuld have to remove some brackets to put the can directly on the burners, but maybe the distance from the burners is the problem.

Thanks!

A: I would not sit it directly on the burner.. put it in about the same location as your chip box is now. You may need to be creative if it won't sit there without falling thru.

You can also use a dremel tool or something similar to cut the coffee can down if it is too tall.

The nice thing about the coffee can trick is that the smoke usually starts in under a minute and that is what you want!


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Brinkmann Smoke N Pit Too Smoky

Q: I just started to use a smoker (Brinkmann Smoke and Pit) and the meat was too smoky. I used charcoal to start it and apple wood. Any suggestions?

A: In that particular size of smoker, I do not recommend using wood as your heat source. Use lump charcoal (better than briquettes if you can find it) the entire time with your apple wood for flavoring only. A small stick of apple wood should be plenty at one time and when it burns up and/or stops smoking you can add another to continue the smoke.

Make sure the air intake on the firebox is open at least 1/2 way and the damper/rain cap on the stack is open at least 3/4 to allow a good draft into and out of the smoker.

This makes your smoke pass over the meat and then flow out before it has a chance to create creosote.

You can close the intake just a little if the fire gets too hot but the damper on the stack needs to be well open to allow the smoke to exit.

As you continue smoking with the proper settings you may find you need a little more smoke flavor and then you can close the damper just a little, maybe down to 1/2 open to allow more smoke flavoring on your meat.

I also recommend not applying smoke the entire time if you are using charcoal or some other alternate heat source, only apply smoke until the meat reaches about 140-145 degrees and then only apply heat. This will usually prevent any over-smokiness of the meat with the proper draft settings.

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Recommended Damper Settings

Q: How do you use the flue cover plates and sliding dampers on an indirect smoker? I just bought mine and it did not come with an instruction book for the dampers or how to use them.

A: I recommend setting the intake on the firebox which is probably the sliding damper you are referring to, to about 1/2 open to start with.

Set the cover plate, also known as the rain cap or damper on the stack to about 3/4 open.

This may require you to build a smaller fire since this will allow plenty of air to pass thru the smoker to prevent the buildup of creosote on your meat and because of the increased airflow will create a hotter fire.

Leave the rain cap at 3/4 open the entire time for now but you can do some minor adjustment to the heat by closing/opening the sliding intake on the firebox. Be sure to not close the intake all the way at any time as this will hamper the airflow and begin to create creosote on your meat and in your smoker.

You will probably discover over time, the optimum settings for your smoker for best heat control and for the best flavor.

If you discover that you need more smoke flavor on your meat you can try closing the rain cap on the stack just a little more the next time you use the smoker.

I also recommend that you use lump charcoal for heat with additional sticks or chunks of wood for flavor. Lump charcoal burns twice as hot and is much cleaner than ordinary briquets.

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ABT's - Stuffed Jalapenos

Q: Hi there..I remember a recipe on your site with stuffed jalapenos..I think it was cream cheese and bacon wrapped and smoked about 2 hours in a mini muffin pan am I close?

A: We have an entire thread dedicated to these babies over at the smoking meat forums.. follow the link below and it will take you straight to 'em:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=20

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Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes.. a religious experience! Make everyone think you're a pro (even if you're not!)

Make Rub Stick to the Meat

Q: Jeff, What kind of binder do you use to make your naked rub stick to you ribs? Mustard, Oil, ?

A: I like to use plain yellow mustard.. it tends to leave a nice crust and does not retain it's own flavor once the cooking process is finished.

It only requires a thin layer.. rub it on all over the meat then sprinkle on the rub. This works especially well for pork shoulder and spare ribs.


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