HSO's Smoked, Smoking & Smokers Library of Links!

[Shack]

It's no lie that HSO's Cooking forum is a place where smokers come to share their knowledge and ideas. Some cool stuff has been shared over the years and it seems the smoking related questions are not going to stop coming any time soon. I figure these questions come up about 20 times a year, because why? Who doesn't love smoked meats or smoked anything?

Ahhhh! Who doesn't like smoked foods?:

Besides loving to taste and eat smoked foods, the next best thing is smoking your own foods to eat.

I have gone back in this forum and put together a list of threads that will help you find most of your answers pertaining to, but limited to, buying a smoker, how to smoke foods, ways to smoke foods and more.

If something is not answered in or by one of the threads below, feel free to ask and answers will be received.

To the newbie smokers I say "Welcome" . To the old timers and Pro smokers, I say "Good luck & tiz that time of year once again". To all, good smoking and post your info and what you produce for all to see.

Starting from the past:

Smoking Jerky= 6/13/2002

Smoked Duck Marinade= 11/22/2002

Smoked Trout Dip= 4/26/2005

Smoking Pheasant Recipe(s)= 7/22/2005

How to Make a Smoker Out of An Old Fridge= 7/28/2005

Building My Own Smoker= 2/08/2006

Smoked Fish Recipes= 9/28/2006

Homemade Dried Beef= 8/05/2006

Smoking Different Meats Together at the Same Time= 9/06/2006

Where to Buy Casing= 11/12/2006

Caution of Using Galvanized Metals When Smoking= 11/12/2006

Smoked Pheasant Recipe= 11/16/2006

Smoked Venison Roast= 11/23/2006

Venison Summer Sausage & Beef Sticks= 11/23/2006

Which Smoker?=11/27/2006

Smoked Northern Recipes= 3/26/2006

My First Smoker= 12/27/2006

Smoked Pheasant Legs= 1/07/2007

Meat Thermometers= 2/03/2007

Charcoal Smoking Questions Answered= 2/27/2007

Brinkmann Smoke King Deluxe ?'s and Tips= 3/16/2007

Prepping Duck for the Smoker= 4/10/2007

Smoker for Christmas= 4/13/2007

Smoked Turkey= 6/05/2007

Triple D's Stick Foot In Mouth and Begs for Turkey Smoking Ideas 9/19/2007

Homemade Jerky Cure How to= 11/07/2007

Smoked Pheasant Recipes= 11/19/2007

B-N-S Bacon Cure Tip=12/21/2007

B-N-S Once again Looking Into Smokers, Will He or Wont He. Good Info Though= 12/31/2007

A Couple Questions About Smoking Foods= 2/22/2008

Just Got a Smoker, What Should I Smoke First= 3/11/2008

Smoke House Style Places to Eat= 3/16/2008

Smoking Trout= 3/20/2008

Charcoal Smoker Info= 4/07/2008

Turkey in a Smoker= 5/28/2008

Venison Summer Sausage & Breakfast Sausage Recipe= 5/28/2008

Choosing a Smoker "Which Smoker"= 6/24/2008

Brine Recipe For Smoking Chicken & Turkey Info= 7/23/2008

Smoker Wood Use Info= 8/17/2008

Smoking With Woods Chips from an Apple Orchard= 8/20/2008

Smoking Help Needed= 8/25/2008

Tips on Smoking Meats (Shack throws in some ideas)= 8/28/2008

Smoking Pork Roast= 9/07/2008

Slow Smoked Summer Sausage= 9/10/2008

Smoking With Oak Chips, Backyard Dried= 11/16/2008

From Scratch Jerky Recipe(s)= 12/03/2008

Smoked Ribs (Large Amount) Help= 12/23/2008

Mak'in Bacon, BNS Needs Help and Wants to Know How to Smoke Bacon= 1/19/2009

Venison Summer Sausage= 1/21/2009

Adding Pork to Venison Sausage= 1/23/2009

Thirdeye's Smoked Salmon with Pepper Corns "How to" Thread with Pictures= 2/18/2009

Looking To Buy a Smoker= 2/18/2009

Jerky Cure Process= 2/26/2009

Good Advice on Smoking Tullibee= 3/04/2009

Making Jerky for the First Time= 3/12/2009

Any Good Venison "Brat" Recipes?= 3/18/2009

Electric Smokers Question= 3/31/2009

Smoked Ham?=4/06/2009

Smoking Carp= 4/06/2009

Smoking an Easter Sunday Ham= 4/08/2009

Sausage Internal Cooking Temperature= 4/09/2009

Smoking Trout Question= 4/11/2009

Using Apple Wood That Was Cut Down= 4/20/2009

Heat Element for Smoker= 4/21/2009

Estameted Smking Time 9lb Pork Roast= 5/08/2009

Can I Use the Maple Tree I Just Cut Down= 5/12/2009

Gas Smoker, Which One?= 5/26/2009

Smokers????= 6/21/2008

Off-Set BBQ Smoker= 7/8/2009

Moldy Jerky= 7/11/2009

Smoked Salmon Brine= 7/24/2009

Brine for Smoked Salmon= 8/12/2009

Charcoal Smoker Question= 9/03/2009

Smoking Bear Roast?= 9/15/2009

Smoked Steel Ala Len How to with Pics= 11/20/2009

Smoking Pheasant Question= 12/03/2009

Smoked Turkey Brine Question and Recipe= 12/29/2009

Smoked Herring= 1/09/2010

Help with My Propane Smoker?= 2/07/2010

Smoked Sunnies Question and Recipe= 1/21/2010

Home Smoke Houses. Have You Made One? (Great Pics)= 1/26/2010

Smoking Tullibee= 3/03/2010

Woods to Use?= 3/11/2010

Gas vs Charcoal Smoker?= 3/19/2010

Smoked Catfish Skin on? Or Off?= 4/02/2010

So You Want To "Make" a Smoker with Pics (Good post and info)=4/09/2010

Making a Smoker Red Neck Style with Pics= 4/19/2010

New Smoker with Pics= 4/30/2010

Buy New Grill and Looking for Optional Smoking with Grill= 5/05/2010

Smoking Turkey= 5/11/2010

Smoking Crappies Info= 5/17/2010

New Smoker and Getting Heat Down Queastion= 5/24/2010

Making an Electric Smoker= 5/25/2010

How Can I Smoke with My Charcoal Grill= 6/19/2010

Smoking Pork Roast= 6/28/2010

Smoking Sheephead with Pics= 7/05/2010

Smoking Meat for a Bachloer Party, Reciepies Shared= 8/04/2010

Jerky Flavor Issue Question= 8/17/2010

Smoked Vegies and Pena Pasta

Ground vs Whole Meat Jerky (Good Info tat can be used for the smoker) = 8/20/2010

Looking To Buy a Smoker= 8/28/2010

If I missed an Important link, please post it and I will add it in. Another time I will break these links down to categories and may even add in a grill info links category and basic recipes category.

Hope this helps and feel free to ask more questions.

[Jim Almquist]

Very Cool Shack !

Talk about your one stop shop for all your smoking ?

[Shack]

Thanks Jim. Many thanks goes out to those who have helped over the years, but one avatar that stuck out when answering questions or providing info over the years was yours.

Also if anyone wants to start a new thread covering a topic not seen above, fee free to do so. Amazingly in all this stuff there are still some points not covered totally.

If you guys or gals get any new smoking gear, feel free to submit a review in the HSO Consumer Reports forum. Click Here

[McGurk]

Nice list, Shack! Might not be a bad idea to put a sticky on it, so it'll be on top for all to find in an instant.

[fivebucks]

Now there are alot of smokin good links

[reinhard1]

good information shack. never too late to learn more. thanks for the list. good luck.

[PurpleFloyd]

OK Now I am officially hungry.

[MNmikew]

great list thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! smoked up 9 slabs of babybacks on my webers last weekend at the deer camp. ummm.

[Coach Dog]

Great list of links! Thanks for putting together!

[quackersmacker]

Well done Shack! There is some great info there!

[LindellProStaf]

What a wealth of info. I love it. Read most of it. I have been smoking in an old frig. Works pretty good. I am getting better with practice. I like the idea of having the control outside so the bi-metal thermostat does not turn the hotplate off. That has been my problem. Good idea and thanks.

[Mike89]

I really like it!!

[pushbutton]

http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/2399403/1

might want to edit some stuff out but the fatty rocks.....

[harvey lee]

Great post.

[toughguy]

Thanks for doing this Shack. This will save me a lot of time. I'm thinking of picking up my first smoker and this be help a bunch.

[smnduck]

Thank you. I have a turkey in my new smoker now. As a newbie this is the best thread ever.

[reinhard1]

a agree. dont need google. everything is right here because of the great job Shack has done with this thread. plus if there are any questions there are people here on HSO to answer them with years of experience. have a great day! good luck.

[bak2MN]

Planned on getting a smoker and now am more educatd but also more CONFUSED!

[reinhard1]

dont be confused, anytime you need some help just ask. good luck.

[crothmeier]

Im cutting down an apple tree tomorrow. Can i use the wood right away in my charcoal smoker or do i need to let it dry? I'll go buy chips if i need to let it dry. Ive got a 8lb pork butt going on tomorrow!

thanks

[Realtor Boy]

I have a Q

Do you have to CURE your meat before you put the sausage/brats/stix in the smoker? been reading a lot about people saying you have too....

Thanks!

[reinhard1]

yes, the cure has a pink color. it is called praque powder or Foran n/n cure. i use this for summer sausage and linked sausage like kielbasa. always use the correct measurments. 1 oz. per 25 pound batch. you can go to a butcher supply on line or in town and buy a pre mixed seasoning for posish for example. they are in 25 pound or 50 pound or higher batch size. just using that it would be used for fresh polish. however if you are going to smoke it, then you get a one ounce packet seperatly to add too your batch per 25 pounds of meat. if you have anymore questions on this, ask on the "proccessing meat into sausage questions" thread. this way all questions are together along with the answeres. cures should be dissolved in water prior to adding to the mix. the last batch of Kielbasa i made i added a one ounce pack of cure in 6 cups of cold water for 25 pounds of meat. this pink cure has a higher content of nitrates than morton tenderquick [used for jerky for example]. so less of an amount is needed, but must be disolved in water. good luck.

[walleyehunter80]

At what temp do you want to smoke jerky at? And for how long? I have a bradley digital smoker

Thanks

[KEN W]

I would put it at 225-250 with no water pan.As for how long.....depends on thickness of the meat.If you use ground meat it should all be done at about the same time.Meat strips usually aren't all the same thickness,so it won't be done at the same time.You don't want it to be brittle.

[reinhard1]

i have been doing my jerky in the dehydrator most of the time and lately it's been ground meat instead of the slices. using this the temp is around 155 deg. waffer type jerky takes around 4 1/2 to 5 hours and stick jerky around 6 hours at that temp.

i have done sliced jerky in the oven and on my barrel type grill smoker with the fire box attachment earlier in the year. there the temp was 225 in the oven with the door a tiny bit ajar and it took about 2 hours at that temp. i tried to keep the temp as Ken has said in the 225 to 250 range in the barrel smoker with the vent wide open to keep the temp down and the moisture down. the temp did fluctuate and was harder to control since it was warm outside already. i had very thin slices and i think it took 2 hrs or a little less.

i would take Kens advice with no water pan and also leave your vent open to let the moisture escape. this is the first year i realy got into jerky, and with the cost of whole meat vs ground i went to ground meat all the way and using the dehydrator. i used hickory chips in the barrel smoker for the first half of the cycle and just heat the second half.

i looked up some jerky recipe's i have in an old wild game book and the times vary a little. for sliced meat [this is an old book and didn't have ground jerky recipe's] one calls for temps at 155 for 4 hours thin sliced and one that used thicker slices called for temps at 155 to 160 for 6 to 8 hours. i do smoked sausage for example at around 200 deg. but have a temp gauge to let me know when the internal temp is at 160.

i have also seen "cold smoked" jerky time as long as 12 hours of smoking. those temps are around 85 to 100 degrees. cold smoking is not for me but may be for some. probably safe if done correctly but i want to make sure the internal temps are were they are suppose to be. dont get me wrong, many people do it and that's fine. i hope what Ken posted and what i posted helps some, but my experience in smoking jerky is limited and i keep it basic and simple. i'm more of a sausage head . good luck.