SMOKING RECIPIES???

[jonnyICE-MAN]

I came across an electric smoker a few years ago and recently cleaned it up. Didn't get any insructions or recipies with it, I was wondering if anybody had any ideas and/or recipies they would like too share. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Swamp Scooter]

I use a smoker a great deal through the seasons. Lots of good ways to use them and for a bunch of diferent meats.

Turkey: I use an apple cider base with salt, pepper, pineapple juice concentrate, chicken stock, brown sugar/molasses/maple syrup. Maybe some sherry in there too. Basic stuff you have in the fridge and pantry work well. Mix up the marinade and heat to a boil - reducing it a little. Then cool to warm and then pop in the turkey and all covered in to the fridge. You will want to turn the bird a couple of times as it sits overnight or so.

When you are ready to cook/smoke:

Remove bird from marinade and place on cookie sheet. Heat marinade on stove until boiling and continue to boil for 5 minutes. You have now heated your marinade and cooked any turkey juices in it so it is safe. Pre-heat your smoker and then add the hot marinade to the drip pan. Stuff in your wood source on the element to ge the smoke. Soak the wood in water first to reduce flames. Make sure you wipe the grill grates with oil or spray, both sides. Set turkey breast side up on smoker and cover. DO NOT OPEN THE COVER FOR AT LEAST 2-3 HOURS!! - if it is a whole bird~10#. You can check the moisture level and add some wood through the little door.

Cooking time will depend on the temp outside, wind, and smoker temp. It usually takes me a good day to smoke a whole bird - 8-12 hours. You do not need smoke for the whole time either. It is good to get it in the beginning though. Internal temps about 165-180 may get reached but in cold weather the bird will cook but not get to 180. As long as the juices run clear in the breast and inner thighs you are ready. You can always drop it in the oven for a few minutes to finish it off when the weather does not cooperate.

Game marinades:

I like a few different types. The cranberry juice base with red wine is nice. Add in some beef stock, salt, chopped onions, herbs - rosemary, thyme, basil. Black pepper, worchestershire sauce. I use this one for venison roasts, bear, and other things. Follow the marinade directions for heating and cooling as above. For cooking same thing goes. Heat up marinade, smoker, and then assemble and cook for maybe 1-2 hours depending on size of meat. It does not take anywhere as long as the whole birds.

Prime rib!!!

beef base, stock. chopped onions, worchestershire sauce, redwine, crushed red peppers, salt, black pepper, herbs. Same instructions for marinading.

I really like to heat this marinade up as above and then reserve a couple of cups of it. The reserved boiled off liquid can then be used for the base for the Au jus!! Just correct the salt and concentrate. May have to add a can of some consumme' to it.

This is done whole on the smoker. I use the whole rib eyes or new yorks when they are on special and then cut them in to about 3 different sized roasts and freeze. I smoke the marinaded prime for about 2 hours and then take it off. I then add some kosher salt, black pepper, fresh herds to the outside of the prime and then in to the oven at about 450-500F(may take about 15-30 minutes) until the inner temp is about 120-130, depending on preference. Remove it from oven and wrap in foil and let stand for at least 15 minutes. Slice and really impress your guests with the fabulous meal!

There are tons of different things you can use.

Hope this gives you a little start.

[BLACKJACK]

Some excellent tips Swampscooter! My mouth is watering and I'm motivated to get my smoker out soon! Going to have to watch for a sale on the prime rib too, when I go out to eat, thats usually what I order, I'll have to try it on my own.

What I'd like to add for advice is that it takes a lot of time to get stuff done, don't do this when you're planning a lot of guests and supper at 5 PM sharp, depending on the outside temp and your smoker, it could be done at 2pm or 6 PM.

One problem I have is that my electric smoker keeps blowing the ground fault outlets in my garage. Don't know what I can do about that. Going to try it this summer on my new shed outlets, but the outside one is also a ground fault...

[Fish On]

sunfish crappies or smaller trout.

make the brine simply 1 cup salt 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice to 1 gallon of water soak fish over night then mix half hickory to half apple woodchips then smoke em up should take about 3 hours depending on what kind and size of fish sunfish you can tell when you can pull the tails off.

[leechlake]

ice it a Luhr Jensen or a Brinkman? I have both and prefer the Luhr Jensen because it isn't anywhere near as hot, the Brinkman works better for ribs though, I don't like the idea of having the ribs cook so slow...Tells us what brand it is.

[jonnyICE-MAN]

Thanks for all the replies, I'll have to give them a shot someday. It is a sears brand so I believe it is very old. Got it from some old lady that had it on a dump pile, still in the box. I don't think it was ever used. My friend borrowed it one time but used the woodchips I got with it and they were very old. He said it was gross but it was probly the chips, or it was his marinating I don't know though.

[leechlake]

remember to used non-iodine salt, it will say it on the package. I think the regular iodine salt makes that medal taste.

[EYEHUNTER10]

Crappie are great use 2 gallons of water and a whole bag of pickling salt or a box if you prefer, bags easier, and 1 cup of brown sugar per gallon. Its that simple, I prefer to brine my crappies at least 48 hours and if i really want a nice batch i'll change the brining solution and make a new brine after 24 hours just to get some of the slime out, and all that salt tends to settle, so unless you got a enough room in your fridge for a 2 gallon bucket of water you can stir up every once in a while It easier. I use big plastic popcorn bowls with lids to keep the wife off my back about fridge space. As for smoking I like to cold smoke for at least 2 hours and then bring the heat up If ya hear them sizzling they are getting to done to fast usually. The easiest thing you can do is cold smoke as long as possible 6 hours is great if ya got the time and then finish them in the oven 20 minutes on 300 works if they are slabs but if they are small i wouldnt go over 200 and then maybe 45 minutes. If ya hear them sizzling you better keep a close eye on em or you'll have fish jerky lol that pretty good too just makes for an real ugly burnt crappie that real hard to tear apart. I have done 3 batches this spring now and they just get better each time!! Charcoal plum wood and water and careful experimentation you want alot of smoke and not alot of steam most people soak there plum wood in water and set them on top of the charcoal i'm sure but i'm open to suggestions too.