Smoker

[fishing tech]

Just put together my new smoker. I have never used one. it says that I can put my marinade in the water bowl when smoking. Is this right. also i have an old bottle of Jack daniels that I will never drink, can I soak the wood chips in this or put it in the water bowl?

[bbqhead]

neither will help a whole lot, but i will take that bottle of

JD off your hands! haha

the water pan is just to keep meat from drying out on a long

cook. moist sand in the water pan works well and easier to

clean and reusable.i never soak chips, you dont want a ton of

smoke coming out the chimney. just a wisp of white smoke

otherwise you will get a bitter creosote taste.

randy aka bbqhead

[DIRTY BIKER]

I disagree with bbqhead I use the marinades cut with water when smoking roasts and alot of times wiskey/water when doing ribs,beer sticks,jerky(kippered) and birds in my water pan and I dont soak all of the chips with water just some to throw on if its gettin to hot in there when smoking I like alot of smoke flavor also more than most.

[bottomdweller]

Dont mean to steal the thread but I am also looking into getting a smoker. Which style is most used propane, wood?

Thanks for any help

[swamptiger]

I like the electric smokers - easy to control the heat.

If you like the taste of Jack Daniels, the best bet is to drink it while you're doing the smoking - that way, you can get the "full effect" of the JD - also doesn't really matter much how the stuff in the smoker turns out...

Actually, I just use plain water and soak the chips in water, so don't know how it would work with JD or marinade in the water - I would think it might work to soak the chips in it, and that would evaporate into the smoke???

[DIRTY BIKER]

Alright,Alright I love the Jack too But you could and I have used the cheaper imitation stuff like Evan Williams or something in that nature.I use a propane now but used wood&electric before and I like my propane the best for the smaller batches #10 or less but would like a smoker house with just a wood box for the bigger batches of stuff like ring bologna,summer sausage,beer sticks #25+ batches to cold smoke the stuff at a lower temp and have the room for it all instead of doing smaller batches at a time.

[Swimmer]

Just got a smoker with an offset fire box. I know it's not the best, Charbroil $160.00 at Homydees, but I love the firebox where I just add a handfull of charcoa/wood every 45 minutes. The bullet style I had before was a pain in the arse using the chimney to start charcoal every half hour. Question: we smoked a pork butt two weekends ago and the apple wood I was throwing on the briquets hardly smoked. The air inlet and chimney were set about half way...was it getting to hot?? The meat thermometer said about 350 degrees inside the smoking chamber (just got the "professional" thermometer that installs on the outside of the chamber but have not installed it yet). I would have thought that more visable smoke would have been coming out the chimney with 4" apple wood chunks burning in the fire box. PS, the butt roast had a nice ring and tasted great, so why am I biitchin?

[swamptiger]

Don't know about the smoke issue, but if you're smoking at 350 degrees, you're not smoking - you're cooking...

[NEANGLER]

I have the Charbroil offset fire box smoker as well and love it. One thing you want to do is soak your wood for just a little bit, 15-20 is all. Also make sure your wood has the bark removed, it gives it a very bitter, off tatste. Make sure you put that external thermometer on NOW. The temps can rise VERY quickly in that unit and you will cook that meat instead of smoking. About 225 -250 is the best temp. Also another tip is on butts smoke it for about 4 hours to get the flavor and then wrap in plastic wrap, then foil and just add charcoal to the fire box and move heat up to 300 - 350 and cook for another 4-5 hours. Falls apart just like Famous Daves. With ribs, smoke for 2 hours, wrap with plastic wrap and foil, and kick up heat to 300-350 for another 2 hours. Put on grill and baste with sauce. Also do not forget to rub done your meat with a good bbq rub otherwise you do not get near the flavor.

salmon is another great one, brine your salmon over night(do search on Food Network-they have a couple) and rinse and pat the fillet dry. Smoke(200-225) for about 1 - 1.5 hours depending on the size of fillet.

Ducks and geese I use a marinade of soy, olive oil, chopped garlic, chopped onions and cajun seasoning and marinate over night. Then smoke (225-250)the ducks for about 1.5 hrs and Geese about 2.5 hrs depending on the size of the breast. They melt in your mouth and stay nice and moist.

[fishing tech]

Won't the plastic melt?

[NEANGLER]

Nope by being wrapped in foil and the temps it is not an issue. All of the competition BBQ guys do it this way. Keeps the meat nice and moist as you kick up the temp. Plus it is indirect heat.

[terryt]

you're still not smoking at 200-225, most meats will seal up after 110 degrees and not take on any more smoke after that. or is this air temp. I'm talking about meat temp.

[bbqhead]

do you think that putting anything in a water pan will

win you a KCBS comp! if so come down to austin mn for

the mn in may, i will be there cooking!

randy aka bbqhead

[bbqhead]

the dates are may 18th through the 19th and it is

a state qualifier for the jack daniels..

if anyone is interested i need a runner and a few

helpers. contact me at [email protected]

randy aka bbqhead

[NEANGLER]

We are talking about air temp not meat temp. All meat is safe after 150F, that is when all bacteria has been killed. If you cooked it to 200-225 it would REALLY be dead then. When smoking meats the best advice is slow and low.

[DIRTY BIKER]

No I don't think that will win me anything but I still do it for personal preference.I am not a competitive person just a good ol boy that likes to cook and smoke foods but It does sound like some fun never heard of it before maybe have to stop down and check it out. Its always fun to experiment.