What We’re Smoking (or Grilling, or Curing)!

[aja8888]

If enough is trimmed off for use: fat down but put fat trimmings on top while cooking. Let them crisp/render then remove mid way or so for the top bark. Likely don't hear this much but works great for me- best of both worlds kinda thing.

Interesting method. Thanks.

 

[audreyh1]

Going to cook a prime brisket on my Camp Chef pellet grill/smoker tomorrow. The question I have is "fat side up or down"?

Fat side will be trimmed to leave a 1/4" layer of fat.

I always cook fat side down because in my pellet smoker the heat is coming from underneath and the fat protects the rest of the meat.

My understanding is that for offset smokers - heat coming from the side, fat side up and point towards the heat source is good.

 

[aja8888]

I always cook fat side down because in my pellet smoker the heat is coming from underneath and the fat protects the rest of the meat.

My understanding is that for offset smokers - heat coming from the side, fat side up and point towards the heat source is good.

Yes, I'll go fat side up and keep a bowl of water on the grill.

 

[audreyh1]

I also put a bowl of water on the grate next to the brisket as recommended by Franklin.

 

[aja8888]

I also put a bowl of water on the grate next to the brisket as recommended by Franklin.

Yes, that's my plan too.

 

[CincyDave]

I have a kamado style grill/smoker. Cook with the fat side up as I have a water pan under the brisket and Most heat comes from top with the water pan underneath. Also, nothing to prevent you from flipping it halfway through if needed.

 

[Kings over Queens]

I did a full packer on my WSM for Easter. Only the 3rd brisket I've done. It was good but I prefer pork shoulders.

Anyone using a BBQ Guru in their smoker? For those that don't know a Guru, its a motorized fan connected to a thermostat that regulates temp in the smoker. I'm thinking about going to the dark side and getting one. Really nice for overnight cooks.

 

[Kings over Queens]

One thing I really like to do it take a pork loin (not tenderloin) and butterfly it out, pound flat, stuff with garlic confit, feta and sauteed spinach, maybe some bacon, roll it up and cook in the WSM over apple, no water pan.

 

[Steeler75]

I did a full packer on my WSM for Easter. Only the 3rd brisket I've done. It was good but I prefer pork shoulders.

Anyone using a BBQ Guru in their smoker? For those that don't know a Guru, its a motorized fan connected to a thermostat that regulates temp in the smoker. I'm thinking about going to the dark side and getting one. Really nice for overnight cooks.

I thought about it, but having cooked on the WSM for many years, once I get the heat stabilized at 225 after cold meat is put on, it pretty much stays there overnight, if you are using the Minion method for charcoal.

Bought a pellet smoker for the set it and forget it cooking…

 

[Steeler75]

One thing I really like to do it take a pork loin (not tenderloin) and butterfly it out, pound flat, stuff with garlic confit, feta and sauteed spinach, maybe some bacon, roll it up and cook in the WSM over apple, no water pan.

View attachment 45845

Sounds great and looks delicious!

 

[aja8888]

One thing I really like to do it take a pork loin (not tenderloin) and butterfly it out, pound flat, stuff with garlic confit, feta and sauteed spinach, maybe some bacon, roll it up and cook in the WSM over apple, no water pan.

View attachment 45845

That looks great!

Oh, the brisket cook is on hold. Last night, when I planned on getting the pellet grill fired up around midnight and the cook started, it started storming and the ambient temperature dropped in to the 50's F.

So I decide to not get this started as I doubt I could have made much progress on Saturday with the ambient temps staying cool. And I am leaving for North Carolina Sunday AM.

So the brisket went back into frozen mode still in the original packing material.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I Cooked a pork shoulder roast (pork butt) earlier this week.

I like Traeger rubs. I used Perfect Pork rub and put the roast in the fridge overnight.

Early the next morning I filled a smoke tube with apple pellets and put it in the pellet stove. It smokes for about 4 hours with no heat. The outside temp was 28 degrees so I just let the meat cold smoke for 4 hours, then I warmed up the stove to 225 for an hour or so and then bumped it up to 425 to sear the outside. Flipped it at seared the other side.

Next I put it in a crock pot with about a half cup of water and put it on low for 8 hours, never lifted the lid. When I did it was 200 degrees internal, just right.

It was the best pork butt I ever made. This is how I'll do it from now on.

 

[Winemaker]

I grilled some Lake Erie walleye after a 20 minute bath in McCormick's Mojito Lime Marinade. Turned out spectacular! DW had some of my Chilean Sauv Blanc and I had some Lodi Albarino.

 

[pacergal]

I also put a bowl of water on the grate next to the brisket as recommended by Franklin.

We often use an open can of beer, pop, juice , or flavored water. Any liquid will add moistness but some will impart a tiny bit of taste. We just experiment!

 

[aja8888]

I grilled some Lake Erie walleye after a 20 minute bath in McCormick's Mojito Lime Marinade. Turned out spectacular!

Man, I miss those walleye fish fry's from when I lived in Michigan!

 

[CincyDave]

One thing I really like to do it take a pork loin (not tenderloin) and butterfly it out, pound flat, stuff with garlic confit, feta and sauteed spinach, maybe some bacon, roll it up and cook in the WSM over apple, no water pan.

View attachment 45845

Looks great! I need to do that again. I think I stuffed mine with dressing (stuffing) last time I made one.

 

[CincyDave]

We often use an open can of beer, pop, juice , or flavored water. Any liquid will add moistness but some will impart a tiny bit of taste. We just experiment!

I used to use beer, but couldn't really tell the difference, so now I just use water and drink the beer

 

[sengsational]

This week's shopping list has a Boston Butt on it. I cook them in an Orion Cooker (that I've modified to be heated with propane). Orion is a "cowboy cooker" design; sealed chamber for the meat and a few wood chips that smother and the heat comes through the wall of the chamber. Yeah, so not a traditional smoker, but I get good results. But the original design was expensive to operate (a whole bag of charcoal). The temperature control is manual, and affected by the wind, but gives me something to do, lol!

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I grilled some Lake Erie walleye after a 20 minute bath in McCormick's Mojito Lime Marinade. Turned out spectacular! DW had some of my Chilean Sauv Blanc and I had some Lodi Albarino.

Walleye season opens here in MN in two weeks. I typically do the old fashioned fish fry with hot oil in a cast iron skillet.

I want to try grilling them instead and will try a marinade like you do.

I was looking at your grilling pan, is that made for cooking fish on a grill ?

 

[Winemaker]

Walleye season opens here in MN in two weeks. I typically do the old fashioned fish fry with hot oil in a cast iron skillet.

I want to try grilling them instead and will try a marinade like you do.

I was looking at your grilling pan, is that made for cooking fish on a grill ?

I use it for anything that might fall through the grates. During the spring/summer, we also grill a lot of veggies from the garden. Asparagus, zucchini, halved Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, onion chunks etc.

There are zillions of marinade recipes online, as we have a big herb garden as well. McCormick makes quite a few and are delicious.

We trade wine for walleye and steelhead with my brother in law who fishes on Lake Erie. It's hilarious, that I can get Chilean Sea bass filets at grocer sometimes for less than Lake Erie walleye at the grocery store.

 

[audreyh1]

Anyone using a BBQ Guru in their smoker? For those that don't know a Guru, its a motorized fan connected to a thermostat that regulates temp in the smoker. I'm thinking about going to the dark side and getting one. Really nice for overnight cooks.

That’s exactly how my pellet grill (Traeger) regulates temperature and it does a great job.

 

[audreyh1]

We often use an open can of beer, pop, juice , or flavored water. Any liquid will add moistness but some will impart a tiny bit of taste. We just experiment!

Pork and brisket/beef ribs I occasionally spritz with Apple cider vinegar. I love that flavor on meat.

 

[Winemaker]

^^ +1 I use my apple wine vinegar, much stronger flavor.

 

[folivier]

I do it differently. I have a bottle of apple juice and another bottle of cherry juice in the fridge. Each one has garlic cloves in it. Day before smoking I'll inject either the pork butt (apple) or brisket (cherry). That gives the meat extra juices and flavor. Along with the rub they come out juicy and delicious. No need to spritz the meat doing it this way.

 

[sengsational]

I go high on the heat at the beginning until the wood chips get smotherng, then target 225.