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Ye Olde Smoker Thread

brat_burner

Autocross Champion
I think that you should take that show on the road starting in Phoenix. I need to eat before I look at this thread. It's damn near torture.

Hey it could happen, one of my long time friends lives there. Part of the problem is that the store right around the corner from me has about every type/grade of meat you could want.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Hey it could happen, one of my long time friends lives there. Part of the problem is that the store right around the corner from me has about every type/grade of meat you could want.

I'll send you a cooler and some dry ice.
 

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
NEVER?
Coming from Texas, that's like some saying they've never tried water. 😂
You've not had corned beef or Pastrami? Brisket.

Nope...never had Pastrami either. I *MIGHT* have tried corned beef, but not in my adult life. Having served it before (on St. Patty's Day) when I cooked in a restaurant isn't that more "wet", when served with cabbage anyways, compared to this smoked brisket?
The brisket kinda looks like rib meat to me, minus the bones. Looks less fatty too. But I'm not a huge rib eater
 

Corprin

Autocross Champion
Nope...never had Pastrami either. I *MIGHT* have tried corned beef, but not in my adult life. Having served it before (on St. Patty's Day) when I cooked in a restaurant isn't that more "wet", when served with cabbage anyways, compared to this smoked brisket?
The brisket kinda looks like rib meat to me, minus the bones. Looks less fatty too. But I'm not a huge rib eater

The brisket is a cut of meat. It’s quite cheap because it’s tough, like shoe leather. It lends itself to smoking because how high and long you cook it breaks down the internal connecting tissues making it just fall apart.

The other common way to soften is in a corned beef brisket. The meat is brined in salts to preserve it, giving it a bright red color. Boiled with veggies it’s enjoyed as a traditional Irish meal. Smoke it and it becomes pastrami, and it’s amazing!

20AE1887-E425-4556-9272-C15276044D4D.jpeg
 

snobrdrdan

former GTI owner
The brisket is a cut of meat. It’s quite cheap because it’s tough, like shoe leather. It lends itself to smoking because how high and long you cook it breaks down the internal connecting tissues making it just fall apart.

The other common way to soften is in a corned beef brisket. The meat is brined in salts to preserve it, giving it a bright red color. Boiled with veggies it’s enjoyed as a traditional Irish meal. Smoke it and it becomes pastrami, and it’s amazing!

View attachment 171846
Wow...



Shoe leather though, huh? Wouldn't have guessed that
 

brat_burner

Autocross Champion
Thanks to youtube and some Modelo's I got my first mod. The Cajun Bandit stainless door and latch for my WSM. I had taped shut the stock flimsy aluminum door. Wasn't really wanting a gasket kit, this unit is pretty nice. (y)

IMG_2965.jpg
 

MonkeyMD

Autocross Champion
I grill a lot, but Never smoked anything and have never made ribs.

So today seasoned some ribs and smoked them with some Mesquite for 9 hours.

Flavor was great, but gotta work on temperature to break down more of the collagen. Was just going off of grill gauge and keeping it between 200-225 which in hindsight and some research probably means more like 175-195.

Also just using a regular grill that I had sealed with high temp silicone and strips. I was pretty impressed with how easy it was to control temperature with vanes though.

Oh, and I didn't cut away membrane from bottom. Oops.

Any tips besides getting a real thermometer or using a different wood? Also anyone try the 3-2-1 method where you smoke, braise, then smoke again?

20200513_221422.jpg


20200513_204444.jpg
 

brat_burner

Autocross Champion
I'm usually running around 250-275 dome temp. But you want the actual temp where the meat is. They sell more accurate/compensated top gauges. Or you can put a temp probe at meat height, or some smokers have a grommet where you can stick a probe in. My beef ribs were done in about 6 hours. At that point the membrane pierced quite easily with the temp probe. I think the membrane removal is more important on a pork/ spare rib. I use hickory at the moment but want to get some apple wood chunks. The charcoal makes a massive difference in my setup too.

I'm running a thermo pro cheap basic thermometer. Would like to get a nice one, and possibly a flame boss but I haven't done any extra long smokes yet. You learn a lot just by doing it over and over, little tricks here and there.
 

CowTownRacer

Drag Racing Champion
Thanks to youtube and some Modelo's I got my first mod. The Cajun Bandit stainless door and latch for my WSM. I had taped shut the stock flimsy aluminum door. Wasn't really wanting a gasket kit, this unit is pretty nice. (y)

View attachment 172493
Oooooo. I've fully decked out my WSM. I have this, along with the gasket kit. You should also by the lid latch, that's a prime mod! I also suggest getting a second coal rack so you can run them in a cross pattern to stop yourself from losing coals. I also HIGHLY suggest buying a lid for the water pan. If you don't have one already, a temp controller is a must. I run the Flame Boss 300 and LOVE it!

Today, I'm smoking some ribs for torga and his gf (his first week in Seattle). It's raining like crazy here though so I moved the WSM up to my patio door and I'm smoking out the door. This experience has convinced me to buy some casters for the smoker so I can move it around more easily. I'll try to remember to take pics for you boys!
 

brat_burner

Autocross Champion
Oooooo. I've fully decked out my WSM. I have this, along with the gasket kit. You should also by the lid latch, that's a prime mod! I also suggest getting a second coal rack so you can run them in a cross pattern to stop yourself from losing coals. I also HIGHLY suggest buying a lid for the water pan. If you don't have one already, a temp controller is a must. I run the Flame Boss 300 and LOVE it!

Today, I'm smoking some ribs for torga and his gf (his first week in Seattle). It's raining like crazy here though so I moved the WSM up to my patio door and I'm smoking out the door. This experience has convinced me to buy some casters for the smoker so I can move it around more easily. I'll try to remember to take pics for you boys!

I just did a 11lb brisket a few days ago, forgot to post here. I made a second grate for the bottom as I was using some post oak competition coals. Built the fire like Harry Soo and it ran for about 14 hours. I put the brisket on over night and had it for lunch. Turned out pretty good for a cheap packer style. I just ordered a good boning knife for trimming.. had been looking into the flame boss also. Will do a prime grade next time. Smoke em if you got em 👌👌
 

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CowTownRacer

Drag Racing Champion
I just did a 11lb brisket a few days ago, forgot to post here. I made a second grate for the bottom as I was using some post oak competition coals. Built the fire like Harry Soo and it ran for about 14 hours. I put the brisket on over night and had it for lunch. Turned out pretty good for a cheap packer style. I just ordered a good boning knife for trimming.. had been looking into the flame boss also. Will do a prime grade next time. Smoke em if you got em 👌👌
YUM!!!! I purchased this brisket knife, it literally has the most reviews for a 5-star product I've ever seen!

Also, the Flame Boss is unreal. Been running it for 2 years and it hasn't let me down. They're new models are much nicer too.
 

brat_burner

Autocross Champion
YUM!!!! I purchased this brisket knife, it literally has the most reviews for a 5-star product I've ever seen!

Also, the Flame Boss is unreal. Been running it for 2 years and it hasn't let me down. They're new models are much nicer too.

Added a fire pic. This round was more stable than normal, didn't have to mess with it too much. That knife looks pretty slick. I got a cheap Dexter-russel knife just for hacking off the fat.
 

CowTownRacer

Drag Racing Champion
Got a nice little modified minion method going there!
 
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