Let's Talk Barbeque
Streater
Posts: 293 ✭
I just got finished smoking a brisket and it turned out FANTASTIC! I cooked it "low and slow" for about 14 hours. I've been smoking meat for about 3 years and still consider myself a rookie. I've tried many different recipes and different types of wood and charcoal. I'm lovin it.
I know that, in Texas, we have our way to cook brisket. How do yall do it in different parts of the country? What type of wood? How long do you smoke it at what temp? Let's hear it, BBQ Chefs! I'll post my recipe later in the thread if it takes.
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I love dead pig.
Now then, to answer the OP... I love smoking some meat, and usually go with brisket, ribs and pork shoulders to make pulled pork out of. To me, the secret is finding a good rub and giving it time to get into the meat before you even fire the smoker up - even more so than the wood you choose to smoke with. I tend to go with hickory because its my favorite, but every once in a while if Im in the mood for something sweet I will go with apple and a cinnamon heavy rub.
You are definitely right on the low n slow is the way to go when making good barbercue. Gotta be indirect heat also. Some other essentials are some good cigars, drinks of your choice, and something to keep you occupied during the process! All told, if Im gonna smoke something its usually a weekend thing because by the time you figure in time in the fridge with the rub, the low and slow time involved (pork shoulders and briskets mainly, ribs get there a bit quicker), its can be anywhere from a 16-18 hour process and upwards of that depending on how much you're cooking.
SOOOOOO worth it when the process is complete though. ;-)
Holding out on me, David? Why haven't I been invited to Leon's?
Sniper, you're from "Misery", what do you know from BBQ?
J/K, man. Honestly, some of the best I've had was heading over the state line when I was stationed in Memphis while I was attending A-school in the Navy.
But as far as BBQ goes - the only 3 things I've ever smoked are babyback ribs, pork loin/chops, and chicken.....we got a local joint that has great brisket but I'd love to try doing my own brisket sometime (maybe for Labor Day!??! now there's an idea!)
But low and slow with indirect heat is definitely the way to go. Get the grates hot first, throw the meat on for a couple minutes to get a nice, quick sear then indirect heat only after that.
I have a simple "base" BBQ rub that goes great on damn near everything....
Base recipe:
1/3 white sugar 1/3 brown sugar 1/6 smoked paprika 1/12 salt 1/12 ground black peppercorn
Then depending on what type of meat we're cooking I'll add other spices accordingly.
As far as wood goes - I usually use a combo of hickory/cherry, sometimes apple.
Depending on what I'm cooking and how long it's going to take - I'll often throw a small pan with a bit of water next to the coals for some steam to help keep the meat from drying out.
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
I keep saying I want to try smoking something else, but the pulled pork is just so consistently good, and we really like it, so I've stuck with it so far. It's awesome as is, but the homemade bbq sauce really finishes it off.
In the best places, such as Memphis and Texas, that will get you a bunch of solid recommendations from proud locals who are eager to prove to you why their barbercue is the best in the world.
In some places, like Scotland and most Middle Eastern nations, it usually just gets you a funny look. LOL
Hey, wait a second... what is that? That noise! No seriously, listen! Is that... it sounds like... whispers of the First Annual BORK BBQ cookoff on the breeeze??? :-D
Now then, since you're doing multiple pieces of meat at a time, try this when you get back... instead of throwing one of the pork shoulders on the grill, use that space for a rack of ribs (I like using St Louis style pork ribs because I like em meaty, but to each their own) on that spot in the grill grate instead. Same temp as a pork shoulder, but the ribs will finish hours before the pork shoulders are done. When the meat starts to pull back from the ends of the bone, you will know its time to pull em.
Simplicity itself since you're already there, and this way everybody gets some rib bones to munch on while they're waiting on the pulled pork to get done. Give it a shot when you get home, and let us know how it works out for ya! :-)
That being said, my next try-it-out is gonna be a turkey I think. LOOOOOOVE me some smoked turkey, but have never done one myself. Ive never brined anything actually, and am excited to try it out.
Still, you can best believe I will have something in the fridge ready to go for dinner in case the turkey goes the way the chicken does and comes out doing a basketball with drumsticks impression. LOL
Also, where do you get your meat from?
Because the only 2 things I can think of off the top of my head are
1) it's not cooked enough
or 2) maybe it's the meat itself. I say this because my fiance's parents raise chickens and there's a noticeable taste & texture difference between grilling their birds and store-bought chicken meat. If we're cooking the store-bought meat any other way, I never notice the difference....but on the grill - the difference between the two is like night and day.
I've never tried turkey, but my fiance really wants to --- so I'll be curious to know how it turns out.
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
And that definitely sounds like a plan. I love St Louis style ribs, so I'll try that as soon as I get a chance.
Memphis BBQ - I think I just threw up a little
East Coast - Puhhhhhhlease
Everyone knows that the only true BBQ comes from Kansas City. Everything else is just some meat with sauce on it.
Had to. My father-in-law got one of those egg type grills and we spent a weekend smoking everything. I fell in love. I want one so bad but I am not about to drop $900 for a smoker. Great thing about KC is you can almost always smell the delicious aroma of smoking meat wherever you go. Many different options all around the metro. I have tried Carolina, Memphis, Texas, and all other BBQ and just don't love it like I do my KC BBQ.
My neighbor smokes and usually puts on enough meat for an army. 6 chickens, 3 briskets, 8 turkey legs and sometimes more is the norm. I must get a smoker but not sure if I want to go charcoal, wood, propane.
What about sauces? What do you all like to use that you buy in a bottle or do you make your own?
As far as brisket goes, I start by slathering a good coating of yellow mustard on the meat. Then, I apply my rub which consists of Garlic Salt, Garlic Salt, Garlic Salt, Table Pepper, Paprika, a VERY TINY BIT of Dark Brown Sugar, and a little Garlic Salt. I will add a minute amount of Cayenne Pepper if I'm out at the hunting camp. Then it rests either in the fridge overnight, or if I'm an hour from putting it on the smoker, 1 hour on the counter to come to room temp.
I put it on the smoker at 225 degrees, and after 2 hours, or 105 degrees, I start basting it. We call it, "mopping" as we use a mop to apply the baste. The baste consists of Apple Cider Vinegar, Lime Juice, Worcestershire Sauce, Minced Garlic, and Garlic Salt. If I'm cookin for women, I will replace the lime juice with orange juice. Don't ask me why they like it better. I have no clue, but I have done 4 experiments using each, and the women like the orange juice mop better than the lime. Men like the lime better. I can't tell the difference, but I have documented results in a controlled environment. I mop every hour until you wrap in foil. This is anywhere from 3-5 hours depending on the outside temp. At this point, you can CHEAT, and put it in a roasting pan, drop it in the oven at 200 degrees and go to bed. I admit that I do this sometimes.
I will continue to mop every 2 hours after the foil is applied, but if you keep the temp 200-225, the internal juices will keep it moist and won't burn it to the foil. When the internal temp gets to 190, I take it off still wrapped in the foil, wrap it in a beach towel and put it in an ice chest for 2-3 hours. This step is important as it allows the meat to still cook from the internal juices and also gives the meat time to rest so you don't end up with a bunch of chopped beef. You can't slice it right off the smoker. It tends to have the consistency of pot roast if it doesn't have time to rest. It needs to rest for AT LEAST an hour.
I only use oak and pecan for my brisket. I use apple and a small amount of mesquite for pork, and hickory and cherry for chicken. With all the wood, I use charcoal. I like Kingsford, but sometimes I use lump charcoal. It just sparks and pops a lot.
1) whole chicken
2) pieces
Also - thank you for the step-by-step brisket recipe. YUM!!!! Sounds delicious, I'll be referring to your post when I give it a whirl.
* I have a new address as of 3/24/18 *
After I brine it and rinse, I like to inject butter under the skin and sometimes stick some sliced jalapenos under the skin for a little zip. I season it with garlic salt and lemon pepper. I smoke it whole at 300-350 till the internal temp is 165. Chicken likes higher heat from what I've heard. That might be where you went wrong. ***I edited my earlier post. I gave a wrong suggestion regarding the temp of the smoker for chicken. My apologies. Must have been thinking about ribs. Not really sure why I did that.