anyone here into smokin?
 

Meat that is :mrgreen:

I got a smoker for christmas and it is turning out to be a new obsession. I have't even fired it up yet and I am already modding it :redface:

I made 8 cups of jack danials BBQ sauce and canned it so I would be ready. Iam going to do a test burn this week to see if I can regulate the temp to 225 degrees for about 5 hours then this weekend I am going to do about 6 racks of pork ribs.

Steve

i'm SO there. Salivating already.

I've got a heavily modified Bradley original. Digi temp, added more hangers for turkeys, hams etc. Small fans have been added to help minimize the hotspot at the back of the cabinet. This cabinet is going to go out the door in favour of our old dishwasher, as soon as I get around to it.

Check out www.thesmokering.com, lots of recipes and advice on there. Keep us posted with your favourite recipes!

I have a big chief smoker do up some bacon takes a little while to cure ( 7 days to do properly brown suger maple cure,) but it is worth it nothing like home smoked foods. trout and salmon are great too. I think I will be fireing up the smoker this week also thanks for reminding me. I have a large rainbow trout to do up I use maple and cherry wood mostly.

Bill

Seems to be a pretty addictive pastime. Buddy of mine takes his camping. Which you'd think would be the source of much mockery but the tables turn when he pulls out a smoked turkey for dinner or something. The whole campground shows up for dinner. :lol:

I want to get me one some day. My next door neighbours are Korean and the smells that emanate from cooking dinner are exquisite - so I could maybe set this up and have some kind of neighbourhood flavour wars.

Any pictures Steve?

I'll do a pulled pork roast some weekends. A dry rub with a couple tinfoil bags of apple and mesquite wood chips.
It's pretty nice catching the odd whiff during the 6 hour cooking time.
Smoked meat is great.

Mitch

I'll take some pics and get them up for ya

you can actualy get into it pretty cheep. I think I have spend 100.00 to do the mods and I wanted some different woods so I spent another 80 bucks on that. The smoker I got is at costco out here for about 40 bucks here is a link to is https://www.brinkmann.net/Shop/Detai...harcoal&id=225

although it is a cheep one with a few mods it is knowen to be a very good smoker. biggest things are that the temp guage that comes with it is a "low/ideal/high guage so you need to install an actual gauge as you want your temps at 225 to 250 for smokin. the next two mods have to deal with air intake, there is a hole in the bottom to allow combustion air in but you need to be able to regulate this so you can controle your temp better so I installed some pipe and a valve. and the third one is that as the coals burn they drop ash which plugs up the air holes in the charcoal pan. so you use a grate to raise this up a bit so the ash has somewhere to go. the final one you can do (I am going to decide if I need to after a few smokes) is to install a chiminey and put a seal around the lid. this one was designed with a loose fitting lid which lets your smoke out but some people have beeter results modding this also.


Steve

I am running a brinkman gormet charcoal smoker.

the best webpage I have found yet is http://www.smokingmeatforums.com

Steve

how big is the pulled pork your doing? everyone that does it from what I have read is looking at 12 to 15 hour smoke times..

I actualy ordered online and got a box of wild cherry, sugar maple, and a box of hickory, but I am pruning some trees in the back yard soI will also try some pear, couple types of apple, some plum and some bing cherry.

Steve

I have had my little cheif for like 20 years (the same one) and when I make jerky, by the time the last one comes out, the rest are gone. Also I do ribs, the cheap hams from stupid store, salmon, etc. I love it and use it quite often. I regulate the temp with the box it came in so I can still use it in the middle of winter.

You can also pick up bags of the wood chips from Canadian Tire, WalMart or any outdoor outfitter.

ya I didn't want chips.. I got chunks which are about 2"x2"x4" some bigger. I have chips from when I used to do the tinfoil smoke packs on the Grill.

Steve

I got a chargriller smoker pro with a sidebox, I use it atleast once a week even in the winter. I started using charcoal and smoking a couple years ago, never go back to gas ;) was pretty excited when I got the ok to chop down our two apple trees, got enough applewood to last me atleast a year now.

I am already planning a home made reverse flow smoker. just trying to decide if I should build it on a trailer or just a patio model. trailer would be handy for moving it around the yard, but would over double the cost of building it.

this way I will have my big one for home and my little one for camping. :wink:

Steve

hey Bill, what is up with the stores here not having any BBQ stuff in the winter??? what kinda backwards place did I move to :mrgreen:

ya I am going to do some bacon in this once I see what temps I can go down to. only takes about 4 to 5 hours of smoking, but anywhere from 7 to 13 days soaking in the fridge first. I also bought a grinder / stuffer as I want to make my own Keilbassa and other sausages also.

Steve

All this talk about yummy smoked meat is making me hungry! :hungry:

Nice, I go with the reverse flows for the ability to grill and smoke, size is definately a pita. If you build it on a trailer are you thinkin of towing it? Could always build the smoker now, keeping in mind the design for a trailer someday. I toss mine in the truck (with the help of 3 others usually) for the yearly two week camping trip out to crowsnest pass on. Get some funny looks pullin up with a smoker takin up half the box. Trailer would be a lot easier for sure. Any design you using? Or right from scratch? I was thinking of diggin a pit and building one in the yard this year out of brick, wanna do it right of course though, can't find much info on doin this.

If anyone in or around Calgary wants to go in on a hardwood order, itd be a great way to stock up. Pretty hard to get hardwood here in small orders.

Hi Steve, If you smoke your bacon in the winter you can get extra smoke on it you can cook for about 2-3 hrs longer. TC up the hill has some BBQ stuff the one on the north shore has a limited amount also. there are some store that carry abit in the winter but the should be changing realy soon with the weather we have been having. Got go will talk latter.

Bill

check these guys out

http://www.smokinlicious.ca/index.php?CW

Steve

Nice site but there kits are not available I think it is the wrong time of the year. If you have fruit trees in your yard just cut of some limbs, you do have to prune anyways just this way you get a benifit of useing the wood in your smoker. I have some maple wood from a tree I had to get cut down HYdro did it they left burnable sized chuncks. It has been cured for a year and now I have to cut it up into managable sized pieces. I also have apple wood maybe some cherry.

Have fun,
Bill

ahh, wasn't refering to the kits, I ordered the wood chunks, just go to products ect..

I have a person comming on friday to give me a quote on pruning my fruit trees as I have no idea what to do and a couple are going to need some work. so I will see what they do then I will know for next year.. but anything over 4" dia I am going to keep. but this stuff won't be ready till fall so I needed to get some for now. but for people in concrete jungles this site is pretty good for getting some different hardwoods to play with.

Steve

I'm talkin more like a cord or 1/2 cord.

ahh.. ya shipping for that would be a killer. I got 1/2 cuft of chunks for 24 bucks including shipping. probably enough to do 10 smokes/box there so I figured it wasn't to bad, and I got 3 boxes of different wood so I can play and see what I like.

you guys could just go out in the bush and get some paper birch. its pretty good for smokin.

heres a thing I found on different woods.


ALDER - Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.

ALMOND - A sweet smoke flavor, light ash. Good with all meats.

APPLE - Very mild with a subtle fruity flavor, slightly sweet. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork.

ASH - Fast burner, light but distinctive flavor. Good with fish and red meats.

BIRCH - Medium-hard wood with a flavor similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.

CHERRY - Mild and fruity. Good with poultry, pork and beef. Some List members say the cherry wood is the best wood for smoking. Wood from chokecherry trees may produce a bitter flavor.

COTTONWOOD - It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. Don't use green cottonwood for smoking.

CRABAPPLE - Similar to apple wood.

GRAPEVINES - Tart. Provides a lot of smoke. Rich and fruity. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.

HICKORY - Most commonly used wood for smoking--the King of smoking woods. Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.

LILAC - Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.

MAPLE - Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.

MESQUITE - Strong earthy flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest burning woods.

MULBERRY - The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple.

OAK - Heavy smoke flavor--the Queen of smoking wood. RED OAK is good on ribs,

WHITE OAK makes the best coals for longer burning. All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.

ORANGE, LEMON and GRAPEFRUIT - Produces a nice mild smoky flavor. Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.

PEAR - A nice subtle smoke flavor. Much like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork.

PECAN - Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory. Tasty with a subtle character. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood.

SWEET FRUIT WOODS - APRICOT, PLUM, PEACH, NECTARINE - Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.

WALNUT - ENGLISH and BLACK - Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.

Other internet sources report that wood from the following trees is suitable for smoking: AVOCADO, BAY, CARROTWOOD, KIAWE, MADRONE, MANZANITA, GUAVA, OLIVE, BEECH, BUTTERNUT, FIG, GUM, CHESTNUT, HACKBERRY, PIMIENTO, PERSIMMON, and WILLOW. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.

Types of wood that is unsuitable or even poisonous when used for grilling. Don't use any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, etc.

There are many trees and shrubs in this world that contain chemicals toxic to humans--toxins that can even survive the burning process. Remember, you are going to eat the meat that you grill and the smoke particles and chemicals from the wood and what may be on or in the wood are going to get on and in the meat. Use only wood for grilling that you are sure of.
If you have some wood and do not know what it is, DO NOT USE IT FOR GRILLING FOOD. Burn it in your fireplace but not your smoker.

Also ELM and EUCALYPTUS wood is unsuitable for smoking, as is the wood from SASSAFRAS, SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER trees.




Steve

so when do i come over?

I have to figure out how to run it first, could take about 40 racks of ribs, 5 pork buts, couple briskets, and a few rounds of sausage and bacon for me to figure that out:wink:

Steve

well all that food needs to go some ware, call me your garbarator!

When I worked on fish farms, I used to do a lot of smoking.
Always hot smoke, never tried doing cold smoking.

I would brine my fish for 36 hours, as opposed to 8h like most.

I smoked various species of salmon, black cod, buffalo jerky, & beef jerky.

If you haven't tried smoked black cod, you gotta. I also found buffalo jerky waaaay tastier than beef jerky.

Anthony

Dude I cant believe you started a smokin thread!!!I built this one 2 years ago and use all the time.Barbeque'n just aint the same anymore

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/p...er/smoker1.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/p...er/smoker2.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/p...er/smoker3.jpg

http://i394.photobucket.com/albums/p...er/smoker4.jpg

next Im going to build a covered area with prep station and beer fridge(rib shack)kinda rickety Texas style with dinner bell,the triangle type

I have been smokin meats for about 10 years now, only have a bradley at this point but once the house is built on the new acerage a good size smoker is a priority....after the much larger tank that is..

When I used to smoke a lot I would drive around town on the weekends in the early spring and watch for people pruning their trees. You'd be surprised how much wood you can get on one nice weekend. Filled my truck up two or three times a day with all kinds of fruit woods and various hard woods.

thats a pretty nice build, I am trying to design mine now, going to have simular to what you have except maybe a tiny bit longer (not much) in a reverse flow but the exhaust is going to enter a verticle chamber above the fire box and I am trying to figure out a way to either take the heat from the fire box through the horazontle and then into the verticle so I can cold smoke, or a bypass system to go strait to the verticle so I can hot smoke in it to.

Steve

LOL I kind of figured you were talking about the wood chunks and stuff but I had to put it out there because of the previous comment. My parents use to use an old all steel refrigerator with a small hole in the top corner and a hibachi in the bottom. They could do up about 90 pounds of fish at a time. Manitoba gold eye is my favorite fish, salmon and trout are a close second and third. As for meet bacon deer jerky is great if you have the right recipe for deer sausage they are also yummy. you can do alsorts of very yummy stuff in a smoker. Hams are nothing like you get in the stores I have seen people even do eggs, not my choice.

Bill

How about this: open the attachment on the pipe going to the second smoker box you need a damper this will controle the temp. The further you are away from the burn box the cooler the smoke will be. A damper will keep more heat in the first smoker box. Its kind of like putting a bend in a heating duct for every bend you add 5 feet of pipe a damper gives you 2 bends in away.

Bill

I'm into smoking, just not meat... my smokables are more green in color :lol:.

this is a quick sketch of what I am thinking, there will be a damper at "A" and "B " and possibly another stack at "B" if I decide it would be better to have one there.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/s.l.s/smoker.jpg



Steve

If you have a hot pipe to c then it will not be a cold smoker it will again be a hot smoker. What I was thinking is you can have a hot smoker and a cold smoker in one. To achieve a cold smoker you can not have direct heat . So if you removed the pipe from a to c then you would have a cold smoker, the further away from the originating heat the better..
Bill

I buy a small pork shoulder from a farmers market. The lowest I can get my barbecue down to is 250. If I could get it down to 200 I would cook it longer.
I'm a little wary of barbecuing too much (as in getting a full-on smoker) because I'm told that it can really attract bears around my area.

Mitch

When's the BBQ? Me and my new bike will be sure to show up.

http://files.meetup.com/444077/BBQ%20bike.jpg

the hot pipe going up will have a damper in it to shut it off, in the picture it looks like it is short and goes strait up but I will come off the back of the burn box and loop up so I could have two dampers if I wanted and a little longer of a pipe. I am also looking at insulating the bottom of the verticle chamber. for cold smokin I would configure it so it goes through the side into the main body, goes to the end, then back over the top into the other section. I still need to be able to get up to 225 in the verticle section for when I do sausages, but I also need to be able to get down to 90 degrees also for doing cheese and other cold smoked stuff.

Steve