Wanted: Foolproof method for hardwood smoking

[azn4cy]

Don't forget the cumin! White pepper and a little cayene never hurts either. The white pepper creates more of a back of your mouth hot. I've also found that turbinado sugar (aka sugar in the raw) takes the heat better than brown sugar. Refined sugar gets bitter when it's scorched. Turbinado sugar does too, but much less so.

Dude. you are some sort of smoked meat scientist.. ever thought about opening a store?

[Blandboy]

Dude. you are some sort of smoked meat scientist.. ever thought about opening a store?

Obvsiously a Chem E major, with a minor in restaraunt and hotel mgt.

[Blandboy]

"I saw that Elton dude on The Food Network make one out of a hot plate and a couple of clay pots (Big Green Egg knockoff) and another out of a hot plate and a cardboard box."

Alton Brown of "Good Eats" fame. He smoked a salmon using a cardboard box, hotplate and sawdust. Who says the homeless can't enjoy great cuisine?!?!?

[ISUCLONES15]

Sams Club is great for Pork Shoulders. They are usually sold right around 18lbs and come in 2 pieces. I agree with using the fruit woods for pork but if you need to through in a little hickory to stretch your fruit wood, then that is no problem either. I have found that if you pull your meat off the smoker after 8 hours and finish it off wrapped in foil in the oven that there is NO difference in taste or flavor. The meat has absorbed all the smoke that it will need after 8 hours. Last bit of advise is once you are finished cooking to wrap the meat in a a towel and let it sit in a cooler for at least an hour, more if you can handle it. This allows the temp to continue to rise while letting the juices distribute throughout the meat. Best of luck!!

[mkadl]

ok, second question. who's got rub recipes?

I go with an equal parts mix of kosher salt, brown sugar, paprika, and black pepper, with a little thyme sprinkled in.

4 tbl sweet paprika
2 tbl chili powder
2 tble ground cumin
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tbl kosher salt
1 tble oregano
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tblespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 tblespoons (or to taste) cayenne pepper

this is my base. I always modify the recipe and keep track of the extras I put into it. I use it on brisket and my butts.

[cycoticfan]

Thanks for the great advice everyone.

Looks like I will buy the meat at Sams or Costco. Nebrclone I am assuming I want the meat that bends the least and has the least amount of water? This Bradley Smoker that my neighbor has is great for an amateur. You place this stack of hardwood discs in a tube and it burns through one every twenty minutes. I am going to smoke with apple the first half and hickory the second half. I will try a couple of different rubs that you guys suggested. It looks like I won't have to go to any specified web sites for any more advice as the Fanatics have answered all questions. Bradley does have a cool site if I have any technical problems though. Again Thanks. Graduations are a pain and I have another next year. This one is going to ISU for Computer Engineering. CYKID

I also do an overnight marinade on pork loins that will work great with the apple wood you use for smoke. Use 2 C apple butter and 2 C apple cider, 4-6 cloves garlic and either inject or pierce the meat and marinade overnight. It has got great flavor and with pork loins it makes em butter tender

[uro cy]

Anyone use the big green egg? Thinking of getting one

I've had an egg for 5 years. To me, worth the cost, and haven't regretted the investment for a second.

[GBC]

By a cookshack and you will pretty much never screw it up. Makes unbelievable pork shoulder and ribs. No effort or skill what so ever.

[uro cy]

My few cents....

Most of the advice in here is good...
Listen to usedcarguy, he knows what he is talking about, when it comes to smoking.
Shoulder should be cooked to 195-205, and the bone should come out with minimal resistance.

As far as recipes go...I currently make a modified version of "The Renowned Mr. Brown" from the book Smoke and Spice (a great cookbook for smokers), you should be able to find it easily online with Google.

I also like to rub the pork shoulder with yellow mustard, before putting the rub on. It adds a little flavor and helps the more rub stick.

[usedcarguy]

Dude. you are some sort of smoked meat scientist.. ever thought about opening a store?

I don't think I could make a living at it. In addition, I have a feeling that it would lead to the ruination of a great hobby.

[usedcarguy]

Obvsiously a Chem E major, with a minor in restaraunt and hotel mgt.

Ha ha. The only way I passed HS Chemistry was to break into the school and steal the semester test. (that was 20+ years ago so the statute of limitations should have passed) I worked in a hotel for a few months, and I'm in restaurants ALL the time.

Done a lot of reading and trial and error.

[usedcarguy]

4 tbl sweet paprika
2 tbl chili powder
2 tble ground cumin
4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tbl kosher salt
1 tble oregano
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tblespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
2 tblespoons (or to taste) cayenne pepper

this is my base. I always modify the recipe and keep track of the extras I put into it. I use it on brisket and my butts.

That's a pretty solid base. Just needs a little spanish paprika!

[usedcarguy]

My few cents....

Most of the advice in here is good...
Listen to usedcarguy, he knows what he is talking about, when it comes to smoking.
Shoulder should be cooked to 195-205, and the bone should come out with minimal resistance.

As far as recipes go...I currently make a modified version of "The Renowned Mr. Brown" from the book Smoke and Spice (a great cookbook for smokers), you should be able to find it easily online with Google.

I also like to rub the pork shoulder with yellow mustard, before putting the rub on. It adds a little flavor and helps the more rub stick.

I used to do the mustard thing but for some reason got away from it. Thanks for the reminder as I'm going to do that next time.

[CYKID]

And so it begins. Thanks for all of the advice. I will know sometime late tonight how I did.


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[uro cy]

I used to do the mustard thing but for some reason got away from it. Thanks for the reminder as I'm going to do that next time.

More recently I have been experimenting with adding zesty italian salad dressing (the kind with lots of garlic). You run it through a fine mesh strainer, inject the liquid portion into the shoulder, and put the solids on the top before adding the rub.