Smoking Meat Questions and Discussion
- Thread starter Statefan515ISU
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My father-in-law was a butcher in a locker, owned a grocery store later and he ran the meat counter and had a very successful restaurant for years. He stated that frozen meat would lose flavor by drying out gradually if not thawing it out and using it after a couple of years.
I made some 4.5 year old T- bones last summer I found buried in my freezer. Some of the best beef I’ve had. As you said, packaging is key, and also avoiding the constant freeze/ thaw cycles of frost-free storage.
I looked at the site you provided. It appears to be somewhat the same process of never freezing the meat and letting it age for a lengthy period in a refrigerator. I doubt that it would be any different but let me provide two personal professional sources that verify what I prescribe of buying it in the cryovac package that comes direct from the Packing Plant. One was a local meat market only in a town of 300 that was 2nd generation. I would order 20 or so ribeyes from him and he would tell me that he would have them ready in a month. They would be a full loin that he would order and come direct in a box. He'd put them in a cooler for a month and then take them out of the vacuum sealed pouch, cut, wrap and call me for pick up. The other reference is a friend who was a career meat manager at a Fareway in a city of 10,000 who did the same thing. They both said age it for a month and never let it be exposed to oxygen. Just a tip, when I order a full loin, I ask them to pick the one that has the most fat laced in the meat. Fat=Flavor. That's why you need to know what you are getting into when considering grass fed. Another tip. If you can source beef that is fed corn and no DDG's or Wet Distillers (ethanol by-products) there is another level of flavor. Nothing wrong with by-products but the straight stuff (corn) is the same as the difference between Uncle Nearest and Old Crow in your Old Fashioned.
Umai bags work great for dry aging without a dry age unit. From what I've seen you want to go at least 45 days with the bags. What swiacy is talking about is wet aging. You get the tenderness of dry aging but you don't get the moisture loss/ funk/ beefier flavor of a dry age. Both have their purpose.
I’ll give the dry age test against the wet age process that’s being discussed a shot. Always interested in the best steak I can throw on the grill. As a cattle feeder, I think it’s great that people have an interest in how their beef gets on their plate. Here’s another tip: Texas has a lot of cattle, the fire is in the panhandle where 85% of the cattle in Texas are located. Cattle are dead, pastures are gone along with fences and hay. Beef is high and it’s not going to get cheaper.
I love that you're posting in this thread. Great info. Thanks.
Thanks for posting, Killer Hogs "The BBQ RUB" has been my go to for several years. Malcolm is great.
Pork back ribs. Dry rub on, smoker coming up to temp.
Did some ribs again last weekend and took a pic this time. Everyone in our house is no sauce which sucks because I’m definitely a sauce guy (Kinders BBQ sauce is my go to). I used Meat Church Holy Gospel but they definitely need a little more kick next time. The batch before with some Holy Voodoo mixed in was much better.
Nice. Hope they turn out. Did mine last week, had great flavor and smoke, but I let them go a little bit long, so they were literally falling off the bone which the fam likes but I prefer when they hold together a little bit and the meat just easily pulls off.
Did some pork shoulder shoulder that turned out good. I'm also really liking the Fireboard (made in kc), it does a good job of predicting when your meat will be ready. Unlike other times, I pulled this at 170 and finished it in the oven, worked slick. Pulled it at 203 and let it rest for an hour.
Also, I normally get bone in but costco had a sale on boneless.
Also, I normally get bone in but costco had a sale on boneless.
That looks pretty sweet. I might have to check them out. I love the idea of having an est cook finish time.
I just got a new PK360 grill to play around with this summer at our new house. I still haven't decided which true smoker I want, so this will be fun to use for now.
I have an original Rec Tec at the cabin that I've loved for years, but I've had my eye on a Yoder for years.
I just got a new PK360 grill to play around with this summer at our new house. I still haven't decided which true smoker I want, so this will be fun to use for now.
I have an original Rec Tec at the cabin that I've loved for years, but I've had my eye on a Yoder for years.
Thanks to everyone for the BBQ pics and the rub recommendations!
My go-to rub has a slight kick to it, and it is a real challenge for me to rub stuff up (especially ribs) how I like them without getting the "too spicy" comments at the table. Been thinking about wading into the Meat Church line for a 2nd option, so based on your comment maybe I'll try the Holy Gospel on one of my next racks to see if that will pass the no-spice crowd.
I primarily only use Meat Church rubs anymore because they have one for everything and they're all good. Another good option for pork is a base of the Honey Hog and then a layer of the Spicy Honey Hog to you're desires spice level. I've used that quite a few times. I use the Deez Nuts pecan rub a lot as well. We don't eat a ton of beef but the Holy Cow is decent too.
I've got almost the entire Meat Church lineup, and I've never been disappointed with any of his rubs (his gourmet lineup is outstanding, too; his seasoned salt makes the best carmelized onions and mushrooms for steak or whatever, and his lemon pepper is great for wings). I've also got a ton of Heath Riles' rubs and like them a lot (he's got some fruitier rubs like peach, apple and cherry that are fun to use, especially on pork), and a few Killer Hogs rubs (I've found I prefer his hot BBQ rub and AP seasoning to the MC and HR equivalents, and his steak seasoning is really good).
