Smoking Meat Questions and Discussion

[NickTheGreat]

I smoked a brisket yesterday, sorry no pictures. But I always separate the point and the flat. The flat was at nearly 205 before it felt probe tender. Which was the highest I've had a brisket of mine go.

I held it for probably 1.5 hours wrapped in foil and covered in towels. It was still almost too hot to handle at that point!

 

[Gonzo]

I will start fat side down until the "stall" then flip. I did paper on a rump roast and the paper was soggy but did not fall apart. Foil tends to cook a little faster and sort of steams it. Aaron Franklin is my sensei and he doesn't use foil or papper during his cooks. Having a water bath in your smoker will hopefully prevent it from drying out if you aren't foiling or using paper.

My biggest issue is the bottom always tends to be overcooked and then it is tough to slice. It slices great until you get to the bottom half inch or so and then it rips apart.

Why do you do fat side down to start? I've always thought fat side up so it renders down into the meat as it cooks.

 

[tm3308]

Why do you do fat side down to start? I've always thought fat side up so it renders down into the meat as it cooks.

Some people will do it depending on what kind of smoker they're using and put the fat between the meat and the heat. I've never done it, but I actually plan to on my next one just to compare the results. I use a Weber Smokey Mountain, so the heat doesn't circulate as much as pellet/offset smokers. I've only done one other brisket (fat side up), and I didn't get the deckle fat between the point and flat rendered nearly as much as it needs to be even when the meat was temping at 200+, so I'm curious if it'll render better if the fat side is down.

 

[cycloner29]

Why do you do fat side down to start? I've always thought fat side up so it renders down into the meat as it cooks.

I do it so the bottom doesn't get overdone and like I said it the bottom half inch won't slice and the meat just comes off in chunks. It also will help render the fat down more, there is more than enough to help render through the meat yet when I flip it over. I've done it this way for the last half dozen briskets.

 

[Gonzo]

Some people will do it depending on what kind of smoker they're using and put the fat between the meat and the heat. I've never done it, but I actually plan to on my next one just to compare the results. I use a Weber Smokey Mountain, so the heat doesn't circulate as much as pellet/offset smokers. I've only done one other brisket (fat side up), and I didn't get the deckle fat between the point and flat rendered nearly as much as it needs to be even when the meat was temping at 200+, so I'm curious if it'll render better if the fat side is down.

I just use a big charcoal grill and rig it up for indirect heat, so meat is never directly over the heat. Still will try fat side down next time, you and @cycloner29 make good points.

 

[mkadl]

Just for something new to me, I tried Caribbean Jerk spice on Iowa Chops after a light coat of vegetable oil. Kept a probe in each one, went to 150° let them rest. That was really good. Not dry in the least. Just a smidgeon of pink cure rubbed or in a brine gives you the fake smoke ring. To me pork chops are like chicken, no low and slow. Just takes some babysitting at about 400°.

 

[DollaDollaBill]

Why do you do fat side down to start? I've always thought fat side up so it renders down into the meat as it cooks.

That’s a myth. This is great site: https://amazingribs.com/more-techni...science/myth-melting-fat-cap-penetrates-meat/

 

[Gonzo]

That’s a myth. This is great site: https://amazingribs.com/more-techni...science/myth-melting-fat-cap-penetrates-meat/

Interesting stuff, thanks for posting.

 

[BACyclone]

I like to use foil to keep the juices. That stuff is liquid gold, I always pour it back over the sliced brisket.

I use paper fairly religiously now. It seems like it lets the meat breathe so much better, and while you still get soft bark, the meat seems to turn out better, overall.

And I'm still able to pour out SO MUCH JUICE (fat and juice) after my cooks using paper, I don't think that's a tradeoff. I always end up with leftovers, so that gets poured into my storage container or plastic bag with the meat.

 

[BACyclone]

Just for something new to me, I tried Caribbean Jerk spice on Iowa Chops after a light coat of vegetable oil. Kept a probe in each one, went to 150° let them rest. That was really good. Not dry in the least. Just a smidgeon of pink cure rubbed or in a brine gives you the fake smoke ring. To me pork chops are like chicken, no low and slow. Just takes some babysitting at about 400°.

I'm very serious, try smoking yourself some Iowa chops, coated in BBQ sauce...or your favorite pork BBQ rub then baste with BBQ sauce near the finish. Smoke at 225-250 for "a couple hours" since you only need to get to 145-150 IT as you say.

It's meat candy.

The trick is watching the meat IT religiously so you don't overcook. You can't let it go above 150F, and it gets there quicker than you might think.

As long as you take it off in time -- let it rest covered (as above conversation) also helps -- it will be juicy and it's a great BBQ treat with a lot less time invested than we are accustomed to spending.

The key is getting some really thick chops, keep the temp around 225F, and watch that probe and set your alarm for 145F.

 

[JM4CY]

When I do it, I get a boneless but and give it 8-10 minutes over direct heat (or use the griddle side of my GrillGrates on a pellet grill) to get a sear. Then I cut it up into chunks (maybe 2-in or so) and put it in a dutch oven with my braising liquid (my recipe uses the juice and rinds of a couple oranges, onions, Chile peppers in adobo, brown sugar, garlic, oregano and bay leaves) and cook it at about 300 degrees for 2-3 hours (until fork tender).

If you don't have GrillGrates or some other griddle for your grill, you might want to use another grill or even your stove for the first step.

Grillgrates are where it’s at

 

[AgronAlum]

I'm very serious, try smoking yourself some Iowa chops, coated in BBQ sauce...or your favorite pork BBQ rub then baste with BBQ sauce near the finish. Smoke at 225-250 for "a couple hours" since you only need to get to 145-150 IT as you say.

It's meat candy.

The trick is watching the meat IT religiously so you don't overcook. You can't let it go above 150F, and it gets there quicker than you might think.

As long as you take it off in time -- let it rest covered (as above conversation) also helps -- it will be juicy and it's a great BBQ treat with a lot less time invested than we are accustomed to spending.

The key is getting some really thick chops, keep the temp around 225F, and watch that probe and set your alarm for 145F.

Agree with this. I did some bone ins from Sams at around 225 a few weeks back. They were somewhat thinner so they only took like an hour but were the best chops I’ve ever had. At a couple bucks a pound or whatever they are, I should really do more of them. My wife doesn’t like sauce so i skipped that part but they were great.

 

[ScottyP]

When I do it, I get a boneless but and give it 8-10 minutes over direct heat (or use the griddle side of my GrillGrates on a pellet grill) to get a sear. Then I cut it up into chunks (maybe 2-in or so) and put it in a dutch oven with my braising liquid (my recipe uses the juice and rinds of a couple oranges, onions, Chile peppers in adobo, brown sugar, garlic, oregano and bay leaves) and cook it at about 300 degrees for 2-3 hours (until fork tender).

If you don't have GrillGrates or some other griddle for your grill, you might want to use another grill or even your stove for the first step.

I don't have a dutch oven so I planned to get a foil pan at the strore and braise it in that. Hy Vee was almost completely out of foil pans so I put it in the crockpot instead.

A decent dutch oven looked to be around 100 bucks online. Is that something worth getting? Does anybody use one to smoke some chili?

 

[JM4CY]

I don't have a dutch oven so I planned to get a foil pan at the strore and braise it in that. Hy Vee was almost completely out of foil pans so I put it in the crockpot instead.

A decent dutch oven looked to be around 100 bucks online. Is that something worth getting? Does anybody use one to smoke some chili?

I would recommend. They’re super versatile.

 

[AgronAlum]

I don't have a dutch oven so I planned to get a foil pan at the strore and braise it in that. Hy Vee was almost completely out of foil pans so I put it in the crockpot instead.

A decent dutch oven looked to be around 100 bucks online. Is that something worth getting? Does anybody use one to smoke some chili?

Quick note. Foil pans are infinitely cheaper at Sams than going to a grocery store or something like that. I found 36 pans at Sams for about 12 bucks and they’re like 5 bucks for two or three smaller ones at the grocery store.

 

[BACyclone]

I don't have a dutch oven so I planned to get a foil pan at the strore and braise it in that. Hy Vee was almost completely out of foil pans so I put it in the crockpot instead.

A decent dutch oven looked to be around 100 bucks online. Is that something worth getting? Does anybody use one to smoke some chili?

Go to like a Fleet Farm store and see if you can find a Lodge brand dutch oven. Solid brand and relatively value priced. Enamel for inside your oven, plain cast iron for outdoor use.

Both are worth it. We use them all the time.

 

[ScottyP]

Go to like a Fleet Farm store and see if you can find a Lodge brand dutch oven. Solid brand and relatively value priced. Enamel for inside your oven, plain cast iron for outdoor use.

Both are worth it. We use them all the time.

Can I use the enamel one on the pellet grill? I would prefer to only buy one.

 

[BACyclone]

Can I use the enamel one on the pellet grill? I would prefer to only buy one.

I don't see why not. The plain cast iron ones are designed more for use on the ground/campfire anyway.

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

Can I use the enamel one on the pellet grill? I would prefer to only buy one.

You can get a 6qt enameled cast iron during Amazon Prime days for $32.36
https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics...andingS_D_2aaf4517_73&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1

 

[AgronAlum]

I don't see why not. The plain cast iron ones are designed more for use on the ground/campfire anyway.

Cleaning might be a little worse with the enamel. I really don’t use anything in the smoker that can’t be cleaned everywhere with a stainless scrubber. That being said, I’ve never put our enamel coated pan on the grill. I believe lodge says not to.