Smoker Recipes and Advice

[wetswinger]

Just bought my first ever smoker, an Old Smokey electric. I understand cooking, as I went to culinary school a hundred years ago but I'm a virgin smoker. Any great recipes for brines dry or wet, and pointers for cooking would be great. Favorite woods? I have alder and cedar. Salmon and pork are my favorites...

 

[Riffling Hitch]

Just bought my first ever smoker, an Old Smokey electric. I understand cooking, as I went to culinary school a hundred years ago but I'm a virgin smoker. Any great recipes for brines dry or wet, and pointers for cooking would be great. Favorite woods? I have alder and cedar. Salmon and pork are my favorites...

My pointer is do not use the cedar for smoking....

 

[quilbilly]

Apple
Alder
I use those two the most.

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Lots of info here, just like this forum only for smoking.
I also look on the competition bbq sites as they post lots of ideas on their forums also.

 

[Jim M-glass guy]

I use cherry.

 

[zen leecher aka bill w]

Go over to the dry side and get some orchard trimmings.. if you are going to smoke a lot.

 

[JM]

I prefer to use alder for smokeing red meated fish. I believe that removeing the bark gives the product a slightly better flavor. With pellets you dont know what went into the their makeing.
There are lot of brine recipes out there. The length of the time you leave your pieces soaking will be determined by your personal taste. I like to rinse my pieces and dry them before smokeing.
Too little salt is better than too much.



















I prefer to use

 

[Riffling Hitch]

The Weber Smokey mountain forum is another good resource

 

[quilbilly]

Bradley Smoker forum is another good one, lots of recipes and techniques discussed there.
I typically do a dry rub and when I smoke pork ribs or butts do an ' ftc'... Foil towel cooler...
It's a nice trick to really break down the collagen.
Then I sauce and vacuum seal for use later.

 

[Riffling Hitch]

Bradley Smoker forum is another good one, lots of recipes and techniques discussed there.
I typically do a dry rub and when I smoke pork ribs or butts do an ' ftc'... Foil towel cooler...
It's a nice trick to really break down the collagen.
Then I sauce and vacuum seal for use later.


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What thickness bags are you using vacuum seeling the ribs? I just bought a chamber vacuume sealer and am trying to figure out a bag order. Hearing that the ribs make pinholes in the bags and cause failure of the seal.

 

[Kilchis]

Random thoughts...

• Smoking meat forums is a great site to pick up information.
• God made cherry trees just for smoking pig parts, especially ribs.
• Salmon and Vine Maple. 'Nuff said.
• As a kid I was taught that after you brine fish pat it dry with paper towels and let it air dry for a couple of more hours. It's worked for decades.
• Dense white smoke may leave your food tasting like creosote. Thin blue smoke is ideal.
• I think stripping the bark off the wood results in a better taste.
• I don't put smoke on refrigerator-cold meat because I think it causes creosote to condense on the food resulting in a nasty, bitter taste. I bring the meat to room temp before putting it in the smoker.
• I think that most of the 5-lb bagged wood shavings marketed for smoking are alder, even if they say “apple flavored” or some other “flavor,”. If you want to try apple or cherry, use apple or cherry.
• A remote-reading thermometer is your buddy.

 

[wetswinger]

Thank you all for advice. Used it today to smoke a corned beef brisket I got on sale from St. Pats day. Soaked it to get rid of some salt and dry rubbed with a coffee seasoned rub. Five hours at 250 degrees and it was fork tender. Leftover for pastrami sandwiches. Umm...

 

[MGTom]

1 cup ea. White wine, water, soy, 1/2 cup ea. Sea salt and brown sugar, touch of garlic and onion powder, good shot black pepper, Worcestershire and Tabasco. Soak/brine 4 hr, pemicule 1hr, 3hrs and 2 pans hickory chips in smoker. And topped with partially cooked bacon.