Shakandara Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Sausage is another good one to start with. It doesn't take long (3 hours or less, at 225), and is pretty much impossible to eff up. And even if you do... it was what? $3 worth of meat? Big deal. Chicken legs are also easy to do, have a similar time frame, and are also usually super cheap. Pro-tip: finish them on the grill with high, direct heat to crisp the skin, as smoking at low temps tends to produce rubbery skin that isn't particularly appetizing (it'll look amazing, and taste pretty good too, but have an awful texture in the mouth). 5-10 minutes on the grill fixes that real quick. Once you've got some confidence from doing those, then step up to ribs. They really aren't hard either, but have to maintain temp for a longer time, and be careful not to over cook them (pull off the bone is great; fall off the bone is over-cooked). They you should have the confidence to know you aren't going to screw up that slab of brisket you just paid $40 for, because cooking it is no different than what you've been doing so far. It just takes longer. ~v 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inarah Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I should take some serious notes from this thread. I have a decent smoker (a 3 in 1 style that has produced great food in the past) that I inherited from my Dad, who was an amazing cook and grill master, but I never really had the chance to hone my skills before his accident. Since then, I have been nervous I would ruin an expensive cut of meat. I tend to grill instead of smoke. Any tips to push me over the edge to try this weekend? Read. Read everything you can, take note of common practices and best practices. There are a lot of very good web sites now with years of collected knowledge from competition pitmasters and backyard bbq'ers alike. Smoked chicken quarters are a good place to start. The dark meat is juicy and won't dry out, takes rub and smoke well and is dirt cheap. Try some "fatties". Look it up. Get a pound of loose bulk sausage and wrap it in bacon. Really easy, amazing results. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talae Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Can someone recommend a couple of good thermometers? Is it a good idea to get those wireless ones so I don't have to open the smoker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corporea Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 One of my coworkers used a fancy digital wireless thermometer on the turkey at Christmas. The iphone beeped when it reached the right internal temp. Technology rocks. I'll find out which one if you want, it was fascinating. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgtriplec Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Interesting, rg, as it looks *nothing* like a pork picnic. It looks a whole lot like ribs, without the bones. Plenty of fat, with good intramuscular. I'll also snap some pics of it when I finally get it ready for the smoker. If you die can I have your bones? From my corpse? Sure. My collection of minis? Those are spoken for. ~v Its the lower portion of the picnic back to the 4th rib. So, the leg bone and a few ribs are removed. On most the grain will be like a beef brisket, except the rib area. I worked lots of places that sold them as specials. We always rolled and stuffed them for better presentation. It's actually cut more similar to a lamb or veal breast than a true brisket. The pork, veal and lamb versions generally come with a three or four ribs. Beef brisket never has ribs... to my knowledge. Edited February 15, 2015 by rgtriplec Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sundseth Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 BBQ refers to a very specific thing. Slow cooked pulled pork (whole hog is best) in a vinegar or tomato based sauce. Everything else is grilling or smoking or cooking out. and then a mustard sauce. Suffer not the mutant to live! Deviant! You poor, poor benighted soul. I normally like pulled pork a lot, but if you're ever around here, I'll have to make sure that all my barbecue is beef, or chicken, or sausage, or .... Because that way there will be more for me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontfear Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Lol. Its a definition thing. Bbq is pulled pork. Doesn't diminish the tastiness of other forms of outdoor cooked meat but they can't be bbq by definition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakandara Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Don't be that guy. ~v 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qwyksilver Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 For me, BBQ is slow cooked at low, indirect heat, be it a pit or smoker. Pretty much everything else is grillin' But I'm just a dumb Yankee, so what do I know 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doug Sundseth Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 Lol. Its a definition thing. Bbq is pulled pork. Doesn't diminish the tastiness of other forms of outdoor cooked meat but they can't be bbq by definition. I bet you're not a true Scotsman. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontfear Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of tongue in cheek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowRaven Posted February 16, 2015 Share Posted February 16, 2015 If beef brisket has bones, it's not brisket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klarg1 Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I have to agree with rg too, when it comes to my absolute favorite, I love a slow-cooked whole hog. Give me some belly and cheek meat, and a bit of the crackling skin, and you can send me to heaven without a care. But past that... damn, it's a tough choice. I love burnt ends from the point end of the brisket. And that little layer of flesh on the fat cap of a pork butt? Absolutely incredible. The bison ribs I did a few years back for one of our summer parties were ridiculously good too. The list goes on and on. Careful, Shak. Keep talking up the pork 'Q, and they're gonna run you out of Texas. Respectfully, you're ALL wrong. The best kind of BBQ is whatever I have just consumed. I respectfully disagree: The best BBQ is whatever I am either about to consume, or consuming right now. The best BBQ is whatever kind I'm having surrounded by friends and while I'm marinating my own liver in beer. Yes. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of tongue in cheek. I don't think I've ever had BBQ tongue. I'd think it would be a little lean, but it might also be full of connective tissue. Anybody know? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dontfear Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I have to agree with rg too, when it comes to my absolute favorite, I love a slow-cooked whole hog. Give me some belly and cheek meat, and a bit of the crackling skin, and you can send me to heaven without a care. But past that... damn, it's a tough choice. I love burnt ends from the point end of the brisket. And that little layer of flesh on the fat cap of a pork butt? Absolutely incredible. The bison ribs I did a few years back for one of our summer parties were ridiculously good too. The list goes on and on. Careful, Shak. Keep talking up the pork 'Q, and they're gonna run you out of Texas. Respectfully, you're ALL wrong. The best kind of BBQ is whatever I have just consumed. I respectfully disagree: The best BBQ is whatever I am either about to consume, or consuming right now. The best BBQ is whatever kind I'm having surrounded by friends and while I'm marinating my own liver in beer. Yes. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of tongue in cheek. I don't think I've ever had BBQ tongue. I'd think it would be a little lean, but it might also be full of connective tissue. Anybody know? Beef tongue is fantastic and I bet it would smoke beautifully. I've never had a pigs tongue though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakandara Posted February 18, 2015 Share Posted February 18, 2015 I'm not a native, klarg1, so I'm allowed to blaspheme like that. I can just blame it on my damn ignorant Yankee roots. ~v 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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