• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Smoking Food Thread

Picked up a few scrap trailer frames for free last week. At 7'4" wide and 18' long, they'll have a lot more room than my current tailgating setup. Cooking trailer 2.0 is taking shape, and currently at a cost of $0.00 USD.
 
FWIW the Blues, Brews, and BBQ competition has been moved to October 12-13. Location in Charlotte TBD. I just might be able to work with this as it doesn't conflict my football schedule. Please no downtown again.
 
Last edited:
I got an email from the event coordinator yesterday. She put at the top of the email in red "The NEW, CONFIRMED DATE for 2012 is October 12-13- Location TBD". It really worked very well at the grassy park (don't remember the name) adjacent to BOA stadium. There was better organization of the rows for the amateur teams to park and set up. I did not like the pot hole filled parking lot we were thrown in next to the Martini Bar.
 
As I was driving home yesterday, I had a thought that went against everything I've come up with in the past. My current tailgate trailer is set on a camper frame, and honestly the weight is too much for the frame and it tends to flex more than I'd like. I picked up two heavy duty trailer frames a few weeks ago.



Rather than buy running gear and tongues for the new frames and build from the ground up, I may be able to harvest the existing pieces off my tailgate trailer and move them over to the new frames. They're sturdy enough to eliminate the flexing and the mistakes I made making the first trailer could be fixed on the updated ones. Then I could make a devoted cooking trailer, and also keep a tailgate trailer. Granted, I doubt I could do it before this coming season, but that'd be a heck of an option long term.


I came across this design yesterday, and was quite intrigued. Add a smoker on there, and it'd be a heckuva setup.

 
Last edited:
Got 3 racks of ribs on the Weber this afternoon. Using Jack Daniels and Apple Wood Chips for smoke. I just can't get used to setting it and forgetting it. I keep wanting to adjust something, or add wood. It's completely alien to me.
 
tsywake said:
Got 3 racks of ribs on the Weber this afternoon. Using Jack Daniels and Apple Wood Chips for smoke. I just can't get used to setting it and forgetting it. I keep wanting to adjust something, or add wood. It's completely alien to me.
Click to expand...

389258_764977601663_7204697_35430600_2121800043_n.jpg


581228_764977322223_7204697_35430599_2134476211_n.jpg


I cooked 2.5 racks on the rotisserie and the other half on the grill. I used the rotisserie burner and the smoke box burner for indirect heat and kept it at a nice 275. At 3 hrs, I turned off the heat and let them rest as the temps slowly decreased. While tasty, they were more dry than the wood smoker. Not bad at all, but I'm going to have to play around with a water pan going forward I think to help add some humidity to the chamber.
 
tsywake said:
389258_764977601663_7204697_35430600_2121800043_n.jpg


581228_764977322223_7204697_35430599_2134476211_n.jpg


I cooked 2.5 racks on the rotisserie and the other half on the grill. I used the rotisserie burner and the smoke box burner for indirect heat and kept it at a nice 275. At 3 hrs, I turned off the heat and let them rest as the temps slowly decreased. While tasty, they were more dry than the wood smoker. Not bad at all, but I'm going to have to play around with a water pan going forward I think to help add some humidity to the chamber.
Click to expand...

Nice, saw the pictures on FB! Could just be a bad bit of meat too. Honestly, I've experimented with water pans in my Weber and I've read guys who have gone so far as to perform side-by-side "experiments" and no one can tell the difference in the finished product. The only thing water might benefit is to serve as a heat sync and hold the temps down to something more like 225 which may help you turn out a better product.

I'd look more to the higher heat, the dryness of gas, and the extended resting period rather than a water pan to help explain the dryness.
 
RacerDeac said:
Honestly, I've experimented with water pans in my Weber and I've read guys who have gone so far as to perform side-by-side "experiments" and no one can tell the difference in the finished product. The only thing water might benefit is to serve as a heat sync and hold the temps down to something more like 225 which may help you turn out a better product.
Click to expand...

Is there really a need to go there? Havent we debated this at length many times before in this thread? I though we left it at a difference in opinion and agreed to disagree?
 
tsywake said:
Is there really a need to go there? Havent we debated this at length many times before in this thread? I though we left it at a difference in opinion and agreed to disagree?
Click to expand...

I don't remember, honestly. Between postings here and on smoking forums, I don't remember where I've discussed what. My bad. Didn't know that to be a touchy subject.

Ignore the water part and read the rest then. That means of resting in heat and/or just bad meat seem far more likely to be your cause of dryness to me.
 
Had lunch here on Saturday after sporting clays: http://thescottsbbq.com/

It was amazing; one of my buddies had a smoked ribeye steak with beans/coleslaw. The other guy and myself each got a plate of ribs with beans and coleslaw. Fucking delicious. I took a 1/2 pound of the pulled pork home and ate it for dinner that night. Probably the best vinegar based bbq sauce I've ever had.
 
Any recs on a good Q joint between Charlotte and Wilmington on 74?
 
I smoked a turkey yesterday on the Big Green Egg. It was pouring all morning so I had a hard time getting the temp to where I wanted (325) and ended up holding it at 300. It ended up being cooked perfectly despite the rain (and power going out for hours impacting the other dishes). The only thing I wasn't crazy about is that it was fairly salty. I brined it overnight and then patted dry with paper towels before smoking. Maybe I should have rinsed it?
 
What kind of brine did you use? Did you use a dry rub on it as well? Both generally have salt, and using both can lead to a saltier bird.
 
Jeff Fatt said:
The only thing I wasn't crazy about is that it was fairly salty. I brined it overnight and then patted dry with paper towels before smoking. Maybe I should have rinsed it?
Click to expand...

I always rinse and then pat down (and throw in the fridge for a bit to let the skin dry out). That said, I doubt that is what made it too salty.
 
The brine was a salt and brown sugar mix but I don't recall the proportions. There was no dry rub but a little salt and pepper sprinkled over the butter rub before going on. I've not done much brining and don't really like much salt so maybe that's just a consequence of the brining process. It was noticeably more juicy that other turkeys I've smoked so I don't know if that is because of the brining, not overcooking it, or just the perfect storm (no pun intended). I used this recipe and technique:

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/madmaxturkey.htm
 
When I dont brine, I have salt in my dry rub. When I brine, I make sure to create a salt free dry rub. That being said, I really dont like brining. I'd rather slap the thing on, rub it down and be good to go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top