Smoking Meat?

I forgot all about his sub-forum. Dang too, I've been on a smoking frenzy this weekend... So many leftovers I've got lunch for the whole week, wife has lunch for the whole week and we'll still probably have to throw some out. Went through 2 bags of lump. Also finally found a bag of the Kingsford Competition stuff.... Won't be buying that again. Seems to create just as much ash as normal briquettes. I'm just glad I finally found a reliable source of lump too.
 
Thanks all. I bought 2 bags of the Kingsford Comp. I used the first one to do a test burn on the drum after I built it. Got around 17 hours out of one bag, but as SatinKzo said, the ash left behind was the same as all the other briquettes. The second bag has been unopened. I'll try to remember to use it the next time I do an over nighter in the WSM, but I will not be buying it anymore. Lump is the way to go. I use Ozark Oak, and Royal Oak. So what all did every one else smoke/cook for the long week end?
 
I am liking the royal oak stuff myself stimpson, that's the stuff I finally found at a local store and they stock it regularly. So, since I can get it consistently, it's become my defacto fav. Plus unlike other lump, I've yet to find "odd" stuff (found plywood in the stuff I got from lowes, cowboy brand or something).

As for what I smoked this weekend? Meat and the wood I used.
Pork Ribs with maple wood, Big Beef chuck roast with mesquite, pork shoulder with apple/grape (holy cow grape makes alot of smoke), chicken breasts with mesquite.

My favorite was the beef chuck roast. Only about an hour of moderate smoking, then just heat and mopping, just right! Had to use the big old spatula to get it off the tray, it was just falling apart and medium-rare in the center and a decent smoke ring and very tasty bark. If I had remembered this subforum before last night, I would have snapped pics.

Heading out this week to a friends house, he has a big limb from his hickory tree taken down that I have called dibs on.
 
I won't be using Kingsford Competition again, either. And I'm tending more toward Royal Oak, too.
 
If I had remembered this subforum before last night, I would have snapped pics.

Those pics are important SatinKzo! Some of my friends/family think I'm a bit odd for taking pictures of food. Little do they know the food pics are the least of my oddities!

I have a tray of ABTs and some garlic in olive oil on the smoker right now. I'm prepping some duck breast in marinade (Quacker Q from Smoke & Spice) to go on in less than an hour. All smoked with cherry.

The Q will be served with garden tomatoes and accompanied by a bottle of [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahors_wine"]Cahors wine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Cahors_Chateau.jpg" class="image"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Cahors_Chateau.jpg/220px-Cahors_Chateau.jpg"@@AMEPARAM@@commons/thumb/f/fd/Cahors_Chateau.jpg/220px-Cahors_Chateau.jpg[/ame] that is open and aerating. Pictures to follow.
 
Those pics are important SatinKzo! Some of my friends/family think I'm a bit odd for taking pictures of food. Little do they know the food pics are the least of my oddities!

I have a tray of ABTs and some garlic in olive oil on the smoker right now. I'm prepping some duck breast in marinade (Quacker Q from Smoke & Spice) to go on in less than an hour. All smoked with cherry.

The Q will be served with garden tomatoes and accompanied by a bottle of Cahors that is open and aerating. Pictures to follow.


That sounds awsome. I' looking forward to those pics.
 
Here they are. The ducks are blue-wing teal, a small duck, and were served with the plum sauce recommended in Smoke & Spice. The garlic didn't smoke long enough to get soft, but it was still quite good. The duck was melt-in-your-mouth tender and had a great flavor from the marinade. This was the first time I have mopped. The family already asked to have it again.
 

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I cured and smoked 36# of pork belly for bacon this week. I also cured about 10# of salt pork.

Im going to go buy a small fridge do I can so some long-term curing. Living in Texas, I dont have any place that stays 50-60 degrees, so a fridge turned all the way up will have to do. My first tries will be duck prosciutto and pancetta.

Im still on the lookout for a slicer. Ive been checking craigslist and the classifieds for a used Hobart, Global or Berkel. So far everthing listed has either been too old or too expensive. I need to find a restaurant or deli going out of business sale or auction.
 
Found some huge butts at Kroger. Picked out 4 that were 9.5-10 lbs each. Rubbed them down Mr. Brown style. Threw them on the UDS at 6:30 PM. I use a local brand of lump charcoal called Ozark Oak, and a combo of Hickory and Pecan wood chunks. Pulled them at 7:00 AM. Things cook quicker on the drum The butts totaled almost 40 lbs. Would have taken 15-17 hrs on the WSM. The drum help it's temps comparable to the WSM. Loaded the basket with about 8lbs of charcoal, and had plenty left over. Pulled pork sammies tonight for the Atlanra race, and will vac seal and sell most of whats left. Hope every one is having a great holiday week end.

Oh, man that looks great! We're approaching the perfect time of the year for smoking! Can't wait to fire the WSM back up. It's been a while!
 
I am liking the royal oak stuff myself stimpson, that's the stuff I finally found at a local store and they stock it regularly. So, since I can get it consistently, it's become my defacto fav. Plus unlike other lump, I've yet to find "odd" stuff (found plywood in the stuff I got from lowes, cowboy brand or something).

As for what I smoked this weekend? Meat and the wood I used.
Pork Ribs with maple wood, Big Beef chuck roast with mesquite, pork shoulder with apple/grape (holy cow grape makes alot of smoke), chicken breasts with mesquite.

My favorite was the beef chuck roast. Only about an hour of moderate smoking, then just heat and mopping, just right! Had to use the big old spatula to get it off the tray, it was just falling apart and medium-rare in the center and a decent smoke ring and very tasty bark. If I had remembered this subforum before last night, I would have snapped pics.

Heading out this week to a friends house, he has a big limb from his hickory tree taken down that I have called dibs on.

By local store, which store are you talking about? I haven't seen Royal Oak up here, but maybe I'm just not looking at the right place. Do share which stores you've seen it at. I'd love to try it out.
 
Out of almost 40 lbs, and eating sammiies the last 2 nights for dinner, I vac sealed 19.5 lbs. Most of that will be sold. Man that's a lot of work but it worth it.
 

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By local store, which store are you talking about? I haven't seen Royal Oak up here, but maybe I'm just not looking at the right place. Do share which stores you've seen it at. I'd love to try it out.

Hardings Market place. Local chain of grocey stores. I also see it at Menards once in a while if you have on hear you. Not sure if they are in Ohio or not.
 
Pork butt on the smoker for this afternoon. Got a new smoker, the new Masterbuilt. It's pretty hot already this morning, but I can sit in the AC and monitor the temps in the box on the remote.
 

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I'll be smoking a couple chickens and some spare ribs tomorrow. And some ABTs. I lost my recipe, though. I tried searching for it here, where I believe it was posted, but the Search function failed. Just not usable.

Anyway, I plan to do the birds like I did my last smoked turkey: Rub lots of kosher salt all over and under the skin. No brine. No injection. Just sit overnight in the fridge covered in salt. Before cooking, brush off a lot off the salt. JUICY!

Anyone with a favored ABT recipe, I'm all ears. Right now, some rub, maybe a little shallot in the cream cheese, and half a slice of bacon. Store only had thin, no thick. Oh, well.
 
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