New to smoking! Dyna Glow Gas Smoker

annekegleijm

Newbie

Original poster

May 23, 2014

12

10

• May 23, 2014

• #1

Hi every one,

Last week I bought my first smoker. I have never smoked anything or even see some one smoke something else than a cigaret.

So I am a bit overwhelmed by everything.

Tomorrow I have people over at 6 for dinner. We're with 8 and the theme is Mexican. 

I hope to use my smoker but I need some advise on what is the best "first" foolproof easy recipe. If possible a Mexican themed one?

Also all kinds of tips are more than welcome.

Thanks and Happy Friday!

 

kc5tpy

Master of the Pit

May 12, 2013

4,352

188

Newark on Trent, United Kingdom.

• May 23, 2014

• #2

Hello.  I will assume you have seasoned you smoker.  I don't know where you are or from so I don't know your idea of what is Mexican.  I am from south Texas so Tex-Mex is my idea of Mexican.  As this is your very first smoke let's keep it simple.  You need to take some time and learn how your smoker works but as you already have a dinner party planned:  Steak tacos.  Start with some steaks.  They don't have to be ribeye.  Just some nice steaks cut maybe 3'4" thick if you can find them.  Add salt and pepper just as you would for any cooking style with these steaks.  Then add just a pinch of chilli powder and a pinch of ground cumin to each steak and rub seasoning into the steaks.  Don't over season the steaks.  You will want to taste the smoke.  Pre heat the smoker and smoke them at 300-325 until JUST medium rare.  Take them off the smoker and wrap in foil.  Allow to sit for about 30 minutes.  Then slice them very thinly and pour the foil juices over the slices.  Serve the steak slices in tortillos ( corn or flour ) with chopped lettuce, tomato, minced onion and guacamole ( easy recipe below from a Tex-Mex restaurant ).  Add as sides: pinto beans or refried beans ( preferably homemade, canned if not will have to do, add some salt and pepper and any other spices you think it needs to the canned ones ) and Spanish rice.  If you don't know how to make Spanish rice, Rice-a-Roni Spanish rice is a very good cheat and easy to do.  I know it's simple but you need to start easy and work up in my opinion.  Hope this helps.

Danny

Guacamole

2 VERY ripe avocados

1/4 tub Philly cream cheese

dash of salt, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste

Mash the avocados well with a fork.  Stir in remaining ingredients and taste for seasoning.

Some folks add a squeeze of lime but I prefer not to.  If you don't add lime make this at the last minute or it will start to turn black.

 

annekegleijm

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

May 23, 2014

12

10

• May 27, 2014

• #3

So I ended up not smoking for the dinner party, I was to scared something would go wrong. So I spent my Sunday experimenting with chicken. I bought 3 chickens en 2 dozen wings. I butterflied one chicken, the other halved and the last one I left whole. I made a rub and rubbed the chicken, also under the skin, and used the same rub to season the wings. I used hickory and applewood and soaked them in one of my husbands beers :) Put them all in together at 4:15 and we had dinner around 7. The chickens all had a nice brown and even crispy skin, the wings were nice too. I now have chicken for a whole week :)

I am a happy with the result, now we can move on to pork :)

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• May 27, 2014

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• May 27, 2014

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smoking b

Smoking Guru

OTBS Member

Sep 20, 2012

5,095

486

Middle of Nowhere, South Central PA

• May 27, 2014

• #4

That looks very good! 

  Nice job with the chicken 

  You'll be comfortable smoking whatever you want before you know it! 

 

annekegleijm

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

May 23, 2014

12

10

• Jun 5, 2014

• #5

Thanks!! It's soo much fun. But also a bit of a challenge especially in terms of planning. I am having a bunch of people over this weekend on Sunday evening so, I'd love to fill it up again. Browsing for recipes today :)

 

oldschoolbbq

Legendary Pitmaster

OTBS Member

Jul 16, 2008

9,359

205

NW Ohio - outside Toledo

• Jun 5, 2014

• #6

You did great . Birds look Marvelous .

Keep having fun and . . .

 

padronman

Master of the Pit

May 5, 2011

1,551

117

San Marcos, California (North San Diego County)

• Jun 5, 2014

• #7

Those birds look delish!!!! Great job on your first smoke. For your party I would do a pork butt....they are almost mistake proof and can feed an army!

 

annekegleijm

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

May 23, 2014

12

10

• Jun 7, 2014

• #8

Just put in my 1st pork shoulder and a whole Tip Sirloin, I brined the pork, rubbed the beef and now it's just babysitting! Still want to put some jalapeno's later but the superstore was sold out :( Hope to find some at the Safeway later!

 

timberjet

Master of the Pit

Jan 29, 2010

3,549

165

Waitsburg Washington

• Jun 7, 2014

• #9

Jumping in with both feet. I love it. Looks great! Just don't overcook that tip. Happy smoking.