Cheesehead says hello!

smokinhessil · Jul 10, 2014

Hello all! My name is Steve and I have recently moved back home to WI after over a decade in southern AZ. I have worked in numerous restaurants and bars but always in the front of the house, never in the kitchen. Now I have decided to go back to school to finish things off. I have been grilling and smoking for quite awhile, but it has always been on weber oval charcoal grills or with a normal propane grill. For Xmas I received an awesome joint present from all of my family; a bass pro shops masterbuilt electric smoker. I have used it quite a bit and made alot of different things. Pulled pork, whole chickens, cordon bleu, smoked trout, duck jerkey an awesome london broil come to mind. I have read alot of different topics and posts on here and I am looking forward to learning quite a bit and giving whatever knowledge I have. Here's to good smokin'!

noboundaries · Jul 10, 2014

Welcome Steve. Hey, you'll fit right in here with your experience. Looking forward to seeing your creations and input on threads around the forum.

Your family sounds great, much like my wife. She has gifted me all my outdoor equipment, including my smokers, and freely admits to friends while I'm present "If I'd have known how much he'd use his smokers I'd have done this decades ago. I'll never have to cook again!" That's one ulterior motive I agree with completely!

Happy you joined the SMF family Steve.

Ray

smokinhessil · Jul 10, 2014

Thanks Ray. I don't know why I didn't join earlier. I have been a newsletter member for quite awhile and read the forum fairly often. I am smoking a couple of butts tomorrow along with some country-style ribs and baked beans. I am really trying to make sure everything is done at the same time. Any suggestions on timeframes for the protein by anyone would be appreciated.

noboundaries · Jul 10, 2014

Hey Steve,

Yeah, that making sure everything is done at the same time is always a tricky business, especially with butts and shoulders that can be finicky. Hopefully the butts you have are all about the same size or thickness. The country style ribs are basically bone-in shoulder meat that have been sliced about 1" thick. Most are pretty lean because they are cut from the shoulder end of the loin. If you wrap the ribs and butts you have greater control over when they are done. I always wrap.

I'd smoke the lot at 250F. Beans and ribs are easy to figure. Beans figure about 3 hours. Country style ribs, treat like leaner baby backs (2.5-1-.5) is the process I use, saucing the last 30 minutes. The butts, I smoke until the first stall then wrap with my choice of ingredients that always includes at least a half cup of liquid to accelerate the braising process.  Assuming you've got two 5 lbs butts they should be done (203-205F) in about 6 hours. Could be less, could be more. They are the wild card. Then they need to rest at least an hour.

You can always put the butts on extra early and let them rest longer. The longer they rest the lower the IT when you pull them off the smoker.  They'll continue to cook while resting, especially if you are putting them in an insulated environment like a cooler with towels.  If they end up resting 3-4 hours you might want to pull it off at a lower IT like 195-198F. The connective tissue continues to melt because the IT is above 170F.

Have fun with your smoke!

gary s · Jul 10, 2014

Hey Steve, hello and welcome to the forum

Gary S

smokinhessil · Jul 11, 2014

Noboundaries said:
Hey Steve,

Yeah, that making sure everything is done at the same time is always a tricky business, especially with butts and shoulders that can be finicky. Hopefully the butts you have are all about the same size or thickness. The country style ribs are basically bone-in shoulder meat that have been sliced about 1" thick. Most are pretty lean because they are cut from the shoulder end of the loin. If you wrap the ribs and butts you have greater control over when they are done. I always wrap.

I'd smoke the lot at 250F. Beans and ribs are easy to figure. Beans figure about 3 hours. Country style ribs, treat like leaner baby backs (2.5-1-.5) is the process I use, saucing the last 30 minutes. The butts, I smoke until the first stall then wrap with my choice of ingredients that always includes at least a half cup of liquid to accelerate the braising process.  Assuming you've got two 5 lbs butts they should be done (203-205F) in about 6 hours. Could be less, could be more. They are the wild card. Then they need to rest at least an hour.

You can always put the butts on extra early and let them rest longer. The longer they rest the lower the IT when you pull them off the smoker.  They'll continue to cook while resting, especially if you are putting them in an insulated environment like a cooler with towels.  If they end up resting 3-4 hours you might want to pull it off at a lower IT like 195-198F. The connective tissue continues to melt because the IT is above 170F.

Have fun with your smoke!

Thanks NB! The butts definitely were the wildcard. Everything turned out delicious though. I wrapped those bad boys up and used the cooler method. Unfortunately they weren't the regular 5-6 lb butts that I normally use, but I guess it was my fault for shopping for BBQ ingredents on 4th of July weekend. This was my first time buying country style ribs and I have to admit that I might like those better than baby backs. I whipped up a quality slaw the night before and everyone was happy, including the kids.

noboundaries · Jul 11, 2014

Woo HOO! A successful smoke! Always guaranteed to put smiles on faces.

gary s · Jul 11, 2014

Hey Steve don't get stressed, I did this a few weeks back Take a look http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/163045/saturday-brisket-and-other-stuff

Gary

smokinhessil · Jul 11, 2014

gary s said:
Hey Steve don't get stressed, I did this a few weeks back Take a look http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/163045/saturday-brisket-and-other-stuff

Gary

That was a really good post. Everything turned out really good. I was just kind of wondering what your baked bean recipe was? I have never actually made my own. I always but baked beans and spruce them up a little.

smokinhessil · Jul 11, 2014

Yes it did, especially because I have three young girl cousins (the oldest is 12) staying here for a week while their parents are vacationing. Anything to stop the ridiculousness for awhile and make them sleepy is a plus!

noboundaries · Jul 11, 2014

One great recipe for using canned beans is Dutch's Wicked Baked Beans. I take the heat out due to the delicate palate of my wife but they are still great. I almost always add a meat to it too, usually sausage or leftover pork or beef. Great served over rice made with beef broth instead of water. Makes for a quick and easy evening meal of leftovers. I picked up the stuff to make a batch today while I'm playing hooky from work. Going to smoke some JV brats too.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/50945/dutchs-wicked-baked-beans

gary s · Jul 11, 2014

Hey no problem, I do a couple of variations, but here is the one in the picture, Start out with bacon slice it up in small pieces and start rendering it down, I take a small onion and chop it up pretty small and before the bacon is completely rendered down I add the onion, cook till onion is tender, add the pork n beans I used big can and one regular can, About a 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt pepper (I like course ground) a little garlic powder a good sprinkle of Tony's and BBQ sauce (Whatever kind you like) keep in mind if your BBQ is pretty sweet cut back on the brown sugar. Stir till mixed good and I let simmer on the stove for a bit, taste it em to see if they need anything, Then on the smoker for a few hours. That is what really kick's them up a notch. If you don't have Tony's whatever seasoning you like, Tony's is a Creole spicy seasoning. My beans are a little sweet and spicy.

Hope this helps

Gary

Here is a pictures of Tony's, I am thinking you should be able to get it most everywhere, When I started using it in the 80's I had to get it mail order.

IMG_20140711_125022_409.jpg

gary s
Jul 11, 2014

smokinhessil · Jul 11, 2014

Thanks man. I definitely wrote that down. I have used that seasoning from time to time but mostly because I had a roomate from Louisiana and he used it for everything. One time I helped him make a badass crawfish boil and this was the main ingredient. I wish I would have paid more attention so I could replicate the recipe. Do you think using cast iron makes a difference with them? I have a couple of pots but I haven't found uses for them outside of camping.

gary s · Jul 11, 2014

I just like iron skillets we have a few that we have had for over 40 years, never were out.

As far at Tony's we use it on and in everything, to me it's kinda the perfect all around seasoning

Gary S

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Cheesehead says hello!

smokinhessil

Fire Starter

noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster

smokinhessil

Fire Starter

noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster

gary s

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

smokinhessil

Fire Starter

noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster

gary s

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

smokinhessil

Fire Starter

smokinhessil

Fire Starter

noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster

gary s

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

IMG_20140711_125022_409.jpg

smokinhessil

Fire Starter

gary s

Gone but not forgotten. RIP

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