Hello from an Addicted Noob

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changnoi

Newbie
Original poster
Feb 27, 2010
7
10
Portland, OR
Hi there! I am fairly new to smoking; a few years ago my father taught me how to smoke a turkey on a charcoal kettle grill, and I've been hooked ever since. I am still using that same basic technique, and have had pretty good luck smoking legs of lamb, turkeys, chickens, and even a couple of 10lb Albacore tunas.

I am planning tomorrow on cooking a 5lb chunk of bone-in pork shoulder. I would like to try out maybe a Kalua style technique. Any suggestions? Mustard greens to wrap it in and old bamboo + cherry for the smoke? Or just bare with a rub?

I'm pleased with what I have learned so far from this forum and y'all, and cannot wait to continue practicing and perhaps at some point contribute!

Keep it comin!
 
Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks here and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.
icon_smile.gif
 
Welcome to the SMF, glad to know you're enjoying the great reads/tips/advise. It's all good my friend.
 
Welcome aboard the SMF!! Lots of great info, recipes, and ideas here for your reading pleasure as well as a friendly and helpful group to answer all your questions. Enjoy your stay.

 
Don
 
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Thank you all for your welcome! I thought I'd come back and fill in some more info. Here is what I do my smoking in:

http://www.charbroil.com/consumer/pr...18&Name=Series

Before that, strictly generic 20" kettle grills and underground.

This morning while heating up the coals, I tossed a couple twigs of pear wood on top and smoked a block of Emmentaler. It didn't seem to melt too badly (I put in on frozen) and only a little oil rendered out. By the time it was done, the coals were good and ready so I've got a 4.5# pork shoulder on there. According to my thermo, it was about 37 degrees inside, and now a half-hour later it says 57. I've got all the dampers and air holes closed up to keep it a bit cooler as that seems like a pretty rapid temperature rise to me.

Most of the wood I smoke with is prunings from my brother's fruit orchard: pear, apple, plum, and cherry. This time of year, I also like to grab windfall from the nearby ornamental plum trees. The wet windfall is covered in lichens and very sweet. Todays smoke is a rare treat: I found a chunk of cherry near Subway(eat fresh). It is about 2.5" diameter, 18" long, and feels like it was dead in the tree for a few years. When I sawed it into chunks it felt like the most awesome furniture wood. A few of the cuts exposed sweet-smelling cured resin. MMmmmmMMMMmmMMMMM

Alright, off to photobucket to try and figure out how to give up some qview love!
 
Ok here goes, first attempt at bringing y'all some qview:



Today's Cherry Bonanza



My probe ready to alarm at 100 so I can start basting ;-}



Today's pulled pork experiment, 1/2hr into the smoke!
 
First off welcome Chang to SMF. It sounds like you are well on your way to be an outstanding new member of this fine site. You'll like it here cause there are abunch of good folks here that would just love to help you out with just about anything to do with smoking. We really like to have newbies here because they can bring in a new propective to how things are done. There's nothing like a new set of eyes to give and new way to make things that little differant to make things alittle better. So I hope you know about the Qview here.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=58920
Here's a link to photobucket it's free and easy to download pictures. Then if your really new to smoking Look up the E-course.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...play.php?f=127
It's also free and it will give you the basics of smoking. So after all of that you just need to go grab something to smoke and if you have any question just post them here and we will answer it quickly so you don't have any mishaps with your smoke.
Welcome To Your New Addiction
 
Thanks again for the welcome!

After 5.5hrs, my shoulder seems to be passing the plateau. It spent nearly an hour and a half just getting from 148 to 158. Now at 160 and climbing again, so I'll be foiling and baking to finish it off soon. I plan on doing that in a pyrex baking dish with foil over the top. No more smoke needed so letting the smoker cool and finishing in our small convection oven.

I have been basting since 100 with a mix of about 4 parts pineapple juice, 1 part rum. The leftovers I'll put in the dish with the roast for finishing.

Since I used a very minimal rub and have kept the temp fairly low, there is little bark. It's more like what I get when I smoke a leg of lamb, slightly carmelized and smoked to a nice dark brown. When I open it to put it in foil in a few minutes, I'll take some pics and post them.
 
Ok, just took it out of the smoker and into the convection oven:



Got a little antsy, couldn't quite wait for 165 ;-}



My smoking setup...



Instead of the water pan being on the rails intended for it, just below the grilling grid, I have put it ON the grilling grid and moved it to the back, away from the coals, just like the roast. That way I tend the fire in the front, since the firebox on this thing is very inefficient.



About to be probed, basted, foiled, and put into the convection oven for finishing.
 
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