Hello!
My name is Justin, I live in New Orleans, and I'm a definitely a beginner. I haven't got a "proper" smoker yet, but have been using my Brinkmann Dual-zone Grill to smoke meats on. It works pretty well, but I usually have to plug up the holes on the sides to keep the temp down. I use hardwood lump charcoal as my heat and sprinkle my wood over that for smoke. I've only used mesquite so far, but I have some apple soaking for my next project. My rub is improving more and more. At the moment it consist of 2 parts dark brown sugar, 1 part salt, 1 part pepper, 1/4 parts each mustard, cayenne, thyme and ground thyme (when I smoke chicken I add ground rosemary).
So far, I've smoked ribs, Beer can chicken, and soon a pork shoulder. My first batch of ribs were really good, nice smoke ring not as moist as I'd like it. The second time I didn't take the back skin off and for some reason they weren't as juicy as the first. The last time I made ribs I used too much smoke and the mesquite actually overpowered the meat flavor (which is rare so I've been told) and still not moist enough. People tell me to "boil" my ribs first, but I'll never boil ribs. Beer can chicken popped my cherry and has aways been good and gets better the more and more I cook it. I usually save the liquid in the beer can after I finish and use it in a steam pot under the next beer chicken.
Tomorrow I'm going to attempt a pork shoulder using apple wood. Any suggestions on smoking it?
-Justin
My name is Justin, I live in New Orleans, and I'm a definitely a beginner. I haven't got a "proper" smoker yet, but have been using my Brinkmann Dual-zone Grill to smoke meats on. It works pretty well, but I usually have to plug up the holes on the sides to keep the temp down. I use hardwood lump charcoal as my heat and sprinkle my wood over that for smoke. I've only used mesquite so far, but I have some apple soaking for my next project. My rub is improving more and more. At the moment it consist of 2 parts dark brown sugar, 1 part salt, 1 part pepper, 1/4 parts each mustard, cayenne, thyme and ground thyme (when I smoke chicken I add ground rosemary).
So far, I've smoked ribs, Beer can chicken, and soon a pork shoulder. My first batch of ribs were really good, nice smoke ring not as moist as I'd like it. The second time I didn't take the back skin off and for some reason they weren't as juicy as the first. The last time I made ribs I used too much smoke and the mesquite actually overpowered the meat flavor (which is rare so I've been told) and still not moist enough. People tell me to "boil" my ribs first, but I'll never boil ribs. Beer can chicken popped my cherry and has aways been good and gets better the more and more I cook it. I usually save the liquid in the beer can after I finish and use it in a steam pot under the next beer chicken.
Tomorrow I'm going to attempt a pork shoulder using apple wood. Any suggestions on smoking it?
-Justin