Advice On July 4th Choices

[ILBMF]

Hey guys, I'm new here. I have a long time run with several standard Weber grilles and have good experience there. I'm fairly new to smoking and my smoker is a Trail Embers bullet style charcoal set up from Tractor Supply.

On July 4th I plan to use the smoker and the grille and I plan on several cuts as listed below. Looking for advice on rubs, marinades, tactics, etc. I tend to like mesquite, but I have apple, pecan and hickory wood. I'm looking for input, suggestions, etc. Thank you

Beef...pit beef style. Which cut and any advice

Already cooked ham

Pair of small beer can chickens...never done it, smoke or grille?

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

Sorry you haven’t gotten any responses yet.

When you say put style beef what are you gong for...sliced shredded etc...

For ham I would do a search for Bear’s double smoked ham. I’d try to pull the link but I’m about 6-8 beers in and too lazy haha.

For chickens I would spatch them and smoke at 300-325 for a good pulled chicken with crispy skin.

As far as wood is concerned it’s all a matter of preference. IMO I prefer oak or hickory for beef/chicken and apple on pork. Mesquite only comes out when it’s an incredibly short smoke and I want to nail it.

Are you wanting to use commercial rubs or make your own?

 

[zwiller]

Unfortunately, my advice to you is not trying anything new and stick with what works. It is usually disaster and a buzz kill. Do grilled chicken on the weber but use Jeff's rubs and sauce. Killer stuff. Rub overnight and apply sauce at end. Totally pro results. If you absolutely have to smoke and want beef, a chuck roast/pulled beef is pretty good and fairly forgiving. Use Jeff's Texas rub and oak. Heads up, smoking takes much more time than many expect. IE 5lb chuck roast could be 10-15hrs so you will have to plan. I'd smoke over the weekend, pull, into foil pan. Re-heat it, grill your chicken, and enjoy the 4th.

 

[smokerjim]

I would smoke your meats a day or two ahead of time, and just heat and eat on the 4th, I personally would just do the grilling the day of. gives you more time to hang out with family and friends also smoked meats taste better when they sit a day or two.

 

[ILBMF]

Good advice guys. I'm leaning towards a bottom round flat for beef. I plan on my own rubs from what I've used and also learned here.

 

[phatbac]

if you are going to cook beef until it falls apart i would recommend a chuck roast. slow roast it on the smoker until it gets to 195-200 degrees internal temp.

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[banderson7474]

My vote for beef is beef ribs. They are pretty hard to screw up. cook them until the IT is around 185-90.

I did a ham once and it turned out bad. It already had the spiral cut so all the glaze I had dripped thru and then it ended up getting very dry and then falling apart. I was a disaster. I threw it away in disgust.

 

[SmokinVOLfan]

If you want beef to shred and fall apart I would def do chuck. If you want to slice it eye of round does great if slicing super thin for sandwiches. I do eye of rounds then run them through a slicer and have awesome roast beef. Never tried a bottom round but def have to slice pretty thin so its not tough. If you could get your hands on a clod that might be the way to go. Also for commercial montreal steak seasoning is great on beef. Good luck!

 

[banderson7474]

Yea I've never done a bottom round but I'm afraid that would end up like leather fairly easy.

 

[GoldenAmbers BBQ]

Your smoker is the same as a 22 inch Weber Smoky mountain. Nice. I wish I got one before they discontinued them.
Can you get tri-tip there? A traditional beef style rub works nice on tri tip and they can be done in like 3 or 4 hours. Usually they are near 3 lbs trimmed. You could fit 4 on one rack perhaps. Do till 128 or 130 internal then rest 20 minutes. Slice across grain. Have fun!

 

[texomakid]

My vote for beef is beef ribs. They are pretty hard to screw up. cook them until the IT is around 185-90.

I did a ham once and it turned out bad. It already had the spiral cut so all the glaze I had dripped thru and then it ended up getting very dry and then falling apart. I was a disaster. I threw it away in disgust.

I will second this tip. Beef ribs or grilled BBQ chicken is always a hit and not too involved. A big 10-4 on the ham. If it's already cooked & spiral I too have made the same mistake. Now I put it in with the rest of the meat and only heat it up to about 110 or 120 IT. Otherwise it will be too dry. They're really good if you don't cook all the moisture out.

I've thrown away my cooks more than once back in the day. If I had a forum such as this I might have had better success?
Keep it simple and have fun. It's a holiday!
Good luck and have a great 4th of July!

 

[hardcookin]

Tri Tip and pork tenderloin. Both are not long smokes and both get pulled about 140 IT.

 

[Fueling Around]

I add nothing from the rear of the beef. This includes rump (roast or steaks) and anything round (top, eye, bottom, shank, etc.) Oh yes, sirloin tip (a very mis labeled cut). All too lean for smoking and easily turned into leather

 

[ILBMF]

I plan on using my slicer for sandwiches. Knowing that, what cut of beef would you guys use? I guess I'm kind of looking for a consensus here.

 

[xray]

I’m with phatbac(aaron). I would smoke chuck roasts until probe tender and shred for sandwiches.

If you have the time, smoke the chuck roasts with Chef JJ’s au jus. That way you could smoke the chuck before the 4th, shred and reheat and serve the shredded chuck in the au jus....serve on a toasted bun with melted cheese and horseradish on the side.

More time to spend enjoying the day and not worrying about food or cleaning a slicer.

 

[ILBMF]

I'll look at some chuck roasts from my food distributor early this week.

I'm also leaning towards smoking a couple of hours then hitting the higher heat on the Weber to finish.

 

[forktender]

Look for a shoulder clod if you plan on slicing for pit beef sandwiches.

 

[phatbac]

I add nothing from the rear of the beef. This includes rump (roast or steaks) and anything round (top, eye, bottom, shank, etc.) Oh yes, sirloin tip (a very mis labeled cut). All too lean for smoking and easily turned into leather

i have to disagree with this...i have smoked many eye of round/topround/tip roasts on the smoker. go with a savory rub or simple rub (SPOG or montreal) or even salt and pepper. smoke until 140ish little less if you want rare little more if you want more well. its usually a 2-3 hour smoke if 250 or so. let rest 30-60 minutes and slice thin for sammies or thicker for just dinner with some taters!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

 

[Fueling Around]

i have to disagree with this...i have smoked many eye of round / top round / tip roasts on the smoker. go with a savory rub or simple rub (SPOG or montreal) or even salt and pepper. smoke until 140ish little less if you want rare little more if you want more well. its usually a 2-3 hour smoke if 250 or so. let rest 30-60 minutes and slice thin for sammies or thicker for just dinner with some taters!

Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)

I agree with experience you can get great smoked meat from the rump cuts if staying on the rare side.
Overcook anything from the rump cuts and you have slice it very thin to eat it unless boiled in a Swiss steak or Salisbury steak

BUT
ILBMF (original poster) stated "... I'm fairly new to smoking and my smoker is a Trail Embers bullet style charcoal set up from Tractor Supply.
..."

As others posted there is easier cuts to make for a pit beef meal when getting started.

 

[ILBMF]

I've decided to do true Baltimore style pit beef which is known to be the original, true pit beef. It's cooked over an open pit using top or bottom round which contains a rub and drips directly onto the hot coals creating a unique flavor. No slow cooking here. Traditionally there's no smoking involved from dry or wet wood chips. I may throw some apple wood chips in because I can.

I'll do a couple of beer can chickens on the Weber, slice a Kunzler ham in half and do one side with apple juice and olive oil, the other half with honey, brown sugar, mustard and crushed pineapple