First Time Try, any suggestions?

[katymeg]

Hi, everybody.  And thanks, in advance, for any suggestions.

Wondering what's the absolutely easiest, fool-proof (but delish!!!) piece of meat I can smoke for our ASU vs. Stanford gathering next week...?  I was going to do a trial run before Saturday, just to make sure everything works out okay.  I work from home, so it's no trouble running out the smoker to replace chips every thirty minutes.  We were going to have about 15 people, maximum.  Thanks again.

Kate

 

[daveomak]

Katy, morning....... Make Fatties... each one can be different.... fillings, spices etc. to accommodate different palates.......

Dave



http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/175/fatties

 

[azbohunter]

Katy,

I too am brand new to smoking and just got my MES yesterday. I can't tell you what to make but I will be sitting in front of my TV cheering on ASU from Glendale.

Have fun at your tailgate party. We used to do it a lot during the Jake Plummer era, I hope the Rose Bowl is the next challenge!

Dick

 

[chef jimmyj]

Ribs...

A full rack of Spare Ribs will take about 6 hours at 225*F...The 3-2-1 smoked rib recipe is a good way to smoke ribs and tends to turn out perfect ribs every time whether you are using the meatier Full rack spare rib or the Saint Louis cut. Baby Back ribs use a 2-2-1 method. The ribs are smoked at 225 - 250 degrees for best results...
The 3 stands for the 3 hours that you initially smoke the ribs with nothing but your favorite rub on them and some smoke with your favorite hardwood such as hickory, apple, pecan, etc. After the 3 hours you remove the ribs and quickly double wrap them in heavy duty foil.. just before you seal them up add some Foiling Juice or Apple Juice and close the foil leaving some room around the ribs for the steam to be able to flow around the meat and the juice to braise the meat which Flavors/Tenderizes it.

The ribs cook in the smoker wrapped for 2 hours undisturbed. There is no need for Smoke at this point... After 2 hours remove the ribs from the smoker, unwrap and place back into the smoker for the final 1 hour, with smoke if you wish.This firms them up, creates a nice Bark and finishes the cooking process. You can add a glaze or sauce at this point if you like. The meat will be pretty close to fall off the bone and be extremely juicy, tender and flavorful...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110881/foiling-juice-chef-jimmyj

 

 

[holyfeld]

Katy,

Ribs are a good choice. For 15 people figuring 1/2 rack per person that's 8 racks. You don't say which model (MES-30 or 40) you have. It will definitely cramp an MES-40 to do 8 racks at a time. You'd have to cook in shifts with an MES-30 or use some arrangement I don't know about. And if you do choose ribs I do 2-2-1. Same idea, but an hour less before I do the braise.

Have you thought about pulled pork? It was my third smoke. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/119783/first-pork-butt-3rd-overall-smoke There's a couple of links in my ?second post? that will help you understand the braising process. I now take the braising liquid and work it back into the pork when I finish pulling the pork butt.

Don

(And every time I see ASU I think of Appalachian State University. I live in Western NC)

 

[mfreel]

Pork butts.  Set it and forget it.  

Do you have another probe or therm to make sure your MES temp is correct?

Get yourself an AMNPS.

I'm doing 25 #s of sticks today.  Working from home.  It was 9 degrees in Omaha when I started.  It's about 17 now.  The remote is great on my MES 40 and I don't have to go out and keep filling up the chip tray!  It's been smoking great for 8 hours.

 

[holyfeld]

Do you have another probe or therm to make sure your MES temp is correct?
Get yourself an AMNPS.

Good points.

My MES-30 was close enough on chamber temperature.

My MES-40 reads 25 deg hotter than the actual temperature. If you want the ugly details you can read http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/151864/mes-40-model-20070512-temperature-problems

For chamber temp I use the second probe on my iGrill. I bought my son a dual probe maverick from Todd so he could monitor the temp in my old (his new?) MES-30.

And for long smokes, I do like my AMNPS.

 

[ajbert]

I'll second the pulled pork (boston butt), AMNPS and an internal probe thermometer.  You can serve the pulled pork a number of different way and dishes with BBQ sauce on the side to let your guests eat it the way they want.  You could do two butts and have plenty of leftovers.  Keep in mind that smoking two butts will take more time than one.  The IT you will want is 200-205.  Use your choice of rub.  Smoke at 225-250.  There are plenty of threads you can look up with plenty of success.  It was my first try at smoking and was very easy.

 

[azbohunter]

Oh Katie, I hope whatever you settled on for smoking was wonderful, something has to help us ASU fans smile tonight!