- Jan 24, 2021
- 4
- 12
Hi all from down under
After years of an apprenticeship with gas BBQs, charcoal kettles and hot and cold smoke boxes I took the plunge and purchased an off set stick burner six weeks ago - my son calls it "Thomas" for obvious reason. To start with I thought I had made a big mistake and had some epic fails: too smokey - not smokey enough, over cooked - under cooked, over seasoned...you get the picture. Last weekend it all started to come together. I feel Thomas is fairly well tuned and he and I are starting to get in tune and my temp and smoke control is way better then when I first started. I have also ditched the commercial rubs and glazes and now making from scratch, adding a bit more heat or sweetness to my liking - still so much to experiment with and learn about on this front. My sticky honey, bourbon pork ribs were falling off the bone and melting in the mouth - the guinea pigs were saying best they have ever had. Used the 3-2-1 method which worked really well for me this time. I also had a large brisket which including rest time was 8 hours and although it was moist, tender and tasty enough I think the temp 260-275 ish may have been a bit high and will aim for a bit lower. One thing it did do was open all our taste buds to what this brisket caper was all about as I have often seen photos or programs about brisket and always thought what an unappetizing looking piece of meat. Now I know about the magic of what happens to all that lovely fat during the slow and delicate cook. I have included a photo of my brisket which I took the following day. I think next time I will flip the brisket over to get more even smoke. I used a nice native hardwood of pohutukawa with a couple of sticks of apple as well.
After years of an apprenticeship with gas BBQs, charcoal kettles and hot and cold smoke boxes I took the plunge and purchased an off set stick burner six weeks ago - my son calls it "Thomas" for obvious reason. To start with I thought I had made a big mistake and had some epic fails: too smokey - not smokey enough, over cooked - under cooked, over seasoned...you get the picture. Last weekend it all started to come together. I feel Thomas is fairly well tuned and he and I are starting to get in tune and my temp and smoke control is way better then when I first started. I have also ditched the commercial rubs and glazes and now making from scratch, adding a bit more heat or sweetness to my liking - still so much to experiment with and learn about on this front. My sticky honey, bourbon pork ribs were falling off the bone and melting in the mouth - the guinea pigs were saying best they have ever had. Used the 3-2-1 method which worked really well for me this time. I also had a large brisket which including rest time was 8 hours and although it was moist, tender and tasty enough I think the temp 260-275 ish may have been a bit high and will aim for a bit lower. One thing it did do was open all our taste buds to what this brisket caper was all about as I have often seen photos or programs about brisket and always thought what an unappetizing looking piece of meat. Now I know about the magic of what happens to all that lovely fat during the slow and delicate cook. I have included a photo of my brisket which I took the following day. I think next time I will flip the brisket over to get more even smoke. I used a nice native hardwood of pohutukawa with a couple of sticks of apple as well.
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