Well there are certainly days when I wake up,, or go to bed for that matter feeling like an old dog.... but today it paid off as I learned some things and I think I'm a better dog, uhhh I mean smoker, for it.
The weather cooperated and what was supposed to be a rainy/snowy windy day turned out to be filled with sunshine and light winds.
I threw on 3 racks of BB ribs using a couple of store bought rubs, a turkey breast, brined for about 4 hours and a meatloaf made with ground turkey and ground chicken, onion and garlic powders and an assorted of other flavors.
I used Richtee's suggestion of preburning the wood. (Thanks Rich). I've tried to do it before but always wound up with charcoal or more times then not, ash. So today I put a mix of hickory, pecan and cherry wood in the ole Weber charcoal chimney and lit er up. I let the fire get good and hot then spilled out the contents into my fire pit. Spread the pieces around to try to get them out and wound up with some fairly well charred wood chunks. It's still a learning process as when to toss them out but I'll get the hang of it.
I took a few pieces and put them in the wood tray in the CCSV and they gave off almost no visible smoke, just a little of the barely visible thin blue stuff. Whenever I opened the door to spray the ribs I wasn't greeted with a rush of smoke, didn't even see any at all, but I could sure smell it. I did wind up using more wood then usual but it was worth it.
Another thing I tried today was every time I added some new wood chunks to the smoker, I also added a piece of lump charcoal. I was looking to see if it added to the flavor.
Third new method for me was cooking the turkey at a lower temperature. I have always subscribed to the belief that there was no point in smoking poultry low and slow, it's not a tough cut, etc etc. and I always would turn the temp to 300-325. This time I wanted to cook the bird at the same time as the ribs, so I let it go the whole time at 250.
Now I smoke A LOT of poultry as I'm suppose to stay away from red meat and I can tell you it was the best bird I have even cooked. Melted in my mouth it was so juicy and tender.
So here is some Qview of the best smoke this dog has had in awhile.
The weather cooperated and what was supposed to be a rainy/snowy windy day turned out to be filled with sunshine and light winds.
I threw on 3 racks of BB ribs using a couple of store bought rubs, a turkey breast, brined for about 4 hours and a meatloaf made with ground turkey and ground chicken, onion and garlic powders and an assorted of other flavors.
I used Richtee's suggestion of preburning the wood. (Thanks Rich). I've tried to do it before but always wound up with charcoal or more times then not, ash. So today I put a mix of hickory, pecan and cherry wood in the ole Weber charcoal chimney and lit er up. I let the fire get good and hot then spilled out the contents into my fire pit. Spread the pieces around to try to get them out and wound up with some fairly well charred wood chunks. It's still a learning process as when to toss them out but I'll get the hang of it.
I took a few pieces and put them in the wood tray in the CCSV and they gave off almost no visible smoke, just a little of the barely visible thin blue stuff. Whenever I opened the door to spray the ribs I wasn't greeted with a rush of smoke, didn't even see any at all, but I could sure smell it. I did wind up using more wood then usual but it was worth it.
Another thing I tried today was every time I added some new wood chunks to the smoker, I also added a piece of lump charcoal. I was looking to see if it added to the flavor.
Third new method for me was cooking the turkey at a lower temperature. I have always subscribed to the belief that there was no point in smoking poultry low and slow, it's not a tough cut, etc etc. and I always would turn the temp to 300-325. This time I wanted to cook the bird at the same time as the ribs, so I let it go the whole time at 250.
Now I smoke A LOT of poultry as I'm suppose to stay away from red meat and I can tell you it was the best bird I have even cooked. Melted in my mouth it was so juicy and tender.
So here is some Qview of the best smoke this dog has had in awhile.
