VETERANS HELP!!!

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scsim13

Fire Starter
Original poster
Oct 17, 2013
49
10
Central Illinois (Peoria)
I'm new to the website and new to smoking. I received a hand me down "bullet" smoker and have been hooked since. So far I've smoked pork butt, chicken and ribs with hickory and apple wood. I'm open to any and all advice/tips/tricks.
 
:welcome1: to SMF!!! We're happy you found us! You've come to the right place, we have over 50,000 members who just love to share their experience and over 1,000,000 posts describing it! Yea that’s right over 1,000,000!

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to SMF!  We are so glad you joined us! 

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Hello and welcome from East Texas. This is a great site, lots of information and great people that are willing to throw in their two cents worth on about anything  ........  
[/h1][h1]  [/h1][h1]Gary[/h1]
 
I'm new to the website and new to smoking. I received a hand me down "bullet" smoker and have been hooked since. So far I've smoked pork butt, chicken and ribs with hickory and apple wood. I'm open to any and all advice/tips/tricks.
Are you having some specific problems.....  The search bar, at the top of the page, can be a great help.....   Dave
 
Just let everyone know what you want to try next, and I am quite sure you will get plenty of help and opinions.

Gary
 
When I tried spare ribs, the smoke flavor was great and I think I've got my dry rub down, which I coat 24hrs before and wrap with Saran, but they were not fall off the bone which is what I was hoping for. Had on smoker for about 5 hrs, internal was about 165. Any tips for increasing tenderness?
 
Want to smoke a turkey. Should I brine? Any good brine recipes? Should I leave on smoker for entire cooking time, or move to oven or grill for partial time? Any advice will help, thanks.
 
When I tried spare ribs, the smoke flavor was great and I think I've got my dry rub down, which I coat 24hrs before and wrap with Saran, but they were not fall off the bone which is what I was hoping for. Had on smoker for about 5 hrs, internal was about 165. Any tips for increasing tenderness?
If they are St Louis Spares try 3-2-1 (3 hrs unwraped, 2 hrs wrapped in foil, 1 hr unwrapped. If baby backs try 2-2-1.
 
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Want to smoke a turkey. Should I brine? Any good brine recipes? Should I leave on smoker for entire cooking time, or move to oven or grill for partial time? Any advice will help, thanks.
if not already "enhanced" I recommend a brine. Search for Alton Brown's Turkey Brine. It's great. I leave mine on the smoker the entire time.

 
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The flavors are up to you, what you and your family like. When I do ribs part of my family like Dry and spicy part like wet and sweet and some like sweet spicy and a little wet. To get your ribs fall off the bone you will need to cook them longer. I did ribs  and brisket last week the ribs I did the 3-2-1 method almost   ..... I did 3-2 and about 30 min. and they were just right. My brisket I smoked for 6 hours, pulled it, wrapped it in butcher paper and back on the smoker for about another 6 hours. Then wrapped it in a couple of old towels and lest rest for an hour ( I like 2 hours) but everyone was wanting to eat. Chickens and Turkeys I do both ways. If I have time I like to brine, makes the meat real juicy and flavorful. Again kind'a depends what flavors you like I usually just go with salt, pepper corns, Tony's, and some Brown sugar. I will usually let my turkeys go overnight, chickens at least 5 or 6 hours or overnight if you have the time. I do a lot of Stand up Chickens (Beer Can Chicken) on the grill. I will usually put them in a brine about mid morning to be ready to put on the grill around 5:00.  Anyway hop this little bit of input helps.

Gary
 
Want to smoke a turkey. Should I brine? Any good brine recipes? Should I leave on smoker for entire cooking time, or move to oven or grill for partial time? Any advice will help, thanks.
Hi, I just did 2 18lb birds for Thanksgiving. I have a very good brine mix and my ideas on what I did, these 2 birds turned out fabulous. Very tender and extremely juicy along with a fantastic flavour.

Give it a try. Paul.
 
My smoker is charcoal, and I've been using natural charcoal and mostly applewood and hickory with the charcoal. Any woods give better flavors than others? Certain charcoals burn hotter/cleaner than others? Another buddy smokes and on occasion tries to get pecan because he swears it gives the best flavors. Any other ideas/preferences or favorites out there I should try?
 
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