tips on smoke N Woods

[rickhise]

new too smoke N, 
I would like basic tips, no competition, prefer user friendly new bee here, too new to know what flavor I want,
hardly ever had a thing off my grill I didn't enjoy.

over the next season  pulled pork smoked
and or baby back ribs   go  too dishes

I have the Lowes "charlies", 3 1/2 barrel smoker, gas/char/smoker style set up  if Im saying it correctly.
this is way to broad for help,  let me start by asking.
IM told fruit woods are preferred, (is cherry of any type safe)  we never let life  stock around  it.
the process of the heat, from start to finish, (disregard meat process).  for baby back when the match is struck  thanks 

[pabst79]

Hi rickhise,
Cherry is my favorite, apple is good too. I also started playing with wild plum wood last fall and it also is really good with pork or yard bird. If you ever smoke fish, try alder wood it has a unique flavor! I use an electric and a large wood/charcoal fired smoker, can't go wrong really, just play around til it suites your tastes.

[rickhise]

thanks,

Would I be correct in assuming the meat cooks slowly over my charcoal side, till tender,  with my unit  the smoker is off to the side.
would u routinely light both units together?
or is it ok to just  slow cook  x amount of time and then start the smoker.  tenderness is foremost for sure,
tips or thoughts appreciated,   I know  other forums  would answer  but  most hardy chainsaw users make the best cookers

[drobertson]

Howdy rickhise, I have used the indirect method on my weber for years. I have recently been trying the 2 stage smoking unit from a friend.  It's just an old water heater for the meat, and a pressure tank for the fire.  With the cold weather it has been hard to maintain a good consistent heat from just the smoke.  It takes a little longer to get the meat up to heat.  Hickory is al I have used. The taste is great,  My friend did mention when I picked it up that a small charge of charcoal in the meat chamber could be used for a more consistent temp. He uses any fruit wood, along with oak and hickory.  Cant help with what flavors you get from different woods, I have been thinking any rub or marinade wood also affect the taste as well.  Good luck, let us know of your next smoke project and how it went,    david

[21incher]

Welcome rickhise. I usually use Hickory for pulled pork about (7 hours), Brine and use mesquite for turkey legs, and if you want chicken that tastes like bacon I take chicken thighs brine them overnight and smoke with crabapple and pecan. Try to keep the temp down as meat stops taking on smoke flavor after it hits around 165 deg. Everyone seems to have different preferences when it comes to the flavors so keep trying until you find a wood or combination that works for you. There are some good ideas on the Weber forum http://tvwbb.com/forum.php?s=e86ac85d523816ed929340bbc6720bad

[pabst79]

21 brings up a good point about meat not taking smoke after a fairly low temp is reached, I make sure my smoker whether it be the large wood/char unit or electric is putting off good smoke BEfore putting precious protein on the grates. I had a neighbor who said he never got smoke flavor when trying to use his new LP smoker, he would fire smoker set his meat on and then add his damp wood chips! The best smoke was coming out of the smoker while his family was eating dinner!  :

[husky fan 500]

ive made my own keilbasa 4th generation secret family recepie  this was almost famous around here  dad and gramps used anything with a fruit or nut but favored shag bark hickory gotta be shaggy not smooth and apple wood  they also had the old time smokehouse witch was really a small shed with the fire built inside on the concrete floor

[LeeB]

Do a search on smoking. There are numerous threads on smoking.

[Magicman]

Hello rickhise, and Welcome to the Forestry Forum.   

[luvmexfood]

I used to smoke a lot with a little charbroil electric smoker. For wood I would go out in yard and saw off a green limb of a tree and use it. Apple was good but my favorite was maple. Especially in the spring when the sap was up. Tried hickory oak etc. Trouble was they did not grow in the yard and it was easy to take a little bow saw and get the wood. 5 minutes and I had wood for the smoker.

[drobertson]

I did learn a lil over the week end on smoking some pork shoulders, and this was how the meat stalled at 153 degrees, I read up on it and learned that a wrap of foil will re-engage the temp climb.  It seems the moisture comes to the surface causing evaporation, and this cools and stalls the cooking. After the wrap it went to 169 in a matter of minutes.  There is plenty to learn about this type of cooking, I reckon I will need to continue my education ;D     david

[caveman]

I am no expert but occasionally I cook / smoke some meat.  I like to build a charcoal fire in the fire box and add wood.  I prefer to cook with dry wood (I spilt it and keep it in stacks in an old green house).  I would rather have a relatively clear smoke coming out of the stacks-not chugging like a train.  The meat will still taste smoked but it will not be over powering. Black cherry is my favorite but sometimes I will use citrus, pignut hickory, pecan or water oak.  The dry wood still imparts a good taste and puts a nice 3/4" smoke ring in a pork butt but it does not taste too smoky.  Usually, I like to cook pork around 250° and the chicken around 325°.  The butts are wrapped or put into pans after about three hours and then left on for six or eight more hours on a cooling grill.

When making sausage, we really smoke it up with a cool fire and wet wood.  Lots of folks do it their own way and make good tasting food.   

  

  

  These are a few pictures of some of the food that was cooked on Global Warming II (the grill).  Caveman

[drobertson]

Real nice caveman!  I was told I might want, or need to put in some auxiliary heat like charcoal to help with the heat, another lesson learned, thanks,   and I am with you on the clear smoke, to heavy gets my gut a little bit,   david

[luvmexfood]

Should be a rule against posting pictures of such good looking food. Ha.  8)

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I have access to alot of hickory so that's what i use.
When a branch falls out of the pecan tree I'll use that too.
When I started I used red oak worked very well.

My advise is start out easy, just use 1 or 2 chunks of smoking wood or it may make your meat bitter. If the wood is green it will put out more smoke so I use less there too.

Jon

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Here's another tip for ya, mind your grill and meat temperatures. I have 2 temp probes, I put one in the meat and one on the grill so I can monitor both. It's all about time and temp. Low and slow is the way of the BBQer!