I am a smoker, the BBQ type.

[SpatiallyAware]

I prefer to drain my bbq baked beans, then mix in some BBQ sauce and little bit of the drippings. I then let them smoke on their own for a few hours.

I'm right there with you, I understand the taste appeal of leaving beans under pork shoulders, but I don't know if the benefits outweigh the downsides. Those shoulders tend to let go of a LOT of fat.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Guys, can the WSM be used separately as a grill?

I know the mini WSM you make yourself can, but what about the 22.5 WSM?

 

[NetWareHead]

Guys, can the WSM be used separately as a grill?

I know the mini WSM you make yourself can, but what about the 22.5 WSM?

You could if you lift out the entire middle section. The charcoal goes i n the bottom piece. Sure, put a grate on top and grill away. The lid may even fit and make a seal too, never tried it and my smoker is packed away for the winter at the moment.

 

[Uppsala9496]

Guys, can the WSM be used separately as a grill?

I know the mini WSM you make yourself can, but what about the 22.5 WSM?

Yes. A friend of mine has one (the 22.5) and has used it as a grill.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Oh man. I found a 70's vintage weber kettle in good shape. It looks like a fireball. The porcelain looks to be about 98%, couple small chips.

Trying not to jump on it. The person wants $75, I can just about buy a new one for that. But it wouldn't be fireball red and hipster retro.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Still mulling over a WSM or 22.5 kettle. That vintage one was sold.


Any tips on what to cook this weekend? I enjoy low and slow, 6-20 hour cooks. Over the last month I've done two briskets, beef ribs, and a butt. Wanting to do something different this weekend.

No pork ribs. Thinking about trying to track down a bison shoulder.

 

[NetWareHead]

Still mulling over a WSM or 22.5 kettle. That vintage one was sold.


Any tips on what to cook this weekend? I enjoy low and slow, 6-20 hour cooks. Over the last month I've done two briskets, beef ribs, and a butt. Wanting to do something different this weekend.

No pork ribs. Thinking about trying to track down a bison shoulder.

I am chomping at the bit to do some pulled pork so thats going to be my recommendation to you. Just waiting for snow to melt and bet a little warmer to spend outside. My last pulled pork smoke was during the summer last year and I experimented whether boston butt or picnic was the better cut to use. I made a thread about here: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2327083&highlight=picnic and my conclusion was that picnic had a slightly better pork taste to it but boston butt was way juicier and more moist. I ended up combining both meats and vacuum sealed/froze 12 1 pound portions.

I used this recipe and was pretty happy: http://amazingribs.com/recipes/porknography/perfect_pulled_pork.html The rub for the meat came from here (Meathead's Memphis dust): http://amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/meatheads_memphis_dust.html

 

[Crotulus]

Still mulling over a WSM or 22.5 kettle. That vintage one was sold.

That depends on what you really want to do with it. The WSM is an awesome smoker but not great for grilling. You'll need to remove the center section to grill placing the whole thing way to low. The 22.5" kettle on the other hand is an awesome grill and so so smoker. Yes it can be used as a smoker but it's just not going to be as efficient as the WSM in regards to heat stability and fuel consumption. You'll definitely see the difference in the long smokes you appear to enjoy.

Since you already have a big green egg I'd say keep it for smoking and get a kettle for grilling.

 

[Jeeebus]

I'll be doing another 40 lbs or so of pulled pork (Boston butt) on the WSM next month for the kids' birthday party. Best/juiciest/tastiest recipe thus far has been the "championship injected" recipe on virtualweberbullet.com. comes out great.

 

[OutHouse]

what do you guys think of the Traeger smokers? if you catch the dealer at costco on a sunday afternoon you can get a killer deal.

2 sundays ago the rep offeed to the Traeger junior to me for 199 plus a couple of bags of pellets and a cover. i was in my car so i had no time to run home and get the minivan and im not much of impulse shopper so i had to pass on the deal.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I definitely prefer butts for pulled pork, I did one over apple wood last Saturday night.

For generic bbq pulled pork I do a 50/50 mix of dizzy dust and byron's butt rub. I sometimes add some turbinado sugar or chili powder, I did not this time.

I smoke with a water pan for first 1/2 of the cook, dry for the remainder (This is "Georgia Style BBQ"). Around 195-200 internal, I try to take it off the smoker before it turns to mush, I like some texture in my pulled pork. I spritzed with 50/50 apple juice and cider vinegar, I will not do that next time as I think it rinsed off some of the saltiness of the rub..

This one was 9lb before cooking, made for a couple of healthy meals and then I froze 3-4 large portions for later.


Also did a "stuffed fatty" = sage breakfast log sausage stuffed with some jalepeno sausage from my butcher, some shredded cheese, rub, and sliced poblano pepper, then wrapped it with about 6 slices of bacon in a weave. It was excellent.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

what do you guys think of the Traeger smokers? if you catch the dealer at costco on a sunday afternoon you can get a killer deal.

2 sundays ago the rep offeed to the Traeger junior to me for 199 plus a couple of bags of pellets and a cover. i was in my car so i had no time to run home and get the minivan and im not much of impulse shopper so i had to pass on the deal.

Pellet smokers are a little too mechanized for me. They work great, no doubt, but there's no human interaction.

A huge part of BBQ is sitting outside hanging out with family/friends and casually tending to the vents and smoker. I love waking up Sunday morning and poking at the coals and playing with the vents. I also like trying different smoking woods and methods.

It's a hugely personal decision, but I would only consider a pellet smoker if I lived up north and it was cold all the time. Even then, I doubt I'd get one. But tons of guys love them, I think they cater more towards people who dread the thought of having to mess with a grill. They just want to flip a switch and get perfectly consistent results.

Also those pellet smokers don't sear. So you would probably want another grill for burgers/steaks.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

I spritzed with 50/50 apple juice and cider vinegar, I will not do that next time as I think it rinsed off some of the saltiness of the rub..

If you are concerned about that but still want to add moisture during the cook, try adding a bunch of rub to your 50:50 mix and mop it on instead of spraying.

 

[NetWareHead]

what do you guys think of the Traeger smokers? if you catch the dealer at costco on a sunday afternoon you can get a killer deal.

2 sundays ago the rep offeed to the Traeger junior to me for 199 plus a couple of bags of pellets and a cover. i was in my car so i had no time to run home and get the minivan and im not much of impulse shopper so i had to pass on the deal.

You need to also only buy the traeger pellets. I love my WSM because you can use regular chunk wood and charcoal

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Anyone ever tried smoking apricots before? I did a bunch this year and they came out great for apps.

Basically do the following:

Cook some bacon.

Wrap dried apricots with the bacon

Smoke the bacon wrapped apricots for ~30 minutes at ~200-225 (or longer if you want)

Take them off the smoker and let them cool.

Add a small sprig of sage under the bacon and serve.

Friggin delicious.

 

[OutHouse]

Pellet smokers are a little too mechanized for me. They work great, no doubt, but there's no human interaction.

A huge part of BBQ is sitting outside hanging out with family/friends and casually tending to the vents and smoker. I love waking up Sunday morning and poking at the coals and playing with the vents. I also like trying different smoking woods and methods.

It's a hugely personal decision, but I would only consider a pellet smoker if I lived up north and it was cold all the time. Even then, I doubt I'd get one. But tons of guys love them, I think they cater more towards people who dread the thought of having to mess with a grill. They just want to flip a switch and get perfectly consistent results.

Also those pellet smokers don't sear. So you would probably want another grill for burgers/steaks.

my thing is living in colorado getting the hardwood. it does not grow here so it has buying the bagged wood at lowes is just about the only option. I do agree i do like messing with my firebox and smoking out the neighbors . when i am smoking and tossing in that expensive hardwood i just got a lowes I think of all that beautiful hardwood that my bro in law gets for free in texas. bastard... lol

i do have a Weber Genesis grill and she is my baby. i need to wash her down this weekend she is a little dusty.

 

[OutHouse]

....

 

[SpatiallyAware]

my thing is living in colorado getting the hardwood. it does not grow here so it has buying the bagged wood at lowes is just about the only option. I do agree i do like messing with my firebox and smoking out the neighbors . when i am smoking and tossing in that expensive hardwood i just got a lowes I think of all that beautiful hardwood that my bro in law gets for free in texas. bastard... lol

i do have a Weber Genesis grill and she is my baby. i need to wash her down this weekend she is a little dusty.

I'm in about the same boat regarding hardwood, I've gotten to where I buy most of mine online. It's about the same price as weber brand but much better quality. I also only use 2-5 chunks mixed in with lump, which lasts an entire cook on my egg.

Whatever you do, don't buy western. That stuff is terrible. Even if you luck out and find a bag that's not moldy, the flavor is nothing like weber or independently sourced stuff.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Did turbo babyback ribs last night and wow.... Super impressed. I'm not sure how well this would work with spares but it turned out some excellent babybacks.

We don't like mushy/greasy meat, and that is usually how foiled stuff turns out. I try to render or cook the fat out over the coals before foiling, if I have to foil it's to speed up cooking times. I was skeptical of the turbo style of cooking but only had about 3 hours if we were going to eat ribs last night.

These are what I call eastern european ribs, copied from the wifey's babushka.

Basically 3 parts salt, 2 parts herbs de provence, 1.5 part turbinado or brown sugar, 1.5 part pepper, dash of garlic powder. I sometimes sprinkle in a little bbq rub or mexene chili powder. Never let any seasonings with salt sit on ribs more than a few hours as it starts to turns them to ham.

Cooked 350-375 grate, indirect with plate setter and a couple of firebricks, tiny water pan.

After they got dark mahogany colored, about 1.5hrs I very lightly spritzed with 50/50 cider vinegar and apple juice, let them set up for 10 min, and lightly foiled bone side up with maybe 1tsp of spritz for 1hr.

Then opened the foil and finished naked for 30 min, basting with drippings from foil.

These were quite possibly some of the best babybacks I've done. Usually they seem a little greasy to me, but I suppose cooking them at high heat renders the grease out better than low temps. Now sure how or why. The texture was almost like korean galbi more than fall of the bone. No grease, no fat, but meat had good pull and texture. Maybe a little dryer than low and slow but definitely not dried out like I expected.

I might try turbo spares.. Everything I thought I knew about low and slow bbq is being undone! I don't think this method would cater well to traditional bbq sauced fall of the bone bb ribs, but it's great otherwise. Also thinking the extra fat in babybacks helps them stay moist.

 

[echo4747]

I decided to buy an electric smoker (Smokin' it brand http://www.smokin-it.com/Smoker_p/smkmdl2.htm ) The question I was hoping someone could help me out with is: I was told peach wood is good for smoking. So about 2 yrs ago I had a peach tree that lost a large limb and I cut it up into 16 in long pieces ( I saved everything from 2 in diameter branches and up) I stacked it and let it dry. Now I want to cut these into chunks with an electric miter saw. What size chunks would be best to cut these for use in the smoker? I was thinking around 2dia x 1-1/2 in long. Should I also remove the bark for use in the smoker?

 

[Uppsala9496]

That size chunk should work depending on how large an area you have for wood. Have never used an electric myself.
As for the bark. If you can remove it easily I would. I've used chunks with the bark and the meat turned out fine.

 

[OutHouse]

I've never seen anbody remove the bark.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Here are my thoughts.. I don't remove the bark, but I also don't use chunks of loose bark in the bag of wood.

"Premium" smoking wood rarely has bark. It's just chunks of clean wood.

Some (few) people prefer bark as smoking wood.

If I were in your situation I would probably let the wood smolder a little bit longer to make sure the bark is mostly carbonized before putting the meat on.

On a side note, I've found that wood quality varies a lot. I won't buy anymore "Western" brand because it often smells funky even if it looks ok. I've gotten moldy wood from them as well.

 

[Fritzo]

Oh man. I found a 70's vintage weber kettle in good shape. It looks like a fireball. The porcelain looks to be about 98%, couple small chips.

Trying not to jump on it. The person wants $75, I can just about buy a new one for that. But it wouldn't be fireball red and hipster retro.

 

[RagingBITCH]

He'll need to get high heat paint, or suffer through toxic paint flaking everywhere at his next bbq.