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New smoker!

child of wonder

child of wonder

Diamond Member
Got myself a Masterbuilt 30 inch electric smoker this last weekend. Made up my own rub and smoked two chickens in apple wood. It was incredible!

This coming weekend I plan on smoking a 9 lb pork shoulder and 4 racks of ribs. My hope was to brine the meat the night before and use a brown sugar, pepper, and apple cider vinegar based mop on them. Then I'll be making a homemade BBQ sauce with whiskey, honey, molasses, and cayenne pepper.

Any veteran smokers have any tips or advice on cooking pork shoulder and ribs? Favorite rubs?
 
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I use a Big Green Egg for all my grilling and smoking needs.

The last time I cooked I used Alton Brown's brine for 8 hours.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pulled-pork-recipe/index.html

Then I used Meathead's Magic Dust for the rub.
http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/meatheads_memphis_dust.html

Then cooked it with apple chunks at 240 degrees F or 15 hours. For the last few hours I would base it with a mixture of apple juice, and brown sugar every 1/2 hour to make a great crust.
 
I wouldn't consider myself a veteran, but I bought a smoker last year and I've had a lot of success (based on people completely devouring the food at my parties).

I use this recipe for Baby Backs, and this recipe for Pork Butt. No brine involved in either of those recipes...I actually don't know if I've ever had brined butt or ribs.

Your pork butt is going to take a lot longer than the ribs. If you check those recipes, you'll see that they call for the smoker temp to get cranked up for the 2nd half of the rib cook. If you're trying to do the butt and ribs at the same time, I wouldn't increase the temp at the end because (IMO) 275°F is too high for Butt (especially the end of the cook when you're just waiting for the center of the meat to come up to temp).

I've gotten in the habit of smoking my pork butt the day before a party because it can take so long (especially if you hit a temperature plateau), and I save other (faster) meats like ribs and chicken for the day of.

Have fun and be patient, because good BBQ takes time. I know you've got an electric smoker, and that website that I linked to for the recipes is geared towards Webers, but there is all kinds of good information on there that would apply to any type of smoker (recipes, meat prep procedures, estimated cook times, etc)
 
Why did you go with electric rather than propane? I'm thinking of getting a small cabinet smoker and I was wondering whether to go gas or electric.
 
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I just cut up a few apple trees a couple weeks ago. I keep thinking I need to grab a chipper and throw some of the wood into it & get my smoker up and running again.
 
There are two types of threads that demand pics:

1. anything that involves females.

2. anything that involves food.
 
Squisher said:
Why did you go with electric rather than propane? I'm thinking of getting a small cabinet smoker and I was wondering whether to go gas or electric.
Click to expand...

If you're gonna get a smoker get a charcoal smoker. Save the propane for your grill. The weber smokey mountain is the best small scale smoker money can buy.
 
For ribs:

Only cut we use is St. Louis and remove the membrane so the smoke & rub penetrates.

Rub liberally, smoke for 3hrs at around 225-240 degrees. Check for done-ness, should be close. Remove ribs, wrap in aluminum foil with a blend of BBQ Sauce, Mustard, brown sugar slathered on.

Back onto the smoker, to cook through for another 1- 1.5hrs. Keeps the meat moist.

Remove ribs, place on a grill to caramelize and crisp up the exterior & sauce. Slice & serve.
 
Harrod said:
Anyone have an opinion on the bradley smokers?
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Like Pellet Smokers, I've heard it does not get the food smokey enough. If you are used to real smoked BBQ it does not measure up. Adds nice flavor but not enough smokiness for quite a few folks.

Charcoal and hard-wood is the best. We use electric and wood chips/chunks soaked in water.
 
Fmr12B said:
For ribs:

Only cut we use is St. Louis and remove the membrane so the smoke & rub penetrates.

Rub liberally, smoke for 3hrs at around 225-240 degrees. Check for done-ness, should be close. Remove ribs, wrap in aluminum foil with a blend of BBQ Sauce, Mustard, brown sugar slathered on.

Back onto the smoker, to cook through for another 1- 1.5hrs. Keeps the meat moist.

Remove ribs, place on a grill to caramelize and crisp up the exterior & sauce. Slice & serve.
Click to expand...

This is the most important part of smoking ribs. I learned the hard way the first time I tried to use my smoker.
 
Squisher said:
Why did you go with electric rather than propane? I'm thinking of getting a small cabinet smoker and I was wondering whether to go gas or electric.
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Simplicity.

Texashiker said:
The words "electric" and "smoker" go together like oil and water.

This is a troll thread, I thought we were going to be talking about real smokers.
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Fail. The method of heating the wood chips is irrelevant. What matters is the smoke.

Besides, the smoker is going on my wood deck so I'd have to be a fool to put a charcoal smoker on there.
 
I have that very same smoker and love it. Ive been using it for a little over a year and everything that comes out of it has a nice smoke flavor and is always falling apart.
 
Texashiker said:
First its a electric smoker, now you mention a charcoal smoker?

Do you have any idea what a smoker is?

I'll give you some advice, smoking does not include electricity or charcoal.
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I assumed you meant charcoal but you probably mean a wood fire smoker. Again, I would not put that on a wood deck.
 
child of wonder said:
I assumed you meant charcoal but you probably mean a wood fire smoker. Again, I would not put that on a wood deck.
Click to expand...

Sixguns said:
I have that very same smoker and love it. Ive been using it for a little over a year and everything that comes out of it has a nice smoke flavor and is always falling apart.
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If yall want to call your outdoor electric oven a smoker, well, I guess that is ok.

Required pic of my pit

DSC09829Small.jpg
 
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Texashiker said:
When you post in a public forum, do not get butt hurt when someone post something you do not like.

Like I said, if you want to call your oven a smoker, that is fine with me.

IMG_4088Small.jpg
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Not butt hurt, just annoyed that you feel your opinion trumps all.

What would you like me to do? Return my "electric oven" and drop tens of thousands of dollars on a trailer mounted wood fire smoker and a pickup to pull it with just because you feel I don't truly have a smoker?

Take your over inflated sense of self worth and opinions elsewhere please.
 
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