Which smoker to buy

[Class71]

You can get cancer from meat? Thought I just had to worry about heart disease and high cholesterol.

The smoking process causes the problem. Also if you burn the meat, particularly chicken, the risk goes up. Number of studies highlight the issue.

50% of men and 33% of women will contract at least one form of cancer in their lifetime. Through diet, weight control and exercise the risk can be cut by more than half.

[rocky_warrior]

Anyone have a pellet smoker?  If so, what kind, and do you like it?

Traeger!  Smoke, grill, be cool. Start it at 10pm, have a perfectly smoked meal when you wake up at 7am.

http://www.traegergrills.com/

(I don't actually have one, but the *best* smoker chefs at my work use them)

[real chili 83]

Crazy weather.  In past 7 days, saw 70 degrees, tornados, 5 degrees, and now, up to7 inches of snow tonight.

I said F it...got the smoker out , and doin some country style ribs tonight.

[rocket surgeon]

Crazy weather.  In past 7 days, saw 70 degrees, tornados, 5 degrees, and now, up to7 inches of snow tonight.

I said F it...got the smoker out , and doin some country style ribs tonight.

nice!  i just did some ribs marinated in stubbs pork marinade all night instead of my rub-then threw 'em on the grill to crisp 'em up topped off with stubbs original-i don't know man-stubby has never let me down yet-no complaints

[real chili 83]

Smoker crapped out this morning. Kept tripping the gfi.  Went to GM and got a new masterbuillt elite.  Cost is $98, retail $167.  Got it for $105. Yeeehaaa, brisket tonight!  Inexpensive unit, but does the job.

Did I say, yeeehaaaa?!

[rocket surgeon]

Smoker crapped out this morning. Kept tripping the gfi.  Went to GM and got a new masterbuillt elite.  Cost is $98, retail $167.  Got it for $105. Yeeehaaa, brisket tonight!  Inexpensive unit, but does the job.

Did I say, yeeehaaaa?!

Wow! 

[MUfan12]

Smoker crapped out this morning. Kept tripping the gfi.  Went to GM and got a new masterbuillt elite.  Cost is $98, retail $167.  Got it for $105. Yeeehaaa, brisket tonight!  Inexpensive unit, but does the job.

Did I say, yeeehaaaa?!

Let me know if there's anything that can be done to keep the temp steady on that thing. I have a Masterbuilt and it really struggles to maintain temperature.

[rocket surgeon]

Let me know if there's anything that can be done to keep the temp steady on that thing. I have a Masterbuilt and it really struggles to maintain temperature.

Not to be a butt-inski but my master built only struggles if it's real cold and/or cold and windy.  Otherwise, not really.  Mine is electric if that pertains

[real chili 83]

Let me know if there's anything that can be done to keep the temp steady on that thing. I have a Masterbuilt and it really struggles to maintain temperature.

Temps will fluctuate a bit, mostly in cold or wind.  Talking to a guy at work today, he puts a couple of large stones in his smoker to keep temps steady. 

[4everwarriors]

As in Rocky Mountain oysters, hey?

[Benny B]

Distracted by the tournament and Paddy's day on Friday, I lost focus on getting my brisket into the brine.  So now I'm planning on a nice pastrami in about a week or so.  Only concern is getting the brine time correct... unlike corned beef (which can be brined indefinitely), the pastrami is supposed to be smoked briefly then oven-roasted and/or steamed (to break down collagen), so I'm unsure as to how much salt is (or even can be) removed from the meat by the steam post-smoke.  Or do I just minimize the brine time and leave it on the smoker a few extra hours in lieu of the oven?  Also, when to trim the fat... before the brine (too late, I didn't), after the brine, after the smoke or after the heat?

RC83 - How did you do yours in October?

[MUfan12]

Temps will fluctuate a bit, mostly in cold or wind.  Talking to a guy at work today, he puts a couple of large stone in his smoker to keep temps steady.

Interesting idea. Might have to give that a shot.

[real chili 83]

Distracted by the tournament and Paddy's day on Friday, I lost focus on getting my brisket into the brine.  So now I'm planning on a nice pastrami in about a week or so.  Only concern is getting the brine time correct... unlike corned beef (which can be brined indefinitely), the pastrami is supposed to be smoked briefly then oven-roasted and/or steamed (to break down collagen), so I'm unsure as to how much salt is (or even can be) removed from the meat by the steam post-smoke.  Or do I just minimize the brine time and leave it on the smoker a few extra hours in lieu of the oven?  Also, when to trim the fat... before the brine (too late, I didn't), after the brine, after the smoke or after the heat?

RC83 - How did you do yours in October?

Took the easy way and bought a flat cut CB and smoked till 205 degrees. No other prep

[rocket surgeon]

time for a road trip-#1-LD's BBQ is in my home town-he is amazing, but my bro-in-law tells me my pulled pork is better than his.  all the rest of LD's stuff is insanely good.  his sammies are legendary in these parts

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wisconsin/best-bbq-sandwiches-wi/

[real chili 83]

time for a road trip-#1-LD's BBQ is in my home town-he is amazing, but my bro-in-law tells me my pulled pork is better than his.  all the rest of LD's stuff is insanely good.  his sammies are legendary in these parts

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com/wisconsin/best-bbq-sandwiches-wi/

What....no Speed Queen?????

[real chili 83]

Going to the annual BBQ seminar with MN BBQ Society on Saturday.  Here's a link to the program.  http://mnbbqsociety.com/2017/02/15/spring-training-2017/

They have great info, and serve a KILLER lunch.   Some of the best BBQ you can get.  One of the speakers, Ryan Cox, Ph.D in meat science (think about that for a minute), is serving home made sausages.  Menu includes ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken too.  Channel your inner Homer Simpson right now.

Looking forward to connecting with Scoop's Grand Poobaah of BBQ, and master KCBS judge, SPW on Saturday. 

[rocket surgeon]

just happened upon this on my facebook page-a friend was there eating.  anyone else know of this or been there?

   http://www.thebaconco.com/kitchen.html

btw, just pulled a 6 lb prime rib out of ole smokey-went to meijer to get a beef brisket and came home with the other beef. they had these beauties all nice and trimmed with the bone tied to the meat for $6.99/lb.  i don't think i could go wrong either way

[manny31]

I love this thread. Anybody have a suggestion for pork loin? It was on sale at Mariano's for 1.35/lb, I normally don't buy this cut but for this price I could not pass up pork. I want to put it on the egg.

[Benny B]

In my experience, pork loin on the smoker is a tough sell.  The relative lack of fat and connective tissue are the bane of any smoker... so I would suggest smoking for flavor but finishing it on a grill or in the oven.

You can't cold smoke pork for obvious reasons (unless you give it a good rub of nitrate), but if the heat is too high, you'll end up cooking out all of the moisture at which point you're better off having the leather on your couch for dinner.

If I had a loin to cook, this is what I would do:

1. Brine the loin overnight.
2. Dry thoroughly, rub with spices/seasonings of choice.
3. Smoke at 150-175 degrees until internal temp 2-3 inches from either end registers 110-125 degrees... thicker the loin the better since you want at least 2-3 hours of smoke contact.
4. Either (a) slice into chops and finish on the grill as usual (note it will cook much faster) or (b) pre-heat an oven to 500 degrees, throw the loin in and immediately turn the temp down to 275 (or shut the oven off if it's well-insulated) and remove when internal temp at the center of the loin (lengthwise) hits 140-145.  Let it rest for 5-10 minutes (internal temp should rise another 5-10 degrees... you want to hit a minimum safe temp of 145 just as you're ready to serve).  Slice and serve

[rocket surgeon]

Going to the annual BBQ seminar with MN BBQ Society on Saturday.  Here's a link to the program.  http://mnbbqsociety.com/2017/02/15/spring-training-2017/

They have great info, and serve a KILLER lunch.   Some of the best BBQ you can get.  One of the speakers, Ryan Cox, Ph.D in meat science (think about that for a minute), is serving home made sausages.  Menu includes ribs, brisket, pulled pork, and chicken too.  Channel your inner Homer Simpson right now.

Looking forward to connecting with Scoop's Grand Poobaah of BBQ, and master KCBS judge, SPW on Saturday.

yo chili! (or anyone else who knows wussup) how is famous dave in your humble opinion?  they closed the one they had in waukesha some time ago.  i've been to the original up in hayward and it was...ok.  i was to another one some time ago, and was not real impressed.  so not impressed that i really don't think of famous daves when i want some good brisket, et.al. what made me think about fame dave is i opened this article about "5 signs you're at a bad bbq" and scrolled down between #3 & 4 and they have a video showing dave at work.  well, if this is what he serves at his restaurants, i'm doing a bee-line to the nearest one.  is this how he rolls, or did the corporate nature water down his product? 

http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2017/05/17/barbecue-secrets-5-signs-youre-at-bad-barbecue-joint.html

[manny31]

Thanks Benny. I will give it a go as you suggest.

[real chili 83]

yo chili! (or anyone else who knows wussup) how is famous dave in your humble opinion?  they closed the one they had in waukesha some time ago.  i've been to the original up in hayward and it was...ok.  i was to another one some time ago, and was not real impressed.  so not impressed that i really don't think of famous daves when i want some good brisket, et.al. what made me think about fame dave is i opened this article about "5 signs you're at a bad bbq" and scrolled down between #3 & 4 and they have a video showing dave at work.  well, if this is what he serves at his restaurants, i'm doing a bee-line to the nearest one.  is this how he rolls, or did the corporate nature water down his product? 

http://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/2017/05/17/barbecue-secrets-5-signs-youre-at-bad-barbecue-joint.html

Dave Anderson is a competitor to Famous Daves now.  FD went public many years ago, and ended up hiring a CEO with a McDonalds pedigree. He moved the HQ to Oakbrook, and screwed it up royally.

FD is average BBQ at best now.  Dave Anderson owns a new, small chain called Old Southern.  Decent BBQ. There's one near your family's cabin...in Hayward.

Dave Anderson has a tremendous cook book with a ton of details. Worth buying. I've got one that's autographed by DA.  He's a really interesting dude with a great life story.  As a business leader, he had great vision, but was all over the map.  With that said, the man is one of the best BBQ cooks on the planet.

If you ever get a chance to eat a meal made personally by DA, I would guess it would be in your top 5 of your lifetime.   

[rocket surgeon]

famous dave has about 4 books out.  which one do you recommend?  backroards..., recipes for success, ribolicious, and the party cookbook.

  since we've become Az. sonorans, haven't spent much time up in hayward.  my sister and bro-in-law took it over and they jazzed up the place even more and now they are rented/booked solid throughout the year.  they are getting $1500-2000 per week for rentals.  i'm getting too old for wood ticks and lymes disease.  now we just have to be on the lookout for an occasional scorpion.  i'm fixin to add a smoker to my outdoor kitchen in Az.

[real chili 83]

Party cookbook.

[Hards Alumni]

famous dave has about 4 books out.  which one do you recommend?  backroards..., recipes for success, ribolicious, and the party cookbook.

  since we've become Az. sonorans, haven't spent much time up in hayward.  my sister and bro-in-law took it over and they jazzed up the place even more and now they are rented/booked solid throughout the year.  they are getting $1500-2000 per week for rentals.  i'm getting too old for wood ticks and lymes disease.  now we just have to be on the lookout for an occasional scorpion.  i'm fixin to add a smoker to my outdoor kitchen in Az.

Oh, so you've been to Little Miss BBQ?