Getting a smoker.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

It'll be an electric. Don't @ me; it's a matter of convenience.

Anyhoo…

Next weekend will be the inaugural smoking. Any suggestions for cut of meat, rub recipes, helpful tips, etc.?

[txradioguy]

It'll be an electric. Don't @ me; it's a matter of convenience.

Anyhoo…

Next weekend will be the inaugural smoking. Any suggestions for cut of meat, rub recipes, helpful tips, etc.?

We got an electric smoker fathers day weekend and have used it twice so far to cook a brisket and the meat has come out perfect.

I have zero complaints with an electric smoker....make sure you get the one that lets you add wood chips to give what you're smoking flavor.

As far as marinades...here's my favorite whether I'm using an electric or wood smoker:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-odds-brisket-marinade-335249

[BadCat]

I just got one of these....

https://www.cuisinart.com/products/outdoor_grilling/smokers_pellets/cpg-4000.html

Only have done a pork shoulder on it so far...came out great.

Sgt Bunny...try ribs or a pork butt or shoulder first...they're easy and there are lots of recipes.

[freedumb2003b]

Oh.

I thought you were adopting/marrying someone who likes their cigars.

[DLR Pyro]

a friend of mine swears by Traeger https://www.traegergrills.com/shop?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-o_bBRCOARIsAM5NbIOk4ZKMsnrA4bS-JiAmN0gYu0DvW7e5-DiWHgJWwRP7AIEsx5ppTNsaAiBtEALw_wcB

[Dblhaul]

I got an electric last winter. Been doing a lot of chicken with good results, brine it first. Did my first tri tip a month or so ago, my wife insisted I do another the following weekend!
With the chicken , after brining I pat it dry then rub it down with EVOO. Then use a store bought seasoning rub. I also like to stuff the bird with root veggies. I like Apple or Cherry chips for the chicken.
The tri tip I use hickory, smoke for 2 plus hours then wrap in foil with a few pats of butter and brown sugar. Back in the smoker for a few more hours till it hits 195 internal temp.
I just got a portable gas mini smoker to, will use it while camping.

[Dblhaul]

The mini smoker did great. Cornish game Hens for 4 hours @ 225. Perfect.

[Dblhaul]

Used a gas smoker for a ribeye roast. one hour of wood smoke then wrap. Came out tender as all get out, perfect for pulled beef dip.

[Dblhaul]

Just got a Green Mountain table top smoker 4 or 5 weeks ago. Uses pellets. Got it because I was frustrated with my camp site grills running way too hot and no temp control.
It runs off of 110 or 12v so I can use it while rough camping. So far it has cooked everything I have put on it to perfection. 
You set the temp you want and it holds it within 2 degrees up or down.

[RuralNc]

Used a gas smoker for a ribeye roast. one hour of wood smoke then wrap. Came out tender as all get out, perfect for pulled beef dip.

Ever do Brisket? I know some folks who raise beef. They do it the right way. They are into Regenerative Farming, and all that. The beef is a little more expensive, but absolutely worth every penny.

I just rub the Brisket with Salt and Pepper. Then Texas Post Oak pellets for about 4 hours, at around 230 degrees. Then wrap in foil and put it in the oven to finish. No sense in wasting propane running the smoker.

[Dblhaul]

Picked up a small brisket to try, it's waiting in the freezer until it warms up a bit, 14 degrees here this AM.
Will be my first brisket that I have smoked. I have done a lot of pork and yard bird.

[Eupher]

Picked up a small brisket to try, it's waiting in the freezer until it warms up a bit, 14 degrees here this AM.
Will be my first brisket that I have smoked. I have done a lot of pork and yard bird.

When you're ready, I strongly suggest you get some butcher's paper (not plastic-lined).

There are tons of recipes outlining what I'm talking about, so I won't get into the weeds on it -- just note that a brisket takes a LOT longer to smoke than baby back ribs, for example. Low and slow. And the smoking is done in two stages -- first, in the smoker unwrapped, and then after that first go-round, to wrap the brisket (whether the flat or the point, but the flat will be easier to slice and has less fat on it) in butcher's paper with a stick of butter inside, then put it back in the smoker for the second round.

The key thing is the internal temperature. You should wind up at about 185 deg. F after smoking at about 200-210 deg. F. Probably 7-8 hours total, depending on the size of your brisket.

Slice across the grain, otherwise you get shreds.

Like everything else, everybody's got their own way. But after some experimentation, trial and error, I find the butcher's paper route to yield a tender brisket without too many "burnt ends."

[Dblhaul]

Eupher,

Thank you for the suggestions!
I had planned to wrap with the butcher paper as you described.
The butter trick sounds great, I'll try it.
I had also planned on injecting the meat with beef broth for added tenderness.

As RuralNC suggested, I will just be doing S&P seasoning.

Merry Christmas!

[Eupher]

Eupher,

Thank you for the suggestions!
I had planned to wrap with the butcher paper as you described.
The butter trick sounds great, I'll try it.
I had also planned on injecting the meat with beef broth for added tenderness.

As RuralNC suggested, I will just be doing S&P seasoning.

Merry Christmas!

Agreed with S&P as the only seasoning. The smoky flavor is enough, I think, without all the dry rub stuff that seems to go so well on pork shoulders. I like using chunk charcoal with some chunks of mesquite, or hickory, or oak, or any kind of hardwood. I'm not too picky on the type of wood, but I've learned not to use briquets.

I've never tried injecting any sort of meat product with anything, but I've seen it done, especially with poultry. Brining poultry has always worked for me. But the injection technique for a flat brisket sounds pretty good. The point has enough fat in it without injecting it with broth/stock, I think, but please report back and tell us how it went.

And Merry Christmas to you and your family as well!

[Dblhaul]

Eupher,
As noted a few posts ago, I am now running a small table top pellet stove.
I'll use hickory pellets for the smoke then wrap as you suggested.
I saw injecting on some BBQ TV show, tried it and am hooked LOL.
I'm ready for winter to come and go. It's cold here.

[Eupher]

Eupher,
As noted a few posts ago, I am now running a small table top pellet stove.
I'll use hickory pellets for the smoke then wrap as you suggested.
I saw injecting on some BBQ TV show, tried it and am hooked LOL.
I'm ready for winter to come and go. It's cold here.

Ah, cool! My BIL uses pellets in his smoker. I have no experience with pellet smokers, but he swears by them. (Probably less ash to deal with as well.) 

[Dblhaul]

Table top pellet stove is very nice. Hold the temp with ease and when I am done the shut off cycle has a "blow out ash" mode.

[RuralNc]

I use Pellets as well. Usually get them from Academy Sports.

My smoker is well used, but hanging in there. The original burner rusted out eventually, so I replaced it with a high power burner, the kind used on deep fryers. Because it was too powerful, I filled in some of the burner holes with stainless steel screws. Keep adding screws until you get everything the way you want it. It can still produce a small enough flame for cold smoking, without blowing out, and it can still get things cooking for a hot smoke.

For the pellets, I use an "Amaz-N-Tray", or however they spell it. None the less, it works for my purposes.

This year, was planning to do a Brisket for New Years, but that may be on hold, due to family obligations and a change in plans. Thats ok. It will keep in the freezer.

[Dblhaul]

RuralNc,

I got a Green Mountain table top smoker so that I can take it with me camping.
It runs on 110V and 12V while I am "dirt" camping.
I've had it about 5 months and am very pleased with the performance.   

[RuralNc]

RuralNc,

I got a Green Mountain table top smoker so that I can take it with me camping.
It runs on 110V and 12V while I am "dirt" camping.
I've had it about 5 months and am very pleased with the performance.

I wasnt familiar with those, so I googled it. Impressive looking.

My very first smoker was electric, hated it. Grant it, that was about 2002? Something like that. Eventually ended up with my current gasser. If the current burner arrangement goes awry, I have been considering other options.

1. Just replace it. The new electric models look promising.

2. Remove all remnants of the gas burner and controls. Install a higher power heating element. Control said element with a P.I.D. controller. 

[Eupher]

This is a bit off-topic since I'm talking about my Weber grill (not a smoker), but I recently converted the Weber E-210 Spirit (a small 2-burner grill) from propane to natural gas.

I ordered a kit which required changing out the gas jets (a simple process -- the hardest part was cleaning all the gunk out of the grill in the first place) from a larger size to a smaller size. Connect your gas line with a hose to the manifold, and boom, it was done.

I have to say, the heat this grill generates compared to the propane setup is at least double. It gets nuclear very quickly and I have to be very careful about where I set the knobs. Unbelievable how much heat that little grill generates. Makes quick work of burgers, steaks, but I can also crank it back and it's good for pork loins, veggies, and other stuff. Very happy I made this mod.

[RuralNc]

This is a bit off-topic since I'm talking about my Weber grill (not a smoker), but I recently converted the Weber E-210 Spirit (a small 2-burner grill) from propane to natural gas.

I ordered a kit which required changing out the gas jets (a simple process -- the hardest part was cleaning all the gunk out of the grill in the first place) from a larger size to a smaller size. Connect your gas line with a hose to the manifold, and boom, it was done.

I have to say, the heat this grill generates compared to the propane setup is at least double. It gets nuclear very quickly and I have to be very careful about where I set the knobs. Unbelievable how much heat that little grill generates. Makes quick work of burgers, steaks, but I can also crank it back and it's good for pork loins, veggies, and other stuff. Very happy I made this mod.

Interesting observation. I was under the impression that propane has a higher BTU potential then NG, or something like that. I cant remember now, nor do I think it worth googling for. Im getting lazy. 

Yeah, switching out gas orifices' are a pretty simple job. I had to convert my Commercial Convection Oven to propane, as no NG was nearby. For my Bakery setup, it works just dandy.

[Eupher]

Interesting observation. I was under the impression that propane has a higher BTU potential then NG, or something like that. I cant remember now, nor do I think it worth googling for. Im getting lazy. 

Yeah, switching out gas orifices' are a pretty simple job. I had to convert my Commercial Convection Oven to propane, as no NG was nearby. For my Bakery setup, it works just dandy.

I got tired of wrestling with the @#^*& propane tank to begin with, and why is it that those propane tanks run empty at the worst possible time? 

But then came the other dilemma. Remember having to pay $$ for a "deposit" on your propane tank? And then paid for the propane on top of the "deposit". And if you exchanged your empty for a full one, you just paid for the propane, right? So then like soda and beer bottles of old (still the way in some states - Michigan being one) you could turn in the empty and get your "deposit" back, right?

Nope. Not any more. They won't give you squat back -- at least in my area. That silly empty tank could be a great boat anchor if you were stupid enough to cut the top off with a grinder and fill it with concrete. You'd never get to the concrete stage because the damned tank would either blow up or catch fire.

Getting waaaaaay off topic now.....

[RuralNc]

I got tired of wrestling with the @#^*& propane tank to begin with, and why is it that those propane tanks run empty at the worst possible time? 

But then came the other dilemma. Remember having to pay $$ for a "deposit" on your propane tank? And then paid for the propane on top of the "deposit". And if you exchanged your empty for a full one, you just paid for the propane, right? So then like soda and beer bottles of old (still the way in some states - Michigan being one) you could turn in the empty and get your "deposit" back, right?

Nope. Not any more. They won't give you squat back -- at least in my area. That silly empty tank could be a great boat anchor if you were stupid enough to cut the top off with a grinder and fill it with concrete. You'd never get to the concrete stage because the damned tank would either blow up or catch fire.

Getting waaaaaay off topic now.....

Thats why you either:

1. Buy your own propane tank

-or-

2. Take the label off the Blue Rhino and claim it as your own

-then-

Go to Tractor Supply, where they actually charge you by the gallon. You actually get what you pay for. I go there for my tanks. I have two 30 pound tanks. They are an unusual tank, but happily fill them up. Without issue. And I pay for how many gallons they actually put in there.

On deposits, I am old enough too remember going with my momma to turn in empty Coke/Pepsi bottles.

Off-topic? Hell, thats what sometimes turns the boring conversation into something fun. 

[Eupher]

Thats why you either:

1. Buy your own propane tank

-or-

2. Take the label off the Blue Rhino and claim it as your own

-then-

Go to Tractor Supply, where they actually charge you by the gallon. You actually get what you pay for. I go there for my tanks. I have two 30 pound tanks. They are an unusual tank, but happily fill them up. Without issue. And I pay for how many gallons they actually put in there.

On deposits, I am old enough too remember going with my momma to turn in empty Coke/Pepsi bottles.

Off-topic? Hell, thats what sometimes turns the boring conversation into something fun. 

I think you misunderstand what I'm saying.

First of all, I never intended to "buy" a tank. I intended to put a "deposit" on a tank, fully expecting to get that deposit back when/if I no longer need the tank. And when I converted my grill from propane to NG, I arrived at that point.

Nope. The merchants - regardless who they are - don't look at it that way. In their minds, if you put a "deposit" on a tank, you just bought it. They will NOT take it back, unless you agree to buy a filled tank. And that's not what I want. I want to get rid of the empty tank.

This is not the first time I attempted to "turn in" a tank and get a deposit back. Did so successfully in Missouri, as I recall. Not any more, apparently.

So now I've got this propane tank that I have zero interest in sitting in my garage. It could be worse, I suppose. The damn thing could've blown up last night, creating another catastrophe that I don't need. But that hasn't happened.

But never one to tempt fate, I put the tank in my shed. If it blows up out there, the only thing it'll destroy is my $6,000 zero turn and various other Stihl lawn equipment that's also expensive.

Sigh.