difference in the taste of hard prep to easy prep

I'm no expert,but I prefer products to taste something like what they come off of.

Folks that try to teach me,say learn to cook the meat and about your cooker,and you'll be better than most cooks out there.

Smokin'Okie's 101 s give great startup,straight ahead instructions.

He is a very experienced teacher/writer,and a fine comp cook.

He will tell you to learn the cooker,and take great notes.

Little changes can be made for individual circumstances.

Most new cooks spend the other ratio of time with exotic rubs,sauces,injections,woods,etc.

That said,we season up ribs,as the cooker is warming up/stabilizing.[Couple hrs is more than enough.]

Poultry,if we don't marinade,or brine,less than an hour.

Butts/briskets could be what we have time to do.

If we put them on at night,and we have 3-4 hrs dead time-we might rub them.

If not,we try to get the rub on far enough in advance that it will turn wet.

We'll rub them,and then go get the cooker foiled,filled,ready to cook,check therms,find our instareads,flashlight,etc.

One-two hours can accomplish that.

Just my $0.02

thanks tom maybe some others will reply also. one mistake i made on my ribs was to much rub so i learned that lesson. i have tried a simple different butt recipe in the cookshack still smoking cookbook the one with injecting apple juice and a few other things. after it cooks awhile you take it out and rub it with brown sugar then cook it a little longer. it to me was definitely better than the ones i've done just using the rub only. hoping someone else will give us their learned experience answers.

It's a great question, but it's impossible to give you a simple answer.

I've tried about all the methods out there and don't have time to write an encyclopedia. Plus, it's just my experience and my preferences.

BBQ is a journey that never ends.

Typically you start simple and it works. But you tire of the flavor and try something different.

Some like to rub ribs overnight. I like to do them less than an hour before. You like less rub, others will cake it on (and it varies with the rub also)

Both work.

Some like to put the Pork Butt on the smoker after rubbing over night. I do. I'll inject for contests, I don't at home (takes more time)

I cook more simple at home and for larger groups than I do for contests, because contest preps take a TON of time.

I say go for it, because in the end, your tastes and your methods will determine what you like, don't like.

I would say, that since we have 8 years of info in the various forums, you can learn a lot by reading a specific forum. Take ribs. That forum has 359 posts and 2794 responses, LOTS of good info that and more than a few golden nuggets of info.

Keep good notes so 2 or 3 years from now, you have track of your journey.

Smokechop,not knowing where you are from,or having any idea what you will compare product to,I'd suggest a simple butt to compare the other recipes to.

Butts are the most forgiving,and an easy place to learn.

My suggestions to folks are these.

Go to the meat dept and ask for a large 2 pack of bonein butts[should be about 15-17 lbs]

You will lose 1/2,and the leftovers freeze well.

Check your remote thermometer for accuracy.

Check the racks in your cooker ,so you know where they are actually running about 235º.

Take about 8-10 oz of your favorite rub and add an equal part Turbinado sugar[Also sold as Sugar in the Raw]

Place the untrimmed butts in a pan and sprinkle a little Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce[or apple juice] on them, for moisture.

Pack as much rub on the butts as they will hold,cover and refrigerate.

A couple hrs will work.

Set your cooker up to cook and add about 6 0z of nutwood,or apple-or a combo.

When you get ready to put butts in cooker,add as much more rub as the butts will hold.

Place in cooker about 60-90 mins before bedtime, and insert temp probe in smaller butt.

Be sure cooker is plugged directly to outlet and is running well,before going to bed.

Don't open door until morning and the internal temp is about 192º.[Sometimes the little cookers tend to plateau about there and the butt is plenty done].

See if the bone is loose,or can be twisted.

Squeeze the butt,as it may be like jello.

If not ready,leave in another 45 mins,or to 195º.

Make up a little of Smokin' Okie's Vinegar Sauce,whenever you have a little time.

Smokin Okies Vinegar Mop for Pulled Pork
(also called an Eastern Carolina Sauce)



2 cups cider vinegar

1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 tablespoons salt (I like the flavor in Kosher/Sea Salt and bigger granules)

2 tablespoon red pepper (crushed)

1 teaspoon cayenne (I've also used Hungarian Paprika)

Have a dry cooler,lined with some newspaper,for extra insulation.

When butts are ready,double foil with 1/4-1/2 cup of, the sauce,or some apple juice,seal tightly,wrap in towels,and cooler,cover with more newspaper..

Don't open cooler and they will hold for 5-6 hrs.

When ready to pull, open foil carefully,and save juice.

Discard bones,fat,tissue,etc and break apart into clean pan.

Spritz with a little sauce,or juice,and add your rub,as you mix it,to taste

You may want to pour some saved juice over it.

This is what pulled pork should taste,feel,eat like IMO.

Now you have something to compare all those tricky recipes to,and see if any imrove butts.

Hope this helps a little.

You know Tom, I re-read it and I'm thinking (correct me SmokeChop) maybe the question isL

"is it worth the extra effort, for the really detailed, more complicated process"?

Yep,as we know, most comp cooks go with KISS when cooking at home for family and friends.

Plus,my point is ,do we know what changes to make,if we don't have a starting point.

THANKS Guys again, some great info it really did
answer my question. both answers were great and things i needed to learn. Tom i'm going to do the butt with SmokinOkies sauce this weekend. i
really like the way you took me through it step by step thats a learning process. things that seem common sense and easy to the more experienced folks are unknown to a lot of us newbies thanks again smokechop

And that's what brought both Tom and I to this forum years (a lot of years) ago.

Happy to help newbies learn, sometimes it just hard for us old farts to figure out the question.

Yep,Smokin' helped me learn to compute a little,when I couldn't even type,some.

Easy to forget what seems common knowledge,and may be daunting ,from skipping basic steps.

"Follow those BASIC steps", that Smokin' has pounded on for all these years.

I didn't realize how important they were,until I had a chance to meet more of the "big names",and they all said the same thing.