Help!! family expectations

quote:

Originally posted by squaregg:
GLH, the temp was set at 225 and taylor did go to 190. just took a long time and never went to 195 like Tom explained was the temp to pull from the oven. it still pulled well. kinda a different taste. Not used to the hickory. I use alder in my Green Egg but soak the chips. can't find anything but hickory and mesguite chunks around here. Where do you buy your wood?? On line??

BAM!! As Emeril would say.

http://www.charcoalstore.com/c4500/Wood-Chunks

Wallyworld here still has wood chunks of various types. It all depends on each stores' manager or that dept manager.

Plenty of wood to get around these parts. No need to look too hard. Maybe even the back yard.

There is nothing magic about 195*,just a general starting point.

When cooking two large butts,at 225*,

I used to get another plateau,about 187*,and then it would stall out at about 192-3* and not move.

After awhile,I'd open the door and the bone would pull right out.

The butts would try to fall apart getting them out of the cooker.

It is about learning your cooker,taking notes for the next time,and gaining a little experience.

A couple golfball sized chunks of hickory would be the Southern choice,although I also like apple for butts.

Once you get through the plateau at about 170*,nothing says you can't kick it up to the Smokette max of about 250*to finish it off,if you are running behind schedule.

Alder is fine for fish in the NW,but you never soak anything in the Cookshack.

I've been buying chunks from Cabelas and having them shipped. Sometimes it takes awhile for them to ship the stuff but the price is pretty good. Something like $8/10 lbs.

quote:

Originally posted by GLH:
Plenty of wood to get around these parts. No need to look too hard. Maybe even the back yard.

I agree.. I used up the wood I got with my 008 and began using limb falls from Alder for my salmon and the falls from 3/4 acre of Oak. I can't begin to use the oak I have. I haven't even touched the box of wood I got with the AQ.

When I first got my 008 and began reading about Mesquite, Apple and Hickory, I bought bags of these from Walmart or BBQ Galore.. sometimes I mix them with the Oak.. but, for all intents and purposes.. I Love Oak.

I think this is how traditions get started in smoking.. the locals used what was available and developed a taste for that wood. Heck, I might try some Pecan some time.. but, what the heck.. It's Oak.. and it's FREE..

munched on some ribs tonight. cs Getting real seasoned. still taking longer than what Ive been reading on oter posts but they were killer. Longhorn makes a huckleberry rub and that will go on next time.
Smokenque I will check the taylor tomorrow as you advised and Lantern thanks for the wood tip. Looks like these guys have everything I might need. Thanks again.

I really like oak also.

Bill, what kinds of oak grow in your area?

I honestly don't know.. I have at least four types, judging from the leaf shapes.. they all seem to be very good.. I can't tell much difference one to another. Sweet and aromatic. I know I have live oak, pin oak, white oak and I believe red oak.. don't know the others. Oh yes, I have what is called Valley Oak.. one of the main oaks in CA.. grows in dry areas.. which is most of the non mountainous areas of CA.

What about the Japanese maple, or various other small trees that died over the winter at my place. can your use willow, or sicamore, birch or aspen. What wood is on or off limits. Can you use the left over oak or cherry from the wood shop?

All those are OK except the willow, I believe. Do not use any lumber scraps if there is even a remote possibility they might be treated with something. Any wood you use should be seasoned. (dry) I use leftover white oak cubes from home winemaking. You might even find some old wine or other liquor barrels to chunk up and use. They will be either Hungarian, French, or American white oak.

quote:

Originally posted by squaregg:
What about the Japanese maple, or various other small trees that died over the winter at my place. can your use willow, or sicamore, birch or aspen. What wood is on or off limits. Can you use the left over oak or cherry from the wood shop?

Squaregg -- Check here for woods used for smoking. Not totally comprehensive but awful darn close!

quote:

What wood is on or off limits.

Pine or fir (think evergreens) are definitely off limits. Here's a link to check out: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/woods.html#avoid

Just a couple of thoughts.

Some,few,experienced cooks can tell the differences in smoke flavors,except bad-or negligible.

A slightly higher percentage can tell the difference in aromas.

As the cookday goes on,our olfactory glands become desensitized to the smoke and the percentage drops.

This is a reason that we may taste and smell smoke more the day after we smoke.

Oak is considered the "queen"of cooking woods.

Stickburners often use a blend of 30% flavor woods,and 70% oak to mellow out the flavors.

Stickburners,that don't control airflow,burn,etc are also more prone to oversmoke.

Restaurants that grill/bake over hardwoods use high levels of oak,as it gives a subtle smoke without ruining the meats and seasonings from a quick cook.

Comp cooks are so good,that tiny subtle differences,after all else is considered.

The correctness of cooking the meat,the tenderness,the way it bites,chews,swallows,the appearance,does it taste like the MEAT,does it have an off flavor,or aftertaste.

Did the cook try to hide a bad product with sauce and rub?.

Can the meat stand on its own?

Cooks, for the money ,often depend on hickory and pecan as their nutwoods,or strong flavors.

Apple and cherry dominate the fruitwoods.

A rare couple use some peach,or citrus woods.

On large volume woodburners,that burn down to charcoal,oak is used and then a flavor wood to get the accent.

Mesquite is usually a grilling wood for its high heat.

Some Texas stickburners may use sw Texas mesquite as their flavor wood in addition to oak.

Cookshacks burn a small amont of wood,very efficiently.

The company supplies the few most popular woods,in managable chunks,cleaned and correctly aged.

They are not in the wood business,but want their cookers to perform at their peak.

Most good cooks will tell you that although mixing rubs,and sauces,and blending woods is fun-if you like it and don't cook much,learning your cooker and how to cook the meats is more than 95% of what you put on someone's plate.

Most top comp teams buy someone else's rubs and sauces and tweak them for taste.

That way,they can focus on the 95% that they MUST have.


Here is a good site that might help with the avaiable woods.

Cooking Woods

Just a couple of thoughts.

Tom, you are getting more & more like Smokin' every day (long posts). Guess that's not a bad thing!

Now, if you would elaborate just a smidge on each of those sentences I would suggest that CS include it with each smoker they sell!

Very informative post, even tho you posted a duplicate link to wood - which I stole from you a while back...!

Appreciate ya Tom!!!

Well,you know what they say is the second thing to go when you get to be an old cook.

I forget the first.

In our case Tom, it is probably the fifth thing to go and we can't remember the first five!

Good thing we have the Team Mom around to keep us on track.

That is so right!!!! That is one thing we never forget.

Well went to see Wally last night. Best found was an 8lb. shoulder w/ the bone. No wood chunks but mesquite and hickory. Same for Lowes and Depot. We will have a Cabelas east of town in Nov. so I went the Longhorn barbeque and guys let me into there wood pile and I got enough cherry and apple to hold me over. They get their wood from fruit trees out of the Yakima valley in WA. Got some 2" branches, followed Toms directions again, and Walla.

Went in at 6pm and was done at 1030 am today. Pulled out, put on the sprits, and tossed in the hot box. To the store for cheap slaw and buns and took it to the office. Gone in 10 min. It was just incredible, bark was dark and a little chewy, inside was fall apart, kind of like when you overcook a turkey in an oven bag. Was pretty proud of myself and I could not have pulled it off without you guys. Thanks a bunch.

Just a thought, if the bone gives you a false reading of a higher temp than it should, can the bone actually be a conduit of sorts to pass heat to the interior?

Yep, you got it. Boneless is more like a tight fist where bone-in is more of a slightly firm closed fist.

Yep...why we like bone-in cuts. Also, methinks, when that bone runs clear through the meat and is visible on both ends it is a good heatsink and helps moderate box temp, especially if you have 3 or 4 of them going at once, or however many fills up your smoker.

Good job!