New owner needs help

Well ,tenderloin is not neccessarily the best product for low and slow,but it sounds oversmoked.

I'd suggest you rely less on the cookbook and more on the search function and Smokin's 101 s.

You don't say how much wood on either,so I'm guessing.

Ribs sound the same .

The ribs don't sound cooked enough,unless they were way overcooked.

Are your top and bottom vent holes clear.

Try mixing two TBSP rub with a cup mayo and rub the bird inside and out.

Get you a couple feet of cheesecloth,soak good in vinegar and wrap breast well.

Paint it with some melted butter.

Put in about two ounces of wood you like,cook at 250� to 160� internal temp.

Foil and let stand 30 mins.

See where we go from there.

Sbadgirl - Welcome to the forum! You will find lots of friendly people here willing to help you with your smoking problems.

I think if you would give a little more detail on your smoke - weight of meat, wood species, amount of wood used, cooking times, etc, we can get more specific on possible/probable problems.

I am a converted water smoker and couldn't get used to using just 2-4 oz of wood for my smoke. I was used to using 2 chuncks about the size of my fist soaked in water. My first smoke was way bitter all because I used too much wood. With the CS, a little goes a long way.

You might want to invest in a digital meat thermometer - I prefer Taylor brand. Cook your meat to the suggested internal temps and you'll rarely be disappointed.

For thise fallin' off the bone ribs, you'll need to check them every once in a while, but not too often. I'd say, depending on the style (baby backs or spares) check them afterr the 1st 3 hours. You are looking for the meat to pull up on the rib-bone about 1/2-3/4 inch. Stick a fork between the ribs and twist. If the meat breaks, thet're ready. or, you can try to pick the slab up with a set of tongs. If the slab trys to break apart, they're ready.

A great feature of this site is the "search" feature. Go to the top of the page. You'll see "search" between and below those two little fire-headed guys. The "101's" are a great source of info on all kinds of cooking. It may seem overwhelming at first. But like I said, there are a bunch of great people here who love to assist the newbie. We'll all pitch in and help whenever you need it!

Hope some of this ramblin' helps!

Just to help put it into perspective if you don't have a scale, an oz of wood is just a little bigger than a 1 inch cube or an ice cube that comes out of one of those rubbermaid type trays. A little goes a long way. Good luck and enjoy.
Richard

Sbadgirl...

Your initial experiences sound just like mine !
I quickly learned that it takes a ridiculously small amount of wood to get the job done in a Smokette.
2 oz. per 5 pounds is plenty.
Also, I found the hickory that came with the Smokette too bitter for my liking. I have since switched to apple and maple.
If I use chips I just wrap them in foil and punch a few holes.
If you don't own a remote thermometer you really should invest in one - it's the only way to know what's really going on inside there.
I've since had great success with pork butts and shoulders, ribs, and sausage.
My last load of ribs were a great success - I rubbed them with French's deli mustard and Cookshack rub, put them in at 225 for about 2 1/2 hours, pulled them out and wrapped them in foil, put them back for another 1 1/2 hours. They were "fall off the bone" and very tasty. I stuck with the 2 oz/5 lb rule and used maple - they were tasty but not "over-smoked".

Pork loin seems to be a hit and miss thing. I find that all you end up with is a possibly dried out smoked pork roast - I don't think I'll do too many more. Butts and shoulders are far better but allow plenty of time, (and I mean plenty), to make sure they get up to 195-200 internal.

Hope this helps !

Good luck and keep at it - it will all come together after a few uses.

Tom's advice as usual seems good for the turkey. Best to use very little wood, maybe only one ounce, especially if all you've got on hand is hickory. If you can't get a remote thermometer by the weekend, you could cook for around 3-4 hours, then check by poking with a fork to see how tender it is.

Welcome sbadgirl. Follow the advice in the prior posts and you'll get a great tasting product in no time. My corresponding thoughts concerning the prior posts....

1. Follow the forums frequently. I've only had my Smokette for 5 months and I know that I would not be having the success that I am currently experiencing without following the forums. Though I have not done a count, I would estimate that more than half of the posts on the "Open Forum" are of a "Help Needed" nature. More often than not you'll find that someone has previously touched on the same subject that you're dealing with. Also, use the search function. A search for turkeys in "All Forums" produced 169 posts. There were 91 in the "Poultry Forum" alone. Not all will be relative to your specific query, but a good many will be. Finally, don't hesitate to post a question. Like Wheelz said, they're some great (and very experienced) people here who love to help.

2. I've tried smoking tenderloins twice and have concluded that they belong only on the grill or in an oven. Other pork cuts (butts,shoulders, loins) smoke beautifully - just a matter of method and timing.

3. 2 oz. of the wood of your choice should be all that you'll ever need for the vast majority of your smokes in a Smokette. Also, carefully match your woods to the product being smoked according to your personal taste.

4. If you don't have one already, a digital thermometer is mandatory. Another nice option is a digital scale that reads in tenths of an ounce up to 10 lbs.

5. The method Tom recommended for the turkey is, essentially, the one that I use except that I set the temp at 225 and I don't worry about the melted butter. Simple and effective. 5 minutes of prep and you'll end up with a great tasting bird everytime.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

good advice above. one other thing. you will not likely care for the turkey skin in the CS... cooks at too low a temp to crisp up. The meat will be great, though, if you use that small amount of wood (one or two golf ball-size chunks) and take it out when the breast reaches about 150-155 internal (it will rise over 160 when it rests).

When I got my unit a few years back, I had the same problems. I found hickory to be strong for my taste also. I usually cut back using as much hickory or even not use it at all. Some of my favorites are oak, apple, cherry or just about any fruit woods.

sbadgirl

I also started on a water smoker before buying a Smokette, so I know how you feel. But you came to the right place, and you WILL find success.

I use rub on my ribs, and I use rib hooks to hang them in my Smokette from the very top shelf.

I smoke them at 225 for 6 hours (always) for pork ribs and NEVER open the door. 4 oz. of apple for 3 racks, approx. 10 lbs. I also use a digital thermometer between the the thickest ribs (so as to leave nothing to chance) and take them to 185 degrees.

They come out absolutely perfect. A slight crust on the outside, falling off the bone tender on the inside.

I think the rib hooks make a huge difference over laying them flat on the racks. They smoke evenly and all come out at exactly the same time. Plus I've noticed that they have a better finish on the outside.

Just my 2 cents worth.

SmoKen

SmoKen: I think you're seeing the difference in laying ribs flat versus allowing the ribs to hang vertical... the heat/smoke does not hit one side of the ribs "hard" but, instead, flows around them easier. The same can be achieved with rib racks that set on top of the smoker racks. Gets the ribs more vertical.

Woodburner: I totally agree with you. I have a set of rib racks I used in my water smoker, but I like the hooks better.

Reason being that the clean up is much easier with the hooks. I don't have the rib racks AND the smoker racks to clean.

Got the idea from another post on this forum, and they work great. Since using this method my ribs have always come out perfect.

SmoKen

gotcha. I guess half racks hang just right in the smokette... hmmm...