Post by EscapeHatch on Mar 11, 2009 18:53:53 GMT -5
Grilling on a BBQ is a great way of producing wonderful flavors that we all love. It tends to be quick and is a reliable way of cooking up delectable edibles. But, the flavor of smoke can only get so far into the meat and can only be so intense on a typical BBQ set up. This is why I prefer to slow smoke.
Slow smoking requires a carefully controlled temperature and longer cooking times. For most meats, including fowl, beef and pork, a temperature of 200 to 225 Degrees F from an indirect heat source. You basically need a BBQ with an offset firebox.
In the very early days, a smoker was a simple pair of pits dug into the dirt. One was deeper than they other and was the one in which one would pile logs to burn. It could be covered with stones and dirt to create somewhat of a seal. The other pit would hold the meat. A trench would be dug between the two and covered to provide a conduit for the smoke. The pit containing the meat would also be covered. This concentrated the heat and smoke.
A smokehouse was great, but, not practical in these modern times. There are tales about choice pork hind quarters being burnt with the smokehouse to the ground. Neighbors tend to frown on that.
Today, steel and iron wood pits are ideal. They have the offset firebox and a kettle, usually drum shaped, into which the heat and smoke would flow. The temperature is controlled by fuel quantity and exhaust flow. A damper is usually found in the flu. You close it and the fire subsides. Open it fully and the fire heats up.
Wood for smoking can't be just any wood. I wouldn't use pine logs, but, I would use green pine needles, along with black tea, rice and brown sugar, for tossing into a fire to smoke duck Chinese style. Oak can be too resinous. I am a big fan of hickory, alder and pecan.
One of my favorite meats to smoke is pork butt. It has the right amount of fat on it and is one of the sweeter parts of the porker. Before I put such a magnificent piece of pig-flesh to the long process of turning it from a piece of pink raw pork into a pile of perfectly smoked pulled pork, I like to message it thoroughly with a rub and let is sit in the fridge overnight.
A simple rub:
1/4 Cup sea salt
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/8 Cup Cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons coursely ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon onion powder
This is mixed well and rubbed all over the pork. Be sure to get it into all the crevices. Save the leftover rub.
Put the pork into a large zip-lock bag or in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and refigerate overnight.
Anywhere from one half an hour to up to two hours, remove the butt from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. In the mean time, start the fire. Try to have the pit temperature stabilized at 200 to 225 Degrees F.
Take some of that leftover rub and rub your butt one more time and put it into the smoker. Watch the temperature! Don't let a beer get in the way of controlling that smoker! Oh yeah, save the rest of the rub. You'll need that for the mop.
Now, mopping isn't for everyone. Some purists hold up the sign of the cross with their fingers if anyone comes near their butt with a mop. I've learned that the right mop helps to keep the meat moist after so many hours in the smoker. So, I avoid inviting purists.
A Mop: (basting sauce)
A stainless steel sauce pan with no plastic parts- all stainless steel, with a lid. This will be kept warm on top of the smoker and you don't want to melt the non-metallic parts.
2 Tablespoons cooking oil. Olive oil's fine if no one is looking.
One medium White onion, finely chopped
1 Cup white vinegar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
Leftover rub, yup- all of it.
1/2 Cup water.
1/4 Cup paprika, hot or sweet
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
Sweat the onion in a stainless steel sauce pan until it just starts to turn translucent. I guess about 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients in the order they are shown.
Simmer about 20 minutes and take it out to the smoker. With a BBQ mop or paint brush (one never used for its intended purpose), baste the meat after it has smoked for about an hour. Then mop every 45 minutes. Do it quickly so as to loose a little heat as possible.
I use 1 hour and twenty minutes per pound of meat. You can go longer with a lower temperature, but, I've found that I don't like the results if I rush the job with a higher temperature.
As the meat cooks, it will turn awfully dark on the outside. This is an accumulation of smoke tars and a bit of carbonization of the sugars. You want that!
When the meat is done, take it out and cover it on a plate with aluminum foil. It should cool down slowly until you can handle it with bare hands.
Now, pull it to pieces using your fingers. You can get rid of a lot of fat this way. Be sure to not discard any Mr. Brown. That's the dark crust that built up during smoking. Mix that into the pulled meat.
At this point, you can pour in some of the remaining mop. Try not to overdo it because you want that meat flavor to stand on its own. A BBQ sauce like CM described could be ideal, too.
I like to serve this with fried okra, collard greens, potato salad (the gloppy kind like my Mom used to make), and trimmed green onions.
A good bread for making sandwiches would be great, too. Anyone known any good bread recipes?
This works well with about any adult libation, if you're so inclined. By the time the supper's on, I tend to be reclined and inclined to snooze. Too much libation, I suppose.
If you want to use remnant wood from cabinet or furniture makers, that's fine. You absolutely must be sure it is untreated and unstained wood. Otherwise, use logs or nks.
Slow smoking requires a carefully controlled temperature and longer cooking times. For most meats, including fowl, beef and pork, a temperature of 200 to 225 Degrees F from an indirect heat source. You basically need a BBQ with an offset firebox.
In the very early days, a smoker was a simple pair of pits dug into the dirt. One was deeper than they other and was the one in which one would pile logs to burn. It could be covered with stones and dirt to create somewhat of a seal. The other pit would hold the meat. A trench would be dug between the two and covered to provide a conduit for the smoke. The pit containing the meat would also be covered. This concentrated the heat and smoke.
A smokehouse was great, but, not practical in these modern times. There are tales about choice pork hind quarters being burnt with the smokehouse to the ground. Neighbors tend to frown on that.
Today, steel and iron wood pits are ideal. They have the offset firebox and a kettle, usually drum shaped, into which the heat and smoke would flow. The temperature is controlled by fuel quantity and exhaust flow. A damper is usually found in the flu. You close it and the fire subsides. Open it fully and the fire heats up.
Wood for smoking can't be just any wood. I wouldn't use pine logs, but, I would use green pine needles, along with black tea, rice and brown sugar, for tossing into a fire to smoke duck Chinese style. Oak can be too resinous. I am a big fan of hickory, alder and pecan.
One of my favorite meats to smoke is pork butt. It has the right amount of fat on it and is one of the sweeter parts of the porker. Before I put such a magnificent piece of pig-flesh to the long process of turning it from a piece of pink raw pork into a pile of perfectly smoked pulled pork, I like to message it thoroughly with a rub and let is sit in the fridge overnight.
A simple rub:
1/4 Cup sea salt
1/4 Cup brown sugar
1/8 Cup Cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons coursely ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon onion powder
This is mixed well and rubbed all over the pork. Be sure to get it into all the crevices. Save the leftover rub.
Put the pork into a large zip-lock bag or in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and refigerate overnight.
Anywhere from one half an hour to up to two hours, remove the butt from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. In the mean time, start the fire. Try to have the pit temperature stabilized at 200 to 225 Degrees F.
Take some of that leftover rub and rub your butt one more time and put it into the smoker. Watch the temperature! Don't let a beer get in the way of controlling that smoker! Oh yeah, save the rest of the rub. You'll need that for the mop.
Now, mopping isn't for everyone. Some purists hold up the sign of the cross with their fingers if anyone comes near their butt with a mop. I've learned that the right mop helps to keep the meat moist after so many hours in the smoker. So, I avoid inviting purists.
A Mop: (basting sauce)
A stainless steel sauce pan with no plastic parts- all stainless steel, with a lid. This will be kept warm on top of the smoker and you don't want to melt the non-metallic parts.
2 Tablespoons cooking oil. Olive oil's fine if no one is looking.
One medium White onion, finely chopped
1 Cup white vinegar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
Leftover rub, yup- all of it.
1/2 Cup water.
1/4 Cup paprika, hot or sweet
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
Sweat the onion in a stainless steel sauce pan until it just starts to turn translucent. I guess about 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the rest of the ingredients in the order they are shown.
Simmer about 20 minutes and take it out to the smoker. With a BBQ mop or paint brush (one never used for its intended purpose), baste the meat after it has smoked for about an hour. Then mop every 45 minutes. Do it quickly so as to loose a little heat as possible.
I use 1 hour and twenty minutes per pound of meat. You can go longer with a lower temperature, but, I've found that I don't like the results if I rush the job with a higher temperature.
As the meat cooks, it will turn awfully dark on the outside. This is an accumulation of smoke tars and a bit of carbonization of the sugars. You want that!
When the meat is done, take it out and cover it on a plate with aluminum foil. It should cool down slowly until you can handle it with bare hands.
Now, pull it to pieces using your fingers. You can get rid of a lot of fat this way. Be sure to not discard any Mr. Brown. That's the dark crust that built up during smoking. Mix that into the pulled meat.
At this point, you can pour in some of the remaining mop. Try not to overdo it because you want that meat flavor to stand on its own. A BBQ sauce like CM described could be ideal, too.
I like to serve this with fried okra, collard greens, potato salad (the gloppy kind like my Mom used to make), and trimmed green onions.
A good bread for making sandwiches would be great, too. Anyone known any good bread recipes?
This works well with about any adult libation, if you're so inclined. By the time the supper's on, I tend to be reclined and inclined to snooze. Too much libation, I suppose.
If you want to use remnant wood from cabinet or furniture makers, that's fine. You absolutely must be sure it is untreated and unstained wood. Otherwise, use logs or nks.