Any one here smoke or grill a lot

[killbuck]

That's my love after the gun.

[olmossbak]

Both, every chance I get. I use both a gas grill for convenience and a charcoal grill when I have the time and want the food really good. I usually add apple or pecan wood to the charcoal for the smoke. Apple is my preference by pecan is pretty darn good. I have a relative that keeps me supplied with both from his pruning.

Our favorites are pork baby back ribs and shoulders. We were talking today about doing a boneless leg of lamb as they are readily available. Just remember, unless you are grilling a steak, low and slow is the way to go.

[Big ugly]

A-men, Me I'm a fresh fish and wild hog meat man. Put the pork on the grill with some Hickory and Cherry for the smoke keep a spray bottle full of Woodchuck Draft Cider to keep the flames low. Ole Prkey never tasted soo goooood! Now for the fish, I carry a mustard container ful of Garlic Butter in the cooler, Ger you a fat mess of sungrannies and fillet them little booogers right there. Slap them bad boys on a ash fire and rub garlic butter over them while they are sizzlin and you got yourself a gor-met meal that make your tounge smack your brains out.

[Crpdeth]

I love to fire up the ol' smoker.. I have a hand made, single axle offset and also a smaller heavy duty Brinkman. Unfortunately my current "apartment dwelling" which is due to my recent divorce makes it all but impossible to enjoy cranking up the pit unless I take it to a friends or use it at my brothers where they are being stored...I dunno, I just prefer my own place, my own kitchen, etc, over doing a cook somewhere else. Oh well, this place is just temporary, perhaps... If uncle sam will stop drilling me so deep.

Anyway, enough rambling... Yep! I LOVE to smoke (not cigs, I think I finally put those down) and I cant wait to warm mine back up!


Crpdeth

[Crpdeth]

BTW... Here is a link to my food ablum, here on TFF, I'll try to get some more pics in there as I get time.

http://www.thefirearmsforum.com/album.php?albumid=9


Crpdeth

[Marlin]

Great shots, Donny !!!!!!!!!!!!

Many years ago in Montgomery we had a gas grill that was used most days for three meals a day. At that time we bought beef by the half or whole with a good large freezer. I have always loved beef and can, and did, eat meat in some form three times a day.

I burned the first grill out in about eight months and had it replaced by the gas company since they guaranteed them at that time. I was with St. Paul at the time and the gas folks were one of our larger accounts.

The head of service told me that no one had burned one out in the past and that they might just have to rethink their replacement guarantee. We had the same thing happen in about ten months after the first. They replaced it again but thereafter any replacement was at the customer's expense !!!!!!!

When we moved from Montgomery we went into some garden apartments and, sadly, our heavy outdoor cooking came to an end.

[killbuck]

Does this answer your question? LOL

Weber WSM
Weber 22 1/2" OTG
Weber Smokey Joe Platnum
New GOSM 3405BGW
ECB Smok'n Fire Pit
Old Homemade Plate Steel Smoker/Grill
Homemade 1/4 Keg Grill
Fiesta Gas Grill
2-4'X 2' Homemade Open Fire Grilling & Cooking Racks
Large Collection of CI DO's and Skillets

It used to be guns first but over the years things change. Now at 67 it's food, friends and relaxing, but when we get together most of the talk is about guns, and hunting, and fishing. LOL

Enjoy the day.

[wookie810]

Every chance that I get. Especially when the weather is finally getting better. My neighbors think I'm crazy hauling my grill out in 3 feet of snow when the wind chill is -15.

[retired grunt]

So Me bein a first time smoker buyer, for under 250 USD, what would you seasoned vets recommend. I really don't want to learn by trial...Cooking for 6-8 most of the time.
Thanks

[Angryisme]

I grill EVERYTHING!
I love to grill and do it year round.
There is no other way.
A couple years ago I even tried making.... did make! grilled cheese sandwiches on the grill. Everyone said they were the best they ever tasted. So now I make em all the time.
Quick, easy, dee licious.

I am interested in smoking...
I have never done it nor do I know the processes.
If anyone could shed light in this subject that'd be great!
I'm interested in even possibly making my own smoker.
this is how jerky and such is made.. no?

[olmossbak]

Lowes has a good selection of grills and smokers. I do my smoking on a grill that looks like it was made from a 55gal drum cut lengthwise but was actually purpose built. Got it at Lowes. I use regular charcoal and add large pieces of apple or pecan wood. Cook indirectly meaning not directly over the fire. Low heat and slow cooking at something like 250 degrees F. Cook until done by a meat thermometer. Cooking time will vary by the size of the meat, the outside temp. and other weather conditions like raining or windy. Figure 3 hrs for baby back ribs and longer for roasts. Turkey breasts cook quicker as it is a low density meat. Be very careful not to overcook poultry. A pan of hot water over the fire also helps poultry from getting too dry.

Jerky is a drying process than can be done in a grill or smoker. It is most often done in a kitchen oven with liquid smoke added to the marinade.

[Angryisme]

Originally Posted by olmossbak

Jerky is a drying process than can be done in a grill or smoker. It is most often done in a kitchen oven with liquid smoke added to the marinade.

What are the processes?
can anyone give me step by step,or guide me as to where I can find info on how- to?

and smoker info too.
I'd love to start smoking meats.

[killbuck]

Originally Posted by retired grunt

So Me bein a first time smoker buyer, for under 250 USD, what would you seasoned vets recommend. I really don't want to learn by trial...Cooking for 6-8 most of the time.
Thanks

Grunt huh. Grunt kinda says USMC. Semper Fi brother.
I too do cooks for 6-8 most of the time and often a lot more when we have real family and friends cookouts. I can make a few
suggestions but it's up to you on what you want to cook with.
If it's just charcoal then you can not beat the Weber Smokey Mountain Smoker. It can not be beat IMO. However it's hard to do the 6-8 deal with some items. Cost around your $250 mark.

If you want to cook with charcoal or wood, or both together you could alway go with the Char Griller with a side fire box or the Brinkman SnP, which I have, and it will easily cook for 6-8 people. Those two you can use the side fire box to smoke with or use just charcoal in the cooking chamber and use as a grill. I use mine for both puposes and use it alot. You may have to make a few mods to get it tweaked just right for you as I had to do and the small cost is worth it. My mods were around $30.
Either of these two units will be under your $250 mark. Both are good for the first timer and the price.

HTH and if you need more advice I help however I can.

[olmossbak]

To smoke meat is as straight forward as it gets. Build a fire in your grill or smoker, when the charcoal gets an ash coating on it add your wood for smoking. Salt and pepper the outside of your meat and put on the grill not directly over the fire and close the lid. Control the temperature with the dampers to keep a temp of 225 - 250. Add charcoal and wood as necessary. Remove meet when it reaches desired doneness. I use a meat thermometer and look for around 170 for pork and beef and 190 for poultry. It's that simple and the success will be directly proportional to your patience.

For jerkey slice your meat with the grain about 1/4" thick. Marinade this overnight. There are many different recipes for this but try a mixture of cider vineger, salt, pepper, wourschester(?) sauce, soy sauce, and texas pete, powdered onion, and liquid smoke. After the meal had soaked overnight put on racks in the over at about 175 with the door slight ajar. This will take several hours and maybe overnight. Put Al foil under the racks or you will have an awful mess in your oven. You can also use special driers for this but they can be expensive and take longer than the oven.

Its done when it looks and feels like jerkey. Store in zip bags in fridge. If you want jerkey that doesn't have to be refirdgerated you need to add a lot of salt and other preservatives to the marinade.

Good luck.

[olmossbak]

Killbuck gave you a good suggestion with the Chargriller. I have one without the side fire box so I put the fire on one side and the meat on the other. It will hold 3 pork sholders two hams or 4 turkey breasts.

Got mine at Lowe's

[killbuck]

Originally Posted by Angryisme

What are the processes?
can anyone give me step by step,or guide me as to where I can find info on how- to?

and smoker info too.
I'd love to start smoking meats.

I've never done jerky but I belong to a cooking site that has a few good recipes that I tasted taht other people have made.
www.recipezaar.com
just type in beef jerky in the search box and it'll bring up some you can look over.

As for a smoker look at my reply a post or two up from this one.
First tho you have to determine what kind of smoker you want to use. Electric, propane, charcoal, wood, number of people cooking for, where you'll be using it, etc. It all comes into play. I have a friend who made his out of a refigerator and an electric hot plate. Works great. LOL

HTH

[flannelman]

I love to cook on the grill and smoke in the Brinkman. I had hamburgers on the grill today and last week it was bacon wrapped stuffed deer backstrap. Good stuff!!! When I make jerky I mix up a marinade with sauces and spices that I like and soak the thinly sliced meat in it for a couple of days. Somtimes after I soak it then I'll dust it with some cajun spice before it goes in the dehydrator for 8-12 hours. The oven works good too on it's lowest setting.

[Angryisme]

Originally Posted by killbuck

I've never done jerky but I belong to a cooking site that has a few good recipes that I tasted taht other people have made.
www.recipezaar.com
just type in beef jerky in the search box and it'll bring up some you can look over.

As for a smoker look at my reply a post or two up from this one.
First tho you have to determine what kind of smoker you want to use. Electric, propane, charcoal, wood, number of people cooking for, where you'll be using it, etc. It all comes into play. I have a friend who made his out of a refigerator and an electric hot plate. Works great. LOL

HTH

Killbuck, Thanks! alot!
had I known it was that easy I'd have started doing this years ago.
People always made it seem like a complicated process.
Now, I cannot wait to make my first jerky!

As for the smoker bit...
I'd like to use an old grill I have, would that Not be a good idea?
Additionally I need to be informed of the processes/ how-to, of smoking.
If someone would be so kind as to help with that..

You guys are all great here!! and gals
I wish I'd found this place a long time ago.
I feel at home here

[kutaho]

For a griller we just use a truck hub filled a bit more then half full of sand, with an expanded metal cover. Generally we use wood (maple, alder, apple, cherry, pear) with a little coal to increase burn time. Twice as much beer because you slosh a lot on the food, and it helps keep down flare ups. Though some people use water. For fancy cooking we have a 4x4x4 pit lined with slate like local stone, and a swing arm winch that has a expanded metal basket that just fits.
Did a whole pig in it last year and the only things left were the hooves and the snout, and somebody took those home. My two favorite grillers are elk steak and oysters.

[Crpdeth]

Originally Posted by Angryisme

As for the smoker bit...
I'd like to use an old grill I have, would that Not be a good idea?
Additionally I need to be informed of the processes/ how-to, of smoking.
If someone would be so kind as to help with that..

Angry, I'm not sure what kind of grill you have or how you wish to convert it (if at all) but I'd quickly lean towards a homemade smoker before buying one from Lowes/Walmart, etc and I hope I'm not offending anyone who happens to have one of those (Hey, they freaking work!), they just aren't good quality and wont last all that long.

As far as the smoking process goes, it does kinda depend on what you are cooking, Olmoss gave some really good pointers (above), but if you have any questions about something in particular that you want to smoke, just holler, we'll give the best advice that we can. I'm no expert here and far from it, but I'm having one hell of a time trying!

Crpdeth

[Angryisme]

Crp, thanks for the advice and support.
I'm guessing I'll go to Home Depot and scope out what at least they look like get an idea on how they work & functionallity.

I'm all about the home made. That's why I inquired about using an old grill or something else. I spend nothing!
well, as close to nothing as possible ;]

[Airdale]

Grunt,

The Weber Rocky Mountain Smoker for Charcoal is great. I've been doing briskets for decades and the only time I reached, what I thought was perfection was with this smoker (I only use the flat cut).

I've always been kind of a purist when it comes to BBQ but I've been eyeing an electric (gasp) smoker at Sam's Club. Just plug in, set the temp, add the sawdust (or whatever) add meat and walk away. No flare ups or temperture spikes and no worries about fire hazards. Figure if they show up this year I'll probably own one.

[kutaho]

Originally Posted by Airdale

Grunt,

The Weber Rocky Mountain Smoker for Charcoal is great. I've been doing briskets for decades and the only time I reached, what I thought was perfection was with this smoker (I only use the flat cut).

I've always been kind of a purist when it comes to BBQ but I've been eyeing an electric (gasp) smoker at Sam's Club. Just plug in, set the temp, add the sawdust (or whatever) add meat and walk away. No flare ups or temperture spikes and no worries about fire hazards. Figure if they show up this year I'll probably own one.

That takes all the fun out of it.

[Bobitis]

Weber WSM owner here. Love it!

Check it out:
http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/