C
ctblue
Guest
Hello All, first post by a newbie here :crazy:
First off, I love the site and I'm finding a great deal of useful information. Second, I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see folks engaging in polite, considerate conversation for a change. Anyway, glad to be here.
Here are my questions: (1) I noticed that L. Mueller and others, such as Franklin, use smokers with large hinged doors, much like a box-style freezer. Does anyone have a diagram of this sort of smoker? It seems very old school, which I like. I'm in no position to buy/build one at the moment, but down the road...
(2) I live in Tucson, AZ, home to a TON of cheap mesquite. A cord of mesquite is literally half the price of pecan, the other semi-abundant wood in this area. Oak and fruit woods are hard to come by and pricey. Now, I know of the dangers of using mesquite: creosote flavor, bitterness, overheating, etc., but I'd like to follow the old mantra of "use what you got" and, as I understand it, many would argue that "true" Texas BBQ originally used only mesquite. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. I already use mesquite for grilling meats, esp. steak. But the question remains, can I smoke BRISKET with it? I know folks like to add it during the first few hours to impart a nice smokey flavor, but I'm hoping to use it as a primary wood.
(3) Is there any advantage to scoring the fat on brisket? Does this yield a more tender final result or increase the penetration of the rub?
Thanks for your responses, y'all :biggrin1:
First off, I love the site and I'm finding a great deal of useful information. Second, I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see folks engaging in polite, considerate conversation for a change. Anyway, glad to be here.
Here are my questions: (1) I noticed that L. Mueller and others, such as Franklin, use smokers with large hinged doors, much like a box-style freezer. Does anyone have a diagram of this sort of smoker? It seems very old school, which I like. I'm in no position to buy/build one at the moment, but down the road...
(2) I live in Tucson, AZ, home to a TON of cheap mesquite. A cord of mesquite is literally half the price of pecan, the other semi-abundant wood in this area. Oak and fruit woods are hard to come by and pricey. Now, I know of the dangers of using mesquite: creosote flavor, bitterness, overheating, etc., but I'd like to follow the old mantra of "use what you got" and, as I understand it, many would argue that "true" Texas BBQ originally used only mesquite. Correct me if I'm wrong, please. I already use mesquite for grilling meats, esp. steak. But the question remains, can I smoke BRISKET with it? I know folks like to add it during the first few hours to impart a nice smokey flavor, but I'm hoping to use it as a primary wood.
(3) Is there any advantage to scoring the fat on brisket? Does this yield a more tender final result or increase the penetration of the rub?
Thanks for your responses, y'all :biggrin1:
- but I do charcoal with Hickory chunks in Burn Baskets so what do I know LOL....
