BIG Labor Day cook - will post pictures

[Schmendrick]

Hiya, Brethren.

Preparing for a big smoke on the ol' Frankensmoker for a Labor Day gathering tomorrow. I will post pictures. Here is what I've done so far:

• Began brining poultry (whole turkey and 8 chicken quarters) yesterday in water, kosher salt, pepper, garlic, worchestershire and brown sugar.
• Began marinating 2 racks baby back ribs (membranes pulled) and 1 pork loin today in ginger ale, orange juice, apple juice, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, rib rub, worchestershire, BBQ sauce, Frank's Red Hot sauce, and a little kosher salt and pepper. Will also inject.
• Will trim and begin marinating 20 lb. brisket in concentrated beef broth and instant au jus later today. Will also inject.
• Purchased some raw fresh peppered sausage from Central Market. No prep - will just add to smoker 45 minutes before service time.

Tomorrow:

• Early AM - I will rub down both the brisket and turkey, and put them on. Last time, I pulled an all-nighter and did a 12-hour cook on the brisket. This time, I'm going to use Bludawg's method. Going to wrap in pink butcher paper and see how it does.
• 5 hours ahead - will rub down and put on chicken and pork products.
• 45 min ahead - will put on sausage.

I will use a combo of Apple wood and Oak.


As promised, I will take pictures at final setup, along with my thoughts and notes for improvements for next time.

Anyone else doing anything similar?

Happy Labor Day, folks.
- Clint

 

[Ron_L]

Good luck!

 

[MisterChrister]

Sounds like a blast, looking forward to the pics!

 

[Huh? What?]

Yep, waiting to see pics. Sounds like a good time.

 

[Jason TQ]

Sounds awesome!

 

[Thingfish]

You neglected to list your personal re-hydration choice for this big cook! I hope you knock it out of the park, Clint!

 

[Schmendrick]

You neglected to list your personal re-hydration choice for this big cook! I hope you knock it out of the park, Clint!

Always.

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Looking forward to following this

 

[Schmendrick]

Okay, Pics as promised:


Here's the 20lb. trimmed brisket going on the smoker.


Everything else on the smoker: Brisket, turkey, pork ribs and pork loin wrapped. Chicken quarters naked.


Sauced and "glued" chicken quarters.


Finished Turkey





Slicing the brisket. (Sorry for poor quality) Sauced/"glued" pork loin and pork ribs in front of me; burnt ends to my right.

It was goooooooooo-ooooooood. :-Dhttp://www.bbq-brethren.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/

 

[Smoke on Badger Mountain]

All looks great. Nice job!

 

[MikeWin]

It all looks deeeelicious. I think I can almost taste it��

 

[Buckeye79]

Looks great!

 

[Schmendrick]

Forgot one. Here's my lovely wife expertly slicing up the pork ribs. She's a good woman! LOL

 

[buzz53]

When my wife is holding a knife she is a very good woman and always wright. :loco:

 

[Schmendrick]

I do have a question to ask my fellow brethren: as you can see here, I cooked up both pork ribs and pork loin.

I marinated both the ribs AND the loin together for 24 hours before the cook.

I rubbed down both the ribs AND the loin with the same rub.

I smoked both the ribs AND the loin at the same time for the same amount of time.

I wrapped both the ribs AND the loin and took them off at the same time.

I sauced both the ribs AND the loin and glued it on.

. . . but when we sliced them, the ribs were flavorful, tender and juicy. But the pork loin was flavorful and dry, dry, DRY!

What did I do wrong??

 

[buzz53]

Loin is a much leaner cut of meat and will not need to cook as long.

 

[Schmendrick]

Loin is a much leaner cut of meat and will not need to cook as long.

That's interesting. In my research on the issue afterward, I also learned that many people will do a bacon wrap on their pork loins in order to supplement the fat needed to make it a juicy piece of meat. Does anyone else to do this? Also, I cooked the ribs and the loin for around 6 hours: 3 unwrapped, 3 wrapped. I even injected the loin, and it still came out dry! Any other tricks anyone else uses?

 

[code3rrt]

Fantastic spread!

As to the pork loin, the marinade was fine, but you just want to cook the loin to an IT of 135-145 at most, once above those temps it is likely to be dry.

KC

 

[Doc6633]

I have done loin with bacon and without during the same cook and the one with bacon was definitely juicier. Also bacon is pretty much great on anything.

 

[cheez59]

Nice looking cook you have there. I don't do pork loins on the smoker anymore for the very reason you described. Even if you do everything perfectly and get a moist product you must eat it very soon after removing from the smoker or it will still dry out. This has been my experience anyway.