Saturday's Smoke ...

[G$]

...will be a 10 pound brisket, and I will probably throw on some ribs for lunch and fatties for breakfast.

The brisket is odd shaped, with an extra fatty, pointy point. (It is also probably still frozen - hope it thaws in time).

Really want some ribs, so I am going to pay through the nose for whatever looks best at the store.

 

[Jorge]

No time to cook this weekend for me. If schedules allow I might get to meet Arlin down in San Antonio sometime this weekend.

Now and then I've been known to cheat to thaw some meat. Run a sink of cold water, place the brisket or whatever in a garbage bag and set it in the sink while I mix my rub or marinade. After I have the meat prepperd it goes into one of two fridges. If it's thawed it goes into the coldest fridge in the house where I keep the beer. If not the kitchen fridge is a little warmer and it goes in there. If I'm not sure the meat is completely thawed when it goes into the smoker I keep that in mind when place the probes (learned a hard lesson once ). Enjoy the smoke, and let us know how it went!

 

[chad]

I may cook up the spare rib trimmings from the last cook off. We didn't cook them at Mobile so I brought about 5# or so to the house. They've been in the freezer already seasoned.

 

[tommykendall]

I'm not smokin' either. Just learned that I need to be in Toronto next week and a lot more over the weeks to come. Fark - I'm dying for Q too. I had planned on doing a brisket and 3 racks of BBs that I bought the other day. Shot to hell mod now.

 

[jt]

Turkey legs, fatty, cheese bread and anything else I find at the store that won't take too long.

Short window mod.

 

[parrothead]

Short window mod.

JT has a short window, pass it on.

 

[Bill-Chicago]

Shot to hell mod now.

Take a hot bath tonight and play with all your new friends

 

[G$]

Now and then I've been known to cheat to thaw some meat. Run a sink of cold water, place the brisket or whatever in a garbage bag and set it in the sink while I mix my rub or marinade. After I have the meat prepperd it goes into one of two fridges. If it's thawed it goes into the coldest fridge in the house where I keep the beer. If not the kitchen fridge is a little warmer and it goes in there. If I'm not sure the meat is completely thawed when it goes into the smoker I keep that in mind when place the probes (learned a hard lesson once ). Enjoy the smoke, and let us know how it went!

Just got home and this brisket is not close to thawed, so in the cold sink it goes. Hope it will thaw more over night and not wreck my rub. What you say above about the two fridges is right in line with my set up: The cold fridge is outside with beer, and the 'warmer' fridge is in the house with food for other people.

 

[tommykendall]

Submerge it cold water - hopefully it's cryovac'd.

 

[Bigmista]

I agree with TK. THat's the fastest way to thaw.

 

[Neil]

If it's still partially frozen, just start it out lower and go slower. Go the first hour at 150 and plan on adding at least one hour to your cook.

 

[jminion]

Change the water a couple of times helps, I would add more than hour tocook time just give yourself a fudge factor.

 

[G$]

Just pulled the brisket and coolered it. It was at 195* when I decided it had enough.

Hopefully, it turns out better than the other stuff in the smoker today:

Baby Backs were a little tough, which I am attributing partially to 'iffy' quality (even though I took the best of the lot, they were previously frozen of course and looked a little tired), and partially to the cook factor (actually my first time doing those little things). I think I missed some of the membrane during removal, and my rub was a little high in sugar. The middle ribs were good, the rest were not so good... Still edible, and that counts for something.

I also brined and tried to smoke some little boneless skinless chicken breasts on the bottom rack of the chamber. Some got a basic rub, and others got lemon pepper with sliced lemon on them. Again, these were 'OK', but drier than I would have liked. I finished them in the oven because I was getting concerned that they were taking a while to get up to temp.

All in all, if nothing else, another example that I have a lot to learn and try.

PS, I even over cooked my 'on sale' Owens picante fatty which I rubbed heavily in my brisket rub. It was still awesome, just 'well done' on the ends.

 

[Ron_L]

I'm not cooking today (too many Honey-do's ) but I picked up a pack of baby backs at Sams for tomorrow. I also picked up some NY Strips for grillin' tonight. At the grocery store I found Cook's Corned brisket flats for $2/lb so I bought two (one for St. Patty's day and one to smoke next weekendfor pastrami) and two JD fatties (one regular, one sage, 2 fer $5).

I'm also going to make the Kansas City Baked Beans recipe from Smoke and Spice along with some slaw for tomorrow with the ribs.

 

[Jorge]

I cook chicken down low too. I don't want it dripping on beef or pork while it cooks. I open the door to keep an eye on it, and accept that I'm lengthening the cook time for the other meat. For a boneless breast, it's done when the liquid runs clear like anything else. I've never timed it but it doesn't take that long, especially low.

Were your ribs tough or dry? I ain't there, but it sounds like the smoke chamber might be a little warmer than you thought. My .02 after doing yard work and drinking beer all day. You should see the Hibiscus I cut back!!! :shock:<--beer goggle smiley

 

[Solidkick]

Were your ribs tough or dry? I ain't there, but it sounds like the smoke chamber might be a little warmer than you thought

Yep, or maybe didn't rotate the product around, and definitley sounds like not enough spraying. Got to spray them ribs...........or you will end up with burnt ends.

 

[G$]

Were your ribs tough or dry? I ain't there, but it sounds like the smoke chamber might be a little warmer than you thought

Yep, or maybe didn't rotate the product around, and definitley sounds like not enough spraying. Got to spray them ribs...........or you will end up with burnt ends.

Thanks for the thoughts folks. I thought the chamber temps were where I wanted them throughout, but i just checked my notes and do note an hour period where temps were consistently high. Spiking over 250 right before foiling the ribs. This was followed by an hour of low temps, dipping to 180 as I put on the chicken.

Also, for fun and since I had only 2 baby back racks, i tried the Bandera rib rack holders. I did not move the rack location. Thanks again for the help.

 

[jeffsasmokin]

Also, for fun and since I had only 2 baby back racks, i tried the Bandera rib rack holders. .[/quote]See, I'm not the only one who tried the 'Dera rib rack! I put mine around mid-chamber, and they came out fine. They didn't work to well once they were foiled, though. The also made it a Bear to take off. Think I'll get some Weber Rib Racks and place them on the regular grate next time...........seems like it would be easier to move them around and get them in and out.

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

No time to cook this weekend for me. If schedules allow I might get to meet Arlin down in San Antonio sometime this weekend.

Now and then I've been known to cheat to thaw some meat. Run a sink of cold water, place the brisket or whatever in a garbage bag and set it in the sink while I mix my rub or marinade. After I have the meat prepperd it goes into one of two fridges. If it's thawed it goes into the coldest fridge in the house where I keep the beer. If not the kitchen fridge is a little warmer and it goes in there. If I'm not sure the meat is completely thawed when it goes into the smoker I keep that in mind when place the probes (learned a hard lesson once ). Enjoy the smoke, and let us know how it went!

Man, I got NO Q this weekend down in San Antonio, but got some great Tex-Mex. Didn't EVEN have time to call you, Jorge, the schedule was that packed. I did enjoy wandering the beer aisle in the first HEB I came across, though. Between beers I can't get and rubs & sauces I've never seen I dropped $120 in the first half hour I was in town. Loved it!!

Arlin