Just got a smoker!

[Traken]

I have 4 sides of ribs and some pork belly in the freezer, just waiting for it to stop raining.

So in another month or two? lol. At least, that’s how it feels after last week and this one.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So... this weekend it's beef short ribs on the smoker!!
Anyone else smoking food lately??? Wheather must be good by now.

I did beef briskets 2 weeks in a row, and smoked a pork butt Saturday night, which was delicious. Definitely been smokin’.

 

[bwaynef]

I noticed ribs on sale at the grocery store...

 

[barrosinc]

I noticed ribs on sale at the grocery store...

So, they're in your fridge now?

I have never done brisket before and I believe it won't fit in my smoker and I don't want to cut it in half.

 

[bwaynef]

So, they're in your fridge now?

My youngest son is on a Gluten/Dairy/Sugar-free diet lately. Mercifully we're going to begin reintroducing some of those in the next few weeks. As a result ...and in support of his diet, we haven't had bbq (sugar in the rubs and sauces). I didn't buy the ribs, but I might. I could do dry rubbed ribs. I'm hesitant to stock my freezer because my kids aren't great about making sure it gets closed and throwing away meat ...makes me sad.

I have never done brisket before and I believe it won't fit in my smoker and I don't want to cut it in half.

Get an empty veggie can and put it under the meat. Just until the meat shrinks enough to fit w/o the can under it.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

I have never done brisket before and I believe it won't fit in my smoker and I don't want to cut it in half.

I had my local butcher shop cut one down for me, and I just smoked the flat. 5 lb the first time, stepped up to 7 the next.

 

[barrosinc]

Ok.... so.... I think I can be called pitmaster.
Holly fu... the short ribs and baby back ribs were awesome!!!

I feel texan

 

[barrosinc]

So... Not having a smoke ring is starting to annoy me. But hard to do without charcoal or faking it with nitrates.

 

[Bolero]

Don't know if this has been addressed yet or not.....
I do Baby Back Ribs two ways....
Chewing off the bone style and
Falling off the bone style...
I've found that most BarBQ places around me, here in Detroit area, do the Chewing off the bone style...
One needs really meaty ribs to do a successful Chewing style...

 

[mcpesq817]

So... Not having a smoke ring is starting to annoy me. But hard to do without charcoal or faking it with nitrates.

Smoke ring looks good, but doesn't do much if anything for flavor according to some experts.

I've been smoking for the past 3 years. Can be a bit of an addiction just like bonsai (just tastier). I have two charcoal smokers, an electric smoker for fish, and a gasser.

If you like ribs, have to try beef ribs. Very sinful.

 

[barrosinc]

Smoke ring looks good, but doesn't do much if anything for flavor according to some experts.

I've been smoking for the past 3 years. Can be a bit of an addiction just like bonsai (just tastier). I have two charcoal smokers, an electric smoker for fish, and a gasser.

If you like ribs, have to try beef ribs. Very sinful.

Love short ribs!! (I thought it meant cow always).
You are probably right on the smoke ring. More of a gimmick than anything.

I just bought a good thermometer thermopro and thinking on buying a large set of cow short ribs soon.

I have a question as most of you must do your own bbq sauce... i have been trying some lately but they don't really taste that good. I have no access to molasses nor high fructose corn syrup. So here's the question: how would make my favorite sauce sweet baby Ray's sweet and spicy bbq sauce (ingredients: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Vinegar, Tomato Paste, Modified Food Starch, Water, Contains; less than 2% of: Salt, Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Natural Smoke Flavor, Spices, Caramel Color, Jalapeno Pepper,; Sodium Benzoate as a preservative, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Garlic, Sugar, Tamarind, Natural Flavor).

 

[bwaynef]

There are recipes online for SBR's sauces*. I used to really like SBR's, but I've hit on a few other recipes that I think are better and my family seems to really like. If you can get it locally and you like it, just buy it. If I'm going to the trouble of making my sauce, its because I can't get any better locally. (I only buy one sauce, ...and I've got a recipe for it that tastes the same. I make 3 others. Its easier to just buy it, plus I like supporting the company ...and letting the store know that I appreciate that they keep a bbq section well-stocked. (Check out Ace Hardware's bbq section.) )

HFCS is just cheap sugar, so use that, maybe make a simple syrup (water & sugar) in its place. Molasses imparts its own flavor so there's not a simple replacement for that although most recipes that call for it only use a small amount.

*https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-barbecue-sauce-just-like-sweet-baby-rays/ <-- I've never used this recipe, and it does call for molasses.

 

[LanceMac10]

Simple syrup with dark brown sugar instead of white should give you an approximate taste to molasses, (I believe molasses is added during refinement to give the "dark" hue). A light cornstarch slurry should give you the "glossy" shine and aid with consistency.



.....but I have to ask, if your smoking, why use bbq sauce?

 

[mcpesq817]

People in my family love Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ, so I usually go with that. I also like Stubb's - their Sweet Heat and regular are very good.

Not sure how you cook your ribs, but one approach if you are doing a 3-2-1 or similar method is to smoke for the first section, then for the second, wrap the ribs meat side down in brown sugar, butter, honey and a little BBQ sauce (could probably even use something "sauce-like" like ketchup). After the second portion of the cook is done, save the juice from the foil, baste the ribs with it, and put back on the smoker for the last section of the cook. It's a little more work, but I think the flavor is much better than just going with straight BBQ sauce.

 

[barrosinc]

.....but I have to ask, if your smoking, why use bbq sauce?

I love the baby back ribs with the sweet bbq sauce brushed on at the end. Or Pulled pork sandwiches with bbq sauce.

There are recipes online for SBR's sauces*. I used to really like SBR's, but I've hit on a few other recipes that I think are better and my family seems to really like. If you can get it locally and you like it, just buy it. If I'm going to the trouble of making my sauce, its because I can't get any better locally. (I only buy one sauce, ...and I've got a recipe for it that tastes the same. I make 3 others. Its easier to just buy it, plus I like supporting the company ...and letting the store know that I appreciate that they keep a bbq section well-stocked. (Check out Ace Hardware's bbq section.) )

HFCS is just cheap sugar, so use that, maybe make a simple syrup (water & sugar) in its place. Molasses imparts its own flavor so there's not a simple replacement for that although most recipes that call for it only use a small amount.

*https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-barbecue-sauce-just-like-sweet-baby-rays/ <-- I've never used this recipe, and it does call for molasses.

I found that recipe but the one I posted is the sweet and spicy and has pineapple juice, tamarindo and jalapeños. I will definitely keep on buying it while they sell it but they bring large shipments and usually just stop. I have 3 stashed but it will run out.

People in my family love Sweet Baby Ray's Honey BBQ, so I usually go with that. I also like Stubb's - their Sweet Heat and regular are very good.

Not sure how you cook your ribs, but one approach if you are doing a 3-2-1 or similar method is to smoke for the first section, then for the second, wrap the ribs meat side down in brown sugar, butter, honey and a little BBQ sauce (could probably even use something "sauce-like" like ketchup). After the second portion of the cook is done, save the juice from the foil, baste the ribs with it, and put back on the smoker for the last section of the cook. It's a little more work, but I think the flavor is much better than just going with straight BBQ sauce.

I do the 2-2-1 for baby back ribs and apply bbq sauce 10 minutes before wrapping.
Something to try next time. Allthough, I think, my ribs are coming out pretty damn delicious.


Is liquid smoke added to bbq sauce? Or just in case when you eat it on non smoked food?

 

[mcpesq817]

If you're smoking with charcoal, wood, etc., why do you need liquid smoke? I have only used liquid smoke when smoking salmon - I soak it in a brine mixture that includes some liquid smoke, then smoke it in an electric smoker over alder wood which has a very mild smoke flavor.

 

[bwaynef]

Is liquid smoke added to bbq sauce? Or just in case when you eat it on non smoked food?

Think about it like shohin display. Not many folks would accuse bbq of subtlety, but there's no need to duplicate the smoke component in the sauce. You're already cooking it into the food. Just like a proper shohin display should have different kinds of trees, in different colors/shapes of pots, on different style stands. You have one smokey component. Move on.

 

[barrosinc]

If you're smoking with charcoal, wood, etc., why do you need liquid smoke? I have only used liquid smoke when smoking salmon - I soak it in a brine mixture that includes some liquid smoke, then smoke it in an electric smoker over alder wood which has a very mild smoke flavor.

I smoke in an electric smoker. Salmon has been no problem, I do the same soaking in salt and sugar and then add garlic, onion and some spices and smoke for like 2 hours with oak.

Think about it like shohin display. Not many folks would accuse bbq of subtlety, but there's no need to duplicate the smoke component in the sauce. You're already cooking it into the food. Just like a proper shohin display should have different kinds of trees, in different colors/shapes of pots, on different style stands. You have one smokey component. Move on.

Sounds right.

 

[barrosinc]

Trying brisket... sucking at it... reached stall and almost no bark formed...

 

[KLSbonsai]

Brisket is said to be the hardest to master on the smoker. It takes a really long time to cook. I have gotten the moisture down and good even cook throughout the meat but not the right flavor profile. Best of luck, just keep practicing, friends make the best Guinea pigs.