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View Full Version : New wood consuming tool for Father's Day.



Matt Meiser
06-17-2007, 10:48 PM
LOML and LOML Jr gave me my father's day gift a couple days early and I assmbled it last night. Anyone have any cooking suggestions? We picked up some cherry and hickory chips at the store and cut a bunch of small branches from my parent's apple trees today.

Benjamin Dahl
06-18-2007, 5:01 PM
I would recommend you buy "Smoke and SPice: Cooking with Smoke...".
I have not found a recipe in there I do not like. takes you through different meats, spices, veggies. My go to book for smoking. Make sure the apple wood is dry before you use it, otherwise it will smoulder and not really smoke in a good way.
As for cooking suggestions, I find that I like fattier cuts like pork butt or beef brisket. ribs are always good too. just remember, cook low and slow.

Matt Meiser
06-18-2007, 6:53 PM
Benjamin, is this the book: http://www.bordersstores.com/search/title_detail.jsp?id=53511798&srchTerms=Smoke+%26+Spice%3A+Cooking+with+Smoke&mediaType=1&srchType=Keyword

Brent Dowell
06-18-2007, 8:52 PM
That's the book (At least the one I have). I just made the wife search through the unpacked moving boxes to verify. Mine is a few covers out of date with that, but the same authors.

I Have to agree. Best Barbecue book I've got, and I've got more than a few.

My regular Sunday ribs any more are very simple.

Brine the ribs for a few hours, dry, coat with Willy's Wonderful Rub, then 3-4 hours on the ole weber at 300-400 degrees. I know, that's not keeping them temp at the ideal range, but it's easy and fool proof.

When I'm in the real mood to fool around, I've got a jury rigged side firebox smoker lined with brick that I'll fire up and keep stoked with select hardwoods all day long.

Cogratulations!

John Shuk
06-18-2007, 9:17 PM
Matt,
I use a charcoal smoker but I find that not much can beat cherry for smoking chicken or pork. I know mesquite and hickory get the most publicity but there are some others out there that do a great job and you can usually find a small limb and have plenty of smoker wood. Maple is pretty nice as well.
Enjoy the gift.

Brent Dowell
06-19-2007, 12:15 AM
Maple, I bet that would be nice.

In all honesty, I used the hardwood firewood that I got from a local supplier. Probably most of what I used was red oak, and in all honesty, it worked great.

Not a huge fan of mesquite, and I'd stay away from the pine and softwoods they sell at the grocery store.

Maple. That's really got me thinking. Ahh, but the shipping from the east coast to Nevada....

Joe Chritz
06-19-2007, 8:59 AM
Had an old guy I saw one day while I was working hauling a 20 foot+ trailer with all smoker and grilling gear. Said he has been roasting hogs for 35 years. We talked almost an hour. He suggested trying corn cobs thrown into the wood fire. I haven't tried it yet but plan to at some time.

07-14 is my next pig on an ancient roaster. Last Christmas and New Years I did turkeys on the same roaster. A low apple wood fire, nice and smokey with foil rapped turkeys. Even better than deep fried.

Outdoor cooking and wild game are my "thing".

Great now I'm hungry.

Joe

Benjamin Dahl
06-19-2007, 10:24 AM
Matt, as Brent said, that is the book I was talking about. Have fun with the smoker. I still use my gas grill for some stuff but find that smoking is a great way to spend a weekend day. I like to either put a dry rub on or soak the meat in a marinade the night before. The next day I fire up the smoker (depending on when I want to eat) put the meat in and forget about it for a while. Often will be able to get some woodworking done while the meat is cooking.
Ben

Chris Damm
06-20-2007, 9:01 AM
Matt, my kids gave me one for fathers day a couple of years ago. It works great, just put it where drips won't stain anything. I have done a lot of ribs in mine. I've used hickory, apple and oak (red and white) in mine, hickory had the best taste.

Matt Meiser
06-21-2007, 12:41 PM
Thanks guys. I picked up the book last night. I didn't get a chance to do anything other than flip through it,but it does look like a good book.

Steven Wilson
06-21-2007, 3:14 PM
Oak, maple and other woods are good for the fire, I like mesquite myself for the smoke although the others (apple, hickory, et al) are fine. I like to smoke brisket, chicken, ribs, lamb legs, and when done with the meat then smoke some fish (hot smoke for cooking not a low temp smoke for preserving) and even smoke some cheese when the fire has died way down.

Leo Pashea
06-21-2007, 3:32 PM
Most of the "fruit woods" impart wonderful flavor for smoke cooking. If you want something different, try some Pecan. Wonderful, sweet-smoky flavor. It has become one of the favorites here in Bluegrass Country!

Joe Melton
06-21-2007, 5:15 PM
Has anyone had good success making jerky?
Joe

Brent Dowell
06-21-2007, 10:35 PM
I've made a lot of jerky, just none of it on a smoker. I've always used an electric dehydrator.