Smoke, anyone?

[NellieBly]

I just got my first real meat smoker. I am a seasoned griller, but have never owned an offset, or horizontal, smoker. I need some tips, recommendations, recipes, etc. I have some apple wood that I am going to use and some hickory. I don't really understand the water. Do I need water or is this a dry barbecue? I am not going to get a different kind of smoker. I have what I have. I appreciate any tips. Thanks.

[MH2010]

Welcome to the fold!  http://www.bbqsearch.com/ is a great website. Check out the forum)to learn all about fixing bbq and smoking.

[sgrizzle]

Every horizontal smoker I've known is a weekend experience, and always a good one. I know the point of the water is to make the wood smoke, not burn. Rub the meat, marinate the wood.

[lsimmons]

Here is a local guy with a great site. I've learned a lot from his news letters. I'd love to actually meet the man. He's a smoking god.

http://www.smoking-meat.com/

[MH2010]

Here is another good site.  It even has pictures in case you get confused!

http://www.barbecuen.com/

[rwarn17588]

A lot depends on what type of smoker you have.

I have a Weber, and have been very happy with mine. It holds the heat very steady without having to continually add charcoal.

There's a ton of information at the Weber site; some of it is bound to be helpful no matter what type of smoker you're using.

http://virtualweberbullet.com/

The previous info about wet wood is on the money, by the way.

[NellieBly]

Well, I have started a test run. My husband's 40th is next weekend and I wanted to practice before I spent a ton of money on meat just to ruin it. I started two types of pork ribs at 10:30 a.m. I kind of got a late start due to the rain. I am using hickory chunks and a few chips - well marinated. It smells delicious outside. Will keep you posted.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[RecycleMichael]

I knew the neighborhood you live in and because of the wonderful smell of your new smoker, now I know your house.

If you don't feed me some ribs, I am gonna post your address on this forum.

[Conan71]

Nellie, there's nothing more satisfying than smoking your own 'que.  Let us know how it turned out.

I've cooked on a variety of grills and smokers.  Horizontal smokers are hard to beat, though the vertical water type are pretty good for smoking birds.

The trick to any good smoked meat is cooking it slow to allow it to get tender.  I don't pay attention to the temp in the smoker or grill just the temp and appearance of the meat.  

At the present I've got a Weber kettle grill (I think it's 22" diameter) and believe it or not, you can do some killer smoking with one of these.  I smoked a pork loin roast on Saturday that turned out perfect.  I've also smoked baby backs, spare ribs, and brisket on it.  The trick is to build the fire on one side of the grill and place the meat opposite and adjust the dampers to keep from cooking too fast.  My boss gave me a horizontal smoker and I never use it since I've got the Weber figured out.  I will only use the horizontal if I'm cooking for a bunch of people.

Plumb, pecan, and oak are all very good smoking woods.  Really, wood from just about any nut or fruit-bearing tree is very flavorful for smoking.

A good rub can also make a huge difference.  My favorite home-made rub is garlic powder, paparika, black pepper, and a little cayenne.  You can also use some chili powder in a rub.  My favorite to buy is an orange chipotle rub a fellow sells at the fairgrounds flea market.  I think he may also hit the farmer's markets as well.

A tip on the best charcoal available is "Ozark Oak".  It is real lump charcoal, not processed briquettes (which have a bunch of binders and additives that impart a chemical flavor to your meat).  You can get it at Perry's or Warehouse Market.  It's also long-lasting.  I don't cover the bottom of my grill with charcoal, I usually build a medium-sized pile, and even after smoking for a few hours still have charcoal left.  

[NellieBly]

Well, what can I say. It was delicious! It was easy to kind of keep the fire going all day and I just let them cook.

I am sure the neighbors were a little jealous because they had to smell the meat all day long.

[Conan71]

Keeping the fire lit- reminds me of two funny smoking incidents.

About ten or so years back, I volunteered to smoke the Thanksgiving turkey for our family plus guests at my mother's house.

I started the smoker (vertical water-type) in the morning and returned later in the afternoon to find a cold smoker and very "un-done" bird.  That necessitated a scramble to try to finish the bird in the oven.  It turned out okay, but we wound up eating two hours late.  

Saturday, my wife came home from running some errands and said:

"Oh you lit the chiminea."  

"No, honey I didn't light it, just the grill." [}:)]

I took another whiff and realized that a large chunk of wood I'd grabbed from my "smoking" pile was a piece of pinion wood.  Fortunately, it wasn't on there long enough to affect the flavor adversely.

Resinous woods like pinion and evergreens are definitely not good smoking woods.