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Better Than I Deserve! |
An FYI, Oak is one of the milder smoke woods. Hickory is the most popular smoking wood and it is much stronger/harsher than Oak. Oak is what I use in my smoker as we enjoy the gentle flavor of Oak. ____________________________ NRA Benefactor Life Member GOA Life Member Arizona Citizens Defense League Life Member | |||
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Drill Here, Drill Now |
Personally, I have a large BGE and it's been great. I use oak lump charcoal for everything, but vary the type of wood chunks and temperature based on what I'm smoking. I use hickory for beef and pork, I use alder or cedar for fish, and use cherry or apple for poultry. I tend to smoke at 180 to 225 for fish, 225 to 240 for beef and pork (although, I did ribs at 275 for 4th of July and they were amazing), and 325 for poultry (crisps up the skin better). I have a BBQ Guru temperature controller so it keeps the pit temperature very consistent. Prior to purchasing the BGE, I was trying hacks things like soaked wood chips in a crockpot and meat on rack above, putting foil chip pouches in my gas grill, putting cast iron chip trays in my gas grill, etc. Even put liquid smoke in injections/marinades. The results couldn't come close to the BGE. Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer. | |||
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Member |
Wood fired only. Been doing it for years and have catered many weddings,grad,bachelor groomsmen dinners etc. for quite sometime and with great success. Is it more work? Of course it is but the result is well worth it at least for me. I know my stick burner so well that with a glance of the exhaust I can tell what it needs if anything. I’m not tied to it much more than any of the computer controlled stuff out there which I don’t use. I burn primarily red oak which is readily available here. As someone mentioned it’s a more mild smoke which I prefer. Many of the BBQ joints opening up are making the mistake of oversmoking imo. I ate at a new place recently and tasting the brisket made me thinking of if I had licked the inside of the exhaust stack on my smoker! Yuk! But they are obsessed with the smoke. It’s controlling your fire and vents. Most of the time all I see is a heat signature leaving my exhaust with the occasional wisp of smoke. Proper traditional wood fired BBQ is becoming a lost art and I’m proud to have mastered it and do what I can to keep it alive. The only tool I use besides my fire poker is a Thermapen and I’m getting away from the Thermapen with the exception of steaks. The quality of the meat product you start with has as much to do with flavor as nearly anything else. If you eat a good Wagyu steak or brisket that prime grade from Costco will never be the same. "Fixed fortifications are monuments to mans stupidity" - George S. Patton | |||
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| Crusty old curmudgeon  |
After all of the comments regarding oak as a smoking agent I'll definitely try it again. I don't see it often in the stores around here for some reason but someone will carry it. Like I said, I only tried it once and thought it was a little harsh. Maybe it was the wood I used at the time. To long ago to remember. Jim ________________________ "If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird | |||
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paradox in a box |
I got mine from Texas in fact.  These go to eleven. | |||
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Member |
You'll be able to appreciate one of my recently finished projects. I may have posted a pic of it before on Sigforum, if so please forgive. I know I posted pics of it somewhere right after I finished it. 2997 lbs of 1/4" steel plate. The lower rack is 3ft x 8ft and the upper rack is 2ft x 8ft.   I love using a stickburner. I can get good results with my little electric smoker, but nothing gets that sweet/salty fatty carmelized bark on a brisket like a good old stickburner. I made a pastrami last weekend that was heavenly. A freshly smoked inch thick pastrami slice makes a damn fine sammich! I engineered the hell out of this smoker. It's CAD designed. I spent a month working out the pressure differences and flow rates to keep the temperature as even as possible, side to side and top to bottom. I'm proudest of the door hinge/linkage geometry though. The door is just under 200lbs, and can be lifted with 2 fingers. It stays up on its own, and it stays down on its own. Tows good too | |||
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| paradox in a box |
I'm using mostly red oak also. Lots of it on my property. I find it has plenty of smoke flavor. I get rave reviews on everything I cook. I'm still learning my fire management. I keep it clean by keeping the firebox door open. But the guy that built it has given me tips to close it off and use less fuel. But like you, I keep a very clean fire so I'm careful not to choke it.
That is awesome Ken! These go to eleven. | |||
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Member |
^^^ I remember your post on that smoker. Very nice. I'm looking at getting a Big Kamado Joe myself. I've never had a smoker, just my Weber Genesis. | |||
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| Little ray of sunshine  |
Ken226, that is one fine barbeque pit. The fish is mute, expressionless. The fish doesn't think because the fish knows everything. | |||
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Delusions of Adequacy |
I have an electric and am perfectly happy with the results. I don't have space to store a lot of wood or the means to transport it. My unit has a cold smoker attachment, which includes a feeder that will keep feeding chips for around 12 hours, so even less to fuss with, and I'm not limited to pellets. I purposely did NOT buy a unit with extra built in temp stuff or bluetooth... Added all that with a separate thirty dollar bit of gear, which if it goes bad, doesn't render the entire smoker keaput. I have my own style of humor. I call it Snarkasm. | |||
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Member |
This^^^^^ And to add... I'd call it a work of art. Collecting dust. | |||
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| Member |
I appreciate all the kind words. As it took thousands of dollars in materials alone, not to mention a couple hundred hours of work, I'm proud of the results. However, as was mentioned a couple times earlier, smoking meat is all about skill and experience. I've turned out some pretty good brisket and ribs, but I've been beat by guys using equipment that cost less than 1/20th of what this smoker cost me to build. I'm still learning how to use this contraption. With any luck, I'll never stop learning. | |||
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| Member |
That smoker is one beautiful beast Ken! You are right about skill and knowing you’re equipment. There are many factors that go into good BBQ and the equipment you use is just one part of it. It’s not how much money you spend on it it’s how well you know how to make it run right. I’m doing about 40lbs. of pork butt today. Going out to fire up the stick burner in about a hour to get things started. "Fixed fortifications are monuments to mans stupidity" - George S. Patton | |||
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Member |
This thread has caused me to send Mrs Greener in search of a pork butt..  CMSGT USAF (Retired) Chief of Police (Retired) | |||
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| Member |
My hat is off to you sir! I am envious of your skills. CMSGT USAF (Retired) Chief of Police (Retired) | |||
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Member |
We have a Masterbuilt electric smoker. It’s just the wife and it suits our needs great. I like being able to set it and forget it. __________________________ If Jesus would have had a gun he would be alive today. Homer Simpson “Him plenty dead” Tonto | |||
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