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My girlfriend and I bought a smoker yesterday afternoon, a propane powered Smoke Vault. (We chose not to go with a charcoal as we were informed that for newbies it could be challenging.) I won't be able to fire it up until this weekend and I'm wondering if anybody out there has any tips or hints for a first time smoker.

Is there a good way to get the "feel" for smoking meat or should I jump in with both feet, buy a few cuts (i.e., brisket, pork butt/shoulder), and just have a whirl?

Is there a standard "rule of thumb" for smoking? In other words, is it generally 1-1.5 hrs/lb? 2-2.5 hrs/lb?

Any other bits of wisdom y'all who smoke could pass along?

Thanks,

Steven

the elephant wrote:...ignore what we have to say here.

bloke wrote:"Propane" has nothing to do with "smoking meat" or "barbecue"...

Low and slow cooking with hickory, cherry, or mesquite using propane as the heat source is no different than low and slow cooking with hickory, cherry, or mesquite using charcoal as the heat source. From what I've read, the only real difference is how much the user has to monkey with the fire. Even electric smokers--using hard wood chips/chunks--provide a near identical product to a traditional charcoal-based smoker.

We do "grill" with charcoal, though.

Thanks for the tip,

Steven

The only way to get your feet wet is to jump in.

I usually bbq a pork shoulder in the 8-12 lb range. I try to keep the temperature around 275-300. It takes about 12 hours at that temperature to cook the shoulder. There aren't really too many rules of thumb for timing these things. Too many variables.

I like hickory chips. Other woods are good also. If you can remember to soak the chips over night they'll work better. If you don't remember then just soak them for about an hour in very hot water. The larger the wood the more soaking it will need.

I usually add the chips a couple of times. I like a heavy smoke. That's something you'll have to play with until you get the amount of smokey flavor you like. If you see the red smoke ring just under the surface when you begin cutting up the meat you did it right.

I don't mess with sauces or rubs on a shoulder. Just some salt. I remove the skin before putting it in the cooker and place it with the fat side up so the fat melts through the meat.

Towards the end of the 12 hours I'll check the shoulder's temperature with a quick reading thermometer to be sure it is at least 165 degrees. 175 at the most.

Once done and out of the cooker I let it sit for at least 30 minutes before breaking it down so that the juices stay in the meat.

As long as the heat is indirect I've not found any real differences between charcoal, wood or propane as the heat source. It's all good. I prefer using charcoal in my offset firebox cooker, but it's mostly just part of the ritual.

One tip. I'm guessing that you have the Bayou Classic 600-601 Gas Smoker as it's the only gas model I saw when searching for your brand. I cannot tell how insulated it is. I'm guessing not very. Try to shield it some from direct wind or breezes. It will loose a lot of it's heat if it's cold and windy and unprotected. (Hence my earlier comment about lack of timing rules.)

Enjoy. And remember that it will cook better if you have a few beers as it cooks

Jim

+1 on the just jumping in... We had a 'Great Smokey Mountain' smoker that uses a woodbox above a propane flame and it works extremely well. It will stay locked in on a temp for 12+ hours.

Suggestions:

- Get a 'fast read' meat thermometer like a health inspector uses - it makes checking the temp much easier.
- Pick up a copy of 'The Great American Barbecue and Grilling Manual' by Smokey Hale... his grammer leaves a bit to be desired but the information is excellent. It has instructions on how to barbecue just about anything.
- On your first run... run the smoker empty for a couple of hours at full heat to burn out any chemicals that are still hanging around.

Our favorite dish is ribs - our 'quick and easy' route is Emeril's rib rub... when we have more time we'll whip something up from the book. I prefer Hickory, then apple or cherry and sometimes mix it up. Mesquite is great but it's not our favorite.

It's really pretty hard to screw up something in these smokers - the biggest mistake is running the heat up - for ribs we keep it just above 200 degrees f - if it ever goes above 250 the meat is shot.

The best part is that we can cook anything 10x better tasting than any place around here... I also don't have to pay $50 to wolf my food down and deal with my kids when they want to leave.

Cleanup isn't bad if you get on it right after taking the food out...

Ricko

SRanney wrote: Low and slow cooking with hickory, cherry, or mesquite using propane as the heat source is no different than low and slow cooking with hickory, cherry, or mesquite using charcoal as the heat source. From what I've read, the only real difference is how much the user has to monkey with the fire. Even electric smokers--using hard wood chips/chunks--provide a near identical product to a traditional charcoal-based smoker.

We do "grill" with charcoal, though.

Thanks for the tip,

Steven

Actually, there is a difference in the source and the substance being burned. Much of the reason wood selection is important is because of the flavoring left behind by the substance. Wood also has the habit of giving off the humidity stored up as moisture that is in the wood. (unless you have really dried the wood, bscause most dry wood has some water content). Even using chips with a propane or electic heat source is different because of the added smoke or fumes form the other heat source.

Size matters as well, but no one wants to talk about it.

Use the meat thermometer. Remember, usually lower temperature and longer time. Make sure that the internal temperature of the larger meats reaches at least 170 F, for a good amount of time. (research temperature and time for meat cooking). After this, follow the other advice about trial and error.

The best way to learn how to smoke meat is to just do it. We can give you all the advice in the world and you can read everything that's been written, but until you've jumped in with both feet and screwed up a rack of ribs or a brisket, it won't matter. If you mess up, you'll find something to do with the meat. Besides, most of the fun of smoking is the process itself. I use a charcoal smoker because I like to make a day of it and that's what I learned to smoke with way back when. My favorite is brisket, smoked with the fat side down (that's a debatable point here in Texas). I use this rub:
http://www.burgerhouse.com/index.php/st ... mous_salt/" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

I rub it in the night before and usually use hickory chips; but I like mesquite for a change once in a while. I will spend an entire Saturday sitting outside tending the smoker. Either at home or camping, it's Miller time about halfway through the process (have to let breakfast digest ). Usually I'm with a couple of buddies and our wives are inside doing whatever they do-or better yet-they've left the premises.

Anyway, whatever way you smoke is your way -- Have fun & enjoy!!

Alton Brown did a great episode on smoking meat (specifically, he made pulled pork) on Good Eats.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ2Uj_3v6Dw

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ka2kpzT ... re=related

In part 2, he shows how he assembles a ceramic smoker using a hot plate, a pie pan, a grate from a kettle grill, and a large terra cotta planter. Pretty ingenious and economical thinking.

bloke wrote:...I guess (if I throw a few hickory or mesquite chips down in there) I can be a barbecue wizard too.

Hmm. Your post reads as though you're trying to be a smart-a$$. If not, my apologies.

If you can contain the smoke and the heat within a confined area (or don't mind it throughout your house), I don't see why you wouldn't have a home-grown smoker. Have at it and let me know how it turns out.

Steven

bloke wrote:yeah...I'm being a smart-a$$...I just have trouble connecting petro-based fuels with "barbecue".

I have a propane cooker, but I see it's purpose as:

keeping smoke (from ignited meat fats) and (summertime) excessive heat out of the house. I use it for ka-bobs, beef/deer steaks, hamburgers, brats, hotdogs, chicken, pork chops...

...but not barbecue.

Fair enough.

I use my charcoal grill for shorter cooking sessions (i.e., steaks, burgers, antelope, etc.) and wanted a smoker for slow-cooked BBQ. While doing research on which smoker to purchase, I was informed by several experienced smokers that using a propane or electric-powered smoker (with wood chunks as the smoke source) would be much easier for someone just "starting out" in the smoking world. In other words, without worrying about keeping the fire at the proper temperature, a newbie could focus on getting the cooking right.

I think there are several regional definitions of "barbeque". For some reason in the great white north--where I now live--the natives equate "grilling out" (i.e., steaks, burgers, brats, etc...) with barbeque. For others, barbeque is grilling out, but with some kind of spicy sauce on top. For yet still others, barbeque is meat cooked slowly in the presence of smoke. Certainly, others' definition of barbeque is food cooked slowly over charcoal in the presence of smoke. I take it that the last of these is close to the definition you give barbeque.

While all of this is semantics (and a Google-ing of "definition: barbeque" will give you even more definitions and a small etymology of the word), I define barbeque as slow cooking over low heat in the presence of smoke. Not necessarily over charcoal, but low and slow heat with smoke. Thus, I saw no reason not to purchase a smoker with propane as the heat source, as was recommended by a salesperson of stoves and barbeques. (Said salesperson also recommend I purchase said smoker at a different retail establishment, indicating that it could be found immediately and at lower cost. Needless to say, I will be purchasing wood chunks and other necessary items from this salesperson.)

Bloke, if you ever find yourself near Bozeman, MT, please let me know. Once I get the intricacies of slowly smoking meat on a propane smoker down, you're free to join me in feasting on some smoked meat.

Feel free to return to being a smart-a$$.

Steven

bloke wrote:bloke "There are now, again, some elk in Tennessee, but I don't think any of them have worked there way this far west."

From what I know of wildlife biology, the elk that were recently (~2000) probably won't make it over your way. If they did venture out of the Smokies/Appalachia area, they're more likely to get shot or get popped by a car than make it all the way across the plateau and into the lowlands.

Colstrip, MT is in the middle of nowhere. I'm sure your friend was shocked.

I read the thread on the smoker you're planning on building. Like your pond updates, I'll be interesting in hearing how it progresses and how it operates once functioning.

If you do find your way up to Bozeman, try not to aim for late June through mid July. I'll be in the field collecting data. Besides, that's when the amazingly stupid tourists arrive.

Take care,

Steven

"If it's snowbird season, why can't we shoot 'em? Just tag 'em and bag 'em and send 'em out overnight air.
Take your big car and your attitude and your, wife's blue hair. Don't tell us how you do it up North - 'cause we don't care."
Brent Burns http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHKiY-XF85Y" target="_blank" target="_blank

I tried to smoke a turkey, once.
Every time I stuffed it into my pipe, the drumsticks hung out.

I've been waiting for a comment about "smoking BBQ".

Unfortunately, I don't have one. But it's just waitin'...beggin'...

That's because you don't smoke bbq. It smokes you.

Smoked a brisket and part of a pork shoulder today.

Seven hours at ~225F for both cuts of meat. The brisket was rubbed with peppercorns, yellow mustard, and garlic. The pork had no rub, but was on the rack underneath the brisket.

This stuff is oh-so good.

Hope the link works.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=8 ... =648369993" target="_blank

SRanney wrote:Smoked a brisket and part of a pork shoulder today.

This stuff is oh-so good.

Fess up now, the pork was way better than the beef wasn't it?

tbn.al wrote:Fess up now, the pork was way better than the beef wasn't it?

I don't feel guilty about saying it; the pork was definitely better than the beef!

Pulled pork sammiches and brisket slices along with bbq baked beans with a killer potato salad are soon to be on the table for dinner.

Sounds like a great first try, and congrats.

If you ever want the brisket to being closer to the pork in texture, (not duplicating, but getting rid of some of the toughness) then use meat tenderizer as part of your rub or pre-cooking treatment.

A brisket can also be tenderized by other methods. Taking the hammer to is is not as bad an option as it sounds, and consider that if the brisket leaves the cooker an hour or two before the pork, it will not be as thick in texture.

Tom Mason

SRanney wrote: I don't feel guilty about saying it; the pork was definitely better than the beef!

True to yo' Southern roots, pork is always bettah. Yo' mamma raised you right!
Beef is for steak and stew. Pork is for BBQ.