New Smoker..Need Help & Advice

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

Finally broke down and bought a vertical charcoal smoker, to replace an old barrel type charcoal grill that was all said and done. We have Memorial Day BBQ weekend comin' up and Mrs. Flatfoot wants a smoked turkey breast (bone in, about 8-10 lbs.) and some smoked salmon for the non beef and pork carnivores. The ribs, pork roast and steaks are no problem on wood or gas grill that we're doing, but I don't know diddley about SMOKIN'!

So my brothers and sisters.....HELP? Wood chips, which ones, hickory, mesquite, charcoal, others? How much? How long? Temperature? I'm sure you guys can walk me through it....or stumble through it depending upon how much red zinfandel it takes. It took two bottles just to assemble the damn thing after supper tonight. Like putting a bicycle together on Christmas Eve for the kid, except that seems to have been easier once upon a midnight dreary...long...long ago.

Cheers;
Lefty (Hic!)

 

[mkk41]

Use natural 'lump' charcoal and soak some good-size hickory or other hardwood chunks for a day of so beforehand.

 

[timn8er]

Wow! You're putting a lot of pressure on yourself...cooking for a bunch of people first time out of the chute. Didn't your smoker come with any guidelines? Follow those, & remember the meat thermometer is your friend. My smoker is electric & has no heat settings. If your's does, think low & slow. Soak the wood(Hickory is classic & fine for the first time)for at least 24 hours. I don't have to use charcoal in my smoker. I do a brisket fat side up, & baste it often in whatever I marinade it in. When its cooked according to the meat thermometer, wrap it in foil & move it to an area of the grille where it will stay warm but not dry out.Good Luck!

 

[model70hunter]

Wow! You're putting a lot of pressure on yourself...cooking for a bunch of people first time out of the chute. Didn't your smoker come with any guidelines? Follow those, & remember the meat thermometer is your friend. My smoker is electric & has no heat settings. If your's does, think low & slow. Soak the wood(Hickory is classic & fine for the first time)for at least 24 hours. I don't have to use charcoal in my smoker. I do a brisket fat side up, & baste it often in whatever I marinade it in. When its cooked according to the meat thermometer, wrap it in foil & move it to an area of the grille where it will stay warm but not dry out.Good Luck!

timn8er's plan should work. I do it almost the same except I chose a propane smoker.

I've done turkey's in a Brinkman charcol smoker, you need to have everything ready and GET UP EARLY!!!!! An hopefully you have a thermometer. one to leave in the smoker and one you can stick in the breast to check it. I do.

Keep water in the pan and just enough charcoal to keep it at the temp recommended by your cookbook.

 

[kwselke]

For the turkey, pecan chunks at a temperature of 325. Use the time denoted on the turkey label as a guide. Salmon should be on a cedar plank at high temps. Steaks should be grilled not smoked, the grilling of steaks is an excellent use for mesquite. Beef brisket and pork butt is 12 to 24 hours at 200 to 225 degrees with hickory, oak, pecan or a combination. Babyback ribs... I kind of like them with a simple salt and pepper rub, and cooked on my gas grill set to low on all three burners. How many grills and smokers do you have and do you want everything ready at the same time?

 

[cowboy45]

Too many items that should be cooked at different temps and times.
Slow it down and write it down for each item on the smoker.
You can get by with all on low and slow. You'll have to regulate the wood for smoke for each. Some will absorb more than others.

Don't get overwhelmed. It can be done.

 

[bearfoot]

good suggestions^^^^^. had a charcoal smoker. now electric. very important to have different size wood chunks. soaked 24 hrs. the coals will be hot and as the small chips burn off the large chips/ CHUNKS will be smokeing good, then add small or large chips to keep desired smoke. i tried to cook all meats that would cook from a 10 lb. bag. at one time!! take off meat as it gets done. pork butt takes longer. try a meatloaf. if you maranate the meats, don't throw the blood and liquid away. put it in the pan, w/ the water. it puts on a crust on the meat. a suggestion, bake the salmon,450 deg., glass dish,spray, lemon juice half way up side of fish, chives, lemmon/pepper. butter, cover cook depending on size, 1" at least 35 min. it melts in the mouth. while you are covering the finished meats someone can cook on the top rack of the smoaker.

 

[Sebago Son]

Lefty, when I smoked a bunch of Red Salmon up at Homer on the Kenai the best batch was done over dried apples and apple wood chips soaked in Canadian whiskey. A light drizzle was made of molasses and brown sugar thinned with vegetable oil.

 

[Onomea]

Well, Lefty, I was gonna suggest start with something mild like Salems and move your way up to Pall Malls as you gain experience, but I see you are talkin' about something else entirely....

 

[Bell Charter Oak Holsters]

How many grills and smokers do you have and do you want everything ready at the same time?

1 Gas grill (propane), 1 smoker (charcoal), 1 grill (charcoal) and an alternate wood fire pit that can be used with a grill top as well. Double tabletop propane fired burners for pots or fry pan and a deep fryer. That about covers it all.

Cheers;
Lefty

 

[ditrina]

Well, Lefty, I was gonna suggest start with something mild like Salems and move your way up to Pall Malls as you gain experience, but I see you are talkin' about something else entirely....

We ARE old!!

 

[Stevens]

I have tried hickory, pecan and mequite but find hickory the best.
try smoking some good fresh fish too, they come out great!
Find a good brining recipe and follow it. thin slices make a good snack.
Steve W

 

[Beruisis]

If you use mesquite, go easy...doesn't take much. Pecan & any fruit wood is good. Another trick is to coat the inside of the smoker & cooker with honey for the first time & get that burned into the steel.
Beruisis

 

[nachogrande]

smoking

yes you are attempting a great deal the first time. for smoke, my favorite is 50/50 hickory and apple well soaked for a sweet/tangy flavor. you can cook the fish first, it doesn't take long and can be served cold with a sour cream/ horseradish/ dill sauce. make sure your water pan doesn't dry up. if you keep the temps fairly low it's hard to overcook something. fish then fowl would be the easiest to overcook.

 

[timn8er]

Nachogrande is right about watching your cooking times. I don't know about fish, as I don't eat fish, but chicken breasts are done in about half the time of a brisket or roast. Your thermometer will be needed here too. The first time I smoked chicken I could not believe the difference in flavor. The flavor was all the way through it, not just the outer part. This thread is making me think of picking up some meats to smoke this weekend!

 

[mc5aw]

Lefty ... Make sure you're set up downwind. The negative effects of second hand smoke can be deadly.

 

[kozmic]

William Jefferson Clinton would suggest not inhaling.

I'm partial to cherry and hickory but that's all personal. All good suggestions above but your smoker holds the important keys to success. Until you get a feel for how it cooks, refer to the manual. I know it's not part of the man code but in this case it's OK!....Especially if you knock it out of the park first time at bat!

Good luck. Provide LOTS of adult beverages!

 

[Len]

I also use Nachogrande's wood chip mix, apple and hickory. Sometimes just apple.

I keep the temp as close to 225 as I can, and insert a probe thermometer into the turkey to determine when it gets to 163-165. One of the most important things is to let any meat that comes out of a smoker rest. 15 minutes or so at a minimum. A complete turkey, big pork butt or brisket should probably rest for at least thirty minutes.

In the [mandatory] water pan, I'll also throw some onions, apple chunks, garlic and spices. It really adds a depth of flavor and seasoning to turkey.

Around here, family likes the smoked turkey so much they don't want it cooked any other way!

Len

 

[BearBio]

Man, you bit off a LOT! Let's back up, somewhat.

First of all, I would (don't stone me!) start off by pre-cooking the turkey and any large slabs of meat (brisket, etc). As others have said, long and S-L-O-W-! I'd brine it, with your cure (more later on that), and wrap it good so it doesn't dry out, then cook in the oven at 250 degrees or so for several hours. Ribs and brisket can be cooked in a roasting pan, on a rack, above a 50/50 water-vinegar mix (also wrapped in foil). Might try red-wine or cider vinegar, to tenderize and keep the meat moist. Sprinkle with a dry rub. Be careful not to overcook, or it will tenderize to the point of falling apart.

Glaze your meat with BBQ sauce, etc. Mix your brine with a little brown sugar for the turkey and salmon. For the brine, use equal parts salt and a sweetener to taste. Add garlic powder, maple syrup,soy sauce, honey, etc to taste. Soak meat for a couple of hours. Liquid smoke won't hurt.

Soak your chips and place on the coals. A pan of water under the meat wouldn't hurt. Place the meat on the grill (thickest first) and heat through, carmelizing the sauce, glaze, etc.

 

[rojodiablo]

I love apple wood when I can find it.