Smoking 101

[KYHeirloomer]

Before getting started one point has to be made: “smoking” refers to two different food preparation methods.

One is smoke curing. This is perhaps the second oldest form of food preservation, and is actually an adjunct to drying. Smoke contributes flavor, provides antimicrobial action, and contributes to the overall cure. That’s not what we’re doing.

Smoke cooking is something else. This is a cookery method in which smoke is used to add an additional flavor element to the food.

Keltin and I have been discussing this privately, and are in agreement that there are a lot of subcategories. So I’m hoping lots of members chime in. Among other reasons for widespread participation: More than any other cooking, smoking has a lot of ways of achieving the same task. Thus, your way isn’t right and mine wrong. They’re just different. And the more different experiences and opinions we have, the better for everyone.

Personally, I’ve never used a gas grill or smoker, so anything I say may or may not apply. My smoking has taken place in a dedicated dry smoker, in a Weber-style grill. And in a grill with an offset firebox. But I imagine much of it is the same.

I’ve also never used a water smoker, so hopefully somebody with experience using them will jump in as well.

As indicated, there are no rules to smoking; just different approaches. But one aspect does come close to being a rule: low and slow are the watchwords. In 99+% of the time, smoking is done at temperatures between 200F & 250F, with most people favoring the low end. The food will be held at that temperature, in a smoky environment, for a relatively long time. St. Louis style ribs, for instance, are cooked from 4 to 12 hours at that temperature.

The second part of this “rule” is that you cook on indirect heat. In other words, you are providing an overall warm environment, but not directly heating the food over the coals or gas burner.

There’s one major exception to that. Save the stems from your fresh herbs. When you grill, be it burgers or steaks, drop those stems on the coals under the meat. The smoke produced will provide an interesting extra level of flavor.

There’s also an on-going debate over whether you should smoke foods wet or dry. That is, do you use a dry rub, and than sauce the result; or a wet sauce; or a combination.

Here’s my approach and explanation. I use dry rubs only. The meat is coated with the rub and allowed to sit for from ½ hour to 2 hours, at room temp, or overnight in the fridge. If kept in the fridge, it is taken out ahead of time so as to warm up. I like to have a pellicle form, even for smoke cooking, but others don’t care one way or the other.

I then get my smoker going. If using a Webber type kettle grill, prepare a handful of coals. When covered with gray ash use tongs to move them to the sides of the bowl. You’ll find it only takes 3-5 of them to produce the heat you need.

Add some soaked wood chips or other smoke source to the coals, put the grate in place, and add the meat so it does not sit directly over the coals. Cover the grill. Periodically add more coals and more wood chips so you have a fairly constant temperature and lots of smoke.

If using an offset smoker, follow the same basic procedure, except you can use more coals because you’ll control the heat by your dampers. Among other things, this allows you to use larger pieces of wood to produce the smoke. And you can use green wood, which is impractical in the kettle.

When turning or otherwise shifting the meat, use tongs rather than forks. You do not want to pierce the meat, or it will dry out.

When the meat is almost done (it’s done when the internal temperature is within ten degrees of the target temperature) you can then coat it with a wet sauce if you wish. By only saucing it in the last half hour or so of cooking you get a nice, slightly caramelized coating, whereas if you use the sauce right from the get-go it is likely to burn and turn hard, particularly if the sauce contains sugar.

When you’ve reached your target temperature, remove the meat from the grill, wrap it in foil, and let it rest at least ten minutes to up to a half hour. Then carve and serve.

From this quick run-through you can grasp some of the subtopics we need to discuss. Among them:

1. Type of smoker.
2. Kind of fuel: Gas or solid. And, if solid, what is preferred.
3. Smoking techniques.
4. Foodstuffs that lend themselves to smoking.
5. Rubs, sauces, etc.
6. Tools and accessories.

So, let’s all get going with this, and soon enough we’ll learn who shaved the barber.

[Keltin]

Excellent start to this KYH! I love it.

You said:

There’s one major exception to that. Save the stems from your fresh herbs. When you grill, be it burgers or steaks, drop those stems on the coals under the meat. The smoke produced will provide an interesting extra level of flavor.

I’ve never even thought of that. I have added wood chips when grilling, but to use herb stalks? Ingenious. I love it! Thanks for that tip.

I’ve done a lot on a Weber Kettle (and it sounds that you have too) and a Water smoker. I’ve run an offset a few times, so you probably have more experience there than me. I’ve also used a gas grill for indirect cooking (but it’s hard to call that smoking because gas just runs hot…..about 300+ on low with only one burner running).

I’ve only helped with a neighbor's electric smoker, but I consider them equivalent to a water smoker except for the fuel being electric and temp control a bit easier to maintain on the better electric models (good thermostat).

Work is beating me to death this week, but I’ll make time tomorrow to post on using a Water Smoker and from there make a post on using a gas grill and electric smoker.

If others have used an electric smoker more than me (and I’ve only been involved with it twice, but it does function the same as my water smoker) then please chime in. Or for that matter, chime in period with your own experience and tips!

I’d like to see the following covered:

Water Smoker
Electric Smoker
Offset Smoker
Charcoal Kettle
Gas Grill

And if we want to get funky:

Electric Garbage Can Smoker
Electric Terracotta Smoker
Electric Cardboard box smoker

But even with those funky ones, the basic concepts of low and slow are the same! Heck, no matter your rig, the low and slow concept is the same, but you have different methods of achieving it.

I’ll post on the Water Smoker tomorrow, and probably throw in another post on the electric smoker and gas grill as well.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Loved the idea of using the excess herb stems for something useful and unique!
Thanks a million!
CCC

[Jafo232]

I have a decent gas grill with an electric rotisserie installed and I use wood chips from time to time. What I do is, I have a few small metal loaf pans that my wife bought a couple years ago. I never use them for anything, so about an hour before I grill, I put chips in one of them,fill it with water and let them soak.

I then drain out the excess water, lift the grate on the grill and place the loaf pan in a corner and put the grate back on, over the loaf pan full of chips. If you get a low enough profile on your metal loaf pan, it should easily fit. Sometimes I use two pans if I want more smoke. I then preheat the grill on high until the chips start to smoke and it is ready, reduce the heat and cook whatever it may be.

[KYHeirloomer]

Jafo, with that set-up, are you cooking with offset heat, or directly over the flames?

[Jafo232]

Jafo, with that set-up, are you cooking with offset heat, or directly over the flames?

Generally indirectly, I leave the heat on under the chips, but off under the meat. Sometimes this changes when cooking something for many hours and the chips basically cook out, then I will turn the other burners on, but as a general rule, on the lowest setting.

I am slow cook believer, except for when it comes to most steaks (and burgers ).

[Keltin]

A water smoker is a cylindrical vertical unit. There are various style, some worse than others, but the best design is the three piece unit. This type of unit is completely sealed once assembled. The three pieces are the Lid, Body, and Fire-pit.



There are some designs, especially the older Brinkmans that are not completely sealed and are actually open at the bottom (Fire-pit). Stay away from these if you can. Also, the newer Brinkmans, while sealed, don’t have air vents in the fire-pit, and the fire bowl is horribly designed. If you are willing to modify a Brinkman (which requires power tools), you can turn these inexpensive units into decent smokers, but if you want a unit that works perfectly straight out of the box, go with a Weber water smoker if you don’t mind the expense. Or for something less expensive, a Meco does a good job. If you plan on smoking a lot and want a unit that will last, then go with the Weber. Also, get a charcoal chimney. Finally, you’ll also want to invest in an oven thermometer.

Weber water smoker
Welcome to Weber.com

Meco water smoker
Amazon.com: Meco 5031 Charcoal Combo Water Smoker: Patio, Lawn & Garden

Charcoal Chimney
http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family...c=4040&f=23983

Oven Thermometer
Polder Stainless Steel Oven Thermometer : Target

Once you have your rig and are ready to smoke, you’ll need some wood for the actual smoke. Start with a big bag of hickory chunks. You can get these at Wal-Mart or most home improvement stores. It’s a large plastic bag filled with large chunks of wood (about the size of an apple). About 30 minutes to 1 hour before you are ready to smoke, put 12 or more pieces of these chunks in a bucket full of water and let them soak.

When you’re ready to go, start a chimney full of charcoal, and once they are ashed over, pour them into the fire-bowl of the smoker. Your lower air vents should be fully open.

Next, put the body of the smoker onto the fire-pit. Once in place, use a jug/pitcher/bucket to pour water into the water bowl. Do this carefully and try not to spill water over the sides down into the fire below. Fill the pan nearly to the top, but not all the way up.....about 4/5 full.

Now, put on as many cooking grates as you’ll need to hold the food. If you’re only doing a couple racks of ribs, or a butt, or a shoulder, then use the top rack. If you need more room use the middle rack for larger cuts that take longer to cook, such as a butt, shoulder or brisket, and the top rack for faster cooking cuts like ribs or chicken.

If you’re doing a large bird like a beer can chicken or Turkey. You’ll want to use the second rack so that there is plenty of room between the top of the bird and the lid.

If you have a third rack (not all of them do) it will be very close to the water pan. In some cases, it rests on the water pan. I’d advise you to only use that position for vegetables like corn, wrapped baked potatoes, etc. Being so close to the water pan, it will basically steam anything you put there, so it’s not the ideal location for meat! More often than not, the top two racks will be all the room you need. If you do decide to use that third rack for veggies, remember that they cook quickly, and will be ready within 2 hours.....this means you’ll have to unload the top two racks in order to get to the veggies. Or, depending on the design, you can pull the veggies off through the access door in the side of the unit using tongs.

Now that you’ve got the meat on, put your oven thermometer on the top rack next to your meat and then put the lid on. Position the thermometer so that you can see it through the top exhaust port (a flashlight helps with this). The idea is that you’ll peer in through the exhaust port and be able to read that thermometer so that you can see the actual temperature at the cooking grate. Very often, the temperature at the grate is different than the temperature displayed on the smoker’s temp gauge. This is due to several factors such as inefficient gauges, and the heat rises and collect in the domed lid before exiting through the exhaust. More often than not, the temperature on the smoker’s gauge will read hotter than the actual temperature at the grate. Typically, about 20 degrees hotter.

You’ll want to maintain a temp of 225 at the cooking grate. So watch the oven thermometer through the exhaust port, and when it reads 225, note the temp displayed on the smoker’s gauge and remember it!

When you first start your smoker, it will take 30 minutes or more to come up to a temp of 225. During the first 30 minutes or so, the water in the water pan will be absorbing a lot of the heat from the fire below. But since water boils at 212, the water can only absorb so much. It is at that point that the majority of the heat will bypass the water pan and enter the body of the smoker, and it is then the temperature will begin to rise rapidly. Once you get to 225 degrees at the grate, fully close the lower dampers of the smoker. Yes, completely close them!

Closing the dampers will restrict air flow to the coals so that they burn more slowly. However, it will take a few minutes for the coals to cool off, so the temp will continue to rise, but don’t worry. It will settle in about 15 minutes. Now that you have the dampers closed, you need to add some wood to the coals. Using tongs, grab a hunk of wet wood, and then open the access door on the smoker. Lay the wood directly on the coals. You’ll want to put on at least 3 large chunks of wood, or 4 to 5 smaller pieces. Now close the access door and sit back and relax.

Please note that, every time you open the access door, you are allowing an influx of air (oxygen) to the fire. This can cause the coals to blaze an the wood to ignite. Naturally, this will give you a temperature spike. So don’t open the access door unless you have to.

With the lower dampers closed, the coals will burn slowly, and the wood will smolder and give good smoke. Also, you have to remember that the wood is burning, and thus is also fuel for the fire. You can expect 2 or more hours of heat from this first batch of coals. Perhaps even longer depending on the design of your smoker. Keep an eye on the temp gauge, and make sure it stays at 225. If it begins to fall below 225, open the lower dampers a little. If that doesn’t help, open the dampers full on. If that still doesn’t help, you’re running low on fuel and will need to add more coals.

As you’re smoking your meat, you’ll want to add fresh wood about every hour. During the second hour when you add wood, stir the coals a bit to break up the ash, and bunch the coals together to maintain a good burn. Stack the wood on top as usual and keep an eye on your temp. After 2.5 hours, start another chimney of coals. This time, only fill the chimney 3/4 of the way full. Once they are ready, transfer them to the fire-pit via the access door. Using your tongs, bunch them together, and then add some more wood. Now, fully close the dampers and continue smoking.

Please note that you do not want to add unlit coals to the fire pit. Doing so will add the smoke of the coals (as they begin to ignite and ash over) to your wood smoke. This will change the flavor of your meat! Only add pre-lit coals to your fire so that you avoid the “coal smoke” and only have the desired wood smoke.

Now that you have added a second batch of coals, it will carry you through another 2 hours or more of cook time. Continue to monitor the temp, and open the dampers as needed if the temp falls.

[Keltin]

As you’re smoking, you’ll also want to baste or “mop” your meat to make sure it stays moist. Also, the liquid in your mop interacts with the smoke allowing it to penetrate the meat more easily. It’s good to mop your meat every 45 minutes or so. I’d suggest getting a large commercial style spray bottle. In that bottle, mix 1 part apple cider vinegar to 1 part vegetable oil. About 3 ounces of each should do you (6 oz total). Shake the bottle vigorously to mix the two, and then spray the meat liberally every 45 minutes.

These basting mixtures are called “mops” because most people mix these concoctions up in a bowl and then use a small cloth-like brush to dip into the liquid and then “mop” it onto the meat. Personally, I find it easier to use the spray bottle! You can experiment with this as well.......try adding apple juice to the mix! Get creative.

If you’re doing pork spare ribs, you can expect a cook time of about 4.5 to 5 hours at 225. When they are done, the meat will have pulled back slightly on the bone, and the temp of the meat between the bones will be 185+.

For a Boston Butt pork roast, expect to cook it at least 8 hours or more depending on size. It will be done when the internal temp reads 200 to 205. Yes, you want to go that high with the temp. It is at that temp that the tough collagen in the meat will have broken down thus allowing the meat to fall apart or be “pulled” apart. That’s how you get tender pulled pork.

As you’re smoking a butt, expect the temperature to “stick”. There will come a point during the smoking of a butt, about 2-3 hours before it is done, that the internal temperature of the meat will stop rising. In fact, in some cases it will actually fall! Don’t worry, this happens when the collagen in the meat begins to break down. If you see the temp stick, then you know the meat is breaking down and is on it’s way to becoming tender. In about 2 hours or so, the temp will begin to rise again. Once it hits 200 to 205, pull it off the smoker and wrap it in foil and let it rest for 15 or so minutes before you pull it.

If you smoke a brisket, expect to smoke for at least 12 hours or more. For a whole chicken, about 2 hours.

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Thanks for the nifty idea of using a spray bottle!
Cathy

[spiceplace]

We have a Weber kettle grill that's about 15 years old and is still in excellent shape. We use it to cook smoked foods by the indirect method -- coals on one side and the food on the other. How close the meat is to the heat depends on the size of the cut we're making.

Generally, it's at least 3 to 4 inches away horizontally (Not meaning the direction above the coals (higher or lower); instead the direction away from the coals to the left or right).

We've barbecued a lot of foods on our Weber over the years and have used smoking chips to add flavor to the meats. Yet, we don't get a the smoke flavor you get from a "real smoker", the kind mentioned above, where the food is cooked slowly with smoke a water to keep moist.

That said, we've made some meals with smoke on our Weber, including a nice pork butt with a delicious flavor including Pork Butt Sandwiches we featured in our cooking blog last year.

So while the Weber kettle isn't a true smoker, you can make some nice smoked meals with it.

Matt