Smoking tips and recipes wanted

[framing fowl]

Okay, I give up! I have information overload. People who cook in smokers are a very serious and opinionated bunch! I've looked at recipes and drooled all day. Now I have the words dry rub, brine, and marinate running in circles in my head. So finally I gave up and decided to turn to the experts!

I have 2 turkeys that I bought at Thanksgiving that are about 18 lbs. I've gathered that I probably need to smoke them in smaller portions so they actually cook.

I have some salmon that a friend caught and fileted and we put in the freezer.

I also have 3 whole Canadian Geese that are frozen.



Do you have a tried and true method or tips for someone who has never used a smoker before?

I've got a propane Camp Chef 24" Smoke Vault. Thanks!

 

[miss_thenorth]

We only got a smoker last year. Some believe dry rub is the only way to go, and so that is what we tried the first time we smoked. We did a turkey breast. It was dry, tough, and not good at all. So from then on I have brined everything. I much prefer it this way. The only thing I can say is go easy on the wood chips- we started out using way too many, and the smoke flavour was overwhelming.

 

[JRmom]

We use our smoker a LOT. With fowl or ribs, we either use a dry rub marinate (my husband makes it: equal parts salt, pepper, garlic powder, sugar, paprika - coat the meat and let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours), or I'll marinate the meat all day in a liquid marinate (Italian dressing is good) and then coat the meat with the dry rub right before smoking.

This dry rub is perfect for doing dry wings. Coat the chicken wings heavily, let sit for a few hours, then smoke. A great alternative for spicy chicken wings without all the butter.

As long as you have a water pan in the smoker and the temp is low, the meat shouldn't dry out. With smoking, the trick is low and slow. We use beer instead of water, we've also used a combination of water and apple juice.

 

[framing fowl]

Thanks for the ideas. I was thinking marinate. I guess I'll start with the geese first since they were free. Nothing like just jumping in!

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

This is what we do for salmon.
Take two fillets, and rub them with 1 tbls of sea salt, 1 tbls of sugar, 1 tbls of dry dill, and then sprinkle with 2 tbls of rawor cultured whey.
Press the fillets together, and then wrao tightly in plastic wrap.
Then a layer of foil.
Place in a flat dish and lay a plastic lid that covers the fish well on top. Then place a plastic wrapped brick or stone on top.
Every day for 4-6 days, flip the fish over and put the weight back on.

On the chosen day, unwrap the fish and let it dry out for an hour or so on the counter.
Place in smoker that is already warmed and smoking.
Let it smoke on a low temp just long enough to set it. Do not allow the white fat to separate!

Enjoy!

 

[SKR8PN]

I don't brine anything. I try to go low sodium as much as possible. My dry rub is my own recipe that I have been working on for a few years now. The Wife and I both love it, on fowl, beef or pork. TO me, BBQ sauce is a condiment to be used AFTER you have smoked your meat.. I put my rub on room temperature meat and put it in the smoker as soon as it is covered. I let nothing marinate overnight.

There are two pans under my cook rack that I keep full of water. I can't stand to waste that much beer.

I use NOTHING but wood and all natural charcoal to cook with. Think of the wood as another spice. I like to use apple, cherry or oak.

Here is a list of woods you should and should NOT use.


Reference guide for Woods used to Smoke Food

ACACIA - these trees are in the same family as mesquite. When burned in a smoker, acacia has a flavor similar to mesquite but not quite as heavy. Is a very hot burning wood.

ALDER - Very delicate with a hint of sweetness. Good with fish, pork, poultry, and light-meat game birds.

ALMOND - A sweet smoke flavor, light ash. Good with all meats.

APPLE - Very mild with a subtle fruity flavor, slightly sweet. Good with poultry (turns skin dark brown) and pork.

ASH - Fast burner, light but distinctive flavor. Good with fish and red meats.

BIRCH - Medium-hard wood with a flavor similar to maple. Good with pork and poultry.

CHERRY - Mild and fruity. Good with poultry, pork and beef. Some List members say the cherry wood is the best wood for smoking. Wood from chokecherry trees may produce a bitter flavor.

COTTONWOOD - It is a softer wood than alder and very subtle in flavor. Use it for fuel but use some chunks of other woods (hickory, oak, pecan) for more flavor. Don't use green cottonwood for smoking.

CRABAPPLE - Similar to apple wood.

GRAPEVINES - Tart. Provides a lot of smoke. Rich and fruity. Good with poultry, red meats, game and lamb.

HICKORY - Most commonly used wood for smoking--the King of smoking woods. Sweet to strong, heavy bacon flavor. Good with pork, ham and beef.

LILAC - Very light, subtle with a hint of floral. Good with seafood and lamb.

MAPLE - Smoky, mellow and slightly sweet. Good with pork, poultry, cheese, and small game birds.

MESQUITE - Strong earthy flavor. Good with beef, fish, chicken, and game. One of the hottest burning woods.

MULBERRY - The smell is sweet and reminds one of apple.

OAK - Heavy smoke flavor--the Queen of smoking wood. RED OAK is good on ribs, WHITE OAK makes the best coals for longer burning. All oak varieties reported as suitable for smoking. Good with red meat, pork, fish and heavy game.

ORANGE, LEMON and GRAPEFRUIT - Produces a nice mild smoky flavor. Excellent with beef, pork, fish and poultry.

PEAR - A nice subtle smoke flavor. Much like apple. Excellent with chicken and pork.

PECAN - Sweet and mild with a flavor similar to hickory. Tasty with a subtle character. Good with poultry, beef, pork and cheese. Pecan is an all-around superior smoking wood.

SWEET FRUIT WOODS - APRICOT, PLUM, PEACH, NECTARINE - Great on most white or pink meats, including chicken, turkey, pork and fish. The flavor is milder and sweeter than hickory.

WALNUT - ENGLISH and BLACK - Very heavy smoke flavor, usually mixed with lighter woods like almond, pear or apple. Can be bitter if used alone. Good with red meats and game.

Other internet sources report that wood from the following trees is suitable for smoking: AVOCADO, BAY, CARROTWOOD, KIAWE, MADRONE, MANZANITA, GUAVA, OLIVE, BEECH, BUTTERNUT, FIG, GUM, CHESTNUT, HACKBERRY, PIMIENTO, PERSIMMON, and WILLOW. The ornamental varieties of fruit trees (i.e. pear, cherry, apple, etc.) are also suitable for smoking.

Types of wood that is unsuitable or even poisonous when used for grilling. Don't use any wood from conifer trees, such as PINE, FIR, SPRUCE, REDWOOD, CEDAR, CYPRESS, etc.

There are many trees and shrubs in this world that contain chemicals toxic to humans--toxins that can even survive the burning process. Remember, you are going to eat the meat that you grill and the smoke particles and chemicals from the wood and what may be on or in the wood are going to get on and in the meat. Use only wood for grilling that you are sure of.

If you have some wood and do not know what it is, DO NOT USE IT FOR GRILLING FOOD. Burn it in your fireplace but not your smoker.

Also ELM and EUCALYPTUS wood is unsuitable for smoking, as is the wood from SASSAFRAS, SYCAMORE and LIQUID AMBER trees.

Here are some more woods that you should not to use for smoking:

Never use lumber scraps, either new or used. First, you cannot know for sure what kind of wood it is; second, the wood may have been chemically treated; third, you have no idea where the wood may have been or how it was used. For all you know, that free oak planking could have been used in a sewage treatment plant.

Never use any wood that has been painted or stained. Paint and stains can impart a bitter taste to the meat and old paint often contains lead.
Do not use wood scraps from a furniture manufacturer as this wood is often chemically treated.

Never use wood from old pallets. Many pallets are treated with chemicals that can be hazardous to your health and the pallet may have been used to carry chemicals or poison.

Avoid old wood that is covered with mold and fungus that can impart a bad taste to your meat.

 

[SKR8PN]

Here are some recipes that we REALLY like!!

The best cornbread recipe.

HEYWOODS JALAPENO CORNBREAD


3 eggs cup oil
8 oz sour cream
1 16 oz can cream corn
tsp baking soda
1 cups chopped green onion
1 tsp salt
1 cup yellow corn meal (plain)
3 jalapenos diced
8 oz Monterey jack cheese
4 oz jalapeno cheese


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put oil in a cast iron skillet and heat to smoking hot.
Slightly beat eggs.
Add sour cream, soda, and salt. Stir to blend.
Add onions, peppers, corn then corn meal.

Grate cheese and mix together. Add 2/3 of cheese to mixture.



Cherry BBQ sauce

This barbecue sauce has a sweet flavor from the combination of cherry soda, cherries and cherry jam. While you might think this a strange barbecue sauce the taste is fantastic and it works well on most any kind of meat.
INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup black cherry soda
1 can (17 ounces) bing cherries, drained
1/4 cup dry red wine
3 tablespoons cherry jam
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION:
Combine 1 tablespoon of wine with the cornstach and mix until it forms an even paste. Set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the cornstarch paste and return the sauce to a boil stirring constantly. All to boil until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and allow to cool

One whole dried chipolte will kick it up to the right notch or that is what I have been doin. I would reduce the cinnamon down and add some more jam to bring out the cherry more ifin that is your taste. I also use a blender to combine the ingredents to the proper consistancy.



Basic Cider based sauce
INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup cider vinegar
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, salt, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes and brown sugar. Mix well and allow ingredients to mesh for about 4 to 8 hours before using.

 

[SKR8PN]

One more bit of advice that will greatly cut down on your cooking time when doing chickens OR turkeys.
Spatchcock them.

Here is a video showing you how.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGKLtbiUflk

 

[SKR8PN]

Meat Loaf!!

2lbs of hamburger
1lb ground pork
1 egg
2/3 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 cup BBQ sauce (Billy Bones mild or Cherry flavor BBQ sauce)
cup diced onions
1/3 cup maple syrup
Add a little bit of Majic Dust

Glaze it with a mix of brown sugar,vinegar and catsup for about 15-20 minutes


Atomic Buffalo Turds.

Fry up a maple breakfast sausage patty, chop it up, mix with philly cream cheese, stuff peppers, wrap with maple smoked bacon, smoke or grill until bacon is done.

Maple sausage, maple bacon, and cream cheese? This sounds too good to be true.

The only thing is as far as frying the patty goes, I doubt you have to fry it to doneness. Should cook fine with all that time in the smoker.

 

[framing fowl]

Bubblingbrooks -on the salmon, mine is currently frozen. Do you dethaw it before rubbing it and wrapping it up? When it's under the weight for the 4-6 days I'm assuming it's in the fridge and wrapped in plastic so my fridge doesn't smell like fish?


Dry rub question: does the dry rub act as sort of a barrier so that the meat is then basically marinated in itself during the cooking process?


SKR8PN- thanks for all of the good info! That cornbread sounds great - it says it goes in the oven. Do you cook it in the stove oven or in the smoker?

That cherry BBQ sauce sounds good to. I have a recipe for ribs that uses a cup of blackberry jelly that everyone raves about. I bet it would be similar.