Advice

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New to smoking...Trying some different mixtures, looking for any advice, tips, etc.

Here's what I tried last weekend. Smoked a chicken using a mixture of apple and hickory chips. About 60% apple chips and 40% hickory. For the water pan I mixed apple cider vinegar, apple juice, cut up granny smith apples, and water.

This weekend I plan to do a pork shoulder. Trying to get a really kind of sweet/bitter apple taste. Any advice on chips mixtures? Thinking about trying maybe just apple, or mixing apple w/another fruity type like cherry or maple or something??? What to put in the water pan? Rub mixes?

Also should I add chips and baste while smoking? I've heard both add throughout the smoking, and have also heard not to add during the process and leave the lid closed as much as possible...
 
Welcome aboard S. R. It really doesn't matter what you put in the water pan it won't add anything to your meat. Apple is a nice sweet mild smoke wood and one of my favorites. I like a 50/50 mix of Pecan and Apple, that's pretty much my standard smoke wood on all my cooks except poultry. I usually use cherry and or cherry and apple on them 50/50. The cherry really puts a nice red color on the skin of the poultry. Most of us use wood chunks so there's no need to add throughout the cook. I don't baste during the cook. Some do but i never have done it. You can make up some foil pouches and add your wood chips throughout the cook that way and they'll last longer that way. Just poke a couple of holes in the pouch with a tooth pick. Remove old pouch with tongs and toss a new one in. Be careful with the amount of wood you use with poultry because you can easily overpower it.
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Hi S.R.,

I'll second what Bryan said. Don't waste anything by putting it in the water pan, 'cause it aint gonna flavor your food...not even a little bit. And for christ sake, don't put beer (or wine) in it!

About the wood...with butts I usually use 100% hickory. Don't use the little shredded chips. They burn up in about 10 minutes. At home depot or wally's (to give two examples of stores that I KNOW carry them) they sell fist-sized chunks of hickory in 5lb. bags. Get some of those and you won't have to worry about adding wood your entire cook.

When I did my first few butts, I basted. I don't anymore. In my experience, it doesn't help bark form any better and it certainly doesn't really add much to taste (others will disagree). Now, I just put the butt on and forget about it for about 9 hours before I start checking meat temps, and just keep the cooker temps within specs by using the dampers on the charcoal bowl (assuming you have a WSM).

The Renowned Mr. Brown is a great pork butt recipe.
 
Welcome S.R.

Well I have done several butts on the WSM and I have acheived a "Fruiter" taste by injecting with a combination of Apple Juice or Pineapple juice, anything citrus. I have two butts on right now that I injected with water,apple cider, apple cider vineger, woshester, corn syrup, rub, and water. I have water in the brinkman pan and 4 fist size pcs of Hickory. Now my windows in the house are open and all I can smell is a sweet apple smell. Also after pulling the pork I have a spray I use and this helps add the sweet flavor that I like. Good luck. Also dont get me wrong I do use Cherry and Apple woods I will be adding some apple shortly. Have fun, this site will make you a pro in no time.

Rick
 
Thanks for the tips...I'm wondering though, how do you 'inject'???
Is there any particular spot? Method?...

S.R.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by S.R. Wesley:
Thanks for the tips...I'm wondering though, how do you 'inject'???
Is there any particular spot? Method?...

S.R. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Her you go. Posted by the Kevinator not so long ago. Injection Diagram
 
I've injected both butts and briskets. For butts, i use a mixture based on fruit juice (apple or cherry, mostly) and for brisket I have used a mixture of beef broth, rub and garlic. While on the cooker, I like to spray once in a while, especially on butts and ribs. If I'm only cooking on one grate, i just spray through the top vent, otherwise i remove the lid and spray quickly.
 
When you inject, you have to talk to the butt. Hold the plunger up in the air and give it a little flick (to get the air bubbles out) and say soothing words like, "O.K., you're just going to feel a little prick right here and then we'll be all done...you should feel nice and relaxed and flavorful...there, that wasn't so bad was it? You took that shot like a big boy..."
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Never fails to get a few laughs when I inject the thanksgiving turkey.
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