Things I've Learned


 
Thanks Tim for the read. All taken on board as I am a beginner from the U.K. I have done two cooks, brisket and a whole chicken. I was not over impressed with the brisket as it was my first cook on my WSM but the chicken was awesome. Every cook is a learning curve.
Watch this space in a twelve month time for my report 🤪
 
So I’ve cooked on the WSM close to a dozen times now and I’ve learned a ton about the smoking process and the smoker itself. Figured I'd share what I've learned as a beginner in hopes others may find these thoughts helpful:

1. Good BBQ takes time and practice. This probably should come as no surprise because like any other hobby, it takes practice to become good at perfecting your cooks. At first I found myself wishing away the cook just to get to the end product. Now, I’ve realized some of my best cooks were when I enjoyed the process and stopped worrying. As the famous Michelangelo once stated “I am still learning” – BBQ is a lifelong learning experience.

2. Don't be your own worst enemy. That means no peeking under the lid or checking the temperature every 10 minutes like I did. Relax and enjoy a beer. What if something does go wrong? Adjust. Relax and crack another beer. It’s really hard to mess up BBQ and if you do, chances are it will still turn out delicious.

3. Patience does matter. I’ve learned early that BBQ isn't just throwing a slab of meat onto the WSM and then eating it. From the selection of the meat all the way to properly cleaning up your smoker after the cook, creating authentic BBQ is a process. Learn how to identify quality cuts of meat. Learn how your smoker operates. Have all your ingredients and rubs and sauces ready to go. Befriend a butcher and you’ll learn a lot.

4. Make sure your charcoal is hot and ready. It may sound stupid but If the charcoal in your chimney starter isn’t bright red and ashing, it’s not ready to be dumped into the charcoal ring. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten too excited to wait and just dumped half unlit charcoal into the ring only to have to re-light the bowl.

5. You rule the sauce, don’t let the sauce rule you! I've read and heard from many that you should be able to taste the meat above anything else. They are right. Sauce is important but it shouldn’t be the defining taste of your BBQ. Often times I found myself ruining an entirely good rack of ribs because I dosed it in BBQ sauce. My suggestion? Serve it on the side.

6. Learn how to make your own rub. You'd be surprised how easy and how much it adds to your meat.

7. Invest in a good knife. Preparing the meat is just as important as the cook itself. Get yourself a good knife, keep it sharpened, and take care of it. It makes trimming a pork butt or a brisket that much easier.

8. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Most people who BBQ are their own worst enemies. Some of your cooks will end up excellent, some may not turned out as you had hoped. It’s OK to be critical but learn from the mistakes. I keep a BBQ log to keep track of my cooks.

9. Experiment with different types smoke wood. My first cook I used 6 chunks of hickory for ONE chicken! Needless to say the chicken was moist but I tasted hickory in the back of my mouth for the next four days. I thought I’d never use it again but realized my mistake and now I know how to adjust the amount of wood properly. I’ve had awesome results with fruit wood, particularly apple, but I also love to do a combo of hickory/apple for ribs. You’ll be surprised at how much smoke wood influences the taste of your meat. You are using a smoker, after all.

10. Utilize the resources available to you. I have learned so much in just under a year using websites such as this one. Everyone is in the same boat as you – on a quest to make awesome BBQ – and are more than willing to help and answer your questions.

Thanks for looking, guys.
Wise words. Thank you.
 
Unfortunately, people like to eat at something close to a designated time. To deal with that, I’ve learned that the best thing to do with butts and briskets (the large meats) is to plan for several hours of hold/rest time wrapped in the cooler. That way you have a good buffer. Things like ribs can be held too, but they’re just not as hard to time. Sure, you might be off an hour or so, but nothing like what can happen with a butt or brisket.

This is very true. My take on this is “never be afraid for the meat to be done early”.
When I first started I did what many do, try and speed up / slow down the cook by manipulating temps. Rarely got it “just right”.
So now I start very ealry, and at those times where it was done before I expect, wrapped and in a cooler it goes. It stays warm, and my experience is that extra time makes it better and more tender.

One other bullet for the list - by a good instant read thermometer, as well as a temperature probe.
 
If you have a deep dish Lou Malnatis pizza in the freezer you can save the meal no matter
how badly you messed up on the grill......
 
If you have a deep dish Lou Malnatis pizza in the freezer you can save the meal no matter
When I lived in the Chicago area, I regularly took my life in my own hands with my own personal opinion: "I don't care for Chicago style pizza." Sort of heresy in those parts.

When my first job down there was evaporating out from underneath me, I was working with a bunch of folks in Houston, some of whom made 7-14 day long trips up to the Chicagoland factory. One of them ordered a large Malnati's pizza....and hearing his accent and knowing he wasn't from around these here parts, the young lady taking his order politely inquired how many people were eating. "Only 2, but I'm mighty hungry." Okay, sir...... he finished 2 pieces, she managed 1. Out of a large pie. Good thing their hotel rooms had small refrigerators and microwaves.
 
5. You rule the sauce, don’t let the sauce rule you! I've read and heard from many that you should be able to taste the meat above anything else. They are right. Sauce is important but it shouldn’t be the defining taste of your BBQ. Often times I found myself ruining an entirely good rack of ribs because I dosed it in BBQ sauce. My suggestion? Serve it on the side. (My bold. TUK).
THIS!! (y)
Been there. 😖
 
one more rule
keep the ph # of the local pizza place handy !
I did this the other day at a last minute I decided I was going to smoke a beef rib roast, well the meat was still ice cold when it hit the smoker and need I say more... so a stout reminder make sure your meat is room temp before adding it to your smoker or youll end up ordering pizza
 
I did this the other day at a last minute I decided I was going to smoke a beef rib roast, well the meat was still ice cold when it hit the smoker and need I say more... so a stout reminder make sure your meat is room temp before adding it to your smoker or youll end up ordering pizza
Not necessarily Jim. You can cook frozen meat perfectly well. Works best with thick cuts. Just takes longer. (If you hadn't planned that, then I see your point). I always cook steaks straight from the fridge.
I've been known to throw steaks/chops etc in the freezer for 30 minutes then onto the grill. You can get a grate char going without risk of overcooking. Then move to indirect to your finish temp.
 
Not necessarily Jim. You can cook frozen meat perfectly well. Works best with thick cuts. Just takes longer. (If you hadn't planned that, then I see your point). I always cook steaks straight from the fridge.
I've been known to throw steaks/chops etc in the freezer for 30 minutes then onto the grill. You can get a grate char going without risk of overcooking. Then move to indirect to your finish temp.
That's good to know, probably works better with smaller meat though too this was a 8 lb roast at around 40 degrees internal. Speaking of frozen I have a recipe for steaks where you coat the surface in salt and corn starch then freeze 30 min, yields a great crust especially on a wood fire
 
Love post #9 😅 my first ever smoke was a home made smoke tube filled with mesquite in my gas grill. Rubbery skin and I've never smoked with mesquite again after that 😅 but I kept going and will one day try mesquite again even though its hard to get where I live now
 

 

Back
Top