As a newbie to pbc do U find everything coming out amazing? Easy to use?
I have never smoke anything before the PBC, and honestly didnt really eat much smoked meat so I dont have what to compare it to but here are my thoughts;
I did find it pretty easy to use, there is not much you can do, so use it once or twice and you get the hang of it.
Lets put it this way, I havent had anything come out bad yet. Here is a quick list off the top of my head of what I have made and results;
My first brisket (2nd cut)- I smoked it all the way to 200, which was a mistake as it was a small 3lb briket and got pretty dry. The flavor was still great, so we enjoyed it but it was not what I would call a success.
My 2nd brisket (2nd cut)- Smoked it to 150-160, Texas crutch and put in the oven until it hit 203, this one was much better- very juicy, great smoke flavor. A solid 7/10 with room to improve.
I put on a few chicken bottoms- 2 hours later, they were amazing and perfect. Probably the best chicken we have had. Since then i almost always through on some chicken with every smoke as they are cheap and a guarantee that there will be something good to eat no matter how the meat turns out.
I also did a whole chicken, again flavor was great, I just dont love the whole carving/dissecting part- was a bit messy.
I tried Henche's Smoke salmon that he posted below- overall it was very good except a bit too salty, I need to try it again with a bit less salt in the brine
Baby back ribs was bone sucking good
Which leads me to my 2 best smokes;
#1- For Sukkos I did the Amazing Ribs almost like Katz's smoked pastrami recipe. I used a bought corned beef 2nd cut brisket, soaked it for a day to desalinate, cut in half, rubbed it and smoked (2-3 days before Y"T) to around 150 i think. Wrapped them and put one in the fridge for 1st days Sukkos, and froze the other half for second days.
On erev Y"t I started steaming it for a few hours until the zman when it was getting into the 190's, I left on the hot plate for the meal. Results were amazing. Juicy, soft, smokey, nice spice etc...
Did same thing for second days, defrosted the other piece the night before Y"T and repeated above. Same great results.
#2- Evergreen had a special a few weeks ago on a "Whole Shoulder" 11lbs around $99. I cut in half and froze. I took out one half when I had guest for shabbos. Coated with mustard and rubbed with Big bad beef rub and added some extra fresh ground black pepper (It was a very big piece and could handle extra spice). I smoked it on that freezing Friday morning 2 weeks ago, took about 3-4 hours to get to 150. I did add a handful of wood at the beginning and during the smoke.
At 150 I took it off, wrapped it with a few ounces of beer in double foil and placed it in the oven to continue cooking until 200. I did have to keep raising the oven as it took a while until the temp started going up again after the transfer, but managed to get where I wanted it by the zman and just left it on 225 keep warm. The results were amazing. There was a ton of its own liquid when I opened the foil which helped keep it juicy (some people have issues with shoulder/chuck getting dry). I couldnt cut proper slices, rather I carved chunks as it was close to fall apart. Rave reviews on this one. It was so big I had the leftovers again for dinner again on Sunday and Monday, each time just as delicious.
(I cant wait to smoke the second half of that Shoulder.... I also have a large 1st cut corned beef, already soaked and rubbed in the freezer waiting for an opportunity to make the Pastrami again and see how the 1st cut would come out)
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