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Best first time smoked ribs/brisket recipe: https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/spice-rubs-and-pastes/big-bad-beef-rub-recipe

Chickens taste better when cooked whole. Pickles taste better cut. Sandwiches taste better cut and bitten from inside. Meat tastes better sliced against grain.


Definitely a smoker is a personal choice, and what is better depends on what you are looking for.  I say it's a balance of goals, between: (i) making good food, (ii) making authentic BBQ, (iii) having fun with the maaseh of smoking, and (iv) convenience.  Items (iii) and (iv) don't only conflict, they directly oppose each other.

I opted for items (i) and (iv) so went PBC.  I would say WSM is also mostly a (i) and (iv) choice, but it brings in extra elements of (ii) and (iii), at a slight cost to (iv).  Maybe WSM also better at (i)--I have no idea either way.

Further to the above:

If all you want is good food, get a sous vide.

If all you want is authentic BBQ, get a huge offset smoker that you feed with split logs.

If all you want is having fun with the maaseh of smoking, again, get a huge offset smoker.

If all you want is convenience, use your oven.


Henche's PBC review
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=43018.msg1439199#msg1439199
« Last edited by jj1000 on June 04, 2020, 10:13:19 AM »

Author Topic: Smoking Meats  (Read 422742 times)

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #160 on: March 01, 2016, 02:05:27 PM »
Has anyone tried making pastrami?  Like this http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html

Nyb made following chef steps recipe which includes sous vide

Offline Sport

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #161 on: March 01, 2016, 02:15:02 PM »
Also, FYI, Arons Kissena farms selling brisket for 6.99 today and tomorrow.
Thanks good to know

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #162 on: March 01, 2016, 02:17:47 PM »
Has anyone tried making pastrami?  Like this http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html
Also,  if you find a good recipe without nitrates please post

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #163 on: March 01, 2016, 02:58:04 PM »
Also,  if you find a good recipe without nitrates please post

Just put celery on instead.  It has the nitrates without the bad word.

Offline rs242

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #164 on: March 01, 2016, 03:35:50 PM »

Also, FYI, Arons Kissena farms selling brisket for 6.99 today and tomorrow.
i wish I knew what that is

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #165 on: March 01, 2016, 04:14:00 PM »
Just put celery on instead.  It has the nitrates without the bad word.
Can you clarify?

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #166 on: March 01, 2016, 04:42:48 PM »

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #168 on: March 01, 2016, 05:23:11 PM »
Also, FYI, Arons Kissena farms selling brisket for 6.99 today and tomorrow.


The signage on the way to the farm is very misleading. I got lost for 3 hours.
I'm an optimist; but only because life isn't going to give me any other good choices.

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #169 on: March 01, 2016, 05:25:14 PM »

The signage on the way to the farm is very misleading. I got lost for 3 hours.

it's right by the rental return in ben gurion

Offline rs242

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Smoking Meats
« Reply #170 on: March 01, 2016, 05:40:01 PM »
It's the pectoral muscle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisket
i meant I  wish I knew where to buy brisket for that price

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #171 on: March 01, 2016, 05:45:38 PM »
i meant I  wish I knew where to buy brisket for that price

Arons Kissena Farms

Offline ushdadude

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #172 on: March 01, 2016, 06:24:13 PM »
So no easy to safely make pastrami without curing? Smoking won't get temp high enough?

Offline rs242

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #173 on: March 01, 2016, 06:34:42 PM »

Arons Kissena Farms
i don't know what and where that is

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #174 on: March 01, 2016, 10:37:34 PM »
i don't know what and where that is

In queens at 73rd and kissena.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, you really should get the internets. Its amazing the stuff you can find.

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #175 on: March 01, 2016, 10:38:44 PM »
So no easy to safely make pastrami without curing? Smoking won't get temp high enough?

My guess is its less an issue of safety than of how you want it to taste.

You can cure with just sodium chloride, but it will take a lot.

Offline nacho2100

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #176 on: March 02, 2016, 02:08:34 AM »
My guess is its less an issue of safety than of how you want it to taste.

Nitrates have been linked to GI cancer as they develop into nitrosamines. Obviously it's a dose dependant issue, like smoking. Additionally, smoked foods have high concentrations of another carcinogen-Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Interestingly enough it seems that a (dark) beer marinade can reduce the levels of PAHs in grilled food (though smoking generates PAHs through another method) :http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf404966w. It should be noted that a 2012 study abstract I found indicated the reaction between the aluminum pan and the meat lessened the levels of PAHs. The short of it is that there is some benefit to considering intake of smoked red meats, especially when preserved with nitrates. (sorry neurotic med student here).

That being said I love chefsteps pastrami ribs recipe and did not skimp on the prague salt. I attempt to use it only sparingly in my diet. 

surprised it took me so long to find this thread. Tbh its nice to have a nice crowd away from the fb scene. When i get a chance i love to mess with my masterbuilt electric+amazn pellet smoker+anova.

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #177 on: March 02, 2016, 10:24:09 AM »
Nitrates have been linked to GI cancer as they develop into nitrosamines. Obviously it's a dose dependant issue, like smoking. Additionally, smoked foods have high concentrations of another carcinogen-Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Interestingly enough it seems that a (dark) beer marinade can reduce the levels of PAHs in grilled food (though smoking generates PAHs through another method) :http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf404966w. It should be noted that a 2012 study abstract I found indicated the reaction between the aluminum pan and the meat lessened the levels of PAHs. The short of it is that there is some benefit to considering intake of smoked red meats, especially when preserved with nitrates. (sorry neurotic med student here).

That being said I love chefsteps pastrami ribs recipe and did not skimp on the prague salt. I attempt to use it only sparingly in my diet. 

surprised it took me so long to find this thread. Tbh its nice to have a nice crowd away from the fb scene. When i get a chance i love to mess with my masterbuilt electric+amazn pellet smoker+anova.
I remember every med student thinking they had every single disease we learned about ;D (didn't stop them from drinking and smoking excessively)
Welcome to the discussion

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #178 on: March 03, 2016, 03:10:23 PM »
my peers definitely binge after exams. However smoking as a physician is definitely where I draw the line, and i think the culture has definitely shifted as I don't encounter many cig smokers in my class. The question about the occasional cigar comes to mind but even then I don't feel 100% comfortable. That being said I do brew my own beer, but attempt to keep a reasonable approach to drinking. The literature seems to support a moderate consumption of alcohol and hopefully between the occasional scotch/bourbon and beer I keep within the healthy lines.

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #179 on: March 03, 2016, 03:46:52 PM »
my peers definitely binge after exams. However smoking as a physician is definitely where I draw the line, and i think the culture has definitely shifted as I don't encounter many cig smokers in my class. The question about the occasional cigar comes to mind but even then I don't feel 100% comfortable. That being said I do brew my own beer, but attempt to keep a reasonable approach to drinking. The literature seems to support a moderate consumption of alcohol and hopefully between the occasional scotch/bourbon and beer I keep within the healthy lines.

Being a physician is more unhealthy than smoking.