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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 422785 times)

Offline davidmal

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #680 on: May 04, 2017, 02:21:31 PM »
What was your process? A friend of mine was just chewing my ear off to try sous vide brisket and how successful he has bean
My BIL Smoked a brisket then Sousvide it then back to the smoker
-DMC
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Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #681 on: May 04, 2017, 03:13:37 PM »
My BIL Smoked a brisket then Sousvide it then back to the smoker

Why step 1?

Offline davidmal

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #682 on: May 04, 2017, 03:14:53 PM »
Why step 1?
Agreed. But originally wasn't planned for step 2 and 3
-DMC
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Offline ADG

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #683 on: May 04, 2017, 03:29:19 PM »
smoking food all the way can take many hours- sometimes days:)

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #684 on: May 04, 2017, 03:38:50 PM »
smoking food all the way can take many hours- sometimes days:)

What meat have you smoked for days? A whole goat?

Offline Work-for-ur-muny

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #685 on: May 04, 2017, 04:38:32 PM »
What was your process? A friend of mine was just chewing my ear off to try sous vide brisket and how successful he has bean
I followed this recipe. https://recipes.anovaculinary.com/recipe/sous-vide-smoked-brisket For the finishing I used the oven method.

Online Mordyk

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #686 on: May 07, 2017, 01:38:47 AM »
How long does a 5lb brisket  take in an electric smoker?
#TYH

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #687 on: May 07, 2017, 10:40:02 AM »
How long does a 5lb brisket  take in an electric smoker?

Depends on temp

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #688 on: May 07, 2017, 11:09:33 AM »
Leaning toward a wsm. Do i splurge the extra $100 for a 22.5 inch or just get the 18.5 inch?  Considering i usually will be doing smaller cooks with the very occasional full turkey or big rack or seldom a packer, will 18 be enough?
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Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #689 on: May 07, 2017, 11:18:48 AM »
Leaning toward a wsm. Do i splurge the extra $100 for a 22.5 inch or just get the 18.5 inch?  Considering i usually will be doing smaller cooks with the very occasional full turkey or big rack or seldom a packer, will 18 be enough?


Get the big one

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #690 on: May 07, 2017, 11:40:24 AM »

Get the big one
Will I have to use the same amount of charcoal to smoke a small amount as a ton of food?
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

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Offline rs242

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #691 on: May 07, 2017, 12:14:21 PM »
Will I have to use the same amount of charcoal to smoke a small amount as a ton of food?
Wondering why u would go for wsm over pbs?

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #692 on: May 07, 2017, 12:43:51 PM »
Wondering why u would go for wsm over pbs?
More control over temperature. PBS can't do cooks at 225. Got a friend who knows his smokes and said he barely uses PBS due to the temp control.
Also, sometimes stores only sell individual ribs, not full racks. Does PBS have a grate?
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

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Offline cholent

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #693 on: May 07, 2017, 02:09:48 PM »
More control over temperature. PBS can't do cooks at 225. Got a friend who knows his smokes and said he barely uses PBS due to the temp control.
Also, sometimes stores only sell individual ribs, not full racks. Does PBS have a grate?
It does have a grate..and while I don't own one yet, and wouldn't call myself an expert, the experts say that pbs does a great job even at higher than traditional temps
Don't ask stupid questions and you won't get stupid answers

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #694 on: May 07, 2017, 02:31:52 PM »
Depends on temp
What is the preferred temp? Was going from 8am at 230f. Stalled at 155 for at least 1.5 hrs by now.  I would like to serve at 6 o'clock
#TYH

Offline Sport

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #695 on: May 07, 2017, 02:50:16 PM »
Leaning toward a wsm. Do i splurge the extra $100 for a 22.5 inch or just get the 18.5 inch?  Considering i usually will be doing smaller cooks with the very occasional full turkey or big rack or seldom a packer, will 18 be enough?
18.5" is big enough for a whole packer, and definitely a turkey. 

Offline noturbizniss

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #696 on: May 07, 2017, 02:58:07 PM »
18.5" is big enough for a whole packer, and definitely a turkey.
So why is henche saying

Get the big one
READ THE DARN WIKI!!!!

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Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #697 on: May 07, 2017, 02:58:51 PM »
I went to izzys today for first time.  I'll post on brooklyn restaurants thread

Offline henche

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #698 on: May 07, 2017, 03:01:53 PM »
So why is henche saying

Henche no have one.  HenChe was assuming based on your q that you didn't think it was big enough for a big brisket or turkey

Offline Sport

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Re: Smoking Meats
« Reply #699 on: May 07, 2017, 03:04:26 PM »
So why is henche saying

Henche no have one.  HenChe was assuming based on your q that you didn't think it was big enough for a big brisket or turkey
I've only done whole packers twice, but they bith fit. One of them was oddly shapped- it was very long so it was a bit tight, but it wasnt an issue.