The best $159.30 investment I've ever made, culinarily speaking

[echelon_john]

Amazon.com : Masterbuilt 20070910 30-Inch Black Electric Digital Smoker, Top Controller : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Okay, I don't want to get into the whole charcoal vs. propane vs. electric debate. But what I do want to say is that this thing is EXTREMELY easy to use, and makes some damn tasty BBQ with zero hassle. Fill the pan with water or whatever your poison is, add a cup of chips, set the temp and timer on top...let the thing heat up for ~20 minutes, add food, close door, and that's pretty much it.

The upshot is that it gets used at least once a week, and it's easy enough that there's not much downside to experimenting. I've done pork shoulder/pulled pork, ribs, brisket, turkey legs, pheasant, and chicken.

With this for smoking and a weber kettle for grilling, a lot of bases are covered!

Any other smoker folks want to show your goods and share any tips? Rub recipes? Deep dark secrets?

[efuentes]

As a mexican I can add that it helps to put more chile in the rub,

Real, dried chiles instead of the who-knows-what they sell in the spices department, or better still get your own at the supermarket and smoke 'em and then use them in the rub

Smoke fish if you wanna show off your rub :)

[jitahs]

Yes, chiles are great. As Garro would say, there is an entire universe of different flavors there.

I'm fond of a 24 hr. fish sauce marinade for pork butt, plus periodic basting. Doesn't need much else.

[Too Tall]

Yes, chiles are great. As Garro would say, there is an entire universe of different flavors there.

I'm fond of a 24 hr. fish sauce marinade for pork butt, plus periodic basting. Doesn't need much else.

Did you say fish sauce marinade? Neat. Do tell.

[echelon_john]

Ditto. I've seen some folks recommend anchovies as part of a mustard rub, but the fish sauce thing is intriguing. ??

While we're on the topic, my daughter's school just got called for 12:30 with a storm coming in...thinking it's a perfect day to throw something in the smoker. I wish brisket wasn't so g#$$%%m expensive; I love it, but it kind of kills me to pay $65 for one when I could get some pretty nice steaks for that price.

[steve garro]

Shotloads of rosemary, garlic, chili powder and blackpepper.

For fish I'm a straight up guy, I like fish as-is.

Here is what I travel with, it will do two fillets as big as the smoker in 15min flat - always goes to Mexico, has been down the entire Grand Canyon twice:

The Original Stovetop Smoker

- Garro.

[Cookietruck]

pro tip, brisket only needs salt pepper and time in the smoker

[jitahs]

Did you say fish sauce marinade? Neat. Do tell.

Ditto. I've seen some folks recommend anchovies as part of a mustard rub, but the fish sauce thing is intriguing. ??

While we're on the topic, my daughter's school just got called for 12:30 with a storm coming in...thinking it's a perfect day to throw something in the smoker. I wish brisket wasn't so g#$$%%m expensive; I love it, but it kind of kills me to pay $65 for one when I could get some pretty nice steaks for that price.

I changed the way I do it, the 24 hr. thing is too stinky and too much turning for me. Mostly I'm a less-is-more guy so take this fwiw...

I like to take a butt or two, salt liberally, let rest in frig for a day or two. Day of, either rinse it or blot it well, put it in a large mixing bowl and pour over fish sauce so that you have only a couple of tablespoons liquid pooled at the bottom. Turn the beast over a few times over the course of an hour or so, so that it swims in the stink. Start your smoke; after an hour take it out and repeat the swimming thing making sure to add enough fish sauce to keep it at a couple of tablespoons. You really want to do it this way; I find basting messy and uneven. A pair or two of 2 ft. long tongs helps here. Do this every hour or so but kind of wipe your finger on it before doing it each time to taste - the salt and crytallized sugar can get to be too much. BTW I use 3 Crabs due to the sugar that's in it.

In the end you want a nice brownish-reddish crust not blackened. The marinade and pork juice should still give you crunchy bits depending on how you do your smoke.

You can do a traditional vinegar-based dressing at the table but a Thai chile-lime-fish sauce dipping sauce is nice. Over Blue Lakes, shredded with or w/o a dressing it's nice. Add some chiles into the marinade if you like, of course.

I'm with you on the brisket - they're too expensive and I feel the chi is zapped when smoked, or at least I can't do it right...

pro tip, brisket only needs salt pepper and time in the smoker

Fish sauce does a great job intercepting meat juices and crusting up a steak or tri-tip before the drippings hit the coals. That and cracked black pepper are all I use on beef.


As an aside been working through various carnitas ideas lately...omg 5 lbs. of lard only gets better with each successive batch. Manteca, where have you been all my life?!

[maunahaole]

Manteca is just south of Stockton. At the intersection of 120 and 99. Get over the hill once in a while.

[maunahaole]

Re: carnitas, there is a recipe that someone posted here a couple years ago that is outstanding. I have done it a few times and it seems pretty foolproof. It is an oven recipe, so best on a cool day.

[boxerboxer]

Re: carnitas, there is a recipe that someone posted here a couple years ago that is outstanding. I have done it a few times and it seems pretty foolproof. It is an oven recipe, so best on a cool day.

Cool days is all I got in MN, braddah. I'm going to look that one up.

[boxerboxer]

Re: carnitas, there is a recipe that someone posted here a couple years ago that is outstanding. I have done it a few times and it seems pretty foolproof. It is an oven recipe, so best on a cool day.

Was it this one?

[maunahaole]

Was it this one?

Yes. That one., you can go a little heavier on the cinnamon if you want without negative consequence. It adds a bit more flavor. My only caveat is to check it mid cook to check on the moisture level in the pot, maybe crack the lid a bit to manage. It also makes a nice crisp bit on top.

[efuentes]

Speaking about carnitas I remember about Barbacoa, I see your smoker thingy and rise you this $10.99 cazuela + a hole in the ground :)

[Chad]

I have that exact same smoker. Great "bang for the buck". Very easy to use, no babysitting required.

I smoked goose jerky all weekend. Sliced breast meat, it was excellent. Much better than a dehydrator.

I've done ground goose meat, but I don't care for the texture. Ground venison on the other hand is excellent for jerky.

Lots of ribs and pork roast and waterfowl breasts. I'm terrible about documenting my recipes as it's a little different every time. Generally use apple wood and I have a tendency to use too much smoke. Don't do that.

[echelon_john]

I've found that apple wood gives a weird (not good weird) crust compared to hickory, which is my go-to. I don't think it adds anything in terms of flavor. Am I missing something? Hickory seems like it lends itself to more of a 'bark,' while the apple tastes burnt to me.

[Chad]

Honestly, rarely can I taste the difference in the flavor based on the type of wood used. My only problem is when I use too much smoke. Using apple was a result of a recommendation from my brother, he's more of a guru than I.

Once it starts to crust up I'll spray it with apple juice several times for a little sweet flavor. I also use apple juice in lieu of water in the steam pan.

[Jason Musgrave]

The title of this thread reminds me of this:

The 2014 Hater's Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog

[Cookietruck]

on the wood flavor
i noticed, in my crossflow smoker atleast, if you let the wood burn so that the smoke looks thick and white then it masks the flavor of the wood and it just tastes like char
burn a clean fire with visible flames and the smoke coming out of the smoke stack has a thin clear blue tint to it then you're going to get a real nice flavor and it won't be oversmoked...

[Chad]

on the wood flavor
i noticed, in my crossflow smoker atleast, if you let the wood burn so that the smoke looks thick and white then it masks the flavor of the wood and it just tastes like char
burn a clean fire with visible flames and the smoke coming out of the smoke stack has a thin clear blue tint to it then you're going to get a real nice flavor and it won't be oversmoked...

That's the problem with the electric smoker. You get what you get, nothing to adjust. I'll move up to a big boy smoker someday...