What Are You Smoking?? (meats and vegetables, not intoxicants)

[KD in CA]

18 hours ago, Foxx said:

Anyone have a rub they like to put on baby backs?

 

I've bought some Dizzy Pig rubs that are pretty good, but agree they are all pretty similar, and obviously cheapest to make your own.

[Just Joshin]

On 6/11/2021 at 5:01 PM, Foxx said:

Anyone have a rub they like to put on baby backs?

I like the Dinosaur BBQ rub.  You can buy it in stores or make it.  I will make a batch and store in an air tight container for use.  The Dino BBQ book is very good if looking for an all around guide to how to smoke with recipes.

 

https://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/dinosaur-bar-b-ques-spice-rub-recipe-recipe

[CarpetCrawler]

I made some smoked chicken thighs this past weekend (bone in, skin on). I dry brined them, then a rub, then smoked at 250* for 2 hours with 90% applewood/10% hickory. The skin was a bit rubbery, but the meat was totally moist but firm, and delicious....nothing slimy about them, the best thighs I ever had.

 

Any suggestions on how to get the skin crispy???

 

 

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by CarpetCrawler

[Just Joshin]

2 hours ago, CarpetCrawler said:

I made some smoked chicken thighs this past weekend (bone in, skin on). I dry brined them, then a rub, then smoked at 250* for 2 hours with 90% applewood/10% hickory. The skin was a bit rubbery, but the meat was totally moist but firm, and delicious....nothing slimy about them, the best thighs I ever had.

 

Any suggestions on how to get the skin crispy???

 

 

 

I have tried several things with mixed results.  Some ideas to experiment with:

1.  Do a sear at the end with direct heat to crisp the skin.

2.  Air dry the chicken in the fridge before smoking.

3.  Do a mayo smear and then apply the rub.

 

For wings, I usually do #1.  For breasts, #3.  We do thighs infrequently so no go to method.

[CarpetCrawler]

18 hours ago, Just Joshin said:

I have tried several things with mixed results.  Some ideas to experiment with:

1.  Do a sear at the end with direct heat to crisp the skin.

2.  Air dry the chicken in the fridge before smoking.

3.  Do a mayo smear and then apply the rub.

 

For wings, I usually do #1.  For breasts, #3.  We do thighs infrequently so no go to method.

 

Thank you.

 

I dry brined the skin and left them open in the frig about 4-5 hours before i rubbed them, then let them sit another hour and a half. Maybe the salt on the skin was a mistake ???

 

I also read afterwards smoke at just over 275* with chicken in order to render the fat from the skin. Does that make sense? 

 

I'm dying to try wings and breasts both, i'll take your advice thanks. In defense of thighs, i must say they were much better than i thought they would be. I was a little afraid of the middle being underdone so i let them go until the probe read 190*. The meat was still totally moist and juicy (clear juice) and i have to say totally delicious. Plus they were on sale for 79 cents a pound, so i got a 10 pack for around $3.

[Sherpa]

Very difficult to get skin crispy if coking below 300.

Generally, it's a choice. Either moist flavorful meat or crispy skin.

I dry brine for three days. Kosher salt.

36 hours wrapped and 36 unwrapped in the refrigerator.

Works out to be a good compromise.

Leave at room temp for 1.5 hours then cook at 225 or 250 based on time available.

I would not dry brine then add a rub. Too much salt.

 

Some folks pull the skin off and cook separately at high temp  during the 45 rest period after cooking.

Skin isn't worth it for me to go that far. 

 

[CarpetCrawler]

1 hour ago, Sherpa said:

Very difficult to get skin crispy if coking below 300.

Generally, it's a choice. Either moist flavorful meat or crispy skin.

I dry brine for three days. Kosher salt.

36 hours wrapped and 36 unwrapped in the refrigerator.

Works out to be a good compromise.

Leave at room temp for 1.5 hours then cook at 225 or 250 based on time available.

I would not dry brine then add a rub. Too much salt.

 

Some folks pull the skin off and cook separately at high temp  during the 45 rest period after cooking.

Skin isn't worth it for me to go that far. 

 

 

Thank you.

 

Do you do this just for parts, or for the whole bird too? Do you put the kosher salt just on the skin, or under it too? That must be some juicy chicken. Spatchcock?

 

 

I have no real desire for the skin either, it's my wife that loves it. When it's paper thin and crispy on a rotisserie chicken I'll eat some, otherwise it goes to the dog. My thought for next time was to maybe just pull off the skin for the last half hour and paint some BBQ sauce on them and let it get thick and sticky. 

[B-Man]

 

 

It's getting to be that season again !

 

 

 

 

Education is important.

 

 

[CarpetCrawler]

On 4/16/2022 at 10:15 AM, B-Man said:

 

 

It's getting to be that season again !

 

 

 

 

Education is important.

 

 

 

Getting the itch too, been daydreaming about what I'll smoke first this year. I'll probably start out simple, applewood chicken thighs are a crowd pleaser in my house.

[Ann]

...

 

[Jabba The Hutt]

Been eating some smoked Mullet and Mahi. Tasted some smoked boneless, skinless sardines that were good.

[Koko]

11 hours ago, Jabba The Hutt said:

Been eating some smoked Mullet...

 

[Jabba The Hutt]

2 hours ago, Koko said:

 

Oooh daddy

[KD in CA]

Any BBQ thermometer recommendations?

[MothersMilk]

On 4/26/2022 at 3:40 AM, Jabba The Hutt said:

Been eating some smoked Mullet and Mahi. Tasted some smoked boneless, skinless sardines that were good.

Love smoked mullet... a lady I worked with for many years has her own roadside business, firewood, homemade soaps etc... and smoked mullet, they do it from fresh out of the bay to ready to eat.. good stuff with just some butter melted over the top.

[IDBillzFan]

On 5/3/2022 at 12:04 PM, KD in CA said:

Any BBQ thermometer recommendations?

 

Are you looking for an instant read, or something you put in the meat while it's cooking to monitor remotely?

 

If you want an instant read, I bought this one years ago and it's steady and reliable.

 

I bought the Meater when it was at one of those sights where you donate to the development of the product to be an early adopter. There is a single probe version for $100. I think I paid $125 for the four-probe one in the link.

 

In fairness, it has never been as reliable synced with my phone as I would like it to be in terms of quick and easy set up.  Once it's set up, it's good. 

 

But I don't use it as much anymore because I recently bought the new Masterbuilt 1050 Gravity Grill, and it has 4x temp probes as part of the system.

 

Really like this grill, by the way. Got rid of my Weber kettle and my Traeger.

 

 

[CarpetCrawler]

On 5/3/2022 at 3:04 PM, KD in CA said:

Any BBQ thermometer recommendations?

I have this one from Amazon:  Wireless Meat Thermometer, Guichon Digital Meat Thermometer, 4 Probes Food Thermometer for BBQ, Grill, Oven, Smoker, Grill Thermometer with 500FT Remote Range

 

 

It works great for me. You want to use one probe just to monitor the box temperature, and the others for whatever you're smoking. 

[IDBillzFan]

On 5/3/2022 at 12:04 PM, KD in CA said:

Any BBQ thermometer recommendations?

 

For all the BBQ sites I frequent, nothing is more universally loved than the ThermoPro instant read thermometer, and now it's on sale for $10 at Amazon, in case you're interested.

[KD in CA]

1 hour ago, IDBillzFan said:

 

For all the BBQ sites I frequent, nothing is more universally loved than the ThermoPro instant read thermometer, and now it's on sale for $10 at Amazon, in case you're interested.

 

Cool, thanks.  That'll do for now, but yeah, would love something you leave in that syncs to the phone, but they all seem to have middling reviews wrt to accuracy and range.

[IDBillzFan]

1 hour ago, KD in CA said:

 

Cool, thanks.  That'll do for now, but yeah, would love something you leave in that syncs to the phone, but they all seem to have middling reviews wrt to accuracy and range.

 

I have yet to find one that is reliable syncing with my phone, including the Meater one. It's really weird. It works, and then it doesn't. And then it syncs up again, and then it doesn't. Very frustrating.