Smoking Meat?

Smoked a couple turkey breasts for Christmas dinner. Ads usual everybody couldn't get enough of it. Smoked an extra one so we would have some leftovers.
 
Have two pork butts out on the smoker today. In-laws coming over today to enjoy some great pulled pork.
 
While I don't use a smoker any more as it is just me and a live-in, and smoking small portions just doesn't do it for me, I used to do a pork butt and whole beef brisket in the smoker. Used all wood, no charcoal.

Let them smoke all day and then chill them in the fridge. Slice it all up the next day, pitch it all in a big pot with some home-made BBQ sauce and let it simmer for a few hours. The combo of the two meats and sauce makes for one scrumptious sandwich!!
 
I technically use all wood as well since I am cooking with lump charcoal. Its basically just burnt wood. Would never use the briquettes unless they are all natural as anything with any type of lighting fluid within the coal would destroy my smoker/grill.
 
Actually the "new" Kingsford ones with the lines in them seem to be taking the market by storm. Even I have been seduced over from lump, when I'm not doing electric.
 
While I don't use a smoker any more as it is just me and a live-in, and smoking small portions just doesn't do it for me, I used to do a pork butt and whole beef brisket in the smoker. Used all wood, no charcoal.

Let them smoke all day and then chill them in the fridge. Slice it all up the next day, pitch it all in a big pot with some home-made BBQ sauce and let it simmer for a few hours. The combo of the two meats and sauce makes for one scrumptious sandwich!!


That's me too. Just around holidays or family get together is only time I do it any more.
 
Actually the "new" Kingsford ones with the lines in them seem to be taking the market by storm. Even I have been seduced over from lump, when I'm not doing electric.

Is this their competition style ones? Those are the only ones that I have seen that don't have a lot of extra additives.
 
Costco has 2x18# bags of Kingsford Competition Briquettes for $14 every March. I buy four or five of those and they last all year. I use them in my Weber grill and my smokers to start the wood.
 
Costco has 2x18# bags of Kingsford Competition Briquettes for $14 every March. I buy four or five of those and they last all year. I use them in my Weber grill and my smokers to start the wood.

How much ash do they produce? I thought about trying them but have heard some horror stories on the amount of ash that is produced.
 
How much ash do they produce? I thought about trying them but have heard some horror stories on the amount of ash that is produced.

I wouldn't say any more than any other briquette.

They put out an incredible amount of heat, but do great as a slow burn as well.
 
I wouldn't say any more than any other briquette.

They put out an incredible amount of heat, but do great as a slow burn as well.


Thats possibly my issue with them. My grill/smoker works best with lump/briquettes that don't produce much ash. To much ash starts restricting its air flow and begins causing issue.
 
Did one a few weeks ago and had another itch to smoke again. Marinated salmon overnight in gin and salt. Washed it off and smoked with charcoal and mesquite for 3hrs at 215-220F spraying with apple juice every 30mins. Awesome stuff with some baked asparagus.


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Time for a thread resurrection, as smoking is more my go to cooking method. I generally have used my Kamado with lump charcoal and wood chunks, but almost two months ago, I got a pellet grill at the urging of a friends. Absolutely love the thing. Absolute foolproof way to smoke meat, or even grill if thats how you prefer. Ive done brisket, boston butt, ribs, chicken, salmon, burgers, chuck roast, and one of my favorites, reverse seared steaks in it so far.

Going to do steaks tonight, and probably smoke turkey breasts on it this weekend.
 
Time for a thread resurrection, as smoking is more my go to cooking method. I generally have used my Kamado with lump charcoal and wood chunks, but almost two months ago, I got a pellet grill at the urging of a friends. Absolutely love the thing. Absolute foolproof way to smoke meat, or even grill if thats how you prefer. Ive done brisket, boston butt, ribs, chicken, salmon, burgers, chuck roast, and one of my favorites, reverse seared steaks in it so far.

Going to do steaks tonight, and probably smoke turkey breasts on it this weekend.

Which pellet grill did you get? I've been looking at the Weber SmokeFire but I've read a couple reports about grease collecting in the bottom and catching fire.
 
Which pellet grill did you get? I've been looking at the Weber SmokeFire but I've read a couple reports about grease collecting in the bottom and catching fire.
I looked at several models, but in the end, I went with a pit boss. I liked the price point, the quality seemed on par with Treager , and I liked that the heat shield had a slide that gave you a sear section over the fire box.
 
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I looked at several models, but in the end, I went with a pit boss. I liked the price point, the quality seemed on par with Treager , and I liked that the heat shield had a slide that gave you a sear section over the fire box.
And this weekend I upgraded to the newer platinum model with upgraded controllers.
Still keeping the smaller one for now, but I’ve got a neighbor eying it.
Once I get a few weeks in with the new one and am satisfied, I’ll probably unload it and end up mostly money neutral.
 
I had a stick burner before I bought my first pellet smoker which was a Traeger Junior (2013). With the tailgate kit if fits perfect in my motorhome. I also have a GMG Daniel Boone (2015) for home. I am now looking at a Masterbuilt Gravity Fed charcoal smoker for next year. It has controls like pellet smokers, but it burns charcoal along with small split logs of wood.
 
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