First smoke of the 2010 season!

navychop

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Jul 20, 2005
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3 slabs of spareribs for the 4 of us (son is having friend/girlfriend over) and some ABTs and corn. Using the large Weber. I'm trying the Bourbon Glazed Ribs from Smoke and Spice. And I'll add a few drops of honey to the ABTs, just for variety.

So who else is putting smoke into the air today, while waiting for liftoff?

Smoke 'em if you got 'em!
 
I did a couple small turkeys, a butt, and some ABTs a week ago. I took some pics of the pork, but haven't pulled the card from my camera yet. It was great to see the smoker come out of the snow drift it spent the winter in.
 
Well, the FOOD turned out pretty good. Cooked a little faster than expected, and resulted in, oh I'd say more like 15 servings than 6!

However:
The friend/girlfriend won't touch ABTs (or anything within a mile of a jalapeno, I gather).
Son wouldn't touch the corn on the cob (a perennial favorite with guests, I grill or smoke or like this time, boil with a touch of liquid crab boil).
They wanted it wet, but then didn't touch the extra sauce I made.

Personally, next time I'll do the pork butt and country ribs. And I don't recall EVER having ABTs left over!

Didn't think to take snaps.
 
The women folk at my house don't like jalapeno ABTs either, but if I give in and make some with slices of bell peppers they love them.

Kind of takes the "Atomic" out of them, but it leaves more jalapenos for the connoisseurs.
 
Haven't smoked yet this year. Eagerly waiting to though. I think I want to do a pork belly this year (ie bacon). Anyone ever smoke a pork belly on the WSM?
 
Haven't smoked yet this year. Eagerly waiting to though. I think I want to do a pork belly this year (ie bacon). Anyone ever smoke a pork belly on the WSM?

Not on the WSM, but I make bacon a couple of times a year. In fact, its time for a new batch. I use Ruhlman's cure recipe and then smoke on my SmokinTex. The last batch I made was 35#.

Note: I do not trim the pork belly square as per the instructions. I cure and smoke it as-is, and then trim it square before packaging. The scaps get cut up into small peieces for use in making greens, soups, etc. I also cure and smoke it with the skin on. The skin pulls right off after it comes out of the smoker and is great in beans.


1 5-pound slab pork belly
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sodium nitrite (see note), optional
3 tablespoons kosher salt or 1½ ounces noniodized salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
4 bay leaves, crumbled
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme.

1. Trim belly so edges are square. Combine garlic, sodium nitrite (if using), salt, sugar, pepper and bay leaves in bowl, mix well.
2. Place belly in 2½ gallon resealable bag. Add spices and thyme sprigs and rub over belly to give it a uniform coating. Seal bag and refrigerate for 7 days, occasionally rubbing meat to redistribute seasonings, and turning bag over every other day.
3. Remove belly from cure, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels; discard cure. Belly can be refrigerated, covered, for 3 days.
 
Not on the WSM, but I make bacon a couple of times a year. In fact, its time for a new batch. I use Ruhlman's cure recipe and then smoke on my SmokinTex. The last batch I made was 35#.

Note: I do not trim the pork belly square as per the instructions. I cure and smoke it as-is, and then trim it square before packaging. The scaps get cut up into small peieces for use in making greens, soups, etc. I also cure and smoke it with the skin on. The skin pulls right off after it comes out of the smoker and is great in beans.


1 5-pound slab pork belly
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sodium nitrite (see note), optional
3 tablespoons kosher salt or 1½ ounces noniodized salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
4 bay leaves, crumbled
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme.

1. Trim belly so edges are square. Combine garlic, sodium nitrite (if using), salt, sugar, pepper and bay leaves in bowl, mix well.
2. Place belly in 2½ gallon resealable bag. Add spices and thyme sprigs and rub over belly to give it a uniform coating. Seal bag and refrigerate for 7 days, occasionally rubbing meat to redistribute seasonings, and turning bag over every other day.
3. Remove belly from cure, rinse well and pat dry with paper towels; discard cure. Belly can be refrigerated, covered, for 3 days.

Thanks Steven. Looks like a good cure recipe!
 
How are you fixing the loin? Marinade? Dry rub?

Massaged it with a dash of olive oil yesterday, then dry rubbed with an allspice, cinnamon, onion, brown sugar, thyme, nutmeg, sea-salt mixture. It's from Smoke & Spice (as are SO many good things), but I'm not home at the moment, so I can't give you the rub's name.
 
I can find it, with that info. Let me know how it works out, and if you'd use that method again.
 
It's the Sweet and Fruity Pork Tenderloin from page 81. Internal temp is 130°F at the moment. It smells great.
 
Just got done smoking 2 full sets of spare ribs, bottom rack turned out much better than top rack, I think my thermometer near the top is going wonky.

Bottom rack was quite awesome, almost fell apart when I was taking them out.

Just a basic dry rub
onion powder
paprika
fine ground pepper
sea salt
chili powder

Might have to use the flaky thermometer to justify myself a new smoker. Maybe a good one this time now that this will be my 3rd year and the whole family is loving it.
 
How do I tell my neighbor he's clueless?

Yesterday, I came home to my neighbor smoking a brisket. After talking to him, he told me he had the 10lb brisket on for apx. 4 hours and planned to eat in another hour. I was biting my lip. The poor bastard. It was probably the toughest piece of meat he's ever had!

How do I tell my neighbor in a nice way that he's not smoking properly? He does this all the time. He has an ancient smoker that doesn't have enough dampers to regulate temperature, he doesn't have a thermometer to monitor an internal temperature and he seems lost as to how long he should cook something for. If only he knew how to properly cook, he could get so much more out of his smoke sessions.

There's only two issues. He's a Steeler fan and he doesn't take criticism well. What should I do?
 
Why not have a friendly competition. You cook a brisket and so does he. You share each others product and he will see what it should be. Then you share your recipe and how you got there.
 
I bought a couple of briskets for the smoker at Costco today. Bought a whole pork shoulder too. Ill smoke half and braise the other half in mojo.

Although, this isn't my first smoke of the year. There is no "smoking season" in my house. I smoke all year long. Having an insulated smoker helps when its 35 degrees outside.
 
Yesterday, I came home to my neighbor smoking a brisket. After talking to him, he told me he had the 10lb brisket on for apx. 4 hours and planned to eat in another hour. I was biting my lip. The poor bastard. It was probably the toughest piece of meat he's ever had!

How do I tell my neighbor in a nice way that he's not smoking properly? He does this all the time. He has an ancient smoker that doesn't have enough dampers to regulate temperature, he doesn't have a thermometer to monitor an internal temperature and he seems lost as to how long he should cook something for. If only he knew how to properly cook, he could get so much more out of his smoke sessions.

There's only two issues. He's a Steeler fan and he doesn't take criticism well. What should I do?

I'm with Bobby. The only way is to serve him some of the good stuff. If you don't want to go the competition route, just invite him over. Or be really sneaky and have your wife give his wife some to serve him. If you're close enough to give holiday or birthday gifts..... Well, "Smoke and Spice" is widely available.
 
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