Smoker

[eagle rider]

Just bought a new Masterbuilt Sportsman 30".  Anyone have any tips?  I seasoned it tonight per the directions.  Looking for tips and tricks.  

[turkeyfeathers]

On way to Rochester to meet some of the boys for dinner but I'm all over this post in the morning.


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[BigGuyNY]

I have been using a smoker for about 5 years now and in my humble opinion have mastered ribs.  Like most I use the 2, 2, 1 method.  2 hours uncovered, followed by 2 hours wrapped in foil, and finally the last hour uncovered with your favorite BBQ sauce.  I know a lot preach the 3-2-1 method but because I prefer the St. Louis cut, I believe the 2-2-1 method works better.  I have developed the dry rub to my family's specific taste and I add it before cooking. Just remember with ribs it is very important to remove the membrane from the back prior to cooking.   There are a ton of easy dry rub recipes that can be found online.  It is very addicting and I have smoked briskets, pork shoulders, chicken as well as beef and venison jerky.  Enjoy!

[turkeyfeathers]

Electric isn't it? Have a charcoal Masterbilt myself  I use the 3-2-1 on ribs In the 2 hour part I'll baste with a good pour of apple juice into the tinfoil boat but BIgGuy's 2-2-1 sounds good as well. YES, removing the membrane from ribs is key 

Tips:

Poultry : lightly cover in mayo. It's added fat( juice in the end) and then hit with dry rub as it adheres better. 

Pork : lightly cover in yellow mustard and then dry rub

You won't get either the mustard or mayo flavor in the end product as it cooks off. 

We're a big fan of coffee rubs. Dizzy pig to be exact.

Smoked raw almonds or cashews  are delicious  Buy in bulk at Wegmans or the like   Sautee in pan in butter and dry rub  Stir as they'll burn quick  Just a few minutes to sautee  Put in metal colindar or make a tinfoil boat and punch holes in the boat. Smoke for a few hours.

Wild turkey breast : marinate in OJ and apple juice, cover with a few dashes of dry rub  Toothpick bacon all over (so it doesn't dry out as your adding fat) Smoke for 3 or so hours.

Smoked trout BLTS on sourdough bread are great

Venison steaks cut into bite sized pieces, dry rubbed ,dab of jalapeno cream cheese ,1/3 piece of bacon and smoked  Done when bacon is done. I've had more people who've never tried venison fall in love with these. A lot of guys on here have now been making them with same results  Taco tim did these with wild turkey breast and I also did upon his suggestion   Really good. You can add a slice of water chestnut for crunch if you want.

Beer can chicken   Screw the beer can .Spices and beer are always in tact when I've pulled the can out. I'll drink the whole beer now and not waste on cooking with it. Loosen skin and stick pats of butter under skin, mayo a bit, dry rub and plunk on grate breast side down.

Smoked salmon is wonderful 

Look up bacon explosions    They use latticework of bacon to contain all of your breakfast materials packed it.

Bacon wrapped pork tenderloin  , little apple juice bath, dry rub , bacon toothpicked

Wings : melt up some butter, toss wings, dry rub   Smoke   Toss in your favorite sauce and finish on grill or oven to crisp them up

Never made venison jerky on smoker as always use jerky rack in oven at 200 and don't think it can beat this method. 

Pork butt/shoulder (same thing)  Cut thick fat layer off and trim little fat pockets. Yellow mustard coating, dry rub and smoke for 3-4 hours. Meats only take smoke for so long Throw a whole beer in crockpot, throw in butt. cook on low for a bunch of hours. I usually have it in there for 22-24 hours to time it with the following evenings dinner. Take tongs to remove bone, stir with tongs or spoon and it's completely shredded   NO pulling required  I'll never pull it again as this is so easy. Make up some slaw with shredded cabbage, mayo and cider vinegar , bbq sauce now and a good roll  Yes please  making this this week. House smells great in the morning after crocking overnight

Smokingmeats.com is really good.  You can sign up for weekly/bi weekly emails on ideas that are always pretty good

Going to smoke a meatloaf one of these days

Deviled eggs are outstanding smoked.  A little crumbled bacon sprinkled on and only need to smoke for 20-30 minutes .

Hope some of this helps.  It's almost impossible to over smoke anything so don't get worried about exact suggested times. I don't even use a meat thermometer anymore. If it looks done I make a slice into it with pocket knife and check. Mesquite and hickory will give much deeper smoke flavor and to some too overbearing. I prefer apple, pecan etc.

I use mine weekly all season  Shovel around it in driveway as well. Cold temps don't seem to effect smoker temps that much It's the winds you gotta watch

Most of all, experiment, have fun with it   I felt overwhelmed when I first got it. Now looking back I think this is one of the easiest ways to cook

[mowin]

First, congrats on you new smoker. 

 

Next don't trust the thermometer on the door. There notorious for being off.  

 

Get a dual probe therm, one food probe for meat, the other a ambient for pit temps. 

 

Get a Amps (Amazin pellet tray or tube smoker) the tray was devolved for the masterbuilt electric smokers. 

Check out smoking meat forums. The have a electric section with tons of tips and mods for these units. 

As far as ribs, asumming pit temp will be 225*-250*, there's many different methods. 2-2-1, 3-2-1. Some don't wrap at all. Wrapping does make it easier, but those that don't go by feel, or the bend test rather than temp.  If you like FOB (fall of the bone), wrapping helps. 

You'll develop your own method and flavor profile. 

[eagle rider]

Guys this is super helpful.  We did ribs tonight.  Three racks.  Dry rubbed with Lowry Pork.  3 hours on the smoke at 225.  I used hickory and apple blend.  When it was in the last 30 minutes I basted them with BBQ sauce (Sweet baby Rays) and kept it on the smoke.  They fell off the bone and if I don't say so myself, they we're delicious.  Now I have to clean it up.....  Ugh.  And yes it is electric.

[t_barb]

I found this website to be helpful, especially for ribs..   I have been making some great food (ribs, chicken, meatloaf, turkey, etc...)

It is hard to screw things up if you go "low and slow"

 

http://www.thesmokerking.com/

[eagle rider]

Would a venison roast smoke similar to a beef rump or even a brisket?

 

[gfdeputy2]

You can smoke Venison

low heat I try to keep it around 200 & like any other style of cooking venison Med Rare max

Roasts do smoke the best

I also agree with the thermometers get yourself a set or two of probes

[mowin]

No.   Two different smokes. A brisket needs to reach a higher internal temp to break down the connective tissue. Around 195- 205. If you take a venison roast to that temp, it would be dry and like chewing on a sneaker. 

 

I like to put a pan of bacon above the hind with holes in the pan.  As the fat renders out it drops on the roast, basting it. I don't like to cover the hind, as I want the smoke and bark to form on the venison itself.  

[vizslas]

venison should never reach anything over 150 degrees internal temp.

[gfdeputy2]

29 minutes ago, vizslas said:

venison should never reach anything over 150 degrees internal temp.

 

36 minutes ago, mowin said:

No.   Two different smokes. A brisket needs to reach a higher internal temp to break down the connective tissue. Around 195- 205. If you take a venison roast to that temp, it would be dry and like chewing on a sneaker. 

 

I like to put a pan of bacon above the hind with holes in the pan.  As the fat renders out it drops on the roast, basting it. I don't like to cover the hind, as I want the smoke and bark to form on the venison itself.  

Agree I should have said external temp of 200

[mowin]

I smoke my V Hinds at 225 to 250.  Pull at a internal of 130.. let it rest lightly foiled for 30 min then slice.  

 

In fact, there's one on the pit as I'm typing this.  Along with a 8# packer. And a little later double smoking a 12# ham.  

 

[jhog1]

5 hours ago, mowin said:

I smoke my V Hinds at 225 to 250.  Pull at a internal of 130.. let it rest lightly foiled for 30 min then slice.  

 

In fact, there's one on the pit as I'm typing this.  Along with a 8# packer. And a little later double smoking a 12# ham.  

 

I have no dinner plans tonight...............just saying

[mowin]

You know where I live.  

[Hock3y24]

I have a master built 30 with the see through glass door, meat probe and remotely monitors temp. It’s great but cooks a little fast so I use a lower temp.

[moog5050]

14 minutes ago, Hock3y24 said:

I have a master built 30 with the see through glass door, meat probe and remotely monitors temp. It’s great but cooks a little fast so I use a lower temp.

I have the same one but the meat probe is way off.  Temps are usually higher than indicated too.  Worth having extra probes for both.    Also, if you want to make it really simple on smoke, add the A-Maze-N pellet smoker.  So much easier than relying on that little chip burner.  Doesn't add extra heat, but keeps light blue smoke consistent for up to 14 hours.  Light once and done.  Cheap too.

Edited October 30, 2017 by moog5050

[NFA-ADK]

OMG I am hungry now!  That looks really good mowin! 

[eagle rider]

I used an old fashion meat thermometer to check temps.... good enough?