Enough people have asked me about smoking barbecue that I figured it’s about time I write this up as proactive FAQ of sorts. This will NOT teach you how to smoke q; it’s just a rattling-off of things. There’s plenty of great bbq sites and forums that will give you the particulars.
First of all,let me state one thing: I make phenomenal barbecue. Better than you’ll get in any restaurant around here. Better than Red Hot and Blue, Better than Famous Daves, and a hell of a lot better than that place in the Crystal City Underground. I make Q so good I’ve converted vegetarians ( Shouts to Marcus !), and my kids do a happy dance everytime I make it. Yeah, seriously, it’s that damn good. I literally gave away my gas grill after my second batch of barbecue – it was clear that I had no need for it anymore.
The best news is, there’s nothing special about me; it’s just that easy to make great BBQ at home if you’re willing to put in the effort. It’s simple see – making Q is really just a matter of how much effort you’re willing to put into it. I put in levels of effort that aren’t commercially feasible, and it shows. My Rib rub uses 24 different seasonings. My brisket rub uses fresh Hatch Chile pepper from New Mexico – pepper that is vastly superiour from anything you’ll get in a local grocery store. The last brisket I made weighed somewhere between 22 and 24 pounds, was so large I had to carry it on my shoulder, and smoked for 48 hours. I hand selected it from a specific butcher and it had been chewing grass 2 days before I got it. I rubbed it in a handmade rub using fresh Hatch chile’s, and smoked it with coal and hickory for 48 hours. That’s effort, although dirt simple. The good news is, this was a *massive* brisket and the longest smoke I’ve ever done. Most briskets will take an overnight, but I’ve never heard of one taking thatlong before. When it came out, I let it rest for a bit, then sliced into it,and it was magical. The kids happy danced for it. If you’re willing to put that kind of effort into it, then you can easily make great Q at home.
So here’s a few thing about smoking:
1. Get a smoker. Don’t try to smoke on your Weber, no matter how much the sticker on that accessory waterpan says “makes great bbq”. It ain’t bbq. It’s a little smokeflavouring added to your direct heat grilling.
2. Smoking is about low and slow. If you’re inpatient, don’t bother.
3. It doesn’t take anything fancy. I use a Silver Smoker – the cheapo entry model. I’ve done a few slight tweaks to it; there are many mods listed all over the internet for it,but frankly I don’t think it really requires any.
4. The most important aspect is learning how to smoke correctly. Rubs, sauces, all that stuff is second place to smoking correctly. Google, read, try, be patient.
5. Most important rule when smoking is to be patient with temperature changes. Add some wood, wait a half hour before checking temp. Change a baffle vent, wait a half hour.
6. I like any temp between 220 and 250. My smoker definitely has a hot and cold spot, so I rotate the meat.
7. Small (Costco) briskets take 12 to 15 hours easily. Ribs take 6-8. Large briskets take eons, but read 8.
8. It’s done when it’s done. You can get rouch guidelines of how long it takes. Every smoker, every cut of meat is different. It’s done when it’s done.
9. Use a thermometer for the meat, but also use your head. Just cause it hits the safezone doesn’t mean you have to pull it. In fact brisket, unlike most cuts of beef, gets more tender the longer you cook it.
10. When doing a very long smoke,it does help to wrap the meat in foil at some point. Most of the smoke entry into the meat is during the first and last several hours – in between is just cooking time. wrapping it can help reduce the “charring” of the outside.
11. Go for smoke flavouring – don’t use so much wood that you have plumes coming out of the chimney. Shoot for a thin streak.
12. I like to rub a day or two ahead of time, although I’ve also rubbed on the spot right at the smoker.
13. I find spareribs to be meatier, tastier, and generally more satisfying than back ribs.
14. I’ll rub q, but I never sauce it. I’ll serve sauce as a condiment. If your brisket is right, adults will eat it straight on a bun with no extras needed, although kids love to dump sauce over everything. I personally like it on a bun with some sliced onion, a little “texas” style sauce, and some extra Tabasco on top.
15. Tabasco makes everything taste better.
16. you do NOT use Kingsford coal in your smoker. You MUST use coals that are safe for smoking with. Again, google, find a forum, learn.
17. Yes, cheap thermometers are often wrong. However, better a cheap uncalibrated thermometer than none. You MUST monitorin the meatbox temp !
18. start off slow – it’s a lot easier to stoke up a cold firebox than let a hot one die down.
19. Yes, I grill on my smoker too, but everytime I do that an angel loses a wing.
20. There is a temperature plateu in every piece of meat, where it seems like it stays at that temperature forever, and you may start having doubts. Stick to your temp, don’t mess with nothin’, it will break that plateu then shoot up.
21. BE PATIENT. It’s done when it’s done. Don’t try to rush it. Don’t try to meet a deadline with it. If it ain’t ready yet, but y’all are ready for dinner, order pizza. Don’t suddenly stoke up the heat and try to cook the meat faster; you’ll end up ruining it and wasting your investment.
22. I like to reheat leftovers in a steamer.
So this is all I can think of right now. Over the last couple years I know some friends have gotten smokers at home because of me and swear by them now. If you have any questions give me a shout.
