Smoking Meats, or Barbecuing

By Allen Morris

Types of Smokers

There are two primary types of smokers, indirect dry heat smokers and water smokers.

Popular indirect heat smokers with backyard cooks consist of a barrel cut in half with the

bottom half where the meat is smoked on metal racks and the top half a hinged lid. There

is a fire box on one end to hold wood or charcoal to be used as an indirect heat source.

The wood or charcoal sits on a steel grate so air can flow underneath, promoting steady

heat. Heat is controlled by adjusting the air flow into the fire box through an adjustable

air shuttle on the end of the fire box and out of the smoke stack on the other end of the

smoker through an adjustable damper. There is a thermometer mounted on the lids of the

better ones, but most are inaccurate.

There are two types of water smokers: round, bullet-shaped smokers with a dome lid, or

rectangular, cabinet-shaped smokers. Both contain a heat source in the bottom, which is

either a pan for charcoal, a gas burner, or an electric coil; a place to put a metal box

containing wood chips above that; and a pan containing water above that. Above the

water pan is the cooking chamber, which contains metal grates to put the meat on.

Soaked wood chips are placed above the heat source, and after a while the water starts to

steam or boil slowly. I put the chips in a metal chip box (described under smoking with

indirect heat) before putting them above the heat source. As the steam rises, it combines

with the smoke particles to become an automatic basting material. This combination of

water and smoke continuously bastes the meat. Also, the meat juices fall into the water

pan and are also available in the steam to continuously baste the meat. This basting

allows the meat to retain much of its original juices.

A charcoal or gas grill can also be converted into a smoker. To convert a charcoal grill

into a water smoker, put the charcoal off to one side, then place the meat where it is not

above the charcoal. Put the metal box containing wood chips directly on the charcoal.

Place a pan of water above the charcoal on the grate next to the meat to add moisture

inside the grill. A Webber grill is easiest to convert to a smoker because it has charcoal

rails that enable putting the charcoal on two sides of the grill and cooking the meat

between the two mounds of charcoal.

To convert a gas grill into a water smoker get a disposable aluminum roasting pan that is

big enough to cover the space the meat will occupy. The pan should have 2-3" high

sides. Remove the grill's grates and put the pan on top of the tent-shaped burner covers.

Do not put the pan right on top of the burner tubes. Fill the pan to within 1" of its rim

with boiling or very hot water. Next, take a metal chip box, fill it with chips and put it on

top of the tent-shaped burner covers. The grates are then placed over the pan and the meat

is placed on the grates above the pan. A thermometer is placed on top of the grates near

the meat. Let the grill come up to 225o. If you cannot put a pan under your grates, you

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can put it on top of the grates, and use wire baking racks or the grates from your indoor

oven on top of the pans to hold the meat.

Methods

Dry Smoking with Indirect Heat

This is a preferred method by many barbecue cooks is. All major barbecue contests and

cook-offs use this method. My favorite indirect heat smoker is a Brinkman Trail Master

Limited Edition. It has a primary cooking space that is 40”X17” (680 square inches).

This has both cooking grills and charcoal grates, so can be used for smoking or grilling.

A second space that can be used for grilling is the cooking grill in the firebox. It also has

a handy warming tray on top of the fire box. It costs about $300 at Home Depot.

Brinkman Trail Master Limited Edition

If you want to step up a couple of notches and also cook for a larger number of people,

such as members of your Sunday school class or hunting club, or get into local

competitions, there’s the Jambo Pits Economy Model residential smoker mounted on a

trailer. With a 24" X 48" cooking space, 24" X 24" X 20" firebox and plain black finish,

it lacks the size and pizazz of Jambo's big, colorful competition rigs, but shares the same

quality construction and thoughtful design features that make Jambo the choice of many

award winning competitive teams. This model features two doors on the smokebox, one

on the side of the firebox, one on the front shelf, and a long smokestack over 40" tall. It

sells for $5,500.

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Jambo Pits

Thermometers

There are two types of thermometers that are important for cooking: those that measure

the temperature of the cooking chamber (cooking thermometers), and those that measure

the internal temperature of the food (food thermometers). Nobody knows how many

millions of dollars are wasted on overcooked food, but far more importantly, the US

Center for Disease Control estimates that in 2011, roughly one in six Americans got sick

from foodborne illnesses, about 128,000 were hospitalized, and 3,000 died, about the

same number who died in the attacks in 2001 or Pearl Harbor in 1941. The difference:

many were children.

USDA and Consumer Reports are unanimous: If you use a good digital food thermometer

and handle food properly, you can reduce the risk of foodborne illness to zero.

Thermometers are as important as knives and forks. The temperature of the cooker and

internal temperature of the food are essential to good cooking and safe food.

Most grills and smokers come with bi-metal dial cooking thermometers and they are

usually inaccurate. It is not unusual for these thermometers to be off as much as 50oF.

Worse, handheld “instant read” bi-metal dial food thermometers can take up to 30

seconds to read accurately. Digitals can read in 1 to 6 seconds with much greater

precision.

Purchase a quality digital cooking thermometer for your smoker and/or grill, and a

quality digital food thermometer. Better yet, get a wireless dual probe oven/smoker/grill

and meat thermometer. Insert one probe in the meat and leave it in, and put the other

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probe in the oven/smoker. They transmit temperatures to a receiver about the size of a

cell phone that you can take into your living room and place on the coffee table, enabling

you to monitor your smoker and your meat while watching the game on TV. There are a

number of good ones on the market with accuracy of +/- 3 degrees F. These include the

Maverick ET-733, the Thermoworks DOT, and the Ivation. Prices range from $35 to $75.

You should check the accuracy of both a cooking thermometer and a food thermometer

after you buy them, then once every year, and again if you drop them. You can check

your thermometer's accuracy with boiling water and with ice water. Bring a pot of water

to a boil and insert the probe. It should read about 212o F. Notice the key word “about.”

The exact reading can vary slightly with air pressure (factory calibration is based on one

atmosphere, about 30” of mercury). Minerals in tap water can cause minor variations, so

use distilled water if you want to be absolutely precise. Remember that water boils at

lower temps at high altitudes.

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes, not crushed ice, add cold water, and let it sit a minute.

Insert the probe and make sure the tip is not below the ice or touching the ice. The temp

below the ice can be several degrees above 32o F and the temp of the ice can be below

32o F. Make sure the probe is in the middle of the ice water mixture and then gently stir

for best results. The ice water test does not vary with altitude.

The place to put a cooking thermometer probe is about 2” to the side of the food, and an

inch above the grate because the grate is hotter than the cooking chamber. Some

thermometers, like the Maverick, come with a handy clip that gets the thermometer probe

above the grate. If the thermometer you purchased dos not have a clip, to get the probe

above the grate wrap it in a ball of foil, with the end of the probe extending out of the ball

of foil and an inch above the grate.

When measuring meat temp, take the temp in more than one location because the

composition of the meat can fool you. Insert the tip of the thermometer into the thickest

part of the meat and go just past the center. Then slowly pull it out and read the

temperature. Test other locations also.

Preparing the Meat

There are two ways to flavor the meat for smoking, using marinades or using dry rubs.

Marinades are best for tougher cuts of meat because they help tenderize it. Marinades

must contain at least three essential components: acid, fat and seasonings. A fourth could

be a sweetener. The acid helps break down the meat’s collagen (mostly connective

tissue), tenderizing it and opening up pathways for flavor to seep in. An example of one

marinade is ½ cup red wine vinegar (acid), ½ cup olive oil, ¼ cup Worcestershire

sauce (seasoning) and ¼ cup brown sugar. Pork ribs can be marinated by coating them in

the marinade and letting them sit for 1-2 hours, while thicker meats like beef brisket will

require injecting the marinade. My favorite marinade is full-fat Italian dressing. I use it

to add moisture and flavor, not for tenderizing. It has acid, fat and seasonings. The low

fat version doesn’t work as well because it is missing the fat. It is not injected. I simply

coat the meat with it before putting the meat on the smoker.

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Dry rubs primarily impart flavor to meats rather than tenderize them. Typical ingredients

in a dry rub could be salt, brown sugar, dry mustard, dehydrated onion, garlic powder,

paprika, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Dry rub recipes can be found in cook books

and on the internet.

Salt by itself makes a good seasoning. Only salt will penetrate meat. Other ingredients

will only flavor the surface of the meat. Salt is important beyond enhancing flavor. It

penetrates deep, and also unwinds proteins and helps them retain moisture. Put the salt on

the meat first, put it in a disposable baking pan, cover the pan with foil and refrigerate it

for the designated time (see section about smoking various meats) before cooking. This is

called dry brining. Just before cooking, lightly brush all sides of the meat with vegetable

oil, and put on the mixture of the other seasoning ingredients in the dry rub.

Personally, I don’t like marinades for tenderizing or dry rubs for flavoring. I don’t want

to smoke meats that need tenderizing. Venison I kill is an exception to that and my

method of tenderizing is shown last in this article. And I don’t like to add flavorings to

the meat. They mask the meat’s true flavor, which I prefer. Thus, my seasoning is only

salt, or salt and black pepper.

Igniting the Charcoal

Most people use one of four methods to light charcoal. The easiest and fastest method is

using charcoal that has been pre-treated with lighter fluid, such as Match Light. Just

dump the charcoal onto the metal grate in the smoker fire box or grill and light it in about

four places with a match or propane lighting wand. In a few minutes it is a roaring flame

and it has turned into hot coals ready to cook with in about 15 minutes. The main

disadvantage is that since the charcoal was thoroughly soaked in lighter fluid for months,

the food is more exposed to the chemicals than it would be from regular charcoal started

with lighter fluid. These chemicals can give food an off-taste.

A second method is to douse the charcoal with lighter fluid. This is the most common

method used, but not the best method for lighting charcoal. Arrange the charcoal into a

pyramid in the center of the metal grate in the smoker fire box or grill. Squirt lighter

fluid all over it, soaking all of the charcoal. Wait a few minutes to let the fluid soak in

before lighting it. Light it at the bottom of the pyramid in several places. It will take

about 30-40 minutes for the coals to become grey and start to ash over, and for most of

the fumes to have burned off. Spread the coals out and start to cook. Since lighter fluid

was used, the food will still have that lighter fluid taste, although not as bad as with the

pre-treated charcoal described above.

A third method is with an electric charcoal starter. It is relatively quick and easy. An

electric charcoal starter is a metal loop attached to a fire-proof handle with a short electric

cord. Thus an extension cord may be required. The electrical supply creates a current in

the metal loop which heats it to a very high temperature, similar to an electric stove

burner. A layer of charcoal is spread onto the metal grate in the smoker fire box or grill.

The wand is paced over this and it is covered with more charcoal. Plug it in and in about

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20-30 minutes, the coals should have a grey ash over them

and be ready to cook with. The only disadvantage is that it

requires an electrical power source, so is not practical for

starting charcoal for grilling on camping trips.

The fourth method is with a chimney starter. This is an

easy, fast and effective way to start charcoal. It is also my

favorite, because it produces red hot coals in a short period

of time that do not go out, and that do not have a chemical

aftertaste. The chimney is basically a large cylindrical

metal tube with a large handle and a metal grate in the middle to hold the charcoal. The

bottom edge has holes in the metal sides to enable lighting the fire. The first step is to fill

the top portion of the chimney with charcoal to the top rim. Avoid over-filling it. Next,

crumple up 2, two page pieces of newspaper and place

them in the bottom part of the chimney below the grate

holding the charcoal. It should not be packed tightly

because it needs air circulation to burn effectively. While

you can set the chimney down on the metal charcoal grate

inside the smoker firebox or grill, I put it on a grate I have

suspended between two cement blocks outside the smoker.

That way, the newspaper ash doesn’t get in the fire box to

dampen the coals when they are put there. Light the

newspaper in multiple places to ensure it all gets lit. The

burning newspaper inside the chimney will ignite the

lower charcoal and this will ignite the charcoal on top of

this. When there are small flames visible near the top of the chimney and the top

charcoal layer has started to turn grey, the lower levels of charcoal should be glowing and

the coals are ready. This takes about 20-30 minutes from when the newspaper was lit. If

you have two starters, it lights in about half the time if you fill each half full and light

both of them. Because of the cone in the bottom, half full is about 2 inches from the top.

At this point, pour the burning coals onto the metal grate in the smoker firebox or grill. If

you lit the chimney starter outside the smoker, pick it up using grill mitts to keep from

burning your hand and pour the hot coals in the fire box or grill. The only disadvantage

of chimney starters is that most are relatively small and it may require two to prepare

enough charcoal. However, you can pour half the amount of coals a chimney holds as

unlit coals on top of the lit coals after you put them in the firebox or grill and these lit

coals will ignite the unlit ones. Largeer chimney starters can be found, but may have to

be ordered. One popular model is made by Webber, the one pictured here, which I have.

You can also make your own with a large can.

Dry-Smoking the Meat

Soak one 18 oz. cup of wood chips in warm water for the 30 minutes or so it takes for the

charcoal to become ready to cook on. When the charcoal is ready and in the firebox, put

the meat on the racks, put the wet wood chips in a steel or cast iron chip smoker box, put

the lid on the smoker box and place it on the coals. A chip box is preferred to putting the

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chips directly on the hot coals because if put on the coals, the chips burn down to ash,

blanketing the coals and reducing their temperature. I use two chip boxes because when

the first one is finished smoking, it is too hot to handle, so the next smoking of chips

works best put into a second chip box. Adjust the smoker for a temperature of 240-250

degrees. Soak a second cup of wood chips. Put the second cup of wood chips in the

second chip box when the first is finished smoking. Remove the first chip box with the

burned wood chips and replace it with the second chip box containing soaked chips. If

the chips have fine shreds or sawdust in them, which they are likely to have if it’s the last

cupful in a bag, don’t use them. The wet wood shreds will form an air block on top of the

smoker box, and it will take twice as long for them to smoke or they won’t smoke at all.

The smoking wood should be in solid chips, not shreds or

sawdust. After there is no more smoke, the meat is ready

to go into the oven for cooking. Optionally, you can toss

another cup of soaked wood chips directly on the coals to

add more smoky flavor. Chip boxes shouldn’t be used with

electric water smokers because the metal box sitting on the

electric coil can cause problems.

Cooking

Although you can finish cooking the meat on the smoker, it will require basting to keep it

from drying out, or wrapping it in foil, which will keep it moist. However, you will need

to add more charcoal and continue to control the heat by adjusting the air flow. I prefer

the easier method of wrapping it in foil and finishing it in the oven. Wrap the meat

tightly enough in aluminum foil to form an airtight steam seal. For leaner meats, such as

leg of lamb, venison, etc., cut a couple of onions into halves and put them inside the foil

with the meat, or add a half cup of beef broth, to increase the moisture content. The

internal temperature of the meat, not the cooking time, determines when meat is ready to

take up and serve. The internal temperature of the meat is a function of cooking

temperature and time.

Hints

If the temperature of the smoker is too hot (260 degrees or more), close the firebox air

shutter and the smokestack damper and periodically open the lid over the meat. This will

not cut off all air, just most of it. If the temperature is not hot enough, open up the air

shutter and damper until it is.

If the chips continue to show only wisps of smoke after about 40 minutes, open the lid on

the chip box and stir the wood chips around, then return the lid, but slide it back so it only

covers part of the chip box. If the first chip box didn’t smoke well, after the second chip

box smokes, dump soaked chips directly on the coals.

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Water Smoking

In a water smoker, steam keeps the meat moist so that it doesn't need basting. It also

enables more of the smoky flavor to penetrate the meat, so in my opinion, meat cooked

on a water smoker tastes better. Increasingly, that's also the opinion of professional

cooks. Once dominated by indirect heat smokers, water smokers are winning contests

more and more in the national barbecue competitions. Water smokers are particularly

good for cooking lean meat because it keeps it moist. I prefer turkey and chicken on a

water smoker. I only add salt, or salt and pepper to the meat. I also prefer a propane gas

water smoker. For me, gas is more controllable as a heat source than charcoal or wood,

and the electric one’s I’ve had do not get hot enough to steam the water in the pan.

Marinades aren’t needed because of the steam basting. Following are three water

smokers:

The Brinkmann All-In-One Smoker, Grill and Gas Fryer. Used as a smoker, this is a

propane burner with a pan containing lava rocks that mounts above the burner, an

assembly that holds a water pan and two round cooking grates, 15.5 inches in diameter

each and that mount above the lava rocks, and a domed lid. It will cook two slabs of ribs

(they each have to be cut into two pieces) or two slabs of salmon, or two chickens. It is

ideal for a family of four or having a few friends over for dinner. It sells for only about

$150.

Brinkmann All-In-One Smoker, Grill and Gas

Fryer

The Landmann Smoky Mountain Series Vertical Water Smoker (left). This is

powered by propane and features a 18,000 BTU cast brass burner with a rotary

ignition system and fully adjustable heat control. Five 14” X 22” cooking racks with a

total of 1,540 inches of cooking space enable smoking 5 slabs of ribs. Two easy

access drawers, one holding a wood chip box and the other a water pan, enable

checking the water level in the pan and replenishing the wood supply without opening

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the main smoking chamber door. The

adjustable heat control knob, along

with side damper vents and an

adjustable top chimney, enable

adjusting cooking temperatures from

175 to 400 degrees. Price: about $400.

The Myron Mixon 36” Standard

Smoker (below) fits 10 slabs of ribs

on two shelves and is big enough to

roast a small pig. An automatic water

system ensures the large built-in water

pan never goes dry. The firebox is

inside at the bottom of the smoker,

and features a slide out, removable

coal/wood basket. Dampers on the

firebox door and two large chimneys

help regulate heat and smoke. Price: $3,995.

The Myron Mixon 36” Standard

Smoker

Grilling Smoked, Cooked Meat

Lamb, pork roast, brisket, turkey breast

and salmon do not need grilling. The

others, particularly pork ribs and

chicken, are better if grilled after they

are cooked. For a gas grill, scrape off

the grates, burn off the grill, and let it

cool before you put the meat on,

otherwise the meat will stick to the hot

grill. Start a charcoal grill without the

food grate on it and put it on when the

coals are ready. Remove the meat from the oven or smoker and from the aluminum foil.

Place the meat on the BBQ grill and coat the top of the meat with your favorite BBQ

sauce. Put this sauced side down toward the coals or gas heat source. Grill until the side

down toward the heat has a dark brown caramelized (from the BBQ sauce) crust on it.

Coat the top with BBQ sauce and turn it over toward the heat source. Grill it until this

side has a deep brown caramelized crust also. Take it up and serve.

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Barbecuing Types of Meat

Brisket

George “Tuffy” Stone, an ex-marine, was trained as a French chef, was subsequently

employed by a gourmet restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, and later started a gourmet

meal catering business that now employs over 50 people. Ten years ago he became

interested in barbecue. He now owns a Virginia-based chain of barbecue restaurants and

competes in barbecue competitions. In 2013 he won the American Royal Invitational in

Kansas City, followed by the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational in

Lynchburg, Tennessee, the two most prestigious and competitive barbecue events.

According to Tuffy, brisket is the most challenging meat to smoke. Other cooks,

including Craig Goldwyn, judge at ten national barbecue competitions, agree

The first step in preparing a tasty, juicy brisket is choosing good meat. Marbling in beef

is intramuscular fat, which is the intermingling of fat within the lean. It appears as white

flecks in the red meat. While marbling can be seen in steaks and roasts, since a brisket

has not been cut to expose a cross section of meat, marbling can’t be easily seen in a

brisket. The degree of marbling is the primary determination of beef quality grades - the

greater the marbling, the higher the grade. The U.S. Department of Agriculture divides

beef into four primary grades: prime, choice, select, and standard. Within each of these

are sub-grades, such as high, medium and low. Prime is the highest grade and typically

served at the best gourmet steak houses. The majority of beef sold in supermarkets is

choice. Most hamburgers sold in fast food chain restaurants like McDonalds and Burger

King is select or standard, as is beef in canned stews and soups. Most of the cattle that

produce select and standard grades are not grain-fed, they come off grass pastures or

rangeland. An exception to that are dairy cows, which are sold for meat once they get too

old to produce milk. Dairy cows are lean, and bred to produce milk, not highly marbled

meat.

Beef cattle typically nurse their mother for the first 6-7 months after they are born, until

they weigh 400-500 pounds, when they are called feeder calves. Feeder calves are

weaned and put on grass pasture, often with some supplemental grain feeding, for another

6-9 months, which is called back grounding. Back grounding enables the cattle to finish

growing into adulthood, and develop the body structure and maturity to be fed grain that

enables them to produce high quality beef. At about 12 – 18 months old and a weight of

about 700 pounds, the cattle are taken off of pasture and put in feedlots. These are large

pens where cattle are fed grain daily consisting mostly of corn, but also milo, barley, and

oats. They are also given hay for roughage. They remain in feedlots for 6 - 7 months

where they gain another 400 pounds and will produce choice and prime grades of beef.

From there, at weights from 1,100-1,200 pounds, they go to a slaughterhouse.

Another grade of beef is American Wagyu although it is not a USDA grade. Wagyu is an

Asian breed of cattle that are smaller than American and European breeds such as Angus

and Hereford. If fed grain, Wagyu cattle produce beef that is much higher in marbling

than other breeds of cattle, and the marbling is unsaturated (healthy) fat that does not

increase cholesterol when consumed. Most American Wagyu are cross breeds of Wagyu

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and Angus, which still produce beef that is of a higher grade than prime if the cattle are

grain fed. However, my experience with American Wagyu is that while advertised as

being grain fed, it is often mostly grass fed, and may only be fed grain a few days a

month. The result is beef that I would grade as choice, except it costs almost twice as

much as the choice that can be purchased from your local supermarket. There are

ranchers that produce true grain fed Wagyu beef, but you may have to try several briskets

to find out who they are. The best source of Wagyu brisket I know of is Snake River

Farms located in Idaho.

If you want a tender, juicy brisket, use the highest grade you can afford. Most brisket

used in competition barbecues is Wagyu. However, a prime grade of brisket is high

enough in marbling to be fine for backyard cooking, and it costs less than Wagyu. Your

local supermarket will not carry prime beef, but they may be able to order it for you.

Also, gourmet meat markets, which are scarce, may carry it. A good place to order it by

mail is Lobel’s in New York City. The Lobel family has been in the meat business for

five generations and over a hundred years, and has an excellent reputation.

A brisket, which weighs from 10-20 pounds, is composed of two parts, the flat and the

point. The flat is the thinner and leaner of the two parts. Most people who buy a flat are

making pot roast by simmering it for hours in liquid. Most of the briskets sold in

supermarkets are flats. The point is slightly smaller than the flat, is thicker, and has much

more marbling. If you don’t buy a whole brisket, the point is the most juicy and flavorful.

Briskets have a layer of fat called the fat cap. Unlike some cookbooks say, melting

exterior or subcutaneous fat does not penetrate and flavor meat. That’s because fat is

denser than muscle. Only interior fat, or marbling, can flavor meat. When cooking

brisket, the fat cap should be between the heat source and the meat in order to help keep

the meat from drying out.

Competition cooks inject their briskets with beef broth or other marinades to increase its

moistness. It is injected by inserting the injector needle at an angle through the fat cap

into the lean in a number of locations about an inch apart. One ounce of beef broth or

other marinade per pound of raw meat is used. But most restaurants do not inject brisket,

nor is it needed for backyard barbecues. If the fat cap is so thick that guests will cut it

off, you might want to trim it thin enough that guests will not cut it off. That’s because

the seasoning on that side of the brisket will be in the fat cap.

Whenever I use more than salt, a seasoning I like consists of salt, black pepper, garlic,

onion, chili, mustard, and cayenne powders. Make sure all of these ingredients are fresh,

and the pepper should be freshly ground. Put the salt on the meat first, put the brisket in a

disposable baking pan, cover the pan with foil, and refrigerate it for 7-8 hours before

cooking. This is called dry brining. Just before cooking, lightly brush all sides of the

brisket with olive oil, and put on the mixture of the other ingredients. Here are their

proportions: black pepper 3 TBS, onion powder 1 TBS, garlic powder 2TSP, chili powder

2 TSP, mustard powder 2 TSP, cayenne powder 1 TSP.

It is important to keep a brisket moist during cooking or the cooking will dry it. A water

smoker will do this because the water emits steam. If you don’t have a water smoker, or

didn’t convert your charcoal or gas grill into a water smoker, then you will need to buy a

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spray bottle, and lightly spray the brisket with water every 30 minutes, starting an hour

after the brisket was put on the smoker. Brisket is tough meat. It must be cooked in a way

that breaks down the tissues that make it tough. This is best done at one of two

temperatures: 225o, or 350

o. Smoker temperatures in-between cause the meat to seize up

and stay tough. I cook brisket at 225o. Unlike a roast, where the ideal internal temperature

is 140 (rare) to 160 (medium), briskets should be cooked to an internal temperature of

203-207 degrees. Less than that and it will be tough. Use a good digital meat

thermometer, and test its accuracy and/or calibrate it by inserting the probe in boiling

water.

Most backyard barbecue cooks, relying on USDA internal temperature guidelines for

beef roasts, don’t know that briskets need to cook to 203-207o. Thus they take them up to

an internal temperature of 150 – 160o, and they are usually tough. When the internal

temperature of brisket reaches 150-160o, it enters the “stall.” In the stall, the brisket gives

off moisture, which prevents its internal temperature from going above 150-160o for up to

5 hours. That’s why so many cooks believe it takes up to 18 hours to cook brisket.

The “crutch” will prevent the stall. The crutch entails wrapping the brisket in aluminum

foil tightly to form a steam seal, then putting it in a baking pan and cooking it for the

remainder of the time it needs to reach an internal temperature of 203-207o. This cooking

wrapped in foil can be on the smoker or in an oven. By wrapping it tightly in foil, the

brisket can’t lose moisture and cool itself. In my vertical water smoker, I expose the

brisket to smoke for 1.5 - 2 hours, and after that, it goes in the foil to finish cooking. It’s

better to wrap a brisket in foil rather than put it in a covered baking pan because the foil

touching the meat will prevent it from losing juice.

After it is done, the brisket needs to “rest” to increase the tenderness of the meat. It

should be left in the foil, wrapped in a large beach towel or blanket, and put in a plastic

cooler where it should remain for 2-2.5 hours. After that, unwrap the brisket, pour the

juice into a container, put the brisket on a platter, and cut it across the grain into slices. I

like to pour the juice from the container into small bowls served with the brisket on the

side so that diners can dip their brisket into the juice.

Pork Ribs

Rinse the ribs and pat them dry. Remove the membrane from the back (bone) side. To do

this, insert a butter knife under the membrane, then with your fingers, work a section

loose, grip it with a paper towel, and peel it off. Or, you can get the meat department in

the store to do this.

Salt the meat, then refrigerate it in a covered pan for 1-2 hours to let the salt penetrate.

Afterward, coat it with a thin layer of vegetable oil, and sprinkle on any other seasoning

mix you like.

Preheat the smoker to 235o but cook at 225

o. Cooking time is about 4-5 hours, Pick up the

slab with tongs and bounce it gently. If the surface cracks, it’s ready. Also, bones sticking

out are an indicator that it’s done. Paint both sides of the ribs with BBQ sauce, and put

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the gas grill on the highest temperature setting. Put the ribs on the grill and caramelize

the sauce into a crust on both sides.

Pork Shoulder

A full shoulder has two halves, the Boston butt and the picnic shoulder. The Boston butt

makes the best pulled and sliced pork.

Salt the meat 12 – 24 hours prior to cooking, and refrigerate it in a covered baking pan.

Preheat the smoker to 235o, and cook at 225

o. Coat all sides of the meat with vegetable

oil. Then cover with seasoning mix. I like Meathead’s Memphis Dust.

The shoulder will hit the stall at 150-160 degrees. So after it has been smoked for 1.5 – 2

hours, take it up, put it in a disposable baking pan, and cover it with foil to form a steam

seal. Put it in the oven or back on the smoker at 250o and cook until the internal

temperature is 195-203o. Total cooking time will probably be about 4 hours. If you want

the meat sliced instead of pulled, a lower internal temperature may be best to get firmer

meat, maybe 185. Experiment to find out.

Chicken

Prior to cooking, split the chicken in half. Or use leg/thigh quarters and breasts. Salt it

and refrigerate it in a covered pan for 2-3 hours. Preheat smoker to 325o. Coat the chicken

lightly with vegetable oil. Once it has smoked for 1.5 - 2 hours, it can be finished in the

smoker or in the oven on a grate over a pan filled with boiling water. Cook the chicken to

an internal temperature of 1650, or 160

0 for the breast and 170

0 for the leg/thigh quarters.

Or, you can take it up when it is 150-155o, paint it with BBQ sauce, and grill a crust onto

it.

Turkey

Prior to cooking, salt the turkey and refrigerate it in a covered pan for 12 hours. If the

turkey has had a brine solution injected into it, as many have, go lightly on the salt.

Preheat the smoker to 325o. Coat the turkey lightly with vegetable oil. Cover the

drumstick joints and wingtips with foil to keep them from burning. Put it on the grate

breast side up.

Once it has smoked for 1.5 - 2 hours, leave it in the smoker or move it into the oven on a

grate over a pan filled with boiling water. Cook the turkey at 325o to an internal

temperature of 1600 for the breast and 165

0 for the leg/thigh quarters. That will probably

be for only an hour.

Salmon

No fish is more smoker friendly than salmon. The flesh is rich in protein, minerals, and

fish oil loaded with beneficial omega 3 fatty acids.

Immediately prior to cooking, salt the non-skin side of the salmon. The temperature of

the smoker should be 250 - 260 degrees, and it will take about an hour to cook. Lay a

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sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on the cooking grates and put the salmon on this. You

won’t eat the skin and laying it on the foil will not prevent it from absorbing the smoke

flavor. In my opinion, it does not need dry rubs or marinades.

For dry indirect heat smoking, after the first smoking put a cup of soaked chips directly

on the coals. When this finishes, it should be done. If the fillet is extra thick, it may need

5 more minutes of cooking past the smoking with chips thrown on the coals. If it’s a

thinner wild salmon, it will only need 30 - 45 minutes cooking time so don’t put it on

until the first smoking starts. The salmon doesn’t need to be cooked in the oven. It is

done when the thick part flakes easily with a fork and the inside is light pink. That will be

at an internal temperature of 145-150 degrees. For water smoking, smoke thick slabs

about an hour and 15 minutes, and thinner slabs about an hour. After this, they should be

done.

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Have Fun!!