BBQ Thread (Smoker/grill)

[RhodyRams]

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Operation Summer Swine and Ale Fest 2015 has begun
The new smoker (thanks for all y'alls advice) has arrived at the barn
This is the smoke hollow

 

[RamFan503]

Operation Summer Swine and Ale Fest 2015 has begun
The new smoker (thanks for all y'alls advice) has arrived at the barn
This is the smoke hollow

View attachment 5949

Hope you like that smoker. I have three of that same model behind my restaurant. Some tips. Just ignore them if you already know what I'm talking about.

• The top section of the smoker tends to be the hottest as well as the sides. Keep as much toward the middle of your smoker as possible.
• If you want to slow things down, put ice or a block of ice in your water pan.
• Vertical smokers do a great job of getting smoke on meats quickly. I will often do chicken by smoking for 45 minutes after the smoke starts to billow and then finish it in the oven so the skin comes out a little crispier.
• AND - when you turn on your gas valve, do it real slow and you only need to open it about a quarter to half turn. Sometimes, if you open it up fast, the regulator will shut down and not allow full gas flow (that is with any regulator).

If you end up with any questions, I can probably answer them better than customer support on that smoker. I've had 6 of them.

Have fun.

Stu

 

[RamFan503]

BTW - Cool barn. Love the poles.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Hope you like that smoker. I have three of that same model behind my restaurant. Some tips. Just ignore them if you already know what I'm talking about.

• The top section of the smoker tends to be the hottest as well as the sides. Keep as much toward the middle of your smoker as possible.
• If you want to slow things down, put ice or a block of ice in your water pan.
• Vertical smokers do a great job of getting smoke on meats quickly. I will often do chicken by smoking for 45 minutes after the smoke starts to billow and then finish it in the oven so the skin comes out a little crispier.
• AND - when you turn on your gas valve, do it real slow and you only need to open it about a quarter to half turn. Sometimes, if you open it up fast, the regulator will shut down and not allow full gas flow (that is with any regulator).

If you end up with any questions, I can probably answer them better than customer support on that smoker. I've had 6 of them.

Have fun.

Stu

Fantastic!!! Thank you, great advice!

 

[Selassie I]

Operation Summer Swine and Ale Fest 2015 has begun
The new smoker (thanks for all y'alls advice) has arrived at the barn
This is the smoke hollow

View attachment 5949

Excellent

I'm looking forward to seeing some pics from that sucker... it's apparently built like a brick smoke house. LOL

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Excellent

I'm looking forward to seeing some pics from that sucker... it's apparently built like a brick smoke house. LOL

For sure! Can't wait to send pix
God willing I'll have great success with this box
Good thing is I have three pigs I raised and recently butchered waiting for me in Johnson City right now - LBJ's birthplace haha - I just need to clear freezer space, and go down and get them on Thursday
Have 6 pork shoulders, tons of 3/4" chops - should be fun
Then the ribs......

Here are them damn pigs going off to slaughter - they roughed me up good getting them in that trailer as a little goodbye present

 

[RamFan503]

they roughed me up good getting them in that trailer as a little goodbye present

Mean little fuckers when they wannabe - eh?

 

[RamFan503]

BTW - that smoker is easy as pie to add chips to when you want. Just a real easy smoker to use. I would suggest finding the best place for it and leaving it there. I have to move two of mine around quite a bit and the legs just don't like it.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Mean little fuckers when they wannabe - eh?

Those snouts are evil
I got two on super easily - just feed and a comfortable way to climb aboard -- but it was the last one that I let slip by me - and I went for power instead of being patient and it kicked the sh%t out of me -- had to call in for reinforcements!!
When a hog gets turned around it's nearly impossible to get them on the trailer -- but we did!!!

Here is a pic of the two properly behaved hogs

 

[RamFan503]

Those snouts are evil
I got two on super easily - just feed and a comfortable way to climb aboard -- but it was the last one that I let slip by me - and I went for power instead of being patient and it kicked the sh%t out of me -- had to call in for reinforcements!!
When a hog gets turned around it's nearly impossible to get them on the trailer -- but we did!!!

Yeah - my family raises Long Horns. There's always the one and it is inevitably the last one. I had one literally almost kill me when I was 17. And yes - we were trying to load it into a trailer to take to the feed lot for auction. It picked me up with its horns, threw me down and proceeded to jump all around me. I had a scratch next to my ear and I pissed blood for a few days. Not one of my finer moments. Bummer was, the thing was kind of a buddy of mine. I used to go out into the pasture and sit on its back and scratch it behind the ears. Just had to duck when it went after a fly with its horns.

BTW - Where's your farm/ranch?

 

[RhodyRams]

so these Smoke Hollow smokers must be worth the $$$ if @RamFan503 has them in (behind) Pig Feathers? Are they comparable to the Bradley smokers or the Master Built? They seem to be around the same price.

 

[RamFan503]

so these Smoke Hollow smokers must be worth the $$$ if @RamFan503 has them in (behind) Pig Feathers? Are they comparable to the Bradley smokers or the Master Built? They seem to be around the same price.

Not familiar with either of the other two. We buy them because they work really well, hold a lot of meat, and they are relatively cheap to buy and operate. We have a big smoker we use mainly for the restaurant itself but the Smoke Hollow is what we use for smaller batches and for events.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

Yeah - my family raises Long Horns. There's always the one and it is inevitably the last one. I had one literally almost kill me when I was 17. And yes - we were trying to load it into a trailer to take to the feed lot for auction. It picked me up with its horns, threw me down and proceeded to jump all around me. I had a scratch next to my ear and I pissed blood for a few days. Not one of my finer moments. Bummer was, the thing was kind of a buddy of mine. I used to go out into the pasture and sit on its back and scratch it behind the ears. Just had to duck when it went after a fly with its horns.View attachment 5954

BTW - Where's your farm/ranch?

I'm in Dripping Springs just outside of Austin!!!!
Must come visit

That's a great story with the longhorn glad you recovered just fine - currently I keep just wary momma longhorns and their heifers. So five mommas and 5 heifer calves / 10 total

In regard to your story I had a bull that was the best ever and is sire to all my heifers / it's named RVR Deacon - no joke, that's part of the reason I bought him
But he was scary tame - like you knew his horns we lethal but he wanted to "play" with you - and that meant sneaking up behind you and lifting you playfully in the air
But it seriously made you feel as if you were about to die. Gave you this streak of terror down your spine...
Needless to say Deacon is long since sold and is now in Luling enjoying a new herd of willing cows and a lot more space!!!

I currently have a black angus bull calf growing up here - bought him for $600 and when he grows up I hope he gives all my cows babies and I'll send him to "Johnson City" for processing and then I can take those half longhorn/angus babies to the scales or eat them


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YqMLA0DyffA

 

[RamFan503]

Interesting. My parents do some cross breeding with Angus on a few of their cows. The healthy birthing rate on longhorns is apparently higher and they get an animal that can put a bit more beef on its carcass and marble better while carrying over a bit of the low cholesterol and flavor of the long horn. Good combo.

I live up in Oregon and my parents are down in central coast of CA. I don't get out to TX much - haven't been there in about 35 years. But if I were to go, Austin would be first on my list. So who knows? I may just surprise you.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

BTW best thing is my boy is 100% all over putting this thing together where as I am so happy to just take pulls from the jug
God is great!!!

 

[RAMSinLA]

BTW best thing is my boy is 100% all over putting this thing together where as I am so happy to just take pulls from the jug
God is great!!!

That is great...I laughed out loud. My son and I work like that too. He does all the work and I supervise.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

@RamFan503
the smoker is all seasoned and ready to go - gonna smoke a Turkey today, thinking of cutting it up instead of keeping it whole
you mentioned smoking the chicken for 45 minutes cause it gets that smoke on fast then to the oven - I was figuring to do a similar thing with the turk
- any pointers would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

[Dieter the Brock]

I'm euphoric right now
That thing turned out perfect

 

[Selassie I]

Looks great @Dieter the Brock

Getting to know your smoker/grill is part of the fun of cooking for me. It takes practice, but once you get to know each other the zen thing happens. I know I've mentioned this before, but alcohol always improves the chef's artistry. Keep that jug I saw you with handy when that Brick Smoke House is cooking.