Smoking Meat...

[sp0rk]

Ha. My tip, Buy the best thermo set up money can buy. Now take the probe in your left hand and a pair of scissors in the right. Cut the cable. Once cut, take your now wireless hi tech probe and stick it in the meat. When it goes through like a hot knife thru butter, your meat is done. If not check a half hour later. Rely on a digital temp all you want but probe tender is probe tender. A real pitmaster only needs to use his finger anyway. Save your cash guys. Really.

I have a few friends that have IBS and similar conditions who I cook for every now and then,
I'd rather stick with knowing that I'm not going to make them **** their guts out for a few days

 

[Bribie G]

Finger? Real hardened BBQ men use their ........

 

[sp0rk]

Finger? Real hardened BBQ men use their ........

Meat injector?

 

[Frothy1]

Does this technique work for mashing in as well?

 

[sp0rk]

Does this technique work for mashing in as well?

I do use mine as a masher sometimes...

 

[seifer]

I have a few friends that have IBS and similar conditions who I cook for every now and then,
I'd rather stick with knowing that I'm not going to make them **** their guts out for a few days

If you need a thermo to know if your brisket, pork etc is still raw enough to do that then you're seriously doing this style of cook wrong.
You can pull three briskets all at the same temperature and they will differ in tenderness. Every bit of meat is different.
Sure, use a thermo to know when your in the ball park but you pull it off by feel, not by a number.

 

[sp0rk]

If you need a thermo to know if your brisket, pork etc is still raw enough to do that then you're seriously doing this style of cook wrong.
You can pull three briskets all at the same temperature and they will differ in tenderness. Every bit of meat is different.
Sure, use a thermo to know when your in the ball park but you pull it off by feel, not by a number.

Oh, I know it's cooked, I never use a thermo when I'm cooking for the wife and I
But when you're dealing with conditions like that, in my opinion it's better to be safe than sorry, I'd rather not make my friends sick
That said I use a $20 thermo from Big W that's also my brewing thermo

 

[Frothy1]

See the thumbnail.

What I like about the igrill is that if the temperature is constant, you can predict way in advance when you will hit a desired temperature.

It's a very handy tool to have at your disposal.

 

[peteru]

Cooking meat is a non-linear process. Before you hit the stall, there's generally no way of predicting how long it will take. However, if you are cooking to a timetable, say a 6pm dinner gathering, then proper temperature monitoring and control will certainly let you adjust things to either speed it up or slow it down. At least a bit. Having the information about temperature certainly won't harm your cooking - if anything it will make you a better cook, because you will have another tool in your arsenal and will be able to better understand the cooking process.

 

[seifer]

Cooking meat is a non-linear process. Before you hit the stall, there's generally no way of predicting how long it will take. However, if you are cooking to a timetable, say a 6pm dinner gathering, then proper temperature monitoring and control will certainly let you adjust things to either speed it up or slow it down. At least a bit. Having the information about temperature certainly won't harm your cooking - if anything it will make you a better cook, because you will have another tool in your arsenal and will be able to better understand the cooking process.

What he said, How that equipment can account for the stall and how long the stall will be is beyond me.

 

[peteru]

The equipment can not account for the stall or predict the duration, but it allows you to pinpoint the stall and adjust temperature. It also allows you to have an idea of what's going on without opening the smoker, because remember, "If you're looking, you're not cooking!"

 

[Brownsworthy]

G'day all,

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience with smoking meat in a gasmate pizza oven with a smoker box.

I think being gas it might get a bit too hot and was thinking of using a tray with heat beads.

I've got a lovely piece of corn meat I want to turn into pastrami.

Cheers

 

[Spiesy]

Ha. My tip, Buy the best thermo set up money can buy. Now take the probe in your left hand and a pair of scissors in the right. Cut the cable. Once cut, take your now wireless hi tech probe and stick it in the meat. When it goes through like a hot knife thru butter, your meat is done. If not check a half hour later. Rely on a digital temp all you want but probe tender is probe tender. A real pitmaster only needs to use his finger anyway. Save your cash guys. Really.

So you get the same results cooking hot and fast and you do low and slow, and you think a temp probe is useless?

Okay then...

 

[seifer]

So you get the same results cooking hot and fast and you do low and slow, and you think a temp probe is useless?

Okay then...

Not sure what you are getting at?

 

[barls]

Ha. My tip, Buy the best thermo set up money can buy. Now take the probe in your left hand and a pair of scissors in the right. Cut the cable. Once cut, take your now wireless hi tech probe and stick it in the meat. When it goes through like a hot knife thru butter, your meat is done. If not check a half hour later. Rely on a digital temp all you want but probe tender is probe tender. A real pitmaster only needs to use his finger anyway. Save your cash guys. Really.

i was watching the comp smokers at the sydney event and only saw them using a thermometer.
since I've had my maverick I've found my pork is more consistent in texture.
each to their own. do you use the brewing rule of thumb as well?

 

[seifer]

We have to use the probes as per comp rules.
Chicken especially you need to make sure you're above regulation temp, I'm all for probes in such cases, especially thermapens which makes checking multiple thighs quickly necessary in competition format.
And since I have my thermo there already then it works fine as my feeler probe, thats why you only saw people using them, no need to carry two different probes

But my point for the big cuts ie, pork and beef, you simply cannot just assume that 203f, or 195f or wherever u normally pull your meat is done.
It will always differ and this is where my point of probing your meat to check tenderness comes into play. Beef, look for probe tender, Pork when the shoulder bone comes free, Ribs when you get a nice bend till the meat cracks but meat is still on the bone. These will occur at different temps depending on the meat. If you want the best cook you need to look for signs such as these, not a number.
Use your probe early in your Q'ing career to get a good feel for it, but as you cook more and more often you will start to appreciate that you simply do not need it to produce the best slow smoked beef or pork.
And I absolutely stand by my comments on H&F vs L&S. Again I am not alone on this thought and a little research will help you out, people take both sides of the fence on this issue but my point is there are two sides of the fence. I get great results with both, but why cook for longer if I dont have to?
Get a feel for what works for you, especially starting out, but the old rules on BBQ arent necessarily the best rules or the only rules and only experience will teach you that.

 

[seifer]

FYI Ill be cooking at Young Henrys on the 28th if anyone wants to come down and to eat and chat about BBQ, im more than happy to compare tips and talk all things Q and Beer.

 

[Spiesy]

Not sure what you are getting at?

Forget BBQ, it's just basic cooking knowledge that a big, tough piece of meat needs low and slow cooking to break down the connective tissue into a nice, tender piece of meat.

Do you cook big pork shoulders, roast lamb, brisket etc hot and fast?

Maybe it does work for you. I have just never heard of anyone adopting such a process and it working.

 

[seifer]

Forget BBQ, it's just basic cooking knowledge that a big, tough piece of meat needs low and slow cooking to break down the connective tissue into a nice, tender piece of meat.

Do you cook big pork shoulders, roast lamb, brisket etc hot and fast?

Maybe it does work for you. I have just never heard of anyone adopting such a process and it working.

Sorry I thought this thread was dedicated to BBQ??

I get the feeling you don't know the definition of hot and fast. Hot and fast is cooking at 275-325f as opposed to 225-275 as is traditional.
It is still not as hot as say your oven or over a grill. It is still a slow cook. You still use your smoker. It just doesnt take as long.
Read up on it, lots of people getting great results.


http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=118462

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84785

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=104031

http://ausbbq.com.au/hotnfast-smoked-brisket-in-six-hours-yes-you-can/

https://backyardbbqbootcamp.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/hot-n-fast-method-for-fantastic-bbq-brisket/

http://www.patiodaddiobbq.com/2012/02/hot-fast-memphis-style-pulled-pork.html

 

[Spiesy]

Sorry I thought this thread was dedicated to BBQ??

You have misinterpreted me.

What I was trying to say was, broad strokes speaking, in terms of general cooking (of which BBQ falls under) - big, tough, pieces of meat are generally recommended to be cooked low and slow.