What did not work for you?

Started by Scotty Dog, November 02, 2011, 11:45:54 AM

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Scotty Dog

I have a lot to learn about my new smoker.  Sometimes I learn from my mistakes.  Can you please share some of the basic examples of,  "I won't try that again".  There are great success stories and hundreds of variations to how to prepare the meat prior to smoking, but I would like to know what you tried and why it failed so I can try to avoid the same mistake in my learning curve.  I just started to prepare two whole chickens.  Started a brine with salt, sugar, and garlic powder.  I added some black pepper, thyme, and a few other goodies.  I was going to brine one bird and dry rub the other.  I chose to just Dry Rub both and forget the brine.  I dry rubbed Jan's Rub on one bird and Sweet Mesquite Seasoning on the other.  They will go back in the fridge.  How long do I wait for the dry rub to season? Do I need to wait?

CoreyMac

Well,if you want a "don't do this with chickens" I hadn't got a rig that holds the chicken up right to drain the grease. Tried it flat, ya don't do that. Got a frame and everythings great.

Corey

Scotty Dog

Interesting.  I cook my whole chickens breast down in the Big Easy and have had great results.  What happens with a whole chicken breast down on the Bradley Rack?

beefmann

rub or  seasoning any  meat 4 hours is  min i usually  due  over night then smoke the  next day.

on brisket on my  first try  I  was thinking  do it  like trip  .. .boy  was i  wrong and  should have  listened to the pros  here  and took it to 190 + before  pulling .. ever  sense i wait till it hits  then  pull

GusRobin

I had the best results when I spatchcocked the chicken.
"It ain't worth missing someone from your past- there is a reason they didn't make it to your future."

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viper125

Well I have only had mine a short time but I have a list.
1  Don't grab the pusher pucks or racks bare handed until cool!
2. Don't cut most meats,especially bacon till it cools over night in fridge or longer.
3. Always preheat to temp before starting
4. Always open vent all the way open
5. Always marinate rubbed meat over night or at least 10-12 hours.
6. Wrap 2-3 red bricks in foil and include in smoker to retain heat if you don't have a heater mod.
7. Always double check your amounts with recipe. Especially cure!
8. Always do small batches to test your recipe instead of large batch right off.
9. Keep eye on water dish to make sure it don't dry up.
10. Always keep a spare heating element
11. Use a maverick 732 remote thermometer to watch meat from in house or where ever. Saves ruin t meat

This is my list just off the top of my head. Could probably come up with more as I'm sure others will. Guess one more! Keep coming to the forum to learn more.
A few pics from smokes....
http://photobucket.com/smokinpics
Inside setup.

CoreyMac

Quote from: Scotty Dog on November 02, 2011, 12:08:25 PM
Interesting.  I cook my whole chickens breast down in the Big Easy and have had great results.  What happens with a whole chicken breast down on the Bradley Rack?

Well I guess I also should have said it was breast side up, basically the weight of the rendered fat and grease collected in the cavity and the chicken almost came out flat. Plus it was extremly difficult to get out of the tower without making a huge grease mess. Got a vertical frame with a catch tray on the bottom and problem solved.

JZ

What the heck is "spatchcocked"?

I just did my first whole chicken and did it breast up. Should it be done breast down and what is the advantage / disadvantage?

ArnieM

Quote from: JZ on November 02, 2011, 07:06:16 PM
What the heck is "spatchcocked"?

Pretty simple explanation.  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spatchcocked-chicken-10000001823291/

Basically, cut the chicken in half, flatten it out and cook it. 

There are a lot of things that one can do wrong.  Keep a log.  The good news is that even things that go wrong are many times better that one can get in a restaurant.
-- Arnie

Where there's smoke, there's food.

Scotty Dog

I do my chicken in TBE with breast down and find it keeps the white meat from drying out.  I stack two five pounders in the basket separated by a grate I made.  I have a chicken in my TBE right now after a three hour smoke in BSD.  Pulled it at 130 IT and now 45 min my alarm is sounding and it is 165.  My mouth is watering.

FLBentRider

If you ever make these:

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?43-Smoked-Bacon-Wrapped-Chicken-Breast-1&p=54#post54

Make SURE you seal the edges well or the melting cheese will make an unholy MESS in your smoker!
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