BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Hello all,

It's my annual "kick off the summer" BBQ on Saturday....  got around 20 people coming 'round for a big feed and probably a good few drinks as well.  The menu so far consists of:

• Pulled Pork
• Vegetarian Pulled Pork (Using Jackfruit)
• Grilled Peppers, courgettes (zucchini), aubergines (eggplant) and portobello mushrooms
• Cole Slaw
• Potato Salad
• Texas Beans
• Some dessert yet to be decided  ???

Anyway, I'm collecting my "butt" from my butcher tomorrow afternoon, getting it rubbed  :P (Got some BBBR on it's way via DHL from Germany...  the only supplier in Europe, but not sure if it's gonna arrive in time) I'll be running my smoke overnight....  question for you all is WHAT WOOD?

I haven't been doing this long enough to actually have a preference...  in fact, I've liked all the ones I've tried so far.  The options I've listed are the only ones I have at the moment, so please vote and I promise to use whichever wood wins!  Feel free to comment if you think I should use a mixture....!

I'll need to decide by around 21:00 GMT tomorrow evening so the results at that point will be used.....

Thanks!

Can't vote on this.  There's no hickory on the list! :D

KyNola

I'm with Kynola No Hickory!!!! Guess the Messywood would have to do.

Oh no....!!  I wanted some hickory but when I ordered my bisquettes they were out of stock, so I got Pecan instead.  Unfortunately there aren't many retail places in the UK where I can buy them, so it's all about mail order.

I'll stock up on Hickory next time I place an order, but isn't Pecan a fairly close substitute?

Quotethere aren't many retail places in the UK where I can buy them,

Very true, and on occasions I seem to have got old stock from some online suppliers. The bisquettes seem to crumble and fall apart very easily.

I tend to buy direct from the UK importer nowadays, that way you seem to be guaranteed fresh stock.

http://www.bradleysmoker.co.uk/shop/

I have tried a few different pucks with pork and have always come back to apple!  :)

I'm with KyNola and 10.5 - Hickory here for Pork.

After that, Apple or oak. I use messy wood on beef.

Manxman, Thanks for your pointer...  that's actually the place I got my BDS from a couple months back and they were awaiting a shipment of bisquettes when I ordered so I had limited choice.  However, they seem to be fully stocked now....  so will have to place an order to get me through the summer.  I suspect they run low once the "season" ends so I'll have to make sure I get enough to last the winter.....

QuoteI suspect they run low once the "season" ends so I'll have to make sure I get enough to last the winter.....

No problem, like you suggest I normally try and order a years supply of pucks round April / May time.

There never seems to be any "special offers" here in the UK on pucks or any other Bradley stuff to the extent I rarely even bother looking nowadays.

TD,
Was just messing with you earlier but hickory is my favorite for pork butts.  Apple, pecan or oak in that order would be my next preferences.  Any of them will do just fine.  Relax and enjoy yourself.

Show and tell us how it turned out.

KyNola

Will do...  no worries.  I'm more worried about the vegetarians than anything....  but hey, I'll do my best and if they don't like it, it's their problem for being vegetarians  ;D

Quote from: tdcooper on May 07, 2009, 10:12:20 AM
Will do...  no worries.  I'm more worried about the vegetarians than anything....  but hey, I'll do my best and if they don't like it, it's their problem for being vegetarians  ;D

If they don't like it they can pound Sand!! You made the effort to accommodate their style of eating. Even though it is different than yours. You made the Effort. Don't worry your party will be great!! take lots of pic's

Here is a break down for ya.

Hickory is a medium wood perfect for beef or chicken.

Mesquite is a medium wood more aromatic than hickory, and excellent for beef.

Pecan is a medium-hard wood, very versatile, and a good choice for long, slow cooking/smoking pork, beef, or poultry.

Apple & Alder are soft woods, burn cooler and have more moisture in the wood.  Used for slow cooking/smoking fish and large poultry, such as turkey.

Maple has a lightly-smokey aroma, and is excellent for cold smoking cheeses, vegetables and small poultry.

Cherry and Oak are a hard woods and burn at hotter temperatures.  Excellent for beef cooking/smoking fresh fish.


nepas



 


 

I almost always use pecan on pork. Pecan I very similar to hickory, but a bit milder and sweeter.

I concur with most responces, No Hickory.  :-\ :-\ :-\

I'd mix...but since you have no hickory....I'd go with Pecan...

No Hickory - No Vote.
From another topic.

(http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk250/smokinsoon/hickory2.jpg)

I try the others for chicken, ribs, and butts and always go back. Poultry I will mix in Maple and Pecan with my good old Hickory!

Hickory rules...but... you don't have any...you have messy wood... ??? WTS will chime in...I suggest you take NePas post to heart...it is really accurate.  :)

Well, with 21 votes so far, Apple and Pecan are neck in neck with 8 and 7 votes each.... thank for everyone who has voted so far!

....  12(ish) hours to go, depending on the butt size, I expect to be starting the smoke around midnight tonight....  aiming for completion around noon tomorrow and FTC until the guests arrive.

Pecan Pecan Pecan Pecan Pecan Pecan
When I do the overnight thing I try to get things started by 19:00 that gives the box time to heat up and the butt time to get to room temp.
By 20:00 the show starts put the goods in to do the smoke thing. By 24:00 dump the water pan fill back up 3/4 full (to make sure you have room for all the grease) with HOT water, shut off the generator, reset the cook time, close the damper to no less than 1/4 open maybe a touch more open, put the adult beverage back in the freezer, go to bed.
In the morn check everything make sure to reset the cook time get everything ready for the big day and enjoy.

Habs nailed it, Pecan is so similar to hickory, I also use it in lieu of hickory.  Hickory being for pork and chicken mainly.  Grew up in a pecan growing area of Texas and we always had pecan to cook with.  However I don't like it as much for beef now. 

Mesquite or Oak for beef and chicken

Mesquite or maple for fish.   Most people wouldn't do mesquite on fish, but I developed a taste for it when mesquite grilling was the rage!

Pork is great with Pecan.  I only use Hickory on Chicken, Turkey I may add some Maple in there also or depending on what I am doing with it, Misquote (yes that stuff, but only when I use the turkey for my Turkey Pasta Salad, other bold flavors in it).

But Ribs and Butt call for Pecan. 

Well...  Pecan has now caught up with Apple....  9 and 9 so far, with only a couple hours left!

I just got home from the butcher with my wares....  in spite of loaning him my nice NAMP picture book with clear photos AND descriptions of what a Boston Butt is, he STILL wanted to sell it to me with the spine still there and all the skin and surface fat.  I told him I wanted as much meat surface area as possible to get my rub into it....  he seemed almost pained when I made him remove the spine and all that fat.  I think he remained unconvinced that it would stay moist....  but whatever, I'm the customer and he's Slovenian...  what does he know about USA style BBQ?  Hang on a sec....  I'm a Canadian living in the UK better watch my tongue  ;) ;) :D :D

Anyway, thought I'd post a few pics of the initial stages... enjoy, more to follow:

Fat side down....
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1969.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1969.jpg)

Fat side up...(I actually trimmed a bit more surface fat off before rubbing)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1970.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1970.jpg)

It's a healthy 9lb 6oz baby BUTT!!  ;D (My scale wrapped around once!)
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1972.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1972.jpg)

Applying the rub...
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1974.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1974.jpg)

Finger lickin' good!
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1975.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1975.jpg)

Rubbed n' ready...
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1977.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1977.jpg)

Plastic wrapped into the fridge for a couple hours...
(http://i631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/th_IMG_1978.jpg) (http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu36/tdcooper/?action=view&current=IMG_1978.jpg)

Quote from: OU812 on May 08, 2009, 07:23:02 AM
When I do the overnight thing I try to get things started by 19:00 that gives the box time to heat up and the butt time to get to room temp.
By 20:00 the show starts put the goods in to do the smoke thing. By 24:00 dump the water pan fill back up 3/4 full (to make sure you have room for all the grease) with HOT water, shut off the generator, reset the cook time, close the damper to no less than 1/4 open maybe a touch more open, put the adult beverage back in the freezer, go to bed.
In the morn check everything make sure to reset the cook time get everything ready for the big day and enjoy.

So, OU812 (Van Halen fan at all?  ;))....  with a close to 9 1/2 pounder (bone in), and an intention to serve tomorrow afternoon around 4pm....  do you still stand by your times above?  I was thinking of allowing around 15 hours cook time ....  that's just over 1.5 hours per pound, and then allowing around 2 hours FTC time, so with 17 hours total to play with that gets me starting around 11pm tonight.  Do you think I should allow more time just in case?  Anyone else out there feel free to weigh in......

Van Halen / Van Hagar its all good!
As far as the cook time its better to have it done and in the FTC than to have everyone saying "Is it done yet" and I have the butt hold onto 140 F for up to 4 hr in a good cooler. Or you can put in a crock pot set on low if your temp is droping to fast.

May be late for this but I prefer Apple, then Pecan, then Oak, then Hickory on pork myself.

Well, I decided to go with Pecan in the end, even though there was a late vote that pushed apple ahead by one, but I had already started.  I've compromised by making my last 2 pucks apples...  so in the absence of bubba pucks, I expect at least one of them will smolder away for a bit around 2 am!  I'm now nearly 2 hours into my smoke... IT has risen from 48F to 88F.  Just had a quick peek (couldn't resist) and the butt is turning a lovely reddish brown.

Sipping an Irish whiskey (used it in a BBQ sauce earlier this evening...  you know, any old excuse me b'y!?  8))

Thanks again for all your votes...  it was fun and helpful.  Just placed an order for LOADS more pucks (120's each of hickory and apple, and 48's of Alder, Maple and Pecan) so will have a better selection next time.

Will update with more photos tomorrow!

12 hours in... 154F....  only risen 5 degrees since 5:45 this morning...!  Guests arriving in about 5 hours....  am I gonna make it?

Though the temperature is low, you probably in an area called the "plateau". For me it usually happens around 165°F. This is when the connective tissue (collagen) rapidly starts to break down into gelatin. A great deal of moisture is release, and energy (heat) is lost converting the water to steam. The temperature can stall for several hours. Once the meat gets through this period, the heat will begin to rise steadily.

I forgot what temperature you set you cabinet to or what final temperature you want to finish at. Sometimes the temperature is not the only thing that will indicate if the pork is finish. You can use the fork test to see if it is done. One test is to use a large two tine fork; insert it into the meat and twist. If the meat pulls apart easily it is done. I you want to go to a specific temperature, at this point you can transfer the meat to the kitchen oven, and foil and finish at a higher heat; 275°F - 300°F.

Cabinet temperature is set to 220..... temperature is rising again, albeit slowly.  I'm at 162 now (12:08PM)....  but I think I am going to take your advice and boat it with some apple juice and take it up to 190 or so before FTCing....