Just bought a new original smoker from cabelas. I set it up and am seasoning it now. Being an extreme newbie I thought I would try a chicken for my first shot, probably on Tuesday. Any suggestions as far as brining or smokin the bird. Look foward to learning to master the smoke
Congratulations on a fine buy and welcome.
Here is the link to the recipe site and a link to a poultry brine from Habenero Smoker.
Recipe Site
Poultry brine
[url]http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23][http://susan.rminor.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=180/url]
Poultry brine
[url]http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23 (http://[http://susan.rminor.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=180/url)
Brine and Smoke chicken
http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35 (http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35)
We got our BS today at Gander Mnt in Houston. We don't have time to mess with it today, we are fulltime Rvers and are heading to the Texas coast tomorrow, looking for warmer weather.
The store only had cherry and apple bisquits, so we need to order some more from somewhere. We bought a remote digital meat thermometer at Lowes also, but I understand the on board thermometer isn't too reliable. Any suggestion on one for the box or is the one in our meat going to be sufficient.
John KE4D
www.TheRollingHome.com
Many use the Maverick ET-73, which has two probes; one for meat and one for the cabinet. The door thermometer is generally unreliable, because of it's placement, and is often not accurate reading the temperature.
http://www.thegadgetsource.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=tgs&Screen=PROD&Product_Code=011502013733
Congradulations on obtaining the BS and welcome to the forum to the both of you. It is hard to go wrong with the BS. Chezz Bubba is an excellent source for all your BS needs. He is a member here.
If you don't need a remote, you can try the Polder Dual Sensor Thermometer and Timer. Cost is about $30.00. It is a single probe but the top where the cable is attached is actually a second sensor for the box air temp. Been using one for several months and love the fact that it is 2 probes in one and the air is measured right above the meat. I'll end up with a Maverick shortly as I would like to have an additional probe with remote. ::)
Welcome to both of you, dont be just readers, share your experience and thoughts with everyone. Everyone wins with posts.
A lot of threads talk about temp control, but what is the real concern for not having the accurate temp or maybe temp swings. Does it really matter if ribs, for example, cook at 195 or 210?
Thaks to all who repied to my post. I just put the bird in the ol smoker 10 am. Might have a hard time keeping cabinet temp up today. Wicked winds and outside temp only 35 degrees, but well see how it goes. Holding steady at 200 degrees. Plan on smoking to an internal temp of 180. I have a maverick temp probe run through the vent into the bird. Smells good already. Life is good.
Quote from: ke4d on January 01, 2007, 03:31:25 PM
We got our BS today at Gander Mnt in Houston. We don't have time to mess with it today, we are fulltime Rvers and are heading to the Texas coast tomorrow, looking for warmer weather.
The store only had cherry and apple bisquits, so we need to order some more from somewhere. We bought a remote digital meat thermometer at Lowes also, but I understand the on board thermometer isn't too reliable. Any suggestion on one for the box or is the one in our meat going to be sufficient.
John KE4D
www.TheRollingHome.com
What a great way of life you must have, i'm very envious, and now you have a BS, what more could a man ask for? ;)
Quote from: sgaberdeen on January 02, 2007, 07:03:28 AM
Thaks to all who repied to my post. I just put the bird in the ol smoker 10 am. Might have a hard time keeping cabinet temp up today. Wicked winds and outside temp only 35 degrees, but well see how it goes. Holding steady at 200 degrees. Plan on smoking to an internal temp of 180. I have a maverick temp probe run through the vent into the bird. Smells good already. Life is good.
Nice, you're making me hungry, i better go get the BS set up before dark ;)
Quote from: sgaberdeen on January 02, 2007, 07:03:28 AM
Plan on smoking to an internal temp of 180. I have a maverick temp probe run through the vent into the bird. Smells good already. Life is good.
180 might be a little overkill for the internal temp. I usually pull mine at 160F. and the breast meat is still juicy that way. Thighs should hit the 165F. mark and will be done just right. Just a thought to mull over. Whatever you do make sure to pace youself while your scaffing down on the bird. That way you can eat more!!! ;D :D Happy new year sgaberdeen.
Thanks iceman, I'll be sure to heed your advice as it's now 1 pm and the internal temp is reading 145 on the maverick. It is truly an awesome thing to have found this forum and all the fine help available to new memebers.
Thanks,
Ordered the Maverick today and some more pucks. Unfortunately, the pucks will not be to me until February.
I have some apple and cherry, so we will just have to start with those and see what happens. We delayed our trip to the Texas Coast, its going to rain tomorrow and Thursday and as fulltime Rvers, we don't have to drive in the rain. We will wait it out here in Livingston, TX and head south on Friday or Saturday. The BS sits up nicely in the back of my towed Chevy Colorado (under the topper of course) I'm anxious to do something with it.
John KE4D
www.TheRollingHome.com
Feb. Is that real? Must be a story about why a month to get pucks. Did you try Chez Bubba?
http://www.chezbubba.com
Just clicked your web page. I get it now. There really is a story. If you roll through San Diego let me know. I got pucks ALL kinds of pucks.
Quote from: Infalable on January 01, 2007, 09:26:29 PM
A lot of threads talk about temp control, but what is the real concern for not having the accurate temp or maybe temp swings. Does it really matter if ribs, for example, cook at 195 or 210?
Good question if the temp swings 195 to 210 with a mean of about 202 it seems to me that is perfect. + / - 7 over the hours to cook a tower full of ribs. BUT if the tower temp is really 220 + / - 7 that is a bit hot IMO to start ribs. results will not be as good.
After the above, my interest in temp begins to reduce pretty fast except for two things:
1) When I started with the Bradley temp was my biggest learning curve because we dont have nothing for power to cover mistakes, got the heat of a half dozen light bulbs and that is it, can't stir coals, add more chucks, add dry chunks, etc. Gotta be able to predict what is going to happen based on meat, weight, ambiant weather all that and use FTC for protection.
Electric smokers beyond the reality of being very easy to use and as close to set and forget as smoking meat can be . . . I have found are not for the timid when it comes to seeking perfection.
2) it is a lot of fun to gin up a smoker with perfect temp control, i.e. PIDS, circulation fans, vent adjustments all that stuff...(people have not even started talking about humidity controls to provide servo control feedback by adjusting air flow through the units) harrrhhhh , harrrhhhh, etc.
3) Gotta have something to bitch about right?
Again, real good question, wish it was in a new thread, bet it would capture a lot of good comments from people who have been electric a lot longer than I have...
WCK has it pretty much nailed. The only real issue (again in MHO) with temp swings is consistency and repeatability. If the swing in temp is great, the time to reach the same internal temperature would vary making specific timings more difficult. But a few extra beers and some good foil, towel and cooler will still give you plenty of buffer.
It is fun to complain. Is it really complaining if no one is listening?
Yes, we don't get mail very often, about once a week is the best we can do. Often its longer than that and since we are not often at the same place more than a month or so, I have to be careful about ordering and where I have stuff sent. Most of it comes to our mail forwarding service in Texas, but sometimes, I get stuff shipped directly to us.
The Gander Mtn store in Houston only had cherry and apple bisqettes, so I ordered several boxes of other types from Amazon.com. Some have shipped, others say early Feb for delivery. If I run across a store with them on the shelf, I'll buy some more.
I seasoned the OBS today and it went well. It took me a while to figure out that the smoker only heats up on the end of the tray. DUH. After I figure that out (I know, read the directions) everything worked fine. The OBS is now bundled up in the back of my truck awaiting our next move when we will attempt to smoke some food. Its going to rain here for the next two days, so no outdoor cooking until the weather clears or we move.
I ate some turkey that Marksbrew smoked in an OBS a few days ago. That prompted us to go buy our own. Great bird and it looks like this might be a lot of fun too.
Thanks for all the advice folks.
John KE4D
www.TheRollingHome.com
(I know, read the directions)
All women know that most men do not read directions except as a last resort. I am a part time RV'er and my wife navigates when we are on the road because I do not read directions either. :D