I as well am a proud new owner of a Bradley smoker (not even out of the box yet) and have plans for several pork shoulders (pulled pork) and turkey breast for next weekend. I also have a beef tenderloin in my fridge and am anxious to try out the smoker tonite, but I have conflicting opinions on whether to smoke it or not...all input for this smoker virgin is welcome
W E L C O M E to the Forum bgregs!
I would season that smoker, and put that tenderloin in for an hour or two of smoke @225, then finish on the grill to your desired IT.
Welcome bgregs
I agree smoke the tenderloin, they turn out great.
Mike
man FLBs suggestions sounds great! A little salt and pepper...mmmm
Just read up on stuff here and you'll be good. My first smoke was a couple pork butts and they turned out amazing. I posted my gameplan here after reading up on how to do them. This place is a great resource, especially being a novice. I have a feeling once I get a better idea of what I'm doing then I'll probably start experimenting more.
Welcome Bgregs I am a new smoker here as well, this place has great knowledgeable people who always seem willing to help.
Welcome to the Forum Bgregs :)
You came to the right place to learn and get the most out of your new smoker.
Carolyn
Welcome and get that smoke to rolling!
bgregs, welcome to the forum!
Now about that tenderloin...
If God didn't want you to smoke it..
Then why do you figure he saw fit for you to have a tenderloin and a smoker?
See, if he wanted you to smoke a squirrel...
He'd have seen to it that you had a squirrel and a smoker, right?
The Lord works in mysterious ways.
Roll with it ;D
Awrighten.
Quote from: hal4uk on June 17, 2010, 09:32:32 PM
See, if he wanted you to smoke a squirrel...
He'd have seen to it that you had a squirrel and a smoker, right?
A few minutes with the pellet gun and I could have both of those things... However I don't think God gave me the will to want to go do that. Guess that proves your point.
Quote from: hal4uk on June 17, 2010, 09:32:32 PM
See, if he wanted you to smoke a squirrel...
He'd have seen to it that you had a squirrel and a smoker, right?
Did someone say squirrel?(http://i813.photobucket.com/albums/zz53/63KevinG/Hunting/100_0111.jpg)
Quote from: KevinG on June 18, 2010, 07:40:55 AM
Did someone say squirrel?
OHH. I can't wait to hear this story! :D
Did they sneak up you?
;D :D ;D
Took out the whole colony in one tree - father, mother, children, aunts, uncles, cousins. They were throwing nuts at us, we had to defend ourselfs.
Now that is a story Kevin!!
That's not a hunt - that's a vendetta!
;D ;D ;D Nobody touches fredo while moma's still alive.
Amen Brother....or sister!
On the tenderloin question -- I have been cold smoking for about 1 1.5 hours, wrapping in saran and refrigerating overnight, and then grilling. I'm not sure why the wrap and chill makes a difference, but it really seems to allow the smoke to get into the meat.
Also, this is the best user's forum I have ever seen. You will find that you get all the help you could possibly ask for.
Beef Tenderloin turned out great 1 1/2-2 hrs @ 200-225 and a few minutes on the grill and it was the most tender I have ever had...thanks for everyone's suggestions. Now onto 3-4 shoulders and 2 turkey breasts for next weekend...will try Jan's rub for the pork and would like a different flavor for the turkey...i'm all ears!
We NEED pics. ;D
Quote from: bgregs on June 19, 2010, 05:38:26 PM
Beef Tenderloin turned out great 1 1/2-2 hrs @ 200-225 and a few minutes on the grill and it was the most tender I have ever had...thanks for everyone's suggestions. Now onto 3-4 shoulders and 2 turkey breasts for next weekend...will try Jan's rub for the pork and would like a different flavor for the turkey...i'm all ears!
Good to hear that!
Smoked Tenderloin!
Heck Yeah!
STC (Squirt The Cat) is our resident
Turkey expert...
He'll be along with some ideas...
(probably involving CT!)
Somewhere I ran across and forgot to copy the link that provided a newbie with smokee abbreviations and such...can anyone pass along a helpful hint to find it again?
Thanks so much...all have been very helpful
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?481-Bradley-Smoker-FAQ-s
Got it...thanks FLB...was curious about the PID..doesn't look like something I want to mess with just yet
First time for smoking for pulled pork...Have four 8# pork shoulders to smoke on my new OBS4...should I trim a bit before I use rub & is it OK to do all four at the same time
I hardly ever trim Butts. ;D
You will need to stack the butts so they don't touch each other.
32lbs can be done on your OBS.
Trimming is purely a matter of personal preference. The last 10 butts I have done I have trimmed them. I think it makes for a heavier bark and a lot less fat to deal with when pulling. Again, just a matter of preference. I used to never trim butts before smoking but I read about it and gave it a try. I happen to like it better but you absolutely do not have to trim butts.
Since you're doing 4, trim 2 and leave 2 untrimmed and compare the results to see which method you prefer. Good eating either way!
Quote from: bgregs on June 24, 2010, 10:28:31 AM
First time for smoking for pulled pork...Have four 8# pork shoulders to smoke on my new OBS4...should I trim a bit before I use rub & is it OK to do all four at the same time
You can trim a little if you are so inclined, I usually don't.
Be aware that you will be running at maximum load in your OBS4. That is a LOT of meat.
I've done that many serveral times.
Some advice:
You may need to be creative in how you get the meat in there. You don't want the meat touching anything but the rack its on.
Don't stress over the box not getting back up to temp right away. It won't.
Rotate racks top to bottom and front to back every 4 hours or so.
Expect to the cook to take 20 to 24 hours, perhaps more.
Use FTC to keep the butts warm until pulling/serving time.
Good advice by FLBR. Don't let those butts touch the walls, especially the back one. Pork fat rules but pork fat will also catch on fire if it runs down the back wall onto the heating element! Keep plenty of water in the water pan. You might consider subbing one of those foil roasting pans you buy at the grocery. Fill it with water and use it rather than the water pan. You seriously don't want a fire in your smoker.
need a little guidance...smoked four 8# butts in OBS4 for 8+ hours...IT reached between 140-150 for each piece...stopped smoke and have been FTC for 3 hours...my dilemma is that I am preparing pork for tomorrow at 4:00...should I finish in oven tonite and get IT to 180-190...the only reason I started today was that I thought it would take much longer to get IT to desired level before FTC step...if I finish in oven tonite should I pull the pork and wrap it well and warm it for tomorrow...a little overwhelmed for my first attempt . Also have two 9# boneless turkey breasts to smoke tomorrow to add to the predicament
Help!!!!
Pop them in a 225F oven, wrap in foil if you like.
I would have left them in, they are about 1/2 done. You haven't gotten to the "stall" ~160F yet.
Why did you pull them @140-150F ?
Put them in the oven @ 225F...how long should I keep them in?
"Stall"???...gotta remember, I'm a rank beginner and hoping I didn't ruin the butts for pulled pork...what is your recommendation for pulling pork tonite or tomorrow (after oven time and IT @ 220F ??)
Your help is greatly appreciated...
Keep them in the oven until the IT is 190-200F. No matter how long it takes.
Then FC until serving time. If you are going to re-heat, then FTC at least an hour.
I would then de-fat and divide up the butt into large chunks, and use a crock pot or an oven re-heat. You can then further shred at serving time, this will keep it from drying out.
The "stall" is were this cut of meat will go from so tough you can hardly chew it to succulent pulled pork.
What is happening is that the connective tissue that makes it tough (collagen) is breaking down into two things:
Gelatin (which is what makes it taste so lip smacking good) and water. It is the evaporation of the water that has a cooling effect and makes the temp "stall" at ~160-170F for what is sometimes hours.
After the temp starts to rise again it will continue to rise to your target IT of 190-200F.
And another thing: Please don't dump a bunch of sticky-sweet commercial sauce on it, let the pork and the smoke stand on their own. Serve sauce on the side. And be aware that commercial sauces with "smoke flavor" can conflict with the real thing.
THANK YOU FLB...I think you saved my hide...and made sure that I'll have a delectable treat for all the party guests tomorrow afternoon!!
I hate to keep tapping the same well, but I'll be doing two 9# boneless turkey breasts (in fridge w/ overnite rub)...what is your recommendation for a 4:00 serve time with these??
Much obliged!
Not FLBR here but for those boneless turkey breasts, first of all set the cook/smoke temp in your Bradley at 250 at least. Can't mess around with poultry. Open the vent 100% WIDE open. Poultry holds a lot of moisture and it needs to get out of the tower. Cook time is a huge variable. I'm thinking 4-5 hours hours but don't rely on my estimates. It's done when it's done. Monitor the IT of your turkey and react accordingly. You can FTC them if they are finished early.
Relax, open a cool refreshing beverage of your choice and enjoy the experience. We all started at one time or the other.
Now... do this thing!
As my friend CRG says "you can't hurt it, it's dead".
KyNola
Squirtthecat is the resident Turkey man.
Poultry doesn't have that same "connective tissue breakdown" issue. It's just a matter of applying smoke and cooking to your desired IT.
Poultry also soaks up smoke like a sponge, put 8 hours on there and I'm not sure you could eat it. Most people do 2 to four hours.
Remember, you can always say "next time we'll use more smoke" and still eat it. If you put on too much for your (or your guests) tastes, there is no "undo" button. Smoke is a seasoning.
That is 18lbs of meat. I'm thinking 6 to eight hours, but don't be surprised if it's done a little early. You're going to want to use the same rack rotation as with the butts.
TURKEY!
18 pounds? Wow.. I hope they are thawed..
Fire up your smoker to 250°. 3 hours of smoke. No more than that. (unless you are using apple)
Keep plenty of water in the drip pan. Use a larger foil pan if necessary.
You are looking at an IT of 160° in each one of them - so some flipping/rotating of racks will be necessary.
When each roast comes to 160°, pull it and FTC.
Good luck!
Nice!...couldn't haven't been more accurately described...yes..thawed completely and 24 hour rub...plan on using Maple for the smoke!
Got the scoop on the pork and the plan for my turkey...feelin' good that all will work out for my first smoking xtravanganza...50# of meat was probably a bit ambitious, but what the hell..certainly has been a terrific learning experience (thanks to all that chimed in with more than there two cents)
A huge thanks to the forum! Great resource...no need to look elsewhere!
Quote from: bgregs on June 25, 2010, 08:23:23 PM
50# of meat was probably a bit ambitious, but what the hell..
Way to jump in with both feet!
Wow...30#pork and 20#turkey were fabulous! Enjoyed the leftovers for several days...hated to see it end! Even had a native NC said she got a bit home sick after having the pulled pork and homemade mopping sauces...Again, thanks to all who pulled me thru this one...had to do a little crawlin' before I started runnin'...both feet on the ground and can't wait for next go round
Glad to hear it all went well! No pics of this succulent sounding dinner??
Way to go man!
You're well on your way now.
Want to determine if this is a smoking NoNo...I want to take ribs to the beach to serve on Thurs evening...will not have a smoker there...they are already with rub in my fridge...can I smoke for several hours on Tuesday, wrap very tightly in foil and finish on a grill on Thurs evening? Other option would be to slow cook in oven on Thurs afternoon and finish on grill Thurs evening..
Quote from: bgregs on August 09, 2010, 07:47:12 PM
Want to determine if this is a smoking NoNo...I want to take ribs to the beach to serve on Thurs evening...will not have a smoker there...they are already with rub in my fridge...can I smoke for several hours on Tuesday, wrap very tightly in foil and finish on a grill on Thurs evening? Other option would be to slow cook in oven on Thurs afternoon and finish on grill Thurs evening..
Ribs won't be quite as good as when they
first come out of the smoker, but they'll be fine heated up on the grill. Just make sure to baste 'em while grilling (with something like a mix of apple juice and vinegar or whatever tastes good to you). I probably wouldn't really "finish" them on the grill - more like "reheat".
Quote from: hal4uk on August 09, 2010, 08:03:18 PM
Quote from: bgregs on August 09, 2010, 07:47:12 PM
Want to determine if this is a smoking NoNo...I want to take ribs to the beach to serve on Thurs evening...will not have a smoker there...they are already with rub in my fridge...can I smoke for several hours on Tuesday, wrap very tightly in foil and finish on a grill on Thurs evening? Other option would be to slow cook in oven on Thurs afternoon and finish on grill Thurs evening..
Ribs won't be quite as good as when they first come out of the smoker, but they'll be fine heated up on the grill. Just make sure to baste 'em while grilling (with something like a mix of apple juice and vinegar or whatever tastes good to you). I probably wouldn't really "finish" them on the grill - more like "reheat".
If you use the 3-2-1 method then consider the last one as grill time.
I'm with Hal, you need to almost cook them so that you are out of the Danger zone of critters.
Several hours should be close to 5.