Which Wood, you decide!

Smokin Soon · May 07, 2009, 08:22:25 PM

No Hickory - No Vote.
From another topic.

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!

La Quinta · May 07, 2009, 08:54:58 PM

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. :)

ExpatCanadian · May 08, 2009, 02:56:09 AM

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.

OU812 · May 08, 2009, 07:23:02 AM

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.

Caneyscud · May 08, 2009, 08:11:16 AM

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!

IKnowWood · May 08, 2009, 08:56:56 AM

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.

ExpatCanadian · May 08, 2009, 10:19:35 AM

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....

Fat side up...(I actually trimmed a bit more surface fat off before rubbing)

It's a healthy 9lb 6oz baby BUTT!! ;D (My scale wrapped around once!)

Applying the rub...

Finger lickin' good!

Rubbed n' ready...

Plastic wrapped into the fridge for a couple hours...

ExpatCanadian · May 08, 2009, 10:26:51 AM

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......

OU812 · May 08, 2009, 10:46:54 AM

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.

Wildcat · May 08, 2009, 01:22:08 PM

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

ExpatCanadian · May 08, 2009, 04:00:58 PM

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!

ExpatCanadian · May 09, 2009, 02:03:25 AM

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

Habanero Smoker · May 09, 2009, 02:33:01 AM

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.

ExpatCanadian · May 09, 2009, 04:35:49 AM

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....