Just ordered 4 rack Digital

[classicrockgriller]

What your gonna have is some really hungry neighbors when they wake up in the morning after smelling a Boston Butt smokein/cooking all night with the windows open. Make sure they bring the beer!!

You may have to stand guard over your smoke all nite to make sure it's still there in the morning when you wake up. ;D

I stand guard over mine and I live in the country.

[OTB]

Looking at the FAQ, I notice that the smoker should be "seasoned"

Can I assume that when you are seasoning it, it will burn of the oil from manufacturing and give off bad flavors.  This has been my experience in the past.

Just want to know, because if it is just a "break in" I would hate to be burning that wood without having some food in the unit.   ;)

[Habanero Smoker]

Looking at the FAQ, I notice that the smoker should be "seasoned"

Can I assume that when you are seasoning it, it will burn of the oil from manufacturing and give off bad flavors.  This has been my experience in the past.

Just want to know, because if it is just a "break in" I would hate to be burning that wood without having some food in the unit.   ;)

You are 100% correct, about burning off the oils. I didn't realize that was not mentioned in the seasoning FAQ. It will be added.

[OTB]

OK.  I am expecting the smoker to arrive tomorrow afternoon.  I have bubba pucks (3) on their way, to arrive on Thursday, with the ET-7 thermometer, as well as a variety pack of the wood pucks.

I am thinking that after I season my smoker for an hour, I will start of with pork ribs.  I think the 10.5 recipe is the best to start with.

My biggest fear is that it is supposed to rain all weekend here in bay area CA...so I might have to wait.

Should I be ordering Carolina Treet and tender quick (I can't find either locally)?

[Caneyscud]

Ribs are a good choice as a first smoke.  What kind are you going to cook?  Baby backs or Spares - maybe St Louis or country?  

Tender Quick.  Unless you are going to be curing something, you won't need the Tender Quick.

Carolina Treet is one of many very good barbecue and cooking sauces both available commercially and homemade.  Yes, I'd try it, but don't leave out the countless others.  And there are actually two types of CT - original flavor and South Carolina Style.  Both are relatively unique to the commercial sauce world in that they are not sweet.  That is one reason you can use them as cooking sauces rather than just finishing sauces.   IMHO, I'd make up some homemade before I'd pay the exorbitant shipping charges to get you a bottle of CT delivered to your doorstep.  As far as what you would make - the world is at your doorstep  CT is a version of traditional Eastern Carolina style vinegar (non-tomato) based sauces.  Here are a few you could try that would be similar to CT original flavor.  Leave out the sugar if you want no sweetness.

E. Carolina Vinegar Based Sauce

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups of distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoons sugar (white, light brown, or dark brown)
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons finely ground black pepper

Pour all the ingredients into a jar and shake. Let it sit for at least 12 hours to allow the flavors to meld. A week is better.

 


Eastern North Carolina Barbecue Sauce

    * 1 cup white vinegar
    * 1 cup cider vinegar
    * 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    * 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
    * 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™), or to taste
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine the white vinegar, cider vinegar, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before using so that the flavors will blend. Shake occasionally, and store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator.


Eastern Carolina BBQ Sauce

    * 1 cup of cider vinegar
    * 1 cup of white vinegar
    * 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
    * 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
    * 1 tablespoon of "Off the Shelf" hot sauce
    * 1 teaspoon of hot pepper flakes
    * 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1 teaspoon of black pepper

Combine all in a quart jar and shake it up.  Leave it out on the counter for a day and shake it up again.  Refigerate and it will keep for weeks.


Here's a couple of South Carolina mustard style sauces as well


Mustard Barbecue Sauce

    * 4 cups yellow mustard (two 20-ounce bottles)
    * 8 ounces of beer (less for thicker sauce, more for thinner sauce)
    * ½ cup apple cider vinegar
    * 8 tablespoons brown sugar
    * 1/2 cup tomato puree
    * 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    * 1 tablespoon cayenne
    * 1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
    * 2 teaspoons salt 
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

Heat all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat and mix well. Cook until sauce just begins to thicken. Serve cool or warm. The sauce will last in the refrigerator for a long time.



Mustard Barbeque Sauce

1/2 cup of prepared yellow mustard
1/4 cup of cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of brown sugar (dark)
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
1/2 teaspoon of Worstershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (powdered)
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

Add everything to a small, tightly sealing jar, and shake the living daylights out of it!

[OTB]

Thanks for the great recipes!!!

Of all the discussion boards I have visited over the years, I have to say that this is THE BEST!!!!  Everyone is so helpful.

I figure I will look in the ads to see what the local store has on sale.  I prefer baby back ribs, but if they have spare ribs on sale I will pick those up.  If nothing is on sale, then it is a trip to costco.  :,)

Now let's just hope the wife answers the door when the UPS guy rings the bell today.

[KevinG]

I stand guard over mine and I live in the country.

Don't worry, he's easy to get out of the way. Toss some beer over the fence and he'll come running.

[OTB]

Any reason I can't use my "tried and true" lazy man bbq sauce that I have made for baby back ribs in the past?  I it just bullseye bbq sauce with brown sugar, honey, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, etc... This is what I have used in the past that my family loves.  I wonder if it would have too much sugar and burn?


Also, I have been reading all the recipes on the recipe pages and there are a lot of suggestions for rubs.  I notice that 10.5 didn't mention what rub he used in his post.  Any suggestion on which rub recipe to use.  I figure I can mix that up tonight and be all ready for this weekend.

[Caneyscud]

Absolutely no reason not to use your "tried and true"  That's what it is all about - customizing to your taste.  I don't particularly like sweet sauces so, those that like them wouldn't particularly like my ribs.  I would not add the sauce to the ribs until the last 30 min to hour of cooking.  If using the 2-1-1, 3-2-1, 3-3-2, etc..... methods, the best time IMHO to add sauce is during the last 1 or 2 after they come out of the foil.

[OTB]

Thanks Caneyscud.

Any recommendations for the rub?

Here is what I was thinking, based upon rubs I found on this forum:

    * 1 TBS Garlic powder
    * 1 TBS Onion Powder
    * 2 TBS Kosher Salt (not table salt)
    * 2 Teaspoons Cayenne Powder
    * 2 Teaspoons Ancho Chili Powder
    * 1 Teaspoon Cumin
    * 1 TBS Black Pepper
    * 1 TBS White Pepper
    * 1 Cup Brown Sugar
    * 1/2 Cup Paprika

Let me know if you have a better "tried and true" rub for pork ribs.

Thanks in advance!!!

[Caneyscud]

That is a really good looking rub!  I'd probably cut the sugar down, but that is just me.  I'm probably not the best person to ask about rubs - I usually go simple.  Simple as in salt, pepper, cayenne.  I do have a rub I use infrequently, and have not perfected it yet, that includes coffee, cocoa, chilis, cinnamon, cumin among other things.  Makes a great bark, but need to tweak the recipe for better and more pronounced taste.

[OTB]

Here is my progress so far:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=14693.0