ROOM TEMP

[BIG T]

JUST A QUICK QUESTION? WOULD IT BE A GOOD IDEA TO LET MY MEAT COME TO ROOM TEMP BEFORE PUTTING THEM ON TO SMOKE [?]

[Crazy Canuck]

I find that the smoker will come up to temperature faster if the meat is warmed to room temp, but depending upon the amount of time the meat is in the spoil range before going into the smoker has to be minimized. Good Luck

[MallardWacker]

Big of T,

You probably don't have to have it come down to exactly room temp.  To me all you want to do is take the edge off the piece of meat.  I typicall pull my meat and let it set for two hours while I preheat and get things prepared.  You won't get a butt don't to room temp for quite a while and ribs will turn out fine in two hours.  Plus chicken isn't any thing I wan't fowl(darn I'm funny-ya right my wife says) around with, that meats mass is not all that great to make difference any how.  Chicken will typicall take longer to come up to temp due to the amount of moisture in the meat.  HTH and Welcome.


SmokeOn,

mski
Perryville, Arkansas
Wooo-Pig-Soooie

If a man says he knows anything at all, he knows nothing what he aught to know.  But...

[Bad Flynch]

Most recipes are based on room temperature meats, but then most of that is with cut meat, or at least meat that will warm in a short length of time.

Meat that is out to warm up can also be air dryed at the same time and will take a better smoke when dry.

Fresh beef, pork, etc., are ok, but the reservations about chicken are well taken. At least with poultry, you can air dry and warm up in a hurry by using a fan. If the poultry was well washed in lots of clean water and patted dry, drying time would be at a minimum--especially if one dried it on all sides in a wire basket or such.

B.F.

[JJC]

The real issue here is that after 2 hours out of the frig, your risk of getting contaminated meat rises geometrically.  I always try to take my meat out of the fridge to warm it up a bit before it goes in the smoker, but never for more than 2 hours.

John
Newton MA

[nsxbill]

Big T   (Reminds me of the joke where the nervous new priest was told to have a few drink from the juice pitcher on the pulpit when he was nervous to calm himself not knowing the priest drank screwdrivers.  After drinking the entire pitcher, the young priest started slurring speech, and called the cross the Big T and Virgin Mary was Mary with the cherry, et al  [:D][:D] )

With concerns about bacteria, I usually only take the meat out of refrigeration for an hour while I am preheating the cabinet for smoking.  

All of what I smoke is tumble marinated in either my Reveo vacuum marinator, or larger pieces, up to 25 lbs in the Hobart Commercial vacuum marinator.  

Typically, I prepare the meat the night before the smoke, then crank up the Bradley to about 275°F the next morning.  I always use hot water to fill the bowl to even hasten the warm up to temp.  

That is when the meat is out.  The vacuum marinator usually drives the solution/brine into the meat, so the outside is kinda tacky/sticky.  I usually will set the meat out on racks, and give a final dusting of some Dizzy Pig Rub, or the like, and wait the hour while the cabinet pre-heats.

Meat into the cabinet, drop the pucks, and smoke for about 4 hrs on larger pieces of meats like butt or brisket.  Chicken typically only two hours.  I smoke at about 205°-210°F and go for the low and slow cook.  Monitoring both cabinet temperature and meat temps with the Procom4/Raptor combination in either one or both of the SS-BS Cabinets, I can monitor remotely, and adjust from the pool or garage.  I only return to the cabinet to change out the water at 4 hr intervals, and to rotate the shelves if not hanging meat inside.  

New smokers...keep the door closed...you don't need to look!  

Use a remote thermometer to check you temps and use it to determine when you food is done.  Opening the door causes significant heat loss, and the cabinet takes time to recover that loss.

There is no real challenge to using the BS.  You just have to have  patience to let it do it's thing and no peeking until the meat is done!

Happy smoking!

Bill

<i>There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.</i>

[BIG T]

Thanks for the advice. I did my first batch this weekend. I let the meats sit for 2 hours & warmed up the bradley. Smoked the ribs for 4 hrs then foiled them w/a small amount of apple juice then back for 2 more hrs @ 225.AWESOME[:D][:D]!The 2 butts I smoked for 5 1/2 hrs then foiled them w/a small amount of apple juice for 2 more hours until 185 was reached. Then toweled them & into the cooler until morning (@6hrs). Falling apart, succulent & juicy[:D][:D][:D]! The BS is the way to go for awesome food.

ps I did notice that in the future I will need to let the temp get up a little higher before starting & maybe letting the meat sit just a little longer.Took the bs a little will to get back up to 225 but as we say SLOW & LOW! [^]
BIG T

[JJC]

Hi Big T,

WTG on the smoked food!  However, do NOT keep your food out of the fridge for more than 2 hours--the risk of food poisoning rises dangerously after 2 hours.  Better to crank up your BS to a higher pre-heat temp, or better yet, put a couple of hot bricks in the oven as you pre-heat to act as a heat sink.  It definitely makes a difference in reducing the temp drop you get when opening the door to put food in or change the water bowl.  JMHO, but we'd like to see you stay around long enough to post some more of your ideas and experiences with the BS!



John
Newton MA

[Brother Bill]

Hey nsxbill! what is a Reveco Vacuum Marinator??? Thanks---BB

[A-B]

"chicken isn't any thing I wan't to fowl with" - MallardWacker

BOOO BOOOO BOOOOO  HISSS HISSS HISSS


[;)][:p]

AB from Sammamish, WA