I guess I have a new hobby

Nothing goes better with a home brew then a good home made meal. Have a special food recipe you would like share or a food pairing with your favorite brew. Let the Borg know here.

Moderators: BlackDuck, Beer-lord, LouieMacGoo, philm00x, gwcr

User avatar
Beer-lord
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9634
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:48 pm
Location: Burbs of the Big Easy

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by Beer-lord »

We aren't the master smokers you guys are but we've smoked turkey a few times and I've found it to be just ok if you eat it right away. Next day smoked turkey never tastes very good to me so we just make turkey gumbo which is killer. You get to eat 2 enjoyable types of meals. We can make gumbo out of anything so save your roaches, you don't even know you're eating them!
PABs Brewing
Planning
Brew good beer and live a hoppy life
Fermenting

Drinking
Disfucted
Smelly Hops
(split batch) A Many Stringed Bow
Up Next
Men In Black
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by BlackDuck »

LouieMacGoo wrote: If I have trouble keeping the heat up should those vent be closed partially or wide open?
This is where it gets tricky. You would think that keeping them closed would keep the heat in, however, this may also hinder airflow, which could keep your coals from burning like they should and not produce enough heat. It will take a balance of open and closed with both vents in order to get the right heat and to keep it in. Only experience will get you there, so get to smoking more meats. :p

When I used my horizontal charcoal smoker, I had an intake vent on the side firebox, then a chimney on the other side of the main chamber. Basically, yours is similar, intake on the bottom and chimney on the top. I would open both wide open until the coals were good and hot, then adjust them to keep the right balance of airflow through the smoker. I also had to be mindful of the wind direction, I always made sure the the wind would blow into the fire box, which would always give me good airflow.
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by BlackDuck »

Beer-lord wrote:Next day smoked turkey never tastes very good to me
If this is the case....you're doing it wrong!!! :muahaha:
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
Beer-lord
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 9634
Joined: Mon Aug 05, 2013 2:48 pm
Location: Burbs of the Big Easy

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by Beer-lord »

I do everything wrong!
But, turkey is a very plain meat to me so to my taste buds, the next day, the smoke overtakes the meat.It's not bad or trash but just not enjoyable to me until it goes into the gumbo.
I'd rather smoke ribs or seafood. Now we're talking. Smoked oysters are delicious as is a good piece of salmon. To me, way better than bland turkey.
PABs Brewing
Planning
Brew good beer and live a hoppy life
Fermenting

Drinking
Disfucted
Smelly Hops
(split batch) A Many Stringed Bow
Up Next
Men In Black
User avatar
LouieMacGoo
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1846
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:09 pm
Location: S.E. Michigan
Contact:

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by LouieMacGoo »

Beer-lord wrote:I do everything wrong!
But, turkey is a very plain meat to me so to my taste buds, the next day, the smoke overtakes the meat.It's not bad or trash but just not enjoyable to me until it goes into the gumbo.
I'd rather smoke ribs or seafood. Now we're talking. Smoked oysters are delicious as is a good piece of salmon. To me, way better than bland turkey.
If the turkey is bland then you may not be using the right rub or prep. Although I've never smoked turkey myself I have had really good smoked turkey that was outstanding and some that was just so so.
Worrying can spoil the taste of beer more then anything else! ~ Charles Papazian

Find out more about Yeast, Hops, Grains and Cleaning & Sanitizing
Whats Brewing

Fermenting:

#40 - Citra-Nilla Cream Ale IPA - Brewed:9/20/15

Conditioning:
#39 - Dead Fly IPA - Brewed: 8/29/15 Bottled: 9/27/15
#38 - Apricot Hefeweizen (Colab w/Adam at SOL)- Brewed: 8/8/15

Drinking
#36 - Summer Wheat: Oberon Clone - Brewed: 7/11/15
#37 - Hickory Bourbon Honey Porter - Brewed: 7/18/15
#33 - Younger No. 1 Scottish Strong Ale - Brewed: 3/29/15
#28 - Hard Mulled Cider, Brewed 10/11/14 Kegged
#29 - Strawberry Lime Cider, Brewed/10/19/14 Kegged

Gone
#34 - Second Runnings IPA - Brewed: 3/29/15
#32 - Harvest Nugget Smash v2 (TBD) Brewed 11/27/14
#35 - Columbus Pale Ale - Brewed: 5/02/15
User avatar
Dawg LB Steve
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2778
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 7:39 pm
Location: Greater Cleveland East

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by Dawg LB Steve »

Trick is to use chimney vent to regulate heat once you get up to temp

Sent from my XT830C using Tapatalk
MONTUCKY BREWING
Currently brewing:

Next Up?
Kolsch?
Ginger Beer?
Traveling Red?
Yazoo Gerst Clone?
Peanut Butter Porter?

Currently Conditioning:
Cherry Mead
California Moscato

Currently enjoying:
Hardly Apple Cider on tap
Hardly Cherry Lime-Aid on tap
Oktoberfestive-Ale on tap
PGA Cider (Pear, Ginger, Apple) on tap 3rd Founders Cup 2016 King Of The Mountain on tap
Bottoms Up Brown on tap GOLD 2016 Ohio Brew Week Silver 2016 Ohio State Fair Silver 2016 Son of Brewzilla, Silver 2015 Son of Brewzilla, Bronze 2015 King Of The Mountain on tap
NITWIT BELGIAN STRONG ALE Banjo-Dawg RCE bottled
DAWG LB PALE ALE bottled
CITRA SLAPPED AMBER ALE bottle
MO FREEDOM SMaSH bottle
HOP TO IT IMPERIAL IPA bottle

Medal Count
Gold 3
Silver 5
Bronze 5
Actively brewing since December 2013
User avatar
berryman
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 3279
Joined: Tue Aug 20, 2013 5:16 pm
Location: Western NY

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by berryman »

Lump charcoal will burn hotter then brickets, but wont't maintain as long, a few cookies of dried hardwood will get hot fast if needed. I use a combo in my smokers. Trial and error just like brewing. I also use a diffuser plate. takes a little longer to get to temp. but holds it good though-out the cook....................
Happy Hound Brewery

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”
― Thomas A. Edison
User avatar
FedoraDave
FedoraDave
FedoraDave
Posts: 4208
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:52 pm
Location: North and west of the city
Contact:

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by FedoraDave »

You'll find that every rig is different. So any advice you get from the internet (including us) and/or friends should be taken as helpful, but not gospel. Through trial and error, you'll find the times and levels of charcoal/wood that work best for your rig and whatever meat you're preparing.

I would recommend Steve Raichlen's books and website for recipes and techniques. But the best teacher is experience.

As far as regulating heat (aside from telling you that you'll need to discover what works best for you), I've read and discovered that, for me, keeping the chimney vent open all the way and using the lower vent to regulate air flow is the best way to maintain temperature. Also, keep your temperature in a range; don't strive for a constant 225, for instance, but aim for keeping it between 200 and 250. You'll hit the sweet spot more often that way, and reduce your anxiety.
Obey The Hat!

http://www.homebrew-with-the-hat.com

Some regard me as a Sensei of Brewing
Fedora Brauhaus
Up Next:
Bull Terrier Bitter
Fermenting/Conditioning
King Duncan's Porter -- Schöenwald Schwarzbier -- Littlejohn's Ale
Drinking:
Crown Top Pale Ale -- Ottertoberfest
User avatar
LouieMacGoo
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1846
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:09 pm
Location: S.E. Michigan
Contact:

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by LouieMacGoo »

So, I've had a couple of months to get used to this new hobby of mine and I think I'm starting to get the hang of it. I've been keeping it pretty simple by just doing some spatchcock chickens an some country ribs. The other day my wife brought home a 2.5 lbs Salmon filet for a recipe she wanted to try. Since it was just the 2 of us for dinner she cut it in half and refridgerated the unused portion. I decided that this was a good opportunity to try something new so I brined the salmon in brown sugar, salt and pepper and let it sit over night. The next day I rinsed it and let it sit out at room temp for a couple of hours while I got my smoker out and prepped it to smoke the fish. About 2 hours after putting the filet in the smoker the result was AMAZING! Before taking if off the smoke I used an apricot preserve as a glaze.

Image

Image
Worrying can spoil the taste of beer more then anything else! ~ Charles Papazian

Find out more about Yeast, Hops, Grains and Cleaning & Sanitizing
Whats Brewing

Fermenting:

#40 - Citra-Nilla Cream Ale IPA - Brewed:9/20/15

Conditioning:
#39 - Dead Fly IPA - Brewed: 8/29/15 Bottled: 9/27/15
#38 - Apricot Hefeweizen (Colab w/Adam at SOL)- Brewed: 8/8/15

Drinking
#36 - Summer Wheat: Oberon Clone - Brewed: 7/11/15
#37 - Hickory Bourbon Honey Porter - Brewed: 7/18/15
#33 - Younger No. 1 Scottish Strong Ale - Brewed: 3/29/15
#28 - Hard Mulled Cider, Brewed 10/11/14 Kegged
#29 - Strawberry Lime Cider, Brewed/10/19/14 Kegged

Gone
#34 - Second Runnings IPA - Brewed: 3/29/15
#32 - Harvest Nugget Smash v2 (TBD) Brewed 11/27/14
#35 - Columbus Pale Ale - Brewed: 5/02/15
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by BlackDuck »

Damn. That sound delish! Unfortunately the pics aren't coming through in Tapatalk.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
LouieMacGoo
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1846
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 12:09 pm
Location: S.E. Michigan
Contact:

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by LouieMacGoo »

BlackDuck wrote:Damn. That sound delish! Unfortunately the pics aren't coming through in Tapatalk.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For those of you that can't see the pics from Tapatalk.

https://goo.gl/photos/sWnjmsu4dTKPqUcGA
Worrying can spoil the taste of beer more then anything else! ~ Charles Papazian

Find out more about Yeast, Hops, Grains and Cleaning & Sanitizing
Whats Brewing

Fermenting:

#40 - Citra-Nilla Cream Ale IPA - Brewed:9/20/15

Conditioning:
#39 - Dead Fly IPA - Brewed: 8/29/15 Bottled: 9/27/15
#38 - Apricot Hefeweizen (Colab w/Adam at SOL)- Brewed: 8/8/15

Drinking
#36 - Summer Wheat: Oberon Clone - Brewed: 7/11/15
#37 - Hickory Bourbon Honey Porter - Brewed: 7/18/15
#33 - Younger No. 1 Scottish Strong Ale - Brewed: 3/29/15
#28 - Hard Mulled Cider, Brewed 10/11/14 Kegged
#29 - Strawberry Lime Cider, Brewed/10/19/14 Kegged

Gone
#34 - Second Runnings IPA - Brewed: 3/29/15
#32 - Harvest Nugget Smash v2 (TBD) Brewed 11/27/14
#35 - Columbus Pale Ale - Brewed: 5/02/15
User avatar
BlackDuck
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5156
Joined: Wed Aug 07, 2013 7:49 am
Location: Canal Winchester, Ohio

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by BlackDuck »

Wow. They they look awesome. I love smoked salmon!!! Thanks for posting the link.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
ANTLER BREWING
Drinking
#93 - Gerst Amber Ale
Conditioning and Carbing

Fermenting

On Deck
User avatar
Kealia
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 5588
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 10:52 pm

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by Kealia »

That looks and sounds delicious.
FYI - the pics don't come through when viewing from a laptop either (the link works).
User avatar
Dawg LB Steve
Brew Guru
Brew Guru
Posts: 2778
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2014 7:39 pm
Location: Greater Cleveland East

Re: I guess I have a new hobby

Post by Dawg LB Steve »

Just a heads up on this thread, when using chips for your smoke keep in mind that meat will stop absorbing smoke at around the 140 degree internal temp mark, so using chips after that point is basically wasting the chips. As Amy said good BBQ can't be rushed the big pieces of meat, pork buts/shoulders, briskets.... they all hit a stall and can sit at a certain temp for an hour or more at times, some people wrap in foil to help it thru the stall, but I find it creates a nice bark to leave it alone and it will push thru the stall on its own and after the stall it seems to move up in temp quickly.
My two cents.
:cheers:
MONTUCKY BREWING
Currently brewing:

Next Up?
Kolsch?
Ginger Beer?
Traveling Red?
Yazoo Gerst Clone?
Peanut Butter Porter?

Currently Conditioning:
Cherry Mead
California Moscato

Currently enjoying:
Hardly Apple Cider on tap
Hardly Cherry Lime-Aid on tap
Oktoberfestive-Ale on tap
PGA Cider (Pear, Ginger, Apple) on tap 3rd Founders Cup 2016 King Of The Mountain on tap
Bottoms Up Brown on tap GOLD 2016 Ohio Brew Week Silver 2016 Ohio State Fair Silver 2016 Son of Brewzilla, Silver 2015 Son of Brewzilla, Bronze 2015 King Of The Mountain on tap
NITWIT BELGIAN STRONG ALE Banjo-Dawg RCE bottled
DAWG LB PALE ALE bottled
CITRA SLAPPED AMBER ALE bottle
MO FREEDOM SMaSH bottle
HOP TO IT IMPERIAL IPA bottle

Medal Count
Gold 3
Silver 5
Bronze 5
Actively brewing since December 2013
Post Reply