Rub recipes and temps please ;)
Fa sure bro...Recipes will come in a bit.. ;)
You can smoke anywhere from 200-300F range and the meat will not know a difference really, now I say that timidly.. Ideal range is 225-275 for large cuts of beef and pig & ribs, too.. But once again if it swings up and down a bit it's all good.
There are just a few things to think about:
PLAN AHEAD!!!!! IT TAKES ABOUT 1.25/1.5/2 HRS PER LB OF MEAT TO COOK AN FINISH OFF A BUTT OR BRISKET.
0. Buy only untrimmed brisket and pork butt, do not cut anything off. For ribs take the membrane off the back first. Pry a fork handle under the skin and bone to release that nasty film..
0.0. You can use either mustard or oil to act as a "glue" for your rub to stick to the meats more, and also the lipids in the oil "activates" spices as well. Traditional Texas bbq does not use any mustard at all. We do not use it.. Some do tho.. :evilgrin0040: I prefer an oil rub down first and then rub.
0.1.
Place you meat FAT SIDE DOWN..FAT ALWAYS BETWEEN MEAT & HEAT!!! ALWAYS!! Don't believe the bs about fat dripping down and basting your meat.. Never do it.. Makes meat ugly, takes rub off, and doesn't do any good but dry meat out..
1. Keep large cuts moist by spraying every hour+ with apple juice, broth and/or oil mixed, depending on what meat ya smoking. Pork butts we only use apple juice/apple cider. Brisket we use apple juice/oil/beef broth.
2. We use water pans under our meats to provide moisture in the smoke so the meat does not dry up. Just fill a few cheap alum pans with water or beer to provide moisture.
3. If you are smoking more than 2hrs use a less resinous wood, no mesquite. We only use oak wood/chips/chunks & lump coal only when we smoke our meat.
4. Google
"Minion method" on how to make a fire last for 6+hrs in a smoker using lump coal only.
5. If ya can, buy yourself a leave in meat thermometer so it can always tell ya what temps you're running.
6. You will always always always run into a temperature plateau. Normally it's around 155-165f and the meat will just sit there hung in that one temp spot for hours.. Don't worry and do anything. Keep temps steady and it will eventually over come the plateau. This temp plateau is where the fat and cartilage breaks down to butter.
7. We pull our meats from the grill at diff temps pending on what we're cookin' and what we want to eat.
Brisket
Slices-190-195F
Chopped-195-200+
Pork Butt
Pulled Pork-190-195F
Shredded Pork-195-200+
8. When the meat reaches temps you want we pull and wrap in foil if it's not already, and then we wrap in towels and put in ice chest-minus the ice, for hours to rest, or place in UNLIT oven. It needs to rest at least 2+ hours..
9. They say to cut the brisket across the grain, but if you cook it right you won't have to worry about tenderness. It'll just melt in your mouth..,
