Smoking & Grilling

@mars True, you can spritz with cider or water to keep the humidity high and allow the smoke to adhere to the skin. On a somewhat related note the “smoke ring” that people prize and strive for isn’t really smoke penetration. It is a cure ring, one which we can achieve by curing a piece of meat and cooking it in an oven or sous vide cooker!

@twilliams That’s what I ended up doing too, putting mineral oil in a dollar store spray bottle, i use it on everything now! I agree, you can’t put enough on it. This also works on walkin cooler door gaskets, they like to freeze since ours in outside and this takes care of it.

@snuffy Did you inject, brine or dry rub? I am assuming dry rub since it was dry rub with 7 days? Check out the “Pre Smoking Rinse” section of this https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/800/cured-whole-muscle-meat-104-bacon-basics

@Jonathon Thanks Jon. I butchered these myself and the meat all looked awesome. They will be hitting the PK100 this weekend!

@twilliams THAT is a good looking burger man! I just used the bacon aioli to make myself an imitation bacon sandwich, stuff is delicious! Patties out of the left over meat is the way to go for sure.

@Clint-Hunter I added two pieces of angled aluminum close to the top. Notched the dowels so they don’t roll. [image: 1579642388223-img_20200121_152704-1344x756.jpg]

blackjac Have done many pounds of sticks with no water bath and have not had wet sticks.Hope it works for you. And get your shovel ready.

@blackjac I always go straight from the smoker or if I’m using a cure accelerator I go straight to the smoker. As Jonathon stated, the meat is still very cold at that point, partly because I don’t make large batches as I can only fit about 15 lbs of sausage or snack sticks in my smoker at a time. I can get more Summer sausage or Salami but I still usually don’t make more than 10-15 lbs of that at a time either.

@ctraymond Yeah 2 quarts is already at the outer limits of what you should use for 25 lb and using that for 20 would cause this issue. I generally like to use about 1.5 qts for a 25 lb batch. Remember, this is a semi-dried sausage so any extra water you put in the meat has to be cooked out at some point.

@bdaubu thank you for the input with the vertical smoker it helps.

@PapaRutz Not sure about rabbit, but have smoked many pork brats. I do these on a Weber grill. Total cook is indirect. Wood chips on edge of coals. 225 for entire process. These come out tasting nothing like a brat, more like smoked sausage. Very very good!

I’m not a fan of wet wood for smoking, I like a heavier smoke and I also tend to keep the top vent more open and control air flow with the bottom. More air=more smoke. I do like running it on the high wattage, again more smoke. But keep in mind I only smoke in the smoker for short time until I get the color I want (generally 4 hours or less- that’s when meat is typically done taking smoke) then into the water bath to finish cooking.

I’ve seen it and it looks like a beast!

Thank you all. That was only the 3rd batch I have done and it’s getting better than the last. Adding the cheese little more seasoning than called for and the flavor is booming. Don’t know how much it helps but I use beer instead of water also. My girl says it’s good so that’s plus because then she’s more inclined to me experimenting with different things and trying then. She’s only a little (a lot) picky. Lol Will be reading up and trying more new things when work allows me some time off.

Appreciate the insight, think I’ll stick with the dust. Headed over to use my buddy’s planer to make some special Black Run BBQ pro mix!!

I just used the Soluble Cajun injection seasoning on a tenderloin last weekend and a few sprinkles of the ultimate steak and roast rub shaker and that came out fantastic. I need to order some more of that injection because it was delicious!

In case anyone is looking for more information on this process here is a post from February where @Parksider gives some instructions https://meatgistics.waltonsinc.com/topic/1092/dried-venison/9

@twigg267 Depends on what you are seasoning it with and if you injected it with a seasoning that has phosphates in it or not. A lot of people do 225 the entire way and if you injected it that really should be okay as that will keep it from drying out. If you have the time try the below. I would still recommend that you follow that either way but a 22 lb turkey is gonng take a very very long time with this schedule, somewhere above 10 hours! 1 Hour at 150° with no smoke or humidity 1 Hour 160° and begin smoking and adding humidity 175° until internal temperature reaches 165° (Figure 1/2 hour for each lb of turkey)

@mikehoots Yes, like @twilliams said increased relative humidity will absolutely speed up your cooking process, even small amounts of added humidity will help a little!

@jkakuk I think sosus vide for 24 hours then searing it would be a great way to go! Pa’s black bull would absolutely be my choice for injection and for the rub you could do anything and it would still turn out great! @Aspenguide I am pretty sure @Tex_77 was giving him 2 options, either sous vide and then sear or smoke and then sear.