Weber Smokey Mtn...

[Geppetto]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

I've done hundreds of pounds of fish... mostly mullet and kingfish. You want an oily fish and a mild wood. I use apple, alder, or a little pecan.

Oysters we roast on big open pits. I have never done them on anything else. Nor have I done any other seafood.

Ahhh, nothing like a little Mullet. Smoked is outta this world!
I remember eating off the bones, fried to a golden perfection back in Pensacola. Also, the Mullet Toss at the Flora Bama in Orange Beach is a sight to see!

[skullnrose]

WSM user here too best thing other than cigars I bought in a long time. I use the BBQ GURU with it makes things almost too easy. Also use the maverick remote. I like the kingsford comp seems to burn longer. Anyone know a good online source for wood?

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by skullnrose

WSM user here too best thing other than cigars I bought in a long time. I use the BBQ GURU with it makes things almost too easy. Also use the maverick remote. I like the kingsford comp seems to burn longer. Anyone know a good online source for wood?

Not really, shipping is a killer unless you pallets. Every part of our nation has some kind of native hardwood that should be easy to find. In New England, it's Apple, Pear, Maple, and Cherry. Try orchards, but if in TX (for instance), Oak works really well. New England Oak is a bit too powerful.

[qwerty1500]

Thought I was pretty good but I'm humbled by the expertise I've seen in this thread. Would love to see some discussion about wood smoking ... chips v. chunks, soaking, techniques, etc.

[cle_smoker]

Originally Posted by qwerty1500

Thought I was pretty good but I'm humbled by the expertise I've seen in this thread. Would love to see some discussion about wood smoking ... chips v. chunks, soaking, techniques, etc.

I always use dry chunks. I used soaked chips a long time ago and you get nowhere the amount of smoke you get from chunks. I've tried chips in aluminum foil, a smoker box, directly on the coals, you name it. Will never use them again.

[Smokin Gator]

Wood chunks all the way for me and never soaked. I want very thin blue smoke. Almost invisible. If you soak you cannot get it.

Wood choices for me:

Pork - Cherry is my favorite. I also use hickory and oak.
Chicken - Pecan is my favorite. I also use apple and oak if I have to.
Beef - Mesquite is my favorite, but it is easy to overdo it. I also use oak.

I am lucky in that were I live I can get all the pecan, hickory, cherry (although it is wild cherry) and oak that I want. I pick up apple in NC once or twice a year. The only thing I buy is mesquite and it is easy to find.

[mosesbotbol]

I use mostly applewood- split logs and thinner branches. White ash is great if you are doing pure wood cooking.

[qwerty1500]

Thanks!!!! What keeps the dry chunks from catching on fire?

I'm really enjoying this thread.

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by qwerty1500

Thanks!!!! What keeps the dry chunks from catching on fire?

They do catch fire and that is what you want. You want the to burn cleanly. You are limiting the oxygen though so the don't burn up quickly.

The problem with non-seasoned wood or soaked wood is that if tend to not burn cleanly which equals cresote which equals NASTY!!!

That being said... there are some guys who use green wood but at much higher temp cooks. Four time World Champion (whole hog Memphis in May) Myron Mixon uses green peach wood. I have competed against him many times and you would not believe the smoke his cookers belch when he lights them off. Once you really watch him, though, you realize he is not putting any meat on for a long time and that smoke has really cleaned up. Plus he cooks at much higher temps than most of us do.

[mosesbotbol]

I like green wood if it's branches, I guess I never noticed the cresote since the branches are 1.5" thick. It's easy to go overboard with smoke. Especially with the bark which gives good flavor too.

I tend to hit it with smoke in the beginning, taper it down, then it agin towards the end.

Wood is it a premium around me. I know two competition BBQ guys that had wood cheap, but they are not around anymore. I have to put together a game plan based on how much and what kind of wood and charcoal I have around. Much of the time, I am making sacrifices to use wood wisely.

[Smokin Gator]

Next time I chunk up a bunch of cherry I will let you guys know. I will do large flat rate Priority boxes for the price of the postage. If I chunk it small I can get a lot of wood in one box.

[cle_smoker]

Originally Posted by Smokin Gator

Next time I chunk up a bunch of cherry I will let you guys know. I will do large flat rate Priority boxes for the price of the postage. If I chunk it small I can get a lot of wood in one box.

Let me know. I'd be in for some.

[Geppetto]

Look OK?

[tuxpuff]

Originally Posted by Geppetto

Look OK?

[tuxpuff]

Thanks to this thread I'm now sold on the WSM. Is there any reason I shouldn't go right for the 22"?

[Geppetto]

Originally Posted by tuxpuff

Thanks to this thread I'm now sold on the WSM. Is there any reason I shouldn't go right for the 22"?

I thought about it, but I can say that the 18.5" is a decent size for what I need.

[cle_smoker]

Originally Posted by Geppetto

I thought about it, but I can say that the 18.5" is a decent size for what I need.

Same goes for a smoker as it does for a humidor. Always go bigger. A friend is going to try your BBQ, ask you to cook for 75-100 people, and then whatcha gonna do?

[Smokin Gator]

Originally Posted by Geppetto

I thought about it, but I can say that the 18.5" is a decent size for what I need.

It really is a great smoker.

The two things I remember having to get a little creative with were slabs of ribs and full packer briskets. The ribs you can coil into a circle shape and pin them with toothpicks. That way they will stand up. Briskets you just have to buy smaller ones and kind of scrunch them up. I actually learned a competition trick from that. You can sort of make a thin brisket much thicker when it is cooked by doing that scrunching.

Love my smoker, I have been cooking with it for over 3 years. Never had one meal turn out bad. I smoke brisket, chicken, pork butts, turkeys, ribs, you name it.

A few recent pics......

Trimming up a few racks St. Louis style

Rubbed and rolled (too big to fit in the smoker until they cook down a bit)

In they go

Four hours of this, stopping to baste with apple juice and turn 180 degrees

Then unroll for the last 30 minutes and brush a bit of sauce....


Hmmmm tasty.

A full turkey.....tasty