Curing & Smoking meat

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Roo

Roo

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I don’t have much experience in it but it’s something I’d love to get going. Any tips? Tricks? DIY projects/set ups? Good books? Common mistakes? Favorite recipes/blends?

I’d find any comments interesting. Thanks in advance.
 
I am not into curing, but I smoke a lot of meat (and I love it!).

I am not a pro by any means, but I have learned a few things over the years and get more praise than dirty looks when I slap some pork on a plate. First tip is keep track of what you did, how you did it, what you did it with, and what changes you want to make next time. Eventually that notebook will produce some amazing recipes for you. You can read all about smoking meats but hands on experience is a better teacher. Another tip is not to skip the prep work. Get that meat seasoned, rubbed, brined, injected, etc. long before you plan to smoke it. Also let it warm up to room temp before you get your smoke on. Then when you are done smoking it, rest it. Resting is as important as the prep work.
 
No experience from me, but two things to mention.
Lots of Mesquite smoking done here in Texas. Mm mm, Aunt Bea you've done it again! I LOVE that smell AND the taste is out of this world.
Second, a late ex bro in law had a little smokehouse he built for smoking fish, he fished all the time. I loved that too. It caught fire once. That's all. Lol
 
Sentry18 said:
I am not into curing, but I smoke a lot of meat (and I love it!).

I am not a pro by any means, but I have learned a few things over the years and get more praise than dirty looks when I slap some pork on a plate. First tip is keep track of what you did, how you did it, what you did it with, and what changes you want to make next time. Eventually that notebook will produce some amazing recipes for you. You can read all about smoking meats but hands on experience is a better teacher. Another tip is not to skip the prep work. Get that meat seasoned, rubbed, brined, injected, etc. long before you plan to smoke it. Also let it warm up to room temp before you get your smoke on. Then when you are done smoking it, rest it. Resting is as important as the prep work.
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Thanks so much for the tips. Will do.
 
Smoking meats is really pretty easy. I smoke a lot of stuff in a basic Kingsford charcoal grill.

Low and slow is the way to go, pour on the smoke material of choice ( I use Hickory) early on in the process (this will give you that much desired smoke ring) then set the grill to maintain around 200* for as long as it takes to finish cooking, no need to keep up the smoke through the whole cooking time. I do pork butts that way, chicken and occasionally beef. I really love the smoked pork, it's so good you can't sit still and eat it.
 
Roo said:
I don’t have much experience in it but it’s something I’d love to get going. Any tips? Tricks? DIY projects/set ups? Good books? Common mistakes? Favorite recipes/blends?

I’d find any comments interesting. Thanks in advance.
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We do have a good book on it. When I get home, will try to remember to pull it for real title and author - it's older so should be cheap. Different meats, different smoking times & flavors of wood chips. Everyone ooos and aaaahs about apple or hickory, but we prefer pecan and occasionally cherry - depending. We also had some plum trees that went down that made reeeeaalllyyy good smoked meats - even for BBQ.
 
Curmudgeon said:
Smoking meats is really pretty easy. I smoke a lot of stuff in a basic Kingsford charcoal grill.

Low and slow is the way to go, pour on the smoke material of choice ( I use Hickory) early on in the process (this will give you that much desired smoke ring) then set the grill to maintain around 200* for as long as it takes to finish cooking, no need to keep up the smoke through the whole cooking time. I do pork butts that way, chicken and occasionally beef. I really love the smoked pork, it's so good you can't sit still and eat it.
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My mouth is starting to water with this thread.

I’ve been wondering about chicken. I hear a lot about beef and pork but not so much smoking chicken for some reason. You use hickory? Anything else?
 
I will also add that I spent a lot of money trying to develop my own meat rub, before I gave up and went with a commercially prepared rub. I do doctor it up based on the meat but that's it, and usually that just means adding either cayenne pepper flakes or brown sugar substitute or both. As a Keto eater I also had to choose one that is not sugar based, which is not easy to do. The best one I have found by a mile (Keto or otherwise) is called Fat Boy all-natural Premium All Purpose Rub. Runs about $24 for a decent sized container on Amazon.

The woods I use are apple, cherry, and pecan. Sometimes I will mix apple and pecan together.
 
Roo said:
but not so much smoking chicken for some reason. You use hickory?
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Yes, I use hickory. Most of the time I am doing a "beer can chicken".

As mentioned above other woods are great for smoking as well, apple, pecan, cherry are all good choices. I just prefer the 'in your face' flavor of hickory.

I forgot to mention whichever smoker you use keep the meat away from the direct heat. In a kettle grill just build your bed of coals to one side and place the meat on the opposite side. I use a kettle grill most of the time although I have 3 other types of smokers too. I use my upright smoker for smoked salmon. I use my barrel smoker with a side mounted firebox for larger amounts of food, as in if we have family over for instance. I found a great recipe for "Alaskan Smoked Salmon" Alaskan Smoked Salmon Recipe » Outdoors International

As long as you are doing this, because it is a bit labor intensive, I suggest doing up a bunch extra, eat some, freeze some.
 
Sentry18 said:
I will also add that I spent a lot of money trying to develop my own meat rub, before I gave up and went with a commercially prepared rub. I do doctor it up based on the meat but that's it, and usually that just means adding either cayenne pepper flakes or brown sugar substitute or both. As a Keto eater I also had to choose one that is not sugar based, which is not easy to do. The best one I have found by a mile (Keto or otherwise) is called Fat Boy all-natural Premium All Purpose Rub. Runs about $24 for a decent sized container on Amazon.

The woods I use are apple, cherry, and pecan. Sometimes I will mix apple and pecan together.
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Well that’s one thing I’ll never be short on: apple wood. Family has a big apple orchard out in PA. I’ll be sure to bring plenty home next time I’m out.
 
I used to use a "Little Chief" smoker. Grandpa made a smoker out of an old refrigerator. He cut a 4" hole in the top and slid a steel plate over the hole to control the smoke delay. He used another larger hole in the bottom with an electric hot plate and skillet for the wood chips under the raised refrigerator. Friends of mine have a shed 12' or so by a good 20' that they smoke their salmon in.

We liked alder mostly but tried others. Mostly we smoked salmon. I remember smoking turkey. Wrap cheese in cheesecloth and use a cold smoke if you want to smoke that. After brining we would let it dry and form a glaze before hitting it with smoke.
 
Do NOT ever use evergreens, the tannins are nasty. I have only ever made one batch of jerkey but I have smoked tons of salmon.

The meat you are smoking generally dictates the wood to use. Apple is very light tasting and goes better with fish than beef. Hickory is a good all around as well as maple. It's going to be all about experimentation and what your taste is. Edit... apparently @Sentry18 does not have any...👻
 
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One year my uncle brought grandpa an old cherry tree that he cut down. We were using it for firewood but the damn thing was so hard you could not split it even with a wedge.

So I split the rounds with a chain saw. I got long strips of shavings and was smart enough then to save them for smoking. Worked really well to smoke the fish but dad salted the brine so much you could barely eat it.
 
Sentry18 said:
Yuck, salmon. This is about smoking meat, not smoking things that meat eats. 😋
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Lack of taste is all I can say about that comment. Our cows and pigs never ate salmon, they might have if you gave it to them though. They did eat potato salad.
 
Sentry18 said:
Yuck, salmon.
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Normally I would agree, but if smoked properly (it's the only way I will eat it) it's like eating candy, oh wait, didn't you say you don't eat candy?

I guess you are SOL, lol.
 
Curmudgeon said:
Normally I would agree, but if smoked properly (it's the only way I will eat it) it's like eating candy, oh wait, didn't you say you don't eat candy?

I guess you are SOL, lol.
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I guess he really wouldn't like salmon smoked in a brown sugar glaze.🐟
 
Smoked, grilled, glazed, coated it marijuana, placed gently on Scarlet Johansson's bare abdomen, etc., etc., etc. Nothing would make me interested in eating scaly upstream river rat. There are just way too many hooven and winged animals that are DELICIOUS for me to eat something foul smelly and foul tasting. 😎

final-print_2564309_bestosouthsoulbbq0104.jpg
 
Caribou said:
I guess he really wouldn't like salmon smoked in a brown sugar glaze.🐟
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Nope, lol. I love it, otherwise I will leave salmon by the side of the road unless I was in survival mode.
 
Sentry18 said:
to eat something foul smelly and foul tasting.
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My Wife won't eat any of it either. If it lives in the water, um...........nope!

I can honestly say there isn't anything much better than a smoked Rainbow Trout.
 
Caribou said:
Smoked Eulachon, and a beer. Too small to clean so you eat guts feathers and everything. 🐟
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Had to look that creature up. They look like Smelt. My parents made me go to a Smelt feed as a child and forced me to eat them. I threw up everywhere. They still made me go to them but never made me eat any after that.

But here's a little secret, there is a fish I don't absolutely hate. It's called Torsk. Not sure if it as an actual fish or just how it's made. I am pretty sure they boil the fish in sugar water until it takes out all of the fish taste and smell. Then they drench it in butter and broil it. My parents made me eat that too but it was WAY more palatable than smelt, or walleye, or perch, or anything else they made me try.
 
@Roo Some helpful books:
Home Sausage Making by Perry & Reavis
Home Book of Smoke Cooking by Sleight and Hull
Cutting up in the Kitchen by M Ellis
The last is more about cuts of meat of various critters but is very informative. Sorry for the lack of proper punctuation for books - on my phone.
Also, as far as using the plum wood and flavor- you know how if you add certain herbs to a pot roast, it absorbs those flavors but mildly? It’s kinda like that with woods too. Cherry and apple are sweet, hickory and mesquite tart, and everything in between.
Re above: I don’t like salmon any way I’ve ever had it but love other fish. Alaskan halibut seasoned lightly with savory sage and thyme fried at low temp in a light oil then sprinkled with a good quality vinegar- the best. I must like y’all cuz I don’t usually share my combos. 😁
 
Any fruit wood works well with pork. My fam uses mulberry a lot because it grows like weeds on the family farm. A 10 pound pork loin smoked 10 hours with mulberry is better than candy. As mentioned, keep the temp down. Also, brushing the meat with something acidic like a citrus juice or even 7up or Sprite, can both tenderize it and add a kick to the flavor, but I think a little goes a long way.

Smoked turkey is fabulous as well. The white meat will just disintegrate on your tongue...
 
I am wondering how hard it would be to cure bacon, raise a feeder pig, dress it & freeze or smoke over hickory colds is as far as I have went.
I have been told there are other ways of curing pork.
 
joel said:
I am wondering how hard it would be to cure bacon, raise a feeder pig, dress it & freeze or smoke over hickory colds is as far as I have went.
I have been told there are other ways of curing pork.
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I was wondering the same when I started the thread. I’m just as interested in preservation without freezing as I am in good eating. I’ve smoked a few things in the past but I never cured with salt and peppers.
 
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