Meat for smoking

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Ancalagon

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Hey guys,

So over the Easter weekend, I want to try my hand at smoking meat with my Weber. I've read up about it, so I know I need to use a low temperature for a long time, 6-8 hours depending on the meat.

Anyway, what I want to know is, does anyone know where to get a large beef brisket? Not sliced brisket, something like a 2-3 kg piece? Would a butcher have it?

Also, unsmoked pork ribs. The only ribs I ever see are already smoked. Any ideas?
 
Any proper butcher. To be honest you're not going to get a cold smoke in the webber. Maintaining the hot smoke method requires a completely indirect heat, and the webber is really small for that.

Good luck though. Try smoking things like cheese in the Webber. You light up herbs and various wood chips with the lid on, wait for it to stop cooking, then quickly chuck a piece of cheese on the grill and close the lid. Leave for 5 - 10 minutes depending on how smokey you want it. Then refrigerate again...
 
I made smoked paprika in my Weber. I used an old tin can, that I punched holes in for air. Put a hot coal in, and some wood chips. I topped the wood chips every hour, and let it go for about 6 hours I think. If anything, that was too cold.

I've read up about it - its not really cold smoking. The temperature I need to aim for is about 225 degrees F, which according to Google is 107 degrees C. So, its cool compared to a normal weber, but not below the 70C required for cold smoking (it is 70, isnt it?).

What I'll use is something called the minion method. You place your coals in a circle around your drip tray, unlit, and then add about 10 lit coals to the one end. The burns slowly from one end to the other, making for a relatively cool and constant fire.

I'll have the top vent open, and the bottom one mostly closed.
 
Quick question for DJ...

If I want to smoke a pork belly, in future, do I have to cure it first? I mean, curing is done only to preserve the meat, right?
 
Curing is both for flavour and for preservation but is usually only necessary for a cold smoke. With a pure salt cure, it preserves by drawing out moisture from microorganisms through osmotic pressure. It also helps to retard oxidation. Normally you will also use nitrites and nitrates which are a little controversial but are the reason cooked cures turn pink, but aren't altogether 100% safe. They do however add a distinctive flavour.

If you're hot smoking then no curing is necessary though. Curing however does create an electrostatic differential with the smoke (through the salt) and actually draws the smoke flavour into the meat itself. Factory smokers use this principle to smoke meats fast and with minimal moisture loss. They in fact use infrared beams to ionise the smoke and pass it through an electric current, which then means that the smoke practically sticks to the meat and is drawn into it. The effect with salt is quite minimal though.

Bottom line - hot smoke = no cure. Cold smoke = cure, and be careful about your nitrite/nitrate usage. You don't have to leave it out altogether, but certainly use an FDA guide for concentrations...
 
Thanks. If I buy pork belly for smoking, I probably wont bother with curing. I see some recipes recommend a one day cure, which I suppose will add flavour, but is not long enough to actually preserve the meat, which I read takes about 5 days for an average belly.

If only a big green egg wasnt so damn expensive! They look great for smoking. Just way too expensive though.
 
Start curing belly for that long and then smoking it and you have bacon!

I'm not a huge fan of curing for a hot smoke. I'd rather brine a whole roast for 24 hours. 12 hours should be good for a belly. Also remember to trim the excess fat off the pork belly - it can be excessive...
 
DJ... said:
I use it often. It is incredible stuff. I buy mine from a seller on BidOrBuy and it lasts forever as you only use it drop by drop. It is potent...
Click to expand...

What do you use it with? Any recipes/ideas you would like to share?
 
RustyPrincess said:
What do you use it with? Any recipes/ideas you would like to share?
Click to expand...

Anything and everything you want a smokey flavour with to be honest. I don't write down recipes to be honest. I use my understanding of ingredients and food science shape how I cook, so recipes to me are trivial little annoyances most of the time, as I inevitably land up completely disagreeing with them. :D

Just add a drop or two to anything you'd like some smoke flavour with. If I have a chance later today I'll post one or two "recipes" or guidelines to using the stuff...
 
DJ... said:
Any proper butcher. To be honest you're not going to get a cold smoke in the webber. Maintaining the hot smoke method requires a completely indirect heat, and the webber is really small for that.

Good luck though. Try smoking things like cheese in the Webber. You light up herbs and various wood chips with the lid on, wait for it to stop cooking, then quickly chuck a piece of cheese on the grill and close the lid. Leave for 5 - 10 minutes depending on how smokey you want it. Then refrigerate again...
Click to expand...

It's a Weber, I think Webber is the Chinese imitation :p

Ancalagon you may want to visit the Weber Forum
These guys are real pros so you're bound to get some good tips.
 
Ancalagon said:
I made smoked paprika in my Weber. I used an old tin can, that I punched holes in for air. Put a hot coal in, and some wood chips. I topped the wood chips every hour, and let it go for about 6 hours I think. If anything, that was too cold.

I've read up about it - its not really cold smoking. The temperature I need to aim for is about 225 degrees F, which according to Google is 107 degrees C. So, its cool compared to a normal weber, but not below the 70C required for cold smoking (it is 70, isnt it?).

What I'll use is something called the minion method. You place your coals in a circle around your drip tray, unlit, and then add about 10 lit coals to the one end. The burns slowly from one end to the other, making for a relatively cool and constant fire.

I'll have the top vent open, and the bottom one mostly closed.
Click to expand...


If you use a foil tray or metal dish on the grill (next to your meat) filled with boiling water you can improvise a kind of water smoker in your Weber. The water will help keep your food moist and will also keep the cooking temperature a little cooler. You will probably have to top up the water every 40 minutes or so.
 
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