Expert: BBQ Woman - 8/4/2007

Question
QUESTION: I am new to smoking, what does one need to start off in smoking have tried once so far they were dried out do you need a pan for water to keep food moist while cooking there are no places with any info. any help greatly appreciated

ANSWER: You really shouldn't need a pan of water in the smoking chamber.
If your meat is getting dried out you are cooking it at a  high temperature. You should use a thermometer to monitor the smoking process and maintain a temperature between 200 degrees Fahrenheit and 225 degrees Fahrenheit. The internal temperature of the meat itself during the process should reach a temperature of 165 degrees for safe consumption but should never go much higher than that temperature.
You mention in your subject line that you have a horizontal smoker and I am wondering if the model you have has a firebox off to the side where you would make your heat source and add the saturated wood used for smoking.
The larger chamber is where you put your meat allowing the smoke to flow from the first box into the second. I really like the horizontal method as you can smoke allot of meats at the same time because of all the surface space.
If there is a specific meat you want to cook in this manner let me know and I will help you further in your smoking adventure. I hope this helps you.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:  I have three types of meat I would like to smoke one I have tried (ribs) the other are beef brisket, and salmon. one of my problem is making sure I start the fire right in the offset fire box
ANSWER: The key to successful smoking is to be prepared in advance. For ribs I like to mix a dry rub either commercial or my own recipe with a bit more brown sugar and allow them to sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours before smoking. At the same time I get my wood ready allowing it too to soak for at least 24 hours.
For the fire I like to use lump charcoal. Cowboy charcoal is quite popular in my area but I am sure there are others that are just as good. I use a Webber fire starter to start my fire because I never want to hinder the flavor of the smoked meats by using lighter fluid.
When the fire is going good I place the ribs on the grill and close that chamber making sure the chimney is open. In the firebox I toss in a few handfuls of the wet wood to start the smoking process and close the door.
I use a gauge to tell me what temperature the ribs are cooking at. It should be between 200 and 225 degrees. You can adjust the side flue if it appears to be getting too hot or if/when the temperature starts to go down you can add more charcoal wait a bit and add some more wood.
The key will always be to keep the ribs cooking at that temperature. One hour before they are ready you can if desired add a wet mop to the ribs. You can also turn them if you want the wet mop on the other side of the ribs as well. The ribs will have an internal temperature of 165 degrees to be considered done and safe to eat.

Brisket is similar and the best cuts are the ones well marbled with fat.
You will want to score the fat side up of the meat with a knife. Poke holes into the meat so you can put garlic in it. Its best to marinate brisket for up to 48 hours in the refrigerator before smoking it. I should add the reason you want a more fattier cut of meat with brisket is because it tends to dry out. You would prepare your firebox the same way as the ribs. Once you start smoking your brisket at 200 to 225 degrees you can use a wet mop every hour to keep it moist. Most people who wet mop brisket will use an oil based marinade or add oil or butter to their marinade to keep it from drying out. Keep checking the temperature of the brisket itself and when it reaches a temperature of 165 it is done and safe to eat. I usually like to let brisket stand for about 15 minutes before carving as it seems easier to cut after it stands.

In re to the salmon supply me with more information. Do you want hot salmon or cool salmon ...cool salmon is similar to the store bought salmon sold in stores where hot salmon is usually served warm right off the grill.

In closing don't be afraid to add more coal to the firebox if you see the temperature going down in the cooking process. Open the side hatch on the firebox if it appears to be hotter than 225. The more soaked wood you add during the process the more stronger the flavor. If you only want lightly smoked meats only add it once and from then on just add lump charcoal to maintain the heat until it gets done.

Let me know about the salmon.

Regards,
Misty



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: In regards to the salmon, it would be the cold type, but not the the real wet kind but more dry

Answer
Hi,
If you want the more drier smoked salmon its best to use salmon filets that are frozen. If its fresh caught filet and  freeze it a couple of days before you intend to smoke it. Take a sharp knife and puncture the skin in several places so that the brine will penetrate the entire fish.

The basic brine recipe is 2 cups salt to ever one cup of brown sugar. Some people add other spices if they are going for a different flavor but I generally just use the salt/sugar. You want to use a plastic bucket that is large enough to hold the fish, about 5 gallons of water, 14 cups of salt and 7 cups of brown sugar.

Make sure the brine is totally mixed before adding the fish. Add the fish and make sure its totally submerged in the brine. If it doesn't want to stay submerged just use a glass plate to hold it down.

Place in the refrigerator. For thinner slices cool about 14 hours thick slices will take about 24 hours.

Once completely salted remove from refrigerator and rinse the fish under cold running water to remove all excess salt from the fish. This sometimes is time consuming and can take up to one hour rinsing.

Remove and carefully pat dry and place on cookie sheet racks that are set into other bakeware so that it doesn't drip all over your refrigerator. Place the racked fish in the refrigerator for at least 18 more hours. Do not cover.
This allows the fish to dry out.

Its really tricky to cold smoke fish in a horizontal smoker but not impossible. You have to remember that cold smoking uses cold smoke and that the temperature of the smoking chamber can only be about 70 degrees.

With that said you are going to place the fish farther away from the smoking box and leave the chimney and flue open watching to maintain the 70 degree temperature.

You don't want to make a really hot fire you just want enough coals in to keep the the smoke going. You will have to add coals and keep watching the temp and add wood when needed just like with hot smoking but not as much and keep the flue open so its more of a cold smoke. You are going to have to do this for about 14 hours longer if its thicker cuts.

When its done let it cool down first before you wrap and keep it in the refrigerator.

I know its allot of work but the end result can be really worth it.

Regards,
Misty