It has arrived!

[Lionhawk]

Just wanted to poke my head in and say hey.  The #2 arrived on my step this past monday and i am really looking forward to it (even though i still haven't even unboxed it yet).  I have been reading these boards for the past few weeks and y'all are a great resource.  I am completely new to all kinds of smoking so i am sure you'll see plenty more posts from me.

I plan on doing the break-in on Sunday and Monday doing suome ribs for the wife and I since i am off that day.  Seems Spare/STL are the preferred if i recall from the various threads i have come across.  Just need to work my timeline to have them done at about 5 Monday evening. Not gonna lie, a bit nervous i am going to royally f-up my first go round!  Go ahead and shoot if you have any advice.  Rub recipes?

In a totally unrelated meat question....what is the difference between cold and hot smoked salmon?  In the next few weeks i would like to do a big batch of salmon in strips so i can freeze a bunch and pull them out as needed.  Getting sick of paying $6-$7 for those little strips in the refrigerator section of the grocery store....i want to do my own!

Thanks in advance fellas

 

[bbqnewbie]

I'm in the same boat as you, Jason.  Ours arrives today and hope to break it in already this afternoon, depending on dlvy. time.  I also am concerned about messing up my first 2-10 attempts - lol.  We can keep pace with each other and compare notes, perhaps.  Ribs will also be the first thing we smoke.

 

[swthorpe]

Welcome, guys!  you will love the smoker, and it is practically impossible to mess up the ribs!  I go with baby back ribs, usually 2-3 racks at a time.  Get them rubbed down the night before so they can sit in the fridge overnight and get happy!  I rub them and wrap in saran wrap overnight.    On smoke day, allow at least 5.5 hours at 225 or 235F, so I would start them at 11am to be sure for 5pm.  Use the "no peaky" method and just let them go, bone side down on the racks.  I also like to throw a couple potatoes on the top rack for baked potatoes.    Use about 3oz of wood...hickory is my favorite for ribs.  Let us know how they turn out.  Cheers

 

[Me2]

Welcome to you both. You will love your #2s. It is hard to mess up totally. You'll just find yourself being a little more critical of your results but other's that eat them will think they are totally delicious.

My first smoke a year and a half a go was ribs in a #2. I just used a commercial rub and followed the forums advice regarding no peeking. Over time I've tweaked my process but even those first ribs were tasty.

I also concur with others that a brined butt is an ideal smoke and turns out great and is not that difficult.

Just jump in, experiment and start having fun.
Martha

 

[NDKoze]

Welcome from ND Jason!

There are a lot of really good threads in the Pork Recipe section. That is where I would focus your reading.

 

[DivotMaker]

Welcome Jason!  You've made the right choice for a smoker, and we'll have you a "pit master" in no time!

I grew up on spares, but I'm an all-in baby back guy now!  I buy the 3 rack packs from Sam's, and they're great.  Meaty and big!  For a quick and easy "off the shelf" rub, I recommend Famous Dave's Rib Rub.  It's a good mix of sweet and spicy, and is great on pork.  Of course, there are many great rubs in the recipe section under "Rubs."  Sorry, but can't comment on the salmon question, but we have some really good fish guys that will!

 

[NDKoze]

It's all about preference. As much as I usually agree with Divot, I prefer the St Louis Cut ribs.

I say try both and see which ones you like best.

 

[DivotMaker]

Definitely nothing wrong with spares, Gregg!  Still love 'em!  I'm just a recent convert to baby backs.

 

[NDKoze]

Total with ya. I would never turn down baby backs either. They're both "pork". What an awesome animal God placed on this earth for us to consume!

 

[DivotMaker]

Yep! 8)

 

[Lionhawk]

Alright i seasoned Sunday.  Did 2 racks (7lbs) of baby backs yesterday from Sam's. Got them for $3.09/lb.

0730 - I started with removing the membrane, rubbing down with some mustard and oil, then adding Dave's Rib Rub.  I cut the ribs in half to easily fit the #2 and to get the meatier halves one rack lower.

They then went back into the beer fridge.

In the meantime i picked out a few chunks of hickory and it measured out to exactly 3 oz.  I foil boated each piece. I filled a mini loaf pan with some apple juice. I put all this in the smoker right after the ribs went back in the fridge.

1130 - Ribs out....a beer out and go!  2 halves on top rack, 2 halves on 1st from top rack. Set the smoker to 230 and go! It was about 1140 when the door shut.

1155 - start noticing some smoke that started white then quickly went to a yellowish color.  This continued for a bit. Didn't smell great either...not bad, but not like that great hickory smell.

1210 - trying to feed my little dude and hear the big belch and look out on the deck to see all the smoke. dark yellowish tinted smoke. this color continued for about 15 more minutes.

1225-1645 - nice constant stream of white smoke and an incredible smell!  Pulled the ribs out.

1715 - dinner served!  maybe a bit dry in the thin spots but overall pretty darn solid!  Luckily i actually like the dryness and having to do some chewing, while my wife likes the juicier parts, so this worked out real well.  There was on hunk of meat hanging off the end that basically got torched and i loved it.  Like a hunk of crusted up jerky!

Overall, i consider it a success although i would like to get rid of the belch.  Guessing one of the chunks caught fire and thats also why the dark yellowish smoke was present?  maybe try ramping up temp next time?  I noticed during the seasoning that the middle of the smoke box appeared to be the hottest, and not the part closest to the back. Normal?  Should i avoid putting wood in the middle.  Thanks to all you on these boards for all the tips...i know this beginner really appreciates it!

 

[tnlyne]

Jason-

Welcome to the SI club! What part of Iowa you in? I'm in the CR/Marion area and also have a #2.

I just did two racks from Sam's on Saturday. I left mine in a bit longer than you (5.7 hours) and went at 235 degrees rather than 230. At 5.7 hours I actually opened the smoker to check them (they were done) and set the smoker to 140 degrees until ~6.3 or so hours and pulled them when company arrived. They were fall off the bone delicious and moist in the thicker parts, a little dryer in the thinner meat parts. After a few more rib smokes you'll perfect the way you like them and have a better understanding for preferred methods of preparation, wood choice, temps, etc... I think I finally found my sweet spot after my 3rd rib smoke now.


In regards to your belch... Are you sure you witnessed a belch? The foil boat method would make it difficult to happen I would think (especially at only 230 degrees). I don't think I've seen a belch with my unit but I thought they resulted in black smoke rather than "yellowish tinted smoke" as you described. I usually see tinted smoke in the first hour and the white smoke I wonder if it's more just the visible moisture coming out of the smoker from the apple juice and such.


Congrats on your success and the many more to come!

 

[NDKoze]

Jason, it sounds like this may be one occasion where you should probably try the foil and ramp up method at the same time.

Are you using a "Big-Box" store hickory or the ones that came with your smoker or a smoking wood supplier? Big-Box store wood is usually too dry and hard to prevent the combustion.

 

[Lionhawk]

Thanks Tony!  I am in LeClaire...home of those damn pickers.

Pretty confident it was a belch.  I heard a significant noise...best described as kind of a whoosh with a dull thud? If that makes sense!  Obviously all windows are closed this time of year so it makes it harder to describe.  After seeing that i looked out to see a bunch of smoke that obviously wasn't all from the little hole in the top.

It was a bag of chunk from Gander Mountain so it probably was pretty dry.  For what its worth the hickory dowels that came with it did the same thing as well.  I didn't foil those though.  Is there a good place to get chunks at?  I will probably be in the market shortly as i want to get some apple wood to do some salmon in the next few weeks.

 

[tnlyne]

Quality smoking wood can be obtained from fruitawoodchunks.com or mainegrillingwoods.com.  I just got a bunch of peach (30 lbs) that will take me a VERY LONG time to go through. So, if you are in the CR/Marion area and want some peach wood at a good price give me a heads up as I've already had it shipped here (http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=2573.msg17906#msg17906). I'm always willing to trade if you get some cherry or other kinds of wood and have some excess.

 

[Lionhawk]

I'm up in Iowa City for a decent amount of basketball games.  Thats probably as close as i get.  I will give you a shout if i get up further though

 

[DivotMaker]

Looks like a pretty successful "first smoke," Jason!  Those pictures look incredible!  Don't worry about the combustion you had - it will lessen over time.  Just use the foil, like you did.  As you use your smoker more, the seams around the door will build up a better coating of creosote, and will let less air in.  It will seal better, the more you use it.