Just ordered my Model #2. Now waiting like a kid at Christmas.

[MNGuy1959]

Hi Everyone.  I just ordered my Model #2 and am very excited to get it delivered.  I ordered the cart as well, so hopefully I will be happy with both.  I am new to smoking, so I have a lot to learn.  I am going to start with St. Louis ribs.  I ordered the rib hooks.  Just wondering how many racks I will be able to do at one time.  Will have some company over July 4th and want to treat them to ribs.

Also bought the Maverick Et732 remote thermometer.  I have been reading that ribs should be in for 3 to 4 hours.  What should the internal temp be before they are ready?

Thanks for any responses.

 

[UWFSAE]

Congrats on the smoker!  With regard to ribs, I typically do a 5.5 hour unwrapped smoke but your mileage may vary (the 3-2-1 method is damn near bulletproof).

Here's a handy chart for you to use to get smoking time estimates and temps:

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/Time-Temperature.pdf

Good luck!

 

[MNGuy1959]

Thanks Joe.  Very much appreciate the chart.  I will use this often.  I will have to look at the 3-2-1 method, as I have seen many people using it on here.  Looks like a great way to smoke ribs.  I also ordered a rub from www.texasbbqrub.com.  It looks like a nice rub and hopefully will work for us northerners. 

 

[afratki]

Welcome MNGuy and congrats on the purchase

For the ribs, there's not enough meat to get an accurate IT temp so you must rely on time and visual. I did the 3-2-1 method on spareribs and they came out perfect.

 

[UWFSAE]

MNGuy ... there are some killer commercial rubs out there but I will say that once you start making your own rubs (and sauces) this hobby becomes a ton of fun.  Check out the Recipes portion of this discussion board for some rub/sauce ideas and if you're feeling a bit froggy then jump. 

 

[MNGuy1959]

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions.  I am really looking forward to smoking various meats, seafood, and cheeses.  I know this is going to be a great hobby.

 

[MNGuy1959]

Hi All.  I absolutely love my Model #2.  I smoked two sessions of 3 racks of ribs.  Each rack I cut in half to fit on the grill.  I used a different method with each and I like the second method better.  The first time, I marinated the ribs over night and then did the 3-2-1 method.  three hours of smoke at 225, removed, put in foil with apple juice, and 225 for another 2 hours.  Last hour I mopped a sauce every 15 minutes for an hour.  They turned out good, but could have even cooked longer.  Opening the smoker that many times takes awhile for the heat to get back to target temp. 

Second time I used a great rub from texasbbqrub.com.  Just a customer, no advertisement here.  I really loved this rub and put it on all 3 racks.  I got the inside temp to about 200 degrees and smoked with about 3 ounces of hickory for 5.5 hours.  I also used apple juice in a pan next to heating element.  Best ribs I ever had. 

 

[UWFSAE]

Ha!  I actually buy my BBQ/smoking gloves from the same place!  Glad to hear the #2 is working out so well for you.

 

[es1025]

Another happy customer...Steve maybe putting Cook****k and Smokin-T** in a world of hurt.  These smokers are great, I am a raving fan after one month, I wonder what is going to feel like after one year...

 

[UWFSAE]

Well, Smokeasaurus has already swapped out one perfectly good #3 for one the newer #3's with two compression locks and he had zero complaints about either unit based on his posts here and elsewhere.  I've had my Weber propane grill for years and still love it ...

Honestly, there's very little that can fail on these units and they're built like stainless steel tanks so I'd be shocked to see degradation in the unit or the quality of product ... like a '65 Mustang, these Smokin-It's will likely keep on keepin' on ...  8)

 

[DivotMaker]

Well, Smokeasaurus has already swapped out one perfectly good #3 for one the newer #3's with two compression locks and he had zero complaints about either unit based on his posts here and elsewhere.  I've had my Weber propane grill for years and still love it ...

Honestly, there's very little that can fail on these units and they're built like stainless steel tanks so I'd be shocked to see degradation in the unit or the quality of product ... like a '65 Mustang, these Smokin-It's will likely keep on keepin' on ...  8)

Couldn't agree more, Joe!  These are definitely built to last - that's why I'm here!  Very solid product, just like my Weber Genesis 1000 that I've had since '97!  What??  A gas grill that's lasted 16 years??  Yes, folks, if you spend the money for a quality product (and take care of it), it will last you for many years!

Note about the Weber - just about at the end of its very productive lifespan.  I'm thinking about replacing it with (probably) another Weber!  Their grills are built like tanks....just like Smokin_It smokers!  ;D

 

[smokeasaurus]

Yup, a Smokin-it is something you have to leave in your will, cause it is gonna last that long. 

 

[MNGuy1959]

I agree with all of you.  I really looked at other smokers, but for the price, and the customer service (which one cannot over look), this smoker is built like a brick (you know what) house.  I will do anything in my power to convince my friends to buy ONLY from Smokin-It.  I love this thing that much. 

Have any of you ever tried the cold plate to smoke cheese?  I am thinking that could be a real hit over the holidays this winter.  Yeah, my weekends are going to be alot more fun this winter,,,,smoking meat/fish and brewing home brew.  Oh then watching my beloved football Vikes LOL.  What a great life. 

 

[DivotMaker]

I agree with all of you.  I really looked at other smokers, but for the price, and the customer service (which one cannot over look), this smoker is built like a brick (you know what) house.  I will do anything in my power to convince my friends to buy ONLY from Smokin-It.  I love this thing that much. 

Have any of you ever tried the cold plate to smoke cheese?  I am thinking that could be a real hit over the holidays this winter.  Yeah, my weekends are going to be alot more fun this winter,,,,smoking meat/fish and brewing home brew.  Oh then watching my beloved football Vikes LOL.  What a great life.

You can get some dang fine cheese up in your neck of the woods, being so close to Wisconsin!  My cold smoker plate arrived yesterday, and I can't wait to try it!  I plan on putting a bag of ice on top of the plate to help keep the temp down even more, slice the cheese in slices no more than 1" thick, and then smoke them.  Based on what I've read, I will vacuum seal the finished cheese and keep it in the fridge for a week before eating it (sounds like a very important step to allow the smoke to penetrate the slices). 

I'll definitely post my process with pics!

Oh, and I'll be watching the Packers whoop-up on your Vikequeens!  lol (wife is from Mpls, so we have a lot of fun with that on game day!)  All in good fun... 8)

 

[drken567]

"Have any of you ever tried the cold plate to smoke cheese?"

Just tried smoking a Brie wedge using the cold plate; set a small wedge on the seafood rack, and inserted cold plate with a water bath on top. Smoked for about 2 hr. at 175 setting using 1 Peterson's alder puck. Well, the good news  ;D is that things came out delicious! The bad news is that most of the insides of the cheese melted out  :-\, leaving the white rind and a bit of interior cheese, and lots of melty cheese stuck to the rack. But, this all bears repeating! Next time, lower temp (175 was more than plenty to get the smoke going) and maybe use ice instead of just water.

Also threw in a handful of the tiny "bay" scallops at the same time with the cheese - they came out WONDERFUL. Not cooked through but with a lovely smokey taste. Oh, yum.....

Questions for anyone who's used the cold plate: which side of the plate should be installed UP? Should the plate be as close as possible to the food or as far away as possible? Should the plate be installed above or below the temp. sensor?

 

[psoltesz]

Hey there,

Sorry about your brie-tastrophe.  I started a thread for Smoked Cheese over in the "Everything Else" category...posted a video that walks through the process. 

http://smokinitforums.com/index.php?topic=741.0

I've done several cheese smokes following the method described in the video and they've all come out great.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Enjoy!

  - Phil

 

[drken567]

Tried this all again, based on Phil's technique. I used a sharp cheddar  and smoked for 2 x 20 min. periods separated by an hour and using a tray of ice water on top of the cold-smoke plate. Still lost some to melting, so maybe I'll try 2 x 15 minute smokes next time, and/or more ice/lower temps. Things are promising, just not quite there yet....

 

[afratki]

Glad to hear you're making progress. I still haven't tried to smoke any cheese yet (I have the smoke plate) but hope to soon.

 

[DivotMaker]

I tried some cheddar this weekend with apple smoke.  It was definitely a learning experience!  I followed the 20-min on/40 min off method, with ice, and it came out so-so.  I did it twice, but it's not very smokey.  Here's my analysis of my experience:  cooker temp stayed ok with the ice in there - no melting.  Not enough smoke - I think I used too big of a chunk, and it just didn't generate enough smoke in 20 min.  I did see a little smoke coming out the blow hole (sorry, that's what I call it), and capped it with a glass when "off" (to hold the smoke in, but am not pleased with the results.

Plan for next time:  Chips instead of chunks, and a little stronger wood (hickory?).  It just didn't taste like I thought it would.  Any ideas, guys? 

 

[MNGuy1959]

Hi Tony:

First of all, I hope my Vikes surprise your Packers and dominate this year .  Well, I smoked different cheese last week and they turned out pretty darn good.  I bought the cold plate, added some ice and smoked with chips for about 20 minutes at 170 and then turned off for forty minutes.  I did three different batches with wood chips variety (I tried apple first, then Peach and hickory, and finally alder with some grape vine chips).  They all seemed a bit strong at my sample tasting right out of the smoker.  I refrigerated for about 5 days, and the smoke seemed to mellow and go deeper into the cheeses.  My variation was mozzarella, butterkase, cheddar, and swiss.  My wife is not a fan of smoked cheese, but my buddies love it.  It is just fun trying new things in my Model 2.