Meat and Heat, no side dishes

[JackT]

The last thing that I want to do is question other's cooking preferences, but I am interested in other's experiences with the SI smokers and side dishes. IMHO, your target meat is what you are cooking and setting heat and time targets for. Maybe I'm just old-school, but you can't expect to cook ribs, pork butts, turkeys, whatever, and expect a side dish to cook simultaneously. Most of my side dishes need to cook at 325 or better anyway, so I wouldn't ruin a good side by letting it wallow in 225 territory. Certainly, I'm sure that there are some recipes that I'm not familiar with and I'm curious of those experiences, but for me, it's all about the meat.

Jack

 

[DivotMaker]

I'm with you Jack - it's ALL about the meat!  I never attempt to cook side dishes with my meat.  Tried it a time or two, with not-so-good results, and it's just not worth it!  I have other ways to cook side dishes.  If you were to say, roast a turkey in your oven, would you add 1 or more pans of side dishes at the same time?  I've never know anyone who would, but I guess some do.  Eliminating any "distractions" from the "main attraction," in my humble opinion, helps me achieve consistent, predictable (as much as possible with BBQ) results!  Most of the time, when I read about folks having bad cooking results, the common thread is trying to cook sides with the meat.

 

[Tom]

About all I'd do is some beans under the meat. I suppose if one were driven to do it, they could put a previously baked mac and cheese type casserole in as well to pick up some smokiness. But I don't see a good reason to do much beyond that.

 

[DivotMaker]

About all I'd do is some beans under the meat.

Lose that habit with the SI.  A pan of beans beneath the meat, in between the meat and the heat, can cause disastrous results.  It can really mess with your box temp and effect time.  If you must do a pan of beans, put it above the meat, not below.

 

[SconnieQ]

For brisket, butt, and ribs, there is plenty of rest time to throw in a side dish after they come out, to get a little smoke flavor on, if that is your preference. I personally think a meal is all about balance, and I don't want all of my sides to have the same smoky flavor as the star of the show, the meat. You need contrast and balance of some smoke, some sweet, some salty, some fresh and crunchy, some tart, some creamy, etc, in order to appreciate and accentuate each individual element of the meal. Your smoked meat will taste even better that way.

 

[DivotMaker]

For brisket, butt, and ribs, there is plenty of rest time to throw in a side dish after they come out, to get a little smoke flavor on, if that is your preference. I personally think a meal is all about balance, and I don't want all of my sides to have the same smoky flavor as the star of the show, the meat. You need contrast and balance of some smoke, some sweet, some salty, some fresh and crunchy, some tart, some creamy, etc, in order to appreciate and accentuate each individual element of the meal. Your smoked meat will taste even better that way.

Bazinga!!  +++1!  Best explanation I've ever seen of why I don't smoke sides with my meat! 8)

 

[Tom]

About all I'd do is some beans under the meat.

Lose that habit with the SI.  A pan of beans beneath the meat, in between the meat and the heat, can cause disastrous results.  It can really mess with your box temp and effect time.  If you must do a pan of beans, put it above the meat, not below.

If that's the case, I wouldn't even bother then. I'm getting a bit frustrated with this PID controller. I've used several in my commercial espresso machines and they auto-tune themselves (generally getting more precise with use). But the 3D is currently wobbling pretty far from my set temp. I've had it set at 180º and it's been anywhere from 162º to now 205º with very long periods at both ends.

 

[DivotMaker]

Tom, I would recommend doing an autotune.  Most have had good results with the pre-set program in the 3D, but you may have a factor that's effecting that...I don't know.  Give this a try: (It will work the same with the 3D).

How to Autotune the Auber

 

[Tom]

Tom, I would recommend doing an autotune.  Most have had good results with the pre-set program in the 3D, but you may have a factor that's effecting that...I don't know.  Give this a try: (It will work the same with the 3D).

How to Autotune the Auber

Thank you so much!

I was completely under the impression that that method was only for folks who had bought the PID setup after buying a stock unit; meaning that the pre-installed units already had this function ran when assembled.

 

[DivotMaker]

Tom, we had to have a preset "starting point" for production.  I pretty much came up with an average, based on everyone's autotune settings, and tried it.  It is close, and most have been satisfied with it, but you do have the same functionality as the standalone units.  Set up a "simulated" cook, and run the AT.  If you have any problems, or questions, let me know (PM, or in a separate thread).

 

[SuperDave]

Love my side dishes and consider myself way beyond just a meat cooker.  IMO, an electric smoker is not designed to do side dishes well.  I have a small, fast recovering propane smoker that does all my side dishes while the meat is doing its thing in the SI. 

 

[Walt]

Odd conversation. Something's I only cook sides. Potatoes & corn are exceptionally good. Some cook well with with a protein, like potatoes & ribs which require the same cooking times. That's the key, similar cook temps & times. The smoked corn makes a great addition to salads especially when paired with boiled shrimp or crawfish. Don't limit yourself, experiment. A light background flavor of smoke can add quite a bit of depth & complexity to many dishes, even sides. I have no problem accomplishing this with my SI2.

 

[JackT]

About all I'd do is some beans under the meat.

Lose that habit with the SI.  A pan of beans beneath the meat, in between the meat and the heat, can cause disastrous results.  It can really mess with your box temp and effect time.  If you must do a pan of beans, put it above the meat, not below.

If that's the case, I wouldn't even bother then. I'm getting a bit frustrated with this PID controller. I've used several in my commercial espresso machines and they auto-tune themselves (generally getting more precise with use). But the 3D is currently wobbling pretty far from my set temp. I've had it set at 180º and it's been anywhere from 162º to now 205º with very long periods at both ends.

Had a similar experience with my 3D, and found the temp probe in the box to be fouled with burnt drippings, grease etc. Clean it real good and see if that helps. It's real easy and possibly it could help.

Jack

 

[JackT]

Odd conversation. Something's I only cook sides. Potatoes & corn are exceptionally good. Some cook well with with a protein, like potatoes & ribs which require the same cooking times. That's the key, similar cook temps & times. The smoked corn makes a great addition to salads especially when paired with boiled shrimp or crawfish. Don't limit yourself, experiment. A light background flavor of smoke can add quite a bit of depth & complexity to many dishes, even sides. I have no problem accomplishing this with my SI2.

Actually, not so odd, as you hit on one of the key points. Similar cook times and temps. Many have posted issues with cook times and they have also mentioned the  addition of sides to their smoke. Most sides are not going to have similar cook times and temps, also why I have a double oven. When I'm planning the meat for the meal, it has priority over anything else on the menu, even though sides are part of the menu. IMHO, there are some new smokers that are still learning the ropes, and sometimes they complicate the process by adding a side or two with the headliner. Sometimes, you just gotta keep it simple.

Jack

 

[DivotMaker]

Walt has a really good point about similar times and temps!  This applies to meat, too.  All to often, we see brand-new owners posting about their first smoke, that will include ribs, brisket, beans, ABTs, potatoes, ....wait, is there still room for salmon??  How about a pork butt??  "I don't want to fire up the new smoker for just a couple racks of ribs!"  You get the point.  You guys are so right!  Keep is simple, and keep it similar!