Can you "turbo smoke" anything?

Gravytrain84

Or does it mostly pertain to butt roasts? I'm looking at ribs, brisket, pork loins.. Would you recommend turbo for these or woukd low n slow be better?

Also, do you always wrap in foil towards the end of turbo method?

Mattman3969

I smoke pork butts at 350* all the way till finished and do not use foil. Awesome bark and oh so tender meat. Pork ribs 350* till passing the bend test, usually about 1 1/2 to 2hrs again no foil. IMO I think beef really benefits from the low and slow. I've never had good luck cooking beef at higher temps. Pork loins 325ish till IT OF 135-140. All of these are indirect cooks BTW.

bettysnephew

I would not recommend cheese!  LOL

gdenby

The "turbo" style is usually applied to things that are also done "low and slow," around 225 - 275F, such as pork ribs and butts. Brisket master A. Franklin still recommends that range, but I've read his cookers sometimes are running around 350F. Loins are usually cooked at higher temperatures, but removed long before they reach an internal temperature above 195, which is where ribs, buts, and briskets are cooked. While meats cooked however briefly in the presence of wood, even just wood charcoal, will take up some smoke flavor, traditional BBQ cooked meats with large amounts of connective tissue and fat. All meat dries as it cooks. If there is enough collagen and fat in a piece of meat, those replace moistness w. succulence. If you are cooking something like a pork loin, or a turkey breast, there isn't enough fat and collagen to offset the drying. Those kinds of meats are always cooked "turbo" just long enough to be safe when eaten. Foiling increases the turbo effect, but is not necessary if cooking around 350. At 350, the meats' moisture will evaporate just as quickly as if cooking at 300 w. a period in foil. The foil just help the meat sweat off its water weight.

fishlessman

its all in what your after, with pork loin i like some charring so i cook them hot direct on a raised grid. ill do brisket either way but i like low and slow style verse the texture you get with a fast cook which is more steaky. with turkey, you either get a roasted turkey or a pulled turkey with sauce depending how you cook it(big difference in texture but both are still good) ones for dinner and ones for pulled sandwiches. low and slow butts are actually more convenient for me than the faster cook( i sleep, go fishing, butts done) i see more fat and gristle that needs to be removed when pulling a fast cooked butt as well

SenecaTheYounger

@gdenby:

You can roast loins and other finer cuts (in roast form) at lower temperatures, it's just that their internal temperature isn't taken to the 195-205 range it might be if one were making pulled pork or beef, or brisket (for ex.).

Many restaurants tout their "slow roasted" prim rib, which is usually simply a rib roast cooked at 225-250.  Not only does this gentler type of cook mean more uniform cross section, but it allows them to hold a few roasts for a number of hours as they climb through the rare to medium to well-done level of finish that diners enjoy.

I have gone fully over to cooking roasts, chickens, even turkys, at 250.  It will not dry the meat unless the meat is overcooked.

Mickey

Baby Back Turbo Ribs 350 indirect for 1hr 40 min. Before cooking: Pull membrane , rub, mustard, rub. Put on at 350 and leave the hell alone for about that time. This is called turbo ribs and I will never go back to 4 and 5 hour ribs. Note: with or w/o mustard works .. I like Bad Byron's Butt Rub / I like cherry & pecan mix for wood. If you want sauce: opened 15 min early and sauce. I like the sauce on the table.

Mickey

Turbo Beef Ribs Indirect 350. Pull membrane, Rub-mustard-rub, cherry wood. Used coffee rub.

bbqlearner

Wow how long was the turbo beef ribs @Mickey?

Gravytrain84

Both pics of those ribs look DELICIOUS...

SGH

@Gravytrain84‌ said Can you"turbo smoke" anything?

No sir. You cannot. Let me explain. There are certain size meats that are so large that the outside will scorch and singe long before the inside is done. Granted these are massive cuts or sides but they do not do well at high temps. Also you have to take into account what you call turbo temp as everyone seems to have a different take on where temp turbo starts at. That being said let me give a few examples to help clear the matter up.
First. Cooking any whole or half carcass over about 275 will usually yield poor results.
Second. You can push a quarter as high as 300 in a moist environment but you better not blink a eye.
Third. Most of the very large primals do not do very well above 300.
Fourth. When you get down to the subprimals and smaller this is when "turbo" starts to shine. You can put the heat to this class as the internal will come to temp before the outside burns.
Fifth. All the above being said I would like to add if you can get it on the egg you are probably safe to turbo it . Why? The eggs size limits it to subprimals and smaller. Only the smallest primals might somehow fit but this is the exception. I'm sure others will have different views on this but it has served me well so I stick with it. I hope this helps my friend.

SGH

@Gravytrain84‌
After re-reading the entire post I would like to point out that @fishlessman‌ made a very good point. When you turbo the subprimals especially the larger ones the texture is definitely different. Not saying this is a bad thing but it is noticeable. It's a matter of personal choice. Traditionalist will usually chose the texture of low and slow over the texture of turbo as this is what they have become accustomed to over many years. Again it's a personal choice and matter of individual taste but well worth considering when cooking for a crowd. Hope this helps my friend.

nolaegghead

@SGH - everyone has their own definition of what tastes good.  Really, much of that is learned.  I could go on and on about this, very interesting subject, the subjectivity of taste.  Anyway, I'm with you here - I prefer the low and slow (sorry mickey!).

SGH

@nolaegghead‌
I agree brother. And that was the only point I was trying to make. When you are cooking for a bunch of older folks such as myself they tend to prefer the low and slow as most of us has ate that way over fifty years. The younger crowd is usually split or has no preference either way as they are accustom to both. Kind of goes back to you and I prefer boiled shrimp over steamed shrimp as that's the way we are accustom to them. And for the record you agreeing with me... Well I'm going to take that as a compliment brother.

Ragtop99

fishlessman said:

i see more fat and gristle that needs to be removed when pulling a fast cooked butt as well

I've noticed that as well.  There seems to be a little less uniformity in temperature distribution when I cook butts above 275*.

Gravytrain84

Thanks for the replies fellas. I appreciate it

SGH

Any time my friend.