Smokin'

fogcutter · January 2007

Howdy all.[p]My wife got me a BGE for Chrismtas or as I like to call it...the best gift evar!![p]I've already done a couple of cooks on it and while I'm still learning the results have been very tasty.[p]I have a question though. The BGE is sold as a smoker and I've done a couple of smoked meats that came out great but...[p]What's the difference between the BGE and one of those large box smokers? You know, the ones that take a day and a half to smoke meats etc.. I know all of the obvious physical differences and all but does meat smoked in one of those big boxes taste any more or less smoke flavored than something done in the BGE?[p]Thanks.

sprinter · January 2007

fogcutter,[p]Those big smokers are designed to smoke low and slow. They dont really have the capability to "grill" meats like steaks or burgers. They are designed mainly for a single purpose, low and slow cooking with very stable and reliable temperature control.[p]The egg has this capability for low low and slow but also has the capability to do the hot grilling as well. So, you get the ability to do both on the egg.[p]Not going to get into the +/- of either one or how well one does over the other one, hopefully this thread wont degrade into that. I hope this answered your question.[p]Troy

stike · January 2007

sprinter,
well said

sprinter · January 2007

fogcutter,[p]Reading back, I guess I didnt really answer the question you asked, mainly about taste.[p]The short answer is no, there is no difference in taste of the product out of the egg vs. those "large box smokers", they both smoke meat.[p]Thats the short answer, the caveat is that every cook and smoker has a unique way of cooking meat and a butt cooked in a BGE vs a butt cooked in a large smoker will come out different based on the style and method the cook used to cook the meat, even if the cook used the exact same spices and rubs on each butt. Each cooker is unique.[p]So, will they taste different? Probably. Is one better than the other? That the big debate and in my humble opinion it depends on the cook who cooked the meat. Each cooker is designed to smoke meat, its the skill of the cook using the cooker and the preparation of the meat and technique of cooking it that makes it different.[p]There, this is a more complete answer to your question, hope it helps.[p]Troy

sprinter · January 2007

stike,[p]Thanks, this is a great questions and deserves an answer but I've seen these questions go south too many times. I was simply trying to ward off that possiblity with that answer.[p]Have a great one, 10 degrees here and holding today in S. IL. Going to have to bring in the brass monkeys tonight from what I see of the forecast.[p]Troy

fogcutter · January 2007

sprinter,[p]Thanks Troy. That's the information I was looking for. I tried my first brisket last weekend using hickory lumps and while I probably cooked it a tad too long the taste was outstanding. It got me thinking that I don't know how much better or worse I could have done using one of those low and slow boys. Thanks again for the response.

sprinter · January 2007

fogcutter,[p]You'll find that some meats can take a lot of smoke, like brisket, and some cant. It also matters what KIND of smoke you use. Mesquite is very tricky to me, a little goes a long way and too much makes the meat taste like creosote. I like to use fruit woods a lot, as well as hickory, they are fairly mild woods that add a lot of flavor without being too overpowering.[p]Good luck with the egg, you'll enjoy it.[p]By the way, when you say the brisket was overcooked, how long did you cook it, and to what temperature did you cook the meat? Just curious.[p]Troy

stike · January 2007

sprinter,
cold here in massachusetts, too.[p]of course, it's supposed to be cold here this time of year. just hasn't been, so it feels odd.[p]

fogcutter · January 2007

sprinter,[p]Well of course I spent hours on these boards looking for suggestions on cooking a brisket. I ended up using a simple rub overnight then setting my fire to 250. I used the inverted plate setter with a drip pan. I had the temp probes in to watch the cook. During the first couple of hours I watched the meat get to 160 then kept climbing. My first mistake...the probe was not correctly interted. I fixed that....then the fire started to get below 220 and I to add some coals and ajust my vents to get the temp back up and regulated. The temp then stayed at near 160 for a while then slowly and steadily climbed.[p]All in all it was a great learning experience. I pulled the meat after about 7.5 hours with the cook temp getting to around 180. I'm still not convinced my probe was reading the correct temps. I wrapped it in in a cooler for another two hours. There's a myriad of things that I should have done differently I'm sure.[p]The taste was EXCELLENT and the meat was cooked thouroughly. I just think it could have been a little more tender. For only my second cook on my egg I'm pretty pleased with how it went.... and my wife is estatic!!

sprinter · January 2007

fogcutter,[p]"the meat was cooked thouroughly. I just think it could have been a little more tender"[p]"I pulled.....with the cook temp getting to around 180"[p]Interesting comments quoted above, they actually answer your tenderness question for you. For your first brisket cook it sounds like you did everything right EXCEPT let it cook long enough. Ironically, you think its overcooked, based on one of your last posts. However, at 180 the brisket is still not really DONE. You dont mention how large the brisket is, and in this instance it doesnt really make a difference, the fact that it only went to 180 is why the meat wasnt tender. To get a brisket really tender you typically need to take it to about 195 or so. You are correct, the meat was COOKED thoroughly, but it wasnt DONE. Once you get it to that higher temperature the brisket will start to become tender.[p]Congrats on your first brisket cook. Next time, take the temperature up a little higher and you'll be amazed at what happens. Once its at the 180 or so mark, it really doesnt take that much more time to bring the temp up another 15 or so degrees. Give yourself a bit more time, it will be worth every minute.[p]Good luck with future cooks.[p]Troy

fishlessman · January 2007

fogcutter,
next time cook it a little longer, mine go 185 to 195 before it gets tender, higher than that ive had them fall apart like a pull. with big beef chuck roasts i bring them all the way up to 210 internal for pulled beef. i didnt notice how big a brisket you had, bigger pieces make better brisket.

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