New to smoking - What to start with? - VERDICT

[Dman]

Greetings all. Complete newbie and non-cook here.

My wife bought me a WSM 47 for my birthday and I'm quite eager to get started with it. I already own a One Touch 57 but although I've had a lot of happy eaters from my food, there's no method to my cooking other than sticking hot coals on and putting more on when the temperature goes down, while checking the food periodically.

Now I've got the smoker I want to get into it properly. I've bought the Maverick ET372 and have bought some heat beads and Supagrill lumpwood so I can experiment with the two, I've also started with some hickory wood chunks to get me going along with one of the Weber books.

So. What do I start with meat wise? I've seen the post from Harry Soo recommending the seasoning and a few 'dry runs' before cooking to eat so I'll be getting onto that, but when it comes to cooking to eat I want to start off with an 'easy' option so I don't get too disheartened if it turns out crap. My first target to get to is a whole chicken for Sunday lunch but I want to walk before I run...

Any other things I need to take into account? I've been having a good look around these forums and elsewhere online, I've got a mate who's giving me some recipes for some rubs, but we've got a gathering for fireworks in November and I'd love to be able to dish out some decent pulled pork or something on the night...

Many thanks in advance.

[keith157]

May I suggest as you want to do PP then that should be what you start with as you have a set deadline. Have a good read of the Pork section and you will find the answers you need. Start with small supermarket joints and work your way up to a full shoulder or collar.

[JEC]

Another vote for pulled pork, ribs are easy to and often more familiar so don't be afraid of giving them a go.

[fitasc]

I've only been doing this a few months so am far from an expert.

My first cook on the WSM was spathcocked chicken, seemed to be a very forgiving and cheap starting point. Came out fine, lovely and smoky.

Next up was one of the small pork shoulders from the Co-op, they seem to do half price offers very frequently around my way. Again, very forgiving and tasted lovely. Searched out a few rub recipes online, and apart from the onion powder, managed to get everything in the local shops.

If you do a shoulder, do have a go at the BBQ beans at the same time. They've become a family favourite, starting from three or four varieties of dried beans, I make several kilos at a time and put in the freezer.

Now that a mate has built me a Heatermeter, looking forward to trying some proper brisket cooks. Just did a pastrami over the last week, bit of a learning curve, but good fun.

Enjoy

[BraaiMeesterWannabe]

I did a spatchcock chicken first and put all details on here
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5237
Ribs are great and easy to do.

[Dman]

Cheers all.

The seasoning process starts tonight!

[keith157]

Good luck and whatever you do, don't wash it out whatever the nagging or persuasion I should say

[slatts]

Tesco do a half decent pork shoulder with bone in at £8, well worth using for practise, I use them for my pulled pork and never have any problems with them plus they're big enough for how many I have round for a bbq.

Have fun and and no peeking when its cooking, let it be lol
Good luck

[Dman]

Hi all.

Finally got around to testing my smoking skills today, I got a 4lb pork belly which is currently smoking away nicely.

What I'm wondering is, on the basis that (I think) I'll be smoking for around six hours (1.5 hours per lb, is that right?), how often do I need to top up the water or chuck on more coals? I started off with a chimney full of unlit coals with half a chimney of lit coals on top, is it likely that I'll need to top up, and if so when should I do it?

Thanks.

[BraaiMeesterWannabe]

Depends on coal. I get 10 to 12hrs on a chimney with a half chimney starter using Webber briquettes. If you decide to top up water make sure you use boiling water otherwise you'll cause the temp to drop off suddenly until the new water heats up