Different Cuts of meat
BEEF BRISKET
Probably one of the most intimidating cuts of meat to put in your smoker. Loaded with tough collagen rich connective tissue this cut requires lots of time on the pit to break down. If done correctly, this tough piece of meat will be extremely tender and juicy and probably one of the best pieces of smoked meat you will ever taste. However, if done incorrectly it will be tougher than the leather, so definitely a fine line. So how exactly do you smoke a brisket for the best results?
The first thing you will need to do is get yourself a brisket that is cut correctly. Your brisket should have a thin section and a thick section. This is known as the flat and the point, this is the way it should be cut to ensure you get the best results. Once you have your brisket you will need to trim it to remove any thick hard fat that won’t render during the smoke.
When it comes to brisket we like to season simply by using a 50/50 mix of salt & 16 mesh black pepper. Make sure to season generously on all sides to ensure that you get an incredible bark. No binders are necessary as the meat we usually get a moist enough for the rub to stick.
If you are looking at our rubs we would recommend the Got Bark Rub for brisket.
For brisket, we usually either use oak or mesquite as we season with salt & 16 mesh black pepper so we smoking like the Texans do and it’s only fitting to use wood used in Texas. This, however, will entirely depend on your preference.
If you are unsure what wood to use you can check out of smoking meat chart to guide you accordingly. You can also check out what wood chunks we stock here.
Now your setups will all differ depending on the smoker that you have and you can find out more about different configurations on our smoking methods page. However, we utilize briquettes (preferably ones with an organic binder) as our heat source and then we use the chunks for flavour. We utilize between 2-4 wood chunks when smoking a brisket just depending on the size. For the best results we recommend smoking the brisket between 110C to 120C to allow sufficient time to dissolve all that tough connective tissue.
Once your smoker has come up to the required temperature you can add your brisket and close up. You can add a water pan to the smoker to catch the drippings as well as add additional moisture to the smoker. We let the brisket smoke and start spritzing with a 50/50 mix of water & apple cider vinegar after the rub has set. We do this every 45 minutes to an hour. Once the brisket has hit an internal temperature of 74C we will then remove and wrap it with butcher paper (Click here to learn more) or foil and place it back on the smoker. We will continue smoking at the required temperature until we hit 91C, at this temperature we will start probing for tenderness. It is between 91C & 96C where the brisket will become tender and ready to be removed.
Once the brisket has been removed we will rest for a minimum of 1 hour. This step is vital as if you slice the brisket when it is still hot all those delicious juices will end up all over the cutting board, which will be extremely disappointing. When you rest the brisket it will allow the meat to stop cooking and allow the juices to thicken up and stay juicy so that when you slice you get a smoky, tender & juicy bite every time.
BEEF RIB
When it comes to beef ribs we always try to get one that has no half bones and that is consistent in thickness. We will always trim up any thick hard fat that will not render during the smoke.
When it comes to beef ribs we like to season simply by using a 50/50 mix of salt & 16 mesh black pepper. Make sure to season generously on all sides to ensure that you get an incredible bark. No binders are necessary as the meat we usually get a moist enough for the rub to stick.
If you are looking at our rubs we would recommend the Got Bark Rub for beef rib.
For beef ribs we usually either use oak or mesquite as we season with salt & 16 mesh black pepper so we smoking like the Texans do and it’s only fitting to use wood used in Texas. This however, will entirely depend on your preference.
If you are unsure what wood to use you can check out of smoking meat chart to guide you accordingly. You can also check out what wood chunks we stock here.
Now your setups will all differ depending on the smoker that you have and you can find out more about different configurations on our smoking methods page. However, we utilize briquettes (preferably ones with an organic binder) as our heat source and then we use the chunks for flavour. We utilize between 2-4 wood chunks when smoking a brisket just depending on the size. For the best results we recommend smoking the beef ribs between 110C to 120C to allow sufficient time to dissolve all that tough connective tissue.
Once your smoker has come up to the required temperature you can add your beef rib and close up. You can add a water pan in the smoker to catch the drippings as well as add additional moisture to the smoker. We let the beef rib smoke and start spritzing with a 50/50 mix of water & apple cider vinegar after the rub has set. We do this every 45 minutes to an hour. Once the beef rib has hit an internal temperature of 74C we will then remove and wrap with butchers paper (Click here to learn more) or foil and place back on the smoker. We will continue smoking at the required temperature until we hit 91C, at this temperature we will start probing for tenderness. It is between 91C & 96C where the beef rib will become tender and ready to be removed.
Once the beef rib has been removed we will rest for about 30-45 minutes. This step is vital as if you slice the beef rib when it is still hot all those delicious juices will end up all over the cutting board, this will be extremely disappointing. When you rest the beef rib it will allow the meat to stop cooking and allow the juices to thicken up and stay juicy so that you get a smoky, juicy & tender bite every time.
PORK SHOULDER
When it comes to pork shoulder there are two options to choose from, the first is a bone in rind on should and the other is a boneless shoulder. We don’t like the boneless shoulder is the size of the shoulder varies on all parts so we always look for a shoulder with the bone in. We will however go ahead and remove the rind from the should before cooking. We find a bone in shoulder cooks more evenly and better than a boneless.
When it comes to pork shoulder we like to season simply by using a 50/50 mix of salt & 16 mesh black pepper and sometimes will add a bit of smoked paprika or garlic powder. You can however also season with a BBQ rub of your choice. Make sure to season generously on all sides to ensure that you get an incredible bark. No binders are necessary as the meat we usually get a moist enough for the rub to stick.
If you are looking at our rubs we would recommend the Got Bark Rub & the Basic BBQ Rub.
For pork shoulder we usually either use oak or mesquite as we season with salt & 16 mesh black pepper so we smoking like the Texans do and it’s only fitting to use wood used in Texas. This however, will entirely depend on your preference. If you using a BBQ rub you can smoke it with sweeter woods such as peach, plum, apple, etc.
If you are unsure what wood to use you can check out of smoking meat chart to guide you accordingly. You can also check out what wood chunks we stock here.
Now your setups will all differ depending on the smoker that you have and you can find out more about different configurations on our smoking methods page. However, we utilize briquettes (preferably ones with an organic binder) as our heat source and then we use the chunks for flavour. We utilize between 2-4 wood chunks when smoking a pork shoulder just depending on the size. For the best results we recommend smoking the pork shoulder between 110C to 120C to allow sufficient time to dissolve all that tough connective tissue.
Once your smoker has come up to the required temperature you can add your pork shoulder and close up. You can add a water pan in the smoker to catch the drippings as well as add additional moisture to the smoker. We let the shoulder smoke and start spritzing with a 50/50 mix of water & apple cider vinegar after the rub has set. If you are seasoning with a BBQ rub then you can go ahead and spritz with apple juice, coke or any other liquid too. We do this every 45 minutes to an hour. Once the shoulder has hit an internal temperature of 74C we will then remove and wrap with butchers paper (Click here to learn more) or foil and place back on the smoker. You can also place the shoulder in an aluminium pan with a braising liquid of your choice and then cover in foil and allow it to tenderize like that We will continue smoking at the required temperature until we hit 91C, at this temperature we will start probing for tenderness. It is between 91C & 96C where the pork shoulder will become tender and ready to be removed.
Once the shoulder has been removed we will rest for a minimum of 1 hour. This step is vital as if you pull the pork while it is still hot all those juices will run out, this will be extremely disappointing. When you rest the shoulder it will allow the meat to stop cooking and allow the juices to thicken up and stay juicy so that when you pull it every single bite will be juicy, smoky & tender.
PORK RIBS
When we buy pork ribs we try to find ones that are nice and thick and doesn’t have any bones showing. We love some loin ribs but spare is equally as amazing.
When it comes to pork ribs we like to season simply by using a 50/50 mix of salt & 16 mesh black pepper and sometimes will add smoked paprika or garlic powder in addition. No binders are necessary as the ribs we usually get a moist enough for the rub to stick, if you find the ribs aren’t as moist you can use a binder of your choice.
Alternatively, if you like you can season your pork ribs with a sweet BBQ rub too. If you are looking at our rubs we would recommend the Basic BBQ Rub, Just Chilime Rub, Coffee Rub, Apple Pie Rub & Aloha Baby for pork ribs.
For pork ribs if we are seasoning with a BBQ rub we like to use a sweet fruit wood like peach, plum, apple & cherry as pork can handle that sweet smoke much better than beef. This however, will entirely depend on your preference. If we seasoning with salt & 16 mesh black pepper we will likely use oak or mesquite to follow the Texas style of cooking.
If you are unsure what wood to use you can check out of smoking meat chart to guide you accordingly. You can also check out what wood chunks we stock here.
Now your setups will all differ depending on the smoker that you have and you can find out more about different configurations on our smoking methods page. However, we utilize briquettes (preferably ones with an organic binder) as our heat source and then we use the chunks for flavour. We utilize between 2-4 wood chunks when smoking a pork shoulder just depending on the size. For the best results we recommend smoking the pork ribs between 110C to 120C to allow sufficient time to become fall off the bone tender.
Once your smoker has come up to the required temperature you can add your ribs and close up. You can add a water pan to the smoker to catch the drippings as well as add additional moisture to the smoker. We let the ribs smoke and start spritzing after the rub has set. What we spritz with will be dependent on what we season with, if we using salt & 16 mesh black pepper, we will spritz with a 50/50 mix of water & apple cider vinegar, if we are using a BBQ rub, we will then spritz with apple juice, cherry ale, or some sweet liquid. We do this every 45 minutes to an hour. We don’t utilize the 3-2-1 method for our ribs as they are generally a lot thinner than the ones they get in the US so we usually follow a 2-2-1 or 1-2-1 method depending on the thickness of the ribs. We like the meat to be tender but not completely mushy. If you haven’t heard of these methods it is basically broken down the following way, the first number is the amount of time the ribs will be smoked for, the second number is the amount of time it will be wrapped in foil and the third number is the time it will be sauced and placed back on the smoker.
Once the ribs have been removed we will rest for about 15 minutes and then slice and enjoy.
PORK BELLY
The first thing we do when it comes to pork belly is choose how we plan on cooking this delicious piece of meat. There are a few ways we enjoy our pork belly, the first is cubed up and enjoyed as burnt ends, the and next is smoked like a brisket, these two methods will require a pork belly that has no bone or rind, you can usually attain this by purchasing a rolled pork belly as both the bone and rind will be removed. The other way we like to enjoy our pork belly is extremely crispy.
This all varies just depending on how you serve it, if we smoking it like a brisket we use our blend of salt & 16 mesh black pepper, if we are making pork belly burnt ends then we will use a BBQ Rub and if we making crispy pork belly we will season the underside with a BBQ rub and then salt the top during the cook.
If you are looking at our rubs, we recommend the Basic BBQ, Just Chilime Rub, Aloha Baby Rub & Apple Pie Rub for the crispy pork belly and pork belly burnt ends.
For pork belly smoked like a brisket we usually either use oak or mesquite. However, if we make burnt ends or crispy pork belly we will use a sweeter wood like apple, peach, plum, etc. This however, will entirely depend on your preference.
If you are unsure what wood to use you can check out of smoking meat chart to guide you accordingly. You can also check out what wood chunks we stock here.
Now your setups will all differ depending on the smoker that you have and you can find out more about different configurations on our smoking methods page. However, we utilize briquettes (preferably ones with an organic binder) as our heat source and then we use the chunks for flavour. We utilize between 2-3 wood chunks when smoking a pork belly just depending on the size. For the best results, we recommend smoking the pork belly between 110C to 120C to allow sufficient time to dissolve all that tough connective tissue. You may need to take it up to around 140C to 150C to get the skin crispy if it is not dry enough.
Once your smoker has come up to the required temperature you can add your pork belly and close up. You can add a water pan to the smoker to catch the drippings as well as add additional moisture to the smoker. We will let the pork belly brisket smoke and start spritzing with a 50/50 mix of water & apple cider vinegar after the rub has set. We do this every 45 minutes to an hour. Once it has hit an internal temperature of 74C we will then remove and wrap it with butcher paper (Click here to learn more) or foil and place it back on the smoker. We will continue smoking at the required temperature until we hit 91C, at this temperature we will start probing for tenderness. It is between 91C & 96C where the belly will become tender and ready to be removed.
If we are doing burnt ends we will smoke the cubes for around two hours before placing them in an aluminum pan with sugar, honey, juice, etc, and close up to allow it to tenderize. This would take around another two hours so we probe to check tenderness after that.
If we are doing crispy pork we will smoke it with a salt layer on the top and once the underside is tender we will bump the temperature, brush the salt off and flip it skin side down to crisp up. The meat will become tender between 91C-96C
The Rest:
Once the pork belly brisket has been removed we will rest for a minimum of 1 hour. This step is vital as if you slice the belly when it is still hot all those delicious juices will end up all over the cutting board, this will be extremely disappointing.
For the burnt ends we allow it to cool slightly before serving.
For the crisply pork belly we let it rest for around 30 minutes.
SPATCHCOCK CHICKEN
When it comes to smoking chicken there is a number of ways we treat different pieces and generally most chicken brands are the same with all the same flavours so there is nothing that we really look out for when buying chicken other than buying well known brands. One thing that is a must when it comes to smoking whole chicken is that we will aways brine our chicken a day before hand to really get that flavour in.
When it comes to chicken we will use our brine as the major flavour and then will season with salt & 16 mesh black or a BBQ rub. Chicken is quite versatile so you can go ahead and use whatever you like and it is almost guaranteed to be delicious.
If you are looking at our rubs we would recommend the Basic BBQ Rub, Just Chilime Rub & Coffee Rub for chicken.
There are so many good options when it comes to chicken, we love some sweet smoke such as apple, peach, and plum however oak is one of our favorites too. This however, will entirely depend on your preference.
If you are unsure what wood to use you can check out of smoking meat chart to guide you accordingly. You can also check out what wood chunks we stock here.
Now your setups will all differ depending on the smoker that you have and you can find out more about different configurations on our smoking methods page. However, we utilize briquettes (preferably ones with an organic binder) as our heat source and then we use the chunks for flavour. We utilize between 1-2 wood chunks when smoking a chicken just depending on the size. For the best results we recommend smoking the chicken between 110C to 140C to allow the chicken to stay nice and juicy.
Once your smoker has come up to the required temperature you can add your chicken. We let the chicken smoke until it hits a safe internal temperature of 74C. Depending on what part of the chicken we are smoking we will pair it up with a sauce that goes well with it. For example, with wings we would toss in a buffalo sauce, and with whole chicken we would use an Alabama white sauce. You can mix and match as you like.
Once the chicken has been removed, we let it rest for around 10 minutes to allow it to cool slightly before we start enjoying it.