Smoking Meats on a Weber Kettle

[taxlady]

You'll only know by experimenting. If you're are totally against sugar, just try some of the commercial blends. Emeril's Essence would work just fine in this type of use and has no sugar.

I'm not totally against sugar. I sometimes use it in cooking savoury food. I just don't want it to make the food sweet.

Thanks for the tip about Emeril's Essence. I googled to see if it could be bought in Canada and found this: Emeril's Essence Recipe : Emeril Lagasse : Food Network. It looks quite similar to the recipe posted here, but minus the sugar.

Has anyone tried using fresh herbs in a rub instead of dry ones? Does it gum things up or does it work well?

 

[roadfix]

I love the smell of smoking ribs in the afternoon. I threw in chunks of cherry wood for smoke. I've got another couple of hours to go. )

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

BDF, I use the following to 'rub my butt' 24-48 hours before cooking.

For the Dry Rub

6 Tb Dark Brown Sugar
5 Tb Paprika
4 Tb Salt
3 Tb Black Pepper
3 Tb Cayenne
2 Tb Cumin
2 Tb Garlic powder
1 Tb Dry Oregano
1 Tb Dry Thyme
1 Tb Onion Powder


I would remove the rind and leave the fat. Rub the mixture into the flesh, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24-48 hours.

Remove from the fridge and allow the but to come to room temperature. If it's boneless, you may want to tie it up to maintain a tight shape.

No brining necessary.

Thanks M and everyone else for the comments. I aim to start to rub on Monday and cook on Wednesday. I would like to ask a supplementary. I have Thyme, Lemon Thyme and Oregano growing in the herb beds if I put them in the blender with the other ingredients and blitz will that be ok

 

[Andy M.]

Thanks M and everyone else for the comments. I aim to start to rub on Monday and cook on Wednesday. I would like to ask a supplementary. I have Thyme, Lemon Thyme and Oregano growing in the herb beds if I put them in the blender with the other ingredients and blitz will that be ok

I've never used fresh herbs in a dry rub but it should work.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Dry herbs it is then.

 

[BigAL]

I don't see the use of the water pan, but what ever floats your boat. I'd rather mop than use a water pan.

Another way to do a rub is to apply it one at a time. Make'n your own rub is pretty easy, there is the 8-3-1-1(sugar-salt-chili pwdr-anymix of what you want). I'm also not a fan of sweet, maybe alittle on pork but not on beef or anything else. K.salt, blk pepper, and some heat is hard to beat.

 

[pacanis]

I don't mop or use a water pan. Well, I use the water pan, but it's filled with sand. The water is simply a heat sink to help with temperature spikes/fluxuations and sand works just as well and doesn't need replenished as the cook goes on, allowing you to keep the lid where it's supposed to be, down.
But like anything, there is more than one way to do things and get the results you're after. Probably moreso with BBQing.

 

[Selkie]

I don't mop or use a water pan. Well, I use the water pan, but it's filled with sand. The water is simply a heat sink to help with temperature spikes/fluxuations and sand works just as well and doesn't need replenished as the cook goes on, allowing you to keep the lid where it's supposed to be, down.
But like anything, there is more than one way to do things and get the results you're after. Probably moreso with BBQing.

The water pan is not simply a heat sink. No, the water in the water pan is to provide a steam-like environment to maintain moisture. In other words, it helps keep your meat and/or veggies from drying out when grilling and not necessarily barbequing.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Pac and Al, I want to do the first Butt in a foolproof way once that is done and dusted or dusted and done I will probably tweek it to suit our tastes.
Pac opening the lid is my big problem, I just have to resist being curious, I have only slow smoked chicken, duck and belly pork so far, I keep thinking they were going to burn

 

[pacanis]

... Pac opening the lid is my big problem, I just have to resist being curious, I have only slow smoked chicken, duck and belly pork so far, I keep thinking they were going to burn

You'll have to learn to satisfy your curiosity with the smell of smoking meat wafting through the air

 

[Uncle Bob]

The water pan is not simply a heat sink. No, the water in the water pan is to provide a steam-like environment to maintain moisture. In other words, it helps keep your meat and/or veggies from drying out when grilling and not necessarily barbequing.

......


but....How on earth did people BBQ/grill excellent meats in ....say 1850 or 1950 (and they did) for that matter before the Brinkmann Company came out with the ECB "Tin Can Water Smokers" in the early 70's? ~~ With no means to control the fire (air intake), they had to put a buffer/heat sink/water pan between the fire and the meat to prevent the meat from tuning into the charred remains of some dead animal...So the Company "spin" was as you stated above..."your meat and veggies want dry out" Yada Yada, Yada ~~~~ Neither did meats cooked/BBQed (sans water pan) for many hundreds/thousands of years prior to the contraption coming on the market. ~~~ Mankind has successfully cooked meats with fire for close to a Million yeas....Yet there are modern manufacturers who have duped millions of people into believing their bull ~~ The only place water has around a BBQ pit is when it's time to wash your hands, and clean up..

Enjoy!

 

[pacanis]

......


...~~ The only place water has around a BBQ pit is when it's time to wash your hands, and clean up..

Enjoy!

And here I thought you were going to say frozen into cubes and placed in your bourbon glass.

 

[Uncle Bob]

And here I thought you were going to say frozen into cubes and placed in your bourbon glass.

That too Fred!!

 

[roadfix]

I also use sand in my water pan, then cover with foil to catch drippings. This is on my modified Brinkman smoker which I converted from electric to charcoal.
I've also used hot water in the past and what I've noticed with using water is that the moist environment helps keep the temps a bit more low & steady. Dumping the water with all that grease drippings floating on top can get a little messy during clean up though...

BTW, those cheap Brinkamn bullet type smokers you often see at Home Depot are commonly referred to as ECB (el cheapo Brinkman)

 

[BigAL]

I would love to see someone dry out a boston butt. If you can do that then you should stick to take out......or just concentrate on breathing.

Edit: Bob, you don't need water to wash your hands......that is what jeans were made for.....wranglers to be exact. ;-)

 

[roadfix]

As far as keeping a moist environment in the cooker is concerned I think bakers benefit from this when baking batches of bread.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Listen you lot I'm a Brit trying to learn, now I am slightly confused so I will have to rationalise the post.
The only burning question I have is for Big Al, will Levi's work as well as Wranglers, I have loads of 501's and no wranglers, the wrangler rise is a bit short for me

 

[roadfix]

Great. Let us know how you like it. I like to rub my ribs ahead of time so they can sit with the rub for a day.

The ribs with the rub recipe you posted came out great with a touch of heat. Those were gone in no time. I did not sauce them.
The other rack was just S&P and garlic for my wife. I usually sauce those.

I did not use the Weber kettle for this cook, but instead used my brick oven as I wanted to conduct a low and slow smoking test using a wooden smoker door I made for the oven and a charcoal basket (see pic) which I fabricated for the Weber but wanted to see how it performed in the oven as well.

 

[Andy M.]

The ribs with the rub recipe you posted came out great with a touch of heat. Those were gone in no time. I did not sauce them.
The other rack was just S&P and garlic for my wife. I usually sauce those.

I did not use the Weber kettle for this cook, but instead used my brick oven as I wanted to conduct a low and slow smoking test using a wooden smoker door I made for the oven and a charcoal basket which I fabricated for the Weber but wanted to see how it performed in the oven as well.

I'm glad you liked it.

 

[BigAL]

Listen you lot I'm a Brit trying to learn, now I am slightly confused so I will have to rationalise the post.
The only burning question I have is for Big Al, will Levi's work as well as Wranglers, I have loads of 501's and no wranglers, the wrangler rise is a bit short for me

That will work, for now. Just don't wear capri pants.

throw the meat on the grill indirect at 2-300* F and you'll be fine. He!! if it was hard idiots like me couldn't do it.