BBQ Smokers

[General Lee]

So I fired up the new Horizon these past couple of days. Terrible heat swings from one end of the box to the other. Horizon makes a baffle plate to help even temps out and I will be ordering it. From what I read though, they are slow getting orders out. Depending on the stage of the fire I was getting 100-200* temp difference from one end to the other. How is one supposed to smoke food using all of the cooking space with temp swings like that??

It was fairly easy maintaining my 225-250 at the far end and smoked some ribs, chicken and ABT's (Atomic Buffalo Turds) were done indirectly on my Weber kettle grill.

Ribs on



Beautiful color



They turned out phenomenal



ABT's - jalapeno peppers stuffed with Italian sausage, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and topped with bacon.

 

[bumperm]

Kinda like the difference between hitching up the mule team to plow the back 40 and firing up the diesel tractor. I'd suppose there's a closer feel and bonding to the trodden earth if you really have to "trod" it .

Stoking up the smoker, like readying them mules, can be a time consuming though rewarding ritual . . . been there (well, not with the mules). Pushing a button on my RecTec smoker and having it come up to and maintain 185 F (or whatever temp I set) for hours on end is sure convenient. This effortless convenience translates into using the smoker more often to add some zest and epicurean delight to a couple of otherwise bland chicken breast for dinner - or whatever else would otherwise get cooked in the kitchen oven or frying pan.

 

[General Lee]

I agree, "set and forget it" smokers are most convenient but, in my opinion, cooking with wood/charcoal tastes better hands down. I love tending to the smoker, adding wood, etc and getting in touch with my inner cave man traits to cook meat

 

[IslandTractor]

ABT's - jalapeno peppers stuffed with Italian sausage, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and topped with bacon.

View attachment 399898

Those sound simply sinful! Wish I had a few right now.

 

[General Lee]

They are delicious, however these turned out more spicy than I wanted. I hollowed them out, no membrane or seeds but somehow they still got tainted with heat.

 

[forgeblast]

I saw this on ebay New Huge 4in1 Combo Gas Charcoal Grill 3 Burner BBQ Propane Smoker Sear Box 84" | eBay and it looked like it might have it all.
What do you all prefer electric or lp? (for the smaller units) I saw that gander moutain will have one on sale for black friday, I think its a master craft.

 

[Jim Nelson]

So I fired up the new Horizon these past couple of days. Terrible heat swings from one end of the box to the other. Horizon makes a baffle plate to help even temps out and I will be ordering it. From what I read though, they are slow getting orders out. Depending on the stage of the fire I was getting 100-200* temp difference from one end to the other. How is one supposed to smoke food using all of the cooking space with temp swings like that??

It was fairly easy maintaining my 225-250 at the far end and smoked some ribs, chicken and ABT's (Atomic Buffalo Turds) were done indirectly on my Weber kettle grill.

Ribs on

View attachment 399894

Beautiful color

View attachment 399895

They turned out phenomenal

View attachment 399896

ABT's - jalapeno peppers stuffed with Italian sausage, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and topped with bacon.

View attachment 399898

Temperature control is done with air flow control which is what makes the ceramic cookers so nice.Before I got my first Green Egg I had an off set Char Broil rig and I really loved that thing even though it was a full time job tending to it when smoking anything and over nighters doing butts was out of the question for me. With the Egg I have a BBQ Guru pit minder temp controller and have done 18 hours without opening the lid and had enough fuel left to do 2 or 3 more normal cooks. You just have to be able to seal all the leaks to control the flow and that is hard to do with most metal grills.

 

[RobertN]

I have been threatening to make a UDS(ugly drum smoker). Those seem interesting...

 

[2LaneCruzer]

They are delicious, however these turned out more spicy than I wanted. I hollowed them out, no membrane or seeds but somehow they still got tainted with heat.

I make them quite often on my BGE; slightly different recipe. We use the little Smokies sausages, or a small piece of Kielbasa. Top with cream cheese, onion flakes and a dash of garlic if you like and sprinkle with dry BBQ rubb; wrap with bacon, add more BBQ rubb. And yes, you have to get rid of all the seeds and the veins in the peppers. I love them and so do the guests.

 

[IslandTractor]

I make them quite often on my BGE; slightly different recipe. We use the little Smokies sausages, or a small piece of Kielbasa. Top with cream cheese, onion flakes and a dash of garlic if you like and sprinkle with dry BBQ rubb; wrap with bacon, add more BBQ rubb. And yes, you have to get rid of all the seeds and the veins in the peppers. I love them and so do the guests.

2Lane, which type of pepper do you use?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

We use the Jalapenos. If you are diligent in removing the seeds and the veins, you will rarely get one too hot to eat...even if you are not used to them. I learned my lesson though; when you are cleaning them, using the disposable plastic gloves is a must. I have actually felt my hands and fingers burn otherwise, and if you inadvertently, or absent mindedly touch your eyes, nose or any other mucous membrane, if you get my drift, it burns like H....and for waaay too long!

 

[IslandTractor]

We use the Jalapenos. If you are diligent in removing the seeds and the veins, you will rarely get one too hot to eat...even if you are not used to them. I learned my lesson though; when you are cleaning them, using the disposable plastic gloves is a must. I have actually felt my hands and fingers burn otherwise, and if you inadvertently, or absent mindedly touch your eyes, nose or any other mucous membrane, if you get my drift, it burns like H....and for waaay too long!

Thanks for the tips. I was wondering if a milder pepper like some poblanos might be used also.

 

[General Lee]

When I removed the veins and seeds I just used a butter knife and scraped it all out. That may have been my mistake. With all the scraping, I may have ruptured the membrane/veins and juice rubbed the inside of the pepper??

 

[2LaneCruzer]

When I removed the veins and seeds I just used a butter knife and scraped it all out. That may have been my mistake. With all the scraping, I may have ruptured the membrane/veins and juice rubbed the inside of the pepper??

Hmmm. I doubt that; I usually use a cheap spoon to kinda just scoop and scrape both the seeds and the veins out. I keep the water running; it helps to keep your eyes and nose from burning by continually washing them.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Thanks for the tips. I was wondering if a milder pepper like some poblanos might be used also.

I don't see why not. It just so happens that the Jalapenos are just about the right size to end up with a bite size morsel, and they heat all the way through by the time the bacon is done. I suspect that a pepper the size of a Poblano would be a bit unwieldy. If it were me, and wanted something less spicy, I would probably go to something like an Anaheim, and cut it in two...although for us, the Jalapenos work just fine. I did make a batch one time without removing the seeds, and only one of our guests could eat them...Mr. Sanchez...and I did catch him wiping the sweat from his forehead a time or two.

 

[IslandTractor]

I don't see why not. It just so happens that the Jalapenos are just about the right size to end up with a bite size morsel, and they heat all the way through by the time the bacon is done. I suspect that a pepper the size of a Poblano would be a bit unwieldy. If it were me, and wanted something less spicy, I would probably go to something like an Anaheim, and cut it in two...although for us, the Jalapenos work just fine. I did make a batch one time without removing the seeds, and only one of our guests could eat them...Mr. Sanchez...and I did catch him wiping the sweat from his forehead a time or two.

Not sure if we get Anaheim peppers up here in Yankeeland. I like Jalapeños (neutered) myself but they are too hot for some in the family. I'll have a look in an ethnic grocery store.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Not sure if we get Anaheim peppers up here in Yankeeland. I like Jalapeños (neutered) myself but they are too hot for some in the family. I'll have a look in an ethnic grocery store.

I would think that any mild pepper, a Pablano or even a Bell pepper would work, as long as you could fashion them to a manageable size. Anaheims, I believe are the same thing as the Hatch pepper and also known as a long green. Seems to me that I have occasionally seen some small, bagged, sweet and various colored peppers for sale in our stores here. Don't know why they wouldn't work. Never thought about you folks up North not having the same produce as we do here; but my daughter used to live in Walled Lake Michigan, and she complained that she couldn't find raw peanuts or okra. Good luck IT; let us know how yours turn out.

 

[sseelhoff]

Not sure if we get Anaheim peppers up here in Yankeeland. I like Jalapeños (neutered) myself but they are too hot for some in the family. I'll have a look in an ethnic grocery store.

I had to laugh at this. Having to find peppers at an "ethnic grocery store." Where I am, the opposite is true. Half of our stores cater more to the Hispanic shopper. Some of the "anglo" stuff is harder to find. Most stores here stock Mexican brands. Even the 7-11 sells Mexican bottled Coca-Cola (made with cane sugar) in glass bottles.

 

[flusher]

Picked up a new BBQ smoker. Its a 20'' diameter Horizon side firebox. Made of 1/4 inch steel all the way around. Should last a life time. BBQ and grilling is a hobby of mine and I have many smokers and grills to prove it :laughing:

Anywho, just curious who on here shares the same hobby/passion? What smokers do you have and maybe we all can share BBQ recipes and rubs.

Here's my setup. Half gas grill, half smoker in a modified old time BBQ pit structure. On a patio/pergola setup.



Good luck with your smoker.

 

[Jim Nelson]

Thanks for the tips. I was wondering if a milder pepper like some poblanos might be used also.

I've found bags of sweet peppers that are shaped just like jalapeños and multi colored and they work fine but we prefer the taste of the jalapeños even though you get a hot one from time to time.That said I clean them with a paring knife and just disturb enough of the interior to cut the membrane out and from time to time get a hot one but most are fine.Another thing I've noticed around here is that even in the Mexican markets the quality of the peppers is terrible the last couple of years. I very much prefer home grown.