Different meats to BBQ

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LarryWolfe

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Cruising said:
It sounds like there are only certain meats that do well when you smoke
and BBQ them. Brisket, Ribs (pork and beef), Butts, Whole Pig ...

What happens if you try and smoke something like a tenderloin (pork or beef) etc... Do you just spoil the natural tenderness?

What other meats do you recommend on the Q?

You will then be making jerky. The basic purpose behind BBQ'ing something low and slow is to create a tender, moist finished product out of a tough, fatty piece of meat. This is done by cooking it for a long period of time over low heat to render the fat and break down the tough connective tissues throughout the meat. Not an already lean tender piece of meat.
 
Smokiing low and slow is generally best for fatty meats that will render and slowly baste themselves.

Not much fat in a pork loin, and a long slow cook would probably
make it dry.

However, grilling in a kettle with some nice wood chunks will give it a little smokey flavor. Same with steaks.
 
you can smoke chicken, but the skin doesn't get crispy enough for me. In fact, it is often inedible. The flavor of the meat is fantastic though.

Some folks smoke possum, but I've never eaten any.
 
You can smoke turkey, but it must be brined. Like Cappy said on the chicken, the skin on the turkey will be inedible but the meat will make up for it! You can also smoke thick cut pork chops for about 30 minutes and finish on the grill. Fatty fish are also good on the pit.
 
Meatloaf and fish work! Nuts are also good. Cheese is good. Man I've got to get busy now for next weekend, I've got lots to smoke!
 
Raine said:
You don't have to brine a turkey to smoke it.

Most frozen turkeys are brined anyway........comes packed with a solution. Check the label.

Things we have bbqed...deer, london broil, prime rib, chicken.


Sorry Raine, forgot I know nothing thanks for clarifying it. Next time I smoke a turkey I will need your help. Here I've been brining my "fresh" turkeys that are unehanced/unbrined all along. Who'da thunk I just had no clue what the hell I was doing. I really thought I was doing it right, daggonit! BTW you can also brine a frozen turkey that is already enhanced, you just cut back on the salt in the brine and the length of time it is brined. But hey, what do I know I've never competed and don't have any trophies. So I give, you're right I'm wrong. Guess I still have tons to learn, thanks again for clarifying it! [/list]
 
Now hold on a minute!!!!!!! While a tenderloin of pork may dry out, I can tell you that a loin of pork will come out fantastic. I did a 2 footer Saturday for about 4 hours at 200 degrees. It was incredibly juicy and flavorful. I am actually thinking about getting an electric slicer to cut the things at about 1/16" for samiches! Do a loin ........for certain! Also, Salmon benefits greatly from 3 hours of the same treatment. WM
 
Raine said:
Not saying you don't know anything. Just saying that brining a turkey is not a must, especially the frozen turkeys.

Yep, you could brine a frozen turkey, kinda like re-work.

Depending on the sodium content in the turkey in the beginning, it's not re-work. You are simply adding additional flavor and moisture to the bird by brining an already enhanced bird. Any frozen bird that has a sodium content of over 300mg, I would not buy in the first place much less brine. I have done turkeys both ways and sure you're right you don't have to brine them. But a brined bird will be moister than an unbrined bird every single time you cook it.

BTW, please accept my apology for overreacting in my previous post. 8-[
 
Not joining the fun on the brine or not with turkeys, but you can't argue with Larry's success doing them. I've been seeing his finished product for over a year now and they have always been great.

Small note: I always inject my fried turkeys.
 
Raine said:
But a brined bird will be moister than an unbrined bird every single time you cook it.

That has not been our experience. We have never had a dry turkey or chicken which has been smoked. Most are so juicey, you may need a bib.

The brined chicken was no more juicer than the unbrined ones. The only difference was the texture of the meat, and the taste.

You win!
 
Raine said:
You don't have to brine a turkey to smoke it.

Most frozen turkeys are brined anyway........comes packed with a solution. Check the label.

Things we have bbqed...deer, london broil, prime rib, chicken.


Enough with brine or no brine! How did the London Broil turn out? How long did you cook or what temp did you pull it off at? Rub or no rub?
 
Bryan, the color on yours is marvelous! Did you use cherrywood?

Here's a couple pic's of Christmas dinner.






 
Bryan S said:
[quote="Larry Wolfe":1i8owq6w]Bryan, the color on yours is marvelous! Did you use cherrywood?
Yes i did use Cherry Wood. I always use it on Chicken and Turkey cooks. Larry that's a nice looking Tom you cooked up. Looks Huge man. What was the weight on that bird?[/quote:1i8owq6w]

It was 20.something lbs.
 
Re: Brining a turkey

Beachbum said:
To Mr. Larry Wolfe's comment about when smoking a turkey it must be brined. Not so. I don't know how many turkeys you've cooked, but they don't have to be brined. Especially if you're doing store bought turkeys or turkey breasts which are probably alread enhanced. I smoke cook turkey breasts frequently and don't brine them. I do inject them with creole butter first and I rub olive oil on the skin and put a pepper rub on and under the skin, but, I don't brine them.

Bob

:pop: :pop: :pop: :pop: :pop: :pop: :pop: :pop: :pop: :pop:
 
Perhaps he meant that he prefers them brined...or the poultry he buys isn't enhanced...in the case brining will help a lot! :!:
 
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