20 Sept, Chicken....

after 2 hours she looked done but only 140 F

I had to put a few veggies on to balance somewhat the meat!

all worked out really well, carrot very tasty, corn still a bit crunchy.

need to put the taters in about an hour earlier next time.















another couple of hours until....

The smell of the chicken attracted one of the regular interlopers































The Joker

Onion Rings

did a few of these boys overnight.















fried and frozen. just to pop em in a hot oven in future

















Solid onion discs in a water flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper batter.

did 20 - should do as sides for 5 dinners for 2.

The good thing about reheating them is that a lot of the cooking oil comes out when reheated!

20 Sept Chicken

OK prepped up the chicken with the rub
















About 1 part of each as per recipie below, x2 lemon pepper, Paprika and sugar.


lifted the skin, spread it under and rubbed it in.















added about 4 patties of butter under the skin.

Tightened the skin up with a few cocktail sticks., left in the fride for a few hours.

rubbed the remaining rub all over the rest of the bird.

Prepped up the smoker - 3/4 full waterpan, full basket of charcial - want to see exactly how long it burns for future reference.

got together all the vital cooking equipment















Last minute addition of a head of garlic into the body cavity and a couple of cans of guinness into me.

Put the bird breast side up onto the smoker @ 250 degrees. A small bit of applewood for smokiness.

The infamous beef ribs

ok, they look great, and didnt smell too bad either!















the good stopped at the looking and smelling.

Cut em open, a bit tough, nice and pink inside, nicely medium, only a very small smoke ring.

Although the guinness and vinegar marinade was ok, it didnt really work on its own. the beef definately needs some kind of rub.

I left far too much fat and meat on the ribs themselves, should have cut them in half above the bone. Also they need to be left a good bit longer than the pork boys. I didn't freshen the charcoal but will do next time, need to keep em going for about 6 hours at least it say.


Not sure Ill try the beef ribs again for some time.

20 Sept Smokin' a chicken

OK today's test is a whole 2kg chicken.

I was going to do a beer butt chicken but this time round just going to do a smoked roast chicken.

After the beef ribs fiasco, I'm definitely going with a rub this time. Nothing's going into the smoker without being rubbed up goood first. Learned some valuable lessons from the first run. - the amount of water needed in water pan, not siting the smoker near a window, the amout of charcoal needed.

chicken rub:

garlic powder
onion powder
paprika (sweet)
lemon pepper
thyme
ground bay leaf
brown sugar
salt (tiny bit)

going to go under the skin, will add some softened butter too.

dont ask about the beef ribs

Ugh disgusting, disaster.

far too fatty- should have trimmed them massively, didnt do them long enough and no rub.

The Smoker gives birth

got paranoid and covered the pork boys in foil.
















ok pork ribs are out of smoker and in belly.

I took out the "mustard" ribs first 2.5 hours cooking time

see here with home made coleslaw and the "from scratch" BBQ sauce















not quite as tender as id hoped. still better than oven ribs. I think i need to get meatier ribs next time.

got a small smoke ring, but thats what i was aiming for - this time.


about half an hour later i took out the overnighters. 3 hour cooking time.

yes




















oh yes
















oh yes

















oh yes, these are a little thicker and the estra time suited them juust right. oh man, these dont even need sauce.

The beef boys are still hovering around the 145 mark, another hour at least.

I hope the fire lasts.

After 2 racks of ribs, I'm glad of the break,

Turned ribs

ok am a little worried that my pork ribs will turn out too dry - dribs? no one likes dribs.

fingers crossed that hour 3 will tendersie rather than carbonise!

beef ribs seem to be doing ok, internal temp of 145 F, will be done around 165-70.

no pics - wanted to be quick with the lids off, keep in as much ehat as possible!

Sitting anda waiting

good smoking temp is between about 220 and 250 F. had it going steady at 2.30, dropped to 180 when i put the meat in, took about 30 mins to being it back up.

had to fiddle with vents to get the temp stead, now running at 235-40. sweet

gonna open her up in about another hour to refil the water and check on the pork boys.

damn camera ran out of juice too, need it to show the ribs in all their glory!

Ribs been on for about hour an 15 mins, wont open the beast, "if youre looking its not cooking".

Have been able to peek into the top vent, with the help of a torch - looking goooooooooood.

18th Sept Here comes the meat

after a while, my patience wore thin. Probably should have seasoned the "Q" for a while longer but bugger that

prepped water, apple juice and fresh thyme for the waterbowl
















took bbq apart, put in water mix, and put on ribs pork on top beef down below (they're fattier)















you can just make out the beef boys underneath


lid on and awaaaaaayyyyyyyyy
















couple of handfuls of oak chips - see smoke.

now to wait for 2-3 hours

18th Sept Smoker

ProBBq Frontier:
















3/4 full chimney stack of lumpwood charcoal
















had to move the whole damn thing, smoke was blowing into the kitchen














chimney stack is for the "minion" method of lighting charcoal, light the charcoal in the chimney - with a sheet of newspaper at the bottom, leave for 20 mins, dump on fresh charcoal an bobs yer uncle. one match, simple.

ok fire in and put together

.















surprisingly little smoke with no wood chips in it.

threw in some oak wood chips for flavour. couldnt get hickory or mesquite

Sept 18th Sauce prep

Trying two similar BBQ sauces

1 built from scratch, tinned tomatos, onoin powder garlic powder, worstershshisiriire sauce, soy, balsamic vingar, red wine vinegar, drop of cold coffee from this morning, salt, cayenne, brown sugar
































1 similar but a quickie with a tomato sauce base, onion & garlic powders, cayene, drop of coffee, worstershshisiriire sauce, soy no sugar or vinegar.

Sept 18th, 1st Smoke Meat Prep

Prepped one set of pork ribs with a dry rub yesterday

dry rub:

paprika, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper

left these over night


















second set prepped today about an hour beforehand:

same rub but ribs covered in mustard!

































2 small(!?!) beef ribs marinated overnnight in guinness and red wine vinegar + a few spices- no rub