No responses to my new topic on smoker recipes!!  I can see I'll have to "spice up" my call for smoker recipes.  So let me revise my request:

Left-leaning, socialist/communist recipes are accepted, only if they include healthy amounts of "I deserve this,"  and "99%" ingredients.   

Right-leaning, capitalist/facist recipes are also accepted, but only if their ingredients include envy, prayer, class warfare, and "let's get back to the good old 50's."

All recipes that are spiteful, rude, belligerent, poorly thought out, borderline racist, or just plain dumb are welcome.

No middle-of-the-road (road kill) recipes please.  I already have enough of that reasonable, compromise crap. 

prouboy

Hmmm, guess it's a good thing that I gave up reading anything political on this site.  I like you all much better whan I don't know your politics.

Based on the mumber of comments on one thread in Back to Civ, I'd judge you already have some pretty good recipes for smoking a fellow canoeist.

I don't have a traditional smoker anymore like yours but I do have a Big Green Egg and let me tell ya, I am never going back.  The Egg is so much more versatile! It's a smoker, it's a grill, it's both at once if you want it to be.  They are pricey, but worth it IMHO.  Costco sells a knock-off that's quite a bit cheaper and just as good.

Anyhoo, back to your question.  Smoking many meats is mostly about maintaining proper temps, using the right rub and the right wood. 

Dizzy Pig makes some good rubs, (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links) and choosing the right one for you is mostly a matter of personal preference.  If you want to find something at the grocery store, McCormick has some decent rubs in their Grill Mates line.  Or you can make your own if you have a good recipe (or a desire to experiment) but I think it's best to try the commercial varieties best to learn how your preferences run.

Wood is also a matter of personal preference.  I like Mesquite or Hickory for beef, Pecan for poultry or seafood, and Apple or Cherry for pork.  The important thing is not to over-smoke thinner cuts of meat as well as any poultry or seafood.  They can get overwhelmed by the smoke if you use too much wood.  Your smoker will maintain the proper temp whether or not the wood has been consumed, so go a little light at first.

Lastly, and most importantly (at least for large cuts of meat), temperature.  Low and slow gives you the best results, hands down.  A pork butt is an all-day affair even if you go fast.  If you really want it to fall apart on it's own, you may even need to start the night before.

Best tip though, for pork butts, brisket, or the like is to pull them at least an hour before you plan to serve them and wrap them in foil, then in a couple of thick towels, and put them in an empty cooler.  This really evens out the flavor and improves the tenderness of the final product.

I recently got a smoker and have mostly, just been experimenting.  My overall experience is the simple is better...but I'm not into spicy.

Here is a fun Smoked Almond Recipe:

2 Cups Raw Almonds
1/4 cup Butter
1 TBLS Seasoned Salt
2 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Onion Powder

First combine the Seasoned Salt, Onion Powder and Sugar.  I like to put it in a grinder to make it as powdery as possible.

Melt Butter.  Add Almonds and stir.
Remove from heat.  Stir every minute for 10 minutes.

Place on smoker pan and coat with seasoning

Smoke at low heat for 45minutes - 1 hour or until they are as toasted as you like.

My family loves the almonds:

When I smoke venison I use a seasoning called Mill House Blend.  It is a locally produced mixture that I like.  I have tried other recipes and marinades, but I just like to create a dry rub and then stick in the smoker.  For jerky, i just cut into strips and smoke it longer.  For roasts, I add water to the water pan and smoke until it is ready.  So I really don't have a recipe. 

I do prefer hickory smoke though.

Snow_Dog wrote on Feb 10^th, 2012 at 1:28pm:


Snow_Dog -- Thanks for the excellent info on smokers.  I may wait awhile before buying the Little Chief, and check out "the egg."  Your comment about politics is so well-stated it bears repeating, IMHO! (thus my quote of your comment)

But I guess "to each his own."  For me, I come here to get jazzed about canoeing again! 


prouboy

The type of meat I didn't see listed was fish.

Salmon steaks smoked with apple wood is fantastic.  I'm guessing a nice laker would also serve this purpose. (If you are going the grilling route, you might also try poaching salmon steaks in beer, something I do relatively often.)

dd