Smokin' Recipies

These are my favorite recipes for smoking. Feel free to take and adapt these to fit your needs.

Most of all, Enjoy!

Basic Brine
Pulled Pork BBQ
Smoked Turkey
Smoked Mashed Potatoes

Basic Brine

Your meat dishes need to be brined before smoking. This will inject water into the meat that will keep it moist while cooking. Remember, this is a very dry cooking method, so you need to make sure your meat is properly prepared. This will make all the difference in the taste of your meal!

12 oz Canning/Pickling Salt
8 oz Molasses
1/2 Gallon Water
Ice in plastic bag

Dissolve canning salt and molasses in cold water. (Canning salt is designed to dissolve in cold water.) Place the meat in a cooler or large stock pot. Pour brine over the meat and weigh it down with the bag of ice. Refrigerate pot for 12-24 hours, depending on cut of meat and recipe.

Modifications to this formula is required. That is why it is called "basic."

Pulled Pork BBQ

1 Boston butt, 8-10 lb
Basic Brine
Montreal Steak Seasoning (Or your favorite rub)
Mesquite Wood Chunks (2 loads)

Brine butt for 12 hours in basic brine in large stock pot. Remove butt from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Liberally apply rub to meat.

Smoke meat on Mesquite wood chunks at 220 until internal temperature of butt reaches 190 degrees. Remove from heat and wrap in aluminum foil for one hour.

After the meat has rested, cut in half and begin pulling the meat with two forks. Each piece should resemble a group of strings after you have pulled it.

Reheat the meat by placing it in a 300 degree oven inside a foil packet for 20 minutes. Turn the packet every 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Smoked Turkey

1 Turkey, 12-14 pounds
Basic Brine, doubled
1 Onion, quartered
1 Stalk Celery, quartered
Hickory or Apple Wood Chunks (2 loads)

Prepare turkey by submerging it in Basic Brine in a medium cooler. Brine the turkey 24 hours, rotating once at 12 hours. Remove turkey and drain completely, lightly patting bird dry. Insert onion and celery into cavity.

Place turkey on the smoker grill (loaded with hickory or apple wood chunks). Place thermometer probe in thigh. Assemble smoker top.

Smoke meat for 7-8 hours at 200 degrees, until thigh meat reaches 150 degrees. Remove turkey from the smoker, wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil for one hour. Carve turkey as desired.

Smoked Mashed Potatoes

This is an extremely good treat, an excellent compliment to a smoked dinner. It doesn't always have to be meat!

1 garlic bulb
7 Baking Potatoes (large)
7 Strips Bacon
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 C. Sour Cream
One stick butter (cut in 1/2 T pieces)
Vegetable Oil
Paprika

Poke holes in potato skins with fork several times. Coat potatoes and garlic bulb with vegetable oil. Using small frying pan or fish grilling pan, place bacon in smoker along with the potatoes and garlic in smoker at 225 degrees for 8-10 hours, until potato are soft through.

Peal the potatoes and place in mixing bowl. Peel garlic bulb and add a tablespoon of garlic to the potatoes. Mix completely (I use a cake mixer). Add cheese and butter and mix until melted. Chop bacon into fine pieces and add along with sour cream. Mix through. Place into casserole dish and sprinkle with paprika for color.

If smoke flavor is too strong, replace half of the potatoes with traditionally baked spuds.