valve90210 Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Hi All I thought I'd share a handful of photos of the smoking I managed to get done during a week off work which was largely spent doing DIY, who says men can't multi-task!! The first weekend I found a reasonable looking pork shoulder in my local Morrisons and also decided to try a boneless rib of beef joint that I had managed to get in the reduced section (down from £18 to £2.50 :)) a few weeks ago and had stuck in the freezer. I made up a couple of slightly different rubs (based on ones I'd been taught by Wade) and got them rubbed and wrapped over night. I stuck both in my Callow smoker and pretty much left them to it bar a bit of spraying with cider every hour or so then wrapping them after three hours. The pork just before wrapping (Sadly I didn't get any at the end of the cooking of after the pulling...oops): The finished beef before carving: The carved beef: I was really pleased with how both joints came out. The pork could possibly have done with being a little more moist but it wasn't a particularly fatty joint and didn't give me much in the way of juices after wrapping. Also, I hadn't put in a drip tray to catch any juices and had let them fall into the foiled water pan which was a mistake in hindsight. On the Tuesday I decided to do some cold smoking as I've only done it a couple of times, so I got myself some blocks of cheddar and feta and a load of garlic bulbs and smoked both over fruitwood pellets for about 3 hours for the cheese and about 5 for the garlic. Cheese smoking: Garlic Hiding below: The finished items having had a time in the fridge to dry off before vacuum-packing: Both of these have now been mellowing in my fridge for a week, ready for testing soon. From what I've read the garlic might actually need rather longer in the smoker to get a good flavour penetration but we shall see. During the week my brother asked if I might produce something to make up part of a birthday bbq for my nephew's second birthday. I was more than happy to do so, despite being rather busy. I picked up a couple of pork joints and what turned out to be a pretty ropey piece of brisket. I didn't have much time to get photos as I was busy finishing off the scratch-building of a bed for my son but I did manage a couple as was carving the beef as I was quite chuffed with what I had achieved. Being a funny shaped piece of beef I decided to carve in two directions to show my brother the different in going with and across the grain of the meat. With this smoke I had remembered to put in a drip tray and managed to end up with a nice amount of juices to go over the pulled pork which dramatically improved it from my attempt earlier in the week. With the grain: Across the gain: I was quite chuffed with the smoke ring I got on this piece of beef! The best part though was when the bbq happened and I got comments from almost everyone abut how amazing the beef and pulled pork where which Included it being described and "phenomenal" and a "bbq game-changer"! It was lovely to be able to spread the low-and-slow word and talk people through what I had done and hopefully inspire some of them to give it a try themselves! Nothing like as good as food produced by others on here but as a beginner I'm quite pleased with how I'm coming on and I'm definitely gaining confidence with every smoke! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Hi Scott. They all look great. It is a pity about the pork - but we all get some meat that does not work out exactly as we want sometimes. I did a brisket this weekend ... It looked great when it was being prepared and it was in the smoker for 10 hours - with another 3 hours resting. It was still tough !! I noticed that but my guests didn't. Sometimes we can be a little too self-critical too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valve90210 Posted August 29, 2017 Author Share Posted August 29, 2017 I think that's probably just the very nature of meat isn't it, if there's not as much fat running through or if it's from a particularly tough creature! Tis very nice to get good comments from people as they're eating it and pulling faces of delight as they tuck in! Also I've been asked to do meat for my Dad's birthday in a week or so too as my dad really enjoyed the meat I did this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted August 29, 2017 Share Posted August 29, 2017 Hey, Scott, glad you got some smoking in while on holiday. We all have the cooks that let us down slightly, but the best thing about is, the majority of guest do not notice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted August 31, 2017 Share Posted August 31, 2017 Love the cheese and garlic! Have you tasted the garlic yet? I'm curious to see how long to smoke it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valve90210 Posted August 31, 2017 Author Share Posted August 31, 2017 I've not tried the garlic yet though I did break one build down into cloves to vacuum pack it and I'm not convinced it smelt particularly smokey. I think it might be the case that it needs a longer smoke or splitting down the bulbs before smoking but we shall see when I give it a try. Tried the first of the cheese (some of the cheddar) today and have to say it was delicious! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokin Monkey Posted September 1, 2017 Share Posted September 1, 2017 The smoked Garlic I have bought in France has always been in whole bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valve90210 Posted September 11, 2017 Author Share Posted September 11, 2017 Yeah that's how I've always seen it too, I think it might need longer in the smoker next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motocrash Posted November 6, 2017 Share Posted November 6, 2017 I always cut off the tops of the garlic and add oil and pepper.Turns out taking smoke well and roasts in less time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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