Summertime...Barbeques, Grills & Smokers!

This week I was perusing CL even though I shouldn't be looking to spend any money right now. I saw an Primo Oval Jr. with table, all the racks, stones, and accessories for $300. I closed the browser and ignored it for a few days. After a beer, I opened CL and I was surprised that it was still there. Sent an email inquiry and agreed to buy it. Picked it up this morning from a very nice couple moving cross country and didn't want to move it. Took the table apart and loaded it all in the car and headed home.

The first cook tonight was crispy peach smoked chicken thighs with roasted Yukon gold potatoes and butternut squash.

 

What a bargain.

 

Congrats, looks like you did well PanChango!

 

Tonight was a fun cook. I had a could friends over for dinner and some beers.

I cooked Jerk Chicken with Grilled Tostones, Mojo Garlic Sauce, Yellow Rice & Pigeon Peas.

 

Looks fantastic! I wish I could cook like that!

 

Thank you. You might surprise yourself.

 

My beer can chicken juuuuuust fit. The lid was actually resting on the chicken, but not so much to keep the lid from sealing around the edge.

Also tried a charcoal snake for the first time. Two briquets wide, two high, a few chunks of hickory and peach wood laid along the top, all circled around a picnic portion of a pork butt. Held low heat for a good six hours. Wrapped in foil, two more hours in the oven at 260°, another two hours in a cooler to rest. Mmmmm... good pulled pork sammiches!

 

Nice. I love it when a plan comes together!

 

Have a camp chef smoke vault. Use it just about every week. Even though its only 7 months old. It looks like a couple of years old now.

Up here in the Puget Sound area its hard to find good BBQ. I feel I can smoke up better BBQ than most places around here.

 

What suggestions do you all have for smoking a turkey breast on a Weber kettle? Last year I tried a modified snake, and lighting opposite ends simultaneously, thinking a somewhat higher temp would be better for turkey. It was good, but a tad over cooked. The internal temp hit 170 before I realized it was getting close, so I'm sure it reached 175 after taking it off. A couple of years ago, I used a bank of coals on either side, and it was also slightly over cooked and a little dry. I would go back to frying, but it's just not cost efficient unless you're going to use the oil again relatively soon. I've got to believe there's a way to smoke a turkey breast and get it both done and moist. Ideas? Ideal temp to cook at (225, 350, etc)?

 

Buy a popper like the type in roaster chickens. As for keeping moist, I put an aluminum pie tin filled with water under whatever I smoke. Bottom rack for the pie tin and a circle of charcoal, top rack for bird. Steven Raichlin (author "How to Grill") recommends 225° to 250°. I like 275° +/- 25°.

 

I would prefer to just do a breast, but am doing a whole bird this year. It is on the smaller side at 10 lbs. The breasts were $1.59 a pound while the complete birds were on sale for $.29 a pound. My plan is to spatchcock it and cook at 325F until the breast reaches 155F. It will need to rest and finish coming to temp while I finish the sides. The biggest thing to dried turkey imo is over cooking it. Good luck, I look forward to the pics.

 

Thanks guys. Do either of you inject a turkey when smoking? I did that routinely when frying, and eventually came up with my own injection marinade using a dark beer, melted butter, and a little salt/pepper/garlic powder mixed in.

 

I've never injected.
From watching a lot of BBQ Pit Masters, injection is a matter of preference. Some swear by it, others say if you have to inject, you don't know what you're doing.
I don't only because I've never bothered to buy the injector. *shrug*

 

My father used to inject when he fried a turkey, but just brined when smoking them.

I never bothered with it, but I know a lot of people that do it with great results. I tried using a brine, but didn't really care much for it.

I'm simple, it will just be salt, pepper, garlic, and some chunks of cherry

 

I'm doing a beer can chicken for Thanksgiving.
Using orange wood for the smoke, orange juice in the can, and an orange zest and heb butter to slip in under the skin.
We're having diner with friends. Bill will be smoking a turkey breast that he plans on brining.

 

BamaT

I'd brine the breast and smoke it at 240 to a temperature of 165.

Should take about 4hr

 

That sounds great!

 

Sounds very good. BTW, where do you purchase the orange wood?

 

Cabelas, Hamburg, PA.