Summertime...Barbeques, Grills & Smokers!

I picked a variety of orange / peach / maple / and oak last year to try some woods that werent readily available to me locally.

I was impressed with fruitawood.

https://fruitawood.com/#!/Smoking-Wood-Chips-Wood-Chunks-&-Wood-Splits/c/20346062

This fall I had to do some maintenance and took some limbs off Pear, black cherry, maple, and beech trees here. I still have to finish processing it, but should have plenty for the next decade or so.

 

Peach is fantstic with chicken.
This'll be my first with orange.

Beech makes for some mighty tasty brats.

 

I really enjoy peach and orange.

I have yet to use the Beech, it is drying in the garage. I will definitely need to give it a go for some brats when it is cured.

 

Got the turkey breasts on a couple of hours ago. Did't inject, and after rubbing down with butter, used a rub of salt, black pepper, a little garlic powder, a little rosemary, and a little red pepper. It doesn't show up here, but I built an elongated bank of charcoal on the left, covered with a couple of hickory chunks and some hickory nuts that had been previously soaked. Lit just the ends, and closed top vent to just a quarter open. After nearly two hours, the bank of coals are burning about a quarter of the way at this point. Internal temp of the birds are low 90's. In another hour or so I will probably turn the breasts around to let the back side get more of the direct heat, and switch the probes. I really need another couple of probes for my iGrill, it has 4 inputs.

 

Here's a pic of the charcoal bank to one side, ends lit with hickory chunks and hickory nuts on top, although the hickory nuts don't show up. I just rotated the breasts, and switched one probe to the other side.

 

@BamaT Looking good. This reinforces my opinion that a kettle grill is great for smoking meats. All you have to do is get the temp right, put on your wood of choice, and sit back and enjoy. I have a 22 inch Masterbuilt (Weber knock-off) I picked up at Home Depot for $27.00 at their end-of-year sale. It gives me nice, easy-to-manage smokes.

 

I just pulled the spatchcocked turkey off the Pit Barrel Cooker. I'll let it rest about a half hour then carve it. It's the first turkey I've done on the PBC, and it looks like it turned out pretty good.

 

Looking good, @Erik Redd!

 

Right before taking off the grill; one breast registered 165 on one side and 160 on the other, and the other breast registered 160 on both sides. It looks like the butter may have blackened the skin a bit, but a quick peek under the skin, and the meat looks great. Tented with foil to rest for an hour or so, and about to carve!

 

Good looking birds.

 

Nice looking birds. I spatchcocked a 10lb bird today. Super simple salt and pepper, smoked indirect at roughly 350F with a bit of Cherry wood. Pulled when the breast hit 155F and let rest for a few mins. Turned out well. Here it is just a few minutes before pulling.

 

Thanks for sharing the fruitawood link. Years ago I had apple trees at my old house and would use trimmings from them, but now the only thing I have close by and free is hickory and hickory nuts, and oak. The 20 lb box, plus what I have in hickory and oak will last a long time for me.

 

Has anyone ever used persimmon wood for smoking? That has never occurred to me before, but I have 2 persimmon trees on the edge of my property. Being an edible fruit, it would seem reasonable that it would be similar to other fruit woods.

 

Probably hands down the best turkey I have ever smoked! The meat was tender and moist throughout, and the smoke flavor permeated all the way through.

The use of external temperature monitors, watching them closely toward the end, taking the birds off about 5 degrees before they are totally done and allowing to rest for an hour or more wrapped in foil I believe is the key. I now believe injecting marinade is not necessary, and rubs are probably not as important as I used to think. I do believe rubbing down with butter or olive oil helps.

 

Apple and Cherry are the most available here. I like fruitawood to be able to try stuff not readily available.

I have used Persimmon in the past and found it to be like plum or peach. I find it lighter and sweeter than hickory. You have it for free, all it takes is some work and curing time and you are good to go.

 

Wasn't overly impressed with the orange wood. Meh.
I have some left over to try again later.
The chicken turned out nice and moist, almost falling off the bone.

 

I’ve never tried it but I have used pear wood and liked it a lot. The smell of the smoke is awesome! Little hard to find though.

 

Smoking a 10lbs Pork Butt. Making pulled pork sandwiches for New Year’s Eve! I started this 4:30am.

 

Thats a beautiful brisket

 

Hi all. New member here and bbq fanatic. 3 webers, 18.5 kettle,22.5 copper kettle, and 18.5 wsm, and one austrian wife. I'm getting ready to smoke a chuckie for pepper stout beef. Made my first loaf of homemade almost no kneed bread, which turned out great.