Hey were gonna post some how to’s in here, hope ya check in from time ta time to see some a what we do!
SMOKED MEAT LOAF
2 lbs 80/20 ground beef
1 pkg lipton onion soup mix
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water
2 eggs
1 Tbl worchestershire sauce
black pepper ta taste
Mix all tagether well, press inta a bread pan an cover, refrigerate over night. When ready, smoke at 250° ta a internal temp a 160°. Slice an enjoy!
BASIC BRINING
Were gonna go over doin a basic brine. This primarily relates ta poultry, but many things can be brined.
Brinin is placin the meat inta a container which has water an salt in it. The salt will penetrate inta the meat over time an take with it the seasonins ya add to the brine.
The brinin temperature range is between 36° – 38°. Any lower an you slow down the brinin process an any higher you risk spoilage a the meat. Thus yer refrigerator is perfect fer brinin. I have an old one in the basement I use just fer my sausage an smoked meats.
Know fer containers, I use some 2,3, an 5 gallon food grade buckets that I got from the local mega mart. The 2 an 3 gallon ones come from the bakery, had frostin in em an nice tight lids. 5 gallon ones come from the deli side an had pickles in em, nice lids with them two. I’ve done enough business with em they just gave them to me. DO NOT Use plastic buckets from the hardware store er garbage bags. Ya don’t know what’s in em an the brinin process can release some nasty stuff inta yer solution an then inta yer food.
If yer bucket won’t fit inta yer refrigerator, you can also add ziplock bags a ice to it. Just remember ya wanna stay 36° – 38° temp wise. You could also brine in a nice clean cooler. Again, just add the ice in zip lock bags.
Another safety note: NEVER re-use yer brine. Always make up a fresh batch. Ya don’t wanna contaminate yer food by re-usin the brine.
Here’s a good basic brine. I recommend ya start with this en an then modifiy it to yer likin. Or explore the web fer brines that have the ingridients ya like.
Slaughterhouse Poultry Brine
1 1/2 Gallon Water
1/2 C Kosher Salt
1/2 C Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp (teaspoon) Garlic Powder
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Cajun Spice
2 tsp Celery Salt
Add the water, salt an sugar to a large stainless steel pot. Bring to a rollin boil. Turn off the heat an add the rest of the ingridients. Let cool to room temp. If yer in a hurry, ya can do the above but only use 1/2 gallon a water an add 8 pounds a ice to cool it quicker.
Now add the brine to yer container an rinse yer meat well an place that in the brine. Cover an refrigerate.
The length of time to brine is partly a personal choice an partly time requirment to complete the brinin process, followin is a basic time line.
Chicken (whole) 8-12 hours
Chicken (parts) 4 hours-overnight
Turkey (whole) 12-24 hours upta 48 hours
Turkey (breast) 8-12 hours
Pork Tenderloin (whole) 12-24 hours
If ya ain’t never brined before, I’d start out bout in the middle a them numbers an see how the salt level is fer yer likin.
Now as to changin things round, IE: Salt. I use only kosher salt in my recipes. But if ya can’t find it, you can use non-iodized table salt, but ya need to cut the amount by half, or use half as much table salt as ya would kosher salt. Kosher salt is a much larger grain size then table salt.
Also, if ya decide ya wanna add apple juice er orange juice ta yer brine that is fine, but bear in mind, if ya create an acid solution (apple juice, orange juice are higher in acid), yer meat could come out mushy, so use with some caution.
Now, after yer brine time is complete, simply wash yer meat off in the sink to remove the excess salt on the outside an apply yer favorite rub. Watch how much salt ya have in yer rub, cause after brinin in a salt solution, ya really don’t wanna add to much more salt ta the meat. Many commercial rubs are mostly salt.
Now, smoke an enjoy!
OLD TOWN HAM
I use either a picnic shoulder er even a pork butt fer these, either will work well. Ya can also use a bonelless pork butt if ya like.
9 lb Picnic Shoulder
Picklin spice ta yer taste
Sugar (ta yer taste but I’d start at 2 cups)
1 1/4 C Kosher Salt
Onion powder ta taste
1/4 tsp of cure #1 per pound a meat
about 1 1/2 gallons a water
Heat the water ta boilin, turn off heat an add everthin but the cure inta it an mix well. Let cool an add in the cure.
Inject upta 10% of yer meat wieght of cure inta the meat, especially around any bones. Then add the meat ta a brine bucket an let cure fer 2 days a pound.
After the cure, rinse well an let dry an rest, you wan’t it at room temperature when ya put it in yer smoker.
I start out at 100° with smoke fer an hour, then raise the smoker temp ta 180° with smoke till an internal temp a 150°. I like hickory an maple wood on hams. When it be done should look somthin like this:
3lb Smoked Cured Boneless Ham
