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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: BWCA Food and Recipes :: Favorite Smoker Recipes
 
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MNDan
02/12/2015 02:54PM
 
This recipe is easy and it will blow your mind with the results!


http://www.nakedwhiz.com/smokedsalmon.htm


Just pick up some farmed salmon from Costco and give it a shot. The Naked Whiz website has tons of good info & recipes for other stuff as well...


Another easy thing to make is pork shoulder (butt) for pulled pork sandwiches - smoke at 225F until internal reaches 195F and enjoy! Search for rubs and whatnot to throw on it, along with good slaw recipes.
 
mirth
12/13/2017 03:09PM
 
An oldie but a goodie, thought I'd bump this thread since I recently got bit by the smoker bug. Made a couple racks of ribs and a pork butt for pulled pork for my first smoke. Everything turned out great!
Thinking about fish for my next time. :)


Got a masterbuilt gas unit, did a couple changes to it during construction based on things I read on a couple related message boards.
 
WindChill
01/25/2015 12:21PM
 
I got a gas/charcoal one last summer and have also had fun experimenting. No specific recipes but a few things that have gone over well...


1) a pork loin rubbed with McCormicks applewood rub. I found a sauce recipe that is about equal parts BBQ sauce and apricot preserves, heat it in a sauce pan to "melt" the preserves and mixe well.


2) a chunk of salmon - wow! Dont remember what wood I used to smoke but didnt use any rub or sauce, just a little salt and pepper. Key to this one was the timing - I think it was only on the smoker for about 20 minutes total at around 250 degrees.


3) A whole chicken using the same McCormicks applewood rub


4) A turkey for thanskgiving. Brined it for 24 hours (some random recipe I found online).


Have also tried a steak but I lost track of the time and it turned into charcoal. Have not tried ribs yet.
 
TomP
01/25/2015 06:38AM
 
My wife gave me an electric smoker for Christmas. I've had a lot of fun with it. So far I've made ribs a couple of times and chicken. Ribs have turned out great. The chicken was just OK.

Could you share your favorite smoker recipes?

Do you use your smoker for BWCA prep?

Any tips for a newbie?


 
cgchase
01/27/2015 11:15PM
 
I do not use my smoker for camping food prep . .but I would use it to make jerky if I didn't already have a dehydrator.


I posted this in another smoker thread but it bears repeating because . .let's face it . .everybody makes ribs in their smoker. Ribs are awesome. But what can you do to set yourself apart from the pack?


Lamb Barbacoa
First of all, barbacoa is an old Mexican tradition and I won't go into it here - there are lots of different styles. Where I live (South Texas) if you order Barbacoa you are going to get meat from a steamed cow head. Cheeks in the high-rent establishments, eyes and noses in the low-rent spots. But that's not the only kind of barbacoa there is.


Ok - so here is my take on Mexican lamb Barbacoa - Oaxacan Style:
Traditionally this will be done with a whole lamb but, unless you got a really big smoker or feel like digging a pit, a bone-in lamb shoulder roast will do perfectly. And it's cheap! You probably need to ask your butcher for it - he probably sells them as shoulder steaks.


In a sauce pan, combine ground ancho chile powder (not "chili powder"), garlic and oil to make a thick paste. Cook on low heat for a few mins to combine the flavors. Allow to cool and then smear this all over your lamb roast.

If you can find avocado leaves, place a layer of avocado leaves below the roast and also a layer on top. I find avocado leaves at my Mexican grocer . .but they are a bit hard to find. You can skip them.

Place the lamb roast on a rack over a pan and put into this pan:
2-3 cups water
diced carrot, onion and potato
a few springs of epazote . .or forget it if you can't find.


Basically you are making a soup/stock for the lamb to drip into.


Place the pan in the smoker and smoke for 2 hours. After 2 hours, wrap the whole thing very tightly with aluminum foil. You want to "trap" the lamb over the pan . .so to speak.


Smoke for another 10 or so hours . .until you get internal temp of around 195-200 . .or it does the "wubba wubba" when you poke it. If you can pull the bone right out . .it's done.


Set the lamb aside or store in a cooler. Allow the stock to cool and de-fat. Really. Don't skip de-fatting or you will be sorry. I use one of those measuring cups with the spout that pours from the bottom for de-fatting.


You can either serve the soup as a first course before the lamb or, better yet, save it to make Birria with later on (Birria is awesome and worth a Google if you've never had it).


Shred the lamb apart and place on a platter. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a few leaves of parsley.


You want to serve this with a fresh, hot salsa. I like to use roasted tomatillos, roasted garlic and chipotles from the can. Those canned chipotles are surprisingly hot . .so taste them first if you're not familiar. The more traditional salsa would involve Chile Pasilla Negro - but I don't happen to like that chile so I use Chipotles, instead.


You can either make tacos (corn tortillas only please) or serve it as a plate. Either way, black beans and rice is perfect to go with. I like to cook up my black beans and part-purree them with the boat-motor thing and then sprinkle with diced tomatoes and queso fresco.


If you're not doing the soup as the first course, I recommend Mexican-style shrimp cocktail as the first course.


The basic jist of this recipe comes from the show, Mexico - One Plate at a Time . .but I've changed a lot about it based on my preferences/experiences. It never fails to impress.



 
overthehill
01/28/2015 12:30AM
 
Big Turkey. Soaked in Honey brine 24+ hours. Stuffed with 2 cloves smashed garlic, a carrot, a bag of 'Mrs. Culberson's Croutons' and smoked (charcoal smoker) with applewood chips. around 10 hrs. for 17 lbs. Ambient temp outside was 50-55 F. First and best I've had.
 
mc2mens
02/16/2015 09:13AM
 
I just got a new electric smoker too. I've smoked a few batches now and with chicken and salmon, I've had best luck by soaking each in their own brine overnight before smoking.


Whole Chicken:
- brine (1 gal water, 1 cup salt, 1 cup brown sugar, 1 tbs pepper 1/2 tbs cayenne)
- remove from brine and pat dry
- apply dry rub (salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, chipotle pepper, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika)
- smoke at 220 for 4-5 hours (apple and hickory chips)


Salmon:
- brine (water, salt, brown sugar, miso)
- remove from brine and pat dry
- salt and pepper
- smoke at 200-220 for 2-3 hours (pecan and hickory chips)