Hey guys. If anyone is interested in smoking bluefish, go to Catch and Cook, the topic right under the Anglers Lounge. DamnFish posted instructions on how to do it. Now all I have to do is catch one of those yellow eyed devils.
I read the DamnFish recipe. Can't wait for the bluefish arrive, I never thought I would say that. They annihilate the blowfish if they arrive in the bay first.
I cooked my ribs at 180 for two hours and then 225 until they got to 170 degrees. After that, I did pretty much what you did but everything was off temperature instead of time as per the Traeger Rib video. It took 8 1/2 hours. So, I'm ready for an eight hour brisket.
What is the lowest temperature on your smoker?
I'm a gadget person. A friend is a BBQ fanatic and insisted I get a Meater Plus. The smoker I have has a probe on it and will connect with my phone but it also has a wire to the probe. Not that the wire can't be dealt with but I like the idea of the probe being wireless, if possible. I read reviews online about the Meater Plus. Some people like it, others don't (mostly due to connectivity problems). I read that can be rectified. I figured, if that's the main complaint and other reviews are very positive, I can deal with it and try remedy the problem with suggested fixes. With the warmer weather coming, I plan to use it and evaluate it myself. If it's not living up to the company's hype, it's going back to Amazon. I'm hoping the connectivity will work around the house and yard. It will be tested this weekend with smoked salmon attempt. I plan to use the wired probe and this wireless probe along with my trusty Thermapen and see what I like best. I'm hoping I won't be opening the smoker lid as much as I did on my first cook and the wireless probe works like my friend's very positive review. Most of the openings were due to my inexperience with the smoker and not using any temp probe.
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I think that, in time, you'll find that the probe isn't really all that necessary. You'll get a feel for how long it takes to cook something and the internal temp isn't as critical as you might think. I've been smoking for around 20 years, first with a wood smoker and now with the pellet smoker and just know how long for ribs, tenderloin, brisket, and so on. Also, if you wrap after the initial 2 hr smoke, that's called Texas style, it's really hard to overcook something as all the juices are locked in by the aluminum wrap. My CampChef has a wired probe which I haven't used in years.
Some very good points there. I used a wired probe for years and it was great. You are right. You tend to cook by time etc. But, if I was going to smoke a brisket or anything longer that a couple hours, I would definitely want a probe.
Weekend is here and I want to try to smoke a salmon fillet. Got one from Restaurant Depot. They just put them out when I got there. I find their fish fantastic. I buy all my shrimp, octopus, scallops, oysters and fish from the Farmingdale location. I feel it's the best seafood RD on Long Island.
I wasn't sure how I was going to brine it. Wet or dry. I read about both and tossed a coin. Dry won. I mixed brown sugar, kosher salt, smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder. The recipe I used called for the salmon to be skinned and cut into pieces. I heavily sprinkled the dry brine on the plate, placed the fillets on the brine and then sprinkled more on top. They were covered with saran and put in the fridge for 24 hours. At 12 hours, I poured off liquid and sprinkled a bit more dry brine on the fillets. Tomorrow I will cook them with mesquite pellets and we will see what happens. I plan to use my new Meater + sensor and hope I don't dry it out.
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Fish I use apple and/or cherry. Mesquite I use very little, but if I was to use I would use with meat with strong tasting fry rubs. Mesquite wood can be a bit strong and bitter for delicate items like fish.
Crabman
Check out my posts over the years in the smoking section
I always leave skin and scales on. Always.
It keeps the fillets firmer and easier to remove when done
Smoked pork tenderloins with apple pellets. You're right, the apple is so much nicer than the mesquite.
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