The Smokers Thread for Everything BBQ - You Know Who You Are!

(Sophie) #121

@Stef @MountainGirl @Cailynq @MissyMe I just wanted to say that I’m happy to see Sister Smokers represent! Not just boys BBQ! :smile:

#122

KCBS judge here. Loving this thread. I’ve got a lazy man set-up, by where I put a hot plate on my Weber kettle and an old cast iron skillet on that. It will smoke 4-5 wood chunks for as long as you need. Depending on the outside temps I might need to finish in the oven. I also use my hot plate on my grill for when I want a scorched earth ribeye and don’t want to set off my smoke alarm.

(Cailyn Mc Cauley) #123

Yes Sophie! I’m a Carolina girl who moves from NC to NorCal. I never forget my BBQ roots and love to smoke. Was interested in learning how to compete but it takes too much money to get into the game.

So I smoke all the time at home and constantly read smoker blogs and recipes!

Glad to see there are other #smokersisters !

#124

Well my friend Tam is a sister smoker, but I’m a Stefan. 'm not sure the smoke cares…

(Sophie) #125

Oops, my bad! And you’re right, the smoke probably doesn’t care, but it’s rare to have women that BBQ. It’s mostly a field dominated by the boys.

(Sophie) #126

I’m from Coastal Georgia (Savannah) living in Chattanooga. My dad was the one that peaked my interest in all things cooking. I was grilling the Friday Night steaks by the time I was 13yrs. He had a smoker and I was always his helper. I love a savory, vinegar based BBQ sauce too! Oh, and Brunswick Stew! :smile:

(Central Florida Bob ) #127

Got a keto version? :grin:

(Sophie) #128

I wish I did! Sadly, it’s on my long list. Maybe one day I’ll get there.

(Steve) #129

I bought a kamado style grill back in Dec and have used it almost every weekend since. It was the best stupid money purchase I’ve made in a long time! I’ve had some good luck with brisket flats, reverse-seared ribeyes, and a smoked egg casserole that’s nice for breakfast. It’s my new version of meal prepping. Grill all day and eat the results throughout the week.

(Central Florida Bob ) #130

I’ve been disappointed with low carb barbecue sauces. We originally tried a recipe that I think came from Blood Sugar 101 (Jenny Ruhl’s site), then a couple of commercial sauces, but nothing really hit the spot. The latest one is just too sweet for me.

I keep telling myself to do some experimentation, but we’ve switched to my versions of Alabama white sauce, since it’s based on our home made mayonnaise so it’s good fats. I’d like to develop a good vinegar based sauce, a mustard based sauce, and a ketchup base.

The barbecue and sauce recipes I see online and get in my email contain a staggering amount of sugar. I know the sugar carmelization helps with texture and most sugar substitutes don’t carmelize, but there’s got to be a way.

(Steve) #131

This is the main reason why I’ve been sticking to home made dry rubs.

(Central Florida Bob ) #132

Everything gets dry rubbed, but I like a finishing sauce served alongside the 'cue.

(Chris W) #133

I view anything but dry rubs as blasphemy, but that is me.

I have tried diet soda on my ribs in my 3-2-1 method seems to work I like them without just as much though.

I do like finishing sauce with my pulled pork, but mine has no carbs.

(Central Florida Bob ) #134

I find the dry rub fine by itself on ribs, but like a finishing sauce with pulled pork, and even beef short ribs. Never used sauce on a fatty.

It’s personal preferences.

(Chris) #135

I can say a couple of things. Competition BBQ is a different beast. 6 Judges, blindly comparing 6 samples on appearance/taste/tenderness changes the definition of what it takes to stand out amongst a crowd. One bite BBQ. And if you hate BBQ sauce, maybe you just haven’t had a really good bbq sauce.

Surprisingly enough, I haven’t seen nearly the negative repercussions from sweet bbq sauces so far with testing and competing. Very possible that the fat and protein blunt the insulin response and the lack of carbs on my regular schedule may allow for the occasional influx.

#136

I’ve been experimenting with reductions of the sous vide juices combined with dry rub herbs and spices and fat, duck fat is especially nice, but butter is good, as a sugarless bbq sauce. Probably not a competition winner, but good for the backyard keto bbqer.

(Central Florida Bob ) #137

Ummm… duck fat… (Homer style drool)

I’ve smoked a duck a few times and they usually come out really good. I never thought of using the fat.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #138

For a slightly better result using the purge from Sous Vide, I highly recommend boiling the remnants in the microwave and filtering out the coagulated protein. It produces a cleaner flavor and a less cloudy sauce.

(Banting & Yudkin & Atkins & Eadeses & Cordain & Taubes & Volek & Naiman & Bikman ) #139

I’ve had great sauces. I prefer a dry, Memphis style rib and a Texas style brisket. And a vinegar style sauce for pork.

I don’t dislike barbecue sauce. I just don’t really like it on barbecue. Great on burgers and chicken.

(Chris W) #140

IMHO BBQ sauce is a cover for poorly made BBQ let the meat and the smoke do the talking. Now i don’t care if I get BBQ sauce on some ribs now and again and I have had some fine sauces over the years but typically they were on non smoked or poorly smoked ribs. I also understand that is a regional thing I hear its nearly impossible to get ribs without sauce in KC.
At some point in my life I would like to do a BBQ tour starting in Texas, and hitting all the major hubs. Enough of this talk I am trying to EF…