Grilling steaks with SnS tomorrow. Do I fill the water reservoir or leave it empty? Going to do the reverse sear.
-
-
Planning my second cook tomorrow afternoon on the SNS, and my first smoked turkey. Need some help with a few things:
1) the instructions for the SNS don't address the setup for achieving 325F, but I know it is being done. Can someone please advise me on this?
2) I have read MH's article on turkey and am curious about injecting with a store bought "cajun butter" product that is popular, especially when frying turkeys in south Louisiana. I have had fried turkey injected with this and it is wonderful. Since my turkey, like almost all nowadays, is already injected with an 8% solution including salt, I plan to not dry brine, but will inject the cajun butter. MH indicated (my understanding) that this may be overkill but is that his personal preference related to the strong spices overpowering the turkey, or is it related to the injection already in the bird? Essentially, is it going to be too salty? I am almost certain that folks around here that use this injection are also doing so, like me, with a typical store-bought turkey that has been injected already so I am thinking this must be just fine.
3) as for smoke I caught MH's point about not overdoing it. With the SNS I'd like to hear from anyone who's done a turkey and how many wood chunks did you use? I'm planning on just one, I think.
Thanks!Comment
-
LSUBBQFanOriginally posted by LSUBBQFan View Post
Lighting instructions on our website is here.
To summarize:
1) For 325, such as with skin-on poultry, use about half a Weber chimney of unlit Kingsford Original briquets (~40-45 briquets) and light them all. After they're well-lit (blue smoke stops) which may take 10-15 min or so, add them all to the SnS charcoal reservoir. You won't need any unlit briquets, as these coals should give you about 90min of 325 with proper vent maintenance. Act quickly though, the longer they burn in the chimney unimpeded the less oomph they'll have once added to the SnS. You could shorten the burn time of them considerably if you wait too long to add them. I act as soon as the blue smoke stops and you see mostly heat waves or flames, a little smoke still coming up is fine. Then put your lid on and leave all your vents opened until the temp at grate level hits about 275, then restrict your vents. It's ok if the temp goes upward toward 340. I tend to prefer to cook around 340-350, but use 325 your first time.
If you're doing a turkey, the times should only be a little longer than a chicken... longer yet for a really big turkey. 1.5 - 2 hrs is typical turkey time, whereas 75-90min is average for a chicken. If you notice the temps dwindling after 90 mins or so and your turkey breasts aren't at 160, and opening the vents doesn't increase your temps, you may need to repeat the lighting procedure and re-add lit coals. Don't worry if you add too much. After the bird is done you can close all vents and your temps will slowly drop and preserve your coals for next time.
2) I can't help you there with personal experience. Taste the injection and see if it tastes salty. Perhaps try injecting one side w/ and one side w/o anything or with unsalted butter. Then you can get a direct comparison to see if it's worth it or not.
3) One, roughly fist-sized or half a fist-sized, chunk should be all you'd need for one bird. We typically recommend about 3 or so per 8 hr cook like with ribs or pork butt. It's likely the wood chunk will still be left over when the turkey is done. Fruit wood, ash, or maple is great on poultry in my experience.Last edited by Huskee; August 8, 2015, 10:40 PM.Comment
-
Thanks, just saw and replied. I guess I'm buying another turkey. 😪Comment
-
Huge bummer, but that's the best thing I think. I tossed a chicken once. Left it thawing in a bowl of cold water in the sink. Forgot about it. 6 hrs later it was room temp. I tossed it and got a new one, thawed. Like it never happened. Granted, a chicken is only $7 or 8, but still, safe & smart beats big risk in my book.
-
-
Steaks done. Piled coals all in one corner so only half of SnS had coals. Worked well. Seared at IT 130 for med and 120 for med rare/ rare.Comment
-
I discovered something today. A full compact chimney (40 briquettes) of competition briquettes ashed over halfway up then dumped in the SnS gets to 350 degrees and stays there for 3 hours. All vents halfway open. That's perfect for chicken.Comment
-
And BTW, Ernest , and all who live in your area - you've really had some tough weather! -
richinlbrg pile them,you'll get longer cook times than when spread out -
-
-
It's a dry heat right? To me hot is hot. It's a nice 82 F degrees in South Central PA.Comment
-
Same temp here in central MI. Although it's usually humid. Once n a while it isn't.Originally posted by mackdaddy View PostComment
-
Used the SnS today for a ground turkey meatloaf. Filled charcoal chimney about 2/3+ full, lit them & chucked 'em into the SnS after 15-17 minutes or so. Had the vents halfway open top & bottom. I'll be damned if the 26" Weber kettle didn't hold 350 dead steady the whole time. Took about one hour & 40 minutes to reach internal temp of 160 degrees (couldn't wait for the extra 5 degrees....was hungry). No water used in the reservoir. Used a chunk of apple wood for some smoke. Added the wood to the charcoal just before placing the meat on the grill. The meat loaf was 1.5lb of 99% fat free ground turkey, with leeks, mushrooms sautéed, minced galic, mozzarella cheese, egg, breadcrumbs & some seasonings to taste. Came out perfect! Great crust! Too easy!Last edited by Onez; August 9, 2015, 07:35 PM.Comment
-
I bet that was tasty. I love using ground turkey, if not overcooked it is soooo good. I think you did a VERY good thing by pulling it at 160. It probably carryover-cooked up to 165 by the time it was on your fork. I often will pull meats at least 5* early, especially if they've been cooked hot like that.Originally posted by Onez View PostComment
-
I picked up my SnS the other day, glad it finally arrived. I purchased it on the very first day it was publically available (so I could pay with PayPal, superb support from ABC, thanks!). It probably cost me as much to ship it across the pond as I paid for the SnS itself, but that that is on my own account, and I just had to get one. Now there's an SnS in Sweden!
First impressions: excellent construction. It is rare to see such quality welding seams in a product as reasonably priced as the SnS. Love that. I didn't expect the sheet metal to be that thick, but I appreciate it, as I know it will last forever.
Will post some cooks later, am traveling a bit too much right now, but will get back with a report.Comment
-
Did my second dry run on Sunday. Easily can get 10+ hours @ 225-235 on one basket of charcoal. Fire control is AWESOME!
Will post a chart / graph later this week.
Thanks for your help, David Parrish !
--EdComment
-
Smoked baby backs on the SnS this weekend. Best part of the cook was that I left for two hours! Temp was at 224 when I left, and upon return, I ran back to check it, and there is sat at 223. Me and my son had a "dudes night" as the girls were at a concert (outside in 105 degrees no less!), and he wanted ribs. Nothing makes me happier than my little guy saying, "Dad! You make good ribs!".
It has really been great having the PBC and SnS. I have gone from a once every couple of years smoke on COS, to smoking something just about every weekend! Great products both.Comment
Comment