I've been a long-time fan of the website and to be honest, my brother signed me up for the forum. After clicking around, I should've signed up forever ago.
I recently won a Traeger Tailgater 20 at a Ducks Unlimited event and it just arrived! I still need to assemble it and fire it up. I haven't smoked much meat and usually do my steaks sous vide.
Any suggestions for a total newbie? What should I try first?
Welcome to The Pit. I suggest you start with either a pork butt or a chuck roast. They are cooked the same way and both are very forgiving. Recipes for both are on the free side. With either one you should dry brine over night if possible using 1/2 tsp kosher salt per lb of meat.
Welcome from Maryland. I always suggest a pork butt as a first cook. Easy to cook but takes long enough so you get to know your cooker well. I like to cook them at 275.
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> Grilla Grills Pellet Pizza Oven
> Pit Barrel Cooker (gone to a new home)
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to fiddle with a more capable cooker)
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I'm going to suggest steaks for your first cook. Smoke them at 225-250 until they are 10 degrees under whatever your desired finish temp is, and then sear them off just like you would after the water bath. The one thing to be careful of is that you want your steaks to be at least 1 1/2 inches thick for this. This article explains the process pretty well. https://amazingribs.com/more-techniq...-cook-low-slow
I too used to exclusively sous vide my steaks, but ever since I gave the reverse sear a try, the water bath only gets used if I have more steak to do than will fit on my smoker. My S.O. likes them so much that it is the one thing I make that I am forbidden to tinker with.
Glad you enjoyed your visit. At the moment looks like the local hunters are trying to get things opened up for them but nothing yet.
If you don't have a biltong box I'll give you a simple effective designed one and we start there.
LSG Adjustable Grill/Smoker, MAK Pellet Grill, Large BGE with Several Attachments from the Ceramic Grill Store, Weber Gasser, Cast Iron Pans & Griddle, Grill Grates, Mostly Thermoworks Thermometers, Anova SV Stick, BBQ Guru Controller and Fan
Fast Eddy's Cook Shack PG 1000
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Hasty-Bake 256 Gourmet Dual Finish
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Weber Jumbo Joe
Weber Smokey Joe
Weber Q gasser with stand
Blackstone Griddle 22 with stand and lid
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Akorn Kamado jr
Cook a butt and then go to Harbor Freight and buy a cart so it won't be such a pain in the arse to move around. Welcome, and enjoy! (There are cheaper ones than the one pictured)
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