Monthly Archives: June 2009

Smoker temperature control

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My wife Peggy Johnson ordered your book for me as a father’s day gift. I had always cooked on a gas grill at home and a charcoal grill when we are at the lake. I found a smoker (Vision VCS) at Lowes last Christmas marked down from $249.00 to $65.00. So I bought it and ruined ribs because I could not control my heat, it kept getting to hot. So I went back to my gas grill. I decided to try the smoker again but this time I played with it with no meat and worked on maintaining temp. I still have a problem keeping my temp. low enough, it goes up to 300 at times. I am using Kingsford charcoal and soaked hickory chunks. I read your book and smoked some baby back ribs for father’s day and they were excellent. I have just ordered the Maverick smoker thermometer.

Thanks for the great book,
Sammy

Reheating brisket

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For 10 years now, I and a couple friends rent a big smoker and cook for 400-500 of our closest friends (neighborhood 4th of July party). We will prepare 220 – 250 pounds of brisket, 300 sausages for the event.

Folks love the brisket and every year we are asked if/ how they can purchase extra and save it for a later time. Any tips on freezing and reheating smoked brisket?

Thanks
Mike H

p.s. We got your book over the winter and are excited to apply what we learned to this years event!

Barbecue compliments…

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Hello Bill,
I purchased your book several months ago and have not had the opportunity to cook in a competition yet, I will cook in one coming up in August and another in September.
I did BBQ for a party of 225 back in May and had favorable comments
on the flavor and tenderness of the brisket. Two weeks after that I BBQ’ed for a party of 40, again, really good comments on the brisket.
I BBQ’ed several chickens for a party this past week-end and the ultimate compliment given to me was from a chef at the party; “Damn, that was the best chicken I’ve ever eaten!”

Really looking forward to cooking in the competition in August, will keep you posted!

As always, keeping it “low & slow.”

Glenn T

Barbecue wood

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Bill, I love your book, “Competition BB-Q Secrets” and have done very well with chicken and ribs (up to 80 people) since reading it. I have just purchased a Lang84 smoker and I was curious as to where you get “Fruit Wood” for cooking, and also, will the wood pellets work well with charcoal for smoke?

Thanks
Bob

Masterbuilt electric smoker

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Bill:

Thanks so much. I am already hooked reading the first pages of the book. I have always wanted to make tasty BBQ. FOr Fathers day I got a Masterbuilt electric smoker. Link below if your not sure what that one is. My question is since I don’t see electric smokers in the book, is can I make award winning style BBQ in one of these? Its got all the great features that you mention in the vertical smokers and even looks similar to the fast eddy except its electric. what are your thoughts? Thanks again and I can’t wait to smoek this weekend. I got it “seasoned” last night to burn off the newness.

AL

Smoked ham

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I purchased your book for our bbq team and we have learned so many things we did not think of. We have competed in 4 competitions so far and need all of the help we can get.

I am planning to smoke a whole ham for 4th of July. Is there any problems in cooking a ham instead of a shoulder? I bought ½ of a hog earlier this year and thought that a ham would be good smoked. Time is the thing that concerns me. I thought that I could smoke it for 8 to 10 hrs and then put it in the oven for any more time needed to get to 190 degrees.

Thanks again for the book and the emails