Smoking Meat Questions and Discussion

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swiacy

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Apr 9, 2009
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I would flip it for sure. First you said grill, then you referred to smoker grill, so depending what you have, you may not need to flip. I started doing spatchcock chicken on my smoker grill l, which is Daniel Boone GMG, I have a second rack that is about 6” higher from the original grill grates, so I really don’t worry about flare ups. I just prefer to flip to get rid of as much fat as possible. I usually will go low and slow and the last 30 minutes or so turn it to around 450 to try and crisp the skin. Post some pics of the finished product.
It's a Weber gas grill with a smoker box filled with apple wood. I went ahead and flipped it after an hour and fifteen minutes and then took a temp in the breast which read 160 after 15 minutes. Put it back on for another 15 minutes and if it reads 165 I'll call it good......it reads 170 in the middle of the breast so the internet says it's done.
 
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tm3308

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Jun 13, 2010
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Following up on the Vortex:

I've used it a couple times since the Super Bowl and been pleased with the results. I definitely overcrowded the grate the very first time I used it, which made it harder for the skins to crisp up. But I made two batches with fewer wings last weekend (before each of Iowa's S16 and E8 games). The first one had reasonably crispy skins, but not quite what I was expecting based on what I'd heard people say about the Vortex. The second batch, I tossed the wings in corn starch (seasoned with a pretty basic SPG blend), and the results were incredible. Very crispy, and while I don't sauce the wings while they're on the grill (I prefer to just toss them in whatever sauce just before serving), the crispy skins held up pretty well to my buffalo sauce. I'll never make party wings without starching them again; that plus the Vortex is a gamechanger. IMG_6350.jpg
 
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Gonzo

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Mar 10, 2009
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Behind you
Following up on the Vortex:

I've used it a couple times since the Super Bowl and been pleased with the results. I definitely overcrowded the grate the very first time I used it, which made it harder for the skins to crisp up. But I made two batches with fewer wings last weekend (before each of Iowa's S16 and E8 games). The first one had reasonably crispy skins, but not quite what I was expecting based on what I'd heard people say about the Vortex. The second batch, I tossed the wings in corn starch (seasoned with a pretty basic SPG blend), and the results were incredible. Very crispy, and while I don't sauce the wings while they're on the grill (I prefer to just toss them in whatever sauce just before serving), the crispy skins held up pretty well to my buffalo sauce. I'll never make party wings without starching them again; that plus the Vortex is a gamechanger. View attachment 111569
I use corn starch in my fried chicken breading mix with seasoned flour, never used for wings on the smoker. So did you pat them dry, season and starch them, and put them on the smoker? I do sauce my wings towards the end and then throw them back on for another 30-40 minutes at high heat, so not sure if starching them would hold crispness.
 
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AgronAlum

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Jul 12, 2014
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Following up on the Vortex:

I've used it a couple times since the Super Bowl and been pleased with the results. I definitely overcrowded the grate the very first time I used it, which made it harder for the skins to crisp up. But I made two batches with fewer wings last weekend (before each of Iowa's S16 and E8 games). The first one had reasonably crispy skins, but not quite what I was expecting based on what I'd heard people say about the Vortex. The second batch, I tossed the wings in corn starch (seasoned with a pretty basic SPG blend), and the results were incredible. Very crispy, and while I don't sauce the wings while they're on the grill (I prefer to just toss them in whatever sauce just before serving), the crispy skins held up pretty well to my buffalo sauce. I'll never make party wings without starching them again; that plus the Vortex is a gamechanger. View attachment 111569

I have a bag of potato starch that i mix with flour for fried chicken and it’s incredible how much of a difference it makes.
 
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tm3308

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Jun 13, 2010
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I use corn starch in my fried chicken breading mix with seasoned flour, never used for wings on the smoker. So did you pat them dry, season and starch them, and put them on the smoker? I do sauce my wings towards the end and then throw them back on for another 30-40 minutes at high heat, so not sure if starching them would hold crispness.
I cooked mine on the kettle with high heat (anywhere from 450º-550º) for about 40 minutes and put a wood chunk directly over the Vortex to get a little smoke flavor. It may not work as well for smoking at lower temps, but I had never starched wings at any temp before this, so I don't know. I will say that even when I went back for seconds, the crispiness was still holding up okay.

I just threw maybe a couple cups of starch into a gallon ziploc bag, dumped in a bunch of my preferred seasoning and mixed it all up, then put a few wings at a time in the bag and shook it up. You can add a little more seasoning to them after they were coated, as well, but I didn't last time.
 
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bosco

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Dec 21, 2008
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Des Moines
Following up on the Vortex:

I've used it a couple times since the Super Bowl and been pleased with the results. I definitely overcrowded the grate the very first time I used it, which made it harder for the skins to crisp up. But I made two batches with fewer wings last weekend (before each of Iowa's S16 and E8 games). The first one had reasonably crispy skins, but not quite what I was expecting based on what I'd heard people say about the Vortex. The second batch, I tossed the wings in corn starch (seasoned with a pretty basic SPG blend), and the results were incredible. Very crispy, and while I don't sauce the wings while they're on the grill (I prefer to just toss them in whatever sauce just before serving), the crispy skins held up pretty well to my buffalo sauce. I'll never make party wings without starching them again; that plus the Vortex is a gamechanger. View attachment 111569
Starching wings... Slaps forehead.
 
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Gonzo

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Mar 10, 2009
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I have a bag of potato starch that i mix with flour for fried chicken and it’s incredible how much of a difference it makes.
How much of each do you mix together? Always looking to perfect my fried chicken, would like to try this.
 

Acylum

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Nov 18, 2006
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I need a killer baked Mac and cheese recipe. Who's got one?
The easiest thing I’ve come up with is the refrigerated Hormel Mac and Cheese. I just add cooked bacon and diced onions, jalapeño rings and hot sauce. Transfer everything to a disposable aluminum pan. Can top with croutons or bread crumbs toward the end.
Edit: I’m not saying it’s ‘killer’ by any stretch but my family loves it.
 

BigTurk

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Dec 17, 2013
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Anyone ever smoke country style pork ribs? I picked some up at the ISU meat lab on Friday. I never played with them before.
 

Gonzo

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Mar 10, 2009
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Anyone ever smoke country style pork ribs? I picked some up at the ISU meat lab on Friday. I never played with them before.
I've only ever done them up in slow cooker, never smoked. As I understand it country style pork ribs aren't actually ribs, they're from the shoulder, and it would depend on if they're on the bone, if not they probably aren't going to take much more than 3-4 hours at lowish temp.
 
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2020cy

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Aug 7, 2006
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I would think some version of the Traeger 3 2 1 would work. Smoke 3 hrs wrap with apple juice for 2 hours and finish for an hour with some sauce.
 

JM4CY

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Aug 23, 2012
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Anyone ever smoke country style pork ribs? I picked some up at the ISU meat lab on Friday. I never played with them before.
3 2 1

My experience with those is get them hot is critical but watch them so they don’t dry out on you. Pork ribs can dry easily if not careful. I would almost do 2 2 1
 
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