What to put in the smoker this weekend?

[Aloha_Shooter]

Did 2 racks of ribs (for lunch over the week) and a ribsteak (for dinner tonight). The ribs just had a commercial rub I'd had laying around but they're just for a bit of protein with my salads this week. The steak was "dusted" with Pikes Peak Butcher's Rub from Savory Spice Shop. I decided to smoke it rather than do plain grill after watching some food show that had high end steaks done in a pit smoker. I probably should have waited to put the steak in as it was a perfect medium and I like very rare but I couldn't argue with the taste or how the meat peeled off the bone.

Had a nibble of a left over nub of the ribs after I cut them up and packaged them for the week. Very very nice ... is is lunch time yet?

[TFOGGER]

I did a half dozen chicken boobs on the PBC last night in honor of International Topless Day. 3 with Dizzy Pig Tsunami Rub (kind of a Carribean flair), 3 with Savory Spice Shop's Georgia Boys rub. BTW, the Costco chickens must be from Hollywood, because those breasts were frickin' enormous...

[Buff]

Picked up a Pork Belly last weekend and cured them all week, yesterday smoked with apple till 150* center temp, chilled for about 3hrs then cut a few slices off to try. A little salty for my liking but tasty, next time I'll adjust the amount of salt and cure time. Did one half with Chipotle and the other with crushed Red Pepper.

[Great-Kazoo]

I did a half dozen chicken boobs on the PBC last night in honor of International Topless Day. 3 with Dizzy Pig Tsunami Rub (kind of a Carribean flair), 3 with Savory Spice Shop's Georgia Boys rub. BTW, the Costco chickens must be from Hollywood, because those breasts were frickin' enormous...

Good place to wander through, if they have a storefront near you. Been using their pickling spice for my corned beef.

Picked up a Pork Belly last weekend and cured them all week, yesterday smoked with apple till 150* center temp, chilled for about 3hrs then cut a few slices off to try. A little salty for my liking but tasty, next time I'll adjust the amount of salt and cure time. Did one half with Chipotle and the other with crushed Red Pepper.

Next time try a clean water soak for 8 hours or so.

[Buff]

Next time try a clean water soak for 8 hours or so.

Won't that remove the remaining "rub"?
I was told when the PB gets firm/stiff like a fully cooked steak it's "cured"

[Great-Kazoo]

Won't that remove the remaining "rub"?
I was told when the PB gets firm/stiff like a fully cooked steak it's "cured"

Superficially yes. However that cure has soaked in deep. This older recipe calls for a good scrubbing under water. So not a clean water soak, but good rinse. I was "thinking" corned beef i cure, not the bacon you did.

http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-bl...k-belly-bacon/

Rinse the belly, and try to remove as much of the dry cure as possible. Use your hands to “scrub” the belly under a steam of cold water.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Superficially yes. However that cure has soaked in deep. This older recipe calls for a good scrubbing under water. So not a clean water soak, but good rinse. I was "thinking" corned beef i cure, not the bacon you did.

http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-bl...k-belly-bacon/

Rinse the belly, and try to remove as much of the dry cure as possible. Use your hands to “scrub” the belly under a steam of cold water.

Ah, that makes more sense. Yes, a good scrubbing would get rid of excess salt without letting the meat soak up the water you just pulled out.

[Buff]

Superficially yes. However that cure has soaked in deep. This older recipe calls for a good scrubbing under water. So not a clean water soak, but good rinse. I was "thinking" corned beef i cure, not the bacon you did.

http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-bl...k-belly-bacon/

Rinse the belly, and try to remove as much of the dry cure as possible. Use your hands to “scrub” the belly under a steam of cold water.

Hey thanks for the link, I'll give this a try next time.

[Aloha_Shooter]

The purpose of the rub/cure is to pull water out of the PB which prevents bacterial growth. You want to infuse flavors in the meat and fat themselves through the cure but -- other than coating it with pepper of your choice -- not to depend on the rub itself to be the flavor, especially after smoking. The clean water soak would pull salt off the bacon but I'd be worried about it then counteracting the point of the cure -- pulling water out of the meat -- but I'm a novice at making bacon myself so I presume that's not as much of a worry once you've smoked it.

[Dave]

Looks like I'll be in the Springs all weekend, but Monday I'm going to do some pork back ribs with a new jamaican jerk rub recipe I found and try it with either peach or cherry wood since I'm not sure where to get pimento branches from.