Smoker Archives - Opine Away https://opineaway.com/tag/smoker/ Read me or not, I'm here. Thu, 01 May 2025 20:54:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 https://opineaway.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2014/04/cropped-Logo128x128ImageOnlyBright-1-120x120.jpg Smoker Archives - Opine Away https://opineaway.com/tag/smoker/ 32 32 Smoked Brisket https://opineaway.com/2025/05/01/smoked-brisket/ https://opineaway.com/2025/05/01/smoked-brisket/#respond Thu, 01 May 2025 20:45:55 +0000 https://opineaway.com/?p=10643 I got what is considered a small brisket, about 7lb, from Costco. Here’s what I did not do – I did not trim it. As is. With the fat. do not trim. It’s good as is. Here’s what I did do with it, but first, because as you read you’ll say “Hey, where do I ... Read more

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I got what is considered a small brisket, about 7lb, from Costco.

Here’s what I did not do – I did not trim it. As is. With the fat. do not trim. It’s good as is.

Here’s what I did do with it, but first, because as you read you’ll say “Hey, where do I get those fermented thingies? Well, it’s so easy you have no excuses but to make them.
Honey fermented garlic – Take a bunch of pealed garlic cloves. Put it in a jar. Fill the jar with honey. Close the jar and let it sit for a few days in a kitchen cabinet. Open the jar daily to release the pressure built from the fermentation process. After a few days of gas release (from the jar that is) put it in the fridge and use it for cooking.
Honey fermented habanero – Do the same as with the garlic, only with habanero. You can slice the habanero to whatever pieces you want for easier use.
 
Back to the brisket
Brisket - OpineAway
  • Cover the brisket on all sides with salt, black pepper, honey fermented garlic and honey fermented habanero. If you have fermentophobia then use garlic powder, hot pepper powder and some honey.
  • Let it sit overnight to make it one with the rub.
  • Heat your smoker to 225F/110C. I used a combo of hickory and mesquite for the smoking.
  • Place the brisket, fat side on top, in the smoker.
  • Smoke the brisket for a few hours (this depends mostly on the size of brisket, can be 3-6 hours) until the internal temperature “stalls” – i.e. when you see that the internal temperature does not change for 10-20 minutes, usually somewhere around 150f-165f/65c-75c at the thickest part (do not measure in the fat).
  • Wrap the brisket in aluminum foil, not tight but mostly sealed. Seam of the foil should be on top (fat) side.
  • Keep the smoker at the same temp and let the brisket temperature reach 202-205F/94-96C.
  • Take it out and let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes
  • Unwrap carefully, preserving the juices in the foil and collecting them into some vessel. They are priceless.
  • Slice against the grain and enjoy tremendously.
 
These make the most amazing sandwiches, just as is with some side dishes with or without sauce.
Here’s a sauce I made for it which came out d-leash:
Sauté large sliced vedalia (sweet) onion in some olive oil until soften, add sliced dehydrated apricot, sliced garlic, sauté a bit more, then add water, salt, white pepper, hot pepper and some honey, bring to a boil and let simmer on low, covered, for an hour. Everything should soften and the sauce should darken and thicken. If it seems too thin for a sauce, mix a little cornstarch in cold water, add to the sauce, raise the flame a bit (not too much so it won’t burn) while mixing. Serve with slices of brisket, it’s reallllly good.

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]]> https://opineaway.com/2025/05/01/smoked-brisket/feed/ 0 Smoked Chicken Thighs https://opineaway.com/2023/05/11/smoked-chicken-thighs/ https://opineaway.com/2023/05/11/smoked-chicken-thighs/#respond Thu, 11 May 2023 22:41:18 +0000 https://opineaway.com/?p=7817   Ingredients:   10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 tbsp soy sauce 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp turmeric 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it) 1 tbsp paprika 1 ... Read more

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Smoked Chicken Thighs

 
Ingredients:
 
  • 10 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
 
Instructions:
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together everything (but the chicken…).
  2. Add the chicken thighs , making sure they are coated well, massage them with some love.
  3. Optional – Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
  4. Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
  5. Place the chicken thighs on the smoker grates, skin side up.
  6. Smoke the chicken thighs for 2 to 2.5 hours.
  7. Remove the chicken thighs from the smoker and let them rest for 10 minutes before serving.
 

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]]> https://opineaway.com/2023/05/11/smoked-chicken-thighs/feed/ 0 Smoked Picnic Cut Pork Shoulder https://opineaway.com/2023/05/11/smoked-picnic-cut-pork-shoulder/ https://opineaway.com/2023/05/11/smoked-picnic-cut-pork-shoulder/#respond Thu, 11 May 2023 22:20:05 +0000 https://opineaway.com/?p=7807   Ingredients:   1 picnic cut pork shoulder 1 tbsp salt 1 tbsp black pepper 1/2 tbsp white pepper 1/4 tsp  cayenne pepper 1 tbsp paprika 1 tsp  garlic powder 1 tbsp onion powder 1/2 tsp  allspice 1/4 tsp  Chinese five spice 1 tbsp ground mustard 5 TBLS maple syrup 1 tbsp molasses  Directions:   ... Read more

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Smoked Pork Shoulder Picnic Cut

 
Ingredients:
 
  • 1 picnic cut pork shoulder
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tbsp white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp  cayenne pepper
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp  garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp  allspice
  • 1/4 tsp  Chinese five spice
  • 1 tbsp ground mustard
  • 5 TBLS maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp molasses
 Directions:
 
  1. Mix all ingredients (but pork of course…) together in a bowl.
  2. Rub the seasoning mixture paste onto the pork shoulder, making sure to coat all sides, and inside any flaps.
  3. Place the pork shoulder skin side up in a smoker.
  4. Place a deep disposable aluminum baking pan under the shoulder to collect fat and juices. This will keep the smoker cleaner, and the fat and juices can be used for anything.
  5. Smoke at 225°F for 10 hours.
  6. Remove the pork shoulder from the smoker and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before slicing and serving. Sounds simple but not tasting it right away is not easy 🙂
  7. Be careful when removing the aluminum pan as the fat is hot and heavy.
 
In a picnic cut you get different types of meat, skin, fat and bone. The skin will be crispy, you can separate and cut it with a heavy cleaver. If you’re going for shredded pork, mix the “bark (the outside of the meat that got most spices and smoke) with the different types of meat and fat. You can dig some bone marrow, or cook the bones for a broth. 
 

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