BBQ Smokers

[IslandTractor]

I also smoked some scup that a group of neighborhood kids caught and filleted. Soaked in brine for 15 minutes then into smoker set at 190 for two hours. Used a couple handfuls of applewood chips. Delicious. Have instructed kids to go get me a nice bluefish...that is what I really want to smoke.

 

[/pine]

I also smoked some scup that a group of neighborhood kids caught and filleted. Soaked in brine for 15 minutes then into smoker set at 190 for two hours. Used a couple handfuls of applewood chips. Delicious. Have instructed kids to go get me a nice bluefish...that is what I really want to smoke.

Just about any fruit wood works great for fin or shellfish...the less oily the fish etc. the lighter/fruitier the smoke the better...nut wood (hickory/pecan etc.) works better for more oilier fish like mackerels and especially "bluefish"...(salt brining is also important)...
FWIW...Bluefish is one of the most commonly used smoked fish for the very popular (appetizer) spreads...

The way I learned to cut fish for smoking is to split them from the top down...rather than splitting the belly (and gutting) then butter-flying...i.e., cut down along the dorsal (removing the backbone is an option) ....for many smoked fish (especially the more oilier varieties) the "belly meat" is the most flavorful and exotic tasting)...

Try marinating some large shrimp (oxymoron) in olive oil, garlic and or some Italian dressing...apply heavy smoke at a very low temperature (no direct heat)...turn/baste every ten minutes or so until they start to turn opaque...chill and enjoy...!...too much heat will make the shell stick...

 

[MossRoad]

Any 'BBQ Pitmasters" fans here?

I learned to smoke fish and seafood when I was nine or ten years old....my grandmother lived next door to a man named Ross Johns...https://books.google.com/books?id=AXOgs7KYtUsC&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32&dq#v=onepage&q&f=false

I got interested in cooking different meats after watching Justin Wilson (RIP) who had an outdoor cooking show on TV...(I have all his books) https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=justin+wilson
BTW...that goofball chef that says "BAM" all the time ( bella lagosi or something...) stole more cooking ideas from Justin Wilson than Milton Berle stole jokes...!

These days it's Myron Mixon and co...they get some unique cuts of meat sometimes that aren't usually available everywhere though...(what the heck is a "cowboy steak" ?)

Justin Wilson was a safety engineer... belt AND suspenders! :thumbsup:

How Y'All Are?

 

[IslandTractor]

Just about any fruit wood works great for fin or shellfish...the less oily the fish etc. the lighter/fruitier the smoke the better...nut wood (hickory/pecan etc.) works better for more oilier fish like mackerels and especially "bluefish"...(salt brining is also important)... FWIW...Bluefish is one of the most commonly used smoked fish for the very popular (appetizer) spreads... The way I learned to cut fish for smoking is to split them from the top down...rather than splitting the belly (and gutting) then butter-flying...i.e., cut down along the dorsal (removing the backbone is an option) ....for many smoked fish (especially the more oilier varieties) the "belly meat" is the most flavorful and exotic tasting)... Try marinating some large shrimp (oxymoron) in olive oil, garlic and or some Italian dressing...apply heavy smoke at a very low temperature (no direct heat)...turn/baste every ten minutes or so until they start to turn opaque...chill and enjoy...!...too much heat will make the shell stick...

Thanks. I'm going to file your instructions. I'll need to convince my fishermen friends not to immediately filet the blues they catch.

The shrimp sounds delicious too. Have you done it with frozen shrimp?

 

[Hitechredneck1]

I have an Oklahoma Joe Longhorn smoker. I have done a few mods to it and it cooks great! Here are the mods I have completed. Added cooking grate level thermometers, added cooking chamber lid and firebox lid gaskets, sealed leaks, smoke stack extension, added door latches, and added a cooking chamber baffle plate. With the mods I am able to have an even cooking chamber across the entire cooking chamber.

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Thanks. I'm going to file your instructions. I'll need to convince my fishermen friends not to immediately filet the blues they catch.

The shrimp sounds delicious too. Have you done it with frozen shrimp?

The shrimp marinade is right on...I like to marinade a few large shrimp to compliment my rib eye steak; cooked on the grill of course. Sharn Jean likes me to add a bit of red wine to the marinade...it doesn't take long for them to cook on the grill, BTW. I have a SS perforated pan that I use.

 

[/pine]

Justin Wilson was a safety engineer... belt AND suspenders! :thumbsup:

How Y'All Are?

And a very funny one too...

"I'm glad for you to see me...I garonteeee...!"

 

[/pine]

Thanks. I'm going to file your instructions. I'll need to convince my fishermen friends not to immediately filet the blues they catch.

The shrimp sounds delicious too. Have you done it with frozen shrimp?

To the best of my knowledge unless you have access to daily caught native shrimp or know a shrimp boat owner (or seafood processor) all shrimp have been frozen...even the ones you see in display cases on shaved ice etc... have been thawed out in the back under running water...

on a side note...There are a lot of folks that love shrimp but have never really tasted what they are supposed to taste like...unless you have caught them or bought them live and prepared them yourself or have been to a restaurant that offers (truly) "fresh shrimp" there is no comparison period...however most larger grocery store chains offer good selections of frozen native shrimp that are much better than the farm raised (foreign) offerings...

Hey I.T....The next time you're down in Clearwater check out 'Wards Seafood'...they are on south Greenwood...during the summer they often have fresh (off the boat) shrimp...

 

[2LaneCruzer]

While we're at it, here's the recipe for my all time favorite seafood cole slaw. I especially like it with fried catfish and corn dodgers.


SEAFOOD COLE SLAW

1 head of cabbage (approx. 2 pounds), Shredded
1 medium yellow onion
2 medium carrots, grated
1/4 cup sugar, plus one tablespoon 1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/3 cup salad oil
1 - 2 cloves garlic (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Shred cabbage and onion. Mix in bowl with grated carrots. Cover with 1/4 cup of sugar and set aside.
Boil vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, mustard, celery seed and garlic. Pour over cabbage while hot. Mix
well, then stir in salad oil and salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight and serve cold.
This slaw is good anytime, but is especially good with fish and seafood.

 

[NS Gearhead]

So, I've done two "test burns" the last two nights.

First night I just followed the instructions. Full chimney of Kingsford briquets.

Started at 5:30pm
110 at 6:00
200 at 6:30
175 at 7:00
175 at 7:30

Shut it down at this point. As most said on the web, the charcoal simply gets smothered by the ash in the bowl.

Last night I switched the legs from inside to outside and set the bowl on some 2x2 square tubing. This means the entire smoker can be lifted off to access the coals instead of having to remove the lid, rack(s) with meat on them, and the water bowl. I also used one of the racks on top of the bowl to hold the coals up.

Started at 5:00
325 at 5:30 (water pan's boiling)
320 at 6:00
290 at 6:30
240 at 7:00
200 at 7:30

At this point the charcoal was pretty well all gone. I chalk up the high temps and short burn time to too much air... so last night I made up a 4" rotary vent with 4-5/8" holes for the lid. Next is to try to seal the lid better, then I'll do another test. The lid sits on 3 brackets that also hold the grill. There's probably a 1/4" gap between the lid and body. Two options would be to add a gasket to the lid to try and close that gap, or instal a flange that the lid sits on. I'm going to try the flange, as it won't cost me anything. One hitch is that the body has a rolled lip, so a flange the same diam as the inside of the body won't go passed the lip. It'll have to be made in two pieces. Wish me luck!

Here' are some pics for reference




Air goes between the bowl flange and body, up and out under the lid. I'm thinking I'll choke off the lid first and see if that gets me the results I'm looking for... if not then I'll move on to the bottom.