We’re loving our Billy the Kid Smoker from Wild West Smokers, the good folk there know what they are doing when it comes to building these bad boys and they are great fun to cook up some real feasts. However there are a few things to take note of which we’ve learnt on our journey so far so we’d thought we’d write a few down so any other amateur low and slow enthusiasts can learn from what we’ve picked up on our smoker journey so far.
- If your smoker is new, be sure to do a couple of fires before you cook. This helps get rid of any fumes from any of the metal work or paint. You don’t want your food tainted by anything but the smoke.
Make sure your smoker is ready for cooking. - Rub down the trays inside your smoker with veggie oil to stop meat sticking. It’s also essential to wipe down once you’ve finished your cook.
Keep our trays clean! - Choose your meat wisely… small pieces aren’t always the best, even if you are cooking for just a couple of people. They can often dry out and lets be honest, who doesn’t love leftovers when it comes to BBQ meat?
Who doesn’t love Pulled Pork Tacos? - Be patient… smokers can take a while to come to temperature, but they will get there! Avoid the temptation of cooking before your temperature is up where you need it to be.
Be patient and wait for your smoker to get hot. - Don’t starve the fire of fuel… and by that we mean both wood/charcoal AND oxygen!
- Make sure your kids know your smoker is hot. Simple, but well worth a reminder when you fire it up.
These things get hot… let people know. - Cook to a temperature, not a time. It’s very easy to say that your pork shoulder needs 8 hours, but if the internal temperature of the meat isn’t right, then the time is irrelevant. Invest in a meat thermometer and your cooking skills will improve rapidly.
Cook to a temperature not to a time. - Experiment with different rubs and sauces. There’s so many available these days, try new ones, try old ones, try making your own! We’re going to share some recipes in the coming weeks so you can try them.
We love the Wyld Smoke BBQ Rubs.
What tips do you have? Send us your ideas and we’ll publish them – info@dadsstuff.com.au
If you want to learn more about our Wild West Smoker, you can read about it here.
