Smoke: It's in the wood.

After watching one BBQ show on food network after another I came to the realization that there isn't one magic bullet for smoking woods. There are as many opinions on the subject as there are pit masters. There is controversy over bark or not, wet or dry, potency, and quantity. These are a matter of variety, mix and amount. This is a compendium on the consensus of the internet about what flavors each wood offers. After the break I will post the internet's response and my own along with pictures of the woods as I use them. I'll use all the woods I can find but I am not in a hurry to get this done. I'll also refer to the sources I have about adding wood to beer to contrast the flavors you get from soaking vs. smoking.

(please read more after the break.)

Ribs

One of the annual traditions of my friendships with Derek and Kyle includes a weekend where we predominantly eat pork. The picture at right is of our winter rib racks. These ribs were meaty, not the thin weak stuff you get at an applebees. These ribs had thick meat from end to tip. The ribs were from mature pigs and were very flavorful. Cooking Ribs is about three things: Dry Rub, Smoke Flavor, and BBQ sauce.

(Please read more about my ribs after the break.)

New Brinkman Smoker: Pork, Pork, & More Pork

Small Place Big Brews is growing again. I am going to start including brew food. Nothing gets friends to gather around to drink your free beer like the promise of free food. I'm a huge fan of grilled foods, smoked foods, Chinese food and pizza. If I had my dream brewery it would serve somethings like this: Southern foods, ribs, meats, smoked foods, refreshing summer pale ales, saisons, sours, barrel aged beers, and wood fired pizzas. Someday after I get a house with a fenced in back yard, and a deck I'll construct a wood fired pizza oven on that deck. then I'll host my friends for brews and home cooked foods.

This Brinkman Gourmet Smoker is the first outdoor grill I've ever bought. The cost was a modest $39.95. It's a serviceable model, but with a few modifications it becomes a premium model. There isn't an accurate thermometer, the body leaks air and smoke, and the controls are lack luster. I can fix all of this.