Saturday, June 29, 2013

SAUCE | Memphis BBQ Sauce #2

Memphise BBQ Sauce #2

all purpose bbq sauce
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand, and I personally love Emeril's Essence


BBQ sauce simmer in small le creuset
1.5cup organic ketchup
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp light brown sugar
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
3 tbsp honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp white pepper
1/2 tbsp dried chopped onion
1/2 tbsp muster powder

combine and cook in medium high heat, boiled, and simmer for 1 hr 

uber delicious recipe.  i used honey instead of sugar since I ran out.  and what's not to like when it comes to honey bbq sauce?

BBQ LOG | #1 Smoked Half Turkey Breast + Baby Briskets + Chicken Thighs

BBQ Log: Smoked Half Turkey Breast & Baby Briskets

MES 30 in
Model # 20070411

The Bonita pad just got the Masterbuilt 30 in electric smoker after tasting my coworker's home made bbq. I picked up some baby briskets since larger cuts weren't available, and half a turkey breast for our first round of bbq.


Equipments Masterbuilt 30 in electric digital smoker
What are we smokin'? 2.58 lb Half Turkey Breast, 2x 2.38 lb dried aged Luckydog ranch brisket, 6 skinned chicken thighs
Environment 06.29.13. Sunny. Smokin' on deck. outside temp 67°F to 87°F
Methods
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand.
Jeff Phillips' Smoking Meat: The Essential Guide to Real Barbecue
Turkey breast: Jeff Phillip's Special Turkey Brine with Emeril's Essence+ apple cider as mop

Brisket#1: Garlic and Onion Paste + Mop Water
Brisket#2: Revised Big Bald BBQ Rub +Dijon mustard + Mop Water
Chicken Thighs:  Revised Jeff Phillip's Cajun Poultry Brine
+ Revised Big Bald BBQ Rub +Dijon mustard + apple cider as mop
Sauce: Memphis BBQ Sauce #2

Brisket #1 in BBR rub
Brisket #1: 2.38lb not much fat left
Wood Hickory chips every 30 mins for initial 2 hours
Time 90min/lb for brisket (3.5 hrs); 3 hrs for Half Turkey Breast, 3 hr for chicken thighs
Smoking Temp  225°F

Brisket #2: 2.38lb more fatty
Game plan? Brine the birds and marinate the briskets over night.  Dump in to the smoker, and let it do its thing.  Mop every hour since briskets are small.  Spray briskets with buttery mop water, which will drip down to the birds.  Mop the birds with apple cider.  Take the birds out and finish in oven for crispy skin. 
Attempt for crispy skin, smoke the birds till last 30 mins, then transfer to oven at 375°F aiming for bird at 145°F , then transfer to oven at 375°F to finish at 165°F

What happened?
Brisket #2 in Garlic Onion Paste
Day1 9am Turkey Breast in Brine (brine prepared night before)
5pm Brisket#1 in rub | 8pm Brisket#2 in garlic and onion paste 
11pm Chicken thighs in Brine

Day2 Start 3pm Top Rack: Garlic Onion Brisket, 2nd Rack: BBQ rub Brisket, 3rd Rack: BBQ rub Chicken Thighs, 4th Rack: Turkey Breast
water pan:  3/4 full
mop every hour, load chip every 30 mins

preheated smoker.  once everything were loaded, temp dropped to 165°F.  Took 30 mins to bring back up temp.  quite steamy in there.

30 mins into smoking, noticed not too much smoke coming out.  is it suppose to?  added full load of chip again.  smoke back on!  might need to load every 25 mins?  gotta read on it

Garlic onion brisket's seasoning keep dripping down from top rack, this is going to add tons of flavor to my clucks and gobble.

Initial temp set at 215°F, but once smoker opened, temp dropped all the way to 170°F takes 20 mins to get back to temp. so change temp setter to 225°F

4pm (1hr in) loaded wood chip.  smoke back on.. but now i just read a comment i shouldn't be seeing too much smoke?  I'm going to stick with the 30 mins add chip rule from jeff phillips' book....

4:40pm still some steam coming out.  holding off to load chips

5pm (2hrs in) checked the wood tray, completed burnt out.  next time stick with the 30mins per chips load rule.  mopped everyone with mop water.  sprayed birds with apple cider.  everything look moist, not sure if i need to mop.   inserted meat probe to the bbq rubbed brisket (2nd tray).  meat probe read at 167°F aiming for 195°F to slice or 200°F to pull.  gotta check with the pep.

6pm (3hrs in) meat probe read at 161°F? ummm it dropped?  preheating oven to 375°F to get ready to transfer bird.  2nd meat probe read at 158°F for brisket.  chicken thighs already at 168°F, turkey breast at 158°F.  mopped everyone with mop water, chicken and turkey added apple cider.  went in oven to get crispy skin... the birds are well pass the 145°F goal line, so next time probably have to check 2-2.5hr in....  meanwhile, start cooking the bbq sauce....

6:20pm checked with the pep and he wants to slice. aiming brisket temp at 195°F.  meat probe still at 161°F

6:28pm checked on birds, looked a bit browner than what I liked, took them out to rest.  checked meat probe, at 152°F

7:00pm (4hrs in) (grande carving of our smoked turkey breast.  super moist, juicy, delicious, with slightly rubbery skin but still enjoyable (guess I need to keep in oven for longer).  loved the smoke hickory taste. mMmMmm!  chicken thighs shrink quite significantly.  i think they were overcooked but still super moist and flavorful.  rubbery skin as well almost crunchy.  gotta take them out earlier to go into the oven next time




8:00pm (5hrs in) only 2 briskets left to go.  probe at 152°F? read online about stalling, pretty sure that's what i'm experiencing.  raised set temp to 250°F

8:50pm probe at 178°F. 

9:00pm (6hrs in) probe at 182°F.  6 hrs in.... temp is coming up quite rapidly now.  I did read about the plateau and shoot up at a rapid rate.  hopefully those briskets aren't jerky by now :(


10:00pm (7hrs in) probe at 188°F. opened door to use 2nd probe to check temp.  I should just trust the machine. top rack look a tad dry :(  2nd rack look juicy.  because i opened the door, now I think I need to wait extra 20 mins or so....



10:30pm (7.5hrs in) probe at 193°F. couldn't wait any longer to get to 195.  meat already look a tad dry.  meat starts resting.


11pm (8hrs in) slicing briskets. not tender, very slice-able.  I personally like the garlic and onion paste one better but that one has more fat as well.  #1 brisket turn out pretty dry. #2 one is alright since it's more fatty to begin with.  probably plateau for too long, need to raise temp next time when temp stalls.  AND need a fatter piece of meat.



Next time
Time 2 hrs for Half Turkey Breast (finish in oven), 2 hrs for chicken thighs
Attempt for crispy skin, transfer to oven at 375°F aiming for bird at 145°F , then transfer to oven at 375°F to finish at 165°F
Smoking Temp  225°F then raise to 250°F once brisket hit 165°F
Methods mop after 3hr pass only (too juicy in beginning)







Friday, June 28, 2013

MOP | All purpose Mop Water

Mop Water
all purpose mop
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand, and I personally love Emeril's Essence

1 cup water
1 stick butter
2 tbsp Emeril Creole Essence

combine and microwave till melt.  keep warm

BRINE | Cajun Poultry Brine

Cajun Poultry Brine
all purpose chicken brine
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand, and I personally love Emeril's Essence

1 gallon water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup sugar 3 tbsp honey (recipe calls for 1.5 cup sugar)
1/8 cup Zatarain's bagged crab boil
1/8 cup ground black pepper
1/2 tbsp thyme leaves
1/2 tbsp rosemary
1/8 cup molasses
1/8 cup white wine
1/8 cup worcestershire sauce

water + salt first boil till water is clear.  add remaining, simmer 15 mins. cool

RUB | BBR BBQ Rub

BBR Rub
all purpose bbq rub
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand, and I personally love Emeril's Essence

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup paprika
2 tbspn ground black pepper
2 tbsp lemon pepper
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp dried chopped onion (ground)
2 tbsp cayenne

BRINE | Special Turkey Brine

Special Turkey Brine
with Emeril's Essence
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand, and I personally love Emeril's Essence

1 gallon water
1/2 cup salt
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning
note add 1 tbsp shrimp/crab boil (optional)

water+salt (medium heat) till water is clear. + remaining, bring to boil for 15 mins. cool.

RUB | Garlic & Onion Paste

Garlic & Onion Paste
for jeff phillips' garlic & onion brisket 
please note that all recipes here are modified based on what I have on hand, and I personally love Emeril's Essence

1 large onion, roughly chopped
8+ cloves garlic
1/4 cup ground black pepper
1 lemon (juiced)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

puree above in blender to paste