Hi,

My recently aquired cast iron smoker was set out on it's maiden voyage
this weekend. Of course it had to be a brisket. In my old Brinkmann
bullet I always used oak based lump and added some pecan and apple chips.
My briskets were always great. For my new one which has an off-set smoke
box I wanted to use wood instead of lump. The only wood I could get was
hickory and pecan. I mixed the two and did the brisket. It turned out
great with smoke ring and all. However, both I and my guests thought the
smoke flavor was leaning more towards bacon than it has been in the past.
It was not too much smoke which has happened at times, but rather the
smoke flavor itself. What could be the reason for that? Could it be the
hickory used? I have not used hickory much in the past, so I can not rely
on experience in this case.

Another thing that struck me which I find kind of interesting is that
when I opened the bag of hickory I immediately thought of winters and
snow back in Northern Europe (Norway) where I used to live. I was
wondering why on earth the smell of hickory did that to me. Then I
suddenly realized that when I was growing up cross country skis were made
of wood, and the best ones had a layer of hickory on the bottom! When we
waxed those skis we used a blow torch to burn the was into the bottom
layer. In the process the wood got heated. That was the connection
between the hickoty barbecue wood and my past as a cross country skier in
Norway. Sorry for being OT, but I think it was kinda funny

--
//ceed

Steve Wertz wrote in
:

75 of my smoking is done with hickory and none of beef comes out
tasting like bacon, IMO.

Well, it didn't taste like bacon, but it was leaning towards a bacon flavor
compared to what I am used to.

Could it be the brisket was adulterated before you opened it?

I prepared the brisket like I always do, and it was one of four I picked up
at the same time in the same store. Frankly, my English isn't good enough
to really understand what you mean by "adulterated", but it doesn't sound
good


--
//ceed

ceed wrote:
Hi,

My recently aquired cast iron smoker was set out on it's maiden voyage
this weekend. Of course it had to be a brisket. In my old Brinkmann
bullet I always used oak based lump and added some pecan and apple
chips. My briskets were always great. For my new one which has an
off-set smoke box I wanted to use wood instead of lump. The only wood
I could get was hickory and pecan. I mixed the two and did the
brisket. It turned out great with smoke ring and all. However, both I
and my guests thought the smoke flavor was leaning more towards bacon
than it has been in the past. It was not too much smoke which has
happened at times, but rather the smoke flavor itself. What could be
the reason for that? Could it be the hickory used? I have not used
hickory much in the past, so I can not rely on experience in this
case.

Another thing that struck me which I find kind of interesting is that
when I opened the bag of hickory I immediately thought of winters and
snow back in Northern Europe (Norway) where I used to live. I was
wondering why on earth the smell of hickory did that to me. Then I
suddenly realized that when I was growing up cross country skis were
made of wood, and the best ones had a layer of hickory on the bottom!
When we waxed those skis we used a blow torch to burn the was into
the bottom layer. In the process the wood got heated. That was the
connection between the hickoty barbecue wood and my past as a cross
country skier in Norway. Sorry for being OT, but I think it was kinda
funny

Most bacon sold in the US is hickory-smoked. Maybe that's the connection?

--
EZ
Traeger BBQ075 "Texas"
CharGriller Smokin Pro
Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Wide Body
CharmGlow 3-burner All-Stainless Gas Grill
Weber Kettle One-Touch Silver 22-1/2"
Weber Kettle Smoky Joe Silver 14-1/2"

On Mon, 7 May 2007 14:17:10 -0500, Steve Wertz
wrote:

On 7 May 2007 17:57:11 GMT, ceed wrote:

I prepared the brisket like I always do, and it was one of four I picked up
at the same time in the same store. Frankly, my English isn't good enough
to really understand what you mean by "adulterated", but it doesn't sound
good

While it's not very common with whole briskets, some
packers/retailers are pre-treating their beef with phosphates and
other flavorings which could mix with smoke and make it taste
cured, like bacon.

-sw


Good thinking Steve. Resturant suppliers like Cysco and U.S Foods
(formerly Supreme) add a "tenderiser" to their packed meat.

I used to get prime rib roasts, 6 and 8 oz. rib eye and sirloins from
them years ago and stoped because of this. Had to use them till a good
butcher opened up close to where my resturant was.

Had to raise my prices when I switched but the customers did notice
the difference.

VegA wrote:
On Mon, 7 May 2007 14:17:10 -0500, Steve Wertz
wrote:

On 7 May 2007 17:57:11 GMT, ceed wrote:

I prepared the brisket like I always do, and it was one of four I picked up
at the same time in the same store. Frankly, my English isn't good enough
to really understand what you mean by "adulterated", but it doesn't sound
good
While it's not very common with whole briskets, some
packers/retailers are pre-treating their beef with phosphates and
other flavorings which could mix with smoke and make it taste
cured, like bacon.

-sw


Good thinking Steve. Resturant suppliers like Cysco and U.S Foods
(formerly Supreme) add a "tenderiser" to their packed meat.

I used to get prime rib roasts, 6 and 8 oz. rib eye and sirloins from
them years ago and stoped because of this. Had to use them till a good
butcher opened up close to where my resturant was.

Had to raise my prices when I switched but the customers did notice
the difference.


Is Kalk's still around? They were on Woodstock St. by the train station
IIRC.

Ever been to Jone's Locker in Woodstock? Looks like they are still there...

http://www.jonescountrymeats.com

Dan

Is Kalk's still around? They were on Woodstock St. by the train station
IIRC.

Ever been to Jone's Locker in Woodstock? Looks like they are still there...

http://www.jonescountrymeats.com

Dan

Never heard of them. Never heard of Jone's Locker either.

My my place has located in Helen Georgia. That's far north of
Woodstock.

VegA wrote:
Is Kalk's still around? They were on Woodstock St. by the train station
IIRC.

Ever been to Jone's Locker in Woodstock? Looks like they are still there...

http://www.jonescountrymeats.com

Dan

Never heard of them. Never heard of Jone's Locker either.

My my place has located in Helen Georgia. That's far north of
Woodstock.


Woodstock, IL. I thought you were in Crystal Lake, IL!

On Tue, 08 May 2007 19:49:05 -0400, Dan wrote:

VegA wrote:
Is Kalk's still around? They were on Woodstock St. by the train station
IIRC.

Ever been to Jone's Locker in Woodstock? Looks like they are still there...

http://www.jonescountrymeats.com

Dan

Never heard of them. Never heard of Jone's Locker either.

My my place has located in Helen Georgia. That's far north of
Woodstock.


Woodstock, IL. I thought you were in Crystal Lake, IL!

I am. LOL

Funny. I have always said that the internet has to be the worst form
of communication ever created!

I assumed you were talkin about Georgia, you thought in another thred
I was in Georga. Arrrgg! Too funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is like a whos on first!

LOLPMP!