Smokin!

Backstop

Well-Known Member
Hi there, I have recently bought an offset smoker and had some great results with chicken and turkey using just Apple wood. I would like to smoke some whole venison haunches and fillets. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions for marinades or rubs that they've used? Thanks. :D
 
The only advice I have is the first attempt is bound to be a complete disaster.
Don't however let this put you off.
Just send the smoked haunch to me and I will tell you exactly where you went wrong!
 
Scuba dog I like your thinking, however, I think the left over bone will only be fit for the dog after my brood have been at it. Once I've smoked the first one i'll post an update. Thanks.:thumb:
 
There is some useful information on the webpages here

Regards,

Martin

Hi there, I have recently bought an offset smoker and had some great results with chicken and turkey using just Apple wood. I would like to smoke some whole venison haunches and fillets. Does anyone have any tips or suggestions for marinades or rubs that they've used? Thanks. :D
 
Backstop, temperature is as much a key when smoking as is the rubs/smoke/marinades etc. Being able to monitor the temperature of the smoker and the internal temperature of the meat is invaluable. If you don't have a temperature gauge on the smoke chamber of your offset I'd highly reccomend you fit one - you can buy an accurate dial type of ebay for about a tenner. Then also, a temperature probe for the meat, you can pick up a digital read out one with a flexible cable and probe that you stick in the meat and run the cable to the outside of the smoker. With that setup - probably 20 quid for the two, you can produce some excellent smoked food. Once you start looking recipes from our American cousins, who are years ahead of us when it comes to this kind of cooking, you will see that cooking to an internal temperature of the meat will guarantee consistant results rather than cooking for xx hours per pound of meat. It will also allow you to be more economical/practical with your cooking, for example, when the internal temp of your meat on the smoker hits 140F, the smoke ring is set and it won't take on anymore smoke flavour, therefore you can stop throwing chunks of wood in the fire box, or, heaven forfend if it's peeing it down and blowing a gale, you could transfer the meat the the oven.

For a really cracking book on hot smoking and barbeque for rubs/marinades and techniques, try a book called ''Big Bob Gibsons BBQ Book'' by Chris Lilly.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll have plenty of fun experimenting.
 
Thanks for the tips Legolas. The smoker does have a reasonably accurate temp gauge built into the lid and I have a weber instant digital meat thermometer. I will be adding an oven temp gauge to the cooking racks to support the others. I think one of the mods I need to achieve is a decent fire basket to go in the firebox. I've been managing to get a decent smoke ring on the food but it's been a hit and miss process in terms of gauging cook time and maintaining constant temps. I'm sure practise will overcome most of this.

Cheers :D
 
Back
Top