Meat Smoking Master

Okay, okay...so I'm still far from being a "master," but for the rig I have I think I've pretty much nailed down this whole meat smoking thing.  My first two attempts were lessons in temperature control.  The first time was WAY too hot, the second time was WAY too cold (due to it being about 30 and windy outside).  I learned that outside weather conditions DO affect the smoker in a way they don't necessarily affect a standard grill.  Once I switched from regular charcoal to hardwood charcoal, a key element to smoking I later picked up, temperature control has been easy.

The next challenge was the amount of time it takes.  I finally resigned myself to the need to smoke overnight.  I haven't been good about getting up at night to tend to the smoker, but if you set it up right before bed and don't sleep more than eight hours, you usually have a decent temp in the morning and can kick it right back up again to finish the meat off.   It tends to get mostly done overnight, probably because the heat gets up higher for a little while since its not being tended.  But so long as the majority of the time is spent at the right temp it won't dry the meat out.

Of course, you need to master rubs and sauces as well.  I've always been able to make killer BBQ sauce.  It just kind of happened one day and I've tweaked and perfected it over time.  Last time I made BBQ sauce from scratch, but this time I started with a bottled sauce and made it better by simmering it with chipoltle peppers and blending it up.  Saved time and still ended up with a killer sauce.  Rubs are easy for me, too, because it is the same basic concept as a BBQ sauce, just a dry version.  I actually use a semi-wet rub that has some wet elements but is much more like a paste than a wet rub.  I threw it together the first time I smoked a pork butt and it worked so well I've stuck with it ever since.  There aren't any exact measurements, as with most things I make, I just eyeball the amounts.  The rub consists of:
Real Maple Syrup
Honey
Brown Sugar
Chipotle Powder
Cayenne Powder
Black Pepper
White Pepper
Cumin
Salt
Liquid Smoke
Worstershire Sauce
Vinegar

I try to let that sit on the meat for at least a couple hours, but overnight is best.  The sugars help make a nice crust on the outside of the meat, which assists in locking in moisture and keeping the meat juicy.

I like smoking meat for a variety of reasons.  One is that it just tastes so good.  It kicks girlling's ass all up and down the street.  I like it because it is not a precice cooking science, like baking, but there are techniques and protocols that give you the best result.  Each time you smoke you learn something new to try the next time.  I also like that it is a legnthy process that requires I stay home for long periods of time, but I can also do other things.  Its not like you have to man the smoker constantly for 12 hours.  With more practice, and eventually a better smoking rig, I will become a meat smoking master!