Fuel for an offset smoker/BBQ grill

@jcole4455 Heya, I just smoked a Boston Butt two days ago, and 5 days ago smoked a US Choice grade Brisket.

1. Where are you going to be in the Philippines? I'm in Cebu and can guide you some there.
2. Are you looking at a offset smoker on Lazada made by Barrel Pro? They're good. And  if you go to their website name dot com, you'll find a wider selection than on Lazada. But they can put any of those on Lazada instantly for you when you want. Just open the chat bot and talk to them. You'll get the owner Alfred Hidalgo. Lazada makes ease of payment and shipping.

BarrelPro does have some wood too. Wood for smoking is kinda expensive (seasoned wood). I have purchased 30 kilos of mahaogony from Black Smokehouse in Cebu City. Cost me 30p per kilo. But that's 3 hrs from me. Fortunately, living in the province, I've been able to get my honey's brother in law to cut up some local downed mahogony leftover from Typhoon Odette, and some dead branches. I have a moisture meter from Lazada to make sure my wood pieces are seasoned.

I also got them to make some charcoal. This way it was a little bigger and more appropriate for my needs in the smoker.

What do you plan to smoke? Getting good quality meat can be a challenge and it's a bit expensive. I can help you on that in Cebu also.

I bought the "Beginner lite offset" and while it holds a whole brisket, it's kinda cramped. I would actually love to sell mine and buy a bigger one from Barrel Pro. This one works fine. But because of small size, and the need to use small splits (more like chunk) it's a constant 12+ hours to keep heat in the 225f-275f range. You don't get 30 mins of sit time. You'll be adding splits or manipulating the heat if it gets too hot often. A larger unit would not only hold more meat, but would hold heat longer and longer lasting splits/charcoal. I'm a newbie at smoking. But I've put a fair amount of effort into learning it.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.

Former USA smoker (me)....seasoned dense wood is the obvious best choice, but expensive in PH and hard to find.  Another choice is oak or pecan pellets from Amazon.  You will find lots or recipes for rubs and sauce on Google.  Using an offset smoker box, place pettets in a shallow metal pan on top a gas heat source.  BTW, they sell a remote temp gauge for your smoker.  DO NOT cheat on keeping the heat low and slow ... about 250 to 275 F.  Keep a spray bottle of apple juice handy if meat begins to look a little too dry.  Use a good rub with a liight coating of Dijon or peanut oil.  Near stop cooking time, wrap the meat in buther's paper an add back to your pit for 90-120 minutes or until  the bones are separating from the meat.  Expect to lost 35-40% of weight when smoking butts, 25-35% when smoking St, Louis trimmed ribs, and 20-25% weight loss for trimmed brisket.  If you have a bigger pit you will find the temp a little easier to control....but it is an all night thing if you want killer stuff.  I can come to help for the last 2 hours of smoking and eating .... LOL.

The choice to wrap or not wrap is personal. Some call it the "Texas Crutch". I am still working on my technique and have a preference to not wrap Brisket unless I want a 12 hour day over a 15 hr day.

I've been able to get the best wood the Philippines has to offer without breaking the bank. But that's a benefit of living out in the province too.

For pork butt, I do wrap. When the pork reads 170f I wrap it in foil. This shortens up the time, but also juices will stay in the foil. I pull the butt at 203f and let it rest in a cooler for 1 hr minimum. When I unwrap, I do so to pour the remaining juices over the pork before shredding. After we shred and eat, we bag the remainder in 1-2 person servings and freeze. Then reheat by just dropping into boiling water, sealed bag and all. This helps retain the juices. I'm having pulled pork for lunch today. Tomorrow, we're chopping some up and adding it to some pinto beans. :-)

Correcting an oversight....apple juice spray should ONLY be used on pork to dampen the pork when it is too dry....NEVER use apple juice on beef or beef brisket.

I don't spritz.

    I don't spritz.         -@Larry Fisher

Just wondering...A spritz is an Italian wine-based cocktail, commonly served as an aperitif across Italy. It consists of prosecco, digestive bitters and soda water. Is that what some people marinate their smoked protein in? The overwhelming taste of smoking would seem to render apple juice or cocktail marinades rather pointless. In the USA a major food company marketed bacon "smoked in sweet applewood"; not sure if applewood was better than other wood...hard to see the difference but smoking in "sweet applewood" on a production basis would seem unsustainable given that there are only so many dead apple trees. I used to work for the Mirro company in Product Development on a team that developed small electrical appliances. We did develop a smoker consisting of an aluminium box, trays inside for placing the meat and a place to put the wood chips (usually hickory). It was modeled after homemade smokers that the hunters made. The company was in Manitowoc Wisconsin and some in the team were hunters so along with chicken, beef, pork and fish we were able to try game such as squirrel, racoon, wild rabbit (along with domestic, trout, coho salmon and other Lake Michigan fish). One thing I will say is that the smoker made some of that game edible (squirrel, racoon, suckers from the Lake and wild rabbit); however, when smoked in hickory or any other wood, that made everything taste the same: Smoked. Our smoker retailed at $49.95 and was very popular amongst a niche population group that included hunters. It wasn't enough to make much money on so Mirro Aluminum eventually dropped it. It was fun working at that place and very "filling".

You can see a picture of this 1970's Mirro SMOKEHOUSE on a smoker forum at:

https colon slash slash www dot smokingmeatforums.com/threads/can-i-do-anything-with-this-mirro-smokehouse.98575/

skip all the wood/charcoal problems....install a small gas grill in the offset smoker box and order pellets.  Lots of online sites to order oak, pecan, mesquite, mulberry, etc.....place a handful of the pellets in a shallow metal pan and place directly over a low flame on the gas burner

@danfinn There's shi* tons of apple wood. One can see that in Washington state for example when entire massive orchards are cut down for the next orchard planting of new apple trees. Same with Almond trees in California. Along with Walnut and Pistacio. Oak trees are abundant all over the US as well. All of those woods mentioned are used in smoking meats. They all add their own distinct flavor to some degree. But few marinate meats like Ribs, Brisket, Pork Butt. Except of course the "dry brine" definition. Season with rub, sit overnight in fridge, smoke the next day. Or some variation. The salt in the seasoning, sitting there overnight draws out liquids(there a name for it) and also kinda melts into the meat a little bit more.

Edit: oh and the spritz question. In BBQ smoking it basically just refers to a light spray of liquid to keep the outside bark moist and not dry out. It's massively overused in the Phils amongst Pinoy smokers.

    skip all the wood/charcoal problems....install a small gas grill in the offset smoker box and order pellets.  Lots of online sites to order oak, pecan, mesquite, mulberry, etc.....place a handful of the pellets in a shallow metal pan and place directly over a low flame on the gas burner
   

    -@Ozzie43

No thanks. The fun is in the old way. Smoking by wood fire. And those places are selling those chips and pellets at a very high price and don't produce as well as wood.

That being said, if I could buy a real pellet smoker, of appropriate size in the Philippines, for less than $1000 USD (Amazon delivered) I would do it in a heartbeat. But I'm not going gas. No thanks.

Welcome home purist.  I like your attitude....but the PH makes that more difficult

    Welcome home purist.  I like your attitude....but the PH makes that more difficult
   

    -@Ozzie43

Did you even read my post? I'm already doing it. I have enough seasoned hardwood currently for at least 6 more runs of brisket, and 20 racks of BBQ ribs.

There are also a few Texas Style BBQ joints that import US brisket and Pork Ribs that actually do smoke a dame fine piece of meat. I'm using the same wood. Which is abundant in the province once you know where to look. I'm also fortunate in that we have room for 1-3 cords of wood to season out if I should get the desire to stock up bigtime. All it has been takes is a focused effort to find all these things in the Phils. I spent a lot of time locating and getting things figured out. And talking to other expats that currently have offset wood smokers in use as well here. One has been here 17 years and has been smoking meat for 30. I learned long ago, learn from those that came before you. But always look for ways to improve.

Good for you....my budget is tighter and I live in a land of improvising...the Philippines.  I am absolutely sure your purist approach and results are better....but I am on a budget.  On the other hand....my results are good.

@danfinn I went to take a look at your Mirro Smokehouse. Brought me flashbacks of a long ago time. Now I need to find a therapist in the Province.

@Ozzie43 Welcome to the forum. You're going to become quite popular around here with your snide remarks. BTW, how DOES the budget minded pay for US Brisket, Ribs, and expensive Amazon Pellets in the Philippines? Are you teaching classes in BBQ? Asking for a friend.

It seems literally we are viewing a food fight going on here.

Always a food fight in our house Bob.

I find the different opinions on smoking and methods interest, the tsk's as well. For me I never smoked in a smoker, only cigarettes,,,, a few other things too. Sounds interesting and perhaps we should look into it as wood flavours can make or break. What I miss here is Kabana, smoked/cheese/chilli but over my years here even in Manila not found sadly. Could be a good business.

Cheers, Steve.

bigpearlsaid. . . .What I miss here is Kabana, smoked/cheese/chilli but over my years here even in Manila not found sadly. Could be a good business.

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I'm not a grill master or even a cook. For a simple Chili I start with a can of Hormel chili with Beans. I add my own ground beef and onions. I then add pulverized Sky crackers & Cholula hot sauce.

I notice on Shopee there are a number of people selling Clamato, I'm temped to buy some. (P400 for 946ml bottle)

Straight chilly from the bushes here Bob, sometimes really hot other times milder, not sure the watering regime for consistency but still delicious, a little more or a little less in the dish depending on the season I suppose.

Cheers, Steve.

Yum, eating lunch now. Stewed pintos with smoked pulled pork chopped in. awesome.

Hang in there tiger.  Nothing more snide that to suggest that one is unaware of Google.  Although I owned and operated two BBQ restaurants for many years, far be it from me to opine that I am the sharpest tool in the box.  Congrats to the many, many others much smarter than me that have the time, budget, and honey connections for the pursuit of perfection.

    Hang in there tiger.  Nothing more snide that to suggest that one is unaware of Google.  Although I owned and operated two BBQ restaurants for many years, far be it from me to opine that I am the sharpest tool in the box.  Congrats to the many, many others much smarter than me that have the time, budget, and honey connections for the pursuit of perfection.
   

    -@Ozzie43

It is hard to follow your interactions because you never reference a quote of the person's comment and we cannot even tell which person you are commenting about. Lacking that, your comments become like a stream of private messages. Not that I want to personally get involved with all these confrontations, I just want to know what the significant issues are (if any) and with whom. Thanks.

    @danfinn
im a single woman in philipphines looking for marriage
   

    -@dodeflying

Welcome to the forum.

Perhaps an offset smoker could be a good catch?

Cheers, Steve.

    @danfinn
im a single woman in philipphines looking for marriage
   

    -@dodeflying

Do you require him to have an offset smoker/BBQ grill?  How about if he promised to obtain one right after the wedding?

Perhaps a decent introduction is called for? What type of fuel can be supplied etc.

As you stated. Single and on the wrong forum it seems.

Cheers, Steve.

    @danfinn
im a single woman in philipphines looking for marriage
   

    -@dodeflying

I am sure a lovely lady such as you will have no problem. I do need to mention that you need to find a dating site focused on meeting eligible bachelors; the admins here will not allow your posts in this group once they see them:

"DATING:

Please keep in mind that Expat.com is not a dating or matchmaking service. Do not post forum topics either seeking or offering a romantic relationship."

Best wishes to you in your search and welcome to the Philippines.

Hello everyone,

The single woman looking for marriage is gone !

Indeed, we are not a dating website and these profiles are deleted/blacklisted.

Regards

Bhavna

OK guys. I am dropping out of these forums.  I don't think they are helpful at times 

    OK guys. I am dropping out of these forums.  I don't think they are helpful at times 
   

    -@Ozzie43

This is not an airline, no need to announce depatures 🤣

(From my personal worst-jokes depository).

Ozzie43 says. . . . OK guys. I am dropping out of these forums.  I don't think they are helpful at times 

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What about Harriet, is she going too?
   

    Ozzie43 says. . . . OK guys. I am dropping out of these forums.  I don't think they are helpful at times 
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What about Harriet, is she going too?   
   

    -@Enzyte Bob

Gonna listen to Ricky sing, was probably invited to a garden party.

And I'm just chuckling, Does Harriet have a thin skin too?

I can be an offset smoker when I lay in the banana lounge.

As said the topic has great merit and I'm looking/thinking.

Cheers, Steve

@bigpearl

Smoking meats is awesome. For me, the biggest part is being able to eat good quality meats that are flavorful in ways I like. Being in the Philippines does not make that easy if also trying to not go overboard on cost. I mean I know I can't afford to eat  p5000 steaks every day. But if I can perfect smoking a p5000 US beef brisket and get 12-15 meals out of it. I'm a happy camper!

Larry Fisher commented. .  . . Smoking meats is awesome. For me, the biggest part is being able to eat good quality meats that are flavorful in ways I like. Being in the Philippines does not make that easy if also trying to not go overboard on cost. I mean I know I can't afford to eat  p5000 steaks every day. But if I can perfect smoking a p5000 US beef brisket and get 12-15 meals out of it. I'm a happy camper!

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Larry,

Recently I saw a Youtube video about aging meat in water. Not directly in water, but in a plastic bag immersed in the water.

It rated quite good in the taste test.
   

   

Larry I have knocked around here for a long time and never found a decent piece of beef, all crap, tough, no flavour. Golly we can't even buy Kabana here only crappy hot dogs that taste like Sh1t

The interesting thing is that the minced beef we buy smells and tasted no different to Australia, perhaps all the Eye fillet goes into that, a waste if it does.

To date stuck with chicken/pork/seafoods.

Cheers Steve.

@Enzyte Bob

Was that from Guga? I've seen that one I think. But there's no point in aging poor quality.  As the beef in Phils is sadly. I think next week I'm going to Cebu City and picking up a case of imported US pork ribs. About 15 racks (or slaps as Pinoys like to call them) per case and drop into my deep freezer. Then I can smoke 2-4 racks at a time and we can eat those for 2+ days.

When I was in the states I bought ground Buffalo/Bison depending what grocery store I was in. Sure beats ground beef for hamburgers.

@@bigpearl,  You haven't looked in the right places. Now, I'm not saying you can get good beef at even a reasonable price. But there's lots of meat shops selling frozen imported beef. That alone however does not make it good beef. And many are way overpriced.

That being said. I find them online, usually Facebook and look them over. Most are showing stock photos of steaks they'll never have. Like they'll have a USDA PRIME GRADE RIBEYE picture with the caption "Certified Angus from USA". Or something like that.

The issue is they don't give you a grading of the meat, but show you a picture of the best they found on the internet.

1. Never buy a USA imported beef that doesn't have a grading. Landers and S&R do sell upgraded. Not all. But some.

2. Visually inspect before buying. Don't order for delivery.  You'll probably be unhappy.

3. Ask them directly what GRADE they have. If they can't answer with USDA CHOICE or PRIME, don't buy. End of conversation.

4. Some shops do actually carry choice and prime grade steaks and advertise them accordingly with prices.

5. These shops will also have an electric bandsaw and will cut and wrap or vacuum seal steaks to your sizing. They cut them frozen off the whole rib-roast or strip loins. Including porterhouse steaks.

This week I'll be going to Cebu City. I'll be going to 3 independent meat shops and Landers. I'll probably come home with 12-18 racks of USA spareribs from 1 shop. A couple USDA CHOICE Porterhouse and prime chuck eye steak from another shop, and a couple choice ribeye steaks and a whole beef brisket from the 3rd shop.

I'll get ground beef and possibly some thin short ribs along with having them custom cut me a local pork Boston Butt at Landers. And maybe a couple frozen whole chickens.

It ain't cheap. But I'm also not going out looking for Japanese Wagyu either. Which will be offered to me. But I can't justify that. 😊

Larry, said it before that I gave up on finding decent beef some years ago, tried plenty of places that promised quality only to be very disappointed. Mentioned also that the only beef we buy is ground beef and interestingly is of the same quality as Australian beef, low fat and full of flavour,,,,,, maybe they mince all the rib eye fillets? Who can ever tell here the logic. Same as many other staples here, I have adapted but would still love to get my hands on a decent steak or even a lamb chop for the BBQ.

Cheers, Steve.

Steve, I haven't had much luck with lamb steaks. But I've got some NZ shanks now. My second purchase of shanks here. I'll stew them up, like a braised shank.

I did find bone in leg of lamb but didn't buy it as my cooler was full. But I see it in my future. I prefer NZ or AUS and that's what I've found.

The lamb shoulder I smoked and shredded was good. But not perfect. And that was my fault. So I can't pass judgment yet. It wasn't really up to my standards of cooking. But again,  my fault. I don't think I will smoke lamb shoulder again. But leg? I can roast or smoke or cut up and make a good old fashioned Irish Stew. 😊

@jcole445

I just go to where I can hear a  Chainsaw working and beg some Sawdust. The chains here are so badly adjusted it's like woodchips. The Chainsaw guys are always happy to give it to me. It's usually hardwoods,  mostly Mahogony,sometimes coconut, or mango.

It all works fine in my smoker.