Table Of ContentS M O K I N G
MEAT
S M O K I N G
M E AT
Will Fleischman
CONTENTS
6 Introduction POULTRY
COOKING LOW AND SLOW 122 Smoking Poultry: What You Need to Know
124 Poultry Cuts
10 Cooking with Smoke 126 Turkey Breast
12 A Brief History of BBQ 130 Texas Quail
14 The Principles of BBQ 136 Jerk-Rubbed Chicken Wings
16 The Smokers 140 Whole Chicken
22 The Elements of Smoking 146 Chicken Thighs with Alabama White Sauce
26 Starters, Fuel, and Wood 150 Smoky Yakitori Chicken
28 Building and Tuning the Fire
30 BBQ Troubleshooting GAME
32 Seasoning and Flavoring
34 BBQ Tools of the Trade 158 Venison Tenderloin
36 Smoking and Kitchen Safety 160 Whole Pheasant
38 The Language of BBQ 164 Wild Boar Ribs
165 Bison Ribeye
BEEF 166 Elk Strip Loin
SEAFOOD
42 Smoking Beef: What You Need to Know
44 Beef Cuts
170 Smoking Seafood: What You Need to Know
46 Brisket
172 Sourcing Seafood
52 Short Plate Ribs
174 Whole Rainbow Trout
56 Tenderloin
175 Red Snapper
60 Shoulder (Clod)
178 Salmon with Sweet Glaze
64 Ribeye
180 Texas Cold-Smoked Salmon
LAMB 182 Shrimp Skewers
186 Oysters
70 Smoking Lamb: What You Need to Know 188 Lobster Tail
72 Lamb Cuts
A LITTLE EXTRA SMOKE
74 Rack of Lamb
78 Lamb Shanks with Bourbon Plum Sauce
192 Smoked Portobello Mushroom Caps
84 Lamb Necks with Kentucky-Style Dip
194 Smoked Asparagus with Pork Belly
PORK 196 Smoked Wild Mushroom and White Grape Salad
197 Smoked Salsa Verde
90 Smoking Pork: What You Need to Know 198 Smoked Habanero Hot Sauce
92 Pork Cuts
94 Baby Back Ribs 200 Smoking Times and Temps
100 Spare Ribs 202 Index
104 Pulled Pork Butt 208 About the Author
110 Pork Belly 208 Acknowledgments
114 How to Cure and Smoke Bacon
116 Ham
6 SMOKING MEAT
INTRODUCTION
Smoking meat and being a BBQ pitmaster aren’t things I ever envisioned myself While I subscribe
doing as a career. I grew up in the heart of Wisconsin, surrounded by lakes, rivers, to a somewhat
farms, forests, and fields. Needless to say, BBQ wasn’t then—nor is it now—one of puritanical view
about BBQ—
the predominant culinary traditions in the Badger State. In fact, I don’t ever recall
letting the natural
even seeing a smoker or eating BBQ until I first came to Texas a little more than
flavors speak for
10 years ago. Until then, BBQ was a sauce that went on ribs my mother would boil
themselves—the
and then bake. I recall they weren’t my favorite meal choice and, fortunately, rarely
scope of this
graced our table.
book embraces a
variety of regional
I had my first taste of real BBQ—smoked low and slow—at a forgettable BBQ styles that
joint one afternoon in July. I remember the oppressive heat of that Texas summer include sauces,
more than the BBQ. I could never have imagined that a few years later, Southern mops, and glazes.
Living magazine would recognize me as one of the top 10 pitmasters in the South
or that I’d get a call to appear on the TV program BBQ Pitmasters. As some have
said, maybe it was simply my rugged good looks and beard that got me any
attention at all in the BBQ world. Or maybe my successes have come from
cooking some outstanding smoked meats and being willing to take creative risks
while pushing the envelope of BBQ and embracing the traditions found within. As
they say, the jury’s still out.
Whatever the case, I’ve always sought out bold flavors and new techniques that
make an impression on me like a tattoo on my brain. My time spent in Shanghai
led me to knowingly—and, at times, unknowingly—eat roasted donkey, cold goose
livers, duck brains sucked directly from the skull, pig’s lung, and myriad other
oddities that totally strengthened the kinds of foods I cook and enjoy. My travels
across the United States have taken me to each and every corner of the country to
experience a huge variety of cultural culinary traditions, such as roasted goat with
native Navajo, salmon jerky on the Pacific Crest Trail, fresh porgy from the Gulf of
Mexico, and late-night dirty water dogs in New York City. My desire to find the
most off-the-beaten-path spots to eat has brought me friendships with people I
don’t even share a common language with—only an enthusiasm for good food.
The recipes and techniques presented in this book are derived from these findings,
as well as my experiences cooking BBQ professionally and recreationally. While I
subscribe to a somewhat puritanical view about BBQ—letting the natural flavors
speak for themselves—the scope of this book embraces a variety of regional styles
that include sauces, mops, and glazes. You should find what works best for you,
and then adjust and adapt—and, most importantly, enjoy yourself. Because you’ll
have plenty to learn along the way, pay attention and be proud of what you do.
