"Smoking meats--What are your favorite ways and seasonings?"

1. SMOKED MEAT RECIPE Sprinkle meat with creole seasoning. Let ... on cooking rack and smoke until done; then use juice in pan as gravy. Ingredients: 5  (juice .. onions ...)

2. BRINE FOR SMOKED MEAT Cook all with water, cool and pour over meat. Keep hams in this brine for 6 weeks. Then smoke in your outdoor smoker. Ingredients: 4  (meat .. salt .. sugar ...)

3. HICKORY SMOKE MEAT LOAF Combine first 8 ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Press into 4 x 8 inch loaf pan. Spread additional barbecue sauce over top of loaf. Top with bacon. ... Ingredients: 9  (bacon .. beef .. egg .. juice .. oats .. onion ...) ADVERTISEMENT

4. BARBEQUED MEAT BALLS To make meat balls, combine all ingredient.s ... hour. Makes 80 meat balls. Ingredients: 14  (catsup .. eggs .. meat .. milk .. oats .. onion ...)

5. BARBEQUED MEAT BALLS Mix all first 9 ... dissolves; then pour over meat balls and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Ingredients: 14  (catsup .. eggs .. meat .. milk .. oatmeal .. onions ...)

6. BBQ MEAT BALLS Place meat balls in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix sauce and pour over raw meat balls. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Ingredients: 11  (catsup .. eggs .. milk .. oats .. onion .. salt ...)

7. CRYSTAL'S SUPER MEAT LOAF Mix all ingredients together ... on top of the meat. Then put rest ... 1 hour at 325 degrees. Ingredients: 12  (catsup .. meat .. milk .. onions .. parsley .. salt ...)

8. MEAT BALLS Mix all together and form meat balls. Pour the sauce of the meat balls and bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Ingredients: 13  (catsup .. garlic .. liquid .. milk .. oatmeal .. onion ...)

9. MEAT JERKY In a large bowl, place cut strips of meat and enough Lawry's seasoned salt to cover meat. Pour liquid smoke also. Let sit in ... Keeps well. Serves: 5 people. Ingredients: 4  (meat .. salt .. smoke ...)

10. RICE AND MEAT (YOUR CHOICE) JAMBALAYA Cook onions and celery ... minutes. Add choice of meat and sausage; cook 15 minutes longer. Ingredients: 9  (meat .. onion .. rice .. sausage ...)

Not a direct answer to your question but just wanted to let everyone else out there know you don't have to buy a dedicated smoker.  I've always used a standard Weber kettle grill for smoking everything from chicken, Thanksgiving turkey, ribs, pork and the like.  Always delicious.  A couple of tips are: (1) get a grill top with hinged sides so you can add charcoal and smoking wood more easily (2) buy the charcoal pans / dividers that let you separate the coals so they are on either side of the food you are cooking and not direclty under (i.e., you can bank the coals and use indirect cooking method) (3) get a thermometer that lets you monitor the internal temperature of the kettle (4) use disposable drip pans to put under your food (you catch the fat rather than let it run all over your grill bottom and you can add juice/flavorful liquid when you start and the aromatic steam will help keep your food moist and impart some flavoring).

 

Personally, I don't like to use alot of seasonings other than regular salt/pepper b/c I think the taste of smoke is the best seasoning.  The only exception is ribs where I use a basic salt/brown sugar/cumin/pepper rub.  For smoking, stick with hardwoods like hickory or apple.  Mesquite is good for grilling but not long smoking (too bitter).  For chicken and turkey, I always brine the birds first to keep it moist and tasty inside.  For add'l flavor, you can add beer or apple juice to the drip pan instead of regular water.

Go here for some excelent info on smoking meat:
http://www.smoking-meat.com/

There is also a forum for exchange of ideas with other meat smokers:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/



As for the recipes, there are some great ones here:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,smoking_meat,FF.html



BEEF JERKY

4 pounds lean beef, sliced into 1/4" strips
1/2 tsp hickory or mesquite smoke flavoring
1/4 cup soy or teriyaki sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cracked black pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons molasses or brown sugar (optional)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce or ketchup

Choose lean beef only, as fat goes rancid when making jerky. Remove all fat from meat.

Beef top round, flank steak and rump work well. To make jerky that isn't hard to chew, slice across the grain no more than 1/4" thick and don't overdry it. If you freeze meat for a short time, not until it is frozen solid, but just until ice crystals form and meat can still be pierced easily with the point of a knife, then it will be easier to slice thinly. You can also use an electric slicer (Rival or Chef's Choice make home type slicers if you'll be making a lot of jerky).

Combine ingredients and marinate meat in a ziploc bag in the refrigerator for 12-24 hours, stirring occasionally. Be sure marinade gets between the slices and covers the meat.

Drain liquid and place in smoker, oven, or food dehydrator at 160-180°F. Turn when dripping stops. They are ready when jerky is dry enough to easily break off a portion, but still has enough resilience to crack when bent, but not break (4-8 hours). It should not be tough and leathery.

It's important to store jerky away from humidity. Let cool completely before packaging. Seal up in Food Saver bags, canning jars or use Press-N-Seal or aluminum foil to keep away air and humidity. If you won't be using right away, store in the refrigerator to preserve freshness longer, but jerky can be kept without refrigeration.

Note: Sodium Nitrate (curing salt) can be used to enhance preservative qualities, but is not required. If used, add 3/4 teaspoon to the above recipe or follow directions on package.

Submitted by: CM


KEN'S HOME MADE JERKY

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. meat
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp seasoned salt
1/3 tsp pepper
1 tsp accent
6 drops tabasco
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce

Thaw frozen meat partially. Trim all fat. Slice meat into 1/8" strips.

Marinate overnight in brine. Drain. Lay in single layer on oven rack.

Roast at 140 degrees for 4 to 6 hours or a little longer if needed to dry more.

Leave oven door open a crack to let moisture out.

Submitted by: Ken Gunderson


OHIO JERKY

3 lbs. venison rump meat
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp lemon pepper
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp old bay seasoning
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1.Cut Venison into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine all remaining ingredients and blend together. Add meat and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2.Lay meat on foiled racks. Set oven to 150 degrees and prop oven door about 2 inches using a foil ball or an empty can. Cook-Dry the venison for 8-10 hours or until dry.

Submitted by: Logan Ladd