First Dish for My New Smoker

GolferDad66

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Please help me decide what will be the first item (or meal) I prepare in my new smoker. I bought a 30" Masterbuilt MB20070210 Smoker with 3 Smoking Racks. Suggestions must be Meat based. Recipes a ++. Soy based meal suggestions will be met with ridicule.


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Brisket...and I don't have a recipe to share!
 
Brisket sounds really good.
 
Pork Butt works really well for a first smoke as well. I do suggest going with something on the lower price side where low and slow will work in your favor.
 
Brisket is good, but you should start with a shoulder because it is much easier to not mess up. Smoke makes any meat taste good so you can rub it however you like, but I like to use a mustard base to my rub for pork. From there a rub similar to chili powder works really good.
 
I always recommend pork butt or ribs for the maiden voyage. I wouldn't touch brisket until you've nailed down the tendencies of your smoker. Any temperature discrepancies in the cabinet can destroy a high dollar chunk of meat. Pork shoulders, ribs, chicken quarters, etc., are more forgiving. I'd also get a good thermometer to double check the thermostat. There's some good bluetooth ones that are reasonable. I'd get one for each shelf to make sure it heats evenly.
 
3-2-1 ribs is a good way to break your smoker in. 3 hours 225 with dry rub make sure you take the skin off the back. 2 hours in foil then 1 hour BBQ sauced.
 
Brisket...and I don't have a recipe to share!
My first thought when I read the thread title was "The only correct answer is Brisket". (y)
 
season it with a load of bacon if you haven't done that already.

pulled pork or ribs to figure out any quirks before beef products.
This is exactly where I'd start. Figure out your temperatures etc before committing to a larger chunk of meat.
 
Everything on a smoker is fairly easy

Pulled pork/pork butt is very forgiving. You can do 225° for 12-15 hours or 300° for 7 and it turns out great about every time
 
Several people have already hit on it - do a pork shoulder. They're very forgiving/hard to screw up, and who doesn't love pulled pork??? Briskets can be a little more difficult, take that on after you're familiar with your smoker and have used it a few times.
 
Have fun, a few beverages and cook to temp

We prefer beef items. Need ribs are awesome and do not take as long as brisket, but those are fun to cook as well.
 
If you have a Costco nearby they have a marinated tri-tip that is very reasonable. You could do a reverse sear. Smoke it low for a couple hours to about 110-115 and then throw it on the grill for a few minutes on each side until it hits 130.
 
Pulled pork for sure! That's the only way to go imo.
 
season it with a load of bacon if you haven't done that already.

pulled pork or ribs to figure out any quirks before beef products.
Agreed with Cody, grab a pork butt and see where it takes you, then try out a brisket. Remember pork is cheaper than brisket. Also can’t really mess up a butt bc it’s getting shredded. Let us know how your first cook comes out.
 
My first cook was chicken, because it's cheap and simple. No big loss if you screw it up. Pulled pork, then baby backs, then brisket after I got familiar with it.

A good place to visit for anything and everything BBQ is amazingribs.com. Meathead has a lot of good tips and tons of great recipes, I've never been disappointed by any of his recipes that I've used.
 
Heard smoked possum is delicious! 😂
Just kidding, I would go with some Baby back ribs!
 
Pulled pork.. hard to get wrong and is cheaper.
 
Ribs. Ribs. Ribs. Get at it.

Soy meat? Huh? The only Soy I know comes in a sauce.
 
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