Equipment – Cajun Smoking

Cajun Smoking, Barbecuing, & Grilling Smoking is a method of cooking your food with a low temperature of heat and smoke, low and slow. Barbecuing is a method of cooking your food over a hot bed of coals, medium and moderate. Grilling is a method of cooking food over an open flame, hot and hasty. Cajun Smoking Cajun Smoking is the extreme version of smoking while adding a spicy blend of your favorite Cajun seasonings. While smoldering chunks or chips of hickory, mesquite, apple, or cherry, etc.; they each contribute own unique flavor to the meat during the cooking process. True smokiness will enter the shallow rim of the meat referred to as a smoke ring. This sometimes this may take hours or even days depending on what method you use. Smoking occurs at a low temperature. To ensure the smoky flavor infuses the meat, you will need to cook this slowly; so that the meat is cooked all the way through. If it is too hot the external layer of the meat will cook too quickly forming a barrier the smoke can’t cross. There are two ways to Cajun smoke meat: Cold smoking, a process primarily used for flavor and is mostly done with meat that has been cured or previously cooked. Cold smoking temperatures ordinarily take place between 68°F and 86°F. This process customarily works best with foods like chicken breast, beef, sausage, pork chops, salmon, scallops, steak, and cheese.Hot smoking, a process primarily used to perfectly cook the food you are smoking as well as making sure that that delicious smoky flavor seeps in. Hot smoking temperatures ordinarily are done at a temperature range of 126°F to 176°F. Anything over 185°F can cause shrinkage and buckling of the meat. Hot smoking masterfully cooks larger cuts of meat like ham, ham hocks, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. As a rule, hot smoked meats are reheated or may even be cooked more thoroughly at a later time. If they have been fully cooked through, they are safe to eat promptly. Hot smoking helps lock in the natural mouthwatering flavors of the meat and will give the meat more moisture. Smoking takes a great deal of patience, high-quality meat, and spot-on temperature. Having the proper fuel, a good quality smoker and quality wood chips or chunks along with bed of white-hot charcoal is a must. Cajun Barbecuing Cajun barbecuing is the extreme version of barbecuing while adding your favorite blend of Cajun seasonings. Barbecuing is where we get into cuts of meat that have a tough tissue. These cuts do not do well in a high heat temperature or with a quick cook time. However, extending your cooking period, you will want to do so over low heat. Barbecuing takes place directly over your heat source with a temperature range of about 190°F to 300°F. A superb barbecue makes meat so tender and delicious it will almost fall right off the bone. By larger cuts, I am talking whole pork shoulders, beef briskets, rib roasts, slabs of ribs, or turkey breasts. With medium temperatures, smoking a larger cut of meat will extend your cooking time by several hours. The big trick is maintaining that temperature for the duration of the cooking making sure to replenish your fuel source during the cooking process. Since traditional barbecue also needs a little smoke, you will want to include wood chips or charcoal as well. Placing a shallow pan of water in the center will help keep moisture inside the smoker. Please do not confuse this method of barbecuing with cooking food in the oven. In the oven, all you’re doing is cooking food and pouring a premade bottled barbecue sauce over the top of it. It’s simply just a way of cooking food; it’s not a true form of barbecuing. Barbecuing is also referred to when roasting a large piece of meat on a revolving spit outdoors over a huge open fire. Ever seen this method? It’s an impressive, huge rotisserie. Picture a whole pig on a large metal heat-resistant rod balanced between. Barbecuing: barbecue, barbeque, bar-b-cue, bar-b-que, and BBQ. It is also referred to as social event. It originated in Australia for the term barbie. You will hear barbecue used as a universal term to describe anything cooked on the grill from hot dogs to smoked brisket. Each state, region or continent is known for its own distinct characteristics of barbecue; pretty much all revolve around meats, side dishes and most generally signify large family and friend gatherings. Cajun Grilling Cajun grilling is the extreme cooking small cuts of meat quickly, Grilling is done all over the world in various cultures that all follow the same principle of cooking food quickly over a hot fire. More specifically direct heat that ranges from 350°F to 550°F for a short period of time, usually for less than an hour. Grilling is done over both charcoal and gas grills. Grilling food leads to a charred surface that seals in the natural juices of the food you are preparing. With this hot and hasty method, the saying ‘the thinner the better’ holds true. The best meats for grilling are tender cuts like chicken, ribs, pork chops, different kinds of steaks like T-bones, burgers, and hot dogs. Hastily searing meat and cooking over a hot fire for a short period of time are the best ways to preserve tenderness and prevent overcooking and drying out and protecting your juicy, flavorful piece of meat. There is not a lot of mastery involved in grilling steaks, but not so true when it comes to fish, vegetables, or poultry. Handle these more delicate foods with care, shoot for a little less flame. Grilling is also a common way to cook up some delicious and flavorful vegetables such as squash and zucchini. Essentially on a gas grill, there’s just a matter of simply turning the knob to the desired flame level. Shut the lid and wait for the grill’s interior to heat up. Place your splendidly Cajun seasoned foods on the grates and grill to your liking. You will not want to walk to far away from your grill as your food will sear quickly because you don’t want to burn the outside to a crisp. However, with a charcoal grill, you will have to add fresh coals every so often. So, pay close attention and keep an open eye. It’s easy to go past the sear point and burn the outside of your eats with this type of cooking method. A set of charcoal baskets is maybe useful. Baskets help make room on the cooking surface, in addition to keeping coals off to the side. This helps heat the food indirectly, and more slowly which is the goal. Equipment and Accessories There are numerous types of equipment and accessories that you can use for your smoking, barbecuing and grilling pleasures. Here’s a quick list of each: Smokers: Horizontal smokersDirect heat smokersIndirect heat smokersPellet smokersGas smokersElectric smokersKettle grillsGravity feed smokersVertical or cylinder smokersCharcoal smokers Barbeques: Charcoal/Wood firedPropane or Natural gasCeramicElectricPortablePellet Grills: CharcoalKettleKamadoPropane or natural gasInfraredDual fuel/hybridPelletPortable Yes, several of these are remarkably similar and can be easily converted back and forth to be used the way you’d like. It’s a great thing when you can use multi-purpose equipment for multiple reasons. Accessories: There are a few accessories that are recommended: Thermometer (equipment and meat)Heat resistant glovesFire starterGrate brush to clean the cooking surfaceSturdy, long tongs Meats To The Eats The key phrase to remember with the smoking and barbecuing methods are slow and low and medium and moderate. But remember, grilling is hot and hasty. Overall, out of the three methods, smoking is technique that requires the most expertise. However, start with the simplest one, grilling. Then, work your way to a more complex large-scale barbecue, you may eventually want to try your hand at smoking.