Orion Cooker

[jrp]

Looks very good!

 

[dfergie]

Roast was ok, should have pulled a little earlier though, the rib tips were excellent and the closest thing I can think of to describe the taste of the apples is apple pie...

 

[dfergie]

The Plan:
4 lbs Chicken Wing Drumettes

Rub:
2 Tsp. garlic powder
2 Tsp. onion powder
2 Tsp. Onion Flakes
2 Tsp. ground sage
1 Tsp. ground red pepper
1 Tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Crumbled up red chile
2 Tsp. black pepper
3 Tsp. brown sugar
3 Tsp. cane sugar
2 Tsp. seasoning salt
1 Tsp. sea salt
2 Tsp. Low Salt (potash)
3 Tsp. Parsley flakes
2 Tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tsp. Cumin
3 Tsp. Oregano


Added about 4 oz Great Value Spicy Brown Mustard, 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic, about 4 oz
Kraft's Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce, 4 oz Apple Cider & 2 oz Apple Cider Vinager along with generous amount of rub to the Chicken Wednesday afternoon rotating when I thought about it...

Put some drumettes on lower rack in middle (allowing about 3" clearance to side) placed rest on middle rack applying more rub to both...

Drip Pan: 8 oz. Coors Light Draft along with marinate.

Chips: Mix of Cherry, Alder, Hickory & Mesquite.

Ignition: 12:15 pm
55 °F
Clear
Humidity: 9% Dew Point: -4 °F Wind: 12 mph from the South

 

[dfergie]

Pulled at 1:30 (crisp, but good, should have pulled at 1:20)... excellent flavor & heat index just right...

 

[dfergie]

The Plan:
4 lbs Chicken Wing Drumettes
6 lbs Pork Short Ribs

Rub:
2 Tsp. garlic powder
2 Tsp. onion powder
2 Tsp. Onion Flakes
2 Tsp. ground sage
1 Tsp. ground red pepper
1 Tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Crumbled up red chile
2 Tsp. black pepper
3 Tsp. brown sugar
3 Tsp. cane sugar
2 Tsp. seasoning salt
1 Tsp. sea salt
2 Tsp. Low Salt (potash)
3 Tsp. Parsley flakes
2 Tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tsp. Cumin
3 Tsp. Oregano


Added mucha's rub yesterday around 10 am to 1 gallon storage bags.
Added about 4 oz per bag (2 bags ribs, 1 of drumettes) apple cider vinegar, apple cider & about same of Kraft's honey smoke BBQ sauce & Great Value course ground mustard plus 2 table spoons each of minced garlic...
was going to cook today, but...
will let set till Monday mid day ...

 

[dfergie]

Placed Country Style Ribs on Lower & Middle Rack, Drumettes on top.
Poured 1/2 cup of Apple Cider in drip pan plus the marinate...
Chips: mix of Cherry, Mesquite, Alder & Hickory...

Ignition 12:40 pm
Pulled Chicken at 2:00, Pork at 2:15


45 °F
Clear
Windchill: 40 °F Humidity: 34% Dew Point: 18 °F Wind: 10 mph from the SE

 

[dfergie]

The Plan:
4.5 lb Chicken (fryer)

Rub:
2 Tsp. garlic powder
2 Tsp. onion powder
2 Tsp. Onion Flakes
2 Tsp. ground sage
1 Tsp. ground red pepper
1 Tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Crumbled up red chile
2 Tsp. black pepper
3 Tsp. brown sugar
3 Tsp. cane sugar
2 Tsp. seasoning salt
1 Tsp. sea salt
2 Tsp. Low Salt (potash)
3 Tsp. Parsley flakes
2 Tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tsp. Cumin
3 Tsp. Oregano

No advance prep, patted down with rub and coated with Krafts' Hickory smoke BBQ sauce, added more rub...

Drip Pan: 1/4 cup Apple Cider & 4 oz. Budweiser
Chips: Apple, Mesquite, Cherry Mix

Temp:
42 °F
Clear
Windchill: 36 °F Humidity: 38% Dew Point: 18 °F Wind: 10 mph from the North


Ignition 1:40 pm

 

[dfergie]

Pulled at 2:55 (1:15 cook time)

 

[jrp]

Nice.

 

[dfergie]

It was "finger licking good"

 

[dfergie]

The Plan:
4 lbs Chicken Wing Pieces

Rub:
2 Tsp. garlic powder
2 Tsp. onion powder
2 Tsp. Onion Flakes
2 Tsp. ground sage
1 Tsp. ground red pepper
1 Tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Crumbled up red chile
2 Tsp. black pepper
3 Tsp. brown sugar
3 Tsp. cane sugar
2 Tsp. seasoning salt
1 Tsp. sea salt
2 Tsp. Low Salt (potash)
3 Tsp. Parsley flakes
2 Tsp. Italian seasoning
2 Tsp. Cinnamon
2 Tsp. Cumin
3 Tsp. Oregano


Added about 4 oz Great Value Spicy Brown Mustard, 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic, about 4 oz
Kraft's Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce along with generous amount of rub to the Chicken Sunday.

Placed on Top & Middle racks...

Drip Pan: 8 oz. Budweiser & Apple Juice

Chips: Mix of Cherry, Alder, Hickory & Mesquite

Kingsford Briquettes & Royal Oak Charcoal (Charcoal on bottom)

Ignition: 5:35 pm (sunset)
73.7 °F

 

[dfergie]

Pulled at 6:50
Excellent!

 

[Automaton]

I'll be picking up my Orion Cooker tomorrow morning. I mostly smoke ribs. Is the texture of cooked ribs that much different (rubbery I've read?) from a conventional smoker? Does anyone have a trick for getting some crispiness on the outside of the ribs? I was thinking of dumping the coals from the Orion into my regular grill and finishing the last 20 minutes on there (10 minutes per side). Or would cutting the Orion time short like that be a bad idea?

Has anyone tried leaving a gap between the lid and the rest of the cooker so more steam escapes?

 

[dfergie]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys! I haven't noticed the rubbery ribs, but haven't cooked ribs in awhile (been stuck on wings & chicken) I was looking for meat for an Orion cook yesterday and went right by the ribs, might go get some & prep for a Thursday cook.

 

[Automaton]

Welcome to SatelliteGuys! I haven't noticed the rubbery ribs, but haven't cooked ribs in awhile (been stuck on wings & chicken).

Some folks say the meat feels/tastes "steamed," which in a way it is. This is similar to how most chain "BBQ" restaurants cook their ribs. The difference with the Orion Cooker is that you are also smoking the meat when you add wood chips. Which brings me to my original question... What tricks are there to add that extra bit of similarity to ribs cooked in a traditional smoker? Only one I can think of is DON'T ADD ANY LIQUID TO THE ORION COOKER, and grill the meat over direct heat for 10-20 minutes after taking it out of the Orion Cooker. Anyone else have ideas or things they've tried?

 

[dfergie]

You can try grilling, you will still have the liquid from the meat in the drip pan in the end, don't think I've ever tried it dry.

 

[Automaton]

you will still have the liquid from the meat in the drip pan in the end, don't think I've ever tried it dry.

Exactly. In traditional smoking, moisture is vented out of the cooker the whole time. Therefore, there is a need to add liquid to the smoker to keep the meat moist throughout the cooking process.

With the Orion Cooker, moisture from the meat doesn't escape the cooker (Not nearly as much anyway). Therefore, there should be no need to add additional liquid to keep the meat moist. Adding liquid might actually contribute to more of a steamed quality in the meat being cooked.

 

[dfergie]

With wings if I leave them in a little too long they will come out crisp (leaving in 1:20 instead of 1:10...)

 

[dfergie]

Bought what I thought were regular Tyson chicken wing parts, ended up with Tyson Hot & Blazing chicken wing parts, added some rub & now am thawing... hopefully the wind will let me cook in the Orion...

 

[dfergie]

The Plan:
3 lbs Tyson Hot & Spicy Chicken Wing Pieces

Homebrew in drip pan
Chips: Mix

Ignition: 5:45 pm