Let’s talk Marinades

[Oklahomabassin]

La Lechonera mojo, you can get it at Supermercado Morelos. Goya's mojo is pretty good as well and easier to find. Marinate your whole hogs, pork butts and whole chickens (or quarters or whatever) in this with beer, orange, lemon, and lime juices for a 2-3 days then smoke or roast.

I smoked these for like 14 hours.

I would like to hear more about this. How big are the pigs? What smoker setup? Do you smoke commercially?

 

[bushmaster06]

I would like to hear more about this. How big are the pigs? What smoker setup? Do you smoke commercially?

They were about 80# each.

I would like to hear more about this. How big are the pigs? What smoker setup? Do you smoke commercially?

Those pigs were about 80# each. Before moving back to Oklahoma I was a banquet sous chef at a 1000-room resort in south Florida. We had 250,000 square feet of indoor event space, plus 2 pool decks next to the beach and the landing at our marina on the intracostal waterway. We would host parties for as many as 1,700 guests.

When I started there they were making brisket in the oven with beef stock and liquid smoke. After I saw that I had a chat with the Food and Beverage director and told him that we could do better so he bought a smoker. Those pigs were smoked at the same time, but it was a pain in the ass getting them in and out. But no, I do not smoke professionally.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

@bushmaster06 thank you for sharing the details and pictures. I enjoyed it. Certainly a really nice set up and I would call it professional.

Our FFA program in high school always started the year off with a hog roast. It was a whole hog around 220-240 live weight that was smoked whole. I am not sure who smoked it, but it was an experience seeing it spread out on the table the first time.

 

[turkeyrun]

For chicken, I use Fat Free (no oil) Spicy Italian salad dressing and add a shot of fresh lemon juice and orange juice.
For beef: Kinder's Smoke rub and shot of Jack Daniel.
Fajita: Sazo'n Natural Fajita, a dash of Cayenne powder and can of chunky pineapple with juice.
Pork: mix 1 tsp each, paprika, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, thyme, plus 1/2 tsp, turmeric, chili powder and cayenne. Rub it in good and add 1 can of root beer.

 

[CHenry]

For all beef or Venison, I use moms recipe
Steaks in a pan and apply:
50/50 soy sauce and garlic wine vinegar until it puddles in the pan
Garlic powder (I use alot)
sprinkle a bit of sugar on
Ground black pepper (no salt, soy sauce has the salt)

If you have a gamey taste in venison, soak in this for 8 hours and the game taste is gone. The wine vinegar tenderizes so if its a bad cut of meat that maybe a little tough, soak it in this for at least 2-3 hours. A good steak I will only soak for 1 hour.

 

[bushmaster06]

@bushmaster06 thank you for sharing the details and pictures. I enjoyed it. Certainly a really nice set up and I would call it professional.

Our FFA program in high school always started the year off with a hog roast. It was a whole hog around 220-240 live weight that was smoked whole. I am not sure who smoked it, but it was an experience seeing it spread out on the table the first time.

I don't consider myself a pitmaster or anything, I just know how to run a smoker.