Picnics & BBQ Chicharrones with Pron (Hopefully)

Well this will be my first attempt at a running thread on one of my cooks. I do not plan on drinking beer today (boo!) so hopefully I won't blow it off at the end and hopefully deprive myself of a happy ending.

Today I plan to smoke two picnics (skin on) and some BBQ chicharrones. Kozmos Honey Bee rub on the pork and Killer Hogs Hot BBQ Rub for the chicharrones. One of the picnics is a bit bigger than the other. I am going to start it earlier than the other. Hopefully run between 275-300.

No beer because I am going to fish the land of the giants (Pyramid Lake, NV) tomorrow. I will be doing an early departure and want to be 100% so I can have my kayak and line in the water as the sun comes up. But after fishing...that's a store for another day.

Okay, here it goes!

One uploaded and smoked for an hour. I then added the second picnic. Cooker is running 275-300.

Going to spritz every hour with equal parts red wine vinegar, pineapple juice, and apple juice.

Will check back in later.

Big George's BBQ said:

Sounds like a good plan Please post pics of your fishing trip

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I really have to watch the weather because of wind and waves (kayak fishing) but generally fish the lake every 10 days or so. I grew up fishing the salt and that is my true love. This lake is so big and positioned in a valley that it gets serious zephyrs. It act's like an ocean with swells, chop, and white caps. No tides LOL.

These are from last week. I generally don't take pictures of the fish. These giants are pretty cool. My very first cast netted me a 15 lb Lahontan Cutthtroat. There are also Pilot Peak Cutty's. My heart breaks when I see these beasts mishandled or even taken and killed (they are not supposed to taste all that good). People come from all over the world to fish the lake, catch a legend, take a picture with it, and hopefully release it. I tend to net, keep the fish in the water and do a quick release. Average for me is about 6-8 lbs with a cruiser over 10 lbs every once in a while. Going after them with flies tomorrow. Fingers crossed...

Chicharrrones turned out pretty good. I don't think chicharrones out of the bag would be as good. Fresh from the market (hopefully with a little pork still attached is the ticket).

Long story short, the rub did not really want to attach to the chicharrones. I did a real light coat of pam and rubbed with the Killer Hogs Hot. Put them into the smoker. The rub did not seem to stick so I added a little more pam and more rub over the next hour. Still no joy. I ended up spritzing them with the spritz I was using on the picnics and then rubbing them around in the foil pan a couple times. Total time in the smoker was about 2.5 hours. They have a great taste and I can't wait to dive into them after fishing while enjoying an adult beverage tomorrow. They do cry out for lime. Next time I will try chili-lime rub. Yah-boy!

The picnics have been in for about four hours. Temp's at around 145-149. The bark looks good. Getting ready to wrap.

Yaker
Chicharrones!

This will probably be my last post tonight; I have to load up for fishing tomorrow. So far both picnics were pulled between 202-205. I let them vent and then basted with brown sugar, sweet BBQ sauce and apple juice. pretty much equal parts. Back into the smoker for about 20 minutes to tack up and then done. I will let ours rest about an hour and then nachos for me. The smaller of the two is for my elderly neighbors. Probably last them a week. LOL.

I will try to post a follow up tomorrow or Tuesday when I get back online.

Cheers all!

Yaker

Back from fishing and will close this thread down. Thanks all for your comments! Review to follow.

Overall I kind of like the picnic better than the butt. The muscles seamed larger and more dense, less muscular fat. I don't know. Maybe thinking too much about it. Anyway, the meat was great and I will do this one again. In the photo it is plated on a bun, butter pickles on top, with a side of cucumber and pineapple. I should have tried the pineapple with the sandwich.

The chicharrones were great; however, they were overly salty. They did happen to pair well with BEER. Next time I will try the above recommendations and use chili-lime seasoning. For me that will be the ticket. I got a load of biltong in yesterday. Chicharrones, biltong and beer. Hummm, that my friends sounds like fun.

I got up to leave yesterday at 0400. I walked outside. 14 degrees, not a cloud in the sky and an almost full moon. I knew I was doomed from the start. The lake was howling when I got there. 3-4' swells and I s$it you not, 2-3 second intervals. I ended up catching two fish (5/6 lbs ish), one on the troll and one on a jig. I met up with a couple guys who were there from Sacramento, CA. One of the guys got a 12 pounder, absolutely a golden color male. Absolutely beautiful fish. The guy killed it so he could smoke it. I left the lake at about 1500 and by then it was flat calm.

I am writing like a school girl so I got to go. Cheers!

Yaker

HogGrog said:

Great cook and beautiful smoker!

Thanks for releasing those Cutts, i need to get out there with my rod and flies....

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Yes sir! I fully retired this past summer so I now have the time to fish a couple times a week. Been trying to hit Pyramid every 10 days or so. I am trying to find a good beach to launch from with not so many ladder fisherman (I don't want to bother them as I go in and out). I keep scouting but end up at Warrior every time. If you have a secret spot hook me up! Kidding.

Cheers

Yaker