I was hesitant too about using the minion method, but I tried it on an overnight brisket and it worked great. I do it all the time now and I never have experienced any noxious fumes or off putting smell/taste. It just works; so I keep using it. I have a Weber Smokey Mountain by the way.




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I wouldn't do charcoal any other way. Had I known years ago about the chimney, it would have saved me a lot of lighter fluid and profanity from the charcoal taking forever to get going.
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Both Costco and Sam's have multiple suppliers for beef and pork, so what might be in one region might not hold true in your area.

Out here in California, I've found that Costco beef is better, in part because they sell choice and prime only. Pork isn't graded by the USDA, it either passes or it doesn't, and I can't say that I've noticed any quality difference between the two club stores out here so long as you avoid the solution plumped cuts.
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LOVE the paper tube idea. I will be trying it this weekend. I have never had issues with the minion method, but I use lump charcoal. Not really any noxious fumes there. No chemicals. Just already burned wood.
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Which cuts are those? :-)
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Virtually every piece of poultry sold there and for pork it's most commonly it's the baby backs and spares in the small cryopacks. Not all of them are treated, but that seems to be the most commonly treated. Technically anything that comes from the manufacturer in a shelf-ready cryopack could be treated. FDA regulations require it be indicated on the packaging though.

Other than being charged a couple bucks a pound for salt water and adding unnecessary chemicals to your diet, it just makes everything taste over salty or like processed ham, at least to me.
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Peter,

Here's a guide on it:
http://virtualweberbullet.com/enhancedmeat.html

Note photo #4, of the pork ribs.
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:-)
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Never have bought meat from Sams. The only steaks I buy are from Costco. I love those pound ribeyes!
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It seems to me that the pork at both Costco and Sams are packaged the exact same way, whether it's ribs or butts. I've noticed very little "drainage" from the butts from either place, but seems like I've seen such solutions inside the packages I've seen at Kroger and Meijer. I've never bought butts anywhere other than Sams or Costco though. One of these days, I'm going to start getting sides of beef and whole hogs butchered through local farmers who go the all natural route.
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Has anyone ever used liquid smoke?

I was all ready to fire up the Traeger for an overnight of 4 butts to make for all of the nurses/docs in the ER for a pitch-in tonight. I turned the digital thermostat-dead. Changed fuses-turned on, great, click. Dead.

I did a bit of panicking and read up on liquid smoke and thought what the hell. 2 butts are in the oven now rather than all 4 and gonna hope they get done for tonight. It's my absolute last resort, but I have no other option really. I did some reading and it appears they claim you can fool some BBQ regulars with this stuff. I know at the place I worked at in college was a steak house that served some great tasting ribs using the stuff.

Please say a quick prayer it turns out somewhat close and forgive me of my BBQ sin. :-)
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I know WHAT the minion method is, what I never understood was how it squares with what I smell
everytime I light off charcoal. I always thought it was just me, you know, the way I feel that
I am smarter than everyone else, lol, that with all these thousands of successful long-cook smokers
doing it, that it was odd that no one was complaining about the fumes. :-)
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Oh the blasphemy... :-)
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I've had jerky made with it. Not a fan. I hope it came out OK for you though.
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Well technically it's the real deal, as I guess you already READ somewhere online where they tell you
that it's REALLY not that bad of a sin. But we all know better, lol. But its "made with real smoke". :-)
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...:-) You're a trip Brad. Now put that tube of airplane glue down:-):-)
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Suppliers vary by region. It's possible that the pork at Sam's and Costco in your area comes from the same supplier.

Selection also varies by region, even by store. Sometimes I'll find a certain cut or two or food items at one Costco, but they aren't available at another Costco in the same sales district that is located only 15-20 miles away.

I think most of the pork at Costco around here, is not solution enhanced, but I have seen some solution enhanced ribs at the local Sam's.

If you like all the cuts on an animal, and have the space for the freezer, having sides of beef and whole hogs butchered is a great way to go. Personally though, I don't care for probably 2/3 of the cuts on a steer and half the cuts on a hog. And the ones I really like, there aren't enough of on one animal.
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Put butts in around 8# each in for 7.5 hours at 300 (which is higher than I like to as I like to stay in the 225-250 range). Pulled them out and foiled for an hour and just got done pulling it.

Will it fool a lot of people? Most likely since I used a good rub and injected it and it's quite tender. Would I ever do it under any other circumstances? Hell no. There's just a different consistency in the bark, lack of smoke, and definitely no smoke ring.

Time to make some more injection to drizzle over and allow it to soak up the juices a bit in the crock pot.
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Still looks good. How can they complain about someone cooking for them!
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Open their mouth, exhale, move their larynx, change the position of their tongue. Pretty easy really.

I guess it all depends on how it's represented.
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