Chris’s Kitchen & Smokehouse
Backyard Recipes & Guides
A log of slow-smoking rubs, times, and sourdough fermentation specs. Blending culinary passion with scientific measurement.
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Baking & FermentationIntermediate
Artisan Sourdough Bread
24-36 Hours (total)75% Hydration • 20% Leaven • 2% Salt
A classic crusty country loaf. Relies on long, cold autolyse processes, wild yeast activation curves, and steam-injected baking to achieve optimal oven spring and an open crumb.
Ingredients
- 450g Organic Unbleached Bread Flour
- 50g Organic Whole Wheat Flour
- 375g Filtered Water (approx. 78°F)
- 100g Active Sourdough Starter
- 10g Fine Sea Salt
Preparation & Method
- Autolyse: Mix flour and water. Let rest for 1 hour to hydrate.
- Incorporate: Add starter and salt. Knead gently to combine.
- Bulk Ferment: Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds over 4 hours at 78°F.
- Shape & Retard: Pre-shape, rest 20 mins, shape into boules. Place in bannetons and cold ferment in fridge for 16 hours.
- Bake: Preheat Dutch oven to 500°F. Score dough, drop heat to 450°F, bake covered 20 mins, uncovered 20-25 mins.
Low & Slow SmokingAdvanced
Texas-Style Smoked Beef Brisket
12-16 Hours225°F Smoker Temp • Oak Wood • 203°F Target Temp
Authentic Central Texas style brisket. Focuses on fat rendering, convection flow inside the smoker cook chamber, and wood-ember heat management to achieve a rich mahogany bark and tender meat.
Ingredients
- 12-14 lb USDA Prime Whole Packer Brisket
- 1/2 cup Coarse Black Pepper (16 mesh)
- 1/2 cup Coarse Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder (optional)
- Apple Cider Vinegar (for spritzing)
Preparation & Method
- Trim: Aerodynamically trim hard fat. Leave 1/4 inch fat cap.
- Season: Mix salt, pepper, and garlic. Apply rub generously.
- Smoke: Fire up offset smoker using post oak. Place brisket fat-side up.
- Wrap: Once bark is set (approx. 165°F internal, 6-8 hours), wrap tightly in peach butcher paper.
- Finish & Rest: Cook until tender (feels like warm butter, approx. 203°F). Rest in warm cooler/oven (140°F) for minimum 4 hours before slicing.
Low & Slow SmokingEasy
Slow-Smoked Pulled Pork (Boston Butt)
8-10 Hours250°F Smoker Temp • Apple & Hickory Wood • 203°F Target Temp
Incredibly tender, juicy pork shoulder. Renders fat caps and collagen into succulent shreds with a balance of sweet rub caramelized bark and mild fruitwood smoke flavor.
Ingredients
- 8-10 lb Bone-In Pork Shoulder / Boston Butt
- 1/4 cup Yellow Mustard (as binder)
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar BBQ Rub (paprika, sugar, garlic, onion, cayenne)
- 1 cup Apple Juice (for spritzing)
Preparation & Method
- Prep: Apply a thin layer of yellow mustard over the pork shoulder as a binder.
- Season: Apply the brown sugar rub generously on all sides.
- Smoke: Place shoulder on smoker grates. Cook at 250°F with apple wood.
- Spritz & Wrap: Spritz with apple juice every hour after hour 3. Wrap in foil at 165°F (with a splash of apple juice).
- Shred: Pull at 203°F internal. Rest 1 hour, remove bone, and shred with forks.