Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Again I’ve never used the pellet version, I bought a dust model. But this was before there was a pellet one. I use about 1 1/2 cups of dust for a butt, (don’t do or care for brisket) that is good for 8ish hours of perfect smoke. 3/4 cup is good for over two hours for leg quarters and pork loins. One thing, you can/could buy pellets almost anywhere, the perfect saw dust, you’re pretty much buying from Todd at AMAZN. I just catch the sales and buy up to catch the free shipping.

 

Should be ready to make some great foods. Any of these guys will be more than helpful with any questions you may have.

 

Looks like you’ll be set up with all that.

 

It’s hard to mess those up. I normally use apple and cherry on my butts. Just wait to pull it out until the bone comes out with little or no resistance. Wrap it and rest it after pulling for at least an hour.

 

And the very easiest, most forgiving and quite frankly about the very best thing you can do IMO. Put your probe in the thickest part, set temps to 225-250? That’s debatable, some like even hotter. Bring up internal temps up to 195, pull, wrap in foil, store in a cooler for at least an hour. Then pull for awesome groceries.. after you’ve rubbed with “your” favorite rub.

 

It’ll depend on the individual peice, and temp you smoke it at. Hotter equals less time until done. At 225, a 7 lb butt normally takes me 10-12 hours. You’ll hit the stall at around 150 internal temp, and it can take hours to get through that. Again each butt is different. Some wrap in foil or butcher paper to get through it quicker. Some don’t wrap and just let it ride. Increasing smoker temp will help get through that as well.

Lots of info, instructions, recipes, etc. in this thread, and also here:
http://smokingmeatforums.com/index.php

 

To be honest, there’s lots of variables. I did two 11lb butts a month or so ago, they finished 3 1/2 hours apart. A five or six pounder will reach temp in 6-8 hours depending. Leave yourself plenty of time on your first few smokes. Also, you’re going to notice a “stall” where your temps just go flat for ever it seems. Some pull and wrap in foil and speed up it “turning over” that’s my own term BTW. I typically don’t. Some use water in there pans, again I don’t. Just experiment and see what works for you . There is not right or wrong.

 

No problem. When I first started smoking, I kept a detailed log of what I did and when I did it, rub used, sprays, wraps, added wood, ambient conditions, notes on taste, etc etc. I’d suggest doing so when you first start, so when you nail a cook, you can repeat it. And when you don’t nail it, you can look back and change it up until you do nail it.

 

Ha, almost a jinx... you owe me a Coke...

 

BTW used the stove last weekend. Carried my 10yrd nephew out for a night. Really truck camping, but we at least walked out of sight and carried everything on our backs. Performed awesome. Many thanks again.

 

You posted like the same thing I did, twice, after I posted!!! I’ll buy the coke, if you get the whiskey to put in it!!

 

Nice. Forgot about that, and that I sent it to you. Glad it works and you are putting it to use.

 

I’ve got out a few times this fall, seems like it’s always something these days. I’ll gladly bring the whiskey, but don’t get that Coke near my bourbon though...

 

If you get bourbon, forget the coke.

 

LOL

 

You might want to consider a thermometer with two probes, if you haven't already purchased. One for the meat, one for the air temp. I'm new to smoking also, and find that I'm watching and moderating the the air temp of my propane smoker more than I'm watching the meat temp (electric may be more consistent, though).

 

And now for those of us that use charcoal a Public Safety message...

I always wait 48 hours after smoking or grilling to dump the ash out. I close up the vents and in the past fire has always gone out no problems but just like the fireplace ash wait just in case. I have 2 metal trash cans one for left over coals after I shake the ash out the other for ashes.

Been 2 days since I did a turkey on the WSM with rotisserie. I left the ring on which has some holes in it but didn't think much about it looked like the fire went out.

Went out this morning to dump the ash and loosened up the barrel latches and thought I felt a little heat. Lifted the lid off the air hit the coals and bam!




How long will a full ring of coals last in a WSM? A damn long time....

Be safe.

 

I burned a hole through a wooden deck at the very first apartment we ever lived in by dumping out a grill into a plastic garbage can. I just "knew" those coals had burnt out. Thank goodness the below us neighbor seen some embers and called the fire dept.

 

And shes off, first time trying this lets hope it comes out good.

 

Smokin’