Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

@bvbull Food probe reads 180* 2 hours in. Should I back down the temp?

 

That sounds like a good time! Our boat is a bit small for smoking meat, but we have been known to enjoy a cigar while fishing and telling lies...

 

More questions lol. I don't have butcher paper, yet. Parchment paper I have, but it doesn't say if it's waxed. How to tell? Or use foil? Sorry for the dumb questions. I am noob! /Groot

 

Foil

 

ok, tightly wrapped? Resting in a cooler or would a warm 200* oven work the same?

 

Backed the temp down to 220*. Internal temp now 198*. I'll take some readings with a thermapen, but how to proceed? Probe tenderness test? Never done that before either. It just seems it's cooking way to fast to get tender.

 

And the GMG has not varied the temp more than 2* plus or minus.

 

I have had luck when mine hit 200 I leave in cooler for a min 4 hours . I wrap in foil when it hits 160. Never had brisket hit 180 in 2 hours though. I use to leave in cooler 1 to 2 hours but notice by accident 4 hours was min for me .
I just pull at 200 don't probe for tenderness and so far all come out good .

 

What dat?

 

So too late to wrap? I'm thinking just let it ride, the smoke is still going from the smoke daddy. Maybe when it hits 200 pull and wrap and rest? I dunno, I'm n00b!

 

I would say wrap now and at 200 leave in cooler for 4 hours . When foiled in cooler lot of juice comes out .Save and pour over brisket . I notice the latter i wrap more dry it gets .But i only have done hot and fast about 275 to 325.
bvbull200 can probably give you better advice .

 

Got her all fired up about two hours ago and have been chasing temps since. I need to seal the fire box better because it's running way too hot and I have everything locked down on the intake side. Had to open the exhaust all the way and crack the first door to keep in the 225-250 range on the far end (away from the fire box) of the grill. This is a bit different than my Weber smokey where you left everything open and was able to control temp easily with the exhaust only.

O well, I expected some growing pains. Any tips? I'll be ordering some stuff to seal it up tonight. Glad I am the only one eating these ribs haha.

 

Where are you taking the temp at? Seems awfully fast. I would step the temp down if that is accurate. Lots of bark?

 

Sorry, I'm out and about, so not able to easily provide input!

180 in two hours is really fast. I'd wrap, periodically check for tenderness, then throw in the cooler when done. If it's done fast, it's done fast.

 

Moved the meat, probe, and smoke daddy. Now the internal temp says 190. Imma let it ride till the smoke daddy is out. Good idea or not? Looks like it stalled at 190? Been that way for a while.

 

No sorry necessary. I'll get it done and good or bad, I will post results.

 

I used black high temp silicon RTV around the gaps in my lid (when closed, around the bottom). I Taped parchment paper to the lid, ran a bead of silicon around the opening on the body then closed the lid and left it to dry. Later I removed the paper and had a gasket that sealed the lid. You can use the same silicon to close other gaps/openings.

I also got fireplace bricks from Lowes and put them in the bottom of my smoker. The theory being once they heat up they stabalize the temp swings by giving off heat.

 

The bricks sound like a smart trick!

 

Got a grip on things now. I put way too much charcoal when I first started. It doesn't take much for this thing to get up and maintain temp. Lesson learned. Still plan to get a good seal on it though.