Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Texas boys checking the pit at 2 AM March through October

 

Nah don't need it this weekend. Going to a birthday party my cousin is throwing for my wife one day and then taking her to Melting Pot the other day. I may pick up some pork butt to do next weekend though.

 

Could not deal with that kind of heat.
We're back into the 80's through the weekend here in VA, then chance of 20's for overnight lows next week.

 

Those are nice offsets!

 

Preheating

 

Explain this please

 

Scrap 2x4's don't throw themselves away!

 

Well, pork with a temp probe, and grill temp probe in the back. Hickory splits on the rack preheating so they take right away when I toss them on the firebox.

 

New to me.. but whatever works

 

Ill be honest, I dont know what I am doing, its my first rodeo with this smoker. I am used to the simple electric ones.

I learned that from these videos while researching offsets, and Pitts and Spitts offsets.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OuCP1yDZNrQ

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0Wo9gK1MP9c

 

Pretty successful first smoke on the new to me offset. Meat fell apart taking it out.



One of the pins that are used as a hinge for the firebox door broke. I was speaking to my wife's grandpa who was the original owner of this, before he gave it to my wife's uncle. He said its at least 25 years old. Reached out to Pitts and Pitts via email to see if theres any way for me to order a replacement pin.



Had a blast getting used to this smoker. Found it wasn't too hard maintaining temperature, but definitely learned a bunch on that topic.

 

Looks good!

 

I’ve had some split like that from heat and drying out. I use bullet hinges with greasable zerks, makes maintenance much easier. You might consider them moving forward

 

I thought that was either some really weird looking cheese (that would soon melt) or you were trying to smoke your wood also lol.

 

This. Or you can get a pin from your local hardware store.

 

Thanks guys. I’m going to have my brother weld on a new bullet hinge.

Timing is perfect since the RTT will be coming off the truck soon. With that off, I can actually do truck things, like hauling a bbq.

 

17 hr no wrap butt for a work party… Guess it was good! Glad I sampled a few bites while I was pulling it!

 

Y’all ever “clean” your smokers?

I did some burgers/dogs on my 26” Weber kettle a couple weeks ago and noticed that black shit was flaking off the lid down onto grates. I use the kettle for smoking pretty regularly.

 

A drywall bucket scoop works well for kettle scraping.