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The most southern contest we have ever competed in is the New Holland Summerfest in New Holland, PA. We cook alot in New England in NEBS (New England BBQ Society) land. We have done Harpoon (Harpoon Brewery) in Vermont, Rock and Ribfest at Budweiser in Merrimac, New Hampshire, The Hudson Valley Ribfest in New Paltz, New York etc. We were going to compete at Dover Downs this year but it was cancelled. This year is a light year for us only cooking three contests. In previous years we cooked 6 to 8 contests. We are looking forward to Battle of the BBQ Brethren held here in Manorville, NY in August. We won Reserve Grand Champion the first year this contest was held when it was in Sayville, NY. We have always cooked KCBS Sanctioned Contests but next year want to try our hand in an MBN contest with onsite and blind judging. Best of luck when you start competing. We jumped right in when we started and have been hooked ever since. If you ever have questions just shoot me a PM.
 
So why would you buy a sack of wood chunks when you could buy a stack of wood? Do you burn wood chunks in your fireplace?
A $150 smoker is not going to maintain 225 for more than an hour and a half.
 
So why would you buy a sack of wood chunks when you could buy a stack of wood? Do you burn wood chunks in your fireplace?
A $150 smoker is not going to maintain 225 for more than an hour and a half.

Easier to deal with and store and works just as well.
 
So why would you buy a sack of wood chunks when you could buy a stack of wood? Do you burn wood chunks in your fireplace?
A $150 smoker is not going to maintain 225 for more than an hour and a half.

I don't think those $150 smokers are meant for logs. I think it will melt the flimsy metal on those cheap cookers.
 
Put it together today. It definitely is a flimsy thing, and will only sate my appetite for so long. I'll probably upgrade next year once I get the hang of this or move to a bigger house.

Quick question. Tomorrow I am going to season it. Is there any reason why I shouldn't smoke some grains while I do this?
 
Put it together today. It definitely is a flimsy thing, and will only sate my appetite for so long. I'll probably upgrade next year once I get the hang of this or move to a bigger house.

Quick question. Tomorrow I am going to season it. Is there any reason why I shouldn't smoke some grains while I do this?

Yes. When you season it, it's not at a smoking temperature. It should be pretty hot (as long as you can get it that hot and maintain it). I hose mine down in vegtable oil and bring it up to 350 for 4-5 hours. That would give you a nice roast, but not much smoke! Good luck with it! My best piece of advice would be to start with a pork butt. It's pretty forgiving cut of meat, and if you have trouble maintaining temp after a while, you can always foil it and throw it in the oven at a low temp to finish it off. As long as you get some smoke penetration in the beginning of the cook, you'll be good for a backyard bbq! Now, a real compitition, well I would assume most likely not :D But what do I know?
 
I second what Dfess1 says. Pork butts are very forgiving. I would highly recommend you get yourself a good meat thermometer. You want to make sure you get that butt above 160*. I know the new rule is 140* but I think it is better to be safe. Uncooked pork is dangerous. You optimumly want the pork butt to get up to about 195* to 200* internal.
 
nice, sounds like you are on your way to a great weekend! Smoking is alot like brewing. "Relax have a beer", or in your case "Relex, have a homebrew". The main thing you need to do is hit your food temp. That's pretty much it. Unlike beer it isn't totally about sanitation. Yeah, don't roll it around in the ash, or do other unseemly things to your food. But you don't have to be as anal about it like you do in beer. When I first started, i cooked to time. I realize now, that you should cook to temp. However long it took to get there is how long it took to get there. Lastly, if you're doing this for a party this weekend, especially with a butt (sometimes you'll get a "stall"), leave at least 4 more hours than you were planning on in the first place. Again, the cut is forgiving, so if it does stall, you can work with it. If it doesn't stall, just foil it, wrap it in towels (not the fancy ones, just the crappy ones. Don't need to piss off SWMBO) and put in a cooler, and it'll still be just as hot 4 hours later.
 
Thanks for the tips. I can't wait. Monday won't be a big party for me but I might smoke something for my wife and I since we'll be home. I'll update for sure.
 
Didn't get to cook on monday, but I'm all ready to go for saturday. I have my grill wok in place, which will hopefully improve my heat production and I got my meat thermometer and mop. I made a rub today and have my brisket, half-shoulder, and ribs in the fridge waiting to be rubbed and wrapped tomorrow. Gonna get started saturday around 12, can't wait! Thanks for all of the advice.
 
Didn't get to cook on monday, but I'm all ready to go for saturday. I have my grill wok in place, which will hopefully improve my heat production and I got my meat thermometer and mop. I made a rub today and have my brisket, half-shoulder, and ribs in the fridge waiting to be rubbed and wrapped tomorrow. Gonna get started saturday around 12, can't wait! Thanks for all of the advice.

Remember, if you are going to cook real low and slow (225*) that brisket and butt are going to take 12 hours. Are you planning to eat at 2:00 in the morning?
 
I got a small brisket, 1.7lbs. I read about 3-4 hours for that small. What do you think? I'm also skipping the butt. My cousin is bringing more ribs so we're gonna do those instead.
 
I got a small brisket, 1.7lbs. I read about 3-4 hours for that small. What do you think? I'm also skipping the butt. My cousin is bringing more ribs so we're gonna do those instead.

I wish I could give you a better idea but I have never smoked a brisket that small. The smallest I have ever cooked is an 8lb flat.
 
I second what Dfess1 says. Pork butts are very forgiving. I would highly recommend you get yourself a good meat thermometer. You want to make sure you get that butt above 160*. I know the new rule is 140* but I think it is better to be safe. Uncooked pork is dangerous. You optimumly want the pork butt to get up to about 195* to 200* internal.

195-200F is pretty hot in my book. Is that for pulled pork? I prefer sliced and usually stop at 160-165F.

Pork (not BBQ pork) is quite safe with a slightly pink center. Pork tenderloin with a slightly pink center is one of best things on Earth (and at a bargain price).
 
Well I am definitely only going to be using this smoker for a year at most, but all the work paid off. The brisket was slightly too dry, but had a decent ring and tasted great. The ribs came out fantastic though! Everyone was happy. I used two beers in the water pan after the second water addition boiled off. Next time I'm going to only use beer. I'm also going to have apple juice and cider vinegar ready for the next brisket.

Over all, great first smoke and I'm hooked. Can't wait to smoke some grains now!
 
What temp did you maintain? Also, the water pan only does so much - it's more a thermal capacitor than anything else. I replaced my water pan with a large piece of concrete and had much better results. You keep the meat moist with a good mop, not the water pan.

BBQ in Staten Island - I love it. Kinda like a good bagel in Florida - most welcome.
 
We're lacking here in BBQ, but there are some awesome places in the city. Brooklyn has a place called Fette Sau that's supposed to be amazing, but I haven't had a chance to get there.

I know how the water pan works, I was just hoping to get some flavor from the boiled off beer. Do you think it gives any at all?

Do you use the same mop for sauce as you do for basting with apple juice or whatever?
 
I know people who swear by flavoring the water pan but I figure it's better to directly apply it to the meat rather than rely on some arcane system of evaporation and condensation (we'll making Q here not liquor).

Mop is the southern word for baste. Apple juice and vinegar are the base. Use your imagination to add your own twist. I like to switch to balsamic vinegar later to get a little sugar char.
 
I know people who swear by flavoring the water pan but I figure it's better to directly apply it to the meat rather than rely on some arcane system of evaporation and condensation (we'll making Q here not liquor).

I agree. My insulated Spicewine box smoker has a water pan and I never use it. If you use a water pan you are just steaming the meat and adding flavor by adding things to the water in the water pan doesn't really work very well. If you use a water pan you might as well just use a crock pot and add liquid smoke......yuk!!!!!!!
 
195-200F is pretty hot in my book. Is that for pulled pork? I prefer sliced and usually stop at 160-165F.

Pork (not BBQ pork) is quite safe with a slightly pink center. Pork tenderloin with a slightly pink center is one of best things on Earth (and at a bargain price).

Brisket cooked to 160 to 165 is going to be awful tuff. The whole idea behind cooking brisket is to bring it up to about 190 slowly to break down the colegens that make a brisket such a tuff piece of meat. In competition I pull brisket at 200* and rest it. I have competed and done well in brisket for over 7 years now.

If you don't believe me here is an excerpt from the Pickled Pig's forum on How to cook championship brisket. The Pickled Pig does very well on the BBQ circuit. (http://www.bbqbug.com/forums/bbq-contests/703-award-winning-competition-brisket.html)

The primary tool for knowing when it’s done is the temperature probe. A brisket can be “done” anywhere between 190-205F internal temperature (probe the thickest part of the flat). For us, most briskets are between 195-200F when done. Taking the internal temperature of the brisket is only a guide though; you’ll know the brisket is optimally “done” when the probe slides in and out your meat without resistance. It should feel like a knife going through butter. If you’re just getting started and don’t know what that feeling is like, pull it off at 197F internal and it should be fine.
 
I was referring to this post about pork butts:

Quote: Originally Posted by Sawdustguy
I second what Dfess1 says. Pork butts are very forgiving. I would highly recommend you get yourself a good meat thermometer. You want to make sure you get that butt above 160*. I know the new rule is 140* but I think it is better to be safe. Uncooked pork is dangerous. You optimumly want the pork butt to get up to about 195* to 200* internal.


I've only made a couple briskets, but yeah, a brisket at 160F would be an ugly thing. But with pork butts I like to pull them right after that plateau around 160F breaks and temperature starts climbing again (I try to get it around 165F). But in my experience, when you go over 180F, you start to get into pulled pork territory. I much prefer sliced pork that still maintains good juiciness.
 
I've only made a couple briskets, but yeah, a brisket at 160F would be an ugly thing. But with pork butts I like to pull them right after that plateau around 160F breaks and temperature starts climbing again (I try to get it around 165F). But in my experience, when you go over 180F, you start to get into pulled pork territory. I much prefer sliced pork that still maintains good juiciness.

I agree. I have had success slicing the money muscle at 200* but if you want to guarranty slices I totally agree 175* to 180* maximum.

1.jpg
 
I've only made a couple briskets, but yeah, a brisket at 160F would be an ugly thing. But with pork butts I like to pull them right after that plateau around 160F breaks and temperature starts climbing again (I try to get it around 165F). But in my experience, when you go over 180F, you start to get into pulled pork territory. I much prefer sliced pork that still maintains good juiciness.

I agree. I have had success slicing the money muscle at 200* but if you want to guarranty slices I totally agree 185* maximum.

1.jpg
 
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