BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Recipe Discussions => Meat => Topic started by: ghost9mm on October 10, 2011, 10:14:39 AM

Title: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ghost9mm on October 10, 2011, 10:14:39 AM
they ate the whole thing on Sunday...lol nothing fancy but it was good...

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/ghost9mm/Jerky333002-1.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/ghost9mm/Jerky333003.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/ghost9mm/Jerky333005.jpg)

The bone just lifted out, and some real good bark...

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/ghost9mm/GoodBark002.jpg)

(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y235/ghost9mm/GoodBark004.jpg)
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: FLBentRider on October 10, 2011, 10:32:40 AM
Quote from: ghost9mm on October 10, 2011, 10:14:39 AMthey ate the whole thing on Sunday...

That's why I always do more than one!

Looks good!
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Quarlow on October 10, 2011, 10:52:28 AM
I really hate when you guys show your butts. I get such a craving for butt that I have to find one I can afford. Pretty pricey here and we don't get bone-in.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ghost9mm on October 10, 2011, 11:54:03 AM
Q...we just bought three butts at 1.29 and have seen them as low as 1.19  a pound...why you folks up north have to pay such a high price for butts is beyond me...
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: cajunboudreaux on October 10, 2011, 12:15:51 PM
o' Damn Tasty
Title: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: mikecorn.1 on October 10, 2011, 12:44:07 PM
Nice looking butt. Nice bark on that thing. :)


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Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ArnieM on October 10, 2011, 01:01:31 PM
Good lookin' butt.  How many pounds and how long?
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ghost9mm on October 10, 2011, 01:28:26 PM
Arnie...that butt weight 9.30 lbs and about 12 hours...the smoker was only opened once to check the grease pan...
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: SouthernSmoked on October 10, 2011, 03:22:00 PM
WOWSER!!!  That really looks awesome!

The bone came out clean...Very good job!!
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: SiFumar on October 10, 2011, 04:17:54 PM
Great looking butt you had there!
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Tenpoint5 on October 10, 2011, 07:02:14 PM
Looks Good!!
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: muebe on October 10, 2011, 07:10:49 PM
Real nice looking butt you got there Gary ;D
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: OU812 on October 11, 2011, 09:16:58 AM
Good lookin pile of pork ya got there Gary and it took less than 1 1/2 hr/lb to cook, you got a good one.  ;D
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: OldHickory on October 11, 2011, 04:17:29 PM
Nice job,  I usually do three at once.  One doesn't last long enough to have left over sammies.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: SoCalBill on October 20, 2011, 02:37:36 PM
Just curious how many people a butt like that could serve and once its done and pulled what are some good re-heating instructions?

I ask because we are planning a party with 35 people (22 adults and the rest kids/children) I want to make a large butt like this and also do a brisket.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: beefmann on October 20, 2011, 02:54:16 PM
great  looking butt.... none was letf
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: FLBentRider on October 20, 2011, 03:28:36 PM
Quote from: SoCalBill on October 20, 2011, 02:37:36 PM
Just curious how many people a butt like that could serve and once its done and pulled what are some good re-heating instructions?

I ask because we are planning a party with 35 people (22 adults and the rest kids/children) I want to make a large butt like this and also do a brisket.

The answer is... it depends

on appetites and serving sizes.

Here's my math: I'm doing it for 8lbs since it comes out nice and even, adjust accordingly

8lbs of raw pork butt = ~4lbs of pulled pork. The actual loss is about 40-45%, but I like to err on the side of caution.
4lbs(64oz) of pulled pork / 4oz serving size = 16 servings. so 1lb raw=2 servings

Now come the variables:

Is this the only main course (you stated there would also be brisket) ?

The 22 adults - how are the appetites ? should you account for "seconds"

FWIW - the formula pretty much works for brisket too.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Caneyscud on October 20, 2011, 04:14:55 PM
What FLBR said, but maybe 1/3 # for a serving if bunch of guys and teens.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ghost9mm on October 20, 2011, 06:11:04 PM
What... FLBentRider and Caneyscud said...they pretty much nailed it...sure hope this helps you...
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: TonyL222 on October 21, 2011, 05:29:06 AM
Quote from: ghost9mm on October 10, 2011, 01:28:26 PM
Arnie...that butt weight 9.30 lbs and about 12 hours...the smoker was only opened once to check the grease pan...

12 hrs for a 9lb butt??!!!!!

What am I doing wrong?  I've never been able to smoke a butt that big for less than 19-20 hours.  This was in the middle of summer with the door closed majority of the time (no basting).  I cook at about 220 degrees to an IT of 195.  Should I raise the cook temp?
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Caneyscud on October 21, 2011, 09:03:06 AM
I would.  IMHO there is not any particular need to string it out any longer than needed.  I usually set mine at 230. 
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ArnieM on October 21, 2011, 09:43:53 AM
Quote from: TonyL222 on October 21, 2011, 05:29:06 AM

12 hrs for a 9lb butt??!!!!!

...  I've never been able to smoke a butt that big for less than 19-20 hours.  This was in the middle of summer with the door closed majority of the time (no basting).  I cook at about 220 degrees to an IT of 195.  Should I raise the cook temp?

How many butts have you done?  I only ask this because I've had butts of similar weights require considerably different cooking times.  Bone-in or boneless is also a factor. 

I agree with Caney that you could up the temp, if possible.  Putting a cold butt in a 'stock' Bradley will drop the temp like a rock and it will only begin to recover as the meat temp increases.  So, starting out at 220 means you won't be cooking at 220 for some time.

I actually like the 18 hour or so cooking time.  I can put the butt in at 8 PM, usually take it out around 2 or 3 PM the next day, FTC it for a few hours and then pull it.  I shoot for 200-205 IT and/or give it a fork twist to check for doneness.

I do agree though, 12 hours is pretty quick for 9+ pounds in a Bradley.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: ghost9mm on October 21, 2011, 12:40:32 PM
If you are cooking at 220 with a pid then you are pretty much holding that temp within a few degrees, but if you are cooking with just the bradley, the temperature drop offs sometimes on mine before the pid was as high as 30 to 50 degrees, and this added lots of time to the cook...
now I have the pid and I like to set my at 250 amd that works well for me...
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: TonyL222 on October 23, 2011, 03:45:56 PM
Been smokin with a PID since day one.  Done probably 4 butts.  Now have dual elements.  I may try 230-235 next time just to see how it comes out.

PS - just read the "Turbo Butt" thread where classicrockgriller used a cook temp of 260 for 10 hrs.  I note he also injected a marainade into the meat.  Not sure if I want to go as high as 260, but maybe 245 or so on my next try.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: SoCalBill on November 07, 2011, 12:53:55 PM
Quote from: FLBentRider on October 20, 2011, 03:28:36 PM
Quote from: SoCalBill on October 20, 2011, 02:37:36 PM
Just curious how many people a butt like that could serve and once its done and pulled what are some good re-heating instructions?

I ask because we are planning a party with 35 people (22 adults and the rest kids/children) I want to make a large butt like this and also do a brisket.

The answer is... it depends

on appetites and serving sizes.

Here's my math: I'm doing it for 8lbs since it comes out nice and even, adjust accordingly

8lbs of raw pork butt = ~4lbs of pulled pork. The actual loss is about 40-45%, but I like to err on the side of caution.
4lbs(64oz) of pulled pork / 4oz serving size = 16 servings. so 1lb raw=2 servings

Now come the variables:

Is this the only main course (you stated there would also be brisket) ?

The 22 adults - how are the appetites ? should you account for "seconds"

FWIW - the formula pretty much works for brisket too.

Thanks for the info. There will be a ton of sides as well.

Appetizer:
Smoked Cheeses and a mix of Blazing and Citrus Pistachios

Sides:
Greens
baked beans
mashed potatoes
Cornbread
Mac & Cheese

Desserts:
bread pudding
some kind of cobbler


I haven't gotten the final head count, but looks like I will be doing 8+lb pulled pork Friday night, 8lb brisket and transfer to the oven and a couple chickens in the smoker and finish off in TBE. Hopefully this will be enough

Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: mlp311 on November 07, 2011, 01:09:03 PM
When you guys say cook temp of 260, is that what you bring bradley up to before inserting meat? Ive used my bradley twice now and haven't been able to reach temps anywhere near that. I did three butts this weekend and temp only got up to 210 right before I pulled the first one out at IT of 180. I read all of these posts with the high cooking temps and don't understand how to get the temp that high. Am I missing something?

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Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: FLBentRider on November 07, 2011, 02:38:46 PM
Quote from: mlp311 on November 07, 2011, 01:09:03 PM
When you guys say cook temp of 260, is that what you bring bradley up to before inserting meat? Ive used my bradley twice now and haven't been able to reach temps anywhere near that. I did three butts this weekend and temp only got up to 210 right before I pulled the first one out at IT of 180. I read all of these posts with the high cooking temps and don't understand how to get the temp that high. Am I missing something?

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Where are you measuring the temperature?

If it is the door thermometer, and you have food in the smoker below the level of the probe, you will get a false reading.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Habanero Smoker on November 08, 2011, 01:32:14 AM
With three butts, reaching a cabinet temperature of 210°F is not bad. You should have seen some improvement in the cabinet temperature when you removed one of the butts. If there was no improvement in temperature, then your vent setting may have been either too small, or too opened. If it is the vent setting try using a 3/4 opening and adjust from there.
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: mlp311 on November 08, 2011, 04:15:41 PM
I really don't pay attention to door thermometer. I have a few digital thermometers I have picked up here and there that I use for all my temps. I usually put one in whatever is on bottom rack, one in whatever is on top, and use a third inside the cabinet usually around the top of whatever is on bottom rack. I've compared all the digitals to a regular meat thermometer and all have checked out plus or minus a few degrees in accuracy. I've just seen all these cook at temps and I guess im just a little confused. The butts I did this past weekend I got bradley up to 220 opened door and let it regain again before I put butts in and like I said when I took first butt out it just had gotten up to 210 after 16 hours and only opening door twice. I am running vent wide open to 3/4 open. I just want to clear up my confusion about the cooking temp. I've done two smokes thus far and have yet to touch the cabinet temp adjustment. Am I doing right by bringing the bradley up to suggest cooking temp and then just letting the temp do what it will and recover when it will? I am using a larger aluminum pan instead of the bowl that comes with. I read on the brisket recipe / method I used that it will not dry out as quick which results in having to open door less often. Is this a bad idea? Am I putting to much moisture in the cabinet by using the aluminum pan? Should i even be worried about the bowl or pan going dry after I quit smoking and don't need the water to extinguish the used pucks? Im asking a lot of questions, but I want to perfect the process, which by the way I've never been able to do with a conventional smoker. I robbed the Bradley from my Dad's storage unit and think its the most awesome thing ever. Everyone here has been very helpful in my learning process. When I had a question during my smoke this past weekend, I got answers from several folks on this forum almost immediately. Maybe one day ill be able to return the favor by helping some newbie with a bunch of question.

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Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: mlp311 on November 08, 2011, 04:21:52 PM
I was running out of time when I pulled the first and had two chickens to do as well. I turned to the forum for suggestions and they suggested finishing them in the oven, which I did. So, im not sure what temp did after taking first out. Everything turned out great though, especially the chickens. The butts were good, but IMO, they didn't have the wow that's good taste that the chickens did. I only allowed the butts to sit for 12 hours after applying the Byrun's butt rub, so I plan on planning better next time and letting them sit after applying rub for longer next time.

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Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Habanero Smoker on November 09, 2011, 02:20:11 AM
The larger pan will increase the amount of moisture in your cabinet. The pan provides a large surface area for moisture to evaporate. With the larger pan, I would leave the vent wide open, but it never hurts to experiment and try adjusting the vent positions.

While you are still cooking you don't want to pan or bowl to go dry. The pan also is there to catch grease and other drippings. If the pan is dry that can create a condition to start a grease fire. Also with the load of butts you are cooking, keep a 2 inch putty knife nearby to scrap off the "V" pan (drip pan). If the vents get clogged that can also create a fire hazard.

Should you keep the pan of go back to the bowl? I don't use a pan, but in your case I look at it as a trade off. With the bowl you will need to empty and replenish about every 4 hours, so you will be loosing heat each time you open the door. With the pan you may not have to change the water during the whole smoke/cook. If you are rotating the racks, and opening the door anyway then you can change the bowl.

A lot of us have added a second heating element so we get those higher temperatures. Your cabinet temperatures seem average for what your load is. I'm guessing you have the OBS. With the OBS I generally move the slider all the way to the right. If I plan to smoke at around 200°F, I bring the smoker up to around 240°F or higher, while it is empty. Yours should be able to reach that temperature, while it is empty. The extra heat helps with recovery times, due to the heat loss you will have during loading. The other steps you are using are the same as what I would do. Leave the temperature controller all the way to the right and only adjust if the cabinet temperature gets too high. Also placing a brick in the smoker will help with the heat recovery.

Here are some useful tips:
Bradley FAQ's (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?481-Bradley-Smoker-FAQ-s&p=748#post748)

Did you see any improvement in cabinet temperatures when you removed some of the meat and continued cooking the rest?
Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: Caneyscud on November 09, 2011, 07:25:02 AM
I'm not privy to the original design parameters of the Bradley, but I bet it went something like this - "a smoking device that will produce excellent low and slow barbecue and other smoked goods that is dependable, safe, and is simple enough to be operated by anyone. "  I'm sure there was other things about cost and guvment regs in there also,   The Bradley does just that.  You feed it some pucks, turn it on, put water in the bowl, put your meat in, set it and then set back and monitor it.  Then that little sheet metal box chugs away until some hours later, you pull out great smoked goodies.  Other than the obvious differences in size, type of fuel, electronics, etc... there is one other big difference between a Bradley and a big stickburner.  That is heat storage mass.  A thousand pounds of 1/4" steel holds a lot more heat that a couple of pounds of thin sheet metal.  Both smokers work more or less as a convection oven - cooking with hot air.  Not by the the radiant heat of a heat source or by conduction like your stovetop.  When you open either, they will dump their hot air out into the atmosphere - with or without a PID.    When the stickburner dumps its hot air, it has not only the heat source but the stored heat in the steel to quickly heat up the air again.  The Bradley only has the element to heat the air back up.   Plus the 500W element will not produce as much heat as the typical fire in a stickburner.  The Bradley is slower to recover - but it will - with or without a PID.  Same thing happens in your kitchen oven, but it recovers much faster because of the typical 3000w+ element in it.  The Bradley, doesn't get much over 260 to 275.  It is not designed to.  It is not needed.  First might be cost, but more likely because any higher is not needed.  Remember this is low and slow cooking for a reason - low and slow is what makes barbecue flavorful AND tender.   But also remember one of the other design parameters is for it to be safe and another is that it be easy enough to be used by anybody.  They could have put in a 3000w element, but I'm sure that brings in a lot of other changes to the design that I'm sure brings in much more cost.  PLUS, the ease of correct use.  My wife is not the most observant cook.  She has one setting - HIGH.  And she overcooks and burns lots of food.  If they didn't make a high, she would probably be much more successful at cooking.   I've never burned anything in the Bradley.  Why not - the 500w element moderates that.  If they had put in a much bigger element, then burning would be a much bigger problem as many would probably try to always cook on high and might produce sub-par barbecue.  They could also have put in a wingding, high falutten temp controller to control the temps to +/- 1/2 a degree.  But again, that would likely to raise the cost considerably.  And for what reason?  That butt/brisket/ribs/etc... doesn't care much if there is a temperature range.  Read this forum, no read any forum and/or study how some of the pros do a butt.  Some cook at 180, some cook at 200, some cook at 225, some cook at 250, some cook at 350, even some may start out a brisket at 450 or higher.  They all produce passable, if not very good barbecue.  So what did I just describe?  I just described a temperature range.  If a butt can be cooked at any of those temps successfully, do you think it matters if during a cook the cabinet temperature ranges between 180 and 230?  Where it does make a difference is with some more tempermental and/or sensitive goodies like, sausage, fish, cheese, lox, etc....  Temperature control also makes a difference with time of cook.  If the temp ranges from 180 to 230 constantly rather than being on 230 constantly the cook time could be longer.  However, there are many more things that affect the length of cook time other than temps. 

I preheat my Bradley before a smoke to 260 or above.  Not too sure what all that does with a stock DBS like mine, but it makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something.  Remember when you open that door all that 260 deg air will dump out.  Now if you had some more heat mass in the cabinet, then the 260 preheat is worthwhile - then you have several pounds of 260 deg bricks to help recover faster.  The larger water bowl will also do the same.  But remember you will also be heating the water up also - so put in as hot of water as you can.   I've been lazy and never put in the bricks, I just wait a little longer for my barbecue - and that's ok with me - I've rushed around and stressed out over lots of things in my life - barbecue is not going to be one of those things.

Try for yourself putting the rub on the butt for a longer period of time to make your own decision.  But as far as me, I have, and found that it really didn't make much difference.  A butt is a thick piece of meat, and dry rubs don't seem to penetrate very far if any.  Brining, if you add some flavoring to it might bring flavor to the interior as the salt gets distributed thru the meat.  And of course injecting will definitely take flavor to the interior of a butt. 

As with Habs, I am also assuming you have an OBS.  And you mentioned having something on the bottom rack.  Nothing particularly wrong with having something on the bottom rack, but doing so can affect the temp for the rest of the racks.  A good visual of what happens is the 'Mother lode of Butt" recently posted by I think STC or maybe it was CRG - my skull covering is white so I have an excuse!  But in his photos you can see that the bottom racks cook faster and he had to rotate the location of the racks.  When you have something on the bottom rack two things can happen especially if there is a big chunk of meat on the bottom rack.  One is that it can literally physically block the heated air from rising up in the cabinet.  But perhaps even more important will be that that big butt is hogging (no pun intended) all or rather much of the heat from the element.  Heat travels to the place with less resistance.  And that cold hunk of meat is acting like a scantily clad street-walking hussy - it will attract that heat much better than the air.  That is the radiant heat produced by the element (which is considerable - just hold your hand close to it) is being absorbed by the butt - and will continue until the heat of the meat approaches the temperature of the air - then more will go into heating something else.  Its physics!

Now that is my 2 cents worth.  You can collect 25 of those and go buy yourself a half cup of coffee! 





Title: Re: DId a butt on Saturday and...
Post by: mlp311 on November 09, 2011, 08:44:37 AM
Thanks guys. Awesome reading and best of, all great advice. Many good ideas that I will definitely experiment with on my own.

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