I'm planning on smoking an 8 lb butt and 8 lb brisket for Saturday. My plan is to start friday night at 8 and smoke for 4 hours at 220 - 230 - then open the cabinet to change out the water at midnight and then just cook with no smoke at 220 - 230. I'll change the water out from there every 4 - 6 hours (i've got a bigger bowl than the standard one that comes with the smoker). I've got a couple of questions:
1) how long do you think this is going to take? 16 - 18 hours? Longer?
2) Would you add smoke at any point after the 4 hour mark?
3) If I have a long FTC period (4-5 hours), what temp would you pull each piece knowing that it will keep cooking in the cooler?
Many thanks,
Zach
16-18 hours is not out of the question but you can't rely on time. You have to go by the internal temp of the meat. For the butt, I would go until the IT is around 195. If you want to sliice the brisket I would probably stop at 180. If you want to pull it, go to 195-200. A good way to check the doneness of the brisket is to stick a fork in it and see if it twists easily. If it does it's probably done.
I would not add smoke beyond the 4 hour mark. Others do. I don't find it necessary.
If you take each meat to the IT described above and you wrap the meat tightly in foil and then a towel and place in a dry cooler or microwave(don't turn it on) you can easily hold them for 4-5 hours and you will still burn your fingers when you go to pull the meat.
Hope this helps. Others will be along shortly to assist as well.
Nothing to add to KyNola's advice other than to say you might want to add a spritz of liquid when you wrap for FTC - or not. Lot's of folks use apple juice for pork and beef broth for brisket but it's all a matter of your tastes.
Yep !!! what the other 2 fellers said..to a T... :D
Just one more thing....Enjoy and post the money shot!
(http://tapatalk.com/mu/a6890b23-a627-15a8.jpg)
SamuelG
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
many thanks guys. will repost. was going for about those IT's but was just trying to get a handle of how many hours in advance i needed to get rolling. Really appreciate it.