I have all the parts to do my first butt.
Quick question: after the rub goes on and the butt goes in the fridge for the night, do you cover it with anything, or does the rub keep it from drying out?
Pics and play-by-play coming.
EDIT: nevermind. I found elsewhere a post that said wrap it in the fridge overnight. :)
You got it JD!
Look forward to the pictures and play by play. ;)
Mike
JD...looking forward to see how ya did...
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/Jimmydreams/DSC01034.jpg)
3.6lb butt, ready for rub.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/Jimmydreams/DSC01040.jpg)
Rubbed and ready for overnight in the fridge. Hopefully, i used enough rub. I used some CYM first.
If all goes well, it'll be dinner tomorrow night. :D
JD, if you have a good remote thermometer to get that beauty to the desired IT, you just cant go wrong! All the info you need is here and on the recipe sight. Happy Cook! ;D
looking good JD.
Hope to see the finished product.
Lumpy
Hey JD. Thats looking real good.
Smoking Soon said it right. With a good probe thermometer you can nail that beauty.
When I first got started the guys here told me about the Maverick ET-73
Bought mine from Yard and Pool and never been happier.
http://www.yardandpool.com/Maverick-Remote-ET-73-Smoker-Thermometer-p/et-73.htm
This will allow you to check both the meat internal temp AND the inside temp of your heat chamber as well. Plus has a remote satellite you can take inside that constantly shows you both temperatures in case one might drop or rise to quickly. Also has an alarm for the sat remote so if your heat drops or raises to a level of warning you set it for it can notify you. Very easy to use.
I use this for my butts when making pulled pork all the time now and never fails.
Hope this helps and main thing is have fun with it :D
Thanks everyone.
I have an ET-73 for the meat, and an Auber PID to control the oven temp. The only question I have at this point is the PID....since I'm concerned with IT of the meat, I guess I'll set the PID for WAYYYY longer than I think I'll need and just turn it off when the IT is right. I'm sure there's a way to extend the PID cooktime while mid-smoke, but I hate reading manuals. ::)
I've got apple juice and a cooler ready for the FTC phase as well.
My partner is saw some of the sausage threads here and asking if I can can make some good smoked sausage sticks. This could be fun! ::)
My next addition is going to be a PID.
Right now just using my Maverick and does great, but a PID would really be nice I think especially for zoning in on critical temps for things such as rope sausages. I been smoking homemade ropes for alittle bit now, but I admit I keep a real watchful eye on my temp. A PID sounds like it would help save alot of trouble...
Not to mention kind of neat to "Hot Rod" my OBS-SS just alittle like my old Chevelle I use to have LOL
But theres some major PID experts on here who have taken it to an exact science :)
Don't rely on the PID for a butt cook on your first one. Just keep track of your IT, keeping in mind that it will seem to "stall" at 160 or so take it to 190 or whatever you have decided on. Read other members reports here and on the recipe sight. And don't forget the pics of that great "first butt". ;D
I have noticed that when I smoke a butt, and also sausage too. It's like the meat slowly goes up in temp, then all the sudden just plateau and level off, just sticking at one temp for the longest time.
I read here from many is when it does this, never crank the heat up, just let it sit and take its time and eventually it will go back to rising again. I do this and the guys were correct on this. It also helps ensure the meat doesnt dry out by getting cooked to hot to fast too.
So have a few cold ones on stand by for plateau alert.
I'm just curious as to why the meat does this? It did this even in my old bullet smoker too.
Gazer, from what the guru's here have stated , that's when the connective tissue or whatever is breaking down and creating all of the beautiful wonderfullness that makes it taste so dang good!! That's probably not a real word but who cares!
Really? I thought that was just an excuse mother nature gave us to crack open a few extra cold ones while we wait? :D
Oh weell, still never the less, when it plateau's like that, time for a few good pale ale or cream stout 8) ShaZaM
Ok, where are the pics! And no bull about it being eaten up before you could get the camera out! ;D
Nothing but physics, Watson, nothing but physics! The plateau is a good thing! I've hit it anywhere between 145 to 165. It's your friend and you should hope it stays around as long as it can. While it is with you, great things are happening to your meat. When you first put meat in your smoker, it gradually, but steadily increases in temperature. The rate it increases is driven by the temperature differential between your cabinet temperature (CT) and the internal temperature (IT) of the meat. The greater the differential the faster the energy flows into the piece of meat. The closer the IT gets to the CT the slower the energy (heat) transfer. But something else happens at about 140 deg. At that point the collagen (the tough stuff) starts to break down and the fat starts to melt (render). That is a good thing - a really good thing! But it doesn't magically do that good stuff instantly when the IT reaches 140 - it takes a while and depends on amount of collage, amount of fat, and how much moisture is within the meat. Ideally, for pull apart meat, you want most of the collagen broken down. So the longer the plateau, the more collagen is broken down, the tenderer your meat. But you don't want all of the fat to melt until you reached your planned "done" temperature - keeps the meat moist. Why the plateau? The plateauing is caused by a phase change; the collagen and fat in the meat are changing phase from a solid to a liquid. You must supply heat to accomplish this phase change. While the fat and collagen are absorbing the energy (heat) from the smoker to melt, none is available to raise the temperature of the meat. It is similar to ice melting. When ice and water are in a glass, the water will remain at 32F (0C) until all the ice is melted, then the temperature will increase. The heat goes into melting the ice, not raising the temperature of the water. You can decrease the amount of time of the plateau by increasing the CT, but you run the risk of adding enough heat that the fat and collagen cannot use any more and it throws off the extra to the meat. The meat then gets done (gets to your target temperature) before all the collagen is changed and you have tough meat.
Because of conversations with people who learned their skills in the pits of Central Texas, I've been a thinkin'. I couldn't get any secrets out of them, just hints. So this summer, I'm gonna do some experimenting with temps and times, ramping up and ramping down! etc... playing with how long the meat stays at certain temps all in an effort to lessen the time of some of those real long smokes, but still get the same or better results.
With regard to the breakdown of collagan and the rendering of fat, I have found that (at least for butts) a cabinet temp averaging 205 F until the meat reaches 175 to 195 is perfect for me. Generally I stop cooking between 180 and 185 meat temp. (I have cooked at higher temps with good results, but the lower temps have always been absolutely perfect.) I then simply let it rest for an hour or two. I only FTC if it will be several hours to dinner time. Cooking time will vary, depending on the size load in the smoker, fat content, moisture content, etc., etc. Generally for me it takes 18 to 24 hours to do a single average sized bone in butt. ;)
Ditto here, 18-24 hours.
What does everyone put under their butts when smoking? The Bradley manual says not to put foil or anything. I don't have a pan that would fit the shelf, so my butt is just sitting on the wire racks. I would think that the drippings sizzling on the drip-pan would add to the flavor, but then again, maybe letting the meat cook sitting in it's own juices is better.
Suggestions?
Wire racks with high temp screens make clean up easier.
The Bradley suggestion is so that you don't completely cover the rack with foil which would prevent the smoke from rising out of the smoker thus doing bad things to your Smoke Generator. I use the Texas crutch with my butts. I leave the butts on the rack and let the smoke roll until I get an IT of 145* then I wrap the butt in foil with a splash of Apple/Raspberry juice. Put the wrapped butt back in the smoker until I get an IT of 208* I run my IT higher than most, just the way I do it. Then you can FTC or I towel on the counter for an hour then break the seal on the foil and let set for another 20-30 mins. Then pull with the bear claws. Or you can use some thin cotton gloves under some rubber gloves.
Hey JD, listen to these guys on here.
I haven't wrapped my butts yet, I love that idea and going to do this. I like the idea of splashing with apple juice after the wrap. I'll probably experiment with this next pulled pork I do.
But what I been doing for now to avoid the mess was spray my wire racks and drip tray down real good with Pam or some kind of food spray. Makes clean up a whole lot easier for me.
18 to 24 hours is about what I do now to. When I first got to this forum and using my old bullet smoker I would do butts in about 8 hours. Never could understand why they were still so tough had to slice the pork with a knife.
This forum is like a BBQ Meat university. I still didn't understand why the plateau but was recommended the method of keeping the meat in and let it rest and not touch the heat while letting it do its work. Worked like magic and my butts may of take longer then before, but my goodness, as tender and moist as could be. Same with my rope sausage too because they also hit a plateau. :)
Thanks for the break down on the explanation guys, this helps to understand why now.
Although I'm still gonna use it for a dual purpose with my Sam Adams 8)
I use a high temp screen and a rack.
Then a foil wrap and into the oven.
I used to finish in the Bradley without foil, but there is less mess on the V tray, AND --- it frees up the smoker for the next load.
Thanks for all the suggestions. I think I'll get a couple of the screen for next time, but for now, I'll morph all the suggestions into a game plan and see how she comes out. I think for this one, once the smoke stops, then I'l wrap it in foil with some apple juice, then finish in the Bradley before FTCing.
I'm a very technical guy, and while that doesn't lend itself to smoking much, the little things that get dropped over time are where most of my questions come from. This is indeed BBQ University, and a lot of you are Professors. Just remember that some of us freshman need to be told the absolute basics from time to time. I don't like to 'wing it' until I have some experience. :P
So its OK to wrap the butt in foil and put foil in the bradley? I thought I read somewhere where you are not supposed to put foil in the bradley?
Chris
If your going to foil it, may as well throw it in the oven.
Lumpy
Quote from: lumpy on June 02, 2009, 09:44:14 AM
If your going to foil it, may as well throw it in the oven.
Lumpy
Well, after you're done smoking, the BS basically IS just an oven.
I foiled mine after about 5 hours, and it came out wonderful (pics to follow, I'm at work right now). If you foil, though, you reduce the bark (I'm guessing).
Ok, here are the results of my first smoke.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/Jimmydreams/DSC01042.jpg)
This is a Cornish Game hen that I stuck in the smoker at the last second. Smoked it for about 3 hours ( a little too long, I think), then roasted for 1.5 hours more. No thermometer, so just guessed at when it was done. Added a side of NePaSmoker's Grapette Soda BBQ Sauce.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/Jimmydreams/DSC01045.jpg)
The same Cornish Game Hen 5 minutes later! :o The skin was too tough to eat, but I didn't use ANY seasoning or anything....right from the fridge (still half frozen) and into the BS.
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/Jimmydreams/DSC01047.jpg)
The pork butt after 4 hours of smoke and total of 8.5 hours cooking at 210*. After about 5 hours, I wrapped in foil and applied some apple juice. After the IT got to 182* I towel wrapped it and put in in a cooler for 2 hours. (Why 182*? I was setting the timer at 180 and overshot it. :P)
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b233/Jimmydreams/DSC01050.jpg)
Shredded and ready for eats. (MAN, my fingers were tired after shredding it, and it was a LITTLE butt!) ;D Taste rating, with BBQ sauce: 7.5. But it's a GREAT place to start from!
What worked and what didn't:
I didn't let the butt warm up enough to room temp before smoking. IT was 46 when I started the smoke.
Next one will be larger, and I won't use foil until ready to FTC.
I'll use more rub next time. The flavor was there, but I was a LITTLE stingy putting it on. I think maybe a nice, thick wet layer will do nicely.
Can't wait for this weekend so I can try some ribs. Or some sausages. Or maybe some peppers. Or fish. Or..... ;D
I believe we have another convert to the fourm! Looking good there JD! Just make sure and use mesquite! ;D
C
Even though beef rules at my house - I could eat that. Looking good there JimmyD! Great job on both. And take WTS's advice - use more mesquites - It's the Other Wood!
Oh, and I don't know about the square plate and square bowl - they are......umm.....errr....too.....too.....pretty! You must ask yourself - does pretty go with barbecue?? :D ;D
Quote from: Caneyscud on June 03, 2009, 06:22:16 AM
Even though beef rules at my house - I could eat that. Looking good there JimmyD! Great job on both. And take WTS's advice - use more mesquites - It's the Other Wood!
Oh, and I don't know about the square plate and square bowl - they are......umm.....errr....too.....too.....pretty! You must ask yourself - does pretty go with barbecue?? :D ;D
Mesquite is coming. Wasn't in my sampler box. ??? Got some tips from Chez Bubba this morning for my next butt. Then on to ribs and whatever else I can fit in my BS. Does anyone know the proper length of time to smoke a toy poodle? I'm just askin'......
As for the plate and bowl.....not my idea. I am a victim!! ;D
Chez? Have not heard from him in a long time!