Hey all. My name is Bill and I'm from Des Moines, Iowa.
I ordered my OBS last Saturday and it came this morning. I seasoned it this afternoon and got some Brisket and Ribs rubbed (following your tutorials) and in the fridge this evening. I've been reading your forum non-stop since I place my order. You guys have put out a ton of information and I appreciate it.
Welcome, Bill. Good bunch of guys and gals here - don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have. Sounds like you're off to a great start!
Hi Bekhardt and welcome to the forum.
Wow! That was fast shipping! :o
Sounds like your hittin' the ground running! ;)
Keep us posted on how you make out.
Mike
One of the best tips I have gotten from here is to use Mustard as a coating after the rub. It makes an incredible bark and tastes groovy after smoking.
Welcome to the forum Bill!
Carolyn
Welcome Bill
Cheers
Mike
W E L C O M E to the Forum bekhardt!
You can get to our recipe site by clicking on the ribs at the bottom of this post.
Lots of good info there. Good people here.
Welcome to the forum Bill. Remember to post pics. ;D
Check out the links at the bottom of my post. They really helped me out.
Welcome Aboard Bill. Not to far away, I'm over by Dubuque about a half hour south on 151. As it's been said lots of great info and people here just ask if you get stuck somebody will be along to help out.
Welcome to the fun Bill. Ditto to all the great info and people on this site. Get smoking, get excited, post pictures.
Welcome to the fun
Brisket for your first smoke will have the whole family raving about what this baby can do.
When you boat the brisket save the juice it makes GREAT gravy or stock
If you have any questions ask away, someone will be along to help
Watch out this smoking thing is addictive
The meat is in the smoker and I'm having fun. So far I'm trying to learn temperature control. I know some of you have PID's, but for the standard OBS do you expect to keep the burner on high all the time and make adjustments with the vent? I have four racks of meat, so I have a lot of mass cooling it off. Still, I have it running as hot as it will go and I haven't broken 205. I left the meat out for an hour this morning before I put it in, but I still think I would have liked it to be warmer before I put it in.
What effects beyond temperature does the vent do? If you keep it closed more does it make it more humid?
You do NOT want to close the vent.
It will cause smoke to back up into your smoker generator, and eventually ruin it.
It can also cause smoke to condense in your smoker and cause black stuff to drip on your food. not a good thing.
With that much meat, you will run in high for quite a while.
Closing the vent does make it more humid, which will also keep the temp down. You want that moisture to escape.
Man FLB you beat me to it again ;D
NEVER CLOSE YOUR VENT ALL THE WAY
The most i close the vent no matter what time of the year it is or the outside temp is half way and yes you can smoke in the winter just keep it out of the wind. There seems to be more moisture build up in the winter so i open the vent even more in the colder weather
You'll get the hang of it.
Thanks much, guys. Here are the pics of the first attempt:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/3838201758_165e742068_b.jpg)
The Brisket, out of the smoker and about to get some AJ and hit the oven:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2350/3838202942_267c307838_b.jpg)
And one of the racks of ribs:
(http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2554/3838202396_77ce077e97_b.jpg)
Family is getting ready to eat dinner. I tried an end of the ribs. I am in awe.
Now thats what I'm talking about, Ribs for dinner and brisket for lunch tomarrow
That looke great
Ok I'm hungry now
Awesome! Well played, sir........
welcome Bill im from Cedar Rapids Ia
I am liking the way those ribs look! Meat slipped up the bone......perfection.
Really nice job, Congratulations.
What's next?
KyNola
Thanks for the welcome guys. Good to see a couple Iowans here. This is fun! ;D
I love to cook as a rule. This smoking, though, is a whole new adventure. Long and slow with a big pay off. My father-in-law came over to babysit tonight after dinner and I kept a plate of ribs ready for him. He was blown away and asking what I'm going to make next.
I've got a loin in the refrigerator. I'm waiting for some supplies to come in the mail to start curing it for Canadian Bacon. In the mean time, I'm interested in learning how to make pulled pork. My wife wants some chicken, so I'll start looking into brining a chicken and smoking that, too.
I called and told my sister about it and she was asking what I'll smoke for her when her family comes out at Christmas.
Thanks again for all the information. I'll be reading more about what to make next. ;)
welcome bekhardt. been camping from bettendorf IA your food looks great..........
seemore
Hi bekhardt;
Welcome to the forum.
If the probe that is laying on top of the ribs is being used to monitor the cabinet temperature, then I can see why you are getting such low readings. As the meat cooks water evaporates, and this evaporation will cool the area around the meat, and lower the temperature. At the beginning of the cook, it can be as much as 40°F lower then the actual cabinet temperature. As the meat come close to the desired internal temperature, the differences in temperature will be smaller.
I usually place my probe under the last rack closer to the heat source.
Now them is some Gooooood Looking Ribs there!
Habanero, Thanks for the placement tips. I will try that. My low readings, though, were coming up on the door thermometer, too. To compensate I let it smoke longer and it all came out well. I had the probe lower for most of the cooking. I left it up higher after the last time moving shelves around.
How did your brisket turn out?
Nicely moist and tender im sure
Brisket was wonderful. Very moist and tender. I'm very impressed by the combined knowledge of this group.
Welcome aboard Bill. Very nice looking ribs and brisket.
I was at Cabelas today and there was a guy there that lives here in the summer and Texas in the winter buying a smoker just for makeing brisket. He was looking at the one for sale this weekend (non bradley - 4 hour sale, for $169, looks like junk to me). I told him about the Bradley, he sounded pretty impressed on what it could do, who knows we may have another sale due to a forum member ;D
SIA
Welcome bekhardt,
Wow those are some awsome looking ribs!!! I'm working out of town this week in SAC and I gave up looking for a good BBQ joint..
Can't wait to get back to my own back porch and smoke up some ribs!!!
Jimmy
Quote from: bekhardt on August 20, 2009, 06:12:38 AM
Habanero, Thanks for the placement tips. I will try that. My low readings, though, were coming up on the door thermometer, too. To compensate I let it smoke longer and it all came out well. I had the probe lower for most of the cooking. I left it up higher after the last time moving shelves around.
Generally you will get lower readings from the door thermometer; not because it is inaccurate but because of it's location. By the looks of your photo, when the door is closed both probes are in very close proximity.
Welcome bekhardt!
Looks like you are off & running. The brisket & ribs look great.
Deb
QuoteGenerally you will get lower readings from the door thermometer; not because it is inaccurate but because of it's location. By the looks of your photo, when the door is closed both probes are in very close proximity.
Habanero, I understand the back is hotter because it is right above the element. I've wanted to stay away from that to get a more accurate read of what the ambient temperature is. Where do folks here put the probe? Do you try to keep it more in the middle? I think you said you put it under your bottom shelf. Do you do it in the middle of the rack?
Quote from: bekhardt on August 25, 2009, 07:43:06 AM
QuoteGenerally you will get lower readings from the door thermometer; not because it is inaccurate but because of it's location. By the looks of your photo, when the door is closed both probes are in very close proximity.
Habanero, I understand the back is hotter because it is right above the element. I've wanted to stay away from that to get a more accurate read of what the ambient temperature is. Where do folks here put the probe? Do you try to keep it more in the middle? I think you said you put it under your bottom shelf. Do you do it in the middle of the rack?
Hi bekhardt, I think most people will put the probe off to the side under the rack. You don't want it where juices will hit it and affect the readings. Here's a picture of how I use mine. Hope it helps.
(http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv290/HawkeyeSmokes/CanadianBacon003-1.jpg)
Hey Hawkeye,
Noticed your picture. If that is a Maverick ET-73 temp monitor you are using, the probe you have hanging underneath the rack appears to be the meat probe rather than the box temp probe. I'm sure they both would work but just didn't want to confuse the newer members.
KyNola
Good eye there KyNola, It's my old Polder that's on it's last legs. Will be updating to the Maverick soon! Glad that you did point that out for people
Good luck on that haircut. It's tomorrow if I remember right. That's a wonderful thing your doing.
Thank you Hawkeye!
KyNola
Welcome Bekhardt,
Well you made me hungry!!! Meat looks good. What rub did you use on them? I was amazed how much color your door and cabinet has after seasoning and one use.....Door looks good enough to eat!!! ;D ;D ::) :P
Ray
I hang mine on the bottom rack, about 1.5" below the meat, and in the middle of the rack.
Welcome!
You can always get some great advice from the forum or the seasoned posters, look forward to some pictures of your sucess!
Thanks, Hawkeye, That's helpful.
Sorry, I can't recall the rubs I used, but I believe I just used the ones recommended from the tutorials by 10.5 and westTexasSmoker.
-Bill
Quote from: HawkeyeSmokes on August 25, 2009, 07:52:14 AM
Quote from: bekhardt on August 25, 2009, 07:43:06 AM
QuoteGenerally you will get lower readings from the door thermometer; not because it is inaccurate but because of it's location. By the looks of your photo, when the door is closed both probes are in very close proximity.
Habanero, I understand the back is hotter because it is right above the element. I've wanted to stay away from that to get a more accurate read of what the ambient temperature is. Where do folks here put the probe? Do you try to keep it more in the middle? I think you said you put it under your bottom shelf. Do you do it in the middle of the rack?
Hi bekhardt, I think most people will put the probe off to the side under the rack. You don't want it where juices will hit it and affect the readings. Here's a picture of how I use mine. Hope it helps.
(http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv290/HawkeyeSmokes/CanadianBacon003-1.jpg)