New OBS owner has a few Q's

[Smokineer03]

Hello everyone, just got my new OBS this week and have tested it to see if it worked before i used it this weekend and so far so good...looks like everything is a go. I have a few questions before i start smoking though. from scrolling through the forums here i get the idea the temp sensor that comes with the unit is not all that i should go on...at the very least what other temp sensors should i buy before i smoke? (both for internal meat temps and in the smoker temps) keep in mind i don't have a ton of money to go crazy with on them (due to wife aggro for buying to many toys) and were should i locate them inside the unit? I am going to smoke 2 roughly 5lb briskets and 3 slabs of baby back ribs. should i put the briskets on the bottom 2 racks and the backs up top? and should i rotate the racks or leave them be?

[DTAggie]

Hello everyone, just got my new OBS this week and have tested it to see if it worked before i used it this weekend and so far so good...looks like everything is a go. I have a few questions before i start smoking though. from scrolling through the forums here i get the idea the temp sensor that comes with the unit is not all that i should go on...at the very least what other temp sensors should i buy before i smoke? (both for internal meat temps and in the smoker temps) keep in mind i don't have a ton of money to go crazy with on them (due to wife aggro for buying to many toys) and were should i locate them inside the unit? I am going to smoke 2 roughly 5lb briskets and 3 slabs of baby back ribs. should i put the briskets on the bottom 2 racks and the backs up top? and should i rotate the racks or leave them be?

Welcome to the forum.  You can get a Polder probe that reads both IT* and cabinet temp from one probe pretty cheap.  Put the probe in lowest brisket.  Ribs do not need a probe.  Actually you may be able to both briskets on one rack as I have had a 12 lb brisket on one rack.  If so, load ribs on top rack and work your way down based on how may racks it takes.  I would rotate the brisket racks if you have to use two racks.  Keep the ribs up top.

[ArnieM]

DTA has you pretty well covered.  Definitely rotate the briskets.  The bottom rack gets a lot of direct heat and can make the bottom of the brisket 'crunchy'.

The briskets will take longer than the BBs. 

You go by look and feel on the BBs.  Try pulling a couple of the ribs apart after 5 or 6 hours.  If the meat is pulling back on the bone and they pull apart fairly easily, they're done.

I'd go for an IT of 180-185 on the brisket.  There are plenty of inexpensive wired probes you can get.

[DTAggie]

To add to Arnie, if you do get down to the lowest or second lowest rack, you can place a piece of foil loosely over the back of the heat shield, make sure not to cover hole in middle, to help deflect some of that direct heat.  I strongly recommend not go over 185 IT* on brisket.

[Smokineer03]

so the same type of probe that reads the IT of the meat can also be used to dangle inside the cabinet to read that temp accurately too? also i was planning on starting the smoke around midnight the night before and letting everything smoke while i got some sleep...roughly 5-6 hours so how often would i need to rotate the briskets? ( would the brisket still get crunchy if i put the fat side down you think?) and they are to big to fit on 1 rack, there thin but as big as the racks are. so your saying the BB ribs on the top rack or 2 will be done after only 5-6 hours possibly? what temp should i shoot for the cabinet were the briskets are? 225* right?

[ArnieM]

Yes, you can use the same type of probes for both the IT and cabinet temp.  The cabinet temp probe should go on or just under the lowest rack.

Fat side down will help to provide some protection for the brisket.  Rotate roughly every two hours.  Both should be fat side down for rotation.

The briskets should go in the vicinity of 1.25-1.5 hours peer pound.

The ribs might take a little longer than 'normal' because the briskets underneath are blocking heat.

You should check, empty and refill the water bowl after about 4 hours.

Finally, why are you starting this at midnight?  Planning a breakfast?

[JT-MO]

I think midnight is a good time to start based on weight, I take it you are doing around 14LBs of meat? I did 18LB (1 brisket 8LB and 1 pork butt at 10LB) and it took me almost 24 hours to get it done.