Guru Magic...

Started by Thevenin, December 04, 2004, 02:20:19 PM

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Thevenin

OK OK of course I know Low and Slow is the way to go, but let me ask this question for those of you who have Power Raptor Guru'ed your smoker (gosh I hate those names, but that's another post).

Ok 2 scenarios.  One set the pit temp at 200 deg and cook the brisket 12 hours until 180.  Pull, wrap, rest, eat.

Two.  Set the pit temp at 300 or higher.  Use ramp mode to keep the meat at 180deg and STILL let it smoke/cook 12 hours.

Do you get an advantage of bringing the internal meat up to 180 faster and then let the time do the work, or does something magical take place as it slowly warms?  In other words is it the time that does the magic, or is it the temp?

I'm all for technology making things better, If I can get the meat up to temp in say 4 hours.  Then using ramp mode I can hold it there as long as I wish.  So then I can pull it at maybe 10 hours or wait 12 or 14.  I'd be more in control of the stop time that way.  

As long as I've got the Guru people reading, is it possible to overcook food in ramp mode?  I mean if I can hold it at 180 why not cook a brisket 24 hours?  Does it get even better?  Is that possible?

Thanks for the info, so I don't have to buy 3 briskets and spend a week experimenting.

Thev.

Oldman

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">As long as I've got the Guru people reading, is it possible to overcook food in ramp mode? I mean if I can hold it at 180 why not cook a brisket 24 hours? Does it get even better? Is that possible?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

First I don't own a Guru. However, I can tell you I've seen Prime Rib roasted to med-rare and then held at 160-170 degrees too long and turn into a piece so well done you cannot cut it as it is falling apart. Oh ya it will still be juicy, and it will add a lot of favoring to your next stock pot.
Olds

http://rminor.com

Click On The Portal To Be Transported To Our Time Tested And Proven Recipes~~!!! 

BigSmoker

Thevenin,
My Guru is for my egg only at the moment but IMHO ramp mode can and will overcook your food.  I had a near miss with a brisket using ramp mode and only use the ramp mode if I have to leave the house for some reason.  Others will disagree with me for sure but thats O.K. cause everyone does their Q different.  The magic for a brisket is the slow part until it has plateaued and the fat, collagen has rendered and made a tough piece of shoe leather into a moist deliscious piece of beef.  After the plateau the temp can be raised 25-30°f to finish it off.  I pull brisket at 185°f and wrap in foil and two towels in an empty cooler for 2 hrs.  Always turns out good.  Again this is just my 2 cents but it works for me.
P.S.  I only cook flats[:)]

Jeff
www.bbqshopping.com
Some say BBQ is in your blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.
Some people say BBQ is in the blood, if thats true my blood must be BBQ sauce.

nsxbill

I have the Procom4 (the remote version) and the Raptor.  Although it will allow me to use the ramp mode, I won't use it much.  Maybe with a different pit and more experience??

If I had a charcoal smoker, and was controlling the fan, it might be an option.  The Bradley doesn't crank out the heat to quickly sear the meat and seal in the juices.  So far I have had superior results by just setting my pit temp at 210, and setting meat temp at what I want it to be.  The remote version will actually shut down everything if I program it to do so when target temp is reached, assuming I don't have the smoke generator on which is not controlled by the raptor.

Can you cook too long...yes, I think that 24hrs is pushing it past done, and into the time when you are dehydrating the meat.  Granted, the water in the BS keeps moisture in the chamber, but 14hrs is about max for me so far.  Like Jeff, and so many others, we wrap, towel and rest in cooler to allow the collagen to break down.  I take the meat out when the set temp is met and let it rest appropriately.

I didn't buy the Guru to leave and only come back when food is done.  I stick around, or someone is around when meat is in the BS.  I change the water after 4 hours.  I rotate the meat on long smokes to ensure even cooking.

I bought the guru so I would be freed up from constantly adjusing the temp slider on the BS and it does a nice job.  The Procom4 is settable within 2 degrees, and I can tweak it from anywhere on my property as well as see the actual digital temperature of the item I am cooking and the pit temp.  Range for remote is 2 football fields - that easily covers anywhere on my property.  The other cool thing about the Procom4 is that it monitors the cabinet with two probes, and I can insert second probe in the meat on bottom rack to make sure it doesn't overcook.  The alarm will sound at either level prompting me to rotate the meat.  Last smoke was my turkey.  I am at that age that I get up in the middle of the night to make a john run.  The Procom4 has a button to light up the display...  You won't hear me not singing it's praises anytime soon.

The competitor controller is also a fine unit, and will cook with or without the ramp mode.  

The last item I smoked, a 12 lb turkey, might have been better if I had used ramp mode, but just don't have the experience with it yet.  

I think the ramp mode might be better for brisket or butt.  I am filling up the BS with 4 racks of ribs on Wed a.m. for a long slow smoke and hope the ribs are as good as last time.  No ramp setting will be used.

Guru/Raptor is a great addition to control of your cooking times & temps.  Not for everyone, but definitely remains at the top of my list of things that make smoking enjoyable and worry free.  I never plan on being away when I am smoking.  If I had to run to the store, I know I won't have to worry about the meat burning while I am away.  Doubt I will ever use the auto shut off, but who knows..

Bill
There is room on earth for all God's creatures....right on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

Habanero Smoker

I use the ramp mode when I know I will be gone for extended hours and I am not sure if I will be back in time when the product is completed. If I get back before the product is done, then I will disable the ramp mode. I have never set the guru to monitor the cabinet temperature above 220 degrees.

I have not tried the ramp technique of setting the guru to 325 degree; BS reported maximum temperature, and then let the ramp mode reduce the cabinet temperature as the meat temperature gets within 25 degree. I was going to try it on a 5 - 6 pound roaster to see if it would produce a crisper skin, but this time of year in New York, I don't think the BS will get close to 325 degrees. I might have to wait for warmer weather. I never gave serious thought of using this technique for large cuts of red meat.



     I
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