Santa's Secret - New OBS

JT-MO · December 13, 2009, 11:58:17 AM

Well I managed to discover what my wife has got me for Christmas. She was gone when the fedex guy dropped off a brand new OBS in my garage, so now I am playing dumb as if I never seen it.

Anyways I am really excited to get using it and trying to get stuff for it now so it is there when I open it up :)

I'm kind of new to all this although I grill a lot and it is always a big hit with the family. I have also smoked before but never a very good out come due to various reasons. I been reading these forums for the past month and learned a lot about this OBS and is the main reason I been wanting an OBS over any other home type smoker out there. The support and this forum are excellent.

I guess the questions I want to ask are:

1. What would you get right away for the OBS? The pid or the ET-73? I can only get one or the other for now and will get the other later, but what is more important? I am leaning to the PID as I can always open the door late in the cook and poke a regular meat thermo in it to see if done. I would like to get both of these eventually as they have been tried and tested on this forum with many good results.

2. I really want to "WOW" the family over with this on the first meal cooked in it. I want my wife to think, "WOW that was really good and worth the money". So I am leaning towards ribs or pulled pork. Which would you do first, which is easier? Seems like it would be easier to do up some pulled pork.

hal4uk · December 13, 2009, 12:07:04 PM

I'd say do a butt first. As long as you use a temp probe, you should be able to knock their socks off - first try.
(but it will take longer than ribs)

KyNola · December 13, 2009, 12:10:43 PM

Pork butts are a great first time smoke as they are very forgiving.

Congrats and welcome to the forum.

KyNola

FLBentRider · December 13, 2009, 12:13:59 PM

W E L C O M E to the Forum JT-MO!

I would vote pork butt. It is the most forgiving thing you can put in your smoker.

Ribs can take a few smokes to perfect.

Old_Sarge · December 13, 2009, 12:21:06 PM

JT, welcome to Bradleyland!

Agreeing with the pork butt as your first smoke for the reasons the others have already mentioned.

If you have to choose between a digital probe thermometer and the PID...hmm. Internal temperature is one of the key elements of success. As long as you're going to be around to keep an eye on the smoker and adjust the smoker temp, I'd say grab the Maverick (or something similar) first. I bought the PID when I got my OBS, but I already had a digital thermometer (not a Maverick; it's a Williams-Sonoma that my wife got me, but it works very well). If I'd had to choose, I would have grabbed the thermometer so as not to over/undercook the meat.

Here's hoping your wife comes to believe that your Bradley was her best investment ever!

Tenpoint5 · December 13, 2009, 12:33:01 PM

Pulled Pork and the Maverick are my suggestions Welcome Aboard.

Quarlow · December 13, 2009, 01:17:54 PM

Quote from: Tenpoint5 on December 13, 2009, 12:33:01 PM
Pulled Pork and the Maverick are my suggestions Welcome Aboard.

I am on the same page with everyone even though I still have not done a pulled pork yet, and I'd go with the Maverick also. Nothing worse than improperly cooked food.

JT-MO · December 13, 2009, 03:59:46 PM

Thanks for the info guys, look like I will start with a pulled pork dinner and get the Maverick.
Now I will look around the site some more for some rubs and how to's. I pretty much read everything at one point or another over the past month but haven't decided on what to use yet.

HawkeyeSmokes · December 13, 2009, 05:10:27 PM

Welcome to the forum JT-MO. Good choice on the pulled pork and Maverick to start with. The extra ~~toys~~ tools will come. ;D

JT-MO · December 14, 2009, 01:07:56 PM

Well I been doing more reading and stuff, I figured what the heck. I went ahead and ordered it all.

Now the hard part, waiting 11 more days before I can use it ;D

I will most likely go ahead and season it the day I get it, and then before new years day, get that first smoke on and hope all goes well.
I guess until then I will keep my eyes open for a good looking butt... pork butt...

Anyways, thanks for the all the info on this forum, hopefully I can repay in some way.

OU812 · December 14, 2009, 01:37:49 PM

Welcome to the fun JT-MO

Good choice on trying a butt first, be ready for a long cook and dont freak out when the meat temp stops rising around 160 F it will stall for up to 4 hr which is a good thing. Thats when the magic happens and turns a tuff piece of meat into some moist and tender pork.

ArnieM · December 14, 2009, 03:29:30 PM

Welcome to the forum JT-MO. I agree the butt is a good choice. But, plan ahead so that you're not serving dinner at midnight ;) If you can, plan on getting it done 2-3 hours ahead of dinner and then FTC it for the rest of the time. It stays hot and juicy.

Quote from: JT-MO on December 14, 2009, 01:07:56 PM

Anyways, thanks for the all the info on this forum, hopefully I can repay in some way.

Of course you can. FedEx some of that pork our way ;D

I've had my OBS for a while and have neither the PID or the Maverick. Strangely enough, things still cook. I use an el cheapo wired digital probe for IT and it works just fine.

Make sure you keep an ample supply of pucks around. I order mine from Amazon and they can take 7-10 days to get here.

Good luck. Post pics and let us know how you make out.

Huntnfreak · December 14, 2009, 05:48:34 PM

JT-MO welcome to the forum! You are right, this place is a wealth of information as you have already found out. I'm new to the world of smoking too and have always found my answers here. I have recently done both my first pulled pork and first ribs. The butt turned out fantastic and the ribs......well not so much. My butts were both around the 18 hour marks, but don't go by that. The internal temp of the meat is the only clock to go by. I used rubs and they turned out great. Good luck and happy smoking.

Hopefull Romantic · December 15, 2009, 06:43:02 AM

Welcome to the forum JT - MO and congrats on your gift and your purchases.

HR

JT-MO · December 23, 2009, 02:44:14 PM

Hey guys, I wanted to chime in and let everyone know how it turned out since I opened my gift early this year.

BEST PULLED PORK EVER!!! (that I have tasted so far)

I put in a 10LB pork butt (after I prepaired it the night before), the temp on 210, 4 hours of hickory, after about 17 hours the IT was 190 in several places. The bone pulled right out so easy. When trying to pick the pork up it just wanted to fall apart. You will glad to hear that after a plate of pulled pork, garlic bread, baked beans, and potatoe salad, my wife is hook and really glad she got it for my christmas present!

So it looks like we are hooked and will be using this thing ALOT!

Thanks guys! Couldn't have done it without this site!

Sorry I don't have any pics (food porn) for you guys.