beginner needs help

[huntfishguy]

Hello,

I am the proud recipient of the Bradley eletric smoker on 12/25. I rubbed up 2 racks of babybacks and a chicken last night and let r smoke. I thought keeping the damper closed had something to do with the temp. The only thing it did was make a mess, inside and outside. The pucks looked like oatmeal all backed up on the smoke gen. The juices were all over the table. I smoked for 5 hours at 200. The chicken was good and tender. The ribs turned out dry and VERY smokey- too much in fact. I used apple bisquettes.

I didnt spray or mop the meat. I had to crank up the heat to almost high to get it to temp at 200. I even used a seperate thermometer inside just to make sure.

I am putting a boston butt in tomorrow morning after I clean it out.

How can I keep the pucks from becoming oatmeal?
Ribs too smokey?
liquid everywhere outside?

help!

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

huntfishguy,

Welcome to the forum.  Keeping the vent closed caused too much moisture to remain in the smoker. This turned your pucks to oatmeal, and put liquid everywhere. Have to keep it open and air moving through the smoker so it does not back up through the generator. Have to get to the right balance of vent control and heater control. I never have mine closed less than a quarter, and is usually more open in the beginning as moisture evaporates off.

Arcs_n_Sparks

[Habanero Smoker]

Especially when you are smoking chicken with skin, the moisture will build up quite a bit. The trapped moisture will also keep your temperature down, because a lot of the heat energy is going towards converting water into gas.

Also keeping your vent too closed or completely closed will allow smoke and moisture to back up into the generator; which is not a good thing.

[huntfishguy]

Guys,

Thanks for the info, I got up at 6am today and started all over again.  The butt is in! I have the vent open this time. I plan to smoke the butt at 200 or so for 8 hours wsmoke and 1-2 hours to finish. I have an apple cider type mop to put on it every so often.

This is a 4-5lb butt, is 8-10 hours too long?

[3rensho]

If you're going to pull the pork I'd say 8-10 hours would not be long enough at 200.  I do mine at 210-220 cabinet temp. and take the butt to an internal temp. of 190.  Also, 8 hours of smoke is an awful lot.  After four hours or so I don't think you get a lot more smoke flavor added.  Just some thoughts.

Tom

[Tiny Tim]

After reading over the past few weeks about smoking Pork Butts to make pulled pork, and somewhere along the way reading that if you cook it around 200-220, that the plateau will be long enough that you only need an IT of 175, I gave that a shot for my last one, done last Saturday night - Sunday morning.  I was happier with this effort than I was on the ones I took to 185 and higher.  It pulled easily and the bone came out clean...the previous efforts to the higher IT seemed kind of mushy to me.

I also started with an 8+ pounder, 4 hours of smoke (Apple, couldn't really taste the smoke), and finished in 13 hours total.

[NESmoker]

I haven't smoked a shoulder in the OBS yet but I have done several on my offset. I go with 225F with an 8lb picnic cut and it takes me about 12 hours. I also do not go to 190, I find it better at 180.

Each shoulder is different too. On the same exact weight you can get varying times on the plateau. It really depends on the amount of fat in the cut. When I have a specific time that I need to serve I make sure I have about 3 hours extra time. If the meat is done quicker you can always wrap in foil (FTC), in fact you *want* to let the meat rest after cooking anyway.

As to the damper, you need to make sure you have airflow. In the offset you get a nasty creosote flavor if you don't and you answered my question as to what happens with the OBS. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that, as you close the damper, make sure you don't see any smoke backing up out of the hole where the generator is. If you do you need to open it up a bit and never close it all the way.

I did a Prime Rib with the vent mostly closed (about a 1/4 inch in each section) and it came out great.

Hope that helps.

NES

[Habanero Smoker]

After reading over the past few weeks about smoking Pork Butts to make pulled pork, and somewhere along the way reading that if you cook it around 200-220, that the plateau will be long enough that you only need an IT of 175, I gave that a shot for my last one, done last Saturday night - Sunday morning.  I was happier with this effort than I was on the ones I took to 185 and higher.  It pulled easily and the bone came out clean...the previous efforts to the higher IT seemed kind of mushy to me.

I also started with an 8+ pounder, 4 hours of smoke (Apple, couldn't really taste the smoke), and finished in 13 hours total.

Finally someone believed me ;D

[huntfishguy]

Well after 9 1/2 hours, I thought I would have a masterpiece. I did get the function of the unit right, no oatmeal pucks, steady temps etc... but the pork was rubbery. IT showed 180+. I was going to put it back in but the family was hungry. I know I am going to get a flack for this but I decided to finish it the crock pot and go buy a pizza.

I guess I need to set aside at least 12-14 hours for these things after reading the comments on the forum.

So how long do you smoke a Boston Butt? 4 hours of smoke, then cook until tender? IT 195?

Not smoke the whole time?

Should you smoke salmon and pork at same time?

[Smoking Duck]

Hey Huntfishguy,

What I've found is that generally (and you can only speak in generalities when it comes to time) is that my butts usually take around 18 hours, give or take.  I then also FTC the butt for a minimum of 3 hours.  I've found when I've got a family waiting to eat at a certain time, it's best to start about 4 hours earlier than I've planned.  This way, if it takes the exact time I plan on it taking, I've got myself covered by the FTC time.  I've done butts both ways (pulling after many hours beyond the plateau and also taking it to 190 IT) and both have been very good. 

Additionally, it's been stated here many times that meat will no longer absorb smoke when it reaches the 140* mark.  In all my times doing butts through the winter season, it's never taken longer than 5 hours to get to 140*.  I plan on a 5 hour smoke and then adjust accordingly.  If I've found that at the 4 hour mark, I'm at 140*, I turn off the smoke generator and continue cooking until I reach my IT.  Smoking past the 140* mark is just burning pucks for no purpose and with the cost of pucks.  Again, though, your smokes may be a bit different than others, so you have to go by your experiences.

That's the beauty of smoking though.  It is a lot of trial and error (although error is a bit strong, IMO, because even the errors have turned out extremely edible) and that means a lot of adult beverages while I'm "working."

Once you get it figured out, it does become a passion.  However, be prepared to become the designated chef in your family.  I now have that designation and they already have me booked out for family parties until 2013  ;D.  Assuming my liver can handle all of that, I should be good to go. 

Best of luck in your endeavors with the Bradley

[Gizmo]

I know I am going to get a flack for this but I decided to finish it the crock pot and go buy a pizza.

Should you smoke salmon and pork at same time?

Don't worry about the flack, go for the quality of the product not the method that got you there.  Longer at the IT like Smoking Duck mentioned should get you there and the crock pot will certainly make that happen for you.

I would not smoke salmon and pork at the same time at least not for how I do them as the salmon recipe I use from Kummok has different temperature ranges.  The heat and times for pork would cause the salmon to develop white buggers and probably turn it into dry rubber.

[Habanero Smoker]

Hey Huntfishguy,

.....I've done butts both ways (pulling after many hours beyond the plateau and also taking it to 190 IT) and both have been very good......

Hi Smoking Duck
It is not necessarily many hours after the plateau. The plateau only indicates that there is a period of rapid break down of the collagen into gelatin. Pulling pork at 175°F, works best if you smoke 200°F - 210°F or less, if you are smoking at a higher temperature is not going to work as well. It is the total length of time the meat is in the range were collagen begins to break down. Some sources state it is around 165°F, and others state it begins at 160°F; I tend to believe the 160°F. If you smoke/cook at the temperatures I have indicated, then you can take it out of the smoker, independent of how many hours after the plateau. I came across this by accident over three years ago, and have been doing this way every since.

[Smoking Duck]

Hey Habs,

Yes, of course, you are right.  I don't always write things down the way I'm thinking them.  I always smoke in the 200-220 range  but more closer to the 205-210 mark when I'm doing pulled pork and brisket.  I've had smokes where it has taken hours to get from the plateau to the 175 mark and then others where it seems to get to 190 as quickly as it took others to get to 175.  I would imagine fat content would play the biggest part in that.  I also have yet to have a butt take less than 4 hours to get from the 160 to the 175 mark, so I was simply working off of my limited experience.


Additionally, I believed you from the get-go on the 175 mark.  You had me at hello  ;D

[Habanero Smoker]

Hi Smoking Duck;

Many on this forum smoke/cook their pork and brisket at a much higher temperature. I didn't want them to think they could take the butt out at 175°F and expect to pull it. Then they will be sending me some angry PM's. :)

When I first posted the 175°F for pulling, I had a lot of members telling me you can't pull at that temperature; you can only slice. So over the past three years, I just try to sneak it in every once in a while. :)

[Tiny Tim]

I was glad I found that tidbit about 175 being high enough when cooking it at a low temp....almost caused me to have to get up earlier than I wanted to that day though (Maverick alarm went off just as I was getting out of bed). :D