Just a few ?'s b4 I start my first smoke tonight

[SmokinMoe]

I just finally figured out how to put the guru competitor power raptor on.  Those guys forgot to send instructions for the Bradley, and after searching the bbqguru website, I finally found a picture of it on a Bradley.
Bill, thanks for your instructions, I printed it out and with the picture I was able to hopefully put it on right.
Here are my questions.
When you say you smoked for 4 hours and cooked for 12, is that a total of 16 hours or 12 hours with 4 of them smoking and cooking?
I am going to try smoking 4 hours with maple for a Boston Butt I rubbed yesterday.  I am taking it out tonight at 9 and letting it sit out for about 45-60 minutes and then putting in the Bradley.
Do I need to change the water pan after the smoking is done?  and then fill it up with water again?  After that, I shouldn't open the door anymore right?
I am hoping to smoke the four hours and cook for 12, so I hope that means I can take it out at 10 am and wrap and put in cooler until noon.  
Good grief, this is worse than anticipating childbirth!! Please help me before I have a meltdown.  I hate worrying!!

[Chez Bubba]

Michelle,

Change out the water bowl about 1/2 way through cooking.

I think Bill was saying 12 hours total cook that included 4 hours of smoke. All you need to worry about is IT, when it hits 185-190, that baby's ready to join the world!

Don't open the door to check on it. Watch the IT, when it's ready, it's ready.

Kirk

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

[SmokinMoe]

Should I set the bradley temp to 200 or 220?  Or somewhere in between?  Am I correct in thinking about 12 hours?  The Boston Butt weighs 7 pounds.  That would put it at 10 1/2 hours if I cooked it for 1 1/2 hour per pound.  Would it be ok to go 12 or would it start to dry out?
Thanks, Kirk, for helping BEFORE I start this.  I am a nervous wreck.  Do you think Maple is a good puck or should I use pecan or a combination of the two?

[nsxbill]

I smoke for 4 hours, then the Guru tells me when it is done.  The picture of the Raptor was mine.  Time might be 12 to 16 hours depending on how big your piece of meat is.  Don't stress.  It will be great!  There will be new pictures soon with the Procom4, The remote model.  Delay in shipping but not worried!

Instructions for you:

Set the BS temp slider to high.  

Keep the cabinet temp down to 205°ish.
Dial in you cooking temp.  Dial in your meat temp.  

Hit On and hit alarm button for a couple of seconds to silence, and make sure to also turn on the smoke generator.  

The guru only controlls the cathode tube in the cabinet.  

Put the clip on the mid rack with meat temp probe outside until the BS is up to temp...Load you bisquettes, Bubba Pucks and 1 extra puck on top of the Bubba pucks.  

When the box temp is up where you want it, take you meat out to smoker.  Insert meat temp probe into meat that will be about 2nd or 3rd shelf from top.  

Put the meat in as quickly as you can so you don't lose too much heat and hit the advance button three time to advance a puck to the alread well heated element.  I come back and change the water after four hours.

Make sure you have about 1/3 of a hole in the vent on top

The Guru will tell you when you are getting close to the right meat temp.

I like the ramp mode. It goes to high temp and then lowers box temp automatically.

Beer helps with the stress of smoking.  I personally like bourbon.  Jack Daniels Single Barrel works for me.

Remember that it will plateau at 165 for maybe an hour.  Don't worry.  It will then start climbing again towards your goal temp.

The ramp mode will keep the temperature in control.  Don't open the door to peek!

This is too easy.  Don't worry.  It will be divine!

Bill

[BigSmoker]

SmokinMoe,
Everything is fine.  Find an object to focus on.  You can't push if you are blowing off the contraction.  I've done this 3 times so I'm a pro.  <font size="6"><font color="limegreen">RELAX</font id="limegreen"></font id="size6"> all is good.  Just take it low and slow.  If you want to cook the butt til 200f set temp at 225-240f.  Go with the flow and it will be great[][][][][][][][][][][][].  Have some fun.  Pop a brew?

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

[SmokinMoe]

Ok, a few more quick questions!!
The power raptor light on the back (yellowish-orange) is NOT on, but if I push the fuse in, it goes on.  Is that normal?
the Power light for the Bradley cabinet down at the bottom where you slide the slider is NOT on either, but the cabinet is pushing up in temp.  Does this mean it is ok?
Also, will I need to use a separate thermometer just in case or will the power raptor do the trick?
Thanks,
and yes, I am getting ready to sit down to relax once I see what is going to happen.

[nsxbill]

Remember, the smoke generator plugs into the wall.  The cabinet plugs into the Raptor.  The Raptor and the Competitior controller plug into the wall.  Make sure the right angle connector between the Controller and the Raptor is plugged into the fan out labeled recepticle on the controller  The straight end goes into the Raptor.  The 12 V power goes to the 12V labeled receptacle on the Competitor.

You might have to give a good push on both of those so they seat well.  The cabinet light and the Raptor light should  be on until up to temp and then pulse on and off.  The heat controller on the cabinet has to be on high-all the way to the right.

Bill

[SmokinMoe]

[:I]Ok, it was the fuse on the power raptor.  It wasn't in all the way and I finally managed to get it to stay in and then the light went on the bradley and the light for the power raptor.  I made sure that the temp. went to 205ish and the light on the guru for that side stopped flashing.  The meat temp.  still is registering -35 degrees and it is set at 185.  It is still flashing.
Bill, how long will it take to get up there or will I have to worry that all those micro. will start growing and we will get sick?
It seems to be holding that temp. and the maple pucks are a far better smelling puck than the "special blend" I used yesterday to season the Bradley!
I think I can now have a good glass of water and sit for a bit.  I so appreciate you all "babysitting the forum" for me while I try my first smoke.  So glad you are willing to take some time out for a newbie.
THANK YOU!!

[nsxbill]

No problem.  I was actually checking back every 20 min hoping you got the wiring right.  Send me a private email.  I will send you a picture of something.  Happy Smoking and good eating!

Bill

[nsxbill]

Sooooo.

How goes the morning thus far?  Get any sleep? [][].  Has the magic been happening during the night while you were having nightmares?

Bill

[Ian]

nsxbill: Good morning Bill, is there any chance you could e-mail me any literature or related material on the guru as it pertains to the Bradley or the WSM. Thanks very much in advance. Hope to hear from you soon.[8D]

Ian (GO STEELERS)

[nsxbill]

Message sent.  

STEELERS? Isn't that a recreational football leage from the YMCA in Pittsburg?  

Since my beloved RAIDERS are doing so lousy this year, I have to say GOOD DRAFT RAIDERS!  I love the Raiders.  I was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco during the last years of Viet Nam, and the owner, Al Davis, always made sure our patients got free tickets to the home games.  Been a fan ever since.  It was tough at the time, working in SF, and not a 49er fan.  Wife and son are, so I am getting a lot of crap this year from them!

So anyway this year, I too am following the Steelers in awe of how well they are doing.  Also like the Colts and the Eagles.  I have to TiVo the games.  It is so relaxing for me that I always crash and watch later.

Bill

[SmokinMoe]

It is just the most tantalizing smell I have ever experienced!! So hard to let it keep cooking, in about 5 minutes it will be 12hours and the meat is hanging at 175.  So close, and yet, I will exercise patience.  
Everything is going well, best money spent on the Guru Power Raptor and don't regret spending a dime on it.  I set it (poor instructions though but since they are electrical engineers, they get a pass) but I dug around until I could come up with a photo of it attached to a bradley (which by the way, was none other than our own Bill's photo of his setup!!)
Then, practically everyone helped me through it and I am glad I did this through the night, otherwise I would have food poisoning this morning for lack of self-control. That smell is hard to beat.  I walked out this morning to check on it and it just hit me like a dozen roses!!
The guru is doing its job and I went to bed around 3-ish after having to take a shower because of the smoke when I opened the door to change the water.  It recovered rather quickly though.
I did put the stupid V-drip pan in upside down, in my panic to get it going, I forgot what a V looked like! DUH, hope it will be ok.
I am SEVERLY HOOKED and wondered what else will smoke up to be this great?  I am so proud of the smell that even if it doesn't taste good I feel I have accomplished something!!
In fact, last night, I was so excited, I bought 3 copies of Smoke and Spice off Amazon for Christmas presents.  See what happens when I jump into something?
THANKS for all the wonderful advice and for this forum. Without it, I would have been lost and without help.

[Ian]

SmokinMoe: Then is it safe to say PORK FAT RULES[]

Ian (GO STEELERS)