On 22-Oct-2007, "Dave Bugg" > wrote:
> wrote:
> > First time smoking. Here's what I did.
> >
> > Used an offset barrel smoker
> > 1 Port Butt (maybe a Picnic) 6 lbs.
Hard to mis-identify a picnic. It looks like and upper leg. The
butt looks like an indescriminate chunk of meat. (A shoulder
is a combination of the two with a joint in between) Six lbs
is on the small side for a butt or a picnic for that matter.
Seven lbs is a better average.
> > Cooked 7.5 hours
> > Internal temp 195 F (Digital probe)
> > Cherry wood and charcoal
> >
> > I left it alone and did not turn it or open the lid to check on it.
> > Tried to keep the temp at 250-275.
>
> Did you measure at the grate?
>
> > It came out OK. I could pull the
> > pork but it was not fall-off-the-bone pullable like I've seen others
> > produce. Also, it was a bit dry for my taste. Good smoke flavor. The
> > fatty areas were better. Also, the meat closer to the outside was more
> > moist than further inside. On the plus side my daughter said it
> > "Rocked" but I was a bit disappointed overall. Suggestions for
> > improvement are appreciated.
Folks that have never had "Smoke Roasted" meat either love it or hate
it. I've experienced far more "lovers" then "haters". At least one ran
right out and bought a WSM.
>
> -- Go for a lower cook temp, around 220F.
Can't argue with that suggestion. Too many pitmasters swear by it. But
a lot of others cook at much higher temperatures (myself included)
without the drying out result that you reported.
> -- Forget about time. Although you can guestimate the length of time it
> would take to cut a given cut of meat, the only thing that matters is the
> actual internal temp.
> -- Make sure you know how to properly check the internal temp of the meat.
Sage advice. Simply owning a thermometer does not garentee that you will
end up with properly cooked meat. I've practically given up in frustration
on
chicken. Too many times I put raw chicken on the table after my therm told
me it was 165°F in the thighs and breast. Not a way to impress SWAMBO
and certainly not her mother.
> I
> would shoot for 190F instead of 195F.
> -- Check the internal temp in more than one location.
Checking the internal temp in more then one location has been a big
help for me. It usually tells you quite quickly if you got a false reading
the first time.
> -- It sounds like your pit has definite hot spots, and that you overcooked
>
> it on one side. Check the temperature range at the grate surface, at
> several
> spots across the grate. Hot spots will require you to move the meat during
>
> cooking so that even cooking occurs.
My pit has a hot area like Dave describes. I don't always have to turn my
meat, but I have to watch it. Usually, I will turn the meat 180° midway in
the cook to even out the heat penetration. To date, I have never turned
anything upside down.
> -- When you get tired of the offset, think about getting a WSM, which will
> make bbq far more simple..
Simple is as simple does. I have to attend my offset about every two hours
on average, sometimes stretched to three. Adding fuel or smoke wood is
a matter of opening the firebox lid and throwing it in. The cook chamber
never knows the difference. The WSM will go a long time between refueling,
but I doubt that it will make decent smoke for more then a couple of hours
without some kind of attention. I have a gas fired 7 in 1 bullet smoker. And
I know damn well that it won't.
No offset can compete with the WSM for fuel consumption. I expect to
use between 15 and 20 lbs of lump or briquettes for an eight hour cook.
If you're cost conscious you have to crank that into the equation.
>
> --
> Dave
--
Brick(Youth is wasted on young people)