Hi & Newbie Questions

[jimim]

 
Soaked Chips won't smoke until they dry out. Juice in the water pan will not add any flavor to the meat, pretty much a waste of juice. Water in the pan only has a real benefit for the first couple hours to keep the meat surface moist and help it absorb more smoke flavor. A dry pan after 3-4 hours lets a good Bark form and heaps lock in moisture..JJ

Ok so. . .

I should use the water pan with just water in it for the first few hours but pretty much let it dry out or take it out after 3 or 4 hours?  i got the juice thing from reading too much!  lol

 

[jimim]

 
Yup as already stated above - don't look, don't soak your chips & don't put juice in your water pan. 

ok no soaking. . . no juice, but i ain't making any promices with the no looking thing!  lol  there is no way this is going to happen for my first time!  lol  I'm nervous enough!

jimi

 

[jimim]

 
Sounds like your good to go it's going to be great I never spritz but I do like to add some apple juice to my sweet apple butt :) When I wrap. One of my most favorite things I have learned on hear is the bone test that's what I go by enjoy.

ok so the bone test. . . 

i know some said not to wrap but for my first time i'm going to wrap.  i'll stick the 2 probes in so i make sure i have a proper reading in case one is off a bit.  i'll poke em in through the top and keep the seal tight.  i'll wait till it hits 200 degrees take it out and then. . . 

1. unwrap it.  test the bone.  if it feels like it will pull out I. . . 

2. wrap it back up good and tight with foil, towel and in to a cooler to rest for an hour. . . 

3.  if it doesn't feel like it will pull out I throw it back in the smoker unwrapped, but then what for a game plan?

sorry if this is confusing cause now I am kinda.

 

[jimim]

tomorrow we are going to fire up the smoker and put a probe in it that we know is accurate and se how off the smokers temp gauge is for saturday so we aren't messing around at 5 AM.

jim

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

At 200 degrees that bone should pull out real easy. I don't believe I've ever had one not ease out. It'll all work out. Just go ahead with your plan and check that the temp in your smoker is accurate ahead of time and all will work out.

 

[demosthenes9]

 
ok so the bone test. . .

i know some said not to wrap but for my first time i'm going to wrap.  i'll stick the 2 probes in so i make sure i have a proper reading in case one is off a bit.  i'll poke em in through the top and keep the seal tight.  i'll wait till it hits 200 degrees take it out and then. . .

1. unwrap it.  test the bone.  if it feels like it will pull out I. . .

2. wrap it back up good and tight with foil, towel and in to a cooler to rest for an hour. . .

3.  if it doesn't feel like it will pull out I throw it back in the smoker unwrapped, but then what for a game plan?

sorry if this is confusing cause now I am kinda.

No to overload you, but along with the bone test, you could do a poke test.  Take your temp probe and try sliding it into different parts of the butt.  If it goes in smoothly with very little resistance, the butt is ready.

If the butt doesn't pass the bone or poke test, close the foil back up and stick it back on the smoker.    How long to leave it there depends on how it did on the tests.

If you find yourself pressed for time and the butt doesn't look like it will be ready, crank the temp up on your MES.  If it won't go to 300, then put the butt in the oven.

Obviously, this isn't the preferred way to cook a butt, but better to finish this way than to have to order pizza for everyone.

 

[chef jimmyj]

 
Ok so. . .

I should use the water pan with just water in it for the first few hours but pretty much let it dry out or take it out after 3 or 4 hours?  i got the juice thing from reading too much!  lol

Yep...Put 2-3 cups of water in the pan. It will evaporate in about 4-5 hours. If sooner ok, if later ok, leave the pan in. Whatever you choose to do now, Foil or as many of us do, "  Let It Ride " you won't need any more water. Read the threads below...JJ

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/wet-to-dry-no-foil-smoke-chamber-method-for-smoking-meats

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...dry-smoke-chamber-q-view-prep-method-finished

 

[jimim]

Thanks guys. I think I'm good to go! We will check the temp tonight on the smoker with another probe. Chill let you all know how we make out. Tomorrow I'll come home from work at lunch to make my rub so it can sit and then I can restir it up so the brown sugar incorporates properly when I get home. We can get out meat all ready for Saturday morning and that's it. Let it marinade in the rub all night. We will decide what time we will throw it in but I'm thinking at least by 6 am cause it's going to take 11 cooking hrs if I go by the 1.5 hrs per lb rule plus and hour for sitting. We r going to make hot dogs and fries in the frier to hold the kids over. Should be a fun day. Just get yard work done and hang out all day long. This is kinda a good hobby when u have young kids cause they want to be outside all day and it's hard to go places with all them when they are young and all diff ages so they can play all all day and it gives us adults something to do since we have to be out there with them.

Jimi

 

[jimim]

Guys we are checking the smokers temp with the internal probe and two other Taylor probes. Both diff models. The 2 Taylor's differ by 5 to 6 degrees at times but at times equal out. The internal probe that monitors the smokers temp will match but at times also vary a few degrees not more than 6. At times all three match. The two Taylor probes are through the top vent so maybe air blowing in is walking them out or is 5 to 6 degrees ok? The meat probe is way off. Aide it's sitting on side of inside of box.