About 2 months ago, I picked up an ECB off craigslist for $20. Technically it's a Charbroil H2O, but meh, same crap, probably worse. Immediately sent it over to be modified by my friend who owns a stainless shop. I'll maybe document those one day, but basically your standard, essential stuff that there's already hundreds of threads about. As you can see, I still haven't permanently attached the gasket to the lid. Hopefully that will happen soon. This is what I consider my training wheels until I man up and get my WSM. The challenges will be good for a base.
OK. In reality, I'm not trapped...I've also got options. I am, in addition, a newly ordained owner of an MES30 that I've done one smoke on (coming soon to a Pork thread near you). I was waffling to and fro about which smoker to use for the job, but I decided to be brave and go with the difficult one. Succeed or fail, I wanted to work for it...but really I just wanted a smoke ring to call my own.
Me 'n the little lady are walking through the store, not there to buy brisket, but then I saw it.
13.5 pounds of what I'd imagine the tongue of Grumpy to resemble. I quickly checked it to make sure there were no remnants of Sleestack carcass. All good.
I hire a big rig to haul it home, and then I start to panic.
Brisket is not real.
Only the fabled mystics and superheros of TV and the interwebz can defeat it. They probably aren't real.
This is a ton of meat.
I'm not ready yet.
Am I really so deluisonal that I would consider conquering the Kraken of meats on only my second time using this thing???
I'M USING AN ECB FOR CRIMONY SAKES!!
Enough with the BS, let's get down to business.
So I got this slab of beef, and come Friday night, I gather my nerve and break it out. I do not want to throw it all at my first cook for a few reasons.
1. It's large. I've researched various methods to get it to fit in the ECB, but I don't need all that meat at once.
2. I'm scared.
3. I don't have that much time. I'm cooking Saturday. I want to sleep in a little.
So I divide it into thirds. Point and 2 half flats. I decide to cook the point and vacuum seal the remaining cuts.
I didn't take any pics of the prep...sorry.
I should have put it on the scale, but I'm guessing weight at roughly 5.5 - 6 lbs.
I trimmed the fat cap to around 1/4" and scored.
I then place it in an on the fly marinade.
Contents:
Remaining contents in a bottle of Kraft Seven Seas Italian dressing that I found in the fridge. 1 day before printed expiration.
Worcestershire.
Red Wine.
Heaping tbsp of whole grain Dijon
Back into the fridge for the night.
Saturday.
I emerge from my cave around 9am, and remove the meat from the refrigerator.
I gather my supplies and begin migrating them towards the ECB.
Set up a Minion ring consisting of Ozark Oak lump along with chunks of oak and pecan.
Get a half chimney of lump going.
Fill water tray with sand, then cover with foil and replace in ECB.
Back inside, I remove the beef from the marinade with a couple of shakes, then to a disposable tin tray for rub.
Nothing dramatic for the rub. Salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Insert ET-732 food probe.
Outside again, I dump the chimney, place the rub tin on the bottom rack to catch drippings, and position the grill probe on top grate.
Replace ECB body over charcoal pan, and wait for temp..
10:30 AM: 225* and meat goes on fat side up. Do I have to remind everyone again I'm nervous? No? K.
Position the rope gasket around the lid and try to relax.
I am determined to not lift the lid at any time during the cook.
The first time I'll see this disaster is when it's reached temp and ready to pull.
Is it too early for a beverage?
Light bulb goes off in brain.
Bloody Mary's don't count as morning drinking.
I've resolved not to stress myself out too much over temp. I'll live with anywhere between 225 - 280.
Another "tomato" juice.
12pm: Temp spikes to 316*. Remove ECB body from over charcoal tray. Extinguish chunk flare ups. Replace body. Switch beverage to Jack.
The remaining time was pretty much uneventful. Occasionally added some lump and chunks, caught the trash can on fire....standard stuff.
Yeah.
I had made and inserted a foil pouch containing the remaining contents in a bag of pecan chips, Smoke expired, I removed it from the heat. After a few minutes, found that I could comfortably hold it with my hands, so I placed it on the "shelf" (for lack of a better description) in the refuse company's trash receptacle.
20 minutes later I walk outside. ???Why does it smell like burning plastic??? Grabbed hose. I saved my family from a fiery inferno on that day...
I can be your hero, baby...
Whoops...lesson learned.
I'll edit later with a pic of the wounded can, Viewer discretion is advised.
EDIT: Here ya go.
Now back to our regular scheduled programming.
Hit the plateau at 168* which lasted for about 40 min. Thanks to this forum, I was prepared to expect this.
Getting close now.
5:30 PM: 190* achieved. Let's have our first look at the disaster, shall we? Fingers crossed.
The smoking gods hath smiled upon me.
Foil > towel > cooler = drink & wait.
7:30 pm: Remove and unwrap.
Finally, the slicing.
Not the most impressive smoke ring ever, but hey, there's no denying it's existence.
7:45 pm: Not a scrap left. The fat rendered perfectly. I did not expect that.
My apologies for the excessively verbose post. I have a boring job.
If you made it this far, thanks for the read.
~Chris
OK. In reality, I'm not trapped...I've also got options. I am, in addition, a newly ordained owner of an MES30 that I've done one smoke on (coming soon to a Pork thread near you). I was waffling to and fro about which smoker to use for the job, but I decided to be brave and go with the difficult one. Succeed or fail, I wanted to work for it...but really I just wanted a smoke ring to call my own.
Me 'n the little lady are walking through the store, not there to buy brisket, but then I saw it.
13.5 pounds of what I'd imagine the tongue of Grumpy to resemble. I quickly checked it to make sure there were no remnants of Sleestack carcass. All good.
I hire a big rig to haul it home, and then I start to panic.
Brisket is not real.
Only the fabled mystics and superheros of TV and the interwebz can defeat it. They probably aren't real.
This is a ton of meat.
I'm not ready yet.
Am I really so deluisonal that I would consider conquering the Kraken of meats on only my second time using this thing???
I'M USING AN ECB FOR CRIMONY SAKES!!
Fine.SLAP! SLAP! Get a hold yourself, Son!!!
SLAP! SLAP! Quticher snivelin, 'cause it's time to git on yer big boy pants!!!!!
Enough with the BS, let's get down to business.
So I got this slab of beef, and come Friday night, I gather my nerve and break it out. I do not want to throw it all at my first cook for a few reasons.
1. It's large. I've researched various methods to get it to fit in the ECB, but I don't need all that meat at once.
2. I'm scared.
3. I don't have that much time. I'm cooking Saturday. I want to sleep in a little.
So I divide it into thirds. Point and 2 half flats. I decide to cook the point and vacuum seal the remaining cuts.
I didn't take any pics of the prep...sorry.
I should have put it on the scale, but I'm guessing weight at roughly 5.5 - 6 lbs.
I trimmed the fat cap to around 1/4" and scored.
I then place it in an on the fly marinade.
Contents:
Remaining contents in a bottle of Kraft Seven Seas Italian dressing that I found in the fridge. 1 day before printed expiration.
Worcestershire.
Red Wine.
Heaping tbsp of whole grain Dijon
Back into the fridge for the night.
Saturday.
I emerge from my cave around 9am, and remove the meat from the refrigerator.
I gather my supplies and begin migrating them towards the ECB.
Set up a Minion ring consisting of Ozark Oak lump along with chunks of oak and pecan.
Get a half chimney of lump going.
Fill water tray with sand, then cover with foil and replace in ECB.
Back inside, I remove the beef from the marinade with a couple of shakes, then to a disposable tin tray for rub.
Nothing dramatic for the rub. Salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Insert ET-732 food probe.
Outside again, I dump the chimney, place the rub tin on the bottom rack to catch drippings, and position the grill probe on top grate.
Replace ECB body over charcoal pan, and wait for temp..
10:30 AM: 225* and meat goes on fat side up. Do I have to remind everyone again I'm nervous? No? K.
Position the rope gasket around the lid and try to relax.
I am determined to not lift the lid at any time during the cook.
The first time I'll see this disaster is when it's reached temp and ready to pull.
Is it too early for a beverage?
I've resolved not to stress myself out too much over temp. I'll live with anywhere between 225 - 280.
Another "tomato" juice.
12pm: Temp spikes to 316*. Remove ECB body from over charcoal tray. Extinguish chunk flare ups. Replace body. Switch beverage to Jack.
The remaining time was pretty much uneventful. Occasionally added some lump and chunks, caught the trash can on fire....standard stuff.
Yeah.
I had made and inserted a foil pouch containing the remaining contents in a bag of pecan chips, Smoke expired, I removed it from the heat. After a few minutes, found that I could comfortably hold it with my hands, so I placed it on the "shelf" (for lack of a better description) in the refuse company's trash receptacle.
20 minutes later I walk outside. ???Why does it smell like burning plastic??? Grabbed hose. I saved my family from a fiery inferno on that day...
Whoops...lesson learned.
I'll edit later with a pic of the wounded can, Viewer discretion is advised.
EDIT: Here ya go.
Now back to our regular scheduled programming.
Hit the plateau at 168* which lasted for about 40 min. Thanks to this forum, I was prepared to expect this.
Getting close now.
5:30 PM: 190* achieved. Let's have our first look at the disaster, shall we? Fingers crossed.
The smoking gods hath smiled upon me.
Foil > towel > cooler = drink & wait.
7:30 pm: Remove and unwrap.
Finally, the slicing.
Not the most impressive smoke ring ever, but hey, there's no denying it's existence.
7:45 pm: Not a scrap left. The fat rendered perfectly. I did not expect that.
My apologies for the excessively verbose post. I have a boring job.
If you made it this far, thanks for the read.
~Chris
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