Hello Friends!!!

primo · Jul 23, 2010

Hi there My name is Jared, I am totally new to the smoking world. A friend of mine's Dad always used to smoke trout and I fell in love with it then. However that has been 17-18 years ago, I recently decided that I wanted to get into smoking so, I went out looking and found a smoker. It is a brinkman vert smoker I read that sell for around 89 bucks, I picked mine up for $25.00.

It has been cured and used twice, its in awesome condition!!! I know this is a cheap smoker but my wife doesn't want me to spend to much till she can see that I like cause I know I will, but se doesn't.

Anyway she has never had smoked anything, and I really hope to impress her so that I can talk her into letting me buy a better one.

Now down to the brass . . . . . FIRST SMOKE, this weekend I will be pursuing my rise to fame and glory, haha?

I have already made the rookie mistake of inviting some friends and family over. But I hope that is the last I will make!!!

Tonight I have decided (via help from a post i made here yesterday before I saw roll call) to take a test run, 2 pork loin steaks.

I hope by doing this I learn how to keep the temp where it needs to be and all the do's and don'ts of my rig.

CAUSE . . . tomorrow, I will be smoking 2 Tri tip's for clan. I have done a shload of prep and research for the event and I really really hope I can pull it off. Tomorrow is a state holiday for us here in utah called pioneer day, ya know fireworks, friends, family and BEER!!!

Any hoo let me give you some of the details.

First here is the rig

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. . . well it looks just like this one any way. Im sure this is the cheapest rig one could find but . . .

second as per the advice of some of you awesome Smoke Jocks I have purchased a real thermo to put in the smoker.

Still not sure where I will be putting it but I was thinking in the middle of the keg just below where the handle sits about 2-4 inches. The only reason for that is I kinda want to have a decant reading from both grills (top & bottom) and I'm thinking that if I put it there I would get an all right reading for both racks. ???????? what do you think???????

Third. have heard of people throwing a wool blankie over their smokers to help keep in the heat, do you recommend this????

Thanks and anything else you can add will help fosho

THANKS
THANKS
THANKS

celticgladiator · Jul 23, 2010

i put mine in the lid and it seems to work fine and then i bought an over thermo at the grocery store i set right on the bottom rack. i can see it when i crack the door open to add wood chunks. i have heard of people having problems with high readings from the heat that travels up the side of the unit with thermos on the side but i'm not sure. i'm sure some of these guys that have been doing it longer will have more experience. i just did my second smoke and had much better luck with temp control this time. i used to much lump charcoal last time i think. i cut it back and used the minion method this time and it held steady at 250 most of the time. i will get it down yet. best of luck and be sure to post plenty of pics of the tri-tips!

rstr hunter · Jul 23, 2010

I don't know anything about your smoker but it's summertime in Utah so I'd say no on the blankets to hold heat. Most times that is a late fall/early spring/winter issue not a summer issue. Good Luck.

meateater · Jul 23, 2010

Welcome. That is the same smoker I had and worked well. I have upgraded to a UDS but that little smoker will treat you right.

deannc · Jul 23, 2010

Welcome aboard and good luck tomorrow! Sounds like you have a good plan and you'll convince the wife in no time! Don't forget some Qview for us, and oh yeah, save us a beer!

duffman · Jul 24, 2010

Welcome! I had the same little smoker at the start of the spring it it worked great. My wife loved the food that came off of it so I was able to talke her into letting me get a bigger offset one a few weeks back. Have fun, things will only get better from here.

primo · Jul 24, 2010

Thanks guys! Just took the meat of the smoke and it looks great, although the butcher did not cut them like a traditional tri tip cut. I was pretty dissapointed!!!! but after the rub and they looked great, sat for 16 hours in it. They seemed to cook well, however I did learn some tricks on my test run last night. I learned that I needed some more draft to keep the coals hot so I poked some holes in the coal pan, worked great!!! The pork steaks turned out good a little tuff around the edges but the guini pigs loved it.

I will get the Qview from last night and the Qview from today up real soon!!!!!!!!!!!!!

chefrc · Jul 24, 2010

Welcome to the family friend. You will love it here. Lot's of good people and great recipes. Again Welcome

primo · Jul 30, 2010

OK here they come, sorry it took so long my wife let her cousin take the memory card to the camera right after I took them.

First the Thermo mod

Ok and then here is the test run, 5 pork steaks rubbed in Mcormic applewood grilling rub and smoked with a small amount of mesquite wood.

getting ready to come off

Fresh off the grill

First cut

and now . . . . the essentials!

Put some ranch on them taters and grab a pabpts

Lets eat!!!

It was a little dry but full of flavor everyone said they liked it and didn't think it needed to be any juicier, but I would of liked it to be!

primo · Jul 30, 2010

So I just noticed some funny stuff going on in the background of the last "first cut pic" hahahahahaha that could be my first cumin powder fail. hahahaha

primo · Jul 30, 2010

. . . and now the big show.

Freas of the grill, 2 supposed "tri tips" Either the butcher cut them wrong or packaged them wrong but they sure were delicious!!! rubbed in salt, fresh cracked pepper and some garlic and onion powder. they were left to sit in the rub for 16 hours. and then smoked for 5 hours to reach an inside temp of 155* and then rested in foil for 30 minutes.

The first/second cut

MMMMMM all the mouth's in the house were starting to watter!!!

Smaller one looking good.

And here is the big juicy one. well they were both very juicy but this was the big boy one.

Pretty decant smoke ring for my first time, if I do say so my self.

Now for the essentials . . . .

I had to get a back up plate for my rolls. . . . mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

It was a hit I still have a friend and coworker gocking at the pictures and saying can we have some of that for lunch.

Most importantly mom loved it and the wife said it was awesome but she thought it was a little smoky, I think she could just smell me. I still taste like mesquite!!!

primo · Jul 30, 2010

And then with the leftover heat some party poppers to go with the fireworks . . . . . .

Some abt's with the hottest japs I have ever consumed !!!!! mmmmmmmmmmm I seriously still smell like smoke!!!!!!!

YAY!!!

rp ribking · Jul 30, 2010

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

primo · Jul 30, 2010

rp RibKing said:
Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks man.

mrsb · Jul 30, 2010

Love the whole post and the comments with the pics. Just right

raptor700 · Jul 30, 2010

Welcome to SMF...... I can see you will be a great addition to the smokin family

mballi3011 · Jul 31, 2010

First off welcome to SMF there Jared. You look like you have this whole smoking thing down pretty good. It's nice to have new faces here with all the new recipes and methods that you have too. Now if we can help you in any way you just let us know. We are here all day everyday and most nights too.

primo · Aug 5, 2010

MrsB said:
Love the whole post and the comments with the pics. Just right

Thanks man. I like to interject my loud mouth whenever possible.

raptor700 said:
Welcome to SMF...... I can see you will be a great addition to the smokin family

Thanks its great to be here, I will do my damdest to remain a great addition.

mballi3011 said:
First off welcome to SMF there Jared. You look like you have this whole smoking thing down pretty good. It's nice to have new faces here with all the new recipes and methods that you have too. Now if we can help you in any way you just let us know. We are here all day everyday and most nights too.

Thank you thank you, I read on the forum for 5 days before I performed my first smoke, so if it looks like I have it all down it's because of all you guys!!! Since you asked (haha) my second smoke is guna be ribs and a brisket, feel free to shoot me any tips. I finally got all the smoke out of my eyes and my skin doesn't smell like smoke anymore so maybe I should go for it this weekend.

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