Recent content by FFchampMT

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  1. FFchampMT

    blossom end rot

    How's your watering schedule? If you think your calcium is sufficient you might be under watering a little. How's your pH? Higher pH means more available calcium.
  2. FFchampMT

    Brisket on Treager 780

    The lower the temp you cook brisket on a pellet smoker the longer it takes. That's it. You don't get better smoke flavor or a better brisket cooking 180 vs 250. The only variable is your rub and bark formation. 250 is right on the edge of burning sugary rubs. If you're running a simple S&P or...
  3. FFchampMT

    Last straw with GMG

    The gmg auger is the bane of its existence. Dry pellets, new auger motor, I even pulled the auger and ground the edge of the rotors down about 1/8" the entire length, no differences. Jams on startup, jams mid cook sometimes. I have a special hammer that sits next to it to rap on the feed tube...
  4. FFchampMT

    Overnight Brisket Cook - My Game Plan

    Standard advice - brisket is done when it's probe tender all around. That could be at 199, 201, or 203. "Knife thru butter is when you cut 'er"
  5. FFchampMT

    Brining a small, 3 lb pork shoulder roast for ham

    2 or 3 days of brining is appropriate cure time for a piece of meat ~1.5" thick. That seems extremely short for even half a pork butt. Overbrined would be something you could taste if you just did a standard brine like Pop's- saltiness. I am an ardent supporter of EQ Brining, you leave it cure...
  6. FFchampMT

    Be aware if you buy a Thermoworks Billows...

    The 12v power adapter came with my Signals to charge/power it. The same one works with billows, it comes with a USB c splitter.
  7. FFchampMT

    MES 40 Upgrade

    Did this conversion on my 40" Adventure Series a few weekends ago and it went really well. I have the wifi version and the app is... acceptable. Did an excellent job on summer sausage, barely any case hardening compared to the factory controller.
  8. FFchampMT

    Pizza stone as heat deflector got soaked in pork fat

    That pizza stone can handle higher temps than anything a backyard BBQ setup can throw at it. Put your bbq grill on high, throw it in, and let 700 degrees do its thing for an hour. It's probably going to be permanently discolored, but it will be functional and anything organic will be gone.
  9. FFchampMT

    Charcoal Smokers and Wood Chunk Amounts, Does It Really Make Sense?

    This thought string has plagued me for a few years, so maybe some more experienced pit masters can lend a hand. Why is the general consensus to only put 4 or 5 chunks (tennis ball size) of flavor wood in your coals for long burns when cooking with charcoal? Stick burners run all wood, all the...
  10. FFchampMT

    Is Your Costco Membership Worth It

    Billings Costco member here - they are generally well stocked and prices are competitive. It seems ribs kind of come and go between baby backs, st Louis, and "loin on" ribs. Pork belly is usually pretty thin. My only bone to pick is that if you make pulled pork there's no bone to pick, their...
  11. FFchampMT

    Extension pipe?

    If the actual smoke is coming in your house I think it would be respectful to ask him to reposition the smoker or extend the chimney, but there's probably not much he can do about it, he's trying to create smoke. If the smell, but not the actual smoke, is your concern you're probably out of...
  12. FFchampMT

    Chicken-N-Dumplins

    Excellent recipe, fresh thyme in the dough is the best. I am #TeamFlatDumpling though
  13. FFchampMT

    Featured Scortched casings, how do I prevent this ???

    I get this same thing occasionally. Are you using a smoke tube or tray? I usually tent over my tube with tinfoil and it helps, you could also use your bottom rack and put tinfoil under your sausages as well. I think, as you suspect, there's higher heat radiating from the heat deflector and/or...
  14. FFchampMT

    Realtime 14th May - First Brisket - The Disaster Unfolds

    The biggest feedback I can give you is that 200 doesn't necessarily mean "done". When you poke it with the probe in a few places and it goes in smooth "like a knife through butter" it's done. Could be 200, 201, 203, I've had done briskets at 196. Temp is a guide, feel determines when you pull it.
  15. FFchampMT

    Its one of those odd brisket days...always a ride

    I've gotten used to sub $3-ish/pound brisket the last year it pains me to see the $4.29-$4.50 price at Sam's and Costco right now. Granted we're talking only paying an extra $20, but still, I wouldn't throw a $20 bill on the ground.
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