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  1. pianov

    Thermoworks Billows Operation

    I recently purchased a Thermoworks Smoke X2 BBQ Thermometer Alarm. I also purchased their Billows Temperature Control Fan Kit. I tried it out this morning on my smoker. The temperature in the cook chamber (CC) was 215 F and I set the desired high temperature to 250. Reading the instructions, it...
  2. pianov

    Firebox Wood Management Experiment Today

    I am conducting an experiment today trying to maintain a small hot fire rather than the very large cooler (I suppose) fires that I've used for the past 25 years or so. I wrote a post a few weeks ago when first thinking of doing this. Link is below...
  3. pianov

    Optimal Fire Management Approach for Stick Burner

    I am contemplating a radial new approach (for me) to firebox fire management on my smoker. I have a medium sized masonry smoker that I've used for the past 25 years or so. It is an offset design (fire box to the side of cook chamber). My method of building my fire has been to fill the fire box...
  4. pianov

    Flame Boss Firebox Controller

    Has anyone installed and used a Flame Boss firebox controller? I just stumbled across this unit today while surfing the internet. I have a wood-fired manually controlled offset masonry smoker. It holds temp pretty well after it is warmed up, but really good control like it seems this type of...
  5. pianov

    Ribs: A Bit on the Dry Side - Why?

    I love baby back pork ribs cooked on my smoker. But they always tend to come out a bit dry. They are good, but I sure wish I could make them come out a bit more moist. I smoke on a wood-fired masonry smoker with very good temperature control. I usually smoke them between 200 and 230 degrees for...
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 31
    • Forum: Pork
  6. pianov

    Ribs, Beans and Potato Salad - what a combo!

    Taking a break from work today to smoke three slabs of ribs. Ribs upstairs, beans downstairs and potato salad in the fridge. It's about 1 PM here in Florida right now, should be tasting the delight by 5 PM. Yum!
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 21
    • Forum: Pork
  7. pianov

    Brisket - What To Do When It Seems Done

    This is my first brisket. Put my 13 lb. whole brisket into my offset stick burner at midnight, it is now 11:30 AM (11-1/2 hours later). Wrapped it at 8 AM with IT at 165. Kept smoker at about 220 - 230 or so. Point IT is 201, flat IT is 205. Poke test in point: like soft butter. Poke test in...
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 6
    • Forum: Beef
  8. pianov

    Brisket First-Timer - A Few Questions

    I've smoked gobs and gobs of ribs, butts, turkeys, etc. over the past 20 years, but never a beef brisket. I'm planning on brisket for my birthday dinner this Sunday. My smoker is an offset masonry stick burner that works very well. Cook time - From reading other posts and recipes, it seems to...
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 19
    • Forum: Beef
  9. pianov

    Baked Beans - Mushy Beans

    I made baked beans last weekend to compliment the wonderful baby back ribs I smoked. I have made the same baked bean recipe numerous time before with excellent results. This time however, the beans were very mushy - making for something resembling a paste rather than actual beans. I've always...
  10. pianov

    Temperature Zones in Cooking Chamber

    I have a masonry offset smoker where the cooking chamber is about 24" long, 18" wide and 36" tall. My main grate where I put most food is at the half-way point height-wise. I'm smoking several slabs of pork ribs today. As usual, the temperature just below the meat is about 40 degrees warmer than...
  11. pianov

    Super Fire Door Gasket!

    Put a new door on my 20 year old brick smoker a year or two ago and used a round gasket that was glued in place. It finally fell off recently. Wanted something better. So I bought an ultra-high temp flanged gasket from McMaster Carr (Ultra High-Temperature Flange-Mount Rope Edge Seal, 1-1/2"...
  12. pianov

    Firebox Door Gasket Emergency-ish

    Plan is to smoke a bunch of baby-back pork ribs for daughter-in-law B-day today in my wood fired offset masonry smoker. I opened the steel door to my firebox and the door gasket fell off. I've got two questions: First is a request for any suggestions for what to do today. There is quite a gap...
  13. pianov

    HELP!!! Hail Mary Pass on Hamburger Grinding Question

    I am going to grill hamburgers for my son for his birthday today (like in an hour). I am grinding my own beef (chuck roast) for the first time with a manual LEM grinder. The grinder came with two plates - one with 3/8" holes and the other with 3/16" holes. From what I read, a coarse grind with a...
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 11
    • Forum: Beef
  14. pianov

    Country-Style Ribs Done Temp.

    I'm following Jeff's recipe for country-style ribs. He states 180 degrees F as done. Being that these "ribs" are actually sliced pork butt, why wouldn't you want t take them up to 205 F or so for maximum tenderness? Thoughts? Terry on Tampa Bay
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 11
    • Forum: Pork
  15. pianov

    Wood Pre-Burn Chimney Starter Project - It Works!

    I have a wood-fired masonry smoker. A load of wood in the firebox generally will last about six hours or so - but that includes the first two hours or so when a lot of thick white smoke is being produced. So I really only get four hours of smoking meat out of my first firebox wood load. I really...
  16. pianov

    Wood Pre-Burner Project - It Works!

    I have a wood-fired masonry smoker. A load of wood in the firebox generally will last about six hours or so - but that includes the first two hours or so when a lot of thick white smoke is being produced. So I really only get four hours of smoking meat out of my first firebox wood load. I really...
  17. pianov

    Thermometer Placement in Smoker - WOW, it makes a difference!

    I have a masonry wood-fired smoker (picture below). It has two shelves for meat - one just above where the hot smoke enters the cooking chamber and the other half way up. I almost always put my meat on the upper shelf. I have long had my temperature sensor about five or six inches above the...
  18. pianov

    Pulled Pork Sandwich - Serve w/ Sauce???

    I've smoked a gazillion pork butts over the years, but I have always eaten it as just plain pork - never added sauce and not really ever eaten it as a sandwich.   I will be smoking three or four butts this weekend to serve to a large group. I wish to serve the pork as sandwiches. Never having...
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 6
    • Forum: Pork
  19. pianov

    Iron Grate Lifter/Handler

    I have three cast iron grates that serve to support most food items I place in my masonry wood-fired smoker. They have always been difficult to handle - dirty mostly. I used to grab them with a pair of channel locks - works, but have been lucky I haven't had one slip out. Well, actually one did...
  20. pianov

    Pork Loin & Leg of Lamb cooking times

    I'll be smoking a 7.5 lb. leg of lamb and a 6.8 lb. pork loin (cut in half) today. I will be pulling them both off at the medium-rare state at about 140 degrees F. I will be using my Maverick remote thermometer and double checking with my Thermapen to determine doneness. Smoker will be kept...
    • pianov
    • Thread
    • Replies: 2
    • Forum: Pork
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