1st Time Smoking

[gabby johnson]

  Yesterday was my first time smoking but it won't be my last.  I am already trying to decide what poor animal is getting smoked next weekend.  My neighbor gave me an old Brinkman SNP to mess with and see if I could figure out this smoking thing.  I've been on here for about a week just reading and trying to figure out how to smoke.  I am on day 4 of the 5 day e-course.  Anyway I decided to go with a 5lb pork butt and some chicken quarters.  My wife and I rubbed them both down the night before with a homemade dry rub and I started the fire Saturday morning.  And what a fire it was.  My old SNP got over 500 and it took me a couple hrs to figure it out and get her calmed down enough to smoke. So the butt went on at 11 AM and I actually didn't open the door for 4 hrs!!  Then I had to stoke the fire a little to keep her going.  The chicken went on around 4:30.  At 7 we pulled the butt (IT was 165) and finished it in the oven.  The neighbor that gave me the smoker was coming over for dinner so I had to hurry up a little bit. I had to finish the chicken on my gas grill for a few minutes too.  The butt got to IT 205 and we only let it rest for about 15 minutes, since everybody was getting hungry, before we pulled it and ate supper at 9:30 last night.  But it was worth the wait.  It was delicious and everybody loved the pork and the chicken. 

Old Trusty SNP

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• gabby johnson
• Aug 19, 2012

Before Smoke

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• gabby johnson
• Aug 19, 2012

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• gabby johnson
• Aug 19, 2012

Finished

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• gabby johnson
• Aug 19, 2012

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• gabby johnson
• Aug 19, 2012

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Ah, the Pitmaster. I had a Smoke n Pit with sfb...until I converted it for grilling only...I just haven't decided what to do with the fire box yet...

Fire control is one of the biggest hurdles to learn...I like to start with a small, hot fire and build it up as needed to reach the desired chamber temp. Once you get a bigger fire going, it's pretty tough to get it to slow down, as you discovered.

You had some issues to overcome, and that's to be expected...adapt and overcome...you did just that. First time out of the gate came out looking pretty nice from where I'm sitting!

Nice smoke! Stick with it...every smoke will get easier, and it builds your skill level as well as your comfort in your skills. If you ever find yourself scratching your head wondering what to do next, or if you think you made a wrong turn, give us a shout and we'll see how we can help you.

Eric

 

[bmudd14474]

Great job for the first attempt. Can't wait to see where you go from here.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Real nice job on a first run...JJ

 

[wjordan52]

Congrats on your first smoke! Looks mighty tasty.

 

[scarbelly]

Now that the first one is over you can take a deep breath and relax. Looks like the food came out great and that is the key 

Congrats 

 

[dragonmaster194]

Looks just fine to me, the first of many!!!!!  Steve

 

[gabby johnson]

Thanks for all the compliments.  I think I am going to try a stuffed pork loin this weekend.  I am going to smoke a couple butts and some more chicken quarters for my son's birthday/Labor Day Party.  So this weekend's pork loin will give me some more practice before then. There's nothing like being the only person outside at 6 on a Saturday morning building a fire and smoking some meat and having the neighbors drive by and think your crazy.  I think I'm hooked on this new hobby.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Thanks for all the compliments.  I think I am going to try a stuffed pork loin this weekend.  I am going to smoke a couple butts and some more chicken quarters for my son's birthday/Labor Day Party.  So this weekend's pork loin will give me some more practice before then. There's nothing like being the only person outside at 6 on a Saturday morning building a fire and smoking some meat and having the neighbors drive by and think your crazy.  I think I'm hooked on this new hobby.

One thing to remember with the stuffed loin: once you cut it open and close it up again, it's no longer an intact whole muscle meat, so you need to cook it a bit faster so it passes through the danger-zone temps quick enough (40-140*/4hrs).

I bet if the neighbors only knew what you were up to, they wouldn't be driving by giving you weird looks...they'd be slammin' on the brakes, jumpin' out and asking when it will be done! LOL!!!

Before long, you won't just be hooked, you'll be ADDICTED!!! And, there's no cure, so, you may as well just have fun with it!

Eric

 

[JckDanls 07]

I will suggest that you brine the loin first before cutting open to stuff... It will keep it unbelievably moist.. first smoke looks fantabulous.. it's true.. I'm addicted

 

[dragonmaster194]

The fact of being addicted is true, I am, and may I never recover!  Steve

 

[smokinhusker]

Congrats on a successful and might fine looking meat for your first run!