A few things I learned during yesterday's pork loin smoke.

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bweist

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 24, 2012
33
11
Regina, Sk. Canada
A week or so I posted asking for some help with my wood dust/chip pan catching fire. There were a lot of good suggestions so yesterday, I had a chance to give them a shot.

I raised the pan 1 1/2" higher above the propane burner.  This made no difference, still caught flame.

I used chips instead of dust. Again, no difference.

I placed foil over the pan to cover completely and put the lid on top of that. It worked exceptionally well. Lots of smoke, no flames over 3 fills of the pan.

I have a home built (aka - bills redneck version) of the amnps that I also had sitting on the burner grate just to the left of the chip pan. It was filled with hickory dust. No issues with it catching fire during the 3 1/2hr smoke.

I added a damper to the chimney - this did help with adjusting temperature fluctuations and was quick and easy to adjust.

Foiling the meat part way through the cook is an amazing way to go - I had never tried it before.

I have to get a couple new probes for my ET73 - the original failed and I was lucky enough to have a probe from a cheaper thermometer that worked. Calibration in boiling water showed it 20 degree's higher - 232 vs 212 give or take. I was aiming for 250 or so on the probe given a roughly 20 degree difference. All in all it worked out well. I suspect temps were running 220 - 230 give or take a bit.

I smoked a 7lb pork loin which was cut in half.

One half, I put some bacon rub that we found a couple weeks ago and then wrapped it with a pound of bacon and threw it in.

The other half was covered in mustard then had my rib rub applied. On top was the one remaining strip of bacon.

Full on smoke for 3.5 hrs with a combination of hickory and mesquite. then foiled for another 45min or so.

Both loins were tender and juicy beyond belief.

The smoke ring that developed was I think the best I have produced yet. Thanks in part, I believe to damper.

Using foil will be a must from now on with loins for sure and I plan on trying it with ribs the next time around.

Bill
 
Glad to hear that you had success Bill, it is amazing the little things that make so much difference.  I smoked a loin 1/2 actully, and used my 732 for the first time.  The therm in my Brinkman Pitmaster was 10-15 degrees off which I found amazion, and I took my loin off at 187IT.  I did not foil, used lump and Hickory.  It had good bark and a nice smoke ring.  Used my own rub only, I find EVOO and Mustard makes the rub too thick when applied.  Enough rambling, glad you were successful.  Steve
 
Bill, It sounds like the loin turned out great for you!

Like Steve said it's amazing how little things can make a big difference!

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