Back to smoking from many years off. Un-modded Brinkman, ended up with shoe leather meat.

[clem hooten]

I fired up my Brinkman without the mods for the first time the other day. I smoked a beef roast and pork joint for about 6 hours and for the first time ever I got shoe leather. I used to smoke all the time, now I want to do it again. It's funny, 20 years ago I could smoke anything with a non-modded brinkman and it came out deliciously tender every time. I was wondering if anyone could tell me why my meat was so bad?

Here is what I had going on:

Un modded brinkman.

Wood chips, (burned too fast, need chunks I know).

Rarely got above mid-ideal heat level.

Kept water full but also had carrots/onions/potatoes in the pot.

Is it the fact that it didn't stay hot enough? Was it the wood chips? Was it the water?

Any advice? I bragged to my son that you could smoke shoe leather and it would turn out great. I smoked meat and ended up with shoe leather. :D

Thanks.

 

[demosthenes9]

 
I fired up my Brinkman without the mods for the first time the other day. I smoked a beef roast and pork joint for about 6 hours and for the first time ever I got shoe leather. I used to smoke all the time, now I want to do it again. It's funny, 20 years ago I could smoke anything with a non-modded brinkman and it came out deliciously tender every time. I was wondering if anyone could tell me why my meat was so bad?

Here is what I had going on:

Un modded brinkman.

Wood chips, (burned too fast, need chunks I know).

Rarely got above mid-ideal heat level.

Kept water full but also had carrots/onions/potatoes in the pot.

Is it the fact that it didn't stay hot enough? Was it the wood chips? Was it the water?

Any advice? I bragged to my son that you could smoke shoe leather and it would turn out great. I smoked meat and ended up with shoe leather. :D

Thanks.

Clem, can you provide more specifics ?   What cuts of meat were you smoking ?  What size were they ?  What do you consider "mid-ideal heat level" ?  Did you have many flare ups ?  Details on the thermometer that you were using ?

 

[bookem]

I have the Brinkman too, and haven't done much for mods either.  I know from using external thermometers, the ideal heat is closer to 300 versus the 225-250 range.  I know it would depend on the size of the cuts, but only cooking for 6 hours, I'd be surprised if the meat got warm enough to be pull apart tender.

 

[gary s]

Charcoal Smoker ?    I have and have used an ECB  I started out with one no mods and turned out some mighty fine Q. Brisket takes a long time I never do one less that 12 hours. Charcoal and wood chunks  do the wood up front that is when you want to get the smoke into the meat.

Gary