First smoke with Qview

[packerfannate]

I posted this in another forum but didn't get any response so I am reposting it here.

When I went to the grocery store to get the meat they were out of pork tenderloin so I got a pork shoulder instead.

Some comments on my first time.

1)  I really wish I had read the article on how to modify the Brinkiman smoker before I tried this.

2)  I had a really hard time getting the heat high enough and keeping it high enough.  At least I think I did, there is no real temperature guage.

3)  I really like the chimney charcoal lighter.  I have cooked dutch oven for many years and wish I had made this purchase years ago.

So here is how it turned out

This is after 6 hours in brine and after the dry rub has been applied.



This one is after about 5 hours in the smoker, I just couldn't get it over 136 degrees so I decided to finish it in the oven (is this cheating?)



The finished product - whole



The finished product - cut





In the end the taste was phenominal.  Unfortunately I was too sick to eat much of it.  My dad loved it and my mom didn't (she doesn't care for the "smokey" flavor.

Any thoughts?

 

[tilly42681]

nice smoke ring. and yes finishing in the oven is cheating. but keep practicing.

 

[smoke 2 geaux]

Something to be aware of.  For food safety reasons, you need to get your meat above 140 degrees in 4 hours. Go ahead and do those mods, and you should be able to maintain the kind of temps that you need to get that done.  And, as you found out, the only thing that brinkman temp gauge is good for, is plugging up a hole in the smoker.  Not a bad run though, for a first time out.  It only gets better from here.

Good Luck

 

[les3176]

Yeah 5 hours and it only got to 136...thats to close for comfort for me.Nxt timr if you don't think your donna hit 140 in four hours,pull it early and put it in the oven.Better to be safe than sorry.There are lots of threads here with mods so read read read,Good luck

 

[mballi3011]

Well you are still learning so we forgive you for the oven. It won't be long before you are an pro at this whole thing. You might want to sign up for the E-Course it's free and it will give you alot of helpful hints in fire maintenance and just all around basics of smoking. It pretty good I took it and I had been smoking for years and it taught me a few things to. Then the longer that you are here you will be getting some of the best recipe and methods that will make you look like a pro in no time.

 

[raptor700]

It looks Great!

What temp did you pull at? It sliced up very well.

I would have concern about the 136º in 5hrs

Get yourself a good thermo and do a few mods and you'll be fine

Looks like you're off to a great start! Keep it up my friend

 

[wylie]

Quick question, did you have the butt in the pan inside the smoker? or did you take it out of the smoker and put it into the pan for the oven?

If you had the pan in the smoker I would not do this next time. Just put the shoulder right onto the grates. If you want to catch the dripping just put the pan under the grates.

I see you do have a probe thermo, just get another one to keep track of your smokers temps. You can just put the probe through a potato and set it on the grate next to your butt and you will have a grate level thermo temp.

It does look like you were getting good smoke as the smoke ring looks like it was coming along nicely!

 

[culpepersmoke]

Looks like you are getting all the right advice and cautions. All I can add is Welcome and keep trying.

 

[SmokinAl]

With all your problems it looks like it turned out well. Like the others said the only concern was the temp at 5 hours. It was a good move to finish it in the oven. Each time it gets a little easier. Good luck with the next one.

 

[boykjo]

Yeah 5 hours and it only got to 136...thats to close for comfort for me.Nxt timr if you don't think your donna hit 140 in four hours,pull it early and put it in the oven.Better to be safe than sorry.There are lots of threads here with mods so read read read,Good luck

I agree with les but I would think your ok being you brined it but next time i would do a 24+ hr brine and get it to 140 by 4hrs

looks good from here. What was the final temp you pulled it. Thats funny using your parents as the guinea pigs.... Nice excuse about being sick  

Hi, meet my mom and dad