Food Prep Day on the Kettle

[Nate52]

It's well into Fall here, so the chances of doing long cooks outside are going to come to an end soon. And this is my last free weekend until mid Novemeber. So i figured I might as well do a food prep day for lunches. First, chuckies are on sale so I grabbed a couple of those. The first has a tried and true SPOG mixture that I've been using on tri tips all summer. The second is a different SPOG ratio plus paprika. I split them each into two so they could take more of the rub and slice better.

The plan was to take them to 190 so they're still sliceable for sandwiches. But now I'm figuring I might as well leave one of each on to pull.

Put them on at about 9:45 with the kettle running about 212. The outside temp is struggling to get over 40 this morning. It's a sunny day, so I'm hoping the I can get the temp up a little more. It's only my second time using the snake method, and never when it was cold out. So it might be risky and I might have to finish them in the oven.

I also have a pork loin brining in the fridge to go on this afternoon. If the chuckies are off by then, I might swap out the hickory chunks for apple.

 

[SmokinAl]

Good start Nate!
I’m in!
Al

 

[JLeonard]

Looks mighty good to start!
Jim

 

[Nate52]

Almost 4 1/2 hours in and internal temps are around 140. I've had moments where it's getting over 250, but staying mostly in the teens.

Thinking about resetting and using a basket to get the temps higher.

 

[indaswamp]

I'm in! I like the way you think!! Looking good so far.

 

[chopsaw]

Thinking about resetting and using a basket to get the temps higher.

Maybe rake the line of coals into pile and add some to that .

 

[Nate52]

Maybe rake the line of coals into pile and add some to that .

Thanks. I guess that was almost too obvious of a solution. Much easier than pulling the entire grate screwing around with a basket.

Already up to 273 and climbing.

 

[chopsaw]

I guess that was almost too obvious of a solution. Much easier than pulling the entire grate screwing around with a basket.

More like I've been there too . Lol . I was gonna suggest lighting the other end of the snake , but sounds like you really need a heat boost .

 

[Nate52]

More like I've been there too . Lol . I was gonna suggest lighting the other end of the snake , but sounds like you really need a heat boost .

The snake was getting close to the end, anyway. This worked great. Thanks.

 

[Nate52]

Now that I have the kettle running in the 290s, it's time to add the pork loin. I did this for my first cook when I built my wood sided smoker last summer. The brine is from a pork chop cook that Chilerelleno posted a while back. Water, salt, peppercorns, garlic powder, dried minced onion, and oregano.

They brined for about 20 hours and were rinsed. Then they were dusted with Lawry's, more garlic powder, and more oregano.

I'll run these until they hit 140. They usually finish at 145 by the time they're done resting.

 

[mneeley490]

Looks good!

 

[chopsaw]

Looks great ! . Start adding 4 or 5 coals every 30 minutes or on the hour . You can just let them fall through the side of the grate . Don't wait until the temp drops to much .

 

[Nate52]

The wind is starting to pick up and the temp is dropping. Just pulled the loins and wrapped in foil on the counter. They'll sit there for a couple hours until they get moved into the spare fridge for the night. I'll slice and package tomorrow night.

The chuckies are starting to get a nice bark and still going in the mid 150s. The wife texted me from the store and asked me to put some bacon in the oven to go with dinner. Should be about the right timing then to take them out and wrap to finish in the oven.

 

[Nate52]

 

[gmc2003]

Looks good, why not cook the bacon on the kettle? It's already hot.

Chris

 

[tbern]

Wow, everything is looking very good!!

 

[indaswamp]

Awesome cook! Ya done good!!

 

[Nate52]

Looks good, why not cook the bacon on the kettle? It's already hot.

Chris

Thanks.

I definitely do that every now and then. But whatever she's cooking, I'm not messing with her recipe.

 

[Nate52]

Wow, everything is looking very good!!

Thanks

 

[Nate52]

Awesome cook! Ya done good!!

Thanks