Got the Bug!!!

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johnbphotos

Fire Starter
Original poster
Oct 8, 2010
74
11
Lowell, MI
Hello everyone,

After reading a few posts it was clear to me that there are a lot of nice people here who all share the same passion.

I started smoking/bbq-ing about a year ago when I visited my son at a contest in Fresno, CO

I've been hooked ever since.

In the future, I have several questions to ask but I'll read through the posts first to see if my questions have already been answered.

This weekend I'm doing a brisket (~7lb), pork butt (~7lb) and sausage.

I got creative with my grill and just recently added a firebox. Amazing what a sawzall and drill can do lol

I've posted a few pics with this to get opinions from anyone who cares to comment.

Thank you and am looking forward to learning and eating well :)

~johnb

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Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks, great recipes and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.
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Welcome to the board John!  The grill mod looks like it should work just fine for you.  Let us know how that smoke turns out for ya!

Mac
 
Thanks Meateater and Mr. Mac.

Today I spend prepping the brisket and butt so they're ready by midnight. I'm planning on smoking both for around 12 hours ~200-225. Hopefully that's enough. Last time (was my first) that I smoked a pork butt it almost had a mushy consistency. Any idea why? One reason I suspect is I let it rest way too long... was up all night alone and fell asleep around 3pm after the meat came off. It rested for close to 2 1/2 hours :/

I'm using competition grade kingsford with mesquite chunks. Will be adding smoke for the first 3-4 hours then just charcol till my meat reaches ~185.

I wanted to use wood but my roommate said it would come out too smokey tasting.

Anyhow, there is my agenda. Please let me know if I'm doing anything wrong or could do things better cuz that's a lot of meat to waste LOL

Thanks again,

JohnB
 
Welcome John!

I use a watt burner, so I can't help on some of your questions.

I do have a roommate that says the same thing as your roommate says. 

Married to her for nearly 42 years! 

"It's too smokey." "It's too smokey"

"Shaaat-up!!" 
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No I didn't say that---I just thought it. 
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Bear
 
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First off Welcome John to SMF. you'll like it here for there are alot of really good folks here that would just love to help you with just about anything to do with smoking. Now there are alot of proven recipes for some amazing things here too. So the next big thing for you to do is go out and get you something to smoke and if you happen to have any questions just post it here and we will be happy to answer them for you.

Welcome To Your New Addiction  
 
Thanks for the input.

Bear, I was married to my roommate for 13 years... long story LOL

Mballi, I was in Jacksonville two weeks ago and will be coming back. I was staying on Neptune Beach but will be staying closer to the airport this go-around. probably 3 weeks from now or so. I travel all the time and smoking and photography are my "personal time" passions.
 
Welcome John

I would take the butt to around 205 for sure. I like to foil at 165 then I wrap in towels and put in a dry ice chest for a couple of hours. I do the same for brisket but if I am slicing I pull it around 190 . If I am shredding I will go to 205

Good luck 
 
Ok, so foil at 165, pull and towel wrap and ice chest at 205 for the butt

then the brisket I separated the flat from the point and plan on pulling the point and slicing the flat.

So, rest the point at 205 and rest the flat at 190?

Thanks!!!!!
 
I got hooked last winter, we hand gone steelhead fishing and I won Big Chief smoker at a benefit dinner. After using it a couple of times I bought the 40 MES.  Electric has been easier for me, my grill I have a hard time controling the temperature. I respect the Sawzall, looks great!!!!!  
 
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Hello John, I would agree with your roomate that using straight mesquite wood for a fire would be too smokey. Mesquite is very strong smoke. If you want to try just wood I would go with oak or hickory mixed with apple wood. Just remember with any smoke, you want a thin blue smoke, not a heavy white smoke.

Good luck with you cook!
 
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Hi John, Welcome to SMF, Glad to have you with us.
 


This is the place to learn, lots of good info and helpful friendly Members.
 


For those of you new to Smoking, be sure to check out Jeff's 5 Day Smoking Basics eCourse.

Click Here it's "FREE" ... 5 Day eCourseE
 
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Welcome to the SMF, and congrats on the mod update on your smoker. It really looks nice. It's all good my friend..
 
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Hey John,

Welcome to the SMF! Great group of people here to give advice freely when needed. I have an offset similar to yours. I hope to be using it (along with a vertical smoker) several times every week. The Surgeon General was so right ... smoking is very addicting!! 
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Brad
 
Welcome john,

 Do not pull the point ! Search the site for, burnt ends . make these one time and your hooked for life.
 
Thanks again everyone for the welcomes.

This is so different than some places where everything is so secretive. It's nice to see people sharing the passion, not keeping it to themselves.
 
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