Hola Amigos!

[blodzoo]

New guy from Seattle here.  I don't have a smoker yet.  About once every 6 months, I get the idea that I want to buy a smoker, then I do some research and forget about it.  Today I ran into a good deal in a store and it got my brain spinning with ideas for 4th of July. 

Before I pull the trigger, I'm trying to find the answer to this question:  http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/144142/about-to-buy-a-camp-chef-vault-18

The more I browse this site, the more determined I become to get a smoker, so if that's not the right one for me, I'll figure something else out. 

Thanks, new friends.

 

[seenred]

Welcome to the forums! Glad you've joined us. You've found a great place to learn and share ideas on our favorite pastimes...grilling, smoking, and curing great food! There are lots of friendly and knowledgeable folks here who really enjoy helping one another. Just ask any time you need help and you'll get plenty!

I don't have any personal experience with the Smoke Vault, but I've heard good things about them. Good luck, and be sure to let us know what you decide to get!

Red

 

[s2k9k]

:welcome1: to SMF!!! We're happy you found us! You've come to the right place, we have over 50,000 members who just love to share their experience and over 900,000 posts describing it!

The search bar at the top can be your best friend when you are trying to find answers to your questions but you can still ask too if you want!

We have an Articles section that is full of great information about smoking to include a lot of recipes and instructionals. Check it out there is a lot to learn in there!

Would you do us a favor and add your location to your profile, it helps others to know where you are when they offer advice, Thanks!

You might want to check out Jeff's Free 5 day E-Course, it will teach you all the basics plus a whole lot more!

 

[kathrynn]

to SMF!  We are so glad you joined us!

If you didn't read the Terms of Service notes.....please do.  There are a few things that everyone should know about those pesky little rules before plunging into the forums. Rule #11......"Off Site Links are not allowed here at SMF" is something new. There are other simple guidelines for all of us to remember as we interact here.

If you need any help roaming around the forums....just holler!  Happy to help out!

Kat

 

[mneeley490]

 Welcome, neighbor!

Once you get bitten by the smoking bug, I'm afraid there is no cure. Of course, no one wants to be cured. So do some research into what smoker will work for you, and then pull the trigger! You'll be glad you did.

Mike

 

[blodzoo]

Thanks for the replies.  I pulled the trigger on the Camp Chef Smoke Vault 18".  Built it last night, seasoned it today.  Got a couple buddies coming over tomorrow to throw some meat on it and see what happens.  Hopefully we can come up with something delicious to make for a party this weekend.
 

 

[seenred]

Thanks for the replies.  I pulled the trigger on the Camp Chef Smoke Vault 18".  Built it last night, seasoned it today.  Got a couple buddies coming over tomorrow to throw some meat on it and see what happens.  Hopefully we can come up with something delicious to make for a party this weekend.
 

Congrats on the new toy!  Be sure to show us some pics of that rig in action!

Red

 

[blodzoo]

First smoke was a pork butt yesterday.  It turned out "ok", not amazing.  It didn't pull very easily, it was still a little tough. I'm calling it a tasty mistake.

Things I think we did wrong:

I think we just didn't give it enough time, so at the end we bumped up the temp to get it cooked.

probably had the door open too much for peeking, adding wood, checking the internal thermometer (the external thermometer doesn't seem right, I'll have to calibrate that before next time). 

We let the water pan dry up once and the temp shot up to 350

I'm trying again today with 2 butts. I started nice and early, used more rub and I'm trying harder to keep the door closed. 
 

 

[mneeley490]

You do know you cook by temperature, not time, right? If you want a pull-apart tender butt, you cook until the internal temperature of the meat is at 195°-205°, no matter how long it takes. It gets done when it gets done. And "if you're lookin', you're not cookin'".

Check the numerous other threads on here. Many people, myself included, will smoke until it hits about 165°, then wrap it in foil and continue until hits the desired temp. This softens the bark, but will speed up the cooking time, and leave you with a very juicy pork butt.

You can also inject it with various fluids to change the flavor. Many folks use apple juice, bbq sauce, or their own mixtures. I have had great success with a mixture of rub, apple sauce, and bbq sauce. Also, heated grape jelly makes a good injection. It leaves a sweet flavor, but you won't taste the grape.

Hope this helps, and happy smoking!