I'm Tom, from Archdale, NC. I've been smoking pork butts and shoulders for about 16 years, or so, on a Brinkmann horizontal smoker with an offset firebox.
I guy I used to work with, got me interested in BBQ'ing - he had a gas smoker and made some pretty decent Q on it. At the time, I couldn't afford anything the size he had, but Lowes or Home Depot had their Brinkmanns on sale, so I snagged one up. I had fun seasoning it, and then thought I was ready to barbecue. I ruined a picnic, and a whole chicken before I found an early online smoking site, that detailed some modifications I could make to the Brinkmann to make it more efficient, as well as a lot of information about woods, preburning, cooking times, etc. So I got a decent temp gauge, extended the smoke stack down into the cooking chamber below where the meat sets, and put a piece of flashing over the firebox hole, to block the direct heat from over cooking one side of the meat. Then I was on my way to some successful butts.
Early on, I would keep a fire going on the side, and shovel coals into the firebox every now and then, but realized that I was burning through a lot of wood for a small butt. Then I got the idea to bust up my wood into small chunks, burn them down to coals in the chimney starter, then dump'em into the firebox. That was a lot more efficient, but a lot of work. No rest the entire cook time. About 3 or 4 years ago, I finally bought a couple of bags of Royal Oak lump, and that's how I cook now. I'll still bust up a little hickory or pecan and toss a nugget or two into the firebox for a little extra smoke, but I love using the RO lump now! I threw in some RO briquettes last weekend, to hold the temp a little more steady for a longer time, but still used plenty of lump.
I haven't even scratched the surface of this forum yet, but right now, one of the things I'm interested in trying is a brisket with a nice dry rub. I'm also interested in getting a nice upright smoker. A guy I used to tailgate with a few years ago made some real nice brisket on his upright. It was so tender and juicy... mmmm.
I'm looking forward to learning a lot here, and sharing a little, too. Here are some pics of my smoker, and a shoulder I did 3 years ago, 4 hours into the cook. I ended up cooking it for 10 hours, and it just pulled apart so perfectly.
I guy I used to work with, got me interested in BBQ'ing - he had a gas smoker and made some pretty decent Q on it. At the time, I couldn't afford anything the size he had, but Lowes or Home Depot had their Brinkmanns on sale, so I snagged one up. I had fun seasoning it, and then thought I was ready to barbecue. I ruined a picnic, and a whole chicken before I found an early online smoking site, that detailed some modifications I could make to the Brinkmann to make it more efficient, as well as a lot of information about woods, preburning, cooking times, etc. So I got a decent temp gauge, extended the smoke stack down into the cooking chamber below where the meat sets, and put a piece of flashing over the firebox hole, to block the direct heat from over cooking one side of the meat. Then I was on my way to some successful butts.
Early on, I would keep a fire going on the side, and shovel coals into the firebox every now and then, but realized that I was burning through a lot of wood for a small butt. Then I got the idea to bust up my wood into small chunks, burn them down to coals in the chimney starter, then dump'em into the firebox. That was a lot more efficient, but a lot of work. No rest the entire cook time. About 3 or 4 years ago, I finally bought a couple of bags of Royal Oak lump, and that's how I cook now. I'll still bust up a little hickory or pecan and toss a nugget or two into the firebox for a little extra smoke, but I love using the RO lump now! I threw in some RO briquettes last weekend, to hold the temp a little more steady for a longer time, but still used plenty of lump.
I haven't even scratched the surface of this forum yet, but right now, one of the things I'm interested in trying is a brisket with a nice dry rub. I'm also interested in getting a nice upright smoker. A guy I used to tailgate with a few years ago made some real nice brisket on his upright. It was so tender and juicy... mmmm.
I'm looking forward to learning a lot here, and sharing a little, too. Here are some pics of my smoker, and a shoulder I did 3 years ago, 4 hours into the cook. I ended up cooking it for 10 hours, and it just pulled apart so perfectly.
