Need help with 12 lb prime packer

[husker3in4]

I was going to go with a flat for Christmas dinner, but I got a good deal at Costco for a full prime packer, so here we are. We want to eat it Christmas day around 4. Im guessing I should use a rough estimate of 1.5 hrs per pound, which would put me at an 18 hr smoke, then add 4 hours to that for resting. Which means I would put it on the smoker tonight around 6pm. Does that sound about right? I will be smoking around 235 degrees, hickory wood.

My other question is Ive never done a packer before, and Ive read about some people separating them before the smoke, or once it hits a certain temp, or waiting until after the smoke to separate. Which would give me the best shot at a tender flat? Im more concerned with tender slices than with the point. Also, not sure exactly where to separate it? Im not planning on trimming any fat at all, just using some rub and throwing it on the smoker.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please remove

 

[husker3in4]

Well the packer was too big for my Brinkmann vertical electric smoker. I wasnt planning on it, but I had to separate the flat from point, I sure hope I did it right. Got both seasoned up and put into the smoker. I put the flat on the lower rack, right above the water pan (full of water). The point is on the upper rack.

Here is my problem, its cold and windy (15 degrees, with the wind its 5 degrees) and the smoker is having a hard time getting to temp. Its around 150 right now, which is ok I guess as it will take in more smoke at lower temp. I insulated the smoker as best I could. How long should I give it to see if it can get to the 235 I want it at? My other option is an MES. Its better insulated so it shouldnt have an issue keeping temp. I like the brinkmann more because it uses actual wood and gets better smoke flavor.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please remove

 

[husker3in4]

Well i put enough insulation around it that it got to temp, maybe even a little high at 245. About 2 hours later the flat was already reading 158 so I removed the insulation and now the smoker is down to about 210. Ill watch it for the next couple of hours. Is it ok like this? Suggestions?

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please remove

 

[husker3in4]

So is it better that the temp is too high? or a little low? It doesnt have a digital setting, its either on or off.

 

[PerazziMx14]

Please remove

 

[husker3in4]

Ok, time for some Q View! Before I post pics, an update on the smoke. Apparently I put it in too early, as I didnt realize separating the flat and point would cut the cooking time. My Thermopro thermometer also quit on me, it would show the temp on the probe, but wouldnt transmit it inside - thus I wouldnt get the alarm that it hit temp for me to start sticking toothpicks in it. So I woke up at 9:30am, rushed to smoker to find the meat at 213 degrees! I pulledit out and my toothpick slid into it easily. Great! But now I had to hold it til 4pm. It sat in a cooler with towels until 2, then i put it in the oven at 150 degrees to make sure it wouldnt fall below that. When I sliced it at 4, it actually sliced pretty good - EXCEPT the side the was down for the whole smoke was hard as leather for about 1/8 of an inch. Besides that, the meat was tender, but not that juicy. Im guessing that is because I overcooked it.

The tough part was the non fat cat side, I cooked it fat side up. It was sitting in my vertical smoker right above the water pan (which was full) so I figured it would be safe. Would it be better next time to cook it on the upper rack, farther from the heat? and/or fat side down to act as a heat shield? Or would not overcooking it solve all those problems?

Now for the Q-view:



The last pic has the burnt ends on it as well, which were excellent (besides the few that were crispy)

 

[troutman]

From the look of things doesn't seem to have turned out too badly. My only comment would be that at a temperature of 213* you may have overshot the sweet spot, but if it was toothpick tender perhaps not. But THEN you held it all day in a cooler and the oven which may have added to the over cooked, leathery bark. Not too bad otherwise from what I can see, just try to catch it a little earlier.

As far as the fat cap, I usually cook with it down to act as a heat shield. Everyone has an opinion one way or the other, conventional wisdom has the fat cap up so the fat drips into and bastes the meat. If you consider the fact that meat is about 65% water and the fat is almost 100% oil, well oil and water don't mix so the basting argument seems more myth then fact. But either way, I think in your case the timing was the issue, not the position of the fat cap.

 

[husker3in4]

Yeah, I was also thinking the main issue was that I probably over shot it by a couple of hours.
Im wondering tho, how would resting create the leathery layer? I would think that would come from heat, and its dropping temp while in rest.

I will def go fat cap down next time, I usually do it that way for butts anyway. Ive seen people suggest putting the meat on the rack thats closest to the water pan. What is the purpose of that? Could that have contributed to the leather side since that was the side that was down?

The flavor was right there, so it wasnt a total lost cause, even got a bit of a smoke ring there that I could never get with my MES using pellets.