Never cooked on an offset smoker. What should I cook first?

[Brokenhandle]

That whole idea of biscuits placed through out the smoker is a great one and works really well! Unless you have several probes that are calibrated and you can guarantee as spot on.

Ryan

 

[Daba's BBQ]

7/14 - 8:28 am EST

Good morning everyone

I am in the process of smoking a 5-pound pork butt. I placed it on the grill around 7 am after the temps hit around 275-285 degrees. It has now been cooking for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I am using three probes. One in the pork and the other two monitoring the temps in two different locations under the hood. Currently, those probes are reading 246 & 259. The temp on the hood gauge reads 325.

The temps drop constantly and since 7 am, I have added 3 chunks of post oak and a second helping of lump charcoal. At this rate, I'' go through an entire bag of charcoal and one 10-pound of wood. Is such fluctuation normal? Is this the amount of wood and charcoal I will be going through every single time I want to cook? If so, it seems like a huge waste of money and time.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thank you.

Peace

PS Since I finished typing this, the temps dropped to 212 & 225

 

[sawhorseray]

Running an offset isn't going to be a cheap deal in the city if you have no way to go out and cut your own wood. I live in the desert, hardwood trees don't grow in the desert.

To run my SQ36 offset I had to buy bags of wood locally or have them delivered from Cabela's. Smoking a porkbutt I'd usually go thru a 50lb bag of hickory, sometimes more. That was one of the major factors in my deciding to get rid of it last fall and replace it with a 26" Weber kettle. No two ways around it, you can buy yourself a truck and a chainsaw, or just order some wood and lump it, wood ain't free. So smoking a 8lb porkbutt would typically take about $35 and 10-11 hours. RAY

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[rbnice1]

Last cook I did was a short tip cook and in the 3.5 hours I had the smoker going I used half a chimney of charcoal to start it then like 8 - 10 full splits.

 

[jcam222]

That whole idea of biscuits placed through out the smoker is a great one and works really well! Unless you have several probes that are calibrated and you can guarantee as spot on.

Ryan

I mentioned it earlier as well, I think it might have been perceived as a joke but as you say it’s a great way.

 

[Carbon1960]

I just picked up an 8-pound, bone-in pork butt that I will attempt to smoke on Thursday. Wish me luck

You might consider doing some ribs at 250 or so next, before a butt. Butts are very forgiving but you will be into a long cook, if you get the ribs wrong it will be a 4-6 hour cook and you will learn a lot.

 

[one eyed jack]

The first thing I smoked on my offset was a 16 pound brisket. It took 19 hours to smoke. It was exhausting but the brisket was delicious.

Major points for "Ain't Sceered"! Gotta confess brisket is the last thing I would likely choose for the first smoke on an unknown smoker.

 

[Daba's BBQ]

I will try Al's idea and use the hull to hold the wood/charcoal. Next up will be ribs. I never screwed up ribs in 30 years, so if I have the same issues, then this rig is definitely bye-bye. I listed Thursday afternoon on FB Marketplace, Craigslist, & OfferUp. Not one inquiry yet.

 

[Newglide]

That whole idea of biscuits placed through out the smoker is a great one and works really well! Unless you have several probes that are calibrated and you can guarantee as spot on.

Ryan

Biscuit test is great and cheap. I like to use wings too. Gives you the same results as a biscuit but you can eat em when you're done

 

[JckDanls 07]

Biscuit test is great and cheap. I like to use wings too. Gives you the same results as a biscuit but you can eat em when you're done

The biscuits can be ate as well... Actually they are pretty good...

 

[912smoker]

The biscuits can be ate as well... Actually they are pretty good...

And you won't need CPR at checkout

Keith

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

I used to buy a cheap loaf of bread and lay the bread slices out on the grate to find the hot and cold spots.

 

[Brokenhandle]

I used to buy a cheap loaf of bread and lay the bread slices out on the grate to find the hot and cold spots.

Sounds like the start of a great sandwich!

Ryan

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

Sounds like the start of a great sandwich!

Ryan

Or just a bunch of toast. Who doesn't like toast?

 

[fxsales1959]

BTW - I'll be cooking for a family of 4

I kinda agree with a pork butt. however if this is your first offset outing. be prepared to babysit nd learn heat management on your offset. it can be a task to not overshoot temps, then maintain with good smoke. it's a long smoke to get it right.

 

[Daba's BBQ]

I cooked a pork butt for dinner last night

Here is the final product -

 

[CTXSmokeLover]

I cooked a pork butt for dinner last night

Here is the final product -

Looks awesome, gotta love that offset bark. Well done

 

[912smoker]

I cooked a pork butt for dinner last night

Here is the final product -

Looks good and that settles that

Keith

 

[bauchjw]

Nice work! Have fun with your new obsession! How was the pork?

 

[Daba's BBQ]

it was epic!