New Guy from Ft Worth

[smokinfickle]

I just started smoking at Christmas and have 6 briskets and chicken under my belt. Each time I've learned or tried something new. I use a Masterbuilt Propane smoker with the 2 doors. I have not completed any mods but right now I'm smoking a brisket and my wood kept catching fire so I move the wood chips to the slot for the water and put the water in a shelf in the main meat door ( only down fall I've noticed thus far is refilling water forces me to open main door). I've tried different runs both wet and dry. I've smoked in the cold, heat and rain. (Rain is the hardest to me) I have a TON to learn and get overwhelmed very easy and in occasion have wanted to throw my hands up and kick the smoker to the curb but have stuck with it and the briskets have all been pretty good. (Even if they weren't my guests have always eaten them)

 

[uncle eddie]

I have an MES40 electric smoker.  Prior to getting the electric smoker, I too was very concerned about opening the doors because looking is not cooking.  But since my smoker is electric (and yours is gas) - it should be fairly easy to get the smoker back to temp with little or no effort.  Bottom line is I would not be concerned about adding water every now and again.If you do it 3 times it might add 10-15 minutes to your total smoke time as compared to if you had not opened the door.

Ed

 

[submariner]

Welcome to the Forum fellow Texan!!

 

[smokinfickle]

I put my 12 lb after trimming brisket on last night about midnight, storms rolled through at about 1 am lasted all night almost and I was soaking wet trying to make sure heat stayed under 250 degrees and I just looked at probe and it's saying 195 degrees and t moves in and out smoothly. (It was tough in a couple of spots). I am going to leave on for another couple of hours or should I pull it? Smoker is at 200 degrees right now. Have a little bark but not what I'm used to getting. Is that because of the humidity in the air? Not sure what to do because we weren't going to eat until around 4-5 this afternoon. Can it rest in a cooler for 6 hours?