New Lang 84 smoker, need advice on big mixed cook

[Jesse Plaster]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the forum, but I've been around the block (a few times) smoking pork. That said, this is my first cook on a Lang 84 Deluxe stick burner. I found it on Craigslist and couldn't pass it up.

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I'm cooking for a party next Saturday and I want to do a mixed smoke: pork butt, brisket, chicken, sausages, the whole enchilada. Supper time is 5-6 pm, I plan to smoke at 275, looking for advice on the various start times (cooking times). Taking into consideration that I'd like to get some sleep Friday night. Ideally, I'd just get an early start Saturday morning, say 5am, with the butts and the brisket, then add chicken & sausages later. Will this work? Any pointers?

 

[motolife313]

That's sounds like a risky challenge for a first time smoke on it. I'd go more simple and couple meats and Beans and macaroni cause those will be a big hit

 

[joedube70]

Like moto said that is a big undertaking for your first smoke on a new cooker. This is exactly what I would do!! :)
I don't think starting at 5am will give enough time to get the brisket done and rested in time. Although I don't cook that hot so I could be wrong.
Hope it all comes out great. Let it us know it goes.

 

[hardcookin]

The butts and briskest will be your long cooks.
The Lang 84 is a work horse...
I would fire up around 0430 and while the Lang is warming up do food prep.
I would smoke 275-300. 8.5 lb Butts I can do 7 hours. I pan with little apple juice @160-170...pull when you have good bone wiggle.
Brisket is done when it is done. I wrap with butcher paper when it has desired bark and pull when it is probe tender in thickest part of the flat. Pull set in open air for 10 mins, then wrap and rest.

Chicken whole or parts?

I would do a practice smoke this week with some chicken thighs just to get a feel for the smoker.
Running a clean fire is the most important thing.
Any questions ask.

 

[Jesse Plaster]

Thanks guys, good advice. I have a bad habit of biting off more than I can chew. We raise our own hogs and throw a summer solstice party every year. The first couple years we did it underground, Hawaiian style. That was fun, but hard to predict cooking time, add sides, etc. Then I borrowed a big trailer charcoal grill, not as much fun but more predictable. Finally I built the spit roaster you see in my avatar, LOTS of fun but LOTS of wood. I swear I burned a cord of wood roasting that 100# hog. It spins via a bicycle wheel driven by a windshield wiper motor, pretty nifty. But again, way too much work. So I ran across this used Lang smoker on Craigslist, and after a little research I made a rash decision and bought it. Now I've got all this SPACE, and I've got to fill it up!

So now I'm thinking I'll start the brisket and the butts around midnight the night before, then add chickens and sausages (& maybe some venison?) over the course of the next day. I can pull the big stuff early and let it rest in a cooler. To make matters worse, I'll be about a mile from power and refrigeration.

My experience smoking vs. grilling is mostly on a Big Green Egg, and cold-smoking bacon in a homemade chimney. What temperature would you recommend for a multi-purpose smoke? I was thinking 275, but Joe thinks lower? If I start the night before, I could probably run 225-250.

The beans & macaroni are a great suggestion, any recipe links?

Here's the finished product on the spit...

 

[hardcookin]

I think that midnite is to early to start. I think that since this is a new smoker you will be struggling to maintain lower temps. I like running 275 for brisket & Butts, chicken I smoke 300-325
You don't mention what size brisket you will be smoking.
It is important to establish good bed of coals in the beginning, I start out with eight splits... three on the bottom three go on crossways and then two on top and then light it with a weed burner. Firebox vents half open to start and once you get some coals, I close the vents to 1/4 opened.
Any questions just ask.

 

[dcecil]

Just reading through this thread and let me say congrats on the new pit. I have a Lang as well. I have found that my reverse flow which I’m assuming that’s what you have cooks a little quicker than my conventional stick burner. Not sure why but all my cooks come in early and I use a thermo works smoke at the grate so I know I’m cookin with an accurate temp. That whole hog on the spit looks amazing. That’s a nifty contraption I agree with hardcookin. You can get this done by getting up early and getting those coals goin. My time would be starting the fire by4 just so your sure to be cookin by 5. I like the idea of running 250 to 275. This temp and time should accomplish your goal as long as your not cookin big ol monster sized meat. Size of your cuts will be a big factor You mentioned doing a hog in the ground. That’s a bucket list cook for me. I would love to see a thread on that. Anyways, good luck and look forward to seeing you pics

 

[flatbroke]

250 on one end may not be 250 on the other. Especially until you get to know it.

 

[ritchierich]

I get a about a 25 degree difference on my lang 84 from front to back and top rack to bottom but it will play in to your advantage because you can move your meat around to adjust for smoking different meat...lower slower up front on bottom rack and hotter faster in back end by the fire box. And top rack is more heat as well. It really works out well

 

[Jesse Plaster]

Well I'm sorry for not posting a follow-up. The smoke went great! I went ahead and smoked everything I could get my hands on - brisket, pork shoulder & ribs, chicken. And I couldn't resist Moto's suggestions of beans and mac & cheese. I started the brisket & shoulder around midnight. The fire dropped low a couple times overnight, but fired right back up. We wrapped the brisket in foil for the last few hours. The ribs and chickens went on around 1 the following afternoon, and everything was ready by 6 pm. We tried to maintain 225 throughout, and the smoker did great except when we fell asleep. As others have said, there was about a 25 degree difference end to end, and probably similar top to bottom shelf. The warmer worked great for the beans and mac & cheese. At the end of the day, the brisket turned out perfect. The shoulder could have used a little more heat - probably just paying closer attention to its position inside the smoker. The thermal plateau always puts me in a tailspin, and my final internal temperature on a couple of the butts was around 185. I was shooting for 195. The ribs were very good, I didn't spend a lot of time to perfect them with all the other stuff going on. And the chicken was excellent, pretty easy there. All said, it was a great experience, I love the new smoker. Heat management was straightforward and the results were well received.

 

[flatbroke]

Strong work my friend, strong work

 

[jbellard]

Food looks great! Have fun