New Memphis Pro arrives tomorrow

[MattQ]

Got the free standing model. The manual is reasonably long, but not too bad. Haven’t downloaded the mobile app, yet. This weekend, maybe.

But bregent has issued a challenge on cooking in inclement weather. I am up to the challenge, and we will see if the Pro is as well. Bought a rack of babies this morning. Took off the membrane, slathered with yellow mustard and applied rub (I usually use a riff on Melissa Cookston’s rub from her book, but didn’t have time to make any up today, so am using Lambert’s Sweet Rub O Mine). Currently resting in the fridge.

I’m planning on using the same process I’ve used on the BGE. Cook temp 250 (though honestly, I have no idea what the temp was since I was relying on the BGE thermometer). Cook for 2-2.5 hours, mopping with a mix of apple juice, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire and Frank’s once the rub is set. Wrap with a base of light brown sugar, butter and honey from my son in law’s family farm. Cook wrapped until nearly done, which should be an hour or so. Unwrap, sauce. I’ll be trying Rod Gray’s IPO sauce for the first time. My total cook times on the BGE ranged from 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes.

I’ll post what I think of the results, and how cook times varied. And, I will try to post a pic or two later.

 

[Ed Crain]

2hrs to a pound not bad

 

[MattQ]

Here they are:

Needed maybe 15-30 more minutes in the steam, since I’ve got nice bite through but not quite a clean bone. Decent smoke ring, nice color, fat rendered. Two hours and 15 minutes to start, an hour wrapped, 30 minutes of saucing. Smoke flavor isn’t as pronounced as on the BGE, but it’s there. Overall, I think a decent first effort, given that the temp never got over 40.

 

[grebs]

Now you can't go buy a Memphis and not take a few pics of it to share ;)

 

[SonnyE]

"given that the temp never got over 40."

:eek: You're gonna need a lot more heat than 40...:confused:
That's pretty near refrigeration temperature.
Are you sure you ignited that thing? :rolleyes:


Gottcha!

 

[MattQ]

Second rib test today, along with a tenderloin. Same basic prep as before. Two differences in the cook.

First, I used some BBQers Delite peach pellets for this run instead of the Traeger Apple. Smoke flavor was much more pronounced but not too much, and I really like the taste peach beings to pork. Great smoke ring, fat totally rendered.

Second, cooked 2 hours at 250 to start, followed by 1 hour and 45 minutes wrapped in foil (brown sugar, honey, butter), and then 30 minutes to set the sauce. Could’ve used that extra 15 minutes wrapped, so 2-2 sounds about right for this grill at 250. Don’t think it needs the entire 1 hour on the back end. But more clean bone than last time.

Tenderloin cooked to 145. Wife and I didn’t eat it all, which means I get some cold tomorrow!

 

[RiversideSm0ker]

Yum to the tum. Thanks for sharing :)

George

 

[electricity]

Traeger pellets in a Memphis Pro is sad. I wonder how much the dealer knows about pellet cooking. "Here sir, is the keys to your new BMW. And here's a complimentary flash drive with our Justin Bieber mix!"

I don't find a large difference between premium brands of pellet mixes. (except 100% Hickory). Meat quality and technique is far more important IMO. The best premium pellets are probably the ones that can be found locally for under $30 per 40lbs.

I mostly use Cookinpellets, but I'm looking to try Lumber Jack and Smoke Rings for lower cost locally.

 

[MattQ]

Yeah, agree. This dealer (Scioto Valley in west Columbus) had a couple Traeger models in stock, along with all three Memphis Pro models, both carts and builtins, and a Kamado and literally any Weber made. They use a Pro for weekend cooks at the store.....we looked at it while we were thinking about what to buy.

But they only had Traeger pellets. I’d just found this forum before we went to the store, so I was disappointed. Thankfully, there’s Amazon.

 

[ross77]

Check Craigs List for local Lumberjack dealers. I have one near me and he charges $16 for 40 pound bags.

Traeger pellets are flavored with wood oils. So a bag of hickory is actually a base of alder or maple and flavored with hickory oil.

 

[SonnyE]

Hunh!
I have 3 Walmart's, 2 Home Depots, and 2 Lowe's in about a 5 mile range.
Nearest bag of Lumberjack is 40 miles of bad traffic away.

No matter, I have about 146 years, 11 months of pellets and sawdust here at my current rate of use.