New MES 30" Analog (1500 Watt) and thanks for the advice!

[aaronsnow]

Hey everyone, just got an MES 30" (or 20", Home Depot lists it at 20") and I have a 10 lb pork butt smoking right now.  Was homemade rub for 24 hours and after reading some great tips here It has been smoking for about 3 hours now.  I seasoned the smoker for 3.5 hours using PAM spray and apple/hickory chips.

I've made several pork butts in the oven with this recipe/instructions:

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/recipes/dinner/perfect-pulled-pork-slow-roasted-seasoned-savory.html

But, finally needed to scratch the itch and actually start with a smoker.  Can't wait to do some ribs.  With the cold weather here in the D.C. area I have been having a tough time regulating the temp (been all over the place 210-260), but it should turn out pretty good.  After reading here for a couple days I did not soak the chips and am definitely planning to use SoFlaQuer's finishing sauce.  Feeding about 20 people tomorrow at 11am...so I figured I would try and give it a good 20 hours if needed.  I can always wrap it an put it in the cooler for a few hours before pulling.

Next on the list is AMNPS and ET-732...Thanks for all the help already guys.

 

[texacajun]

Good to see you got the help you where looking for. Looks like your on track.

 

[aaronsnow]

yeah, unfortunately this won't be my shining moment.  I found out about 2 hours into that my temp gauge was about 100 degrees off.  So it was sitting at about 140 degrees for the first two hours.  Still, it cooked through, but not the bark I was hoping for.  I had it foiled in a cooler for about 4 hours (it cooked to 202 degrees much faster than expected).  All in all, it tastes good and I think the finishing sauce will help.  A semi-unsuccessful smoke is good reason to smoke again soon though.

 

[texacajun]

I pull mine at around 180 and foil it. It will continue to cook for some time after you pull it and place it in a cooler.

 

[aaronsnow]

I actually took it out of the smoker at 165 and foiled.  Finished to 202 degrees in the oven set at 225.  All in all...it's still tasty, but before I purchased a smoker I used to go low and slow in the oven and achieved a very nice burnt bark.  Such is life...I'll try again, I think next up will be ribs and andouille sausage though.

 

[s2k9k]

Well you said it tastes good so in the end that's what really matters. There is so much to learn and the best part of learning is eating what we call mistakes but they still taste good so how can they really be mistakes.

When you get a minute would you do us a favor and go to Roll Call and introduce yourself so we can get to know you and give you a proper welcome, also would you add your location to your profile, we like knowing where you are when we talk to you, Thanks!