New propnae vertical smoker

[pigcicles]

And that's what it's all about! If the kids will eat it, it has to be good... Great Job!

 

[lance-a-lot]

BTW, I did purchase one of those thermometers with the cable on it to monitor the meats internal temp like so many people suggested and it worked out perfectly, I dont think I will ever do any smoking without it.

I'm going to do some ribs real soon, probably baby back's and will try using the 3-2-1 meathod.......my question is, where do put the thermometer probe? there seems like not enough room/thickness on the meat to use one, any advise? Thanks.

Lance

 

[billyq]

If your gonna use the 3-2-1 method for babybacks, no need for a probe thermometer. Cooked between 225 and 250, they will definitely be done. Once the meat pulls back from the bone, and they tear apart easily, you're there. ALot of folks like them "falling off the bone" tender. Not me, I like then to have a little tug. Who wants to pick up a rib, and by the time you get it to your mouth all there is is bone and the meat is siiting on your plate? Anyway, thats just me. Hope this helps.

 

[devolutionist]

Did you add the wood in with the smoker cold or did you get the heat up before adding the wood chips? If it was already 300-350 and you put the wood chips in dry (without soaking them) then yeah they'll probably go up pretty quick. When I want a lot of consistent smoke from mine I take a handful of wood chips that I've soaked for a few hours and mix them with a handful of dry ones - seems like the dry ones get going first, and about the time they've burnt up the soaked ones start going - I usually get about 2 hours of solid smoke out of them that way, but I also typically don't run mine over 250. At 300 they'll burn up faster, so if you're in a hurry like that you should probably get at least an hour of good smoke from mixing it.

Also - I keep a small tupperware bowl of dry hickory chips in my deep freeze that I use when I want to do some spur of the moment smoking. The deep freeze runs at about -5, so mixing that with room temp dry ones seems to give a little bit of a staggered smoking run, but honestly I'm not really sure how effective that is.

Of course, it could very well be that I just like to get a rise out of my wife by putting something like wood in the deep freeze. I keep my spearfishing bands in the freezer too - drives her crazy... Does that make me a bad person?

 

[lance-a-lot]

BillyQ, thanks for the advise on the ribs, does the 3-2-1 method work for all ribs....i.e. baby back, spare ribs, country??

 

[lance-a-lot]

Devolutionist- I did do a pre heat and added the chips once the smoker reached 250F, I like the idea of mixing wet and dry, I will definitely be trying that. Hmmmmm, I can see the wood chips in the freeze....not sure on the fishing bands though but to each their own

 

[lance-a-lot]

I'm getting ready to smoke some ribs but the more I look at the racks in the smoker the more unsure I am that I can actually lay out a full rack. I read in this thread (page 2) that Virgo53 said he hung 2 full racks of ribs from the hooks on top of the smoker. Is there a trick to doing that? I'm thinking about tying a piece of butchers string to the end and hanging it that way but then I'm thinking that once they near the "fall off the bone" stage they might actually fall off the hooks. I'm also assuming you cant use the 3-2-1 method if your going to hang them because you need to wrap them in aluminium foil right? I have the propane "Grillware" smoker from Lowes. Thanks again all.

 

[devolutionist]

I haven't done ribs in mine yet, but I've been wondering the same thing... I just assumed I'd have to cut the slab in half. Using the 4 shelves in our Grillware smoker, you'd end up with a 1/2 slab on each shelf.

I'd be nervous hanging a full slab of ribs from a hook - although if you like the meat "falling off the bone" you'd certainly know when it's done!

 

[virgo53]

I used skewers from Wall Mart adapted by strong pliers, (IE, Bent to fit what I needed) And pushed through the meat. Haven't finished this idea yet. tying to get Pix and let ya'll see what I did after more 'engineering"

I noticed that they hung completely filling it from top to bottom with the tips about an inch from the lower rack. Worked well but the tips were a little overdone. Many more racks can be smoked at the same time since it wasn't overfilled by two!!!, Just haven't been able to do this yet.

Time was compressed simply caused by shortage of time and increase of temp, Still came out great. Neighbors, my wife, father inlaw, and of course myself, thought they came out great.

Some way of hanging then needs to be looked into. My way worked, but I know it can be improved, If I can get off the road long enough to do this, Experiments will continue, I will let you know what I did and see what the forum thinks,

This smoker requires you to "make smaller" ribs if you don't hang'em

Workin the issues, just interrupted by travel to give it time to get it right.

That smoker box is one heavy duty unit, I think it really helps to keep the temp static, however, I am reading and learning from others that have this unit and will listen and learn to use them and use mine better.

The vacuum sealer definetely aids the apple or other wood used, Using non soaked wood with the soaked wood has quite a bit going for it from what I have read and am going to try with mine.

This smoker has alot going for it, Ain't big, throttles are touchy to say the least, But i haven't had a bad smoke yet Regardless of what I have tried,
Fish, chicken, ribs, cornish game hens, ribs, corn etc.. If any one can get it wrong, my 25 years of trying has been really good educationally (costly)

weather, for some reason, doesn't seem to affect this smoker as yet, Wind plays with it, but hasn't caused any troubles except worrying about it while it does it's thing. Rain hasn't cooled it off, however mine is somewhat protected from rain.

More to come, just need time to do it

Thanks for the education from those that have this, I am Listening!!!!

Mike.

 

[devolutionist]

mine's sideways in the wind and there's no problems. the manual says specifically to have the front door or back facing the wind - not sure why - but mine works great with the wind blowing into the side.

that skewer idea has me thinkin' too... that's a damn fine idea you got there... a hanging rib rack... much more efficient use of space in a vertical smoker for stuff like ribs... hmmm...

 

[lance-a-lot]

Last weekend I made my first brisket on the smoker. I had about an 11 pounder which I cut in half. I adjusted the temp to 230, rubbed the brisket with Jeff's rub recipe (most yummy), inserted the temp probe and off I went. I started smoking it at 10:30am. After the meat temp reached 170 I wrapped it in foil and placed it back in the smoker for another hour. Total smoke time was 8 hours. Because I cut the brisket in half, I used one for slicing and one for pulling. The one I sliced was ok but not nearly as soft as I anticipated and the one I pulled......forget it, it was like eating rubber. Anyone have any thoughts as to what I may have done wrong? I never flipped the meat or basted it during the smoking process, should I have? Thanks.

 

[smokeeater]

You'd get more repiles if you start your own thread instead of jumping on this old one.

I would spray (or mop) the meat every time I open the smoker, or about once an hour after the first few hours. You say you foiled at 170F, but you don't mention the temp you stopped cooking at. For sliced brisket, the ending temp should be 190F, I believe. At that point, you should double foil it and place it in a cooler for several hours to let it rest and it will get more & more tender. If you tried to slice/pull it right away, it could explain your problem.

 

[pigcicles]

L-A-L, next time try putting that brisket in a pan and foiling it that way. You can spray or mop as you please before then, but when you're ready to foil use a pan and take the internal temp up to 190º ish. If you are cooking a packer most will slice the flat and pull / chop the point.

Keep Smokin

 

[bigarm's smokin]

I just bought one today, I asked the fella about the smoker,wanted to make sure it was the right one. he couldn't find it on the stores computer?? He was the guy that sold it to me?

Terry

 

[devolutionist]

Yeah, that's always been a little weird to me. It's still not on there... Did you get it for the new reduced price? They're selling for $139 down here - in the Lowes that still have them.

 

[bigarm's smokin]

When I checked on it last week, it was $139, yesterday, I got it for $98.

It was the last one they had. Terry

 

[mtnfolk]

Looks like my new Weston smoker, Cabelas. for $117.00 full price including tax and shipping.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/West...eston+smoker&WTz_l=Header;Search-All+Products