Smoking in the day time

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erodinamik

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Sep 11, 2010
94
10
Alamogordo, NM
It's almost the weekend again, and once again I've been volunteered to smoke another brisket (darn).  I'm curious to see how my temps stay today.  Since I live in Vegas and it's close to 100 outside already I think I might use a lot less charcoal today to keep my temps around 250.  I added some mods to the chargriller today to help me regulate temp.  I put two thermometers on the lid near the cooking surface, one near the SFB opening and one near the other end so I can keep track of cooking surface temps better.  I'll add pics later when I get a chance.

Today's brisket is going to be much the same as the last ones except I have a pile of royal oak lump (which I used on the chicken smoke some and liked) and hickory chunks to hopefully keep the smoky flavor in check.  Stand by for updates.
 
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Ok this is where we sit patiently bye and count down the hours awaiting your first photos of pure smokey greatness. Now don't you let us down OK.
 
Lets see if my photo adding skills are getting better.  Here's a pic of my newly installed thermometers.  The one on the left (near the brisket) sittin' right at 250, the one on the right at 300 and the standard one on the lid right about 300 also.  I'll get a pic of the brisket when I open her up to flip and spritz in an hour or so.

 
Lets see if we can go for a personal best of 2 photo posts in a row working :-)

Here is a pic of the brisket.  Been on for 1.5 hours, already 157 degrees, added some more charcoal to keep the heat on in and some hickory chunks.  "Spritzed" it after I flipped and we'll check in another 1.5



Sorry it's sideways
 
Lets see if we can go for a personal best of 2 photo posts in a row working :-)

Here is a pic of the brisket.  Been on for 1.5 hours, already 157 degrees, added some more charcoal to keep the heat on in and some hickory chunks.  "Spritzed" it after I flipped and we'll check in another 1.5



Sorry it's sideways
157˚ in 1 1/2 hours?

Don't seem possible. Are you direct grilling?

I like your grill in the second pic. Not vertical or horizontal. It's kinda "Verticzontal".

Just kidding on that one.

Bear
 
Take the charcoal pan in the main cooking chamber, flip it upside down, then hang it as high as you can using the hanging hooks. That will even out your temperatures from side to side and keep them within 15-25° of each other. Also if you want to make clean up super duper easy, line the bottom of the smoker with foil and the top of the flipped over charcoal tray as well - after it has cooled off you just wad up all the foil and wipe the bottom with a couple of paper towels.

Hope the brisket turns out! Looks like it is off to a good start.
 
Lets see if my photo adding skills are getting better.  Here's a pic of my newly installed thermometers.  The one on the left (near the brisket) sittin' right at 250, the one on the right at 300 and the standard one on the lid right about 300 also.  I'll get a pic of the brisket when I open her up to flip and spritz in an hour or so.

 
Unfortunately I had to wait all weekend to be able to try this smoke since my wife went camping with some friends and took the brisket with them fresh off the smoker.  I did have her send me a photo when they sliced it though.  I also smoked a couple chickens at the end of the smoke.  About 4 hours in I put the brisket on the upper rack and the chickens on the lower (thanks for the pointers from the last chicken smoke).  This time I used an italian marinade from my "Low & Slow" book.  My wife got back yesterday and brought leftovers (still on ice in the cooler) and I was quite pleased with this smoke.  The brisket has a great smoke ring and a much more mellow smoke flavor (probably due to the hickory vs. mesquite).



I was not super happy with the brisket as a whole (speaking of the cut of meat).  It seemed very thin (top to bottom) and had a fairly sizable fat cap on it.  I trimmed some but was afraid to cut too much off.  I was told that Costco usually has good briskets, so I think I will try there next.  My first brisket was from Smiths and it was nice and thick and fairly lean.  The two my wife bought for the second smoke were from Wally-world and they were actually better than this one.  Just things I'm learning along the way.
 
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