Who here smokes (food, not cigs)

Sounds good. I live down in Georgetown, but I'm supposed to go up to Perfect North on the 3rd with a group of friends, so hopefully we can work something out then.

 

That makes sense, I did get a little careless with it when I washed t.

 

As for smoking tips, I don't have a ton, but I've learned a couple things for pork butts. I've probably only made 4 or 5 in the last 2 years. I've always done overnight smokes on my Egg. The first few I did for around 14-15 hours at 225-250 on the dome thermometer, and I always had to wrap the butt in foil for the last two hours in order to get it to the temperature I wanted, in the time I needed it completed. The last one I made I didn't wrap and it took closer to 17+ hours to reach 200 degrees internal temperature. Honestly, I preferred the wrapped meat better. It seemed like that long unwrapped really allowed it to dry out in those last hours.

The other thing I learned was the difference in texture when removed at different temperatures. At 195*, the meat was still pretty chunky with big sections of fat left still in it. At 205*, it basically went to mush. My goldilocks temperature is now 200-202 degrees. Around there I find the fat to be rendered, yet it still maintains a good meaty texture.

I'm pretty hard on myself when it comes to cooking, but I think I make a great pulled pork, but it isn't phenomenal yet. I think the thing I need to work on next is vinegar application. I've done a little basting with apple juice/apple cider vinegar during the smoke, but I don't think it was enough, or made enough of an impact. My plan for my next butt is to do a pretty substantial mop in apple cider vinegar as I'm wrapping it in foil.

 

Funny, I’m the opposite. There’s times I smoke shit that I’m not even planning on eating just because I love getting up super early and getting it going, enjoying a nice breakfast beer, taking a quick nap and then spending the day tweaking the temps.

 

My first wireless thermometer was a Charbroil I think, because I needed it that day and it's all they had at Lowes. It finally crapped the bed, so I just bought this one because I saw it pop up on slickdeals for $42:
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Blue...0&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=inkbird+ibt-4xs&psc=1

I haven't smoked with it yet, but I think I'm going to like it. It is exactly at 100* Celsius in boiling water and seems to respond faster than my pen thermometers. It has a magnet back so you can stick it on things and 4 probes (which is probably 2 more than I'll use.) It also can be controlled with an app, so you don't have to carry around a separate receiver.

 

I agree with all of this. For me the wrap is critical for exactly the reasons you stated. I would definitely mop before wrapping too. You must be cooking some huge pieces, I’m usually around ten hours to get one to 200. Also agree that 205 is too much unless you’re doing it pulled.

Are you guys injecting? I never have before but I thought that the last shoulder I did was lacking flavor a little so I bought an injector and plan on using a cider/vinegar mix.

 

Seriously? How the hell do you sanitize the meat probe then? I don’t wash the grill temp one.

 

Serious answer - because I read it on the web.

I did yank one at 185 once and found it kinda chewy.

Edit - Now that I think about it, that was a beef brisket so that’s probably a little different.

 

Are you guys soaking chips or throwing them on dry? How much do you use? I don’t soak and usually throw on around a handful.

 

Yeah I shoot for 225 but don’t stress about 200-250. I use a charcoal chimney to get it going, then I dump that into my fire basket that has old coals and some new ones already in place. My biggest hurdle is right after that the temp spikes to around 275 and won’t come down unless I close all three valves and just barely open the top vent. Problem is, that completely starves it for oxygen and it kills the fire. I wait till it starts dropping, then open all the valves until it stops dropping, then close two and adjust the open one from there.

I need to work on how much I have the top vent open. Seems like a lot of people run that completely closed, but if I do that I have a very hard time keeping the fire going, and it results in a very smoky flavor, it’s overpowering. That could be because I’ve been using dry chips or maybe too many chips, tho. Really need to smoke more often so I can fine tune my process.

 

I am a BGE and Stoker guy.
I also went to Myron Mixon BBQ school. I learned how to smoke a pork but in 6 hours that is just as tender and juicy as one done 11 hours.