1st smoke and disappointed

[psychii]

no, I didn't get a chance to smoke today.

I am rewiring the electrical panel in an old Porsche I'm restoring. Before I knew it, 5 hrs had passed...

I am off on Fridays, so I'll try again then.

Thanks for asking!

Chris

 

[acarbone624]

Don't feel bad. I did spare ribs yesterday using the 3-2-1 method. I've done them a dozen times and they usually some out great! Yesterdays ribs were tough. I followed the same methods and temp I always use...Between 230 and 240. The wind was giving me a little bit of a problem with keeping my temps stable. I guess I got 2 bad racks of ribs.

 

[oneshot]

Hang in there Psych, you got the best group of people here looking out for ya!!! I'm still new around here and you'll find out like I did that when ya have a question or a problem the "Q Guru's" will swarm in to help you.
To me it sounds like a bad rack of ribs. Don't give up!!! You'll get it and then be dancin on the thin blue smoke.

 

[psychii]

seems from what I've read, Sam's meat is a good bet. As far as thermometers go, what should I get? The $16 Wal-Mart got a good review. I would not mind a dual meat/smoker electric combo.

Any suggestions?

 

[ddave]

The Maverick ET-73 is pretty popular. It's wireless, dual probe and has a low temp alarm for the smoker probe.

I have also had good luck with the Taylor 1470 but they are a single probe, not wireless and don't have a low temp alarm for the smoker temp. I have used them for meat and for smoker temps.

Dave

 

[jefmker]

psychII hang in there. The first set of ribs I did were pretty much unedible. Tough, oversmoked, over cooked. I've only being smoking for about 3 years and it just takes trial and error. I've entered a couple bbq competitions here in KS and i handle the ribs and pork for our team and my ribs have placed in the top 30 three times out of around 200 contestants in each competition. Stick with buying ribs from Sam's or Costco, the quality is much better and you can't beat the price per pound they sell at.

I really like the Polder meat thermometers. I've let them get hot and the screen blacks out, let them get rained on but the screen always comes back and works just fine. You can buy them at Cabela's, Bass Pro Shops and Bed Bath and Beyond.

 

[wyysebuck]

hey psych, a newbie smoker here too, have only done 2 smokes, but posts here and jeff's five day course made my second smoke 100 percent better then my first... make sure you have a probe thermometer in the meat of the ribs, and not touching bone! smoke till internal temp on meat is at least between 170 and 175, this temp will give tasty ribs, but may not not be "fall off the bone"...that has been the big thing for me, posts seem to be focusing on smoke temp not meat temp... just a thought!

 

[wyysebuck]

another thought... my first smoke took 6 hours, my second took 8! it was a windy day and i had to struggle with keeping smoker at temp... if i had gone by time alone they would have been way underdone

 

[psychii]

Round 2 starts in about 45 minutes... this time a butt.

I've been reading through the helpful and ecouraging posts, and seems my number 1 mistake was to get too hung up on time, rather than let the meat tell the tale. Internal temp is the key, as others have pointed out.

I picked up a new replacement thermo for the Brinkmann unit and tested it in boiling water: 100 C, 212 F. So should be good there. I've also read the pork butt sticky.

going to have slaw, beans, and home-made chocolate oreo icecream with a day of swimming. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again for the tips and encouragement!

 

[wyysebuck]

good luck!

 

[danbury]

At some point your temperature is going to seem to hit a plateau and as long as you are keeping your pit temperature where it should be, the plateau will break. It's at that point a lot of people start doubting things, but just be patient. The plateau is a good thing in a way because that's when some of the tougher fat or more internal fat starts rendering.

 

[bman62526]

Pshch,

Just a few thoughts...I know others have covered some of this.

#1 - I don't spritz or mop or even open my smoker AT ALL, for at LEAST 2-3 hours after the meat goes on. I only open the firebox to stoke the coals and add more wood or lump. Opening the smoker chamber - even if it's just once an hour, can really affect the finished product, I think.

#2 - Temps probes: Best = Maverick ET-73...you will love it, totally worth the investment. I also use the Taylor 1470, but the maverick has a probe for the meat AND a probe that just measures temps at grate level.

#3 - Pork Butts. I cut mine in half every time now. It increases the surface area to which you can apply the rub (more bark...yum!) and it will cut the total cook time from 10 hours to 7 or so...depending on size, of course. Read the "sticky" post here on this forum, in the pork section, about doing pulled pork. Very informative.

Good luck!!

 

[oneshot]

Hey psych, what's the report???? How's it going so far??? Any qview yet??

 

[coachin&smokin]

BMan, do you debone and then cut in half? I like this idea a lot because it increases the bark...Yummy!

Hang in there Psych it only gets better. I've been smoking now for 2 years and have just now got things going in the right direction as far as a good smoker (UDS) cooking method, sauces, etc.

 

[psychii]

I had company come over to enjoy the pulled pork, so I could not post a follow-up.

My second smoke was a success! The meat was so tender I could not believe it and the flavor was terrific.

We had pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, slaw, and chocolate oreo icecream. Everyone was satisified.

There is still some room for improvement:

there was very little smoke flavor - I did not open the door much, but I did have trouble keeping the temp and smoke amount up. So, I let'er smoke until 165 then foiled and on to the the oven at 250.

All total, only took about 5 hrs for the 6lbs butt to hit 203.

It was a lot of fun and I plan to do some ribs for the UFC fight Saturday.

 

[danbury]

You'll only get better from here. Each time you bbq you'll learn from it including the mistakes. If you have not done so already, go to the "Charcoal Smokers" topic and read up on the UDS style smokers. I've been bbq-ing on some kind of barrel pit all my life and to me there is no better heat control and longevity of charcoal than the simplicity of a UDS.

 

[bman62526]

Coach....you are correct - thanks for pointing that out.

I DO remove the bone first, so that both pieces cook more evenly.

I use a flexible filet knife to remove it.