Butt on a Brinkman Gormet electric smoker.

[mikedixon]

 I was just given a Brinkman Gormet electric smoker. This isn't my 1st choice for a smoker, but I am kind of in a bind for this weekend, so I need to use it.I plan on giving it to my 10 year old after I use it, to go with his Weber grill. I have 60 pounds of butts to smoke, and I can fit all but 2 butts on my small gas smokers. My big smoker isn't finished to my likeing, so I really need to use the Brinkman. My question is this: since there is no thermostat on this thing, how long "ball park" can I expect for the butts to cook for (190 degrees internal temp, I want to pull them) on this smoker? I have never used this, and I don't even know where to begin. I want to be sure I give myself plenty of time. The butts are around 7 1/2 pounds each. I normally use around 12 hours at 250 degrees on my gas smokers, and they turn out perfect.

 

[SmokinAl]

We cook by temp not time, but I think your 12 hour estimate would be in the ballpark.

Most of us take the butt to 165, foil with liquid, then back on the smoker until around 200.

Personally I don't foil and just leave it on the smoker until 200-205.

Rest it for a 1/2 hour & pull it.

 

[meateater]

I smoke to temp not time. One thing is you want to make sure you get from 40-140 in 4 hours to get out of the danger zone. Also don't let the meat set out to get to room temp, go from fridge to smoker. If it looks like your not gonna make the mark you can put them in the oven and finish them there. Good luck and don't forget the qview. 

 

[venture]

Any smoker you use, you should spare a therm for internal temps.

If it is intact muscle meat, meaning not probed early in the smoke, jaccarded, injected or otherwise obliterated, the 140 rule only pertains to the outside 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the meat.

Without monitoring internal temp, I would not cook the meat.  Old time rules might apply, but I would not go by those.

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[mikedixon]

I know about internal temps, I cook bbq all the time, in fact, I have probably cooked 700 pounds this year so far, so I kind of know what I'm doing. I just have never used an electric smoker. My smokers I normally use, take around 12 hours to get to the right internal temp. I just use time as a reference. Now, with that being said, I smoked 2 butts for 12 hours on my Brinkman, and they turned out perfect. I smoker the other 6 on my propane smokers for 12 hours also, with the same results. Most of the time, I smoke butts 12 hours at 250 degrees.Meatloaf ,turkeys and chickens 5 to 6 hours at 250, and brisket about 14 hours at 250. Always with pretty consistent results.

 

[SmokinAl]

Sounds like you have the timing down pretty good.

Personally I'm not that experienced & rely on a meat thermometer for the best results.

 

[mdboatbum]

I think I get what you're saying. You cook by temp,and it usually takes you about 12 hours. Glad the Brinkmann worked out for you. I'm thinking of getting one for a buddy with a Brinkmann vertical charcoal model. He has a 2 year old and another on the way, so he doesn't really have time to tend a finicky carbon burner, but he loves smoking bbq. Figure the electric will let him continue.

 

[mikedixon]

The electric is super easy. The only thing I had to do was refill the water pan once. I use a combination of wood chips and chunks(apple chips, cherry chunks) in the smoker, and didn't add any after the first wood I put in it burnt up. I have found in my experience, folks around here anyway, like a more mild smoke flavor. I never use more than 2 or 3 hours of smoke, then just heat the rest of the time. Now it is time to finish my big smoker and pass this Brinkman off to my son.