How soon to add smoke?

[rod g15]

Put a 3# and a 4# pork roast in the electric smoker at 225 degrees slathered with rub. 

Do I start the smoke right away when I put the meat in? Or let the meat warm up a little first then add smoke a little later?

Thanks, Rod

 

[themule69]

I put smoke to it as soon as I put the meat in. Some prefer to let the meat dry a little first. Their are no wrong answers.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[beefy bill]

I get the smoke goin before I put the meat in.

 

[demosthenes9]

I get the smoke goin before I put the meat in.

Same here.  Smoker is at (or above) target temp and smoke is going when I put the meat in.

 

[rod g15]

IMG_1278.JPG

• rod g15
• Jan 1, 2015

Here they are, smoking away. May have screwed up tho and didnt get them thawed very well before putting in the smoker. 

At the time of this pic they' been in for an hour at 225 and the maverick is reading a IT of only 36 degrees!

40 to 140 rule applies, right? Should I apply smoke for 2 hrs and finish in the oven at a higher temp?

Thanks, Rod

 

[demosthenes9]

I'd just ride it out.   If you are concerned, just bump the temp up a bit on your smoker. 

 

[demosthenes9]

For the record, a "best practice" kind of thing with butts is to not stick a probe or therm into it this early in the cook.  No need to know what the temp is 2 hours in as it won't be anywhere close to ready. 

 

[rod g15]

OK, Thanks

 

[demosthenes9]

 
OK, Thanks

You're welcome.   I guess I should have gone into a bit more detail.  Long story short, the "40 - 140 rule" is less stringent when it comes to "intact" pieces of meat, which is what a butt is.   Surface bacteria will be killed in short order by the temperature in the smoker chamber.   Technically, sticking a probe into the butt right at the onset *could* push some bacteria down into the meat where it would be shielded from the higher temps and could reproduce.

Couple of ways to mitigate this is to torch the spot where you will be sticking the probe thereby killing off any of the bacteria, or even easier, just wait a few hours before sticking the probe in. 

 

[rod g15]

Yes, now that you mention it, I did read that here a while back.

Took your advice and turned up the smoker temp and the roasts turned out great!

Couldn't get er above 250 today. 25 degrees out here, and wrapped the smoker with blankets. 

Had it just inside the garage to block the wind. 700 watt burner in my little electric smoker. There is a 1000 watt

available, think I'll upgrade.

 

[smoke slinger]

When I had my MES I would put the smoke in when I put the meat in, but that was my choice way of doing it.

Craig

 

[heubrewer]

I always add chips, then meat, then turn on