Newbie Ready To Smoke In The Morning

[xecutech]

Well, I seasoned my smoker this morning and had it maintain 225-250 pretty steady for about 4 hours today. I had perfect blue smoke with some apple wood chunks. Oh, and I am using a gas smoker.

So my wife has a lot of faith in my unproven abilities with a smoker and invited company over for dinner.

I am doing 3 slabs of baby back ribs with the 221 technique and going to rub them down with some Memphis dust that I am making this evening.

I also have about 5 leg quarters to smoke as well.

My plan is to start the ribs and add the chicken to the bottom shelves during the last 3 hours of the rib cook. That's about it on the planning.

I will babysit it and not try to get too cocky and leave it to cook itself. At least for my first attempt.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[seenred]

Hi xecutech.

Sounds like you've got a solid plan!  To get the chicken skin crispy, you'll have to get the cooker hotter toward the end of the cook.  You might try to time it where the ribs come out before that.  I usually crank up the temp to 325*-350* to crisp chicken skin, and that's too hot for the BB's.

Good luck!  Be sure to let us know how it turns out!

Red

 

[s2k9k]

Just babysit the temps not the smoker, no reason to open that door just let it smoke!

Red hit you just right with the chicken!

 

[daveomak]

Tom, evening and welcome to the forum.....    Glad you found us....  enjoy the forum and the long smokey ride...   Dave

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Quarters may take every bit of 3 hours @ rib smokin' temps of 225-250*, depending on actual chamber/grate temps, especially if they're the normal size of close to 1lb and over.

If you can, yes to grilling or cranking chamber temps to crisp it up.

Have you verified your smoke chamber temp gauge with a good thermometer that has been calibrated, or water-boil tested? Most factory temp gauges are way off, so if you haven't done that yet, that's your next step, and a very important one.

Here's some info that will get you started in the right direction:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...ur-thermometer-and-the-boiling-point-of-water

Good luck on the smoke...lots of us will be around to walk you through whatever you need help with along the way, so don't fret. Sounds like you've done some homework already, so getting your feet wet won't be that tough...we'll be hangin' here with ya, brother.

Eric

 

[xecutech]

Thanks guys. I checked the internal temps with a digital thermometer that I use when I cook. It was reading fine, but the analog unit was off about 30 deg. I did accidentally run up the temp to see how hot she'd get and it melted the end off my therm., so had to run and get a new one. It was a Taylor unit.

I picked up a Taylor weekend warrior unit. Hope it does better than the other one. I checked it against an industrial temp probe that I got from work and they were showing the same exact temp, so that was impressive.

Should I cook the chicken closer to 3.5 or 4 hours? They are pretty good size leg quarters.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Ouch on the thermo probe...haven't done that one...yet...but I've found plenty of other ways to destroy them...LOL!!! Ah, we smoke, we botch up a piece or two of gear now and then, and, we learn from it.

Yeah, if they're larger quarters, I've had 4 hours into cooking them more than once. I like to check for shrinkage (just a quick peek) and when you see a good amount of shrinkage, you're probably getting close to minimum safe temps. I like to probe them and go to at least 168* in the breast and 170-172* in the thighs. Minimum is 165*, but you'll usually get some pink near the bones at those temps, especially in the thighs. So, probe 'em before you yank 'em...that''s your only real assurance they're done. Carryover with these smaller pieces won't go that much higher like it does in large cuts of meats, especially when cooking low & slow...just a couple degrees, so if you're close to, or dead-on, where you want to be, they'll be ready after just a couple minutes of resting.

Oh, if you want to crisp the skin, yank the chamber temps up at about 10-12* below your target finished temp. If you give 'em a quick sear on a hot grill, pull from the smoker at closer 15* or more ahead of time, as it will take less time to crisp up and sear, but the higher temps on the grill will create a higher carry-over temp after they come off to rest for a bit. Again, check I/Ts immediately after or before removing from the grill.

Eric

 

[xecutech]

Dinner turned out great. Everyone was impressed with the ribs and chicken, even me.

The chicken was done in 3 hours. They were on the bottom rack closest to the heat. IT was 177, so now I will have a better gauge of how to cook them in the future.

I have some pics, but I will start a thread with them when I am allowed to post them on here.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[s2k9k]

Dinner turned out great. Everyone was impressed with the ribs and chicken, even me.

The chicken was done in 3 hours. They were on the bottom rack closest to the heat. IT was 177, so now I will have a better gauge of how to cook them in the future.

I have some pics, but I will start a thread with them when I am allowed to post them on here.

Thanks for the advice.

You are allowed right now, there is a possibility your post might get held by our software but a moderator should approve it very shortly. I am going to be on for a couple more hours so if your post gets held I'll get it approved right away. I'm watching the show "North America", it is Awesome!!!

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Dinner turned out great. Everyone was impressed with the ribs and chicken, even me.

The chicken was done in 3 hours. They were on the bottom rack closest to the heat. IT was 177, so now I will have a better gauge of how to cook them in the future.

I have some pics, but I will start a thread with them when I am allowed to post them on here.

Thanks for the advice.

That's what it's all about!!! And your next smokes will get successively easier as you learn how you got through each one before it.

I think after 10 posts, your photo posts are no longer held for moderator approval, if I'm not mistaken. You could go in and look at a few Q-Views and post you thoughts on their success and then come back to post your pics after you have 4 more posts, if I'm reading correctly (you have 6 so 4 more to make your 10)...that is if I can even count anymore after today and last night...LOL!!!

Eric

 

[s2k9k]

That's what it's all about!!! And your next smokes will get successively easier as you learn how you got through each one before it.

I think after 10 posts, your photo posts are no longer held for moderator approval, if I'm not mistaken. You could go in and look at a few Q-Views and post you thoughts on their success and then come back to post your pics after you have 4 more posts, if I'm reading correctly (you have 6 so 4 more to make your 10)...that is if I can even count anymore after today and last night...LOL!!!


Eric

I'm not going to say the exact number but it is higher than 10....:banana_smiley: