Sorry for the very long post, which is to follow, but I am confused and could use some advice.
First, some background information.
I am a fairly new member, a new smoker and smoking my first Fatty. I am using a GOSM 3405GW. I am one of the guys who could not get his GOSM down below 240-250F, so inserted a needle valve in line, according to advice I received here. This now allows me to easily get to the 190-200F range. But that is about as low as I can make it go.
I took a nice JD Sausage out of the wrap. Placed it on a flat counter, on top of a piece of wax paper. I put another piece of wax paper on top and proceed to flatten it out. I coated it with a sage/herb blend I keep around the house and some granulated garlic, then sprinkled grated cheddar cheese on it, sprinkled some finely diced onion on it and last but not least I sprinkled a little diced Jalapeno Pepper on it.
I rolled it up into a log, like I have seen in other posts, then sprinkled a little more sage/herb and granulated garlic on the outside. Then basted it with some Cranberry Juice.
I put in a small tin foil wrapped package of Apple chunks, with some holes poked in the foil About the time I got the smoker up to the 210F range, I started seeing some smoke. I put the Fatty on the middle rack, inserted the Taylor probe and started in on the smoking process.
At this point, everything seemed to be going OK.
In the 200F - 210F range, I couldn't keep any smoke coming. I know I looked for the TBS. Almost invisible, I have read. Problem was, mine was TOTALLY invisible. In fact no smell and no visibility. I had to go up to 225F-230F range to get smoke. Then it came out too heavy and temp was higher than I wanted. I kept dinking with the settings and needle valve. I can easily keep it at 200F, but that does not produce ANY smoke. When I do produce smoke, I am at 225F or higher. It is almost like my wood pan is too far away from the flame to smoke at lower temps. To get smoke I have to go to temps higher than I want. I finally took off the tin foil and put the chips and chunks directly in the pan. this helped a little, but not much.
I have been told to stop smoking at 140F and just cook from there on. Problem is that when it hit 140F almost no smoke had been generated yet. I was on the verge of getting a very nicely cooked but totally smokeless, Fatty. I turned the heat up a little and added chunks and smoked until 150F.
At the one hour mark, I basted it again with Cranberry Juice. The Fatty looks fantastic. I can easily keep playing this game of regulating the temp manually in the 200F to 225F range, but adding no more smoke. I suspect it is going to taste great. The problem is that I don't think it is going to have much, if any, smoke flavor.
At 2 hours exactly, internal temp hit the tartet 160F. I basted the Fatty again and she continues to look fabulous. Problem is, she has not had any smoke run against her in over an hour now. According to what I have been told, at this point, her temp is too high to absorb any more smoke. I have read, and been told, that I am shooting for an internal temp of 160F, and it should take from 2 to 3 hours. I am now facing a decision. She is at the target 160F so should be done and come out. Yet, she has only been in two hours and most say it should take longer. What I decided to do was to leave her on a low temp of approx 200F - 210F and continue a while longer. I split the difference of 2 hours and 3 hours, planning on taking her out at 2.5 hours. I will just live with the results. Which, as I said, I think will be great, just somewhat smokeless.
As it turned out, I kept an eye on her and actually left her in for the full three hours. Don't know why, but she just didn't look done to me. More of a gut feeling than anything.
I have never posted a picture before, but will try it now. Just so you can see how she looks. First picture is at two hours. Second picture is at three hours, when I took it off.
OK, there you have it. Please give me your advice, criticisms and such. I can use all I can get.
Thanks,
Skip
First, some background information.
I am a fairly new member, a new smoker and smoking my first Fatty. I am using a GOSM 3405GW. I am one of the guys who could not get his GOSM down below 240-250F, so inserted a needle valve in line, according to advice I received here. This now allows me to easily get to the 190-200F range. But that is about as low as I can make it go.
I took a nice JD Sausage out of the wrap. Placed it on a flat counter, on top of a piece of wax paper. I put another piece of wax paper on top and proceed to flatten it out. I coated it with a sage/herb blend I keep around the house and some granulated garlic, then sprinkled grated cheddar cheese on it, sprinkled some finely diced onion on it and last but not least I sprinkled a little diced Jalapeno Pepper on it.
I rolled it up into a log, like I have seen in other posts, then sprinkled a little more sage/herb and granulated garlic on the outside. Then basted it with some Cranberry Juice.
I put in a small tin foil wrapped package of Apple chunks, with some holes poked in the foil About the time I got the smoker up to the 210F range, I started seeing some smoke. I put the Fatty on the middle rack, inserted the Taylor probe and started in on the smoking process.
At this point, everything seemed to be going OK.
In the 200F - 210F range, I couldn't keep any smoke coming. I know I looked for the TBS. Almost invisible, I have read. Problem was, mine was TOTALLY invisible. In fact no smell and no visibility. I had to go up to 225F-230F range to get smoke. Then it came out too heavy and temp was higher than I wanted. I kept dinking with the settings and needle valve. I can easily keep it at 200F, but that does not produce ANY smoke. When I do produce smoke, I am at 225F or higher. It is almost like my wood pan is too far away from the flame to smoke at lower temps. To get smoke I have to go to temps higher than I want. I finally took off the tin foil and put the chips and chunks directly in the pan. this helped a little, but not much.
I have been told to stop smoking at 140F and just cook from there on. Problem is that when it hit 140F almost no smoke had been generated yet. I was on the verge of getting a very nicely cooked but totally smokeless, Fatty. I turned the heat up a little and added chunks and smoked until 150F.
At the one hour mark, I basted it again with Cranberry Juice. The Fatty looks fantastic. I can easily keep playing this game of regulating the temp manually in the 200F to 225F range, but adding no more smoke. I suspect it is going to taste great. The problem is that I don't think it is going to have much, if any, smoke flavor.
At 2 hours exactly, internal temp hit the tartet 160F. I basted the Fatty again and she continues to look fabulous. Problem is, she has not had any smoke run against her in over an hour now. According to what I have been told, at this point, her temp is too high to absorb any more smoke. I have read, and been told, that I am shooting for an internal temp of 160F, and it should take from 2 to 3 hours. I am now facing a decision. She is at the target 160F so should be done and come out. Yet, she has only been in two hours and most say it should take longer. What I decided to do was to leave her on a low temp of approx 200F - 210F and continue a while longer. I split the difference of 2 hours and 3 hours, planning on taking her out at 2.5 hours. I will just live with the results. Which, as I said, I think will be great, just somewhat smokeless.
As it turned out, I kept an eye on her and actually left her in for the full three hours. Don't know why, but she just didn't look done to me. More of a gut feeling than anything.
I have never posted a picture before, but will try it now. Just so you can see how she looks. First picture is at two hours. Second picture is at three hours, when I took it off.
OK, there you have it. Please give me your advice, criticisms and such. I can use all I can get.
Thanks,
Skip
