First smoke today - a couple of ??

[husker-q]

Hi guys - thanks already for the wealth of information you have given me get set up. I have a Chargriller Pro with Side Box.

I am starting out with a 7 lb Boston and fired it up at 7:30 this morning. Am currently at 54 deg with smoker temp between 220 and 245 range. I have 2 digital probes - one about 1.5 inches above the grate level and the other in the meat. I also have an analog oven guage on the grate and there is good agreement with the digital. The stock mounted guage that came with the unit is about 60 deg low so am glad I learned up front to ignore that one!!!!

I have viewed the pulled pork "sticky" so am using that as a guide for temps, etc.

2 newbie questions:

I am using apple wood chunks - do I just throw a few of these directly on the coals - or do I need to be putting a pan on the coals and throw the wood in that?

also - as for keeping the fire at temp - (am using regular Kingsford this time but will get the lump for next time) - do I just periodically throw another 10 or so briquettes on top to keep it going?

I know I'll have more questions as the day goes on - but this will get me going in the right direction.

Thanks and looking forward to some good eats!!!!!!!!!

 

[travcoman45]

Yup goin to have to keep feeding her coals otherwise you will get big swings in temp.

I use a cheap aluminum pan to put my wood in and then sit it on top of my coals. Works for me.

Keep us posted!

 

[richtee]

First... Welcome to SMF and please make a Roll Call post with your info- smoker type, experience, location, etc. Anything relevant so we can better answer questions.

I'd be pre-burning the coals before you add them, especially with briks. You can also preburn the apple. Never add too much raw wood... if ya pre-burn it to black...JUST as it stops flaming... you will have a MUCH better flavor.

 

[low&slow]

Hi Husker, Welcome to the SMF. I found that adding about 10-12 pieces of charcoal every hour or so will keep your temp steady. As for adding the wood, just toss it on to the side of the coals. Seems to work ok for me. Good luck, pulled pork is very easy to do. Dont forget the q-view.

 

[husker-q]

OK great - per above - I place a small metal pan in the fire box and placed the wood in there (about 3 chunks)

I had recently placed black briqs in the bin, so next time, I'll put them in the chimney starter and place them in hot - will that work?

Maybe just before the coals are ready in the chimney - I should place a few apple chunks on top of the chimney to "pre burn" the wood as you recommend. Hopefully I havent made the meat bitter already - maybe I caught this error early enough!

thanks

 

[richtee]

Yep...bingo
Good idea..let 'em flame out a bit...you will immediately smell the difference in the smoke... not "sharp" but "mellow" I guess I'd say.

 

[cheech]

I usually find that it works best to take one of the coals from the firebox to start the next batch in the chimney. Just before adding the coals through the chips in the top of the chimney and add the coals as the temperature drops to maintain the desired temperature.

 

[husker-q]

Update

not quite 2.5 hrs on smoker

meat temp is at 94 deg -

I'm plotting the temps on Excel and it is a nice steady climb (I know - nerdish but then again - I'm an engineer so I guess that is expected!)

still having a little trouble regulating temp - keeps bouncing between 220 and about 250 - but am giving it lots of attention. The fact that it is 38 degrees here and a little breezy doesnt help!

Will start spraying with apple juice at 100Degrees - should I dilute it?

 

[husker-q]

had to move to oven - went to 158 degrees and stayed there until I ran out of my 18 lb bag of Kingsford -

obviously - I have some learning to do on fire management - It was cool and breezy today though.

In oven and in the 160's now. I'll post my temp graph if I can figure out how!