Question for all you meat smokers (not that meat hehe)

[Bucket99]

Some good YouTube videos on improvements to the Chargriller and cooking videos, that's what I started with too until I found the BGE and never looked back.
Its a must to burn it out first!!!

 

[chopper duke]

Pork butt/ Boston butt is probably one of the most forgiving meats so it's a great starting meat.

Each smoker is different so amount of wood will vary. I have a medium sized off-set smoker (the only true smoker ) and I keep my wood about the diameter of a Coke can and just long enough that there's some room on each end inside the firebox.

You want to get the smoker hot before putting on any meat. I'll get mine up to 300* then it let it start to even out before dropping meat in. The meat will bring the temps down but you won't have to fight to get them up to 225-250. I use a Maverick ET733 wireless thermometer for the meat and smoker unless I'm doing a couple butts than I'll use the 733 for the meat and an ET73 for the smoker.

For butts I wait till I get just past the stall (usually around 160) and then wrap in foil with an apple cider mixture of mine. Continue till internals are 195, then pull and rest.
Ribs I do the 3-2-1 method on.

Oh and don't forget to season it first. Do a burn to get all of the oils out before anything. I'll also steam clean it by getting it hot and then hosing down the inside. Reseason with peanut oil.

 

[Npowers66]

Good stuff guys thanks. I have been researching and watching videos all weekend. I know it won't be perfect the first couple times.

 

[SouthernSlammed]

View attachment 714581 Picked up my first offset smoker. And I'm really excited to smoke some ribs or pork butt or something. 1.Any one got any tips ? 2.Temp recommendations ? 3.A few questions I have. Somebody told me when I use the smoke box I need to put a few coals in the grill part as well. But wouldn't that make it too hot ? 4.Where can I get actual logs of Apple wood or hickory ? I was told stay away from mesquite wood. Ive een the chunks I can at homedepot or Wally.

Congrats!! Your addiction to smoking is like this forum, you will eventually need a bigger grill, LoL! I have this exact smoker on my porch and when I need bigger I have a trailer smoker!

But to answer your questions, as numbered above!

1. Tips with this particular smoker, leave the chimney open at all times. If you don't keep it under cover when not in use, then close it. The vent on the firebox will usually only need to be slightly cracked when fire is running to maintain a good 250* temp (if you use bagged wood, can be different if using fresh seasoned wood). I will recommend that you get a small oven thermometer to put inside when cooking as the one on front will probably be off a little. Otherwise it will take a few times to play with it to get it right, I would recommend doing these tests while seasoning it, rather than when attempting to cook!

2. I usually run mine at 250* for just about anything, now it can very with conditions but usually somewhere between 225* and 275*. If you are up and down with temp, just keep an eye on meat temp.

3. When smoking, only put fire in the firebox. I usually start out with some charcoal and then pile on the wood. Usually only need one piece per 45 minutes, from the bag wood I use.

4. The best bag wood you can find for this smoker is at Academy Sports. They have large bags of logs, back in the grilling section. I usually use only Pecan. Different woods will give you different tastes. Some foods go better with different woods. Mesquite and Hickory, to me, can be over powering, if I use either, I will mix it in with some pecan/apple/peach.

 

[Npowers66]

Congrats!! Your addiction to smoking is like this forum, you will eventually need a bigger grill, LoL! I have this exact smoker on my porch and when I need bigger I have a trailer smoker!

But to answer your questions, as numbered above!

1. Tips with this particular smoker, leave the chimney open at all times. If you don't keep it under cover when not in use, then close it. The vent on the firebox will usually only need to be slightly cracked when fire is running to maintain a good 250* temp (if you use bagged wood, can be different if using fresh seasoned wood). I will recommend that you get a small oven thermometer to put inside when cooking as the one on front will probably be off a little. Otherwise it will take a few times to play with it to get it right, I would recommend doing these tests while seasoning it, rather than when attempting to cook!

2. I usually run mine at 250* for just about anything, now it can very with conditions but usually somewhere between 225* and 275*. If you are up and down with temp, just keep an eye on meat temp.

3. When smoking, only put fire in the firebox. I usually start out with some charcoal and then pile on the wood. Usually only need one piece per 45 minutes, from the bag wood I use.

4. The best bag wood you can find for this smoker is at Academy Sports. They have large bags of logs, back in the grilling section. I usually use only Pecan. Different woods will give you different tastes. Some foods go better with different woods. Mesquite and Hickory, to me, can be over powering, if I use either, I will mix it in with some pecan/apple/peach.

Awesome thank you.

 

[ClassicBlue]

Spend the money on a duel probe wireless thermometer. When your butts hit 160/165 internally, wrap it foil and put back on until you hit 205. Pull the butt and wrap in a towel and put in a small cooler for an hour or three. Then remove and pull the blade out with your fingers. That's how we roll baby!

 

[Npowers66]

Here we go !! First butt. I'll let you know how it taste.

 

[Leatherhead]

View attachment 729730 Here we go !! First butt. I'll let you know how it taste.

You can't mess it up. It's will be phenomenal.

 

[ClassicBlue]

Looks good but you're a little shy on the bark. You want it to look like this....

 

[Realstudent368]

I smoke everything at 225 degrees.

Pork butt smokes at 1 hour per pound +1 hour

Poultry smokes at 30 mins per pound.

Brisket...smoke for 4-5 hours, then wrap in foil and continue for 9 more hours.


Rubs and other ways to season is subjective and doesn't matter...the only thing that stays the same is the cook times and temp.

Good luck and have fun!

Lotta truth in that....