# It's Wed. morning, and I've got 2 in the smoker!



## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Got up at 5:45 this morning after playing poker til 2am.  My coffee is ready and I just put 2 briskets on the smoker (6:45am).  Im using my new Redi Chek ET 73 and I have to say...I like it!  And come to find out, the smoker thermometer I was using before is way off.  Right now Im registering 222F with the ET73, my old therm says 150F.  So that last brisket was cooking a lot hotter.

Its 745am now and I've noticed that my meat temp. has jumped from 34F to 85F in the first hour, is this normal?

Pictures coming soon, they will be posted here: http://www.easttexaspoker.net/bbq.


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## wittdog (May 10, 2006)

Yeah is that temp for the meat is normal, it will eventually plateau for a time, and then slowly start to go up.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Yeah is that temp for the meat is normal, it will eventually plateau for a time, and then slowly start to go up.



Good.  Thanks dog.


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## Captain Morgan (May 10, 2006)

hey I played poker last night too, but only till 10:30.  I also got up at 5 am.  wierd.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> hey I played poker last night too, but only till 10:30.  I also got up at 5 am.  wierd.



How did you do?  I dropped 110 in a 2/5 nl game.  It was an end to a 6 week winning streak.  I guess I had my briskets on my mind, thats why I couldnt play right. LOL


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Cappie wouldn't be able to post if he would have lost that much.

He would have killed himself.


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## cleglue (May 10, 2006)

Love2,

Here is a chart of a brisket I did the other week.  It will give you an idea how long the brisket will stay at certain temperatures.  It shows the times and temperature of the meat and the smoker.  My smoker temperature was all over the place because I was trying to use all wood in my small offset.  The average temperature was about 226*.  

http://usera.imagecave.com/cleglue/Bris ... 3Chart.JPG


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## LarryWolfe (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> Got up at 5:45 this morning after playing poker til 2am.  My coffee is ready and I just put 2 briskets on the smoker (6:45am).  Im using my new Redi Chek ET 73 and I have to say...I like it!  And come to find out, the smoker thermometer I was using before is way off.  Right now Im registering 222F with the ET73, my old therm says 150F.  So that last brisket was cooking a lot hotter.
> 
> Its 745am now and I've noticed that my meat temp. has jumped from 34F to 85F in the first hour, is this normal?
> 
> Pictures coming soon, they will be posted here: http://www.easttexaspoker.net/bbq.



Glad to hear you got your thermometers problems solved!  Life should be much better for you now!  Meat temps usually rise pretty quick until they get over 100-120*, then they slow down and once they hit the plateau of around 160* they will stall, but that's when the "magic" starts to happen!


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## Griff (May 10, 2006)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> hey I played poker last night too, but only till 10:30.  I also got up at 5 am.  *wierd*.



Where's the spelling police today?

Griff


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## Guest (May 10, 2006)

Griff said:
			
		

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In Alaska.  :grin:


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## Captain Morgan (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> [quote="Captain Morgan":3buvym2n]hey I played poker last night too, but only till 10:30.  I also got up at 5 am.  wierd.



How did you do?  I dropped 110 in a 2/5 nl game.  It was an end to a 6 week winning streak.  I guess I had my briskets on my mind, thats why I couldnt play right. LOL[/quote:3buvym2n]

Up till the last hand I was up 10 bucks and happy with that.  Last hand cost me 20!  ******!!


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

5 hours, 15 minutes and its smells goooooood!!!!  

Im on my second bag of royal oak.  I didnt see much of a decrease in fuel consumption from last week.


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> 5 hours, 15 minutes and its smells goooooood!!!!
> 
> Im on my second bag of royal oak.  I didnt see much of a decrease in fuel consumption from last week.


What have you done that you were looking for a decrease in fuel consumption?


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## LarryWolfe (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> 5 hours, 15 minutes and its smells goooooood!!!!
> 
> Im on my second bag of royal oak.  I didnt see much of a decrease in fuel consumption from last week.



Second bag for this cook?  Or two bags for two cooks (one bag per cook)?


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

I had a bad thermometer last week so I was smoking at a much higher temp. last week than I am now.  The vent on the firebox is closed a lot more this week then it was last week.  3/4- 7/8 closed now, last week it was only about 1/2 or less closed.  I figured this would slow the burn of the woodcharcoal.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Second bag for this cook Larry.


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## LarryWolfe (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> Second bag for this cook Larry.



I forgot, what kind of cooker do you have?  Charbroil offset right?


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## wittdog (May 10, 2006)

Try a smaller but higher pile of charcoal. In one of your pics it looked like the charcoal was spread out. Which IMO will make it burn hotter and faster, if it's piled up it will burn slower and last longer. What position are you vents in?


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Larry Wolfe said:
			
		

> [quote="Love2<º><":2o4u6zgi]Second bag for this cook Larry.



I forgot, *what kind of cooker do you have?*  Charbroil offset right?
[/quote:2o4u6zgi]
Charcoal eating. 8-[


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## LarryWolfe (May 10, 2006)

Finney said:
			
		

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Charcoal eating. 8-[[/quote:3he4eg5j] :lmao:   That is alot of charcoal consumption for 5 hours of cooking.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Larry Wolfe said:
			
		

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Charcoal eating. 8-[[/quote:2b26msui] :lmao:   That is alot of charcoal consumption for 5 hours of cooking.[/quote:2b26msui]

its a Brinkman PITMASTER.  Its an offset smoker. The exhaust is full open, the vent at the firebox is about 2/3-7/8 closed.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Try a smaller but higher pile of charcoal. In one of your pics it looked like the charcoal was spread out. Which IMO will make it burn hotter and faster, if it's piled up it will burn slower and last longer. What position are you vents in?



Thanks dog.  I'll have to try this out.


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

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You might want to look into a charcoal basket also.  And... lighting the charcoal using the minion method if you're not already.


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## wittdog (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

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I used to have one similar. What I used to do was when I was just using charcoal and the charcoal was lit. was to close the exhaust till it is just opened up a crack this will help you maintain heat.  Right now all your heat is going out the stack. Some of these guys will probably never do something like this but I have done it and If the charcoal is lit and you aren’t using wood you don’t have to worry about creosote (SP) that bitter taste on your meat. I’ve done the same thing on my new SFB at the end of a cook when I’m not looking for more smoke flavor and just using charcoal, and I haven’t had any issues. It’s no different then an indirect method of cooking on a kettle grill. With the smaller pile of charcoal and having the exhaust only open a crack you will burn less charcoal.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Finney said:
			
		

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Not familiar with the minion method.  I used a chimney and poured the hot coals on on top of the unlit coals in the firebox.

I've been wanting a charcoal basket but I havent seen them anywhere for sale.  I've been thinking of making one,  Not sure what kind of cutting tools I would need for the metal mesh.


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## wittdog (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

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Not familiar with the minion method.  I used a chimney and poured the hot coals on on top of the unlit coals in the firebox.

I've been wanting a charcoal basket but I havent seen them anywhere for sale.  I've been thinking of making one,  Not sure what kind of cutting tools I would need for the metal mesh.[/quotedfn8avh]
A dremel tool will do it if need be.


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## cleglue (May 10, 2006)

A jig saw and a metal blade will cut the expanded metal with no problem.  A friend just made one for me.  He cut a long piece of expanded metal and bent it around to make a box.  He then welded it on the one side to make the four sides of the basket.  The bottom was already cut. He welded it together and it was done.

Here's a post from another forum on one built without having to weld it together.
http://www.barbecuenews.com/forum/topic ... IC_ID=4733


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## Nick Prochilo (May 10, 2006)

Captain Morgan said:
			
		

> hey I played poker last night too, but only till 10:30.  I also got up at 5 am.  wierd.



When you rolled over this morning was Nick there?


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## LarryWolfe (May 10, 2006)

Nick Prochilo said:
			
		

> [quote="Captain Morgan":31f9wmv4]hey I played poker last night too, but only till 10:30.  I also got up at 5 am.  wierd.



When you rolled over this morning was Nick there?[/quote:31f9wmv4]

Huh?  #-o


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## Captain Morgan (May 10, 2006)

That's about as scary as one of those commercials with the Burger King.


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

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*Not familiar with the minion method.*  I used a chimney and poured the hot coals on on top of the unlit coals in the firebox.

I've been wanting a charcoal basket but I havent seen them anywhere for sale.  I've been thinking of making one,  Not sure what kind of cutting tools I would need for the metal mesh.[/quote:10zp2955]
The minion method simplified: 
1) fill cooker with unlit charcoal (basket would help), open dampers all the way
2) light approx 15 coals in a charcoal chimney until ashed over
3) put lit coals on unlit coals
4) when temp reaches 10 - 20* from target temp close dampers down to your normal cooking position

This should give you an extended burn time over what you are getting with your std light up.


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## Bill The Grill Guy (May 10, 2006)

I would just like to say  Thanks you for the PICS! =D>


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Im at 8 hours now and the meat temp is steady at 154F for the last 1 1/2 hour.


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> Im at 8 hours now and the meat temp is steady at 154F for the last 1 1/2 hour.


Welcome to the plateau.  Enjoy your stay.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Finney said:
			
		

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LOL!  Thanks.  Do I get a T-shirt?   How long does the plateau last?


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## Puff1 (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

> 5 hours, 15 minutes and its smells goooooood!!!!
> 
> Im on my second bag of royal oak.  I didnt see much of a decrease in fuel consumption from last week.


Did you modify the smoker at all?


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

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LOL!  Thanks.  *Do I get a T-shirt?*   How long does the plateau last?[/quote:1qnc1s5e]
Yes.  Larry mails them out but some people say they never get them.

Plateau lasts until the fat is rendered.  Who knows how long?  This is the *magic time* :spell: ... don't rush it.


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## Nick Prochilo (May 10, 2006)

Finney said:
			
		

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Yes.  Larry mails them out but some people say they never get them.
Plateau lasts until the fat is rendered.  Who knows how long?  This is the *magic time* :spell: ... don't rush it.[/quote:1vtinig2]

Mean, just plain old mean! Funny too!   :lcry:  :lmao:


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Nick Prochilo said:
			
		

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Yes.  Larry mails them out but some people say they never get them.
Plateau lasts until the fat is rendered.  Who knows how long?  This is the *magic time* :spell: ... don't rush it.[/quote:d65y62k3]

*Mean, just plain old mean! Funny too!*   :lcry:  :lmao:[/quote:d65y62k3]
What?!?!?!?!


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## cleglue (May 10, 2006)

Love2,

Here are pictures of my charcoal basket.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Well Im at 9 hours, 45 minutes and the temp.  was still around 153F.  I had the therm. in the smaller brisket since I figured this one would be done first. (9lb).  Then I decide to check the temp of the bigger brisket (12lb.) and it was about 175F.

Only thing I can imagine that caused this was the fact that the bigger brisket was closer to the firebox, but would it of made that much of a difference?  

And I just emptied the second 10lb back of royal oak, and Im not done.  I guess I'll have to pull out the Cowboy wood charcoal since thats all I have left.

Hmmm.....I dont think I've quite mastered this!


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## wittdog (May 10, 2006)

Sounds like the cook is going right on time. Remember you are looking at 1 hr- 1-1/2hr of cooking time  per pound.  The big one could be at a higher temp because it closer to the firebox. Are you going to foil the Briskets?Every cook is a learning experience, that’s one of the things that makes it so much fun or frustrating. You use what you know and apply it to whatever the present situation is. You might want to run out and get some more charcoal and some more beers. It’s going to take awhile.


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## Finney (May 10, 2006)

Also, stick the meat probe back in the smaller one in a different location.  It might have been in a fat pocket which would give you a lower reading.


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

Puff said:
			
		

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Yup, I have the lowered chimney and the baffle over the opening from the firebox to the smoke box


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## TheCook (May 10, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Sounds like the cook is going right on time. Remember you are looking at 1 hr- 1-1/2hr of cooking time  per pound.  The big one could be at a higher temp because it closer to the firebox. Are you going to foil the Briskets?Every cook is a learning experience, that’s one of the things that makes it so much fun or frustrating. You use what you know and apply it to whatever the present situation is. You might want to run out and get some more charcoal and some more beers. It’s going to take awhile.



Yup, Im foiling.  The big one is foiled now, waiting for the small one to heat up enough.  

I thought I had Cowboy but its Kingsford charwood.  I think that should work.


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## Puff1 (May 10, 2006)

Love2<º>< said:
			
		

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Yup, I have the lowered chimney and the baffle over the opening from the firebox to the smoke box[/quote:mxs9gnm3]

FIRE BRICKS :!: 
Try lining the chamber with the bricks, I did it and it made a world of difference :!: 
I only use half the lump I used before that :!: 
They helped hold the temp. steady no matter what kind of weather.
Hey, how about some pics?
Good luck :!:


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## Puff1 (May 10, 2006)

brian j said:
			
		

> fire bricks work well.  so does a big piece of steel.  this is the one that was in my silver smoker when it was setup as an offset.  also this is a picture of the charcoal basket i made from expanded steel.  instead of welding i used screws and bolts to keep it together.


The charcoal basket is my next project :!:


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## LarryWolfe (May 11, 2006)

Puff said:
			
		

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Puff,
     Go behind a grocery store and pick up one of those plastic milk crates.  Those work great for charcoal baskets!  8-[ 

Seriously, some of the old milk crates are made out of metal.  I don't know what kind of metal it is or depending on the size of your firebox if it would even fit.  But if you could find one of the old metal ones it seems it may work for a ready made charcoal basket.  Just a thought.


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## wittdog (May 11, 2006)

Well how did they turn out? How long did it take and where are the pics?


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## Finney (May 11, 2006)

wittdog said:
			
		

> Well how did they turn out? How long did it take and where are the pics?


Yeah, what the dog said.


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## LarryWolfe (May 11, 2006)

Finney said:
			
		

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Yeah what Dog and Finney said.


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## SteerCrazy (May 11, 2006)

> Not familiar with the minion method.  I used a chimney and poured the hot coals on on top of the unlit coals in the firebox.




If I'm not mistaken, that _is_ the minion method.  8-[


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## LarryWolfe (May 11, 2006)

Man's Best Friend BBQ said:
			
		

> > Not familiar with the minion method.  I used a chimney and poured the hot coals on on top of the unlit coals in the firebox.
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You're correct, to a degree.  It depends on how many "lit" coals are in the chimney.  If you dump a full chimney of unlit coals on top of unlit coals they will all catch and burn very rapidly, therefore giving you much higher temps than you need for BBQ.  If you use a smaller amount of coals, anywhere from 5-15 lit onto the unlit they will burn much much lower, slower and give you a very long continuous burn if you adjust your vents properly.


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## TheCook (May 11, 2006)

Sorry for the delay.  I ate, got tired, and fell asleep.  Im about to head to work now so I wont be able to post pictures until I get home tonight.  The brisket was just OK.  The flat was a little on the dry side compared to last week's brisket.  I'll post more later.


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