MCS getting worse, but hope is in sight

[Steve R.]

***UPDATE***
As I posted in another thread last weekend, the butts and ribs turned out great with this thing! One key, I did another dry run beforehand with only a chimney load of mostly lit coals to create a good hot base to start the wood. Burning mostly charcoal + some wood in this cooker just isn't sustainable, at least not on my budget, and I'm not sure it's even desirable. Adding about 3 forearm-sized splits at the beginning and then adding another as the temp dropped below 250 did the trick. The timing worked out to adding 1 split about every 45 minutes or so. 250 - 275 seemed to be the sweet spot for nice thin smoke while not overheating the rub. I pre-burned several cherry logs in the firepit the night before, which I think helped the smoke quality. I had to "goose" the firebox with the weedburner once, and that was only because I dozed off too long early on and let the fire die down to the point where it wouldn't ignite the next log fast enough for my liking.

Downside is that for the first weekend since I joined The Pit, I have no smoking or grilling planned. DT's are starting already.

[Big Maple]

I'm just wondering...where do you find upper management that lets you spend that much! Mine would roast me alive if I spent that much on the smoker of my dreams! Just kidding awesome rig.

[Steve R.]

Haha! In all seriousness, it took repeated excellent cooks on the Weber kettle/SnS and an emergency situation in which I had to borrow a buddy's larger propane smoker to sell her on the need for an increase in cooking capacity. And then she had the nerve to ask me if I was going to sell the Weber!

[Elgine]

This is one reason I like the way I setup my settlements for driving, currently putting 400 a settlement away which is usually weekly for my mcs current project getting a second fridge and probably a stand alone freezer for storage.