My first long smoke
I'm really satisfied with my new smoker and wanted to right a review using Fogo charcoal large lumps.
Pork came out extremely tender and juicy.
I don't think I needed to rest it in the cooler for 2 hrs.
9# Boston butt
Cajun Bandit Smoker stacker
Texas style recipe
Cleaned grill out real good and replaced lower vent. Probably should have added some ash to help the vent seal a little better being that it is new.
Placed 2 fire grates in bottom perpendicular to each other to help keep small bits of charcoal from falling through.
Covered gas ignitor (Weber) opening with foil tape because it was letting in air. I don't use it anyway.
Rubbed the night before with:
Rub good with olive oil.
Mix together and rub it good:
(Approx measurements)
1/4 cup fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Placed 4 large chunks of apple wood around in charcoal ring with the first one being up close to the starting cube. Don't need the chimney. This stuff lights fast.
Filled charcoal ring with large chunks Fogo lump charcoal.
Lit 1 Weber lighter cube in center bottom and covered center over cube with medium chunks of lump.
(Medium chunks probably caused heat to rise fast).
Covered water pan with foil before adding hot water for easier clean up to about 2 inches from top.
Goal is 250°+/- grill temp.
6:00am.
Lit smoker.
6:15am
Grill temp 255°
6:20am
Put meat on.
IT is 36°.
Use binder clips of needed to help seal lid tightly closed.
Grill temp went up to 286°. Shut it down to bring temp down.
6:45am
grill temp 281°.
IT 40°.
6:55am
275°. Opened lower vent right in between first 2 holes, I'm guessing about 1/4 inch.
IT 45°.
7:30am
grill 254°
IT 72°
8:00am
251°
IT 85°
Spritz with apple cider vinegar.
8:20am
grill 244°. Opened bottom vent to the second hole.
IT 102°.
Don't see much smoke at all coming out.
8:35am
237°
IT 109°. Gonna open up some more, 2 1/2 holes. Top vent nearly 1/2.
Spritz again.
9:00am
temp jumped up to 302°. Shut it down again. It takes off when I open to Spritz it.
Note:
I forgot to clamp lid down with paper binder clips last time I spritzed. I think this is why temp started going up.
I hit the side to loosen up some ash and shake the charcoal up a bit and then I quickly opened and closed the bottom vent to try and help and limit air intake by spreading the ash around under vent.
Cleaning the grill real well before I think had been a problem getting the lower vent to close and seal out air.
9:40am
temp is dropping. Now 270° from 208°.
9:50am
256°
10:00am
248°
Time to open up a bit.
10:20am
4 hours so far.
Temp 248°
IT 146°
10:37am
IT 150°
I0:50am
IT 153°
Note:
Tried something different.
Closed bottom vent. Spritz the meat. Then reopened the vent. Hopefully this slows incoming air to try to keep fire from gaining to much temp from opening.
11:00am
Temp still climbed to 256°.
Closed all vents until temp comes back down.
Note:
I think when opening up to Spritz I should close all vents and wait until temp rise climbs and falls again. Then reopen.
11:05am
Seems to be working
temp back down to 251°.
IT 155°
Reopening vents.
11:30am
249°
IT 159°
11:50am
Temp 249°
IT 161°
Spritz
Note:
It worked. I closed all vents, spritz the meat. Closed it up. Waited until temp restabilized and then opened vents again.
12:30pm
IT 163°
257°
Spritz
Wrapped meat with 3 layers tinfoil
Replaced meat probe through foil.
IT 170°
Note:
Meat looks incredible good. Nice bark. Fat broken apart.
12:38pm
283° temp coming down.
2:00pm
257°
IT 185°
3:15pm
IT 199°
246°
Note:
9 hours
Removed meat and wrapped with a blanket still in the foil not opening it up and put it in a ice chest with heat probe. Must not let it get below 145°.
3:23pm
Carry over cooking is already at 202°.
4:00pm
IT still at 200°
6:00pm
IT still at 185°
6:45pm
Still at 178°
Note:
Using lump charcoal has been good after I learned what I needed to do to maintain temps like:
Use large chunks of lump charcoal in the smoker for smoking long cooks. It's easier to control the heat. Use the smaller pieces for other cooks like steaks, hamburgers, chicken, links etc.
Use a water pan. Wrap it in foil to help with cleaning.
Put meat on right away after lighting and getting smoker set up. It was fast getting to 250°.
Close down all vents when ever I need to open up the grill for anything. Wait about 10 or 15 minutes until temp re-stabilizes to just below goal heat before re-opening vents.
If it starts getting a little hot, smack the side of the smoker to shake up the ash and lumps. It helps it to cool down a bit.
After cleaning the bottom of the kettle around the vents, add some ash down in the bottom to help with sealing the bottom vent.
I'm really satisfied with my new smoker and wanted to right a review using Fogo charcoal large lumps.
Pork came out extremely tender and juicy.
I don't think I needed to rest it in the cooler for 2 hrs.
9# Boston butt
Cajun Bandit Smoker stacker
Texas style recipe
Cleaned grill out real good and replaced lower vent. Probably should have added some ash to help the vent seal a little better being that it is new.
Placed 2 fire grates in bottom perpendicular to each other to help keep small bits of charcoal from falling through.
Covered gas ignitor (Weber) opening with foil tape because it was letting in air. I don't use it anyway.
Rubbed the night before with:
Rub good with olive oil.
Mix together and rub it good:
(Approx measurements)
1/4 cup fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Placed 4 large chunks of apple wood around in charcoal ring with the first one being up close to the starting cube. Don't need the chimney. This stuff lights fast.
Filled charcoal ring with large chunks Fogo lump charcoal.
Lit 1 Weber lighter cube in center bottom and covered center over cube with medium chunks of lump.
(Medium chunks probably caused heat to rise fast).
Covered water pan with foil before adding hot water for easier clean up to about 2 inches from top.
Goal is 250°+/- grill temp.
6:00am.
Lit smoker.
6:15am
Grill temp 255°
6:20am
Put meat on.
IT is 36°.
Use binder clips of needed to help seal lid tightly closed.
Grill temp went up to 286°. Shut it down to bring temp down.
6:45am
grill temp 281°.
IT 40°.
6:55am
275°. Opened lower vent right in between first 2 holes, I'm guessing about 1/4 inch.
IT 45°.
7:30am
grill 254°
IT 72°
8:00am
251°
IT 85°
Spritz with apple cider vinegar.
8:20am
grill 244°. Opened bottom vent to the second hole.
IT 102°.
Don't see much smoke at all coming out.
8:35am
237°
IT 109°. Gonna open up some more, 2 1/2 holes. Top vent nearly 1/2.
Spritz again.
9:00am
temp jumped up to 302°. Shut it down again. It takes off when I open to Spritz it.
Note:
I forgot to clamp lid down with paper binder clips last time I spritzed. I think this is why temp started going up.
I hit the side to loosen up some ash and shake the charcoal up a bit and then I quickly opened and closed the bottom vent to try and help and limit air intake by spreading the ash around under vent.
Cleaning the grill real well before I think had been a problem getting the lower vent to close and seal out air.
9:40am
temp is dropping. Now 270° from 208°.
9:50am
256°
10:00am
248°
Time to open up a bit.
10:20am
4 hours so far.
Temp 248°
IT 146°
10:37am
IT 150°
I0:50am
IT 153°
Note:
Tried something different.
Closed bottom vent. Spritz the meat. Then reopened the vent. Hopefully this slows incoming air to try to keep fire from gaining to much temp from opening.
11:00am
Temp still climbed to 256°.
Closed all vents until temp comes back down.
Note:
I think when opening up to Spritz I should close all vents and wait until temp rise climbs and falls again. Then reopen.
11:05am
Seems to be working
temp back down to 251°.
IT 155°
Reopening vents.
11:30am
249°
IT 159°
11:50am
Temp 249°
IT 161°
Spritz
Note:
It worked. I closed all vents, spritz the meat. Closed it up. Waited until temp restabilized and then opened vents again.
12:30pm
IT 163°
257°
Spritz
Wrapped meat with 3 layers tinfoil
Replaced meat probe through foil.
IT 170°
Note:
Meat looks incredible good. Nice bark. Fat broken apart.
12:38pm
283° temp coming down.
2:00pm
257°
IT 185°
3:15pm
IT 199°
246°
Note:
9 hours
Removed meat and wrapped with a blanket still in the foil not opening it up and put it in a ice chest with heat probe. Must not let it get below 145°.
3:23pm
Carry over cooking is already at 202°.
4:00pm
IT still at 200°
6:00pm
IT still at 185°
6:45pm
Still at 178°
Note:
Using lump charcoal has been good after I learned what I needed to do to maintain temps like:
Use large chunks of lump charcoal in the smoker for smoking long cooks. It's easier to control the heat. Use the smaller pieces for other cooks like steaks, hamburgers, chicken, links etc.
Use a water pan. Wrap it in foil to help with cleaning.
Put meat on right away after lighting and getting smoker set up. It was fast getting to 250°.
Close down all vents when ever I need to open up the grill for anything. Wait about 10 or 15 minutes until temp re-stabilizes to just below goal heat before re-opening vents.
If it starts getting a little hot, smack the side of the smoker to shake up the ash and lumps. It helps it to cool down a bit.
After cleaning the bottom of the kettle around the vents, add some ash down in the bottom to help with sealing the bottom vent.
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