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Thanks for the encouragement guys. My ribs were actually pretty tasty, I cooked them using charcoal briquettes and a little bit of hickory chips for smoke. I put them on the smoker for about 4 hours, and I really have no clue what the temperature was. They weren't super tender, but next time I will try foiling them after a couple of hours and adding more smoke wood. I think those two things would help alot. I got a great deal on the WSM but its an older model that doesn't have a thermometer on the lid so I was just guessing wildly at the temperature. I am going to get a dual probe thermometer like the Maverick ET732 so I can track pit temp and meat temp and it will undoubtedly make things alot easier on me.
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Jun 19, 2012 15:57
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| # ? May 14, 2024 00:59 |
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Ribs are considered "Done" (at least for every comp I've been a part of) when they're firm enough for you to take a bite without pulling all the meat off the bone, but not undercooked so much you can't take a bite out. I generally finish my spares up St. Louis style and they've got a slight "crunch" to them. Need to put a little effort into pulling the meat from the bone with your teeth, but you won't be able to just pull the bone out. E: I guess my point was I don't think I've ever paid attention to what temperature my ribs come off the pit at. It's just second nature at this point. Bend test and all that. Digital_Jesus fucked around with this message at 16:06 on Jun 19, 2012 |
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Jun 19, 2012 16:03
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Canuckistan posted:I suggest painting it to look like R2D2.  TECHNICAL Thug posted:I bought one of these new from Home Depot. It works pretty well for me. Put lava rocks (buy a new bag the ones that it comes with are crap) on top of the electric element if you haven't already. oh and don't use an extension cord.
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Jun 19, 2012 16:16
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So I've been deadset for months on getting the WSM, but I'm starting to consider an electric Masterbuilt with one of those pellet trays for the bottom of it. Am I insane to not go with the WSM?
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Jun 20, 2012 16:32
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MB Electric w/AMNPS tray Pros: - No fuel necessary = cheap to operate. - Very consistent temps. - Can be used to easily cold-smoke with no modifications necessary. - Can go for ~10 hours unattended. - Remote control/temp monitor. - High capacity, particularly with the 40" model. Cons: - No smoke ring (supposedly you can put small pieces of charcoal in the chip tray to get one, I've never done it). Has no effect on flavor. - Can't be used in competitions. - Not 'authentic' according to the rules of BBQ. I've never owned a WSM, but I know they're pretty much the best charcoal smoker you can buy for the price. You can't go wrong with one. I debated purchasing one but settled on the electric because I'm busy enough as it is, so the consistency and ability to run unattended overnight is a big plus for me. I've owned it ~2 months and already smoked more stuff than I did all of last summer on a Weber Smokenator.
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Jun 20, 2012 17:35
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If you don't mind babysitting your smoker (and you shouldn't) the WSM is quite possibly the best Sub-$500 smoker you're going to find before breaking into large competition grade units. The $400 22.5" unit has served me extremely well and produces reliable consistent smokes. Temperature control is cake and filling the water pan mid-cook is easy if you own one of those plant-watering containers. It'll hold about 10lbs of coal and burn for a solid 10-12 hours without needing to be refueled. At max load I can fit two briskets and 4 shoulders in it, or 4 shoulders and 3 racks of ribs, or 6 racks of trimmed st. louis. It's a beast of a unit for how cheap they are. The only complaint I have is the cheap rear end aluminum "fire door" but you can fix it up pretty quick with some fire cord and a bit of heat-safe adhesive. Digital_Jesus fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Jun 20, 2012 |
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Jun 20, 2012 17:47
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coyo7e posted:??? Why not? Not even a heavy duty one? Some people have used dryer extension cords or something, but a) fire hazard and b) element doesn't get as hot apparently, at least that's what they say.
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Jun 20, 2012 21:04
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GigaFool posted:I've never owned a WSM, but I know they're pretty much the best charcoal smoker you can buy for the price. You can't go wrong with one. I debated purchasing one but settled on the electric because I'm busy enough as it is, so the consistency and ability to run unattended overnight is a big plus for me. I've owned it ~2 months and already smoked more stuff than I did all of last summer on a Weber Smokenator. For the record, if you use the "minion method", a WSM can handle an overnight smoke with no intervention easily. I built a HeaterMeter for mine, and it's insanely temperature stable if you load it up and leave it a lone.
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Jun 20, 2012 21:17
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Anyone have a smokenator 1000? I have heard good things but haven't used one yet. I'm probably getting a 22" weber kettle soon and may buy a smokenator for it.
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Jun 20, 2012 22:16
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Astronaut Jones posted:For the record, if you use the "minion method", a WSM can handle an overnight smoke with no intervention easily. I built a HeaterMeter for mine, and it's insanely temperature stable if you load it up and leave it a lone. Seconding this, I tried the minion method for the first time memorial day weekend and it was awesome. The needle stayed at 225 and didn't move for literally 12 hours. I kept going out to check it expecting it to change and never did.
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Jun 21, 2012 03:14
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Astronaut Jones posted:For the record, if you use the "minion method", a WSM can handle an overnight smoke with no intervention easily. I built a HeaterMeter for mine, and it's insanely temperature stable if you load it up and leave it a lone. I don't doubt it. I thought about building one of those just to monitor/graph the meat temps in my electric (for later reference and planning ahead), but I have this feeling there will eventually be some sort of network-ready thermometer on the market. At least I'm hoping, because I'm not the best at soldering.
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Jun 21, 2012 03:14
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GigaFool posted:network-ready thermometer I really want one of these too, like really bad.
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Jun 21, 2012 03:34
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TECHNICAL Thug posted:Anyone have a smokenator 1000? I have heard good things but haven't used one yet. I'm probably getting a 22" weber kettle soon and may buy a smokenator for it. Alternatively, I just use the base of my 18" wsm as a grill.
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Jun 21, 2012 04:07
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Stringent posted:Alternatively, I just use the base of my 18" wsm as a grill. I have the little metal clips so I can do this as well, but you have to be careful about how much charcoal you put in the thing or it turns into a blast furnace because the grate sits directly on the fire ring.
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Jun 21, 2012 14:50
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GigaFool posted:I don't doubt it. I thought about building one of those just to monitor/graph the meat temps in my electric (for later reference and planning ahead), but I have this feeling there will eventually be some sort of network-ready thermometer on the market. At least I'm hoping, because I'm not the best at soldering. Well, the HeaterMeter is a very fun project if you are a tinkerer. You don't have to be a great solderer as it's all hole-through stuff. Worth a shot if you've got the time. CapnBry is working on building a new "shield" version that will hook onto a RaspberryPi too which should simplify things.. hopefully. 
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Jun 21, 2012 14:52
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Which Maverick probes are you using? The wiki is a little unclear on which one to use. Since you're using wired probes did you bother putting in the radio receiver for the wireless probe?
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Jun 21, 2012 16:50
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Canuckistan posted:Which Maverick probes are you using? The wiki is a little unclear on which one to use. Since you're using wired probes did you bother putting in the radio receiver for the wireless probe? I didn't bother doing the wireless board since I didn't really see the point. My router is going to be right there, why bother with more expensive probes and crap. I'm using the High Heat ET73 probes. So far, so good.
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Jun 22, 2012 00:03
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Is there a website/build of the "heatermeter" a simple google search has failed me.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:32
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Here's a forum with people talking about it: http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/frm/f/5561094836 Actual home page: https://github.com/CapnBry/HeaterMeter/wiki/An-Introduction-to-LinkMeter---HeaterMeter Astronaut Jones posted:I didn't bother doing the wireless board since I didn't really see the point. My router is going to be right there, why bother with more expensive probes and crap. Are you using the HH probe for both your food and the pit? Also how many probes can the LM handle? I'm thinking you'd want three - two meat and one pit.
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Jun 22, 2012 14:38
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Canuckistan posted:Here's a forum with people talking about it: By design the HM board has 4 probes. I didn't really have room / didn't see a need for 4 so I only wired mine up for 3. While they make "straight" pit probe type probes, I just use one of the ET73's stuck through a clothes pin I drilled a hole in, clipped to the top grill. Most of the time I'm either doing ribs, or chicken and only care about the pit probe, or I'm doing one to two butts, so I figured 3 is plenty.
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Jun 22, 2012 15:11
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I just ordered 3 PCB boards for 28$ from dorkbot to assemble the heatermeter. As I understand it now I need to purchase the mouser project, the pololu parts, and the probes from Maverick. If anyone wants a PCB board they can get in touch with me at ut me hookem at gmale dot com and I will send you one for $10 for a single board shipped in the lower 48.
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Jun 22, 2012 16:20
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Hey, I'll take one. $15 shipped to Canada?
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Jun 22, 2012 16:24
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Sounds good to me. The dorkbot guy said he had some on hand so he already shipped them. I'll circle back around when they arrive.
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Jun 22, 2012 16:32
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Cool. I sent you an email too.
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Jun 22, 2012 16:38
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Cool, Thanks. It hasn't come through yet so I'll let you know if it doesn't for some reason.
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Jun 22, 2012 16:44
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When you're ordering parts, keep in mind you can skip a bunch of them if you're not going to use wireless probes, or if you're not going to use the board standalone (without a router). Also, the button board is sort of useless in my opinion, so that's even more stuff you can skip. The button board doesn't let you do anything you can't do in the web interface..
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Jun 22, 2012 18:01
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I've got a New Braunfels offset smoker that I've been using for a few years but I would like to see if Its possible to install a fan to help regulate the temperatures on it so I can go with longer unattended cooking times. Right now I have a hard time trusting it longer than 45 minutes as it can vary by 20-30 deg or so
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Jun 23, 2012 13:39
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Gegil as far as I can tell you can put a stoker setup on anything although you may have to get creative with the ducting so you can make sure your fan is the only air supply. I am about 5 hours into smoking a 9.5 lb brisket on my WSM, will post some pics of result whether its good or bad. Its my first attempt at brisket and I dont have a thermometer at all because its an older WSM that doesnt have the thermometer on the lid and I am holding off of having a digital unit until everything comes in for my linksys heatermeter. Im certainly flying by the seat of my pants but I used the minion method and the WSM is pretty good at staying stable so I am just hoping for the best and keeping my vents about 1/4 open on the bottom with the top vent full open.
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Jun 23, 2012 18:53
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Is a select packer brisket from the grocery store/walmart/sams worth buying if its reasonably cheap or do yall always pony up for choice/local or better? There's a huge price gap between the two...
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Jun 23, 2012 19:57
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I dunno, I think paid $26 for mine and I bought select from tom thumb which is the texas brand of safeway. I would just go with select until you get your technique down then you can start springing for the better grades.
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Jun 23, 2012 20:06
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TECHNICAL Thug posted:Is a select packer brisket ... worth buying? I agree with SweetJuicyTaco, stick with the cheap easy to find Select Briskets until you feel comfortable with doubling the price you pay for a better cut of meat. You can still make some very good brisket with the Packer Briskets since they are normally not trimmed as aggressively as a local butcher would. In some cases, I'll trim the fat cap slightly to even out its thickness.
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Jun 23, 2012 21:55
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Today I was planning on smoking a ~1 lb chunk of pork butt I had thawing out in the fridge.. Then I figured, if I'm going to do that, may as well pick up another butt and fill up the Weber, so that was my Saturday! I had read about a "fuse" technique for the briquettes - I arranged briquettes in three rings around about 3/4 of the outside of the charcoal grate; two rings on the bottom, one on top, like a pyramid. Then, light 6-8 coals and put them at one end of the "fuse". I put some soaked wood chunks along the fuse, so every 30 mins or so, it'd start smoking. Had no problems keeping the temp at around 230-240, with the top vent wide open and the bottom at around half closed (depending on wind, mostly). Left them on the smoke for 4 hours, then moved them to a 250 oven for a few more hours. I used a half recipe of http://tvwbb.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/2880069052/m/7030048663 for the rub - it's a little sweet for my taste I think. All in all very happy with the results. Will have plenty of leftovers! 
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Jun 24, 2012 02:12
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BGE ribs from last weekend. No money shot. Ate them too fast  
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Jun 24, 2012 17:29
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Mother of god, that brisket I smoked turned out entirely glorious. It competed with some of the best brisket I have had from bbq joints around central Texas. I will post some pictures tomorrow when I am bored at work but got drat. I ate it today with some white bread and a little mustard. It really did turn out so tasty and tender there is no sauce required. The mark of great bbq. Anyways I took several pictures throughout the cooking process so I will post them up soon. I am just excited to report success on my first brisket cook.
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Jun 25, 2012 05:21
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How different are babybacks than spare ribs? Can I still do the 3/1.5/1 or should it be shorter/longer?
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Jun 25, 2012 15:52
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Babybacks are way faster to cook, I never foil them and they usually take 3-4 hrs on my big green egg.
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Jun 25, 2012 18:16
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Alright question 2. Can you over brine a pork shoulder? We had put it in yesterday at 6pm to be cooked today at 8am, but my friend got sick and we're going to postpone for 24 hours. Can we just leave it in the brine? If I take it out and don't smoke it immediately will it form a pellicle type thing like fish does? Is that good? fedit: Yesterday's ribs pics to follow when I get home.
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Jun 27, 2012 14:15
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You can over brine it, and I think it would be OK for it to sit out of the brine. A lot of pork you see in stores is "seasoned" aka brined.
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Jun 27, 2012 14:47
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McSpankWich posted:Alright question 2. Can you over brine a pork shoulder? We had put it in yesterday at 6pm to be cooked today at 8am, but my friend got sick and we're going to postpone for 24 hours. Can we just leave it in the brine? If I take it out and don't smoke it immediately will it form a pellicle type thing like fish does? Is that good? Good link regarding brine: http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/rubs_pastes_marinades_and_brines/zen_of_brines.html
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Jun 27, 2012 17:15
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Getting back to the LinkMeter discussion real quick - I see that folks are currently working on using the Raspberry Pi. Would someone who is fine with putting together the hardware but is as retarded as a monkey piloting the shuttle with code be better off waiting for the Pi development to ...develop or would I be better off going for the Linksys + HeatMeter route?
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Jun 28, 2012 01:45
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