Time to get serious about a new smoker.

[Jeff Lebowski]

That's very interesting info, JL. I'm sure I've underestimated the need for resting my work product, mainly due to impatience and because I don't want the meat to get too cold. But we did a tri-tip Sunday and circumstances (i.e., Mrs. PAC being too slow in prepping her side of the meal, and this was Fast Sunday so I was starving ) resulted in a longer than usual rest. Even discounting for my hunger, the 'tip turned out better than ever and seemed much juicier than usual.

In view of the article, I'm going to cook things well in advance of dining time and let things sit for awhile. Question about the article, though: As long as you keep the temp at, say, 140, does the meat continue to cook? I love the look of medium-rare to medium, and don't want an extended stay in a warming device to ruin that.

Depends on what you are cooking. The focus of the article is mainly big cuts of slow-cooked smoked meat (butts and briskets). In both cases, you stop cooking when they reach 190-195 and you hold anywhere from 140-170 or so. So they stop cooking but that extra time allows for the water to reabsorb and the connective tissue in the meat breaks down making it more tender. But I don't think a multi-hour hold at 140 or above would apply to a medium-rare steak.

[hostile]

BTW, I bought a cambro a few months ago. LOVE it...


...I am going to trying holding at lower temps. I usually hold at 170-180.

I've got a warming drawer that i can set for 120, 160, or 200. Im going to give it a try next cook.

[Jeff Lebowski]

I've got a warming drawer that i can set for 120, 160, or 200. Im going to give it a try next cook.

160 would be perfect.

[Green Monstah]

JL, which Cambro did you get?

[Jeff Lebowski]

JL, which Cambro did you get?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...rch_detailpage

[Green Monstah]

My wife is getting me a BBQ Guru DigiQ for Father's day, and I'm pretty stoked!

[TripletDaddy]

My wife is getting me a BBQ Guru DigiQ for Father's day, and I'm pretty stoked!

the wifi? which fan are you getting? pit viper?

[Green Monstah]

the wifi? which fan are you getting? pit viper?

I think that's the CyberQ. Pitviper (Medium).

[Drunk Tank]

You'll really like the guru. I just picked up a used Stoker Wifi by Rock's BBQ. I like that it has the capability to run multiple temp probes and I can watch it and make changes from my iPad.

[ERCougar]

Once in a while, I cover a hospital in rural Nevada for 3-4 days at a time. By cover, I mean I'm the only doc in town, so I cover the ER, as well as any inpatients and the occasional baby delivery. It's fun frontier medicine, and it's easy money.

I'm posting in this thread because my last two times I've been here, I've brought along my Pit Barrel Cooker and done some cooks. I got this a few years ago to have something I could easily take camping. We haven't taken it in a little while and I forgot how fun and easy it is. There is a single vent that you adjust one time based on your elevation, fill up the basket with kingsford, light 1/3 of them in a chimney, put them back in, and you're done. The meat hangs by hooks (I really like this for ribs especially). It cooks around 300 when i've bothered measuring, but the designer did not include a thermometer, I think intentionally because I think he wants people to stop fussing with temp control. Maybe if I tasted this meat right next to meat smoked at 220, I could tell a difference, but I'm not really convinced (it gets great reviews in BBQ circles). Also, there's no stall at this temp and a brisket or shoulder is done in 6 hours, give or take. There are plenty of great videos on his site on how to cook about any kind of meat on it--I've used a few of these on my kamado. It's definitely the easiest way to smoke meat.

Anyway, if you're looking to get into smoking and don't want to wade through thousands of posts on how to do it, this is a great option. And you can throw it in your truck/trunk and take it camping--there's really not a better place to smoke meat (Traeger fans will never understand this... )

[Jeff Lebowski]

Once in a while, I cover a hospital in rural Nevada for 3-4 days at a time. By cover, I mean I'm the only doc in town, so I cover the ER, as well as any inpatients and the occasional baby delivery. It's fun frontier medicine, and it's easy money.

I'm posting in this thread because my last two times I've been here, I've brought along my Pit Barrel Cooker and done some cooks. I got this a few years ago to have something I could easily take camping. We haven't taken it in a little while and I forgot how fun and easy it is. There is a single vent that you adjust one time based on your elevation, fill up the basket with kingsford, light 1/3 of them in a chimney, put them back in, and you're done. The meat hangs by hooks (I really like this for ribs especially). It cooks around 300 when i've bothered measuring, but the designer did not include a thermometer, I think intentionally because I think he wants people to stop fussing with temp control. Maybe if I tasted this meat right next to meat smoked at 220, I could tell a difference, but I'm not really convinced (it gets great reviews in BBQ circles). Also, there's no stall at this temp and a brisket or shoulder is done in 6 hours, give or take. There are plenty of great videos on his site on how to cook about any kind of meat on it--I've used a few of these on my kamado. It's definitely the easiest way to smoke meat.

Anyway, if you're looking to get into smoking and don't want to wade through thousands of posts on how to do it, this is a great option. And you can throw it in your truck/trunk and take it camping--there's really not a better place to smoke meat (Traeger fans will never understand this... )

http://www.bbqguys.com/item_item_2877818.html

[Jeff Lebowski]

ER, how big is that thing? (in inches, approx)

[ERCougar]

http://www.bbqguys.com/item_item_2877818.html

Ok, that's kind of cool.

[Donuthole]

ER, how big is that thing? (in inches, approx)

TWSS

[Green Monstah]

Last month, my family vacationed with my best friends from high school in San Diego. Each night, a family was responsible for cooking dinner for the entire crew (45 people). I floated the idea of doing some BBQ, but it all depended on whether I had access to an adequate smoker. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a decent smoker, but there was a base model Weber kettle grill at our beachhouse, and I brought my old school Maverick thermometer. I started smoking ribs on a kettle grill when I was in college, so I figured I could put together some decent Q. I bought two medium-sized pork butts, two whole chickens, and two tri-tips.

At 2am, I started the butts. I added hickory chips to the charcoal, and I had a ton of temperature control issues. There is no damper to adjust intake, so I had to control temp completely by coals. At 6:30, I woke up and the temps were at 400 degrees, so I pulled the butts and finished them in the oven, then FTC'd them in a cooler. They pulled nicely. Some parts were a little dry, but overall, I was pleased with the results. I learned my lesson with the chickens. I spatchcocked them, and altered my approach with charcoal placement. I kept the cooker temp between 230 and 275 until the birds were at 170, then I put them in the oven on warm. Then I did the tritip Surfah style, using Mesquite chips. Dinner was around 6:30, and it was pretty damn good. Not the best barbeque I've made, but not too shabby for an 80-dollar kettle grill.