Author Topic: First Smoke  (Read 1803 times)

JohnM21146

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First Smoke
« on: September 20, 2017, 08:20:53 PM »
Hello forum! I want to thank all of your for a vast amount of incredible information that made my first try at smoking a success.

Last week received  a 2D and after assembly and seasoning, it was time to cook. I followed DivotMaker's instructions on a ~8 lb. Boston Butt, just under 6 ounces (two chunks) of hickory and the results were amazing and super-delicious. I had a couple of questions:

1. I mixed up a gallon of bring and only had time for about 7 hours of brining. The end result was fantastic, although a bit salty for my taste. To make it less salty, would I use less than the 1 1/8 cup of Kosher salt in the brine or less time in the brine?

2. The cut I used was a single ~8 lb. Boston Butt. I was surprised to see I had to cook it almost 14 hours to get to 195 degrees, but it was perfect. I would like to cook two Boston Butts at the same time, there is certainly plenty of room. Is this recommended and if so, how does it affect the cook time?

3. My settings were 230 degrees on the cook 195 degrees on the meat. I used my Maverick 733 in parallel as I learn this unit and the Maverick stayed at 219 degrees in the box and was a couple degrees behind the meat probe. Using the Maverick I has a little bit of the "remote monitoring" I was used to, especially important on a 14 hour cook. Anyway the meat probe was pretty steady until it reached 185 degrees and then it started fluctuating in a four degree swing. Not a big issue as the element shut right off on the first touch of 195, but seemed odd. Is this normal or what could I have done wrong?

4. What do you folks do for "remote monitoring" of the Auber units? Sounds like Steve is working with them on a Wi-Fi solution but it is not ready yet.

Thanks all. looking forward to using this 2D on a variety of things, thanks for your great work in your cooking and on the forum!

JM
John from Maryland
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SuperDave

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Re: First Smoke
« Reply #1 on: September 20, 2017, 09:20:40 PM »
1) Did you rinse it real well?  Was your rub high in salt?  Less salt in brine if answers to those questions was no.

2) Very marginal affect on cook time.  If you stack the butts, the bottom finishes first.

Model 4, Harrisville, Utah

old sarge

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Re: First Smoke
« Reply #2 on: September 20, 2017, 10:13:14 PM »
Welcome John from SE Arizona.  Dave covered the salt issue well. I don't do wireless temperature monitoring but I will add another meat probe for multiple cuts. 
David from Arizona
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SconnieQ

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Re: First Smoke
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2017, 12:13:58 AM »
I'm with you on the remote monitoring. I don't have a D model, but if I did, I would still use my Maverick so I wouldn't have to check the smoker. 14 hours for an 8 pound butt sounds totally normal. It's right in that 1.5 to 2 hours per pound range. As far as the temperature fluctuations when the meat was at 185, you were experiencing the "stall", where the meat temperature does not move, or even goes down, possibly for a period of hours. Totally normal. All low and slow cooked meats will go through the stall. Just let it do it's thing. Don't raise the temperature or try to rush it. It is the process that makes the meat tender. You can search the forum for more information, or google "bbq stall". Lots of info out there on the science of what it is, and why it happens.
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