brisket on a mini

bought a full packer a while back. wife cut off the flat and cooked that. so for mothers day
we decided to cook the rest. big chunk of meat. have a basket for coals in the mini so packed
that up and then dumped 20 lit coals on that. the temp stabilized at approx. 275 were I like it and
held till 3.5 hours of cooking and then started to drop off. checked the coals and found them
mostly burned up so I had to replenish the coals. the int temp was 135 when I did this.
so I guess the mini is great for smallish stuff including a smaller butt but its stretching it
with a big chunk of meat. not a big deal but i'll stick with the kettle for the bigger stuff.

Something ain't quite right there. I can get 12-16 hours on one basket running the smoker @ 265° Here is how I go about setting up the Mini for long cooks.

1. Fill the basket as full as you can get it then add a bit more. Place your smoke wood on top.
2. Place the pot and lid on the smoker.
3. light a propane torch and insert it in one of the side vents (if you are using a silver and only have the bottom vent, insert torch in bottom vent.
4. Torch until your therm reads about 25°-30° above your targeted temp (temp will drop when torch is removed). Remove torch and let settle in. If close to temp allow it to come up and start closing vents. If it settles in above target temp close down vents to get down. Always leave the top vent wide open.

I use this method for lighting my 18.5" WSM, and my UDS

Other things that can effect temps ad fuel consumption.

1. Wind - To protect the smoker from wind, make a shield out of wood, or better yet reflectix insulation
2. Outside air temp.
3. Not using a charcoal basket.
4. Opening the smoker.
5. Type of fuel. KKB will give the longest burn and I always use it when doing long cooks.

Pot Removed for clarity-

George Curtis said:

the temp stabilized at approx. 275 were I like it and held till 3.5 hours of cooking and then started to drop off

Click to expand...

I have yet to make a charcoal basket for my "silver" mini, but it's on my to do list "one of these days." I can get 5 hours @ 275 out of my mini, long as filled full. My problem is my coals snuff out because the major source of air is covered in ash (I have a vented tuna can covering the holes) I did just recently pick up a used SJ for $5. The reason for it, is to have a second bottom ready to go, and light it right about when the first one is due to die out. While the second one is going, I set up for a 3rd on the one that choked out in the first five hours. So basically, I can do a 15 hour cook with very little effort, just have to remember to swap the pot to a new bottom every 5th hour. I've yet to need all 15 hours, that I could get by running the 3 cooks. FWIW, the amount of charcoal for the "3 mini" cooks is right about equal to what I would use in my 18" which will go 15 hours at 275 before it too starts to have needs. Because of that, I usually just go to the 18" as it's pretty bullet proof. Just fire it up and let er' cook

I did a small full packer on a stacked 14.5. One of the best briskets I've ever cooked.

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?588...4-5-with-Kraftwrap&highlight=full+packer+14.5

Someone on the mini WSM forum here is using a 15 gal drum. Between that, the tamale pot & good fire management, you should be able to do likewise.

build: http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?57121-Made-a-Stacker-amp-Hanging-Rack-for-the-14-5

I normally don't have much issues with my mini. in fact I know were to set things that will give me
a 275-300 temp. but on that day I did have to fight a bit of breeze until I used a section of cardboard to block the wind.
I used a gold and I did pile up the briq using stumps. anyway, I got it up to 175 int temp and wife said that's ok.
I wanted to finish it in the oven but when I checked it by probing it didn't seem that bad. so wife checked it and said
it was how she liked it. as long as she was happy, I was good. and it tasted just fine to us so again we were golden.