Recent content by Justin Hancock

John that is a bit of a tight timeline for brisket but it's doable. See if you can light your smoker before 8 am. That should give you a little more time. Cook brisket at a little bit higher temp (~250) and wrap in foil when its the color you want. Both of these will speed up the process. We...

Number 1 rule for me in comp bbq is "Only turn in your BEST meat". When you're separating the butt after cooking, feel for the most tender spots and turn those in. Don't waste your time with pieces that are dry, dark, or unappetizing. Good luck! Let us know how it goes

One trick I've learned to get higher heat (above 300) is to slightly offset the lid of the smoker from the base creating a gap between the lid and the middle section. This creates more exhaust and therefore more draft for the coals to ignite. The other option is to drill and add another exhaust...

Congrats Rusty on a great cook and having a great time. That's what bbq is all about. Don't think you have to get fancy smokers to beat the pros. We get calls consistently in the KCBS circuit with 2 WSMs. Keep it simple and the rest will work itself out.

There are no "must have" accessories for a WSM in my opinion. The smoker works wonderfully straight out of the box. You can experiement with automatic temp controllers or a cajun bandit door (2 of the more popular accessories) but they aren't necessary for cranking out good q. The 14.5 WSM is a...

We've probably averaged $900-$1000 for our contests but that includes things like Thermapen, tents, and other misc things you only buy once. I will say that the the list of those types of things keeps getting bigger and bigger each year! ;) As long as you enjoy competing and can afford it, then...

If you're cooking at 215-220 then I wouldn't worry about it. At those low temps the butt will be fine. I would only worry if you were cooking over 300. Think of it like cooking some very meaty ribs. I'm sure when you cook those they turn out tender and juicy without being too "crispy" right...

Is this still for sale? I have a 2014 18 wsm that could use a cajun bandit door :)

You can do just fine with only cherry IMO. If things are turning out too dark just wrap earlier. Plenty of good teams around here use only cherry. Ribs are looking better Rusty. Good job I'm still on the Rusty bandwagon. Scott where can I get one of those "Rusty Kettle - Bentonville, AR -...

In my area I see alot of apple, hickory, and cherry (I use apple/hickory) Lots of guys use pecan too IMO the wood choice has less to do with your product than how you use it. Any of the ones mentioned will do just fine. Good luck on the comp trail!

Great write up on the auber ATC. I've used them for a couple of years and loved it. I've also found the temp probe is about 10 degrees lower than the maverick probe. I should have tested it in boiling water and adjusted but never have. I think I'll do that this winter to get it calibrated for my...

Water in the pan = Top rack cooks 10-15 degrees hotter than bottom No water in the pan = Bottom rack cooks 10-15 degrees hotter than the top I would verify this with your own thermometers and experimentation but that's what I've found to be true on my 18 and 22 wsms

Hail State! ;) jk but seriously a good looking paint job

I'd suggest you cook some ribs with different flavors for each rack, invite your family or friends over and see which one they like the most. In a contest it's not about what you like, it's about what the judges like. Good luck! Post pics if you can

I run no water in my pan (covered in foil). I cook around 250-275 and this lets me hit those temps easier. My suggestion is to go without water to help with cleanup. If you're cooking above 250 it'll be hard to maintain temps with water. However, if you really like using water in the pan go for...