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Is the basic black electrical tape heat resistant? I was thinking of mending a break with it on my probe wire.

After my last comp, I noticed that I severed the probe wire right where it meets the probe tip for my Guru Pitminder. I opened it up and, as I suspected, there are two very thin wires inside. I'm planning to reattach the wires, then seal this thing up. I would usually use a shrink-wrap styled...

Way to go David! Sometimes you've got to jump right in! You'll get much better at cooking briskets the more you do.

Ditto on Kevin's response. Use temperatures as a basic guide--I start checking doneness at 190, but some butts I've cooked weren't right until closer to 200. Your probe should slide in with very little resistance. If you tie yourself to temperature alone, you'll get inconsistent results...

Has anyone used the base of the WSM as an outdoor firepit/fireplace? I'm worried that, like 55 gallon steel drums, the fire can get so hot that it will burn through the side of the bowl. Any thoughts?

Bob, Glad you finally got your Stumps!

Three fist-sized chunks of smoke wood will be plenty. I agree with Matt-take the butts out of the fridge and put into the cooker as soon as possible. Also, at what temp were you cooking?

Yep. I turn them on the sides to fit 3 per grate, with the fat cap facing out to protect from the heat coming up the sides.

Also keep in mind that it will take a bit for the WSM to hit temperature with that much meat. When doing larger cooks like this, I give the fire an extra 15-30 minutes to catch before reassembly (using the MM).

I'm with Rick--you shouldn't notice an appreciable time difference. And yes, put the thermometer as close to center mass.

Sounds like you may have an air leak that drove the temps up. Sometimes the three sections don't match up exactly right (needs some turning to get everything airtight). It could have just not been seated 100%.

Thanks guys. I've noticed the same thing--usually the briskets are not marked at all. I did, however, find a new place called Master Purveyor in the Temple Terrace area (Northeast of downtown Tampa) that carries everything, including three different brands of packers. Only problem is that you...

I've picked up brisket at Sanwa many times and they've always been good. Kevin--I've never seen any packaging on the brisket from Sanwa. Any idea of packer company/grade?

Hey JD, great mod! Any details on replicating?

I picked up 36 bags at the local HD. Cleaned them out!

I do beef ribs like pork ribs, only longer b/c they can be tougher. I don't mop, but definitely foil to make them a little more tender. Good luck!

Where are you located, David? I've competed in three comps in Florida since January--Lakeland, Lake City, and recently, St. Cloud. Come this fall, there are comps in Ocala, Kissimmee, Brooksville, and Plant City. As the others said, check out the FBA and KCBS websites for specifics. Are you...

If you don't want to bother w/ the gloves, just use two pairs of tongs. I've even used two forks in a pinch.

I've used sand and water. My advice (and the advice of several on this board) is that sand is easier to use and clean up if you are only using the top grate. Some people, such as myself, have experienced radiating heat from the sand on meats placed on the bottom rack.

I've cooked butt on my kettle over 20 times (pre WSM) with pretty good success. If you are willing to labor over the temps (which is necessary for the kettle but not the WSM), you can turn out a fantastic product. Again, the main downfall is the work involved compared to the WSM.