Hey Guys and Gals,
Received my brand new 18.5" WSM from Amazon on friday along with a maverick ET-732 and a pitmaster IQ temp controller.
About 5 minutes after putting everything together (couldn't have been simpler), I rubbed up an 8 lb. bone-in shoulder with Chris Lilley's recipe witha few minor adjustments, and got my fire started. I filled the ring to the top with Stubb's briquettes, 4 chunks of hickory and a small handful of cherry chips. Filled the water pan with cold water, and assembled the smoker. Turned the pitmaster IQ to 225 and waited. In about 20 minutes my temp was around 240, so I put the shoulder on about 9:30pm. Temp went down to around 215 then climbed to 225 and stayed there.
I then went across the lake for a few (or 10) adult beverages and returned about 4 hours later. Temp was 227, coals looked good, so I went to bed.
Woke up around 6am, checked the Maverick and my grate temp was 231, meat temp was 162.
Did a little fishing and yard work and came back around 10am. Grate temp was 234 and meat temp was 186.
Finally, around 12:30pm, grate temp was 229 and meat temp was 197. I put the probe in a few different spots and temp waqs within a few degrees, so I pulled it, wrapped it in 3 layers af heavy duty foil, a bath towel and put it in a styrofoam cooler.
2 hours later, I took it out of the cooler, out of the towel and foil and put it in a big aluminum pan. the pork was still piping hot, so i used my raichlen rubber gloves to pull the bone and the pork.
This was by far the best thing I have ever made. tender, smokey but not too smokey and perfect. Put out about 5 different sauces for people to pick from and they went crazy. I actually was asked by a family friend if I would cook 4 shoulders for him for a party next weekend.
I can't thank everyone on this forum enough. The wealth of info on here and the friendliness of the members gave me confidence to buy the cooker and try it out. My family wants to thank you as well!
This weekend is baby backs, so wish me luck!
Mike
PS... Sorry no pics, but I had a ton of stuff to do and couldn't find my camera
Received my brand new 18.5" WSM from Amazon on friday along with a maverick ET-732 and a pitmaster IQ temp controller.
About 5 minutes after putting everything together (couldn't have been simpler), I rubbed up an 8 lb. bone-in shoulder with Chris Lilley's recipe witha few minor adjustments, and got my fire started. I filled the ring to the top with Stubb's briquettes, 4 chunks of hickory and a small handful of cherry chips. Filled the water pan with cold water, and assembled the smoker. Turned the pitmaster IQ to 225 and waited. In about 20 minutes my temp was around 240, so I put the shoulder on about 9:30pm. Temp went down to around 215 then climbed to 225 and stayed there.
I then went across the lake for a few (or 10) adult beverages and returned about 4 hours later. Temp was 227, coals looked good, so I went to bed.
Woke up around 6am, checked the Maverick and my grate temp was 231, meat temp was 162.
Did a little fishing and yard work and came back around 10am. Grate temp was 234 and meat temp was 186.
Finally, around 12:30pm, grate temp was 229 and meat temp was 197. I put the probe in a few different spots and temp waqs within a few degrees, so I pulled it, wrapped it in 3 layers af heavy duty foil, a bath towel and put it in a styrofoam cooler.
2 hours later, I took it out of the cooler, out of the towel and foil and put it in a big aluminum pan. the pork was still piping hot, so i used my raichlen rubber gloves to pull the bone and the pork.
This was by far the best thing I have ever made. tender, smokey but not too smokey and perfect. Put out about 5 different sauces for people to pick from and they went crazy. I actually was asked by a family friend if I would cook 4 shoulders for him for a party next weekend.
I can't thank everyone on this forum enough. The wealth of info on here and the friendliness of the members gave me confidence to buy the cooker and try it out. My family wants to thank you as well!
This weekend is baby backs, so wish me luck!
Mike
PS... Sorry no pics, but I had a ton of stuff to do and couldn't find my camera
