Well that was interesting. I put 3 chunks of apple and 3 chunks of cherry wood in. End result, not near smoky enough for me. Also realized I need something with an extended nozzle to get water in through the door and not spill on coals. Also realized I need something to pick up the butts, I almost dropped one. Very little pink smoke ring cooked from 7:30 am to 4:30 around 275-300 lid temp. Anyone care to help? thanks
First Butts Not So Good
- Thread starter Eric Lee
- Start date
Lew Newby
R.I.P. 1/26/2024
I like Hickory and Oak for my pork butts and I get good smoke flavor with 3 fist sized chunks. I take my butts directly from the fridge to the WSM and I think that helps the smoke ring. Not sure about that but I've been happy with the smoke ring.
I got a long funnel, about 15 inches, in the Walmart auto section and it puts the water in the water pan.
For picking up the butts I have a long bladed spatula that I slip under the butt and grab the sides with my tongs.
Hope that helps
I got a long funnel, about 15 inches, in the Walmart auto section and it puts the water in the water pan.
For picking up the butts I have a long bladed spatula that I slip under the butt and grab the sides with my tongs.
Hope that helps
That's the exact wood combination I used on my last pork butt smoke and it was perfect for me. I run my pork butt smokes around 225-240 using the minion method. The smoke ring/flavor has more time to develop if you start with cold meat and bring the temperature of the smoker up slowly.
I use the Brinkman charcoal pan in place of the stock WSM water pan on longer cooks so I don't add water.
I've got a pair of rubberized BBQ glove that I use to pick the meat up with. I actually think they came with my Ronco Showtime.
I use the Brinkman charcoal pan in place of the stock WSM water pan on longer cooks so I don't add water.
I've got a pair of rubberized BBQ glove that I use to pick the meat up with. I actually think they came with my Ronco Showtime.
Bob Sample
TVWBB Diamond Member
the smoke ring develops below 140f so the longer the meat is below that the better the smoke ring. Apple and cherry are fairly mild woods so I'm with Lew on the hickory and oak.
Michael N.
New member
For picking up pork butts and brisket I use a pair of insulated neoprene gloves I bought at a restaurant supply store. Your hands are the perfect tools for picking up and removing larger cuts like butts and brisket from the smoker.
To clean them I just wear them to the kitchen sink and scrub them really well like as if I were washing my hands. Then I take a Clorox wipe to them for sanitizing.
To clean them I just wear them to the kitchen sink and scrub them really well like as if I were washing my hands. Then I take a Clorox wipe to them for sanitizing.
Eric,
I was using apple most of the time until last summer when I took my 18.5 WSM to my Dad's in Missouri (replaced it with a 22.5 WSM) - I was smoking a butt and a brisket and was headed to Lowe's to buy some smoke wood - Dad told me that he had some hickory in his wood pile, so we used that - now I'm hickory exclusively - it seems like it has a much better taste.
A while back, I did try some cherry in brisket and ribs and it seemed to have a slightly bitter taste.
I also quit using water a long time back - I was using sand, but recently have been playing with chunks of stainless steel. My thought is that whatever is in the water pan is primarily a heat sink to minimize temperature swings - water is a pain to handle and discard - my sand occasionally would soak up some grease even though I was double wrapped with aluminum foil - steel makes a nice heat sink that is easily cleaned - stainless is nice because it won't rust.
I was using apple most of the time until last summer when I took my 18.5 WSM to my Dad's in Missouri (replaced it with a 22.5 WSM) - I was smoking a butt and a brisket and was headed to Lowe's to buy some smoke wood - Dad told me that he had some hickory in his wood pile, so we used that - now I'm hickory exclusively - it seems like it has a much better taste.
A while back, I did try some cherry in brisket and ribs and it seemed to have a slightly bitter taste.
I also quit using water a long time back - I was using sand, but recently have been playing with chunks of stainless steel. My thought is that whatever is in the water pan is primarily a heat sink to minimize temperature swings - water is a pain to handle and discard - my sand occasionally would soak up some grease even though I was double wrapped with aluminum foil - steel makes a nice heat sink that is easily cleaned - stainless is nice because it won't rust.
Don Reed
TVWBB Pro
I started using more wood chunks so I could get a little heavier smoke flavor. Been using hickory because it's the easiest for me to get. Like Mike May, I stopped using water and sand and have been using a 10ga. round disk that I foil and drop into my water pan. Keep experimanting with different ways and ideas you will find exactly what works best for you.