First Cook this weekend


 
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jeff Edvik:
[qb] I was thinking of using 2 chunks of cherry & 2 apple for my brisket/butt combo tonight. Does that sound OK? I don't want too heavy of a smoke taste.
[/qb] <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Jim, Keri, and Jeff: thanks for the comments on which smoke wood to use. I'll probably use one chunk of each of hickory, apple, and cherry.

I ended up finding a choice, 11.5 lb brisket and a 6 lb bone-in picnic (they didn't have bone-in pork butt). It'll be interesting to see how the picnic compares with butt in terms of flavor, cooking time, etc.

Good luck with your weekend cooking, and post pictures if you have 'em!
 
I agree with Jim about Mesquite and Hickory being pretty powerful combination. I have been using Pecan for the last 6 brisket cooks and prefer it to my original wood of choice--hickory and oak.

Can't describe it exactly, but it is smokey without being bitter. Not that oak and hickory are bitter--but, pecan seems a bit milder to me while still having smokey flavor

Dale
 
Maybe it is the fall weather or the falling temperatures, 'cause at 11 PM this evening I put 2 bone in pork butts (about 7 lbs each) and a 5.5 lb Brisket flat in the WSM.

This is a first cook for both of us, me and the WSM. Just checked the temps and they are going a bit high. Have a candy thermo in the top vent reading about 260*, a Polder dual temp, single probe is in one of the pork butts with the oven temp reading 243* and the meat at about 88*. The Pyrex thermo in the brisket is already reading 125* internal, which I don't understand. Closed two of the bottom vents completely and left the other one at about 50%. Will check in about a half hour and see if the temps have stabilized.

I agree with the above posts from the other beginners. Without this forum I wouldn't have had the nerve to do what I'm doing. It is like attending a correspondence cooking school with the best instructors in the world. Thanks to all. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
 
Cy,
I have never trusted using a direct thermometer in the meat, thinking that the heat on the dial will have an impact on the temperature. Also, your probe may be in an air pocket where the heat of the smoker is getting to it.

Be sure the point where the temperature is measured is fully immersed in meat to be sure you are getting the right reading. Also, do a quick calibration by putting that questionable unit into the same meat as another thermometer or in one of the top vents and see what you get.

Good luck on your cook

Dale
 
Just a final note on the overnight smoke with the Minion method. I was pleased with the brisket, but the ?Mr. Brown? pork butt is what really surprised me. It was so good that it was gone in 30 minutes. People couldn?t get enough of it. It felt good having everyone tell me how good it was. Of course I took full credit for the masterful smoking job, and let them think I had worked miracles with the meat.

Of course everyone here knows the true story. Thanks for all the help and to Chris for such a great site! Sure made the defeat of my Longhorns go down easier yesterday!
 
Hey Bob,

You see the other UT (Univ of Tenn) game? I feel your pain.

Glad the brisket/ butt combo worked out so well. I usually use oak because it is so easy to get, but that pecan sounds good.

Everything I know about WSM smoking came from this site. Going to try my first turkey in a few weeks.
 
My first brisket try turned out great! My family really enjoyed it.
I put Mr. Brown Butt in the freezer for use at a later time. I'm sure it will be great too. It was really good the last time I cooked it.
My WSM held a steady 230-250* much better than the first time I tried an overnight cook. It took about 15 hours for the brisket & 17 hours for the butt. My family also liked the apple & cherry wood combination.

Jeff
 
Hey Jeff, glad to hear your brisket and butt came out so well! Congratulations! I also smoked my first brisket this weekend, but I used a picnic cut on the top rack instead of a butt. Both came out excellent, although I prefer the Boston butt to the picnic. The brisket took about 16 hours and the picnic almost 18. Here are a few pics:

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brisket at 10 hours, turned and basted with apple juice and Knob Creek

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final brisket, just before carving

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The ABTs were a big hit; next time I'll make more!
 
Thanks Sonny,

People went crazy over the boston butt. As you know brisket is king here and I had never had the pulled pork before. They stipped that pork butt to the bone. I was going to take a picture, but all I had left was the bone. People are already want to know when the next cookout is.
 
Doncha just love it when they go nuts over your cooking?

I watched most of the OU-Texas game myself... if it's any consolation, just remember that almost all of those boys playing on the field were from Texas, no matter which school they were playing for. Instead of OU vs Texas, it ought to be referred to as North TX vx South TX. /infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

Keri C
Smokin on Tulsa Time, NORTH of the Red River
 
Hi Keri,

What the worst part is my mother?s family is from the Westville/Watts area about 60 miles east of Tulsa. My cousins never let me forget when OU beats Texas. And it?s doubly bad when Arkansas beat us too.
 
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