So on Saturday I cooked three racks of ribs and an 8lb butt on the new WSM. The end product was good but it took a little creativity to get there. I fired up the charcoals at 5:45. I did minion method with charcoals group of lit charcoals in the middle.
I filled the water pan up about 85/90% and left exposed. The butt went on at approximately 6:15. Temp was right around 200. I struggle with temp all day long. It never really could get about 200. I added smoking hickory chunks and coals. Both lit and unlit. In fact at one point I took the top and middle off and added 3/4 of a chimney of fully lit coals. Stayed below 200. I read temp on lower cooking grate and dome. Admittly I used an oven thermomenter.
I threw the ribs on at noon. By 3:00 the butt was right at 160 and ribs 140's. By 4:30 it was evident I was't going to get to a desired temp on the smoker so I fired up the kettle and gas grill. I put the ribs on the gas grill for about 40 minutes and got them in the 190's. Took them off, wrapped them in foil and put them in a cooler. I opted not to try 3-2-1. I used my homemade pork rub and basted them at 3:00 and on the gas grill. Ribs were awesome and not embarassed I had to use the gas grill.
Onto the butt. I marinated over night with some mustard and my dry rub. Once I was in stall at 4:30 I put on the kettle hoping to bring it up to temp. the kettle was at 300. At 5:30 I shifted it over to the gas grill until 6:45. The temp in the meat was all over the place. The center was in the mid low/mid 180's when I took it off. In my estimation an hour of resting was more beneficial then getting into the 190's. At the end of the day the bark was solid and flavor decent. My guests loved it but I know I could done better.
So here are my questions. Why did I never get to the desired smoking temp. Too much water? Not enough coals? Not enough lit coals? I may have been a bit adventurous for my first smoke feeding 14 people but everyone seemed happy as almost all of the food was eaten.
I filled the water pan up about 85/90% and left exposed. The butt went on at approximately 6:15. Temp was right around 200. I struggle with temp all day long. It never really could get about 200. I added smoking hickory chunks and coals. Both lit and unlit. In fact at one point I took the top and middle off and added 3/4 of a chimney of fully lit coals. Stayed below 200. I read temp on lower cooking grate and dome. Admittly I used an oven thermomenter.
I threw the ribs on at noon. By 3:00 the butt was right at 160 and ribs 140's. By 4:30 it was evident I was't going to get to a desired temp on the smoker so I fired up the kettle and gas grill. I put the ribs on the gas grill for about 40 minutes and got them in the 190's. Took them off, wrapped them in foil and put them in a cooler. I opted not to try 3-2-1. I used my homemade pork rub and basted them at 3:00 and on the gas grill. Ribs were awesome and not embarassed I had to use the gas grill.
Onto the butt. I marinated over night with some mustard and my dry rub. Once I was in stall at 4:30 I put on the kettle hoping to bring it up to temp. the kettle was at 300. At 5:30 I shifted it over to the gas grill until 6:45. The temp in the meat was all over the place. The center was in the mid low/mid 180's when I took it off. In my estimation an hour of resting was more beneficial then getting into the 190's. At the end of the day the bark was solid and flavor decent. My guests loved it but I know I could done better.
So here are my questions. Why did I never get to the desired smoking temp. Too much water? Not enough coals? Not enough lit coals? I may have been a bit adventurous for my first smoke feeding 14 people but everyone seemed happy as almost all of the food was eaten.
