First stoker bbq - 13 hours in :-)


 
E

Erik Anderson

TVWBB Member
I kicked off my first 'q with my new stoker last night around 9:00. It's a ~7 lb. pork butt.

I got the fire going via the minion method, using a full ring of kingsford and probably 30 lit briquettes. It came up to my target point of 225 within 10 minutes of assembling the WSM, and from what I can tell, the stoker has kept it within 3 degrees of 225 ever since. This morning when I checked things, it hadn't even burned all the way across the ring yet - very cool. I threw on several more handfuls of briquettes, though, just to make sure things don't burn out. Hopefully it'll be ready to pull when I return home this evening around 6...that will be about 21 hours of cooking time.

Oh, and can I just say - it's pretty dang sweet to be sitting here at work and be able to check in on the smoker via the stoker's web interface? Man - I love when two of my passions collide :-)
 
The off-site monitoring is a nice feature. All you need now is the web cam set up to visually check up on things. Do you have the flexibility at work to 'attend to matters' if something comes up?
 
Yah - if things got really out of hand, I could head home. My wife's at home, though, and she's very capable of being my "hands" there if need be.
 
My project for this weekend is to write a little perl script that polls the stoker and checks on the temp. I'll have it log the temp(s) to a mysql database and then also have it page me if the pit temps get too high or too cool. Once I get a food probe for the stoker, I'll do the same for that - have it page me when the meat's done.
 
Erik,

My guess is it'll be done before then judging from the weight and cook temperature and that's a good thing since your wife's home. Butts do really well if rested at least 2 hours (4 is better) wrapped in HD foil and packed in a dry cooler with some towels (since it's only one butt, preheating the cooler with hot water will help).

Originally posted by Jason Smith:
where can i find info about stokers and how to buy?
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Here's their site. There are also several threads on the Stoker and Guru in the "WSM Modifications" forum.

Bill
 
Originally posted by Bill Hays:
Erik,

My guess is it'll be done before then judging from the weight and cook temperature and that's a good thing since your wife's home. Butts do really well if rested at least 2 hours (4 is better) wrapped in HD foil and packed in a dry cooler with some towels (since it's only one butt, preheating the cooler with hot water will help).
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Bill - that's good to know. I'm going to have my wife check the temp around 2:00 and if it's up to 190, I'll have her wrap it and throw it in a cooler.
 
If you are pulling the butt, I'd take it to 195-205 before pulling, foiling and resting. 190 borders sliced pork, might not pull too easily.
 
I agree. I usually aim for 200º but almost always cook 4 butts and rest them together so the finished temp easily reaches 205º. BTW, Erik, I cook mine at around 220º because I like the texture after the longer cook. Good luck and do post the results, and pics too, if you can.
wsmsmile8gm.gif


Bill
 
Good luck and do post the results, and pics too, if you can.
wsmsmile8gm.gif
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Will do! I'll make sure to take pictures of the pulling process. Unfortunately, I was in a hurry last night to get the meat on, so I didn't get any pictures of the start.
 
Originally posted by Erik Anderson:
My project for this weekend is to write a little perl script that polls the stoker and checks on the temp. I'll have it log the temp(s) to a mysql database and then also have it page me if the pit temps get too high or too cool. Once I get a food probe for the stoker, I'll do the same for that - have it page me when the meat's done.
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Not sure if you are aware, but with the latest Stoker firmware, it will sound an alarm (and highlight in red) on your web browser if you are monitoring live Stoker data in your web browser. Wouldn't need your Perl script to page you in that case.
 
Originally posted by Todd D.:

Not sure if you are aware, but with the latest Stoker firmware, it will sound an alarm (and highlight in red) on your web browser if you are monitoring live Stoker data in your web browser. Wouldn't need your Perl script to page you in that case.
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Yes - I am aware of that. The difference between sounding an alarm and having it page me is that I need not be around the house or around the computer for it to let me know something has gone awry. I'd love to be able to start the 'q and then go spend the day at a park with my family and know that if things get out of hand, I'll get a page.
 
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