Green Horn Needs HELP!!


 
N

Norman Nelsen

TVWBB Member
I have had my WSM for about a month and have used it only once to smoke three slabs of Spare Ribs. They were outstanding.
It is now time for me to bite the bullet and have guests. This is scheduled for this coming week end. For temperature control I have a Taylor Candy Thermometer in Lid and a Nu-Temp wireless thermometer with two remote sensors. For this weekend cook I have:
1 - Packer Brisket . . . untrimmed wt. 13#
1 - Boston Butt-bone in .untrimmed wt. 8#
1 - Boston Butt-bone in .untrimmed wt. 6#

Questions:
1. In order to have dinner at about 7:00 PM on Saturday, what time should I start cooking?

2. For Temperature control I have 2 remote sensors and the 1 Thermometer in the lid. What is the best way to arrange them with above meat?

I am embarassed to ask such basic questions. Thanks for any response. Cooking with the WSM is great fun.

Old Arky Bum
 
I would start around 10 or 11 p.m. the night before. Err on the side of caution with an early start because you can hold the meat wrapped in HD foil in an empty cooler for at least 5 hours. Caveat: you can finish early and hold but if you don't start early enough, your only solution will be foiling during the cook.

I don't actually have a remote, but I use my polder therm in the largest of the 2 butts and you would use your other in the brisket. Butts should be on top.

Im not a brisket expert, but maybe "Kerri, the Brisket Queen" will read this and give you (and me) some tips. Others on the board also know a lot about briskets. Don't overlook Chris' section on the "cooking" tab at the top for good info.

Don't worry about your questions, everyone's glad to help and we're all still learning to a greater or lesser degree.

Paul
 
I did two Butts and 0ne Brisket this past Fri.
Butts 7.5 lbs. each / Brisket 7.5 lbs
I put them on at 1830hrs Fri. Dome temp 250` Butts on top.
I did not open lid until I took them off at 1600hrs Sat. Butts=190` / Brisket=200`
Let them both rest 2hrs They were great.
This is almost to easy.
Good luck! You will do fine!
 
I would also get the meat on at 10. Fatcap down on the brisket, probes as Paul suggests, and I'd cook at 260-265 lid.

Have fun.
 
all great advise. the only thing i would add is to read up on the The Minion Method. using this will get you 12+ hours of steady temps. if you have time i'd also do a test run one night this week.

good luck and have fun.
 
Norman, if you use the minion method and stay up long enough to make sure your temp's have stabilized using your dome themometer, you won't need the other themometers during the night and should get a good nights sleep. You will have time in the morning to make adjustments and with any luck the butts will come off early and hold in a cooler wrapped in HD aluminum foil. The real beauty of the WSM is its ability to hold temps for an extended period of time without your or my interference.

Good luck on your cook.
 
Use the minion method. I use it and pretty much get the temp set and go to sleep. How long you want to smoke all depends on how big the brisket is and how long you want to foil. I foil for 3 hours. Usually, I allow 12 hours for the smoke (10-13 pound brisket trimmed of excess fat) with 3 hours after to foil which would mean you should start at 4 a.m. If you want to foil for 5 hours you can start at 11 p.m. I let the brisket go till the inner temp is 188-190 degrees, then foil for three hours and serve. I reccommend starting the night before and smoking the butts and brisket till the temp is where you want it. Put the probe thermometer into the fatest part of the brisket, and the other into the biggest butt. When the temps are where you want them, pull em and foil em.
 
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