I am a convert to "accelerated methods"


 
R

Rich_S

TVWBB Member
From yesterday. 11.x lb pork butt. Got off to a late start and had people coming over, so only had about 12 hours to do it. Usually I'm an ultra-traditionalist and this would have been an 18 hour cook at 225 with no foil. Instead I did 7 hours at 225 which got the internal temp to 155, foil wrapped it, raised the smoker temp to 250-275, 5 more hours. 12 hours total, internal temp of 197, pulled it. Came out perfect. I've long done ribs with 3-2-1, started foiling brisket and raising the temps a couple of years ago, now I'm just going to go hotter and foiled with everything.

pork07032019.jpg


pork07032019a.jpg
 
Looks like a winner to me!
If I keep reading this forum I will need to get at least one more smoker so I can do everything I want to eat in the course of a day!
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Looks like a winner to me!
If I keep reading this forum I will need to get at least one more smoker so I can do everything I want to eat in the course of a day!
Click to expand...

<snicker> There is something to be said for multiple smokers vs. a single monster, the ability to run at multiple temps (think double wall ovens.)

One of these weekends I am gonna have to try a high heat brisket. Right now, it's generally 36-48 hours from the time I start trimming & seasoning to service. There are times that cutting out 8-12 hours would be awfully handy.
 
I've done Chris's high heat version of this Chris Lilly Champ Injection cook, for the past few years. But once I wrap in foil, I bring it inside and put it in the oven. Its not getting any smoke and it finishes much better in an oven. Before I got my stick burner, this was the only way I smoked pork butt.

https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pork4.html

BTW, a few months ago I smoked four butts on my stick burner, three of them we used Butcher BBQ injection with Butcher's Honey Rub and on one, we did the Chris Lilly Champ injection .................... and we thought the Lilly Champ was better. And I smoked those at around 275 for about 9 hours, IIRC.
 
I pretty much do all my smoking or Q high heat 250-275 ribs, butts, brisket and I find little or no difference in the outcome. Brisket I will do as you did I run 225-230 for the first 3-4 hours to get some smoke time then crank it up to 250-275 (usually closer to 275) to finish.
 
I think the whole 225 degrees 1.5 hrs per pound is a good rule of thumb for beginners but it's not optimal. Problem is if you tell people 275 when they're starting out they'll be doing 300+ and if you tell them about foil they'll wrap it from the beginning.

After reading about what's happening during "the stall" and how foiling actually works, with all of the science experiments that have been done proving that out and documenting it, it's become clear to me that letting a piece of meat sit unwrapped stalled at 160 internal for hours on end in a 225 degree smoker is a complete and total waste of time.
 
Rich_S said:
I think the whole 225 degrees 1.5 hrs per pound is a good rule of thumb for beginners but it's not optimal. Problem is if you tell people 275 when they're starting out they'll be doing 300+ and if you tell them about foil they'll wrap it from the beginning.

After reading about what's happening during "the stall" and how foiling actually works, with all of the science experiments that have been done proving that out and documenting it, it's become clear to me that letting a piece of meat sit unwrapped stalled at 160 internal for hours on end in a 225 degree smoker is a complete and total waste of time.
Click to expand...

Unless ya wanna put more smoke on the meat. I don't always wrap.

IMO, if the fire on a WSM has been choked down to obtain a 225 temp, then the smoke is gonna be heavy with creosote.

And even in the beginning for me, back in 2002, I mostly cooked 235* to 250* because the WSM seem to settle in at those temps. That was where the smoker wanted to run without doing a great deal of fiddling with the vents.
 
I keep things humming between 250-275 for ribs, brisket, pork roasts. I always felt 225 was slightly too low and was never fully satisfied with the cook at that temp....poultry 300-325 ...everything with a dry water pan covered in foil
 
Timothy F. Lewis said:
Looks like a winner to me!
If I keep reading this forum I will need to get at least one more smoker so I can do everything I want to eat in the course of a day!
Click to expand...

Tim, I have an 18.5 and a mini 14.5. The mini can do two good size butts and I use it for beef roasts as well. The 18.5 is my go too for ribs and full slabs of bacon (cut into thirds)/ The mini as I'm sure the 14.5 WSM is super fuel efficient.
 
Labor Day Brisket.

19LDBrisket.jpg


brisk.jpg


briskmeal.jpg


7lb flat. 4.5 hours at 225, 3.5 hrs foiled at 275, 30 minutes unfoiled at 275 to dry up the bark some. Pulled it right at 203.
 
Rich_S said:
I think the whole 225 degrees 1.5 hrs per pound is a good rule of thumb for beginners but it's not optimal. Problem is if you tell people 275 when they're starting out they'll be doing 300+ and if you tell them about foil they'll wrap it from the beginning.

After reading about what's happening during "the stall" and how foiling actually works, with all of the science experiments that have been done proving that out and documenting it, it's become clear to me that letting a piece of meat sit unwrapped stalled at 160 internal for hours on end in a 225 degree smoker is a complete and total waste of time.
Click to expand...

Gotta agree...for me, when I hit the stall (as confirmed by 45 mins to an hour with little to no movement) I pull it and wrap.

And Lynn also has a good point...my WSM is just happier someplace between 240 and 260 in general. So my cooks are always in that range unless I am targeting something hotter.

Great looking brisket, Rich!
 
Last edited:
I cheat.

Smoke pork shoulder butt for 45 minutes. Throw it into the instapot for an hour and 20 minutes.

Mmmm!
 
Count me as another convert. I maintained 225° in the stick burner for many years with great results. Life started cramping my style and I didn't have 20 + hours to do a brisket or butt. 250-275° now for me. The finished product is every bit as good.
 
The beauty of high heat was illustrated quite vividly for me today.

My wife woke up this AM and said “I want brisket for supper.” I currently don’t have any cooked brisket vac packed in the freezer though I do have a Packer from a recent Costco run frozen. No way am I gonna get that thawed in time. So, I made a run to Wally World. Bingo, one packer left.

I came home, filled the charcoal ring with Royal Oak Lump, and lit a small chimney full. While the fire was doing its thing, I trimmed the fat off that packer. I put it on at 350*F. I just wrapped it (~2.5 hrs) and will ck it in ~2.5 hrs.

It’ll be moist and juicy like every brisket has been using the high heat method. I haven’t cooked one any other way in years since learning of the technique here.
 
I’m popping corn and waiting for your results Dwain!
My wife NEVER says she wants beef! Of course she doesn’t have to cook anything either but, if she did ask for brisket I’d have to tell her “Call the undertaker, I just died!”
How big was the packer?
5-6 hours, sounds like a reasonable project!
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top