This is my first brisket (3.74 pounds) and first time using the PartyQ as of the time of starting to type this my brisket is steadily climbing from 178 after being on for about 6 hours.
First let me show off my “smoking area” This is only my 4th smoke but this deck was made for smoking, cigars included I also recently got into pipes too but I think that’s good for another post
I’m in Michigan and it was about 35 this morning but crept up to 60 as the day went on.
So here is the PQ front and back. I know it’s not weatherproof but if you see where the fan is and its technically covered I don’t see why a small plastic bag and a rubber band around the control box wouldn’t be all you needed.
I am using a wsm 18.5 filled it with kingsford just to the top of the ring along with a maverick 732. I used about 40 briquettes in the chimney to get it going. I put one kettle of boiling water in the pan and two cold kettles (it was cold this morning) Should I have not put water in the pan? It seemed to have taken a long time to get up to 225 about an hour. Added some apple and pecan wood and put her all together.
Here are some shots of my lamp parts grommet and the brisket before putting on top of the charcoal. Happily all three sensors fit. Just put the larger meat sensor in first.
Here is how I clipped the temp sensors in the middle of the grate on the bottom. The PQ sensor is just on an alligator clip so I clipped it to the 732 clip.
Ready to go about 9am
After things got around to 200 I closed the back two vents and taped the remaining vent holes on the vent the PQ is going into. So you know my concern from other posts is how the PQ is supposed to mount. You are supposed to use a thin wig nut to secure it inside the bowl. But then the manual stresses NOT to leave the PQ in when not in use so you don’t melt the fan. This was almost going to be a dealbreaker for me.
Well here is my solution to avoiding that hassle. A couple scraps of wood and some screws and you have a quick release PartyQ.
So during the cook the temp differences between my PQ and 732 are sometimes right on and sometimes 20 degrees apart in either direction. I decided not to stress about it. I did however open the other two vents slightly just a bit.
Here were are about 6 hours in.
We are at 185 by the time I finished typing this. I am going to wrap it and take it to my parents it be until about 6pm et when I cut into it for the first time so I’ll be back….
At this point I don’t know how much of a review on the PQ I can give. I hope just showing some detailed pics help everyone out. The temp on the PQ seems to fluctuate 10 degrees either way. But then again I think I don’t understand the algorithm it uses. I was expecting it to be like setting an oven and it holds the temp but I think I am mistaken.
First let me show off my “smoking area” This is only my 4th smoke but this deck was made for smoking, cigars included I also recently got into pipes too but I think that’s good for another post
![icon_biggrin.gif](http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif)
I’m in Michigan and it was about 35 this morning but crept up to 60 as the day went on.
![IMG_20111112_091808.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_091808.jpg)
So here is the PQ front and back. I know it’s not weatherproof but if you see where the fan is and its technically covered I don’t see why a small plastic bag and a rubber band around the control box wouldn’t be all you needed.
![IMG_20111112_090233.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_090233.jpg)
![IMG_20111112_090701.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_090701.jpg)
I am using a wsm 18.5 filled it with kingsford just to the top of the ring along with a maverick 732. I used about 40 briquettes in the chimney to get it going. I put one kettle of boiling water in the pan and two cold kettles (it was cold this morning) Should I have not put water in the pan? It seemed to have taken a long time to get up to 225 about an hour. Added some apple and pecan wood and put her all together.
Here are some shots of my lamp parts grommet and the brisket before putting on top of the charcoal. Happily all three sensors fit. Just put the larger meat sensor in first.
![IMG_20111112_084610.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_084610.jpg)
![IMG_20111112_084628.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_084628.jpg)
Here is how I clipped the temp sensors in the middle of the grate on the bottom. The PQ sensor is just on an alligator clip so I clipped it to the 732 clip.
![IMG_20111112_085010.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_085010.jpg)
Ready to go about 9am
![IMG_20111112_085928.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_085928.jpg)
After things got around to 200 I closed the back two vents and taped the remaining vent holes on the vent the PQ is going into. So you know my concern from other posts is how the PQ is supposed to mount. You are supposed to use a thin wig nut to secure it inside the bowl. But then the manual stresses NOT to leave the PQ in when not in use so you don’t melt the fan. This was almost going to be a dealbreaker for me.
Well here is my solution to avoiding that hassle. A couple scraps of wood and some screws and you have a quick release PartyQ.
![IMG_20111112_135019.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_135019.jpg)
So during the cook the temp differences between my PQ and 732 are sometimes right on and sometimes 20 degrees apart in either direction. I decided not to stress about it. I did however open the other two vents slightly just a bit.
Here were are about 6 hours in.
![IMG_20111112_134730.jpg](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v86/babyjohnny/IMG_20111112_134730.jpg)
We are at 185 by the time I finished typing this. I am going to wrap it and take it to my parents it be until about 6pm et when I cut into it for the first time so I’ll be back….
At this point I don’t know how much of a review on the PQ I can give. I hope just showing some detailed pics help everyone out. The temp on the PQ seems to fluctuate 10 degrees either way. But then again I think I don’t understand the algorithm it uses. I was expecting it to be like setting an oven and it holds the temp but I think I am mistaken.