My Story with Questions


 
RichieNJ

RichieNJ

TVWBB Fan
So this past Saturday I decided to do 2 racks of St. Louis ribs and 5 links of hot sausage on the bottom rack of my WSM and on the top rack about 15 wings. I kept them all on for about 5.5 - 6 Hours at about 230deg. This is the first time I used water in the bowl (just because I wanted to try it) While I really enjoyed what came off I couldn't help but to think that the food was kind of dry. So this leads me to few questions.

1) Is it a bad idea to put an assortment of food like I did all at once?

2) I used the minion method and with all the vents wide open I couldn't get the my igrill temp over like 235deg. Could this be because I had water in the bowl? It was about 45deg out so I was really surprised as to why I couldn't get the temp past 235deg. Not at ANY point during the cook. I'm still a newb (5th cook).

I appreciate your views.

Richie
 
It's not bad at all to do it at once. You had a few issues.

You overcooked the sausage and wings.

I smoke ribs at 275 and it will make a better product.

Try it with more hot coals, with hot water, or no water at all.
 
I'm with Alan on temps for ribs, when I do them around 225 they seem to dry out more. At least that is my experience.
As for your temps a lot goes into how the temps rise and fall. What charcoal, humidity in the air and in the charcoal, how tightly they are packed together in the ring.
I'm sure there are others.
I don't use water, I use a sand gravel mix in the bowl and it is foiled on top for easy clean up. Works very well. If my temps are not steady rising with vents wide open then it says to me the coals are not catching fast enough. Usually I watch the smoker and when it gets to around 190 I start shutting down my vents on the bottom to slow it and be able to set it where I want.
If I am looking for higher heat and it is not rising I will slightly offset the dome so there is a small gap and then the temps will rise very quickly so I have to watch it closely and put it on right once it starts climbing fast.
Just like photography is playing with light, smoking and grilling is playing with air. Master the air flow, master the smoker.
 
Thank you both for your insight. It's very much appreciated. Ill have to keep at it and also keep a log for each cook. I think that will prevent me from making the same mistakes.
 
assortment cooks are cool and accommodating and delicious. i can only say this because ive messed up my share in learning some points. 1) avoid meats with vast differences in cook times if possible. 2) make logicial combinations of meats with nearly the same cooktimes. (ie my brisket/sausage combo wasn't a good idea because brisket was 8-9 hour meat and sausage was a 1 hour meat). alternatively, 3) if you plan to open your lid once or twice just add the other meats at this time. and last 4) when the main meat is pulled off the pit to rest, there is usually enough coal to at least cook sausage, thin chicken breast, maybe even burger patties and the like. (im forced to open my kettle lid once at 3.5 hours during an 8 hour brisket or boston butt cook. at this point I stoke my coals, add more coal and smokewood, wrap my meat in foil, and add other meats).

go with it, keep playing around and youll find the right combination of meats and times.

don't lift the lid...
 
I want to jump in and say that I'd never put poultry where it's juices can drip on meats below. Too much risk of cross-contamination.
 
Most people do not take the risk Rich, and I think they are smart not relying on temps to kill the bacteria. Just my opinion
 
I have never heard of temps not killing bacteria....what is the difference of letting the drippings hit another meat and continue to cook and just cooking it by itself. I don't see any difference from a temperature perspective as long as the temp reaches 165.
 
JayRob said:
I have never heard of temps not killing bacteria....what is the difference of letting the drippings hit another meat and continue to cook and just cooking it by itself. I don't see any difference from a temperature perspective as long as the temp reaches 165.
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Exactly. If the chicken drippings on something else aren't safe to eat, then the chicken itself isn't safe to eat. You'd think chickens were made of anthrax and herpes the way people are afraid of them...
 
Terre Hooks said:
I want to jump in and say that I'd never put poultry where it's juices can drip on meats below. Too much risk of cross-contamination.
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Well you are entitled to jump in with you're opinion, but in fairness to the OP, he did no wrong. Wings cooked for 5 -6 hrs @ 235 are more than well done, and what ever juices have dripped down are more than well done also.
Seriously, I don't get this you can't cook chicken over anything phobia. Has anyone ever cooked a whole chicken ( or parts) over a bed of potatoes, carrots and onion, and worried about this?
As long as the poultry is cooked to proper temps, than it's not a problem.
And I also agree with Jay Rob and Dave Alvarado, well said Buds!!

Tim
 
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Speaking of chicken, I have to cook the stuff to 180 or 190 at which point it resembles boot leather just to get my family to eat it. At 165 it is a little juicy and pink and they will not touch it so I eat all of it and I'm still here. Just sayin.
 
timothy said:
Seriously, I don't get this you can't cook chicken over anything phobia. Has anyone ever cooked a whole chicken ( or parts) over a bed of potatoes, carrots and onion, and worried about this?
As long as the poultry is cooked to proper temps, than it's not a problem.
Tim
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Like in a dutch oven or clay baker? Of course it's ok. If the meat is done, the juice is done (if it hasn't evaporated because of the long cook time :mad: ).

Dean V said:
At 165 it is a little juicy and pink and they will not touch it so I eat all of it and I'm still here. Just sayin.
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I've posted elsewhere (with the source) it's still pink (and then only around the bone) at 165 because most birds are force fed to get bigger quicker BUT they are still really young and the pink is from immature bones. It is 100% safe to eat.
 
Len Dennis said:
If the meat is done, the juice is done
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This is a really great way to put it.

The ONLY risk of cross-contamination is if you put raw chicken over something you're about to pull out of the smoker. I wouldn't put chicken on the top rack then pull meat off the bottom rack 30 minutes later, because after 30 minutes the chicken isn't done.

How many of you have cooked butts over brisket? I do it all the time. Is anybody afraid of getting trichinosis from the brisket? I'm not.
 
Len Dennis said:
Like in a dutch oven or clay baker? Of course it's ok. If the meat is done, the juice is done (if it hasn't evaporated because of the long cook time :mad: ).
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Or in a casserole like corning ware or just let the drippings baste that bed of vegs set on the lower grate, add a squeeze of lemon and do it Greek Style.
I think the Jewish folks have a word for using chicken drippings, Schmaltz or something like that. Seems to me that most of the older cookbooks had no problem doing this.

Oh and Dean V, if it's just pink around the bone like where the leg attaches to the thigh, than crack it,( pull it back and dislocate it ) or cut a few slits into the joint and you shouldn't notice that at all.

Tim
 
timothy said:
Or in a casserole like corning ware or just let the drippings baste that bed of vegs set on the lower grate, add a squeeze of lemon and do it Greek Style.
I think the Jewish folks have a word for using chicken drippings, Schmaltz or something like that. Seems to me that most of the older cookbooks had no problem doing this.

Oh and Dean V, if it's just pink around the bone like where the leg attaches to the thigh, than crack it,( pull it back and dislocate it ) or cut a few slits into the joint and you shouldn't notice that at all.

Tim
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I'm not worried about it because I got it up to temp while cooking so I know its safe its just that the rest of my family wont touch it. :(
 
I cut up a whole chicken last week and roasted it on a sheet pan with potatoes and carrots under the chicken. 425 degree oven for an hour. Took it out when the chicken hit 170 degrees IT. I'm pretty sure there was a lot of chicken juice in the veggies cuz they were delicious. My wife and I both ate that meal and we survived nicely.
 
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