New 14.5 and First Smoke


 
Antonio Silva

Antonio Silva

New member
The victim was a 6.7 lb bone in butt.
Started frozen then defrosted for two days in the fridge.
Since I didn't know what to expect, I got up early.
6:00 AM on Sunday. Grrrr.
Covered the bowl, both sides, with alum foil, and filled it to two inches from the top.
Used the Minion method with the charcoal bowel filed 3/4.
Things settled down at 7:00 AM and got smoking.
Using the installed Weber temp gauge, things got to 275 degrees pretty quick.
Things stayed stable pretty much between 260 and 270 according to the Gauge.
Trouble at 12:00.
Temp dropping to 250.
Added some coals and adjusted bottom vents.
At 1:00 PM, with the smoker temp at 270, I took the top off and probed the meat with a thermometer.
165 degrees internally.
Done.
Wrapped the meat with alum foil and put in a cooler to rest till suppertime.
Delish and easy-peasy.
Why was I worried?
 
Antonio Silva said:
The victim was a 6.7 lb bone in butt.
Started frozen then defrosted for two days in the fridge.
Since I didn't know what to expect, I got up early.
6:00 AM on Sunday. Grrrr.
Covered the bowl, both sides, with alum foil, and filled it to two inches from the top.
Used the Minion method with the charcoal bowel filed 3/4.
Things settled down at 7:00 AM and got smoking.
Using the installed Weber temp gauge, things got to 275 degrees pretty quick.
Things stayed stable pretty much between 260 and 270 according to the Gauge.
Trouble at 12:00.
Temp dropping to 250.
Added some coals and adjusted bottom vents.
At 1:00 PM, with the smoker temp at 270, I took the top off and probed the meat with a thermometer.
165 degrees internally.
Done.
Wrapped the meat with alum foil and put in a cooler to rest till suppertime.
Delish and easy-peasy.
Why was I worried?
Click to expand...
165 is pretty low. Did you slice it or pull it?
 
Thats 74 oC (yes, I am imperially challenged;) ).
And will have gone up a bit more by wrapping and putting in cooler.
Definitely safe (y)
And most likely sliced. Which I actually prefer!
Whichever way, a very good and impressive first go at the WSM!
 
I was wondering why 3/4 full of charcoal on a pork butt until I saw you were not cooking to tender. did you make sandwiches out of it? rub?
 
Thanks folks.
Sliced.
I pulled it at 165 as I felt that it would cook a bit more in the cooler as Anne said.
As it was it turned out good. (lucky)
Andy, I feel that a bit more charcoal would have been better.
RUB! ; as it was, when I had taken the butt out of the fridge, rinsed it, and placed it on the table, it hit me, BANG!: I never thought about a rub.
Looking about my inventory I had yellow mustard, which I slathered on the beast. In the fridge I found a jar of Chili Sauce (from my wok days) which got slathered on with the mustard.
Slapped the beast in the smoker.
Result: was a tasty bark.
I'd do it again.
Things I'd do again:
I would use less water in the water bowl.
The water got pretty hot but never boiled.
I need to look at getting that door mod. It did get a bit of smoke out of the door.
Also I really have to thank all those that posted their experience with the smoker on this site.
Thank you.
Your information made my trip much more enjoyable and fruitful.
 
Probably no mod needed for your door. get a few good cooks in and it will seal up.

I'm a dry smoker and never run water in mine. For hotter smokes i leave the bowl out. For lower temp cooks i foil the bowl and put it in. I always run a full basket, overfull and light with a torch through one of the bottom vents. I can get a consistent 265°- for 12-14 hours that way. Another advantage using this method is not opening the door keeps the built up seal intact. In fact if yoiu need to add fuel it works best to remove the body add fuel and put the body back on. if you're ready you';ll loose almost no heat in the cook chamber doing this. Love my 14. the only thing did to improve it was to add a PartyQ controller. its now set and forget.
 
Another tip: Prep your smoker the night before. That way you only have to fire up a few briqs/lump whilst still half asleep the next morning. (I learned that lesson pdq).
As the briqs/lump are firing up. Meat on, probes in, lid on ready to go. Bring everything up to temp in a one-er. My 0.02p.
 
TonyUK said:
Another tip: Prep your smoker the night before. That way you only have to fire up a few briqs/lump whilst still half asleep the next morning. (I learned that lesson pdq).
As the briqs/lump are firing up. Meat on, probes in, lid on ready to go. Bring everything up to temp in a one-er. My 0.02p.
Click to expand...
I agree 100%. That’s the reason I moved my smokers to the garage.
 
Antonio Silva said:
The victim was a 6.7 lb bone in butt.
Started frozen then defrosted for two days in the fridge.
Since I didn't know what to expect, I got up early.
6:00 AM on Sunday. Grrrr.
Covered the bowl, both sides, with alum foil, and filled it to two inches from the top.
Used the Minion method with the charcoal bowel filed 3/4.
Things settled down at 7:00 AM and got smoking.
Using the installed Weber temp gauge, things got to 275 degrees pretty quick.
Things stayed stable pretty much between 260 and 270 according to the Gauge.
Trouble at 12:00.
Temp dropping to 250.
Added some coals and adjusted bottom vents.
At 1:00 PM, with the smoker temp at 270, I took the top off and probed the meat with a thermometer.
165 degrees internally.
Done.
Wrapped the meat with alum foil and put in a cooler to rest till suppertime.
Delish and easy-peasy.
Why was I worried?
Click to expand...
Enjoy your new WSM!
 
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