So after much reading and debate I decided to season my new toy. So following Harry Soo I did high temp run last weekend and today I had my butcher cut me 2lbs of beef fat to use for my test run. I think I did this "seasoning to get a handle on controlling temp and techniques so when I do some butts this weekend they are not Munsoned. Now I am as green as they come when it comes to smoking but looking at my notes, I hope my firsts actual smoke goes as well, temp wise that is. I have a few questions hopefully you vets can nurse me in the right direction.
Weather was sunny slight wind and warm 63
Internal temp measure via Maverick ET-733
Fuel source was KBB
Water bowl was empty and covered in foil inside and out
Started will 2 bottom vents closed and 3rd at 75% open
Top vent 100% open
Started time was 4:24pm
20 bricks in chimney
About 1/3 of pit filled using a small Minion method
3 chunks of hickory immediately added to middle of burning coals
4:55pm temp reached 200
5:03 smoke died down but still white smoke
5:08 216 cut vent to 50% opened with other 2 vents closed
5:24pm temp is 228 and smoke appears to be thin barely white smoke
3 wood chunks are all charred and smoldering
5:30 cut vent to 25% temp is 232
Left the house to pick up dinner at 6pm
6:20 temp went down to 228.
Opened the vent a smidge more.
Opened door to check coals and the are going strong.
Temp dropped to 221.
6:30 temp dropped to 219
Outside temp is 53 cloudy and cool wind
6:42 temp dropped to 214
Increased vent to 100% open and opened lid for a peak of the fat.
6:55 temp is 228
7:07 temp is 226
7:20 temp is 230
7:28 temp is 228
7:47 temp is 221
7:55 coals are about 50% spent. Wood is about 75% gone.
Opened up 2nd vent to 25% and 1st vent is 100% open.
8:06 temp is 237
8:21 temp is 243
8:29 temp is 250
8:54 temp is 252
Test run was ended due to rain and I figured I had a good enough run to understand temp control for my future 1st cook. As for temp variations I don't think these are that bad, am I right?Doing a quick average of all my temps over the course of approx. 4.5hrs my average temp was 230. From what I have read on the forums the ideal cook temp for low and slow is 225-275 with the goal to be somewhere in the middle. I know that if you lookin you ain't cookin but since this was a test I couldn't help myself but for the actual cook I will not be peeking. I guess what I am getting at is I thought I would hit a temp and it would stay there until you open the lid. It seems to me that it never really stayed at a specific temp and there were some minor fluctuations +-2-5 degrees when it did stay at a certain temp for a short period of time. Are these temp swings normal or am I being too critical? When I put in a fuel ring of fuel does the temps climb higher (considering I keep the vents the same as test run) or just end up burning for a longer period of time? In terms of the Maverick is the monitor that is attached to the smoker, is it water resistant or should I find a way to cover it and the probe wire? If so, any suggestions or mods to keep it dry during inclement weather? Do you guys just attach it to the smoker or place it elsewhere? Last think I want to do is ruin it. In terms of wood I was thinking of using 3 chunks of apple and 1 hickory. I know the level of smoke will vary between personal taste but is this a good starting point or should I be more conservative, say 2 apple 1 hickory? I read that thin blue smoke is the desired kind of smoke but is it really blue or just light white? At what time after adding the wood does the smoke go from thick white to thin blue? I assume I had thin blue smoke around the 1hr mark. Sorry for the long post, just want my first cook to go well and not have to order take out at the end of the day, haha.
Weather was sunny slight wind and warm 63
Internal temp measure via Maverick ET-733
Fuel source was KBB
Water bowl was empty and covered in foil inside and out
Started will 2 bottom vents closed and 3rd at 75% open
Top vent 100% open
Started time was 4:24pm
20 bricks in chimney
About 1/3 of pit filled using a small Minion method
3 chunks of hickory immediately added to middle of burning coals
4:55pm temp reached 200
5:03 smoke died down but still white smoke
5:08 216 cut vent to 50% opened with other 2 vents closed
5:24pm temp is 228 and smoke appears to be thin barely white smoke
3 wood chunks are all charred and smoldering
5:30 cut vent to 25% temp is 232
Left the house to pick up dinner at 6pm
6:20 temp went down to 228.
Opened the vent a smidge more.
Opened door to check coals and the are going strong.
Temp dropped to 221.
6:30 temp dropped to 219
Outside temp is 53 cloudy and cool wind
6:42 temp dropped to 214
Increased vent to 100% open and opened lid for a peak of the fat.
6:55 temp is 228
7:07 temp is 226
7:20 temp is 230
7:28 temp is 228
7:47 temp is 221
7:55 coals are about 50% spent. Wood is about 75% gone.
Opened up 2nd vent to 25% and 1st vent is 100% open.
8:06 temp is 237
8:21 temp is 243
8:29 temp is 250
8:54 temp is 252
Test run was ended due to rain and I figured I had a good enough run to understand temp control for my future 1st cook. As for temp variations I don't think these are that bad, am I right?Doing a quick average of all my temps over the course of approx. 4.5hrs my average temp was 230. From what I have read on the forums the ideal cook temp for low and slow is 225-275 with the goal to be somewhere in the middle. I know that if you lookin you ain't cookin but since this was a test I couldn't help myself but for the actual cook I will not be peeking. I guess what I am getting at is I thought I would hit a temp and it would stay there until you open the lid. It seems to me that it never really stayed at a specific temp and there were some minor fluctuations +-2-5 degrees when it did stay at a certain temp for a short period of time. Are these temp swings normal or am I being too critical? When I put in a fuel ring of fuel does the temps climb higher (considering I keep the vents the same as test run) or just end up burning for a longer period of time? In terms of the Maverick is the monitor that is attached to the smoker, is it water resistant or should I find a way to cover it and the probe wire? If so, any suggestions or mods to keep it dry during inclement weather? Do you guys just attach it to the smoker or place it elsewhere? Last think I want to do is ruin it. In terms of wood I was thinking of using 3 chunks of apple and 1 hickory. I know the level of smoke will vary between personal taste but is this a good starting point or should I be more conservative, say 2 apple 1 hickory? I read that thin blue smoke is the desired kind of smoke but is it really blue or just light white? At what time after adding the wood does the smoke go from thick white to thin blue? I assume I had thin blue smoke around the 1hr mark. Sorry for the long post, just want my first cook to go well and not have to order take out at the end of the day, haha.
