Newbie from Toledo, Ohio first Smoke

W

wmphipps

Wandering around with a bag of matchlight, looking for a match.
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Location
Toledo OH
My next door neighbor got me interested in smoking meat when they did a prime rib recently. I have acumulated some equipment and am ready to try my very first smoke. So far I have a Weber 22.5 Smokey Mountain, a few bags of various flavoring woods (hickory, apple, cherry oak), one of those charcoal chimney lighters, a Maverick wireless remote smoker thermometer, and a book entitled "Smoke and Spice". So what now? Any tips to get an old gas grill jockey started off? We are having some friends over this weekend and I would love to smoke something tasty that I could hit a home run the first time out. Thanks bro's. This is a very cool forum!
 
1. Smoke a fattie. 2-3 hrs, make several if you have guests
2. Smoke a pork butt. several hours 8+
These are both easy and very forgiving.
Both would be a good way to learn to manage fire control.
If you have a detailed question, feel free to ask and you will get some quality advice here.
Welcome.
It sounds like you are starting with great equipment, great book just light the match.
Use the search feature below and look up WSM
jon
 
Fatty and butts, are good choice to learn on. Get some reading done on here, and dont be afraid to ask questions. Doesnt matter if its been asked 100 times people still give you an answer, not a smart ass response.

But it is still good to spend some time reading and searching for what you want to know.
 
i say a couple of butts, 32 beers later and you still cant screw them up:cool:
 
First thing I did on my WSM was a 7lb butt. Read around on various trimming techniques and find a good basic rub. You have to try really hard to screw it up too badly.
 
I say you start off with the idea of a main meal of pulled pork, it is the most forgiving cut, use somethings like MOINK balls (bacon wrapped pre-made meatballs), ABT's (stuffed jalapenos wrapped in bacon) or fatties (sausage chub straight from the wrapper and onto the smoker) to use as appetizers.

Allow enough time to get the butt done, a bone-in butt will take 10 to 12 hours done at 225F to 250F. Do not rush it! I would use just a few chunks of apple, about two chunks the size of your fist maybe three would do it. And one of the things beginners do not know, allow the fire to settle in and start giving a light blue smoke and not billowing white smoke.
 
I think everybody is giving you great advice. The only other thing to add is to go over to the "virtual weber bullet" website for step by step instructions on how to use that smoker. Great site dedicated to the WSM.
 
Or you could just ask here and get the same advice, we got some very good smokers here who use WSM's to great effect.
 
Make pulled pork with Boston Butt. Try to get a nice bone in cut that hasn't been injected with "moisturizer".

Start your WSM using the minion method as described on the virtual weber bullet.

Close up the smoker and leave bottom vents open - watch your lid temperature. When lid temp hits 225 close the bottom vents 75%. It should stay there or close to there. Use the bottom vents to control heat.

The first time out the thing is going to run hot, so be extra careful.

When the meat hits 195 (not before!) - take the meat off and pull apart.
 
landarc said:
And one of the things beginners do not know, allow the fire to settle in and start giving a light blue smoke and not billowing white smoke.
Click to expand...

This advice is worth repeating.
Probably one of the most important pieces of advice for a novice: you don't smoke meats with a lot of smoke! Always remember that billowing smoke is "dirt in the air".
 
Duster72 said:
...When the meat hits 195 (not before!) - take the meat off and pull apart.
Click to expand...

Is a rest period a good thing to do with a butt? From what I've read an hour or so in tin foil is never a bad idea after your temp is reached. Closed tightly for more cooking and juice redistributution, or closed with a few holes on top for just the juice.
 
I believe in letting the meat rest under a foil tent for an hour if possible, at least 30 minutes. If I have to go more than an hour, I wrap in heavy duty foil and towel in a cooler. Ideally, rest for 1 hour under a foil tent.
 
welcome neighbor! I'd go with a few fatties to get the feel of how your WSM runs temp wise then try a pork butt. welcome aboard!
 
My best advice would be to listen to these folks. They may seem like some wierd farkers at times, but even haviing grown up watching and learning from my dad (not famous, doesn't compete, but makes the best BBQ I've ever had in my life), these folks have taught me quite a bit in the last year.

And read as far back as you can in the threads here. Lots of good advice/ideas
 
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