thunter
is Blowin Smoke!
I have to start this with a big BUMMER!!!!! Why? Because my digital camera died and I dont have any pictures! 
Now on to the cook which started Friday night.
I am cooking pulled pork, brisket and potato salad for a crowd of 60. The customer is going to have guests bring additional side items, desserts, etc. I went to Sams Club and picked up two nice butts and two large brisket flats! I got buns, the base for my sauce and some other necessities for the cook and the event.
I made a batch of my custom rub but this time I used Splenda Brown Sugar - excellent!!! This is the best batch of rub I have made to date. This is definitely competition blend. I got my Char-Griller Smokin' Pro (CG) prepped and up to temp while I rubbed the meat. I decided to use only the CG for this cook because I did not want to work two cookers at once tonight.
8:00p - The Meat Goes On!
Two butts, two briskets and a bunch of rib tips I got for snacks! The CG temp was 250* when I opened it to put the meat in, but it quickly dropped to 200* - because the meat was cold and it was a lot of it! I put in some wood; hickory and apple, and things were under way.
9:30p - Time To Make A Change!
The CG smoker temp got up to 250* again in about 30 minutes but it began to fluctuate a lot! I figured it was because I had so much meat in the cooker. So, I decided to take some of the load off the CG and fire up the WSM. I got the WSM up to temp and put one brisket flat on the bottom rack and both butts on the top rack. I left one brisket flat on the CG along with the rib tips. By 10:00p the switch was made and now things are running smoothly on both smokers. The CG was holding and 250* and the CG was holding at 250* also - right where I want them!
Midnight - CG Needs Some Fuel!
The coals were starting to get low in the CG fire box, so I lit a chimney that I had on standy. While the coals where getting hot, I foiled my rib tips so they will be nice and tender. They are already done but I want these falling off the bone. I filled up my CG fire box and the temp is still holding at 250*. I closed the damper a bit to compensate for the additional heat. I will adjust it again later when the temp starts to fall off.
4:30a - Foil The Briskets.
Both briskets are doing well and are running about 165*. In the thin part of the points I am getting 170* so I thought I would foil them now. The butts are are running at 188*. I think these will be ready in 12 or 13 hours. This is the shortest time I have ever cooked butts. I will let these go until they reach 205 to make sure they are nice and pullable. They look great. I had to add fuel to the CG again too. I really have to get a second WSM so I can get some sleep. I will keep the CG for short cooks and grilling only. For all-nighters, I need the stability and self-maintenance of the WSM.
6:00a - Briskets Are Done!
I just took the two foiled briskets off the smoker. They were both reading 190+ degree in the thin and thick of the flats. They look very juicy and the probe easily slide in and out of both. The butts are still holding at 188* so I know they are not going to be ready until later this morning. I took a sneak peek at one of the briskets; I cut into one just deep enough to see if the smoke ring was there and... it was there in a major way! Beautiful! Now I just have the two butts in the WSM - I'm going to sleep!
8:00a - Butts Are Live At 205*!
The butts are ready at 205* at 8:00a! Thats only a 12-hour cook at 250* - me likes it! They were about to fall apart as I pulled them off the smoker and I got to taste a piece that came off - excellent!! Now they go into the GE portable oven that I use as a warmer. I keep the temp at 140* so that the meat stays nice and warm. The tater salad is made and now I am doing my sauce. I love this stuff!
Success!!!
When I got to the customer location I got everything all setup but we were still an hour away from serving time. Several of the guests wanted to see the BBQ but I told them that I dont pull the pork or slice the brisket until serving time - they were fairly impressed and went back to the party with great expectations.
Finally, it was time to serve. A couple of guys came to the table where I was ready to pull the pork and were amazed as the bone easily slipped out of the butts! Their expressions: Whoa! Dang! Cool! I gave out some samples to get people talking about Q and several people made their way to the seving line ahead of the guest of honor! The pork was tender and smoky with a bark to die for and the brisket was juicy with a smoke ring like I had never seen before!
There was a mix of people who wanted on meat and no bun, some wanted lots of sauce and some no sauce at all! People came back several times as there was a lot of meat and some great sides. Everyone gave me many compliments and one guy who owns a restaurant wants to talk to me about providing pulled pork for his menu! This was an awesome day with some awesome people. I had fun and made a few bucks at the same time.
Now on to the cook which started Friday night. I am cooking pulled pork, brisket and potato salad for a crowd of 60. The customer is going to have guests bring additional side items, desserts, etc. I went to Sams Club and picked up two nice butts and two large brisket flats! I got buns, the base for my sauce and some other necessities for the cook and the event.
I made a batch of my custom rub but this time I used Splenda Brown Sugar - excellent!!! This is the best batch of rub I have made to date. This is definitely competition blend. I got my Char-Griller Smokin' Pro (CG) prepped and up to temp while I rubbed the meat. I decided to use only the CG for this cook because I did not want to work two cookers at once tonight.
8:00p - The Meat Goes On!
Two butts, two briskets and a bunch of rib tips I got for snacks! The CG temp was 250* when I opened it to put the meat in, but it quickly dropped to 200* - because the meat was cold and it was a lot of it! I put in some wood; hickory and apple, and things were under way.
9:30p - Time To Make A Change!
The CG smoker temp got up to 250* again in about 30 minutes but it began to fluctuate a lot! I figured it was because I had so much meat in the cooker. So, I decided to take some of the load off the CG and fire up the WSM. I got the WSM up to temp and put one brisket flat on the bottom rack and both butts on the top rack. I left one brisket flat on the CG along with the rib tips. By 10:00p the switch was made and now things are running smoothly on both smokers. The CG was holding and 250* and the CG was holding at 250* also - right where I want them!
Midnight - CG Needs Some Fuel!
The coals were starting to get low in the CG fire box, so I lit a chimney that I had on standy. While the coals where getting hot, I foiled my rib tips so they will be nice and tender. They are already done but I want these falling off the bone. I filled up my CG fire box and the temp is still holding at 250*. I closed the damper a bit to compensate for the additional heat. I will adjust it again later when the temp starts to fall off.
4:30a - Foil The Briskets.
Both briskets are doing well and are running about 165*. In the thin part of the points I am getting 170* so I thought I would foil them now. The butts are are running at 188*. I think these will be ready in 12 or 13 hours. This is the shortest time I have ever cooked butts. I will let these go until they reach 205 to make sure they are nice and pullable. They look great. I had to add fuel to the CG again too. I really have to get a second WSM so I can get some sleep. I will keep the CG for short cooks and grilling only. For all-nighters, I need the stability and self-maintenance of the WSM.
6:00a - Briskets Are Done!
I just took the two foiled briskets off the smoker. They were both reading 190+ degree in the thin and thick of the flats. They look very juicy and the probe easily slide in and out of both. The butts are still holding at 188* so I know they are not going to be ready until later this morning. I took a sneak peek at one of the briskets; I cut into one just deep enough to see if the smoke ring was there and... it was there in a major way! Beautiful! Now I just have the two butts in the WSM - I'm going to sleep!
8:00a - Butts Are Live At 205*!
The butts are ready at 205* at 8:00a! Thats only a 12-hour cook at 250* - me likes it!
They were about to fall apart as I pulled them off the smoker and I got to taste a piece that came off - excellent!! Now they go into the GE portable oven that I use as a warmer. I keep the temp at 140* so that the meat stays nice and warm. The tater salad is made and now I am doing my sauce. I love this stuff!Success!!!
When I got to the customer location I got everything all setup but we were still an hour away from serving time. Several of the guests wanted to see the BBQ but I told them that I dont pull the pork or slice the brisket until serving time - they were fairly impressed and went back to the party with great expectations.
Finally, it was time to serve. A couple of guys came to the table where I was ready to pull the pork and were amazed as the bone easily slipped out of the butts! Their expressions: Whoa! Dang! Cool! I gave out some samples to get people talking about Q and several people made their way to the seving line ahead of the guest of honor! The pork was tender and smoky with a bark to die for and the brisket was juicy with a smoke ring like I had never seen before!
There was a mix of people who wanted on meat and no bun, some wanted lots of sauce and some no sauce at all! People came back several times as there was a lot of meat and some great sides. Everyone gave me many compliments and one guy who owns a restaurant wants to talk to me about providing pulled pork for his menu! This was an awesome day with some awesome people. I had fun and made a few bucks at the same time.
