LONNNNG Cooktime on Shirley

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rus_bro

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Did a couple of small competitions over the last 2 weekends using my Shirley Patio (42x24, with the square doors).

Iv been using the pit for almost 8 months now and have run probably 10 or so briskets and id say 6 or 7 pork butts. The cook times have definitely gone up over the WSM from about 8 hours to closer to 10-11 on average.

I was running her at around 225 - 255 this past weekend and it was pretty cold out. I was in the low 40s for most of the cook. At the 15 hour mark i BARELY got my brisket up to 203 and was able to rest it for 45 mins before turn in. One of my pork butts was NOWHERE near ready but i got JUST enough meat off of the other butt to make a box with a handfull of chunks. (All a little more information maybe than really needed).

ANYWAY.... I am wondering what went wrong. I burn post oak, leaving both the box vent and the stack vent WIDE open. The internal temps were about the same as usual, i wrap my brisket and butts in aluminum trays (just like i always do) and ALL of my meats got stalled and had a hell of a time breaking them out enough to even have something to turn in.

I cant put my finger on what happened. I am thinking maybe w/ the cold temps i should have closed the stack off some to hold the heat/smoke in the chamber a little longer? the Shirley has a girthy smoke stack.

THOUGHTS??? Any of you oldschool offset guys have any pointers ??

OO ps... that crap pork took 3rd, and I got 3rd for the brisket as well (i say purely for appearance)
LeTLCh6.jpg

rb
 
Brisket on top, pork bottom.

Using a probe to give me top shelf temp.

rb
 
My briskets take longer on my SF. Direct heat cooks faster.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
rus_bro said:
Did a couple of small competitions over the last 2 weekends using my Shirley Patio (42x24, with the square doors).

Iv been using the pit for almost 8 months now and have run probably 10 or so briskets and id say 6 or 7 pork butts. The cook times have definitely gone up over the WSM from about 8 hours to closer to 10-11 on average.

I was running her at around 225 - 255 this past weekend and it was pretty cold out. I was in the low 40s for most of the cook. At the 15 hour mark i BARELY got my brisket up to 203 and was able to rest it for 45 mins before turn in. One of my pork butts was NOWHERE near ready but i got JUST enough meat off of the other butt to make a box with a handfull of chunks. (All a little more information maybe than really needed).

ANYWAY.... I am wondering what went wrong. I burn post oak, leaving both the box vent and the stack vent WIDE open. The internal temps were about the same as usual, i wrap my brisket and butts in aluminum trays (just like i always do) and ALL of my meats got stalled and had a hell of a time breaking them out enough to even have something to turn in.

I cant put my finger on what happened. I am thinking maybe w/ the cold temps i should have closed the stack off some to hold the heat/smoke in the chamber a little longer? the Shirley has a girthy smoke stack.

THOUGHTS??? Any of you oldschool offset guys have any pointers ??

OO ps... that crap pork took 3rd, and I got 3rd for the brisket as well (i say purely for appearance)
Click to expand...


That pit is NOT designed to run at 225. You need to get the heat cranked up. Throw more wood in there and get it to 250-275 or so.
 
Are you running your firebox with the damper wide open? Is your exhaust wide open as well? Although I can run mine at 225, it likes 275 on the thermometer on the door and I do see about 300 on the top shelf. Use more wood or switch to hickory oak blend for more BTU.
How well seasoned is your wood supply?
Hope this helps.:blabla:
 
sudsandswine said:
225*??? Aint nobody got time for that. Add more logs :thumb:
Click to expand...

Ya this :clap2::clap2:

I have 30x70 now and even the cooks I've done below freezing I can get it wherever I want. Takes more wood in the cold of course, but I just build a bigger fire and normally run 300 when I cook.

The 24x60 I had was even easier to get screaming hot since it was smaller.

I'd be interested to see pictures of the fire size you have going.
 
Also, take off those Old Country thermometers and throw them in the trash. Replace with a couple of Tel Tru.
 
sleebus.jones said:
Yup. I think that if you were getting briskets off in 8 hours on your other cooker, you weren't at 225°! ;)
Click to expand...

Im running a wireless thermometer at meat level and making sure to keep it at atleast 225...

I dont pay much attention to the built in thermometers.

rb
 
Ayvatr said:
Are you running your firebox with the damper wide open? Is your exhaust wide open as well? Although I can run mine at 225, it likes 275 on the thermometer on the door and I do see about 300 on the top shelf. Use more wood or switch to hickory oak blend for more BTU.
How well seasoned is your wood supply?
Hope this helps.:blabla:
Click to expand...

Both exhausts wide open...

Iv got a pretty good wood guy in town, its all well seasoned and seems to be burning fine.

rb
 
More wood! I occasionally cold smoke bacon at 150-180 and use tiny splits and conversely I have run behind on a cook and stoked the livin bajesus out of the box and can see 375 in the main chamber.
Stoke her up!
 
Ayvatr said:
More wood! I occasionally cold smoke bacon at 150-180 and use tiny splits and conversely I have run behind on a cook and stoked the livin bajesus out of the box and can see 375 in the main chamber.
Stoke her up!
Click to expand...

I am a little confused... cooking at 225, isnt really cooking at 225? Does the pit like it hotter, or is that what i need to get the results i am looking for?

I always figured if the wirless temp was telling me where i was running i would be fine...

Damn this smoking of meat that i love.... I never figured i would be this concerned with my technique 2 days after placing 3rd in both long meats... not the comp i thought would be humbling.. :)

rb
 
that low and slow thing is a thing of the past and hotter will get it done faster with it getting done sooner and will taste the same . I cook from 275 degrees to 325 degrees with awesome results .
 
On my 24 x 42 even with a small fire I have trouble running that low so I don’t. My normal temps for brisket, butts and ribs is an average of 275°. Can have 8 lb butts down in 7 1\2 to 8 hours. Briskets run about the same. I am to dang old and broke down to be fooling around that long plus you get a long hold time which makes all meat better in my opinion.
 
Westx said:
On my 24 x 42 even with a small fire I have trouble running that low so I don’t. My normal temps for brisket, butts and ribs is an average of 275°. Can have 8 lb butts down in 7 1\2 to 8 hours. Briskets run about the same. I am to dang old and broke down to be fooling around that long plus you get a long hold time which makes all meat better in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Huge believer in long hold times. Also the 275* is the new 225.....no reason at all to be sitting around. My stickburner, an LSG vertical offset with insulated firebox hates cooking at 225* but purrs at 275* 250* also works pretty well with a small fire but takes a little more effort.
 
Well maybe I’m a thing of the past but I still prefer 225-250. If I’m going to spend the money on the cooker, wood, and meat and dedicate the time to cook it, I’m willin to spend a few more hours to get er right!

Rus bro, I can’t say why your experience was different on this one cook— sometimes the combo of outside temp, humidity, wood, and meat just causes one-off differences. But your method seems sound based upon your results, even this time around! Personally, I’d continue to dance with what brung you unless and until you find a few cooks not going your way.

IMHO if you’ve been happy with your method and results, one errant cook is no reason to change things up.
 
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