My first time.

venemous · 01-20-2012, 11:36 AM

Sorry for the terrible cell phone pics, battery in my camera was dead.

Got an ECB for christmas, this was my first ever attempt at smoking.

Started with a 3.5 pound shoulder, coated it with mayo to help the rub stick. Rubbed it with mcormick grill mates applewood rub to which I added garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, cinnamon and sugar. Let it sit in the fridge overnight.

The next morning got my ECB fired up and heated to my best approximation of 225ish and put a chunk of apple wood on the coals. Dealing with keeping this thing burning and at anything close to a steady temp is why I started modding it... it's "better" now but still a work in progress...

Anyway, after 6 hours I foiled it and tossed it back on for another 3 hours just to get it up to temp a little faster (dinner guests were starting to get whiney, bah it was only 6pm) then unwrapped it once the bone was real loose just to crisp it back up a little.

Tossed some summer squash and zuccini coated with EVOO, salt and pepper on the grate, whipped up some bacon/ranch pasta salad and pigged out.

All in all, not bad for a 1st attempt. Nobody wanted sauce on it so I guess I did ok.

I personally thought the rub needed work. Was still better than almost any pulled pork I've ever had in a resturaunt.

Lessons learned:
1. Start cooking earlier.
2. The ECB is great for me being a total noob, but after this first cook I realized it can be way better. It's getting there.
3. I need to expand my base of rubs and sauces. What worked on the gas/in the oven doesn't seem to always translate right with smoke.
4. This is addicting. I want to Q EVERYTHING now.

Going to try a butt next weekend see if I can improve the flavor a bit and see how much better the ECB works now that the airflow has been tweaked and I'm not having to open the door to add more charcoal.

BBQ Bandit · 01-20-2012, 11:38 AM

Congrats... welcome to the BBQ madness.

Gore · 01-20-2012, 11:39 AM

If nobody wanted any sauce, then that is a big success!

venemous · 01-20-2012, 11:39 AM

No idea what happened to the 2nd pic...

BC Squared · 01-20-2012, 11:42 AM

Be careful....it's very addictive. Expect to see on of us on the Intervention tv show some day!! Lol

bigabyte · 01-20-2012, 11:55 AM

I used to post cell phone pics like that too!

Welcome to the addiction!

Having a pit you really have to master like that for your first cooker can actually be a good thing. Look at all the stuff you're learning. When you go to buy your next cooker, you will have a much better idea of what you really want.

tony69 · 01-20-2012, 11:55 AM

Do you have the cabinet style 1 door Brinkmann? I picked up one off of CL for $10 & did a 6# shoulder & dealt with a ton of temp swings. The only mod I have done so far is drilling a ton of holes in the charcoal bowl. I'm going to seal all the seams with some aluminum heat tape when I get a few minutes of spare time.

Stoke&Smoke · 01-20-2012, 12:08 PM

The pork looks pretty good for a first attempt! Welcome to the addiction

venemous · 01-20-2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tony69

Do you have the cabinet style 1 door Brinkmann? I picked up one off of CL for $10 & did a 6# shoulder & dealt with a ton of temp swings. The only mod I have done so far is drilling a ton of holes in the charcoal bowl. I'm going to seal all the seams with some aluminum heat tape when I get a few minutes of spare time.

I have the smoke and grill (WSM knockoff). I've drilled a bunch of holes in the bottom of the charcoal bowl (and am currently using the very high tech method of a brick underneath to adjust the airflow), added a grate to hold the coals and reversed the legs so the smoker can be lifted off the charcoal bowl. Next up is sealing the dome, adding a top vent and adding some real temp guages.

cowgirl · 01-20-2012, 01:53 PM

Looks excellent!!

sullysQ · 01-20-2012, 05:20 PM

Looks good...welcome to the addiction. Google ECB mods and have fun modding,

venemous · 01-20-2012, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sullysQ

Looks good...welcome to the addiction. Google ECB mods and have fun modding,

Yeah, that's what I did. After the first cook I realized things could be better and started working on it.

42BBQ · 01-20-2012, 08:23 PM

I'd hit that! Welcome brother, I started with a drum and 8 months later I ponied up and burned through way too much of my tax return on an offset. Be careful, before long you will be justifying all sorts of purchases to feed the addiction :)

Boshizzle · 01-20-2012, 08:50 PM

That looks great and, welcome to the adventure!

smokeyokie · 01-20-2012, 09:13 PM

Welcome!!!! nice job on first attempt... It only gets worse from here tell your family to get ready to eat a chit load of Q!!! and SMoke on Brother!!!

01-20-2012, 11:38 AM	#2
BBQ Bandit Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-15-08 Location: Harrisburg, PA	Congrats... welcome to the BBQ madness. __________________ Custom Klose Backyard Chef... of Snot, and a 22.5 WSM Former smokers; Lang 84 Deluxe kitchen, Lang 60 Mobile - The Damsel II, Lang 48 Patio - The Damsel, Bubba Keg Grill - RIP, Double Barrel Smoker and a BSKD

01-20-2012, 11:39 AM	#3
Gore Phizzy Join Date: 10-05-08 Location: Hiding out from blood suck ghost snake gods, Nazis and scrap iron chefs trying to harvest body parts Name/Nickname : Gore (surprise!)	If nobody wanted any sauce, then that is a big success! __________________ Assistant to a Mad BBQ Scientist (and a squirrel): Primo Oval XL, Small Offset, Gasser, Optigrill, UBS "I love everything about the pig, even the way she walks." -- Spanish proverb (\__/) (='.'=) This is the rabbit baby. Invests him in yours signature, (")_(") and the help rabbit baby takes over control of the world! Hmmmm, I wonder, WWGALD? Avatar courtesy of Grillman and NorthwestBBQ Promoted by Bigabyte to "Idiot #1" , and dubbed "Phizzy" by Sir Ron.

01-20-2012, 11:55 AM	#6
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	I used to post cell phone pics like that too! Welcome to the addiction! Having a pit you really have to master like that for your first cooker can actually be a good thing. Look at all the stuff you're learning. When you go to buy your next cooker, you will have a much better idea of what you really want. __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.

01-20-2012, 12:08 PM	#8
Stoke&Smoke Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-18-07 Location: Western burbs of Chicago, IL	The pork looks pretty good for a first attempt! Welcome to the addiction __________________ 2 Skinny Cooks Competition Team [URL]http://2SkinnyCooks.blogspot.com[/URL] KCBS CJ/TC #17139 Member ILBBQS Too many cookers to list :crazy:

01-20-2012, 01:53 PM	#10
cowgirl somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-18-07 Location: Oklahoma Name/Nickname : jeanie	Looks excellent!! __________________ jeanie Lifetime member of the Society for the Preservation of Authentic Royal Magical Rare Kaskaskian Peppers (Thanks Ash :)) RIP Ash, you are missed http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

01-20-2012, 11:42 AM	#5
BC Squared Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-16-11 Location: Kansas	Be careful....it's very addictive. Expect to see on of us on the Intervention tv show some day!! Lol

01-20-2012, 11:55 AM	#7
tony69 On the road to being a farker Join Date: 07-29-11 Location: Bagley, MN	Do you have the cabinet style 1 door Brinkmann? I picked up one off of CL for $10 & did a 6# shoulder & dealt with a ton of temp swings. The only mod I have done so far is drilling a ton of holes in the charcoal bowl. I'm going to seal all the seams with some aluminum heat tape when I get a few minutes of spare time.

01-20-2012, 05:20 PM	#11
sullysQ Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 12-30-10 Location: Cloud 9	Looks good...welcome to the addiction. Google ECB mods and have fun modding,

01-20-2012, 08:23 PM	#13
42BBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-26-10 Location: Manheim, PA	I'd hit that! Welcome brother, I started with a drum and 8 months later I ponied up and burned through way too much of my tax return on an offset. Be careful, before long you will be justifying all sorts of purchases to feed the addiction :) __________________ Meadowcreek SQ36 with 2nd grate, 1991 Weber Performer w/ SS table, UDS, gasser.-Glenn-

01-20-2012, 08:50 PM	#14
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	That looks great and, welcome to the adventure! __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

01-20-2012, 09:13 PM	#15
smokeyokie is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-26-11 Location: Vinita, OK	Welcome!!!! nice job on first attempt... It only gets worse from here tell your family to get ready to eat a chit load of Q!!! and SMoke on Brother!!! __________________ [FONT=Arial Black][SIZE=3][FONT=Arial]open brick fire pit[/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=3]weber smokey joe with homemade WSM[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3]2 weber kettle[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]maverick ET 732[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]1 really, I mean really UGLY Drum Smoker[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]super fast RED and BLACK thermapens[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]_____________________[/SIZE] [SIZE=3]Billy:flame:"Smoke on Brothers and Sisters"[/SIZE]

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