I think I might give up on offset cookers...

[mph33]

Literally this 7 1/2 lb butt has been on the cooker since 11:30 a.m. I just now wrapped it and threw it in the oven at 1:45 am. that's a little over 14 hours later. The internal temperature is right at 177. I was looking for maximum bark. Going to do the aluminum boat to maintain the bark and speed up the cooking process.

I have done extensive testing on my old country Brazos including the biscuit test to know exactly how this cooker runs. Seems like anything I cook on here takes such a long time. Even if I run between 250 to 275°. I'm either falling asleep or I have something to do that messes up the cook. This time around I made absolutely certain I had nothing to do, stay awake... made sure I had good wood and it looks like this cook is going to run about 17 to 18 hours for a butt. When I use my WSM I have no issues at all. I can't imagine all offset smokers are difficult to deal with such as this one.

The smoker does not leak outside of the doors, I've got upgraded temperature gauges and I use a lone star charcoal basket. Maybe offset cookers aren't for me. I just can't believe how long it takes to cook barbecue with these cookers. You're probably thinking that I'm cooking too low of a temperature. I have good electronic temperature monitors and I've done a lot of testing on this particular grill. I've tried using tuning plates but it's really not that effective unless you're cooking a lot of food.

https://i.imgur.com/QLxUh51.jpg[/G]

[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/5xx9E3z.jpg

 

[txsmkmstr]

I can't imagine all offset smokers are difficult to deal with such as this one.

They're not...

You didn't ask for any advice and seem to know your stuff. All I can say is when cooking isn't fun (or goes beyond a labor of love) then it may to time to try a different method.

Still, your final product does look great so it's not a total waste of time. :thumb:

 

[Big Andy]

They weren't for me either. Buy a barrel. They turn out great food, and don't take much tending or a lot of time.

 

[16Adams]

I do shorter cooks in my offset. I have a couple friends in the DFW Metroplex both have high end offsets Shirley, Jambo, Big Phil’s etc. the heat humidity index can easily be 105-112*. Both have told me on long cooks they’ll do the first 4-6 hours on their Offset and either oven finish or use another cooker. One does a lot of pork butts for friends and neighbors. He smokes offset to 165-179 IT wraps in oven safe cellophane for a couple days in fridge then oven finishes. I have a low cost offset called Oklahoma Joe Highland. It would do great in those 10-12 hour cooks, I just don’t want to.
Keep it and do shorter cooks for a while see if you fall in love with it again. Even if you use it as yard art chiminea an offset screams real bbq

 

[Nuco59]

I wish I had something more encouraging to say than "the food looks great".

It does, BTW.

Nice rig - it's a shame that you are not enjoying it as much as you had hoped.

They say that "time is money, friend". If it makes a good product but you are not having fun and/or feel that your time would better be spent doing something else...sell it and go another route.

Good luck, sir.

 

[SmokerKing]

Yeah, I started with a decent quality offset. Did some mods to it to correct the hot spot at the firebox end. Spent hot afternoons in the AZ sun tending the fire. Tried to like it for a year or so, almost gave up on BBQ because of it.

I pretty much have been BBQ'ing on my modified BUFORD drums and Kamado style smokers ever since.

 

[16Adams]

Shorter smoked cooks
Hamburgers/juicy Lucy’s
Pork tenders/chops/steaks etc
Chicken-all cuts
Salmon/seafood
Sausages -Boudin German etc raw & precooked
Cheese-cream,blocks
Desserts-pies, pineapple upside down cake
Spam
ABT’s and appetizers

What I mean is there are a lot of ways to utilize your OC Offset to produce quality food that doesn’t involve 12-24 hours

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

Increase your cooking temperature to 325-35°. I do butts and briskets at those temps in usually 4-6 hours. I'll leave the meat on the smoker until I get a good bark and color (usually about 2-3 hours), and then I'll wrap and put them back on the cooker (or in the oven) until they're perfectly tender. I use this same method on my SnS Kettle as well and it always produces amazing BBQ.

 

[pjtexas1]

Another vote for 300-325. Butts can take a lot of heat! Sorry that you find that cooker frustrating. I couldn't cook on it either if it took that long.

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[PatAttack]

Hotter & Faster is the ticket!

 

[smoke ninja]

14 hrs at 275 doesn't sound right. at 250 it's a bit closer. I'd say aim slightly higher in temp, 275-300. do you open the lid often? that can add some time.

at the end of my stick burning run I would wrap big meats and finish in the oven. I just wasn't up to tending for 8-10 hrs

 

[txsmkmstr]

So I do love my offset but like many here anything much beyond 6 hours tending fire is drudgery. I'm a big fan of the oven finish once the smoke/bark are where I like it. Heck, even 3 hours of offset smoke might be sufficient for flavor.

 

[1Gradymaci]

My routine..On the Smoker at 7pm get my color and bark, and 11pm it goes in the oven at 175 wrapped until I wake up that morning and pull it out and start pulling 2 hours after that. I might not be a Texas pitmaster, but nobody is complaining..

 

[smokeisgood]

Something is going on... I've found My Pitmaker offset cooking at 250 cooked butts quite a bit faster than my Limo Jr. running at the same temp. I suspect it is due to more airflow going over the meat. Are you running your vents open with a small fire?

 

[lstoker]

Come on guys, this has nothing to do with it being an offset. I've lived in 7 different states all over the US ranging from sea level swamps of Louisiana to 6,000FT in Colorado. Have always cooked in an offset.

There is no reason to start a cook in an offset, and have to finish it elsewhere. The humidity does impact how it cooks, but that is regardless of the cooker.

First thing the OP should double check is his thermometers.

 

[halfcocked]

Come on guys, this has nothing to do with it being an offset. I've lived in 7 different states all over the US ranging from sea level swamps of Louisiana to 6,000FT in Colorado. Have always cooked in an offset.

There is no reason to start a cook in an offset, and have to finish it elsewhere. The humidity does impact how it cooks, but that is regardless of the cooker.

First thing the OP should double check is his thermometers.

I agree 100%. I cook on an OK Joe Highland and never had this problem. My butts reach int. temp in abut 1 hour per pound (give or take).

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

That seems like a long time for a butt. I'd try staying closer in temp to 300. If I get kind of lazy with my fire I know it can greatly prolong a cook. You might be waiting too long to put on the next log. You're average temp may be lower than you think. I find briskets and butts take me 10 to 12 hours but again there's a lot in that fire management that I need to improve on. I find that after that amount of time I can be pretty mentally and physically fatigued where if I'm wrapped I might go in the oven to finish it off but that's usually an hour or two. After it's wrapped you can safely just bump up the temp you are cooking at also.

 

[1Gradymaci]

There is no reason to start a cook in an offset, and have to finish it elsewhere. The humidity does impact how it cooks, but that is regardless of the cooker.
.

You might want to go elsewhere if you want to sleep.

 

[NickTheGreat]

Come on guys, this has nothing to do with it being an offset. I've lived in 7 different states all over the US ranging from sea level swamps of Louisiana to 6,000FT in Colorado. Have always cooked in an offset.

There is no reason to start a cook in an offset, and have to finish it elsewhere. The humidity does impact how it cooks, but that is regardless of the cooker.

First thing the OP should double check is his thermometers.

Yeah, my thoughts are he's not cooking at 275.

 

[16Adams]

My post had everything to do with smaller meats. All cooks don't have to be butts and brisket.