Vinny P
Found some matches.
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2014
- Location
- Charlotte NC
To all you BBQ Gurus on the forum, I have been cooking on a home built UDS that I made using the Big Poppa hardware and kit. For the most part, I'm very happy with the results. Several years of practice, trying different recipes and techniques, and following the advice on these forums has helped me tremendously.
However, I still have a few issues that I'd be interested to hear your opinions on.
The first and foremost issue is that of the charcoal basket capacity. The Big Poppa kit comes with a really nice basket that sits on three "legs" and those legs hook into some U-bolts inside the drum at one of two levels. That way you can vary how close the coals are to your food.
The basket however isn't that big. I usually fill it to capacity using the Minion method by using a coffee can that has no lids on either end, putting it in the center of the basket, filling the ring outside with regular old Kingsford briquettes, and then pouring in about a half a chimney-full of white hot briquettes and removing the can.
I can get the temps stable at about 225 to 250 within about half an hour.
Throw a few "sticks" of kindling sized pieces of smoking wood (usually hickory or apple). and off I go.
However, the last three pork shoulders I've done (all around 9lbs) have hit a stall somewhere around 150 to 170, and even after 12 hours of cooking time, I'm running out of fuel and start to lose temps in the smoker (under 200).
Yesterday, I pulled the shoulder off at 10 hours and 165 degrees, wrapped in foil, and put back on. Even after 2 more hours the temp didn't get above 173 degrees and I had already knocked down the ash, and poured in another half chimney of live coals to fire off the remaining briquettes.
Since when I pulled the butt to foil it, it was already falling apart, I wasn't too worried about it being done, and after two more hours, it was as tender as other shoulders I had cooked to 200 degrees in the past.
Good bark, (even with the foil), good smoke ring, nice flavor and pulled really easily. Not much fat at all left in or on the meat (I usually trim the fat cap to about 1/8") and I don't inject. The one time I did inject the meat was actually less moist for some reason.
So even though the final temp after 12 hours at 225 to 250 was only 170 or so, the meat was still really good. My question is why? Did I just get lucky? My thermometer has always been accurate. It's a Pyrex pro temp thermometer with the probe pushed to the center of the thickest part of the roast and not anywhere near the bone.
Also, other than fabricating a different basket, how do I get a longer cook at the same temps? I would like to try a brisket at some point, but considering how long I figure I'll have to cook it, I'm afraid of having to refill and restart the basket several times. Do I just live with it? The basket is about 8" tall and roughly 16" wide. Will a bigger basket choke it self out with too much ash?
Sorry for the long winded post, but I wanted to be clear on what my problem is.
Looking forward to what you guys have to say.
Thanks
V
However, I still have a few issues that I'd be interested to hear your opinions on.
The first and foremost issue is that of the charcoal basket capacity. The Big Poppa kit comes with a really nice basket that sits on three "legs" and those legs hook into some U-bolts inside the drum at one of two levels. That way you can vary how close the coals are to your food.
The basket however isn't that big. I usually fill it to capacity using the Minion method by using a coffee can that has no lids on either end, putting it in the center of the basket, filling the ring outside with regular old Kingsford briquettes, and then pouring in about a half a chimney-full of white hot briquettes and removing the can.
I can get the temps stable at about 225 to 250 within about half an hour.
Throw a few "sticks" of kindling sized pieces of smoking wood (usually hickory or apple). and off I go.
However, the last three pork shoulders I've done (all around 9lbs) have hit a stall somewhere around 150 to 170, and even after 12 hours of cooking time, I'm running out of fuel and start to lose temps in the smoker (under 200).
Yesterday, I pulled the shoulder off at 10 hours and 165 degrees, wrapped in foil, and put back on. Even after 2 more hours the temp didn't get above 173 degrees and I had already knocked down the ash, and poured in another half chimney of live coals to fire off the remaining briquettes.
Since when I pulled the butt to foil it, it was already falling apart, I wasn't too worried about it being done, and after two more hours, it was as tender as other shoulders I had cooked to 200 degrees in the past.
Good bark, (even with the foil), good smoke ring, nice flavor and pulled really easily. Not much fat at all left in or on the meat (I usually trim the fat cap to about 1/8") and I don't inject. The one time I did inject the meat was actually less moist for some reason.
So even though the final temp after 12 hours at 225 to 250 was only 170 or so, the meat was still really good. My question is why? Did I just get lucky? My thermometer has always been accurate. It's a Pyrex pro temp thermometer with the probe pushed to the center of the thickest part of the roast and not anywhere near the bone.
Also, other than fabricating a different basket, how do I get a longer cook at the same temps? I would like to try a brisket at some point, but considering how long I figure I'll have to cook it, I'm afraid of having to refill and restart the basket several times. Do I just live with it? The basket is about 8" tall and roughly 16" wide. Will a bigger basket choke it self out with too much ash?
Sorry for the long winded post, but I wanted to be clear on what my problem is.
Looking forward to what you guys have to say.
Thanks
V
