I am trying to cook a contest with one FE-100. For now we still cook chicken on a WSM. I have considered getting another cooker for ribs. I would appreciate any advise on how you manage your times at a contest.
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Ron,
Sounds like we're doing similar to you. We cook with FEC100 and offset. For competitions, we'll do our chicken on the offset. Two briskets go on the bottom shelf. Next shelf up is for two shoulders. These go on based on weight. The spares go on at 0530 morning of. The brisket and butts are timed to come off around 1030 get foiled and placed in heated cooler. Then I glaze the chicken and ribs in FEC. We did our practice cook two weekends ago and other than leaving off some instructions on our timed-instruction sheet, everything worked out fairly well. We had over 20 folks enjoying sixty degree weather and lots of 'que.
Hopefully, history will repeat itself in next two weeks. Our first comp is in Rio Ranch, NM end of this month.
Good luck with the FEC! We've had nothing but good experience with ours.
Mike
Sounds like we're doing similar to you. We cook with FEC100 and offset. For competitions, we'll do our chicken on the offset. Two briskets go on the bottom shelf. Next shelf up is for two shoulders. These go on based on weight. The spares go on at 0530 morning of. The brisket and butts are timed to come off around 1030 get foiled and placed in heated cooler. Then I glaze the chicken and ribs in FEC. We did our practice cook two weekends ago and other than leaving off some instructions on our timed-instruction sheet, everything worked out fairly well. We had over 20 folks enjoying sixty degree weather and lots of 'que.
Hopefully, history will repeat itself in next two weeks. Our first comp is in Rio Ranch, NM end of this month.
Good luck with the FEC! We've had nothing but good experience with ours.
Mike
First question, what temp are you doing butts/briskets/ribs? We can probably help come up with some ideas for you.
If they're the same temp, then no problem.
If they're different?
People will put butts and briskets on early enough so that they come off the smoker and go to hold in an ice chest or cambro.
Then up the temp for the ribs.
You can also start the ribs at the temp of the butts/briskets and just raise the temp after they get pulled.
You ARE doing some practice runs aren't you?
If they're the same temp, then no problem.
If they're different?
People will put butts and briskets on early enough so that they come off the smoker and go to hold in an ice chest or cambro.
Then up the temp for the ribs.
You can also start the ribs at the temp of the butts/briskets and just raise the temp after they get pulled.
You ARE doing some practice runs aren't you?
Well,part of this has do do with how you feel about different parts of your technique ,i.e. cooking temps and holding times.
There are folks that hold butts and packers for eight ,or nine hours,in a cambro,before building their boxes.
If you are using a WSM to do your chicken,that leaves you a long open space to finish your ribs in the FEC.
Depending on whether you cook loinbacks,or St Louis spares,tells you the holding time you may have.
Some folks might even take the butts back out to the WSM to firm up the bark,after they finish the chicken box.
We used to cook on an FEC and a WSM,also.
Tom-Fl
There are folks that hold butts and packers for eight ,or nine hours,in a cambro,before building their boxes.
If you are using a WSM to do your chicken,that leaves you a long open space to finish your ribs in the FEC.
Depending on whether you cook loinbacks,or St Louis spares,tells you the holding time you may have.
Some folks might even take the butts back out to the WSM to firm up the bark,after they finish the chicken box.
We used to cook on an FEC and a WSM,also.
Tom-Fl
At the Jack I only had one FE... You have to start early and make sure that the meat is ready or almost ready to come off when the ribs are going on... Once wrapped, I also used to put meat on the bottom shelf to get the temp up. Probably some of my best success at contests was when I was freaking that my meat wasn't cooking fast enough and I was freaking that wouldn't get everything done. It keeps you on your toes. But it is doable. Especially if you are using another cooker solely for chicken.
Now that I have 2, I have to try and find other things I have to worry about...
Now that I have 2, I have to try and find other things I have to worry about...
Like Eddy says,"sometimes heat is our friend" 
Now,if you are some of them " out west" guys,that cook hotter/faster,that like to start your box about 30 mins after the big meats come to temp,that is a different set of timing/planning.
Tom-Fl
Now,if you are some of them " out west" guys,that cook hotter/faster,that like to start your box about 30 mins after the big meats come to temp,that is a different set of timing/planning.
Tom-Fl
usually I cook butts and briskets at 225 -250. After foiling i may bump up the temp to250 - 275.
ribs i do the same way. Chicken i cook hoter at 325 to 350. i know i can do this if i am willing to hold butts briskets and ribs for a long period of time. what are your thoughts on holding times for the different meats?
I have practiced and did the Mobile contest. Butts and briskets went on at 6:30 @225, foiled @2:30 bumped to 250, ribs went on the middle shelf at 7:15, last of the big meat was off at 8:00am kicked ribs up tp 275.
Note turn in times were 30 minutes early with chicken starting at 11:30 am
Cooked our chicken on the WSM.
foiled the ribs at 10:15 took off at 11:15 sauced ant put back on to tack up sauce for 20 min.
we did ok, 13th out of 74 teams over all 8th pork 9th brisket, 18th ribs. chicken bomed because I over seasoned it.
i would just like to get the transisitions smoother.
ribs i do the same way. Chicken i cook hoter at 325 to 350. i know i can do this if i am willing to hold butts briskets and ribs for a long period of time. what are your thoughts on holding times for the different meats?
I have practiced and did the Mobile contest. Butts and briskets went on at 6:30 @225, foiled @2:30 bumped to 250, ribs went on the middle shelf at 7:15, last of the big meat was off at 8:00am kicked ribs up tp 275.
Note turn in times were 30 minutes early with chicken starting at 11:30 am
Cooked our chicken on the WSM.
foiled the ribs at 10:15 took off at 11:15 sauced ant put back on to tack up sauce for 20 min.
we did ok, 13th out of 74 teams over all 8th pork 9th brisket, 18th ribs. chicken bomed because I over seasoned it.
i would just like to get the transisitions smoother.
Well,you did pretty well,especially with the cooks that are usually at Mobile.
Sounds like you pretty much follow Eddy's system.
Keep up the good work and hope for "lucky tables".
Tom-Fl
Sounds like you pretty much follow Eddy's system.
Keep up the good work and hope for "lucky tables".
Tom-Fl
Tom, what is Eddies system? Thanksquote:Originally posted by Tom:
Well,you did pretty well,especially with the cooks that are usually at Mobile.
Sounds like you pretty much follow Eddy's system.
Keep up the good work and hope for "lucky tables".
Tom-Fl
Thanks,What I did is outlined below.quote:Originally posted by SmokinOkie:
First question, what temp are you doing butts/briskets/ribs? We can probably help come up with some ideas for you.
If they're the same temp, then no problem.
If they're different?
People will put butts and briskets on early enough so that they come off the smoker and go to hold in an ice chest or cambro.
Then up the temp for the ribs.
You can also start the ribs at the temp of the butts/briskets and just raise the temp after they get pulled.
You ARE doing some practice runs aren't you?
Eddy's temps are pretty much how you are cooking.
You talked with my teammate John/Ribdog ,at Mobile,so he has given you his thoughts.
Eddy may cook his big meats on around 160º-180º for a few hours first on this new cooker,and then kick the temps up.
John says you are on track,just hone your timing,until you are comfortable.
You talked with my teammate John/Ribdog ,at Mobile,so he has given you his thoughts.
Eddy may cook his big meats on around 160º-180º for a few hours first on this new cooker,and then kick the temps up.
John says you are on track,just hone your timing,until you are comfortable.
quote:Originally posted by Scottie J.:
At the Jack I only had one FE... You have to start early and make sure that the meat is ready or almost ready to come off when the ribs are going on... Once wrapped, I also used to put meat on the bottom shelf to get the temp up. Probably some of my best success at contests was when I was freaking that my meat wasn't cooking fast enough and I was freaking that wouldn't get everything done. It keeps you on your toes. But it is doable. Especially if you are using another cooker solely for chicken.
Now that I have 2, I have to try and find other things I have to worry about...
Thanks Scottie. Good luck in Hammond. How do you do your timing with one cooker?
Start early, wrap early. The majority of time I would put ribs on the 3rd shelf and have the butts wrapped on the top shelf and the briskets on the 2nd shelf. If needed, I would also use the 4th shelf, you just have to move the meat more so it doesn't burn. By the time that chicken went on, the only left in the cooker was the ribs. Use the shelves that cook at hotter temps to your advantage... Trust me when I say it can be done. Had a very successful year cooking on just one FE that year.
Scottie
Scottie