New FEC 100 owner - Question

I'm not sure what you would cook and need to flip a lot.

Some folks cooking 9-10 lb butts,or whole shoulders, might flip half way thru.

If you normally flip a packer,halfway,you still can.

I don't know folks that do.

If you flip ribs once,same answer.

Hope this helps a little.

I guess I should have been a little more specific. My main interest here is with a brisket. With Brisket, I used to calculate my cook time and then I would divide that in half and thats when I would flip and continue that method till the last hour. I know these smokers cook a little different so that's why I was curious if a person had to flip as often or if the meat doesn't even need to be flipped due to the construction of the FEC 100.

I never had any problems with my old wood smoker but I just want to make sure I have an understanding of how the FEC is meant to be used.

I'm relatively new to the FEC-100, but I've done several several brisket flats now on mine. I've not flipped at all, and can't see that doing so would have changed anything.

I have never flipped meats in my FEs in the five years I have been using them. At least not that I can remember.

Had mine for over a year and never flipped a briskit. just put it in fat side down. chicken you might turn, maybe ribs sometimes. but not butt or briskit.

thanks, for all the information. I'll take the advice and not touch it.

Flipping is overrated.

In some smokers (or personal preference) people like to flip to get an even smoke or even the heat. Some say you do, some say you don't in an FE.

Start with it simple. Put it in on the third shelf from the top (or second) fat down (the direct updraft of heat is the theory way) and no, you don't have to cook fat on top to render through the meat, but HEY, if you think you have to do it like that go for it.

Just cook a few items, it won't take long, learning curve isn't that long and you always have the forum to help.

I'm no expert,but have cooked a few.

Put your packer fat down,like Smokin' said ,about 8 PM,set cooker to 160*,set your default to 245* for 4:30-5 AM.

Go to motel,watch tv,get good night's rest.

Go back to cooksite about 6:30 AM and get ribs ready to go.

Put ribs on and go to breakfast at the cooks' breakfast.

Around 8-9AM,pull butts and packers out to the cambro.

Hope this helps a little.

ok im an idiot what is a cambro

Cambro

Good rule of thumb: flip as often as you flip the turkey in your oven on Thanksgiving.

quote:

Originally posted by Larry Jacobs:
Good rule of thumb: flip as often as you flip the turkey in your oven on Thanksgiving.

ROTFL

How'd you know I flip my turkey...

What type of Cambro (s) do you recommend?

Google for Carlilse and see who is running a special.

Sometimes you can get the small 5 pan model for under $150.

They can hold an extra full pan,over the cambro.

If you are going to beat them up,real heavy-like Todd might,the cambro has a little better hinges,clasps,etc.

FLATHEAD,

I think it depends on what your use for it might be.

As an example I found a half size cambro cheep and it's perfect for a small family or to take food to a party with and its sooo much easier to use and store than a cooler.

On the other hand if your intent is to cater then you need much more than that.

The Cambro I got was the 400 Series and is the perfect size IMHO. It holds heat well, has enough room for holding my comp meat of 2 briskets and 4 butts, with some room to slide in a flat couple racks of ribs if my timing is off. The 300 size is a little too small to me.

I got it at Instaware (or someting like that) online shipped for 210. My redneck addition was a moving dolly from Lowe's (20 bucks) and a ratchet tiedown to hold them together.

We got the 400 a last year. The best investment we've made in BBQing. I put a tray of ice in the top slot and place my prepped meat in to keep cool. I take the meat from the cambro and put it in the Fec. By the time the last cold meat goes in the cooker, I pull the ice tray and sometimes put in a tray of hot water. If not, I'll put the cooked pork butts and briskets in. The heat from the butts and briskie will warm up the insides and help keep them from overcooking in the cambro.

Everything goes in the cambro until needed.