SMOKER IS HERE 008

Use the recipes and tips found on this forum and forget the cookbook. Put about 4 oz. wood in the woodbox and smoke it up without any meat first, maybe 4 hours on 225. Then get a big old fatty chunk of pork and cook it. (shoulder, butt, etc.) By then, it will be seasoned up pretty good and ready for the ribs. Don't forget the drip pan and don't clean it up too good on the inside. Have fun and experiment.

I agree with my neighbor Hippie. Cook something a bit more fatty for your first smoke. Butt is great as well as chicken. Sometimes that first smoke is bitter. You can trim some of that off doing a butt, not so easy with ribs. Definitely use the Forum versus the CS book! Just my $0.02 worth.

Good luck!

My Smokette just arrived, too. I am trying to figure out which steak knife to use to saw open the boxes.From now on,Raider Bill, be prepared for other ROFLYAO moments. My husband says Thanks for the Welcome Home.

Get yourself a nice picinic or butt, rub, smoke, drink, eat, simple as that!

To all of the above:
Thanks for the input..I will season it Friday night and hope to give it a "test" with the ribs on Saturday.

BTW..how long to season with a Fatty butt as far as time wise?

Thanks,

Dave

KathyE:
Use a box cutter to open the box, but don't try to catch a flight with on in your possession..Security may want to put the "come-alongs on you.

Dave

Time, amount of wood, temp for a 6# butt that is already rubbed?

Thanks,

Dave

Dave P,
Obviously you forgot I am a woman trying to open a box in a hurry. There were no box knives near me.
I did have to mail a teeny pocket knife back to myself about 2 years ago from Will Rogers airport.Learned my lesson.I was so proud of being a woman that carried a pocket knife that I forgot to take it out of my purse.Men don't have that problem.With a purse, I mean.

BTW, the cart was missing a bolt.The plastic pkg wasn't shut and my husband said all the washers and stuff was scattered around in the box.Do you think a dealer has any extra ones? I know CS would send me one but it would be quicker to run the 2 miles to a dealer.Hubby said he would go to a hardware store to find one.

I did two butts of that size and cooked them for 18 1/2 hours at 225 and they could have used more. Plan on 18 hours or there abouts and an internal temperature of 200 to 205 if you plan to pull the meat. (Sorry for how that sounds)

I agree with Dave G. The last 2, 8lb pork butts took 18 hours @ 225 with an internal temperature 0f 200 de.

Dave P., I would think a 6lb butt should only take 13-14 hours at most. However, every butt is a little different. I normally do 8lb butts and they take about 18 hours at 225. I usually pull mine when the meat reaches 195 and it pulls very nicely. Pulling at 195 also leaves a little more fat content (not much more) in the meat which to me, helps keep the meat moist when reheating.

For one butt, I use 5oz of Hickory, if I am doing two I use 8oz. Again, this is for 8lb butts and I also like a smokey taste. For a 6lb butt, try 4oz of Hickory or whatever wood you want, then adjust the amount up or down the next time.

Mike

Thanks,
Saturday I will season the smoker and will try out some "Cheap Pork Ribs", just to get a feel of the smoker in general...Will keep you all posted.

KathyE, Just trying to add a little humor to the chat room, no offense intended.

Bama,
Again thanks for the input on the single pork butt. Will keep this in a reference when I try this.

Thanks again to all.

Dave

To the rest of you that have posted, I apologize for omitting in the last post....I guess I am getting quite excited on my first smoke.

Dave

Dave P, that whole thing was supposed to be funny.Guess I am not as funny as I thought! I am half Italian which you may be also which is Great. wWe all have good sense of humor right? I am seasoning right now.I bought and had de-boned two smallish butts and will try them after my Mother in Law leaves tomorrow.So no offense taken at all.

Well KathyE,
Glad we are on the same page
I just seasoned my smoker and will try some Regular spare ribs tomorrow morning.

Will try the half and half of the Chicken and Pork rub and see what happens.

Let me know how the butts turn out.

I too am half Italian, the other half is Polish.

I know that in some parts of the country if you call someone a "Dago", that this could be a insult and become fighting words.

We up north have a Festival that is called "Dago Days"

One fella I worked with asked what natiionality I was and I told Him Italian and Polish...Oh he said, You must be a DaLok, (Italian and Polish). .

Thanks again for the response.

Dave

For a 6 pound butt, I would slather with mustard, then put on a thick layer of rub. Put in the smoker on 250* with a temp probe in and fattest side up. Cook until probe hits 205*. Take out, wrap in double HD foil, then double towels. Put in a cooler to rest until ready for a meal or until you can't wait any longer. This might be 30 minutes or 6 hours, or longer. You will have some very nice pulled pork. You cannot put a time on it.

I just put 2 boned butts totaling somewhat over 7 lbs,tied together in teh smoker at 1030.I put the oven temp on 225.Isn't that right? I guess I need to go back and look in the butts 101.Everyone has such individual preferences and methods.I know that makes it interesting adn makes for good conversations on here.But it sure is confusing to me.
I had bought a Maverick remote check and am having trouble with the probe temp display going to --- after a few minutes. I am not worried about it right now since it is going to be hours vefore things need to be checked.

Type of wood-how the heck do I tell them apart? YOu get a gbox of chunks with the cookette and I have noearthly idea what is in there. I think I got hickory out when I seasoned;it smelled like hickory.But the rest I can't smell anything to tell them apart.I don' tknow "tree bark"

Kathy - Go with any of the wood CS sent (I don't think they ship mesquite) and it should be ok. Don't know much about the Mav. Just keep an eye on the temp and pull it off at about 195.

We just did a 7.5 lb butt with 4 oz of oak. Put it on at 9:00 last night at 200 degrees. Cranked it up to 225 at 7:00 AM. At 10:30 it was at 196. Pulled it off, drizzled with vinegar-thined homemade sauce, wrapped in foil and towels for a few hours. Wife is pulling right now. Always have to sneak a piece of dark end bark. That's got to be the best part of a fresh smoked butt!

Good luck on your butt Let us know how it turns out...

Thanks,Wheelz. I am looking forward to seeing or rather tasting how it comes out.My husband is liking the gadget-Maverick, so everyone is happy.I will let yo know how it turns out.You guys and gals are great.