To heat or not to heat? SM 160

If you're pressed for time, pre-heating will help a bit; maybe. Depends how much product you're smoking. Once the door's open, there's a significant heat loss.

You need to experiment. Each way has a different impact on the end result of the product.

Today I had 3 slabs of baby backs and one chicken halved. Loaded them in and I hit the preset for ribs and chicken. The temp seemed to climb slowly. When I had 10 shoulders in it seemed to get up to temp faster! An hour in and it was not at 200 deg. With the shoulders it was at that number in about 45 minutes. I may do another try this week with the ribs. With rack 1 being at the bottom I had the ribs on 3 and the chicken on 4. Any opinion about how you would address this? My Masterbuilt had a water pan and this doesn't have one. Anyone using water in their unit?

For food safety reasons, make sure you put the chicken on the bottom shelf. I've been taught not to let chicken juices drip onto ANY product.

If your preset rib setting is at 225*, I would personally, do some at 250* and take good notes. I would then do the next load at 275* and take good notes.

I will run my loinbacks at 250* and spares at 275*, along with chicken at that temp.

Never had a need to use water thou!

Nice catch Cal, VERY important.

I agree with Mr. T. Sometimes we forget that we have all experience levels represented on this forum and we sometimes get a bit complacent with mentioning food safety.

I believe it is important for us to keep each other safe.

Good call!

quote:

Originally posted by cal:
For food safety reasons, make sure you put the chicken on the bottom shelf. I've been taught not to let chicken juices drip onto ANY product.

Thanks for your correction! I wasn't thinking yesterday! I was going to see if I run the base line time and temp from my old M/B smoker. Thanks for all your input! As for the water its old dog new tricks issue I think?

cal kinda breezed over the water,as this is not a long horizontal offset,that flows a lot of air and dries out the product.We are used to opening the door to dump humidity,since this is such a moist cooker.

Like the fine cooks above,you know what you are trying to achieve,so for "a set and forget",you'll need to take good notes,and develop your own timing.

I've cooked on a bunch and seen a bunch in top restaurants,and yours will put them all to shame for low levels of supervision.

Like many things that are push button and forget,I'd develop my own skill set and timing.You may find that your experience will be faster than the presets.

This has been a restaurant staple for several decades and you should find it the same.

Enjoy.

Any of you chefs mop or spray down your product as it smokes? I have been reading about a 50/50 mix of Cider vinegar and cider getting sprayed on every few a hours. If you do how do you like the results?

I personally do not mop or sauce. I want to taste the meat, and serve sauce on the side if anyone wants to use it.

Again, experiment and see what you like!

Once again,what are you trying to accomplish?Are you cooking in a long horizontal offset stickburner that flows a great amount of air and you are trying to keep your product from drying out?

Yep,some type of sprayer may be helpful.

Are you in the comp business and trying to layer flavorings on a very small amount of product?Maybe.

I might also suggest keep it simple,cook one product at a time,make one change at a time,if that doesn't work,ask one question of us at a time.

Approach this as you might your commercial oven,cook lo and slo,add a minimal amount of wood.

Hope this helps a little.

Thanks Tom its all about the flavor for me. As you know I'm running the SM 160 and I just wanted to ask the question if someone that has a similar cooker and tried this method with it. I serve my pulled pork lightly sauced with sauce on the side. My old cookers water pan would allow me season the water.

quote:

Originally posted by MotoChef:
Any of you chefs mop

Okay, you're new. I'll forgive you that, but if you have to call me names, it's Smokin' or Pitmaster

But Chef? No, I leave that name for you guys that are Professionals that have earned it, and we do have a few Chefs here.

But I'll prefer to be called Pitmaster, may not be as sexy as Chef, but it's harder to earn... LOL

I'll answer to Russ also, but not as often.

Mopping? It's a waste of time and dumps the heat from the smoker. It won't add moisture. It will add flavor, but only to the outside. And with a good rub, smoke I don't normally add much more. Most of the time I don't even add sauce.

But you can mop.

Our suggestion in the forum, when anyone has a question is. Ask us, we'll give you some input, but STILL go try it for yourself. We're not perfect, we've just been around a lot with a lot of questions asked.

In the end, you still need to get the product that makes you happy.

Thanks Smokin! Just looking to see if anyone has info on this practice. I think Pitmaster can be considered on par with chef! ;o) Thanks for your patience. I did a gig last week for 100 and need the convenience that the 160 gives me of a set it and forget it mode while I make salads, sides (lately the buzz has been about my smoked gouda mac & cheese with bacon)and all the other things I need. Restaurant Depot in the Chicago area has Brisket (choice) @ $1.89 a pound case price Babybacks for $3.19 a pound. I think I'm going after the brisket. Thanks again!

Packers and shoulders/butts might be the best products of the 160.

You will also see a lot of better restaurants brining and lightly smoking domestic,or wild,poultry in 160s.