2013 Gratuitous Grill Thread

[Clay]

Ill have to check on the rub I used. Its still at home, and Im at work. My wife sells that 'Tastefully Simple' stuff, and this was one of those

as for the vents, the upper vent was always open, just not fully open all the time. Bottom vent was full open, top vent was used to regulate temps.

 

[steveh_131]

Interesting. I always leave the top open and use the bottom to regulate temps. Maybe some veterans can chime in on that, if there are any pros and cons to either method.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

If you only went to an IT of 190, it was probably just not done yet as far as the toughness. You can't really cook a a butt by temperature as they are all going to be different temps when done, but mine are usually over 200. Hickory has a very strong smoke flavor and it is very easy to get too much smoke with it. I usually will use fruit woods like cherry or apple. If I do use hickory i only have it smoking for a few hours and then stop adding chips or chunks.

Edit: If it is a bone in shoulder or butt, just cook it until you can wiggle the shoulder blade bone free and then rest it in a cooler for at least an hour then shred.

 

[jetmechG550]

I tend to stick with apple when I do pork. Occasionally I will use maple or cherry. In a typical low and slow around 230-250 they say it will only take smoke for about 8 hours where you are cooking at 2-2 1/2 per pound. That's why a lot of the comp guys wrap after a certain amount of time. Fruit woods aren't very powerful and I set my put up where it doesn't get too many chunks anyway. 190 is a little low, I tend not to pull before 195-197 and let them sit wrapped for a few minutes

 

[Clay]

Interesting. I always leave the top open and use the bottom to regulate temps. Maybe some veterans can chime in on that, if there are any pros and cons to either method.

Well, Ill try this method next time. I can see where this might have an advantage.

If you only went to an IT of 190, it was probably just not done yet as far as the toughness. You can't really cook a a butt by temperature as they are all going to be different temps when done, but mine are usually over 200. Hickory has a very strong smoke flavor and it is very easy to get too much smoke with it. I usually will use fruit woods like cherry or apple. If I do use hickory i only have it smoking for a few hours and then stop adding chips or chunks.

Edit: If it is a bone in shoulder or butt, just cook it until you can wiggle the shoulder blade bone free and then rest it in a cooler for at least an hour then shred.

No bone, just a hunk of meat. Ill get the internal temps up more next time, and cook at a lower temp as well.

I tend to stick with apple when I do pork. Occasionally I will use maple or cherry. In a typical low and slow around 230-250 they say it will only take smoke for about 8 hours where you are cooking at 2-2 1/2 per pound. That's why a lot of the comp guys wrap after a certain amount of time. Fruit woods aren't very powerful and I set my put up where it doesn't get too many chunks anyway. 190 is a little low, I tend not to pull before 195-197 and let them sit wrapped for a few minutes

and Ill try different wood! I've got some apple wood I've saved for this very purpose.

thanks everyone! Great stuff!

 

[chezuki]

Ok, this weekend I decided to try my first go round at smoking meat.

I dont have anything fancy, just a 22" Weber one-touch grill that I've had for about a year. I did a bit of research online on how to do some indirect smoking with it. I picked up some hickory chunks, and used Royal Oak lump charcoal. We had a couple of pork shoulders in the freezer from a pig we bought from my brother in law. I wanted to use those because we didn't know what we were going to do with them, so if I ruined it, that was OK.

While I was in the garage building an AK, I got everything going so I could watch it. I used a digital multimeter with a temp probe to keep track of temps at the meet area of the kettle. I started my coals in a chimney and once ready dumped them in opposite where I wanted the meat to sit. I also put a pan of water under where the meat would sit. I threw a chunk of hickory in on top of the coals, then put the cooking grate in. I put a store bought rub on the shoulders, and after a few minutes to warm up I put them in the kettle. I tried to keep the temps averaging around 350F. I didn't have loads of time, or I would have cooked at a lower temp. Thats probably my only complaint, as the meat was good, very edible just not as tender. Plus the shoulder had a lot of darker pork in it, which seems to be tougher anyway.

Overall the process took about 3.5 hours to reach an internal temp of 190. I had to add fuel, and another chunk of hickory about every hour or so. The meat had good flavor, and I had a good smoke ring visible. My kids gobbled it down as well. Now Im planning what my next thing to smoke will be.

I wonder about a few things.

Is hickory a good choice for pork? The outside "bark" of the pork was almost too smokey.

Do I need to smoke for the entire time the meat is in the kettle? or do I only smoke for part of the time? I wonder if this would have reduced the 'over smokiness' of the outside layer.

any other thoughts on my method? Other than I need to get a 'real' smoker

Here is a picture of the setup:

I did this for a living for 10 years. 190 degrees is only part of the trifecta for pork. Timing , temperature, and texture. Butts HAVE to be cooked low and slow, it's the nature of the cut and what made it affordable to the lower class pioneers of what we today call great bbq. There is a lot of connective tissue in a Boston Butt (shoulder roast) due to the multiple muscles involved. This tissue is broken down by maintaining temperature for a VERY LONG time. I cook my butts at 225 degrees for at least 12 hrs. Also, any smoke the meat is going to absorb is done in the first 1-2 hours. Any more smoke is just going to result in an oily soot residue that overpowers the meat and can actually get pretty bitter.

 

[Boomstick]

Just smoked a 10.5lb Boston at 225 for 20hrs, used a bit of hickory at the start, pulled it at 198 internal temp, the bone literally fell out 100% clean. Turned out amazing!!! I did cook it indirect with a drip pan under it fille with some water. when target temp was achieved I wrapped it in foil and let it rest in a cooler for 2hrs before pulling it apart

 

[steveh_131]

Anyone planning on grilling or smoking their Christmas/Thanksgiving turkeys this year?

I'm thinking about spatchcocking one on my kettle sometime this summer as a trial run before I even consider doing it for the holidays.

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

i grill a turkey every year for thanksgiving on my wife's side. i don't do any special preparations for it, keep the coals indirect and put a drip pan underneath.

here's a pic. the pan was not used on the grill, just to transport

 

[steveh_131]

What temps do you go for? Any wood for smoke? How did it turn out?

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

i've used some applewood chunks in the beginning. keep the thermometer in the lid around 325 (who knows how accurate it is). i usually flip the bird a couple times, but keep the breast down for the most part; i've always heard it helps keep juice in the breast and works for me. cook until thigh reaches about 160, then loosely cover in a pan for about 20.

 

[steveh_131]

Wow that looks delicious. Alright, gotta try this.

 

[Clay]

Spatchcocked a chicken last night and smoked it with some applewood. Kept the temp right around 300, and it took a lot longer than I wanted (4 hours) but man was it good when it was done!

 

[steveh_131]

I love a spatchcocked chicken! But 4 hours? At 350 it only took me about 90 minutes.... I wonder if I'm undercooking.

How did you decide yours was done? Internal thermometer?

 

[Clay]

I did it by internal temp. from what Ive read you want the breast to be about 165, and the thigh to be 175. It was quick up to 140 but the last 30 degrees took a while. I've also read that some people seem to get them cooked in 1.5 -> 2 hours, and others take 3 -> 4. I was hoping for 2 but this was a good sized chicken. 6.5 lbs with all the junk inside.

 

[jetmechG550]

i go 350 direct for 90 minutes when I spatch too, always done right. You'll know if it's under cooked

 

[steveh_131]

Ahh, must have been way bigger than the ones I did. That explains it.

I've learned so much from this thread. Applewood was my choice as well, and everyone loved it. My wife said it was better than the Nelson's chicken that we've been buying occasionally that she loves.

 

[steveh_131]

Wait....350 direct?? I always did indirect. How do you avoid scorching it? Or is this some BGE magic

 

[mrjarrell]

90 minutes of direct heat would give you charcoal and some nasty chicken. I usually work mine at about 350 for about 1 1/2 or so. I go higher temp in an oven for a shorter period.

 

[jetmechG550]

tell me this is charcoal and nasty tasting: