In addition to the excellent information shared so far, I'll add one more thing that's made my slow cooks easier.

Ekogrips: https://jollygreenproducts.com...he-original-ekogrips

These make it quick and easy to snatch everything off the grill without scorching my hands.

I've only been at this for a few years since I bought my first Kamado Joe ceramic cooker. So far I've focused on mainly doing 2 pork butts a time with excellent results. My Maverick Redi Chek remote temp probe system has worked perfectly but the ThermoPro units look like my next purchase when mine dies.

I would love to have a smoker like yours ... is this a Brinkman ? Looked at both propane and charcoal ... and being old school leaning towards the charcoal. I my Weber kettle I use lump hardwood with apple and cherry I have gathered over time ... and a big piece of pecan from the neighbor.

Yep, Brinkmann vertical smoker, looks to be a 2 door & not the single door model from the OP. Guess that helps with not losing cook box temp when checking/adding to the fire.

Actual photo, had a coworker drop it at the house, since he has a truck & lives 1/2 mile from me.

Don’t get discouraged. Learning a smoker takes time, and spending hours on a cook just to be disappointed sucks.
As said before, pick one cut of meat and keep trying until you are happy. I’d start with pork butt. 225-300 degrees and it will still be good.
I use the Meater probe and love it!
Try Fogo lump on chicken, turkey and fish, it’s mild, but expensive.
Wildforkfoods has good prices and free shipping on first order.

quote:

Originally posted by TBH:
As said before, pick one cut of meat and keep trying until you are happy. I’d start with pork butt. 225-300 degrees and it will still be good.

I was in agreement until you got to the 300 degree comment. 300 is too high for pork butt... 220-250 is more the sweet spot.

quote:

Originally posted by tatortodd:
...

As far as smoking wood, I go with chunks as chips are a waste of time (consumed too quick)

Speaking of wastes of time, don't bother soaking your smoking wood in water as it makes zero difference.

I disagree on these two points.

Chunks last longer, but take longer to start smoking. I'm pretty sure the science is that most of the smoke flavor is imparted to the meat while it is still cold. If you only use chunks you may be missing out on a lot, as most of that smoke is later in the cook. For a long smoke, I use a chunk or two, but also throw in a handful of chips, which create a lot of smoke quickly.

As for soaking, it depends on your setup, but with my Big Green Egg I need to put the smoking wood on the fire, then place my drip pan, grill, and then meat. Soaking the chips (or at least wetting them) gives me a little more time to get everything set before the smoke starts pouring out.

I'm cooking on my first BGE. I'm finding that a wheeled cart, for holding all those trays, bowls and tools would be very handy. Got to build or buy one soon.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
Chunks last longer, but take longer to start smoking. I'm pretty sure the science is that most of the smoke flavor is imparted to the meat while it is still cold. If you only use chunks you may be missing out on a lot, as most of that smoke is later in the cook. For a long smoke, I use a chunk or two, but also throw in a handful of chips, which create a lot of smoke quickly.

You're making two illogical assumption on technique and missing the science.

The smoking wood is put on prior to installing the placesetter (i.e. BGE's name for the indirect ceramic plate) since it's ceramic it takes time to get up to temperature. Only the meat goes on once everything is up to temperature. If using chips, they're gone before the meat even goes on. If you're using chunks, they're smoking when the meat goes on and smoke for many more hours (e.g. ribs take 5 hours and still routinely parts of chunks left).

The biggest reason of all is for smoking meat you want that barely visible smoke (aka blue smoke) not white, gray, or black smoke. This is basic science of smoking meat.

quote:

Originally posted by honestlou:
As for soaking, it depends on your setup, but with my Big Green Egg I need to put the smoking wood on the fire, then place my drip pan, grill, and then meat. Soaking the chips (or at least wetting them) gives me a little more time to get everything set before the smoke starts pouring out.

The soaking wood myth has been busted:

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2

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

I agree with Tatertott. I ruined 5 pounds of bacon because I didn’t wait long enough for the smoke to clean up.
Dirty smoke is…… freaking nasty!

Rouge, I got called to work one time just after I started a Boston butt. I asked my bride to check it often and try to keep temp between 225 and 275. I came home and asked how it was going, and was told it’s been holding right at 325.
I do double up on the heat deflector so less likely to have shoe leather on the bottom of the meat. I use a KJ kmoker, maybe others would bark at that temp.

Everyone needs to find their own level of what works for them.
My experiences are the same as honestlou .
I use both large chunks and some chips and usually wet them.
Don't care if you provide a dozen web articles that say otherwise.
YMMV

Meat and more meat

Bought a small [3lb] brisket to give it a shot.
Grocery had a huge wagyu brisket $170
Not even sure that would fit in this little smoker.

Let's see how this goes.