quote:

Originally posted by xantom:

quote:

Originally posted by TXJIM:
That's a great looking build. Did you give any thought to making it reverse flow for more even smoking chamber temps?

Not when I started out with the project. Just didn't know that much about them. But if I do another one it will likely be a reverse flow build.

From your interior pics I thought it was at first. Where do you have openings amongst the floor for air to come across top of meat/cook area?

Almost looks like sealing up that floor, opening up left end of floor and moving chimney to top right would make this one.

How’s the meat looking?

It is very close. My tuning plates do not seal anything, they are more of a heat deflector. Smoke and heat can easily rise around them. I won't know until tomorrow when they get the briskets in.

quote:

Originally posted by xantom:
It is very close. My tuning plates do not seal anything, they are more of a heat deflector. Smoke and heat can easily rise around them. I won't know until tomorrow when they get the briskets in.

After awhile you will or perhaps you already do know how to get you’re tuning plates really dialed. I can run mine 250 all the way across or adjust my plates and get 250 on one side and 300 on the other. Makes it nice doing different proteins at the same time. I often do briskets or back loin ribs and chicken or turkey breasts at the same time.

Ribs and brisket go on the 250 end of the smoker which happens to be right next to the firebox and poultry which I like to cook at a higher temp goes on the 300 end. Can’t do that with a reverse flow.

When’s dinner?

Thanks for all the tips guys.

Pictures are requested!

Planning to light the smoker by 4am Saturday

quote:

Originally posted by Rev. A. J. Forsyth:
Thanks for all the tips guys.

Biggest tip I can give is feel the meat when you pull it. Temperature is a rough guideline, but it's done when that temperature probe slides in with absolutely no resistance at all. When you pick it up, it should jiggle like jello.
https://www.youtube.com/channe...6b-Cl0Fp02iMc96yoJbg

This is Aaron Franklin's YouTube channel. He has a lot of really good basic brisket videos, you can learn a whole lot from him.

Aaron's videos are really good. I have been watching this guy recently. This is how he checks for tenderness, ~23:28 into the video:




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/kzWWpvJEpck?t=1409

Looking forward to seeing your results!

Total cook time was right around 11 hours. 6 hours unwrapped and 5 hours wrapped. I learned that my door thermometers read about 40 degrees cooler than the actual grate temp is. This was not the best brisket I've ever had but it was pretty good. The point was a little dry, but not terrible.

What do you guys spray your brisket with when you are smoking it? I kinda thought the apple cider vinegar and water mix I used made the bark taste too much like vinegar.

That's a great looking rig, and it clearly produces a good product!

I have a background in engineering, and have went all-out a few times building smokers. Calculating how much of a pressure differential is created by the chimney draft, air flow through the firebox, reverse flow chamber and the heat soak into the reverse flow plate can be quite challenging.

This one is my biggest and most complex build. After I finished fabricating it, it worked so well, and had such a unique look that I decided to keep it.










Yes, the security officer always gets paid for services rendered, with some very healthy portions! After all, he spent 16 hours guarding that smoker.

In the pic with the brisket, pork shoulder and ribs all sliced and ready, his expression there in the background deserves a caption. He looks very focused.


Keep up the good work brother, few things are as satisfying as getting great results after being a slave for a day to a stickburner.

For brisket and pork shoulder, I don't spray mine with anything, nor do I wrap them. I leave at least a 1/4 inch fat cap on the meat, and smoke with the fat cap on top. I give them a very liberal rub of brown sugar, garlic powder, salt and jalapeno powder, then keep the cook chamber temp between 230 and 250 untill the meat probes read 203° in the center of the thickest part. I live in an area with plenty of humidity, so I don't often need to use a water pan. If the outside humidity drops below about 50%, I'll set a big pan of water directly on the reverse flow plate on the far left side of the smoker.

For ribs, I also don't wrap them at all. I smoke them with the cook chamber @ 250° . Back ribs get 4hrs and 45 minutes, and the big spare ribs racks get 5 hrs and 30 minutes. Those times are because the wife likes ribs to have a little pull. Shes not a big fan of fall off the bone tender. If I wanted the meat to fall off the bone, I would add about an hour to the cook times.

If in a hurry, I would wrap, but I'm never in a hurry when smoking meat. Waiting out the stall unwrapped, allows time for the nitrogen dioxide in the smoke to react with the pigments in the meat and create the very pronounced, beloved "smoke ring".

Cheque le:

That is awesome, wow nice rig!

That is the most badass thing I have seen this week! What a great skill set. I tip my hat to you. Thanks for sharing.