Babby's first smoker!

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dry rub was chili, cumin, garlic, salt and sugar, and a little coffee and cocoa. only on there for a few hours before it went in the smoker

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cold day and SUPER windy. Couldn't get the temp past 200 until i but up a wind break.

Used briquets and apple wood.

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Got a lot darker than I expected. Lamb came off after maybe 4 hours (with much of that time not being quite in the proper temp range), beef shanks after about 6. Chuck and pork then went into a 275 oven. Chuck came out after maybe two hours, and pork 4 hours.

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The chuck was much better than I expected. Pretty tender. Shank was super dry, but like burnt ends. Shredded with teh chuck gave some good texture.

Too dry u shd low the heat

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A little smoke ring around the beef chuck.

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The pork on the left and the beef in the bowl.

I gotta make some sauce and take the necessary picture on the bun.

>>7314499

Can't wait to learn more. I think the beef shank just doesn't have enough fat to work. I'm gonna try saving whole beef shanks instead of these crosscuts next year to see how those do.

The beef chuck had enough fat to protect it.

Also wonder about doing some stuff in foil.

As far as the heat being too high, it was too low for awhile, and never got above 230 for the first 6 hours. But, maybe the time int he oven was too hot. The beef was only int here for a couple hours, though.

>>7314506
i hate that i hate pork.

>>7314468
I like what I'm seeing so far.

>>7314485
>Got a lot darker than I expected.
It was the sugar, most likely. It didn't help, at least.

>>7314493
>>7314503
>>7314506
Looks dry as fuck.

You've got a lot of homework to do. It seems like you were eager to get started, and skipped over the documentation. Don't do that.

>>7314514
I saw a show on barbeque recently wherein they did a comparison of no wrap, foil wrap, and paper wrap for beef and they found that the paper wrap outperformed the foil wrap as far as bark development went, but still managed to come out juicier than the no-wrap. I'd take a stab at paper were I not so far from my smoker.

>>7314493
>>7314506
>>7314506
Holy shit OP that is dry as balls. Did your temp shoot up to 300 degrees or something?

>>7314480
>smoking
>wanting a temp over 185
that's part of the reason your shit got so dark anon, you're supposed to smoke with low heat

A little dry, but that's what sauce is for OP.

I just made some salmon jerky, myself.....not intentionally, but that's damn near how it turned out due to fucking up the cure and massive temp spikes in my shitty smoker.

The weber smoky mountain is a great smoker, and even better with some tweaks. Check out this site for some good info: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/

Keep at it, OP, you'll get better with experience.

>>7314555
I figured it was the sugar, too.

>>7314558
>>7314624
As far as dry goes, I agree that it's dry. I did my homework (in that I read), but this was my first time. Temp never got above 275.

I have freezers full of meat. I have to use what I have, and like to experiment.

http://www.cheaterchef.com/texas-smoked-beef-chuck/ is what I read for the chuck, but I wanted to try without foil the first time. The next time I'll try foil (or paper).

THese prictures were also taken cold this morning, so they lost that sheen of warm meat that makes things look a little better.

>>7314631
You smoke with a temp lower than 185? I wanted my pork to hit 200!

>>7314631
>that's part of the reason your shit got so dark anon, you're supposed to smoke with low heat

250-275 is fine for what he was smoking.

>>7314647

I think the way to go is to smoke the meat until it hits 160, and then just finish it in the oven inside. By the time it hits that temp, it can't take much, if any, more smoke, and it'd probably be oversmoked if it could. The oven avoids having to fuck with more charcoal, and the temp spikes that can happen.

>>7314645
Thanks, anon. Can't wait. I wish i liked fishing more. I love some smoked trout...

>>7314667

I got some work to do, for sure. I've got a thermapen, but I'd like a good corded thermometer so I don't have to keep opening that thing up. It was amazing how the temp just wouldn't come up. As soon as I put that shield up I had better luck.

>>7314647
see
>>7314667

Foil your shit at 160 with a splash of apple juice and finish it in the oven. The only reason not to foil and leave on the smoker is to achieve a darker/thicker bark, much like how yours came out. But usually guys who do that will baste or mop to help protect moisture.

>>7314809
What was interesting is how perfect the pork came out compared to the chuck roast. It was somewhat expected, but a good reminder why pork shoulder is such a winner on the smoker.

I just need to get some serious fat on my steer, or pull the beef off earlier, like you mentioned.

>>7314506
I love dry meat like that. I know it disgusts some but I adore the texture. Would eat any day op.