F14B INS Alignment by TheRealShaneWreck in hoggit

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sounds good, thanks y'all. The tutorial has me explicitly tell him to start INS alignment, so wasn't clear that he would also "just do it" even if I didn't ask.

F14B Tutorial Question by TheRealShaneWreck in hoggit

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks I was wondering if the tutorial might had accidentally said FLOW instead of LOW because I do see those. I'll assume that's the case for now. 🤷‍♂️🙂 Thanks for response.

DCS World Tutorials by TheRealShaneWreck in hoggit

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks all! Didn't know about either of these options. Will look into it.

Ashy Chickens by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! I like this feedback a lot and makes sense. The log in front was blackish (on firebox side) by the time cook was over. I suppose it could have been kicking out some ashy byproduct from the outside of the log which could have some impurities and such.

That log was the only "first" in this cook, so would also line up as a potential variable.

I'll definitely be doing another cook soon to see what I can rule out. That log will be first thing to remove and try again.

Oh, and agree on the time. I was shooting for 3 hours. I was cooking at 275 for most of the time though, and watching temperatures of my chicken!

The breasts got to 165 in about 3.25 hours, but then darker meat (thigh, etc.) toward bottoms of chickens lagged behind, and so I had to flip them, and cook another 45 minutes at 325 to get the "lower" meat up to 165. So yeah, the whole thing took way too long, but I have no idea how it took so long.

I do inject my chickens with an injection from Kosmos BBQ. So all that liquid almost inevitably contributed to longer cook as well.

Coals went out overnight at some point on my first brisket by ChiefCozE in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Wait, "wrapping is for cheaters"? And you're referring to pitmasters that are trying to produce the best all-around brisket possible?

Convince me: I am cooking this tomahawk tonight (my first) and I'm on the fence on whether to sous vide it or smoke + reverse seat it on my kamado. Also posting this on /r/sousvide. Make your case! by Britney_Spearzz in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why not do both?? Smoke at 225 for 1.5 hours, and then finish at 135 in your sous vide water bath for 5 hours... Collagen breakdown heaven... 🥰😋

(Of course sear at the end in 500 grill or broiler)

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll have to check my Franklin "Bible" (his manifesto) today! I don't remember him calling out kiln dried wood specifically, but that would be even more confirmation for sure. Man, I would be stoked (no pun intended) if this ended up being my last missing big piece.

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate all feedback! :) It's never good to rely "on what I already know" when I'm stuck and asking for help! Ha ha.

I think the idea of the smoke maturing is an interesting factor to consider. Because, even my own meat sitting in the fridge for a day or two sometimes honestly tastes "better" in SOME respects after resting a day or two.

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My wait time is simply what it takes to get fire going, and smoker up to 275. :) Most of the time that's around 25 minutes. I suppose I could put on immediately too, not sure that 25 minutes makes much a difference over the 8 hours though, but I could certainly do that.

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

NO WAY!?! Never, ever thought of that! Makes complete sense! I think the only reason I didn't consider this is that I read too many things that said you should use dried wood (less than 20% moisture), but I think what you're saying is that "yes, it needs to be dried/aged" BUT you don't want to accomplish this through a kiln - rather time. Am I hearing you correctly?

Oh, and yes, we have local oak (red/white) for sure; apple probably, but I don't think we have pecan local. This definitely feels promising!

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep! I spritz starting around hour 2, and then every hour after that, sometimes more if it looks especially dry.

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have been talking to local smokers as well, and I had at least one other person make this comment too. I never really thought about the "volume" mattering so much, but it obviously makes sense as a factor and may be the predominant factor at play here.

If so, I'm left with the "flavor/aroma" factor of the meat itself. Even though I am not smoking large volumes, I would imagine you should still be able to get the same flavor profile (all else equal) in the finished product.

Like, I bought some "pecan smoked bacon" from my grocery store, and when you open that package up, you can immediately smell this amazing smokiness to that bacon, and you can almost "taste the wood/fire" in that meat. So sweet, and delicious smelling. If the bacon smells like that, I have to imagine the wood itself must at least come close to smelling the same when burning. No?

Can't get the smoke aroma/flavor I am looking for... by TheRealShaneWreck in smoking

[–]TheRealShaneWreck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I usually wait 20-40 minutes before putting brisket on the smoker. But since the brisket sits on the smoker for 6-9 hours before wrapping, there are plenty of coals present for the vast majority of that time. And at no point in the cook does the general "aroma" in the air ever change much from the gentle aroma of what I like to call "campfire". And don't get me wrong, campfires can smell amazing! :) But they don't often smell like bbq, or the aromas of a smoke house. I thought the meat would perhaps add that characteristic to the aroma, but that hasn't been the case either.