Some Advice Please

[novaswift]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section but as a newbie I have so many questions I could ask but I'll start with a couple. I've watched so many videos with so many different views on how to get that perfect smoke my head is spinning. The experience on here though comes across as invaluable.

I bought my first bullet smoker just before Xmas ( probably not the best time of year to start smoking with Scotlands weather). Ive done ribs twice with the 3-2-1 method and pork twice for pulled pork. The ribs turned out great both times and the pork was great the first time but the second time I had to finish off in the oven .

Roughly how many heat beads should be used in the starter for the minion? I used half a chimney and the temp seemed to overshoot to 270

When the temp is settled at the cooking temp should the bottom vents EVER be closed fully or should one always be left open slightly?

Sorry for rambling but I'd appreciate any advice thanks

NS 

 

 

[hoogl]

Hi Nova, 

I'm just outside Glasgow so I'm aware of the Dreich weather we get. I usually don't have an issue stabilising my temp but I do use my WSM in a shelter during the Winter months. If you haven't used the smoker much yet you may find the temps are a little more unstable as you haven't built up any gunk to seal it yet. That will build over time. 

I haven't used heat bead but in my experience I find it best to use a full chimney starter for minion method especially going for 6hrs+. (in the past I had a tendency to under use charcoal chamber which meant I had to refill and flaff about) I close my bottom vents to 25% roughly but that will depend on (Weather, wind etc) I also use boiling water in the pan at all times as this is what has worked for me, other will advise sand or nothing. I managed an 18 hr pork cook last summer with no maintenance whilst I slept. 

Edited April 17, 2020 by hoogl

[novaswift]

Thanks Hoogl. I'm starting to realise patience is the key.  I've read on various pages that pork should be 90 mins per pound, at the end of the day its temp not time . I smoked a 4.5lb pork last week thinking 7hrs but I shut all the bottom vents and I think I stopped the heat circulating properly. Probably needed at least 2 hrs more. Every days a school day 😆

[Wade]

11 hours ago, novaswift said:

Roughly how many heat beads should be used in the starter for the minion? I used half a chimney and the temp seemed to overshoot to 270

When the temp is settled at the cooking temp should the bottom vents EVER be closed fully or should one always be left open slightly?

Sorry for rambling but I'd appreciate any advice thanks

NS 

Whichever briquettes you use it will be fairly similar. The Heat Beads burn hotter than many but any good quality briquettes will give you decent results. My preference is for Heat Beads but I find that Weber briquettes and restaurant grade briquettes/tubes work well too. The difference will be the length of time that the briquettes will sustain a low-and-slow cook before they need to be added to.

Each bullet smoker brand works slightly differently and so you will need to work a little on fine tuning the Fornetto - though the technique is the same for all of them.

• Keep the top vents fully open - until you have mastered the general temperature control.
• Start with 3/4 of the coals unlit and 1/4 lit and in the centre. Leave the bottom vents open to begin with as the smoker heats up.
• Monitor the temperaure rise and as the temperature reaches about 3/4 of desired temperature start to close the bottom vents. The first step would be to close them all by a half.
• Continue to close the vents until the temperature stabilises at the required temperature. If the temperature overshoots then almost completely close all of the bottom vents until you start to see it stabilise and fall. Then just crack the vents until the temperature drop slows and it starts to rise again. You can find yourself in a situation where you have 2 of the bottom vents completely closed and one just cracked open.
• You should never have ALL of the bottom vents closed or the coals will go out - but it is perfectly OK to close some of the vents completely and just leave one open in order to stabilise at the required temperature.

When you have finished your cook close all of the vents - top and botton - and let the smoker cool. When cold you will find that there are unburned coals in the basket which can be dusted off and used for your next cook.

You can start with a whole chimney of lit coals but if you do, start with the bottom vents 3/4 closed and prepare for an overshoot if you are looking to stabilise at 110-120 C.

You were not rambling - we all have to go through similar learning curves 

[novaswift]

Thanks Wade. Some great advice there. From your advice I would certainly seem to have made some basic errors so far but that's part of the learning.  I look forward to trying different meats. 

[dl8860]

One thing I'd add, and this isn't gospel but my own experience, but I would barely call 270 an overshoot. For me, for almost anything that isn't a grill/sear etc., I aim for 250F. If it's anywhere in the range of 225-275 though, that's good enough for me and I find amongst all the other variables that we have to contend with, 20F each way is small change. 

So while it's good to have a target, don't worry about stable temps to the nth degree. It can change due to wind, sunshine, even the position of your ambient probe moving a little. 

[novaswift]

Many thanks. I've bought some Belvedere ribs at bookers so I'll give them a try . Seems to be a popular choice 

[novaswift]

[Smokin Monkey]

I sure would give them space on my table!

[novaswift]

Thanks. First effort with the Bookers ribs 3-2-1  they fell off the bone 

[novaswift]

It was actually 2.5 -2.5- 1 

[Mick]

Just to reiterate don't worry too much about temps 270f is a tiny rise and actually a good temp for pork, anywhere from 250 to 300 is fine and hotter just cooks them bit faster

[novaswift]

Thanks. I played around with the vents but couldn't get it below 250 but the ribs turned out great