In this case there is SIGNIFICANTLY more smoke than when you are jsut getting it rolling. It's way denser.
This isn't strictly from not cleaning. I've had this same thing happen right after a clean. I was actually talking about this at work today. I've had this happen SEVERAL times, and I think it is a design flaw in the pellet system. I'm using a Pit Boss Austin XL. I believe what is happening is sometimes the fire dies out in the firebox to a level where it won't light new pellets. The temperature feedback system causes the auger to keep shoving new pellets it, but they aren't lighting. I do not believe the electric igniter ever kicks on in this instance. I normally walk out to a temperature heavily dropped and it normally takes me restarting the smoker to get the igniter to light the pellets. Then it oversmokes like crazy, and as you've seen the thick milky smoke will combust at a certain point.
Depends. In my oven without touching it, it is still warm after all that time. Though to be safe, I will turn then oven to 175 for a few minutes once or twice during the rest to keep the temp up. If you use a Yeti cooler and a towel it will still be hot. Ive actually overcooked brisket by resting in a Yeti because it insulates so well
You're not wrong with that thought process. It is largely a function of time and temperature, but the main point I'm getting at is that is is not ONLY a function of time and temperature. Trying to drive home the point that different briskets may reach that desired doneness at different times and temps. Thus it is important to poke your meet with something pointy and wait for it to penetrate like its going into melted butter.
Im right there with you. This is essentially the same comment I just left
I tend to shop sales. Sometimes ribs go half off at my local Winn Dixie. Sometimes boston butt's are logo. Dame with chicken and chicken thighs. Whatever is on sale gets smoked, Sometimes I'll buy a couple extra for the freezer too. Also check out ALL of your local stores. I have a no name international market in town where I can get a small to medium rack of baby back for $8-9, compared to $20-30 for a slightly larger rack and a large chain store.
Thats some good looking meat. Fine job Sir.
Normally oven. I do both though. Actually ended up overlooking one when I rested it in a Yeti. I didn't account for just how well insulated they are. As for the oven, I'll throw it in there and just turn the warming mode on for a few minutes after 5+ hours to keep the temp up
Thats OK. Some of us will never achieve true greatness.
Two votes Bonito. Definitely need to give it a go.
Good tip. I'll have to give Bonita a try. I'm in Florida, so we've got a variety of species between the ocean and the gulf.
Interesting. I've ran into a lot of weird things that affected my smoke, but everything I've smoked has been roughly at sea level here in Florida. I never even considered how altitude may affect a smoke. Thanks for the tip!
This is the best advice I've seen on this thread!
I used to do 2-3 hour rests. The biggest game changer in my briskets was switching to a 8-10 hour rest. Will never go back.
Slightly agree in temp over time, but ALWAYS is not the case. You cook until the meat reaches the desired level of tenderness. The temperature at which that is achieved varies from brisket to brisket.
Can confirm. I dropped in to comment on the tasty looking taco
Appreciate it. This may be may next smoke after the Briskets I'm doing tomorrow for a competition at work
This all looks delicious and I'm impressed at the scale. I have some friends that swear by smoked King Mackeral. Tuna is always a good option, and I haven't done it yet, but I recently stumbled across smoked Mahi, so I plan to try my hand at that soon.
I've used several Pit Boss pellet smokers. I have the Austin XL myself, but have purchased smaller Pit Boss smokers for friends and fmaily as gifts and have smoked on all of them. Each smoker has it's own hot spots. I find that the hotspots tend to be towards the back of the smoker where heat is coming up from under the heat shield and towards the right side of the smoker where the exhaust is, as this is where the air tends to move.
Hot spots can be worked with easily. The biggest thing you need to do is become familiar with where your hotspots are. You'll develop this sense over several smokes as you pay notice to which pieces of meat seem to be more done (chicken drums/thighs/wings, etc). On a larger smoke, you can use a thermometer (I use a ThermaPen) to probe different parts of the meat to see the differences in temp on the various parts. Again after several smokes you will develop a sense, as these temperatures will fluctuate a bit based on the cut of the meat, density, etc.
For smaller smokes, I tend to place my larger cuts closer to the hot spots (i.e. back and right side), as the larger cuts can eat a little more heat. I'll move my smaller pieces towards the cooler side. With this being said, just keep an eye on your meat throughout the smoke, and if you think a piece is cooking a little too fast, move it to a cooler spot and vice-versa if something appears to be cooking a little too slow.
For larger cuts, like brisket, if one side is cooking hotter than another, I will rotate the cut during the smoke to try and keep the temperature roughly balanced across the cut. I often observe a 10-15 degree (F) delta in the temperature between two sides of a brisket when placed on the right side of my smoker.
One other technique I tend to employ is the concept of "The Mop". This is something often referenced when smoking brisket or ribs, but in practice I mop almost EVERYTHING I smoke in one way or another. If you want to know more about how I choose my mops, I would be happy to elaborate, but in relation to the hotspots, the key thing to remember is that if you put a room temperature or cool liquid on a piece of meat that is heating up, it will ultimately cool that piece of meat down, based on the difference in temperatures between the current temp of the meat and the mop. When I am smoking brisket, I often heat my mop sauce so that it will not bring down the temperature of my brisket, however if dealing with hot spots, you can leverage that difference in temperature to combat the extra heat. By pouring a bit of room temp or cooler liquid over your hotter pieces of meat it will bring the temp on the meat down to help combat burning and drying out. While I tend to mop everything on the smoker, I may apply a bit extra to the hotter pieces to balance the temperatures. (Remember a good mop helps with flavor, tenderness, and texture when applied right).
The last note I'll leave you with, is if you are smoking smaller items like chicken, remember you can pull some pieces earlier than others so that they do not become overdone. I find that I do this almost everytime I cook chicken, largely due to the fact that not all pieces are the same size.
Overall, I employ all of the things mentioned here on every smoke I do.
Concur. The BIGGEST difference in my briskets was going to a 8+ hour rest. My first handful of briskets I did about a 3 hour rest on. These days, I normally rest 8-10 hours, just depending on when I pull it off smoke versus serving.
The Valor was also my first cruise as well. Somewhere around 2014-2015
Chicken looks gorgeous. I agree in regards to spatchcocking. I dropped in to say the same thing. I smoked several chickens whole before I tried spatchcock. Once I did, it is the ONLY way I smoke chicken now. It will take your entire chicken game up a notch or two.
Great job with your first chicken smoke! I love smoking chickens. I have a local store where I can get a two pack of whole chickens for $9.99. The chickens make meals all week and the carcasses and bones make for an excellent soup stock that I use for a variety of soups and sauces!
First of many smoked chicken
smoking