What's the first thing you're going to smoke when it's warm enough?

[FrankZ]

Been a tad bit too busy but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I have a goose in the freezer destined for the smoker. Might have to think about doing some pork butt at the same time.

Or some ribs.

Or a brisket.

Or.......

 

[GotGarlic]

We smoked baby back ribs Saturday

 

[Andy M.]

I grill all year. I use a Weber kettle to smoke and monitoring the charcoal, smoke and temperature requires more time outside with the grill so that waits for warmer weather.

 

[320flyer]

Since we picked up the Traeger we have done a brisket, a pork butt and just this past Sunday 4 beautiful racks of St Louis style spareribs.

Andy - I have one of these. Maverick Industries

It's a "must have" when trying to maintain smoker temps, especially in the winter. It sure saves having to babysit the smoker.

 

[Andy M.]

...Andy - I have one of these. Maverick Industries

It's a "must have" when trying to maintain smoker temps, especially in the winter. It sure saves having to babysit the smoker.

I have several remote thermometers. They don't help much, just tell you you're off and need to do something.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I have several remote thermometers. They don't help much, just tell you you're off and need to do something.

I have a spare thermometer that goes into the lid of my Weber gas grill.
I insert it into one of the exhaust holes on the top of my Weber kettle to keep an eye on temp.
I only concern myself with grill or smoker temp. Since I am cooking meats for several hours, there is no concern for meat temp.

I also use Craig's method of smoking in the weber. Same principle, except I line up the coals on one side and cook with the grill covered on the opposite side of the grill.
This gives me much more cooking room.
When i use my smoker, I snake the pile of charcoal around so it burns like a wick. I just light one end and allow the coals to ignite as they burn.
This allows for low temp and long lasting cooking.

Its already very hot here. We have cooked out most every weekend since middle April.
Yesterday they said it reached 91. It said 92 in my truck.

 

[Steve Kroll]

For some strange reason, when I saw the title of the thread, I thought it had something to do with marijuana legalization.

 

[Andy M.]

I don't use the probe thermometer in the meat. I use it to track the temp where the meat is. Check out the location of the probe in the pic.

I bank the coals on one side of the grill and keep the lid vent on the opposite side of the grill so the smoke has to travel past the meat to exit.

I find myself constantly fiddling with the vents to maintain a constant 225F-250ºF over the cooking time as the fire burns down or gets hotter when I add more charcoal. This is what I have to master so smoking is not a chore.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Chuckle.

Have a whole Chicken ready and raring to go. Can't decide if I should make a beer can roasted chicken or spatchcock it on the Weber charcoaler. A few hours until decision time.

 

[Roll_Bones]

I don't use the probe thermometer in the meat. I use it to track the temp where the meat is. Check out the location of the probe in the pic.

I bank the coals on one side of the grill and keep the lid vent on the opposite side of the grill so the smoke has to travel past the meat to exit.

I find myself constantly fiddling with the vents to maintain a constant 225F-250ºF over the cooking time as the fire burns down or gets hotter when I add more charcoal. This is what I have to master so smoking is not a chore.

I like your set up. Thats a paper clip right! Genius. I see your drip tray directs the heat under and protects also. I don't have a rack like that. I line the bottom of the grill rack in a half moon shape with heavy foil for drippings and the charcoal goes on the other side. So the meat must be far to one side to create an indirect cooking method. I see now the drip plate can serve two purposes.

How do you rout your temp probe cable? Out a bottom vent? I asked another poster where the cable went before, but do not remember how he did it. My grill has no cable hole to pass it through. Rotisserie capability?
Do you pass it through there?

My grill is exact, but it must be older as the handles on mine are wood and have been repaired several times.
These grills can really hold up. My only issue is the lid. Sometimes I have to force it to seal tight. I have dropped the lid before and it must be out of round.

 

[Andy M.]

I have this grill. Weber® One-Touch® 22.5in Silver Kettle - Charcoal Grills - Ace Hardware

I just take the thermometer cable out and close the lid on it gently. So far, so good. I didn't want to come up from the bottom vent as I thought the heat may be too much for it. Going through the top vent creates a problem every time you want to open the lid.

 

[pacanis]

Andy, I've got an idea.
How about getting a clay dish like you see under a larger flower pot, the dish that catches the extra water as it passes through, and filling it with sand. That in effect will give you a heat sink like a lot of us with vertical smokers use. It will direct the heat out towards the sides like your drip tray, but more importantly it helps control temps so they do not move as quickly. Basically the same thing water would do, but sand doesn't evaporate. Cover it with foil and change the foil for fresh every now and then. You could even still use the drip tray if you wanted to.

 

[Andy M.]

Andy, I've got an idea.
How about getting a clay dish like you see under a larger flower pot, the dish that catches the extra water as it passes through, and filling it with sand. That in effect will give you a heat sink like a lot of us with vertical smokers use. It will direct the heat out towards the sides like your drip tray, but more importantly it helps control temps so they do not move as quickly. Basically the same thing water would do, but sand doesn't evaporate. Cover it with foil and change the foil for fresh every now and then. You could even still use the drip tray if you wanted to.

That's not a bad idea! Both the clay and the sand would hold heat. I'd have to pre-heat the grill longer but then I'd have more temperature stability. The flip side is that once the temp goes too high or low, it will take me longer to get it right.

 

[pacanis]

But you will catch it quicker. You won't (hopefully) spike as much.
One way to find out.

 

[Andy M.]

But you will catch it quicker. You won't (hopefully) spike as much.
One way to find out.

Oh, I plan to try it. I wonder if SO has any clay pot trays that will fit.

 

[Palladini]

I live north of you, and I smoked all winter long, as well as BBQ. I have done that all my life.

 

[Palladini]

I bought a cryovac three-pack of baby back ribs at Costco Saturday. I just mixed up a new rub recipe. I plan on smoking some of them later this week along with a batch of potato salad, cole slaw and some BBQ beans.

Now I do hope that for the Tator salad, you smoked the potatoes that were needed for that salad.

 

[Andy M.]

Now I do hope that for the Tator salad, you smoked the potatoes that were needed for that salad.

Not a bad idea. I'll have to try it. SO doesn't like smoked everything. I have to be careful.

 

[Addie]

I'm a little hesitant to tackle a brisket on my Weber kettle. That's a long time to try to maintain a constant temperature.

Do you think it would taste right if I smoked it for a few hours then finished it in the oven?

ATK finishes off a lot of the BBQ smoked items in the kitchen. And so should you. You know the rule. Your kitchen, your rules.

 

[Addie]

I bought a cryovac three-pack of baby back ribs at Costco Saturday. I just mixed up a new rub recipe. I plan on smoking some of them later this week along with a batch of potato salad, cole slaw and some BBQ beans.

You're going to smoke potato salad? Is that a favorite of yours? Sounds interesting.