Proud Graduate of Professor Wiviott's Class of 2008

After five weekends of intense study, I am proud to announce that I have graduated from Professor Wiviott's WSM course of study. While I am far from experienced, I feel empowered to now cook for friends and family. I have two big entertainment events coming up this month...and I think I am ready! Along the way I have suffered a few setbacks. It wasn't pretty when I knocked the water pan over into the coals on the number 4 dinner. And I confess, I wanted to use apple wood, but could only find chips....not chunk wood. This did result in a hotter fire, and consequently my pork butt did get a little dry. Happily I revived it somewhat with apple juice. I tried a lot of different rubs and marinades (sorry Professor, no Goya Mojo in my neck of the woods). In the end, I liked the rub of fresh cracked pepper and kosher salt the best. However, I am going to try the Professor's BBQ Rub (now available on line). I tried hickory, mesquite, apple and cherry woods. I discovered I like a milder smoke flavor, which works best with a mix of hickory and one of the fruit woods. I have yet to figure out when and why you would need to open the little side door on the smoker. I’ve made the Professor’s fantastic mustard BBQ sauce, and tried a North Carolina style of BBQ sauce. For the record, I think the use of the word BBQ is a term too loosely used. True BBQ (in my opinion) is the merging of the smoke of the wood into the meat. I shake my head sadly when I see people load up their carts with Kingsford charcoal and lighter fluid. They have no idea what they are missing. Anyway, here is my tribute to my favorite teacher….Professor Wiviott! Thanks!

razbry wrote: It wasn't pretty when I knocked the water pan over into the coals on the number 4 dinner. And I confess, I wanted to use apple wood, but could only find chips....not chunk wood. This did result in a hotter fire, and consequently my pork butt did get a little dry.

Ouch, the water pan into the coals can be a VERY dangerous mistake. I always take an extra few secs to make sure the pan is properly seated on the hooks and not the screws. Steam + Legs = Bad.

Just how much did the chips raise your temps? It is pretty tough to dry out a butt unless you cook it to death, and my guess is that would take so long it would be impossible. Might have been another factor that did it, such as the piece of pork you had, etc.

razbry wrote:I have yet to figure out when and why you would need to open the little side door on the smoker.

Really? I take it off to fill the waterpan (find it easier to do it that way via my small watering can I use), stir/add coals on long cooks, add smoke wood (add it after all teh meat is on so you aren't screaming 'white rabbits' while loading up), remove to get a fire going stronger on high-heat cooks. etc.

razbry wrote:I shake my head sadly when I see people load up their carts with Kingsford charcoal and lighter fluid. They have no idea what they are missing.

I prefer using Kingsford in my WSM. While I don't use lighter fluid, I don't see much an issue with Kingsford.

So, what is the next smoke for the recent grad?

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:

razbry wrote:I have yet to figure out when and why you would need to open the little side door on the smoker.

Really? I take it off to fill the waterpan (find it easier to do it that way via my small watering can I use), stir/add coals on long cooks, add smoke wood (add it after all teh meat is on so you aren't screaming 'white rabbits' while loading up), remove to get a fire going stronger on high-heat cooks. etc.

The little door on the WSM has a reputation for being somewhat unreliable -- it can fall open, introducing much more oxygen than needed, resulting in a much hotter fire than you'd want. I tightened the screw on it to discourage opening it ever, though if you're having good luck using it for what is probably its intended purpose, then more power to you.

David Hammond wrote:The little door on the WSM has a reputation for being somewhat unreliable -- it can fall open, introducing much more oxygen than needed, resulting in a much hotter fire than you'd want. I tightened the screw on it to discourage opening it ever, though if you're having good luck using it for what is probably its intended purpose, then more power to you.

To avoid the door loosening up over time, I have always turned it 1/4 turn counter-clockwise to remove it and 1/4 turn clockwise to return it. I think it tends to fall off due to the latch loosening up over time, so this has been my method to avoid that. 5 years and it has never fallen off, so I am either lucky or brilliant

Jamie

BTW-> Since this is a bit of a "new to WSM" thread, a bit of advice I'll give is when you put the cover on your smoker, always leave the top vent open and the bottom vents closed. This gives any residual moisture a place to escape, rather than condensing inside the smoker. When I had previosuly closed up all the vents I got mold inside the WSM.

You know, I’m not sure if it was the chips or the quality of the meat that made my pork butt sort of dry. All I know is that after 11 hours of smoking, the meat never looked like it was “slumping” and the exterior meat was so hard there was no way a fork could get into it. I was spritzing with apple juice too! When I shredded it, the meat just seemed dry. Maybe I should hunt for a piece of meat with more fat? To answer your question, I think the temp went up about 25 degrees for a short period of time.

As for the little door, you all have given me something to think about. When I add charcoal I lift the entire middle section off. Maybe I’m letting too much heat out when I do that. To fill the pan, I put a garden hose down through the top…again; maybe I am letting too much heat escape.

I really appreciate the tip about vents/storage of the cooker. I would have never thought about mold forming.

OK…my next smoke is for the toughest audience ever. Six teenage boys who are so picky they examine the expiration labels on all my bags of chips that I give them to eat! My son is having a LAN birthday party, and I’m doing spareribs. You know I found out that those things are really full of fat. Smoking them extra long helps rend out some of that fat…but still leaves plenty behind to enjoy. I’m figuring a ½ of slab for each kid. Although for a bunch of computer heads, they don’t eat huge quantities of food. And if they don’t like it, they won’t eat it. My smoking reputation is on the line! YIKES.

razbry wrote:You know, I’m not sure if it was the chips or the quality of the meat that made my pork butt sort of dry. All I know is that after 11 hours of smoking, the meat never looked like it was “slumping” and the exterior meat was so hard there was no way a fork could get into it. I was spritzing with apple juice too! When I shredded it, the meat just seemed dry. Maybe I should hunt for a piece of meat with more fat? To answer your question, I think the temp went up about 25 degrees for a short period of time.

Sounds to me like it didn't cook long enough. This would make it very difficult to pull and seem dry. Get yourself a digital instant read probe thermometer ($12?) and next time you want to take it off the smoker, jab it in a spot or too and see where you are at. You want to see 180 or above, I like to pull at 190-195. Once you understand what properly cooked pulled pork looks like, you won't need a thermometer. Seems many folks pull it before it is done on their first cooks, so certainly not anything to worry about.

And I wouldn't worry about a 25 degree spike for a short time. You'd be hard pressed to find a way to ruin a pork shoulder!

razbry wrote:As for the little door, you all have given me something to think about. When I add charcoal I lift the entire middle section off. Maybe I’m letting too much heat out when I do that. To fill the pan, I put a garden hose down through the top…again; maybe I am letting too much heat escape.

Okay, to each their own but that sounds like one of the most dangerous things you could do with a WSM! Something about lifting a wobbly cooker full of near boiling water mixed with fat holding 30+ lbs of meat is just screaming for a Darwin award. If you tilt just a little you have fat on hot coals while you stand over it holding a hot rocket lid. Just something to think about. They did put a door on there for ya

I'd be a bit cautious about the hose as well. Not sure if ya meant you justs stick the end down there and turn it on, or have a good control over the water flow. Water, fat and fire are not a good mix


Good luck on the next and future cooks!

Jamie

Jamie,

The WSM access door is the weak link in an otherwise well made cooker, if used with any degree of regularity the small latch has a tendency to loosen and rotate out making the access door susceptible to falling off. In my years of using, studying, reading and talking about the WSM the only time I ever have heard of or experienced catastrophe is when the access door falls off an untended WSM. Were up to me the middle section of the WSM would be solid or, at the least, the access door welded shut.

I switched from Kingsford to lump charcoal 5-6 years ago, I find the flavor cleaner with natural lump not to mention there are no additional ingredients.

Interesting tip on the Weber WSM cover, though not really applicable for me, I have never needed/used a cover. To me a WSM, like a Weber kettle, is a 4-season piece of equipment and holds up nicely to wind, snow, sleet and rain.

Sounds as if Razbry's pork butt was lean, happens sometimes. Razbry, you said it went 11-hours, what was the weight of the pork butt or butts you used? The occasional 25-degree temperature spike should not have a negative effect on the overall end result of the meat.

Jamie, Stagger says you're quite handy with the WSM, we should cook together sometime this summer.

Enjoy,
Gary

G Wiv wrote:The WSM access door is the weak link in an otherwise well made cooker, if used with any degree of regularity the small latch has a tendency to loosen and rotate out making the access door susceptible to falling off. In my years of using, studying, reading and talking about the WSM the only time I ever have heard of or experienced catastrophe is when the access door falls off an untended WSM. Were up to me the middle section of the WSM would be solid or, at the least, the access door welded shut.

See, I think the weak link is that it is not 22.5" round

I have heard the issues with the door so I always do my best to not freely turn the knob too much. I also always make sure it is tight and latched properly after I use it. 5 years and it has not fallen off once, though now just typing that guarantees it will fall off next time I use it.

That being said, I just can't imagine not having that door. I don't like the idea of lifting a full smoker off the charcoal pan to gain access. I think that is the fatal flaw of the ECB (El Cheapo Brinkmann) and the like.

G Wiv wrote:Interesting tip on the Weber WSM cover, though not really applicable for me, I have never needed/used a cover. To me a WSM, like a Weber kettle, is a 4-season piece of equipment and holds up nicely to wind, snow, sleet and rain.

See, my other complaint about the WSM is the way the middle section fits into the bottom section, not over it (same with the lid). Whenever it rains (or snow melts) water is able to run down into the charcoal pan. As my charcoal pan is far from clean I end up with a nasty sludge in the bottom and no where easy to dump it (oh, the love of condo living). So, even though I use mine year round, it saves me grief by keeping it covered. Though, it can be tough to get that cover off when it is below freezing and the fabric is as stiff as steel I am sure there is a reason they designed it this way, so to fix what I find to be a flaw the cover is an easy solution.

Jamie

Sounds as if Razbry's pork butt was lean, happens sometimes. Razbry, you said it went 11-hours, what was the weight of the pork butt or butts you used? The occasional 25-degree temperature spike should not have a negative effect on the overall end result of the meat.

I'm terrible about looking at the weight of cuts of meat. They were about 12" across and 5" high. Standard looking in size. I did take a internal temp. 183. What do you think? Should I have gone longer on the smoke?

I prefer using Kingsford in my WSM. While I don't use lighter fluid, I don't see much an issue with Kingsford.

Really? I thought this was sacred territory. I can't help but think real wood lump charcoal would lend a better flavor than the Kingsford.

razbry wrote:I can't help but think real wood lump charcoal would lend a better flavor than the Kingsford.

You would be correct.

razbry wrote:I did take a internal temp. 183. What do you think? Should I have gone longer on the smoke?

Please read Step-5 again.

razbry wrote:I'm terrible about looking at the weight of cuts of meat. They were about 12" across and 5" high. Standard looking in size. I did take a internal temp. 183. What do you think? Should I have gone longer on the smoke?

Gary's already got this one, but 183 is still well short of pulled pork territory, and firmly in chopped pork temp ranges. You want to be in the 195 range (OK, 197 per the Professor) for all the collagen to have converted into lubricating gelatin. I made the same mistake my first smokes. When the pork is about done, the butt will look like it's sagging under its own weight, and it will shred with almost no effort whatsoever.

OK OK....next time 197!

razbry wrote:

Sounds as if Razbry's pork butt was lean, happens sometimes. Razbry, you said it went 11-hours, what was the weight of the pork butt or butts you used? The occasional 25-degree temperature spike should not have a negative effect on the overall end result of the meat.

I'm terrible about looking at the weight of cuts of meat. They were about 12" across and 5" high. Standard looking in size. I did take a internal temp. 183. What do you think? Should I have gone longer on the smoke?

183 is a bit low for pulling as others have mentioned..I usually take mine off closer to the 200 mark. I concur with others that you should be able to pull the bone right out. I also wrap mine in foil after wards and let them rest awhile before pulling

Not only are the temperatures there (which should have saved you), but the descriptors were put there to give you as vivid a sense of the condition of the meat you are looking for as possible in words. For instance:

After 8-1/2 to 9 hours total of cooking:

Start checking to see if the butts are done—when they are, all of the following signs should be observable:

• A meat fork will slide easily into the meat.

• The pork butts seem to actually slump upon themselves as if they can no longer support their own weight.

• An instant read thermometer will register approximately 197° (make sure the instant read is in meat/flesh, not fat).

• The pork butt bone will easily slip out from the meat.

Pork butts will take anywhere from 8-12 hours. If you are just beginning to think these signs might be true, it's not done yet and could easily use another hour or more. It's called slow cooking for a reason.

I would bet the meat didn't fit any of these descriptions when you took it off.

stevez wrote:

razbry wrote:I can't help but think real wood lump charcoal would lend a better flavor than the Kingsford.

You would be correct.

In your opinion.

Jamieson22 wrote:

stevez wrote:

razbry wrote:I can't help but think real wood lump charcoal would lend a better flavor than the Kingsford.

You would be correct.

In your opinion.

actually I think you will find that is a very common opinion
..kingsford burns a lot longer but it cant compare to lump as far as taste of the end product. The new Kingsford has so much added garbage to it compared to lump which is just wood. I still use kingsford in my kettle but stoppe dusing it for low and slow awhile ago.

I would bet the meat didn't fit any of these descriptions when you took it off.

OK...OK...just stick a fork in me!

Head's Red BBQ wrote:actually I think you will find that is a very common opinion
..kingsford burns a lot longer but it cant compare to lump as far as taste of the end product. The new Kingsford has so much added garbage to it compared to lump which is just wood. I still use kingsford in my kettle but stoppe dusing it for low and slow awhile ago.

Agreed.

A nice primer on fuels that gives a slight edge to Kingsford is here: http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/charcoal.html

I only use natural hardwood and have no inclination to switch. But a great friend of mine uses Kingsford and produces excellent food that I would eat any time.

Note: many lump hardwood charcoals are crap (i.e. Cowboy brand). You don't want charcoal that is made from scraps. The pieces are too small and burn way too quickly. Instead, you want pieces that come directly from trees, with no intermediate processing. There are tons in recommendations for brands and stores on LTH (the short answer is to go to Berger Brothers, but there are other places).

One thing--another doneness sign--that I've noticed is that there is a *distinctive* change in the smell of the meat right around 200°F internal. That, to me, is the most important sign of all: I don't consider it done until it smells right.

Geo

Head's Red BBQ wrote:..kingsford burns a lot longer but it cant compare to lump as far as taste of the end product. The new Kingsford has so much added garbage to it compared to lump which is just wood. I still use kingsford in my kettle but stoppe dusing it for low and slow awhile ago.

What added garbage are you talking about and do you not care about flavor when using your kettle?

If Kingsford can't compare to lump as far as taste of the end product, why do so many competition teams win using it?

Personally, I see lump and briquette charcoal as a heat source with similar flavor characteristics. I go with Kingsford because it is a consistent brand and the BBQ I make with it tastes great. Sure I use lump in my kettle at times (like when CostCo had it cheap), but for my WSM I prefer Kingsford because I know what to expect with it every time I light it.

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:..kingsford burns a lot longer but it cant compare to lump as far as taste of the end product. The new Kingsford has so much added garbage to it compared to lump which is just wood. I still use kingsford in my kettle but stoppe dusing it for low and slow awhile ago.

What added garbage are you talking about and do you not care about flavor when using your kettle?

Here's a list of ingredients in Kingsford brand charcoal briquettes:

wood char: for heat
mineral char: also for heat
mineral carbon: also for heat
limestone: for the light-ash color
starch: to bind the other ingredients
borax: press release
sodium nitrate: to speed the ignition
sawdust: to speed the ignition

Source: http://old.cbbqa.org/wood/Kingsford.html

David Hammond wrote:
Here's a list of ingredients in Kingsford brand charcoal briquettes:

wood char: for heat
mineral char: also for heat
mineral carbon: also for heat
limestone: for the light-ash color
starch: to bind the other ingredients
borax: press release
sodium nitrate: to speed the ignition
sawdust: to speed the ignition

Source: http://old.cbbqa.org/wood/Kingsford.html

I guess what I am wondering is what is the concern? These are things that you light on fire for a heat source, not something I am eating.

Have you ever noted an off flavor from using Kingsford? I know I have not.

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:..kingsford burns a lot longer but it cant compare to lump as far as taste of the end product. The new Kingsford has so much added garbage to it compared to lump which is just wood. I still use kingsford in my kettle but stoppe dusing it for low and slow awhile ago.

What added garbage are you talking about and do you not care about flavor when using your kettle?

If Kingsford can't compare to lump as far as taste of the end product, why do so many competition teams win using it?

Personally, I see lump and briquette charcoal as a heat source with similar flavor characteristics. I go with Kingsford because it is a consistent brand and the BBQ I make with it tastes great. Sure I use lump in my kettle at times (like when CostCo had it cheap), but for my WSM I prefer Kingsford because I know what to expect with it every time I light it.

Jamie

most people buy it cuz its cheap..price usually wins over quality
I do care about flavor when I grill but there is a huge difference between cooking low and slow over Kingsford for 12-16 hrs vs cooking up some burgers or steaks on high heat on grill for a few minutes
as far as comp teams ive been competing in KCBS for 5 years and will say that that many many teams use lump over charcoal and many more are usign pellets
and yes I have noted an off flavor using it..i recently did a side by side comparision of butt cooked over lump vs kingsford..big difference in flavor ..both were good but the meat over lump clearly tasted better IMO
i think it boils down to just personal taste anyway..use what you like and whatever works best for you..
as far as the added garbage? besides what David post just look at the amount of freaking ash left over from an all night cook on Kingsford vs an all night cook on lump
BTW Whats your BBQ team name?

Head's Red BBQ wrote:[
as far as the added garbage? besides what David post just look at the amount of freaking ash left over from an all night cook on Kingsford vs an all night cook on lump
BTW Whats your BBQ team name?

As far as the ash I guess it has never bothered me. Have never run into an issue with it affecting the cook, so only inconvenience is I end up with a bit more in a trash bag to throw away.

I guess I have neevr noticed much as far as flavor difference, but can certainly try it again.

No BBQ team name, I just do it for personal pleasure

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:[
as far as the added garbage? besides what David post just look at the amount of freaking ash left over from an all night cook on Kingsford vs an all night cook on lump
BTW Whats your BBQ team name?

As far as the ash I guess it has never bothered me. Have never run into an issue with it affecting the cook, so only inconvenience is I end up with a bit more in a trash bag to throw away.

I guess I have neevr noticed much as far as flavor difference, but can certainly try it again.

No BBQ team name, I just do it for personal pleasure

Jamie

no big deal..again use what ya like..I was just trying to point out that it was more than one persons opinion on Kingsford...
the ash amount isnt so much related to clean up as it is a good indication of all the extra garbage they put in those briquettes that doesnt really get burned off
you mentioned how all the comp cooks used Kingsford so I assumed you cooked in comps ..thought I might have run into you at one time or another on the circuit.. ive backed off the comps this year as well to concentrate on my sauce business