JeffieBoy

You can do it!!

You've found the place! Welcome.

Welcome back sir, I think CentralTexBBQ said it best. Looking forward to hearing your exploits!

I would suggest that the choice of meat should determine the temperature. So it will depend on what you are smoking. No matter what, except for fish or possibly cheese a maximum 20 degree swing will keep you looking like a hero at the table. A good, full box of large pieces of charcoal with a small mix of smoking wood mixed in and a small fire in the middle at the bottom, and start very early working your vents and chimney closed should see you through the first cook. The idea is to kiss the meat with smoke not choke it to death.

Lovely knives but I don't think I could keep them alive if I had to use them. I fight, fight fight with keeping knives sharp and have yet to learn a skill or find a product that works for me. I did just purchase a 10 inch Grohmann Chef's knife made in Pictou NS. I had wanted a large chef's knife forever. Now I keep it under my pillow to, err, keep my wife from using it... if I need to sharpen it, the guy at the farmer's market will be able to put his kid through college it will cost so much.

Wondering if part of the issue is a smaller piece of meat being used? This has never been an issue for me. Thats something to consider. First and most importantly, I always, always inject my pork with Apple Juice. About 300ml minimum. A little lunch box sized, tetra pack of pure apple juice per piece of meat is perfect. Some will run out into your drip pan but that is neither here nor there. I start my fire small, top and bottom fully open. At about 120 degrees on the grate, I begin closing the chimney. At 140, I close it more and begin closing the bottom as well. I continue these changes every 20 degrees until about 180 and the bottom is only showing a 1/2 inch open and the chimney is at about the 3/4 mark. At around 210 the meat goes on and the openings close down to just slits. I then keep working the vents until we top out at 225 degrees or so. Shoulders should not be critical. In fact, in past I have been a proponent of doing shoulders/butts/tied roasts at closer to 270 to help render fat better. Another secret is to pick through your charcoal, keeping only the largest pieces for smoking, the smaller pieces for hot grilling. The difference in surface area allows a lower temp, slower cook. Seriously. I just bought a bag of smoking charcoal and the pieces were the size of a baby's arm (holding an apple) or however the lyrics go. Hope you find a point or two here that will help you. Heres an inspirational photo to give you hope.

Go baby! All Gator, all the time!

It's not much of a photo, but the best part of the annual fishing trip is being the first to arrive, firing up the Akorn Jr and having hot pork on a bun waiting for the boys when they finish their five hour drive north! Lake Nosbonsing in this case.

I always found the more expensive ones were a better deal...

Donation made. John, I left a note with my site name, but it didn't show up on the receipt. - Jeff.

Stupid me. Decided to cut the lawn prior to overbody arriving here for dinner. That was a mistake... i doubt that two showers, let alone one would have been enough...

The futon pulls out to give me plenty of room, screened to reduce bugs and keep raccoons from snuggling up next to me, and the Akorn is just out the door. I just miss my Vizsla, Sophie snoozing away beside me. She's been gone for a few years. :(

If I wrap some meat (Texas Crutch I think it's called?) I slice an onion and toss it on top, hoping that any reduction juices drip into the neat, and hopefully some extra flavour. Plus cooked onions in the bottom of the serving platter are a bonus for whomever goes back for seconds. In this case my brother in law won. I have a fishing buddy named Joe who is 6' 7” and with whom I have shared a cottage for a week, so I guess I have slept beside Big Joe and just didn't realize it.

Isn't sleeping outside near your smoker on overnight cooks considered “de rigeur”??? I have always done this. Last night was damp though even under the overhanging roof. Brisket was dusted with a blend of Montreal Steak Spice, Pepper, Onion Powder & Hungariian Paprika. Meat came off at 3pm, so a full 12:15 on the smoke. Maybe a little long, but who really knows until I slice it up. It's sleeping under two bath towls in some foil right now until we are ready to serve in about an hour. The Fogo charcoal was really nice to work with. I had only two spikes (255-260 degrees) and both times I was alseep. I was using only the Akorn with a Weber iGrill 2, nothing supplemental temp control. Didn,t really use much either. Probably salvage most for next smoke Prepping boiled corn, potatoes and salad right now. Family should be here any minute,. One more report to follow later tonight.

Well got the Akorn out and ready to go. Going to fire it up at around 2am. Load it around 3 and then wake hourly to check on the progress. Will be sleeping out on the patio tonight, fighting off the raccoons and skunks who tend to like the smell when I am cooking and get quite curious. A few weeks ago I ended up in Toronto at a BBQ store. I haven't been happy with my charcoal options lately so I bit the bullet and bought the salespersons suggestion. Fogo super lump premium at $44CAD for 17 pounds. Holy Effin' WOW! Where have you been all my life baby?!?! About a dozen pieces filled the entire fire bowl of the Akorn. I added both Hickory and Maple chunks for the smoke aspect. Next, to prep the Brisket, get my sleeping bag out and hit the showersi. More details to follow!