"Douglas St. Clair" wrote:
>
> I received an electric smoker for Christmas a couple years back. Today I
> broke it in...
>
> After trying all the local meat markets, I finally found some beef brisket
> at a local grocer chain. They only had "trimmed-down" pieces... around 2
> 1/2 lbs each. I realize these weren't the ideal cuts, but what the heck -
> I'm a newbie, let's go for it. I picked up a couple cuts and the spices
> needed for the rub.
>
> I mixed up a batch of "All-South Barbecue Rub", from the "FAQ Of The
> Internet BBQ List"...
> http://www.eaglequest.com/~bbq/faq2/toc.html (thanks for the earlier post).
> I used a full batch on my two pieces of meat, sprinkling it on, rubbing it
> in, then pounding the meat with my fists. I threw the two cuts in a bowl to
> settle down a bit while I tended to the smoker.
>
> I soaked a couple bags of char-broil mesquite chips in water. Unfortunately
> the smoker I have is an on-or-off electric element type. This is obviously
> going to be a learning experience.
>
> Around 1:00 PM I fired up (OK... plugged in) the smoker and threw some
> soaked chips on the electric element. I sprayed the grate with some PAM,
> then threw on my pieces of meat. For the first three hours, I smoked with
> the exhaust vent closed and the intake vent closed, throwing in a few chunks
> of chips an hour.
>
> Ooops... as I read more from the BBQ Faqs page I realized I'm doing just
> about everything wrong. Did I mention this is going to be a learning
> experience? For the first few hours my temp hovered around 150 degrees.
>
> OK... here we go. Let's open the exhaust vent wide open. Let's leave the
> intake vent open while throwing on an assortment of soaked and dry chips.
> Twenty minutes later... WHOA! Temp is up to 340. Unplug the element, close
> all the vents, grab a beer. Lesson learned - take small steps, preferably
> away from cliffs.
>
> I eventually figured out a technique of adjusting the heat by plugging and
> unplugging the element, and adjusting the intake vent. For the last couple
> hours I kept the temp right around 210.
>
> After about 6 hours, I checked the internal temp of the meat, and it was
> reading right around 185. I took the meat off, wrapped it up in tinfoil,
> and threw it in the fridge. Did I mention I'm making this for a father's
> day picnic tomorrow?
>
> An hour passes, and I take the meat out of the tinfoil and slice it up. The
> aroma is UNBELIEVABLE! As the pieces flake off I grab my commission, and
> have a nice little dinner in the process. It's a little dried out, not too
> bad, but I figure I'll improvise.
>
> I throw on some bbq sauce from a local bbq-joint (Dinosaur BBQ / Rochester,
> NY) on the sliced meat, then set the meat in a deep-dish casserole for
> reheating tomorrow.
>
> After an hour, I pulled the casserole out of the fridge to re-try the meat.
> Man, let me tell you, the taste is incredible. I'd prefer it a little more
> tender, but the taste is incredible.
>
> Lessons learned (or things I'll try different)...
>
> #1 Plan ahead. Next time I'll order a full brisket (9 lbs or so) in
> advance.
> #2 Plan ahead. Next time I'll leave the rub on for a day or so.
> #3 Smoke appropriately. Now that I've figured out my smoker, I'll attempt
> keeping a constant temp going.
> #4 Plan ahead. Next time I'll make sure to have a full case of beer on deck
> prior to starting. A twelve pack simply doesn't cut it, especially once the
> neighbors start catching on and decide to stare at the smoke with me.
> #5 Smoke and Eat on Same Day. I'm hoping to go boating tomorrow prior to
> our picnic at 4pm, so there was now way I could smoke and party in the same
> day. Next time, I'll try to smoke and eat on the same day.
>
> Conclusion...
>
> I type endlessly after drinking a lot of beer. This smokin thing is a good
> time! I have a compulsive personality, so I figure by the end of the week
> I'll have finished construction of my smoke house in the back yard. If
> anyone's looking for a wife, I figure mine will be available soon...
>
> [Burp]... mmmm, smokey brisket. Life is good
>
> First Timer,
> Doug

Hey, someone from Raachester! I grew up there.

Glad to hear that BBQ'in is cooking in the Flower City

--
JaKe, Seattle
"People never understood, that the drum is a musical instrument."
Elvin Jones