I'm on Vacation...Franklin Clone build...

[4ever3]

Well?!?

 

[Clay-b-que]

I have never smoked beef ribs so they were a test. I grabbed them at Wally World on a whim just to try. They were okay and had a pretty good smoke ring, but the meat was covered in the silver skin/connective tissue. When you got that out of the way and actually got a piece it was pretty good. Wife took them off and I forgot to get pics.

Franklinstein worked great with the oak (also got some apple wood as well) and I moved the fire around in the box to find the right spot for flow and temp. I also received two tel-trus and installed those. I was watching the digital temp gauge and it jumped around quite a bit. I think the tel-trus will be a huge up grade.

I am doing a brisket, 3 racks of ribs and a bunch of chicken thighs tomorrow and am quite nervous. Don't know whether to do a low and slow or hot and fast brisket?!? And am nervous about fire management. There is quite a big learning curve. Guess if it doesn't turn out we'll order pizza for the party...

 

[4ever3]

Gotta peel the membrane off but sounds like once that was gone it was good!

You should be very proud that your cooking on a cooker YOU built!!!


No need to be nervous, just feed her splits and let her do her thing!

 

[MisterChrister]

I seriously love the progression here. Same thread - "I built this cooker from scratch, test cooked it to figure it out, now I'm gonna throw a load of 3 kinds of meat on it and ride 'er out!" You got this.....go get 'em tiger!

 

[Clay-b-que]

Gotta peel the membrane off but sounds like once that was gone it was good!

You should be very proud that your cooking on a cooker YOU built!!!


No need to be nervous, just feed her splits and let her do her thing!

Yeah, I peeled the back membrane but there was membrane between the bone and meat too and it seemed maybe on top of the meat too? They were really small too. Thanks for the kind words. It is a pretty cool thing but I am nervous because I don't know what "her thing" is yet!!!

 

[The Stall]

Good luck, I am sure she will run like a champ tomorrow. Been a lot of fun reading this whole thread, motivates me to finish my UDS build!

 

[Clay-b-que]

Good luck, I am sure she will run like a champ tomorrow. Been a lot of fun reading this whole thread, motivates me to finish my UDS build!

Get her finished up! Then you can move on to building an offset :thumb:

 

[bbqwizard]

Be proud! That cooker is sweet no matter what. Take and post more photos of your cooks

 

[ncmoose]

I wish I had anything close to those skills

 

[OferL]

I'm really enjoying this thread. I'ts a great feeling to build something useful. Can't wait to find out the results on your cook op2:

 

[Clay-b-que]

Up at 3:45 to start the fire and let the brisket come to room temp, trim, rub, etc. went big on the fire to get a big coal base and temps got up to 500 in the cook box. It took around an hour to get the fire controlled and temps around 275. Brisket went on at 4:55. Both tel-trus are at 285 right now! Hang on for the ride!!!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[EmilPatrick]

Looks great! Congrats on the build and good luck on the cook today.

 

[Clay-b-que]

Well, I am still nervous...the brisket came off at 2:00, so a 9 hour cook. I expected it to go longer. It was pretty probe tender and IT was 201. I let it sit for an hour and now it is in the cooler. It seemed like it got more firm after letting it rest. Doesn't probe tender any longer and now I am worried I took it off too soon. Thoughts?

Chicken and ribs are on. Fire management is still the hardest part of this whole offset thing!

 

[Clay-b-que]

Results:

The smoker worked! ...maybe too well. I think all of my issues were cook related not cooker related.

The brisket: I haven't cooked a brisket in a year. I can't figure out if it was over done or under done. It wasn't horrible but the flat did not pass the pull test. The flat was not moist and was a little tough. The point had juice pouring out and laid over my finger incredibly. I need to cook more brisket and get this figured out. I was disappointed but everyone loved it.

Ribs: my first time smoking spares. I screwed this up in thinking they needed to go longer. Smoked them for 2 hours and wrapped for two hours. I should have wrapped for 1 hour and finished on the smoke like I normally do. The flavor was great and they were fall off the bone. Everyone liked them a lot.

Chicken: my first time smoking chicken. This was the greatest success! I brined the chicken in game changer and rubbed with yardbird and harry soos.

Sorry I forgot to take pictures. Everyone showed up and it was on! So, all in all it was a success! I also expiremented a lot with different sizes of wood and fire management. I cut pieces in half used full pieces, etc. I still have a lot to learn here and this could have contributed to the brisket fail, but the smoker works. The cook still needs some work though....

 

[Pstores]

My guess it was under done.... But glad it was a success.......

 

[Clay-b-que]

My guess it was under done.... But glad it was a success.......

I think you're right. The IT was 201 and I was afraid to boil off moisture. But I think I am throwing out my thermometer and just going by look and feel from now on...

 

[JS-TX]

Nice cooker!

 

[Pstores]

I think you're right. The IT was 201 and I was afraid to boil off moisture. But I think I am throwing out my thermometer and just going by look and feel from now on...

On Briskets I start checking it at 200. Usually it seems most that I have cooked come in done at 206 or so. I wrap tightly with some beef broth ans put in the cooler with lots of towels for min 2 hours. 2 1/2 - 3 is what I shoot for in the cooler. So goes right from the grill to cooler...

 

[Notorious Q.U.E.]

Clay-b-que, very nice series. I've been admiring this thread the whole way through. Good job. I'm halfway through Franklin's book and it's opening my eyes to even better Que.

 

[m-fine]

I think you're right. The IT was 201 and I was afraid to boil off moisture. But I think I am throwing out my thermometer and just going by look and feel from now on...

Don't throw it out, it is useful for some things, just not the tough cuts with long cooking times.