Cheers for the advice and well wishes.
So far for the pork I've picked up tips:
- roughly 1 hour per lbs @ 250f
- internal temp 190f for pulled pork
- bone side down
- 'mop' with oil/apple cider every 45mins - 1 hour (worried about disturbing it on the rack tho keep opening the lid?)
- let it stand for 15-20 mins after cooking
Any recommendations on an easy rub with usual home condiments/spices?
Also, any recommendations on a cheap remote thermo for the grill and internal meat temp?
ytrebil, congrats on getting it up & running right away !!!
Seems like it maybe took a little long for your burgers, but hey it's a start......try a little something, think it might help....
Start off maybe a dozen or a few more briquettes, then add in wood pieces....
Wait just until they start fire & burn a minute, then close the lid of the firebox....
Leave the smokestack most or all the way open, and as a start, open the low vents on the end of the firebox to 1/2 open.......see where it starts to settle.....
Hopefully, the smoke will be of the relatively thin & wispy variety & sort of "pushing" out the upper exhaust stack (that sort of shows you the cooker is moving air through at a decent clip)
Check quick after maybe 45 minutes & add in a little wood....if you have split strips, great.....chunks will work but you may use more that way.....
The idea is to run with the smallest, cleanest fire you can use & still get to the temperature desired.....
Air incoming, evenly spaced adding of wood / fuel.....if it seems to lag, you could add a few lit briquettes to get it up to bang.....
With this type cooker, you're cooking 'around' an approximate temp......say 260f, then between 235 & 290 might be a 'range' to shoot for.....
Terry's got you a great video there.....his is a bit larger cooker, so scale everything down just a tad.....he gives a good general speech at about 16:00
Even a test cookup with a pan of cold water on the cooking grate might be in order, but gee, you've already done up food, so I wouldn't want to slow you down now!!!!
For your pork, the cut most would be referring to here is the upper front shoulder, don't know they'd call it Boston Butt there
Here's some mapping......don't let them sell you on the LOIN ( a possible common switch-up that gets suggested)...although good, cooks quite different than the shoulder.......
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...S-cuts-attempt-make-life-easier-shoppers.html
http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/ap_pigc.html (#406 here)
You could forego the mop & keep the cooker closed more......test out those types of things after you get the hang of it.....
The rub might be flat grain Kosher salt, a medium grind pepper, maybe something like rubbed dry tarragon, spicier additions like hot paprika or a ground chile pepper if you like.... dampen the piece, coat all over medium density & let sit while the cooker heats up....
Real good idea you will see in the video is to get the cooker up to a good running heat BEFORE the meat goes on.....
What you get from the original coating changes somewhat after hours of cooking & that's what 'mopping' is about....adding layering onto that original coating.....the pork itself will drain out "X" amount of moisture & fats while cooking & that combined with the first coating should be enough to create a good finish "crust" or "bark"..........
Go for a skewer or probe to slide easily into the piece.....it's like you're going to just fall right thru the meat....VERY easy to puncture....it will be 190f, and more likely above (200~205f)
Personally, I wrap in tinfoil & let rest for a minimum 1 hour, ideas vary on this.....sometimes it depends on how hungry you & guests are !!!
Aim for smoke that appears like this at the thickest:
If it looks puffy & white & struggling.....try 1st opening the intake vent & see if more air will get the fire running cleaner.....