I believe Kevin is using something similar I had fabricated - here are a few pictures of it
It just sits on the grate and can me taken out at anytime - I have used mine to reverse sear some steaks and burgers after they were smoked
New Pit Day! 24 x48 Big Phil's Blue Smoke Smoker
- Thread starter Kevin James
- Start date
I believe Kevin is using something similar I had fabricated - here are a few pictures of it
It just sits on the grate and can me taken out at anytime - I have used mine to reverse sear some steaks and burgers after they were smoked
Kevin James
Full Fledged Farker
Connor_Macleod
Full Fledged Farker
Congrats, KJ! That's a nice looking brisket trim and rub application right there - I can tell you pay attention to the fine details.
Pics of the finished brisket?
Pics of the finished brisket?
Kevin James
Full Fledged Farker
Thanks, Connor! I'll definitely post pics of the finished brisket. It's going to get my standard heated overnight rest though and will be for lunch tomorrow.
How are you liking your new pit so far?
Connor_Macleod
Full Fledged Farker
Good call on the heated rest...I'll be patient! But what did you think about the cooking performance of yours?
Mine cooks very evenly and forgivingly with a strong draft, and temperatures have been easy to control once I got the hang of burning full size splits on a medium to large coal bed, controlling the burn rate by varying whether I press the splits into the coals or allow them more air contact by placing them loosely (see Jirby's fire management video). I have run it for cooks as low as 200 and as high as 325 - 350, and it produces good results for me throughout the range.
Yesterday, I served a prime brisket for dinner to my family and my sister in law's family that I had rested in a sous vide for 18 hours at 143 (similar to Chud's video) prior to serving...sorry no photos as we were all hungry and ready to eat. The in-laws all came back for seconds, and my wife said it was as good as Wright's in Fayetteville, so I was pleased with the positive reviews.
Mine cooks very evenly and forgivingly with a strong draft, and temperatures have been easy to control once I got the hang of burning full size splits on a medium to large coal bed, controlling the burn rate by varying whether I press the splits into the coals or allow them more air contact by placing them loosely (see Jirby's fire management video). I have run it for cooks as low as 200 and as high as 325 - 350, and it produces good results for me throughout the range.
Yesterday, I served a prime brisket for dinner to my family and my sister in law's family that I had rested in a sous vide for 18 hours at 143 (similar to Chud's video) prior to serving...sorry no photos as we were all hungry and ready to eat. The in-laws all came back for seconds, and my wife said it was as good as Wright's in Fayetteville, so I was pleased with the positive reviews.
KJ - what kind of therms you have on the BSS - Phil get some new ones with black dials?
Kevin James
Full Fledged Farker
No... Phil Shipped them to me separately, so I don't even have them yet. I temporarily stole those out of my KAT Reverse Flow lol
Kevin James
Full Fledged Farker
You and I seem to think alike... because the heated rest I was referring to was a sous vide rest at 141, which like you I also got from Chud. I use that method all the time and it works great. I've actually gone as long as 24 hours when something unexpected came up that caused me to need to leave it longer than intended. Still came out great.
You obviously have more time with your pit than me, I am just now starting to learn mine. It definitely runs great, and keeping a nice hot coal bed is not a problem. I just need to dial in the size of my splits to get to the temp I'm shooting for consistently. I was shooting for 275, but couldn't seem to land there consistently on this cook. I was either coming in hot at 300-325 or coming in low between 230-250. But, it's a learning process and I'll get there with a few cooks. It definitely runs a lot differently then my reverse flow which I am used to, so it will just take some time.
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Kevin James
Full Fledged Farker
The brisket just came off a little bit ago and is cooling down getting ready for it's over night hold in the sous vide bath, and the ribs and turkey were done a while ago and both came out great.
Here 's the pics. Pics of the finished brisket to follow after slicing tomorrow.
Here 's the pics. Pics of the finished brisket to follow after slicing tomorrow.
BBQ Freak
Babbling Farker
very nice pit and congrats .
That food looks like you already have it dialed in on the first cook Kevin.
I sway between 300 and 250 all the time depending on how long the split has been burning in my direct flow offset.
My top shelf is usually about 30 to 40 degrees hotter than the main grate which comes in handy because I'm always cooking several different kinds of meat.
You can also use the hot spot by the fire box to your advantage when needed.
That brisket is going to be melt in your mouth.
I sway between 300 and 250 all the time depending on how long the split has been burning in my direct flow offset.
My top shelf is usually about 30 to 40 degrees hotter than the main grate which comes in handy because I'm always cooking several different kinds of meat.
You can also use the hot spot by the fire box to your advantage when needed.
That brisket is going to be melt in your mouth.
:hungry:
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How close do you live to Fayetteville? I noticed Wright's has added another smoker. I do not know how he gets away without having a screened in cooking area. The health department must have relaxed their requirements.
Thanks,
Robert
Connor_Macleod
Full Fledged Farker
Those meats look delicious! Did you cook anything in the top rack?
Connor_Macleod
Full Fledged Farker
About 5.5 hours away, but I usually make it over there a few times a year for Razorback football or basketball games (I'm class of '99, wife is class of '03). We will be there in a few weeks dropping off our son as an incoming freshman. Glad to hear Wright's added another cooker and that the health dept is not making life difficult for them!
KJ -
Food coming off the BSS looks great - look forward to comparing notes as to best size of splits to run - I have also been messing around with different sizes to figure out what runs best - but been too hot here to do much if any cooking in the offset
Also look forward to seeing your thoughts on the baffle and it’s effect on your next cook
Ted
Food coming off the BSS looks great - look forward to comparing notes as to best size of splits to run - I have also been messing around with different sizes to figure out what runs best - but been too hot here to do much if any cooking in the offset
Also look forward to seeing your thoughts on the baffle and it’s effect on your next cook
Ted
Nice looking pit and collection of apparati!
Very Nice KJ Congrats and Enjoy
Kevin James
Full Fledged Farker
I'm hoping it's melt in my mouth lol
This cooker definitely cooks differently than the reverse flow I'm used to. While I'm not a proponent of cooking by time, my briskets have ususally averaged about 50 minutes a pound, and at a post-trim average weight of 10 lb.'s they are usually done in 8-8.5 hours. This took waaay longer. Took 11 hours, which is fine, just not what I'm used to. I believe the faster cook times in the RF is due to radiant heat coming up off the reverse flow plate speeding up the cook. I had a feeling this could take longer, so I started early and got it on at 8:15AM. It was done at 7:15PM.
So... I did something a little different. Partly because it was taking much longer than I'm used to, and partly because I have also been working lately to correct an issue where my briskets were coming out over done. In one of Jirby's video's he said he hasn't pulled a brisket at 200 or over in years, and to him that's just an over cooked brisket. He said his are usually done at 195. So while I haven't been probing briskets lately, just going by feel, I did probe this one, and it was at 197 in the thickest part of the flat when I pulled it.
The fat cap was DEFINITELY rendered, super soft (and sticky) and I could have poked my finger right through it at any place if I wanted to. The underside of the middle of the flat also felt tender. Not as tender as I'm used to... but then again they have also been a little over. So... We'll see how it goes!
Probably so. After all heat rises and you've got what may as well be a heating element at the bottom of your cooker with a RF. That doesn't happen with a straight offset.
Watch your meat grate temp probe set up close to the brisket and adjust your intake and splits accordingly.
Ain't it fun playing?! Ha!
