The Texas BBQ Forum

Going to be doing a big cook Saturday morning, and it is going to be in the 20's overnight whch is really cold in Fla

Do folks do anything overnight, fire, heater etc to have there smoker up to temp quicker in the am? Or just stick a bunch of wood in her and fire it up!

Thanks

I preheat my cookers with my flame thrower. Start your cooker 1 to two hours early to get her acclimated to the colder temps.

I know sleep and bbq don't mix! I was trying to figure out a plan to avoid that 2hr early startup. I use a flame thrower also for the startup

Flame thrower aka weed burner from harbor freight


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

^^^ what they said. I personally wouldn't know what sleep was if it jumped up and down waving its arms in my face, so I usually just start the fire a bit earlier. Lol!

Well started the cook and set a charcoal chimney inside while I had the weed burner on the charcoal basket and wood. Got up to temp in 1/2 hour . First time I had cooked on this smoker as I was helping a friend who usually only does chicken for his church. He told me the smoker was cold natured, i thought , nah.....first 4 hours smooth, then was really struggling to maintain 225 as the wind picked up. Welding blanket and later doubled fire size (it has a huge firebox) . Think I might have lost my good coal base burning sticks or who knows...

12 hours later, one brisket most excellent, one meh a little dry even though it was pulled way before the other. Will have to say that it was the first time I ever bought a brisket with patches of grey meay to slice out in trimming, they were the last two that the place had.
The butts could have used another hour but were still tasty. Normally on my smoker, which needs rebuilt) brisket takes me longer than buts.

So we had bbq a big bonfire and scotch, not a bad gathering. I'm not leaving the couch today.

Some pics

Thanks for posting, love the pix and what's better than being up all night naming a fire of a strange smoker.

Nicely done

Rb

Well this was a challenge. Feed 60 folks. Weather had been super nice, nut not on this night. Raining, windy, and cold,..... I successfully didn't kill myself... And retiree and all were happy with the results...

But yeah I employed my shed to deflect wind, rain and cold and a welding fiber glass blanket to keep the egg warm. Stick burner at a steady 225 and egg at an even 250. 6 briskets gone at the end of the banquet....

that's what I call Experienced BBQ'n

Thanks. That’s my 20 year old Pitts and Spitts and my 8 month Kamado Joe. I have to give efficiency to what an egg does. However my old stick burner has done some magical cooks. I guess I helped a little. But I thank the cows, the charcoal, and the wood that has crossed my path.... This was also a challenge to see that I could maintain both cookers in this weather. I was relieved that the results I got were pretty good.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

That's being a Pit Warrior!!!

TexMike wrote:That's being a Pit Warrior!!!

Muchas Gracias.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

Buy insulation and I wrapped my pit! Function over form! It works


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk