Smoking Meats

[thaber]

I still haven't gotten a clear answer why wsm is better than pellet smoker

Because for the money you'd rather get the top charcoal smoker over a mediocre pellet?

[ushdadude]

Because for the money you'd rather get the top charcoal smoker over a mediocre pellet?

Taking price or if the equation.  Besides, If I got the wsm it would only be with the flame boss.

[thaber]

Taking price or if the equation.  Besides, If I got the wsm it would only be with the flame boss.

Then you're probably right. See wiki

[henche]

Then you're probably right. See wiki

Thanks for adding that, forgot I wrote it. 

[thaber]

OK, have my WSM, chimney, thermometer, kongsford original and wood. all I need now is meat.
Local butcher (western kosher) has three varieties of whole brisket. standard is $8.99, grain fed or grass fed are $7.99. I have a leaning toward grass fed, but I'm scared it'll be too lean. thoughts?

[henche]

OK, have my WSM, chimney, thermometer, kongsford original and wood. all I need now is meat.
Local butcher (western kosher) has three varieties of whole brisket. standard is $8.99, grain fed or grass fed are $7.99. I have a leaning toward grass fed, but I'm scared it'll be too lean. thoughts?

Definitely use the more expensive one. American, not the South American. You're putting too much work and money into this to ruin it over a few dollars. 

[thaber]

going live on a whole packer first thing tomorrow. @henche convinced me, also I'm a go big or go home type of guy. what I ddin't realize until later was that I got a big packer, and 18 pounder.
I'm going for a slightly sweeter flavor, to make everyone else happy. I have Hickory wood, and was going to use memphis dust. It seems salting is optional and, I'm assuming with kosher not as necessary.
Top or bottom rack on the WSM? I've read bottom and fill the water pan, but making sure that's the consensus.

[henche]

going live on a whole packer first thing tomorrow. @henche convinced me, also I'm a go big or go home type of guy. what I ddin't realize until later was that I got a big packer, and 18 pounder.
I'm going for a slightly sweeter flavor, to make everyone else happy. I have Hickory wood, and was going to use memphis dust. It seems salting is optional and, I'm assuming with kosher not as necessary.
Top or bottom rack on the WSM? I've read bottom and fill the water pan, but making sure that's the consensus.

Lol niiiiiiiice. Biggest I've done is 16.

I would salt, half teaspoon per lb, but maybe less if some ppl sensitive. 

[rs242]

going live on a whole packer first thing tomorrow. @henche convinced me, also I'm a go big or go home type of guy. what I ddin't realize until later was that I got a big packer, and 18 pounder.
I'm going for a slightly sweeter flavor, to make everyone else happy. I have Hickory wood, and was going to use memphis dust. It seems salting is optional and, I'm assuming with kosher not as necessary.
Top or bottom rack on the WSM? I've read bottom and fill the water pan, but making sure that's the consensus.

I happen to hate hickory wood, I find it to be bitter. The sensitive ppl always complain that it’s too smoky when I use hickory. ( I’m a  cherry guy)

[thaber]

I happen to hate hickory wood, I find it to be bitter. The sensitive ppl always complain that it’s too smoky when I use hickory. ( I’m a  cherry guy)

I was worried about that, maybe I'll go pick up some cherry before I start. Thanks

[thaber]

TR so far
This thing was huge. I didn't trim any fat, because there wasn't more than 1/4 in anywhere, and the butcher told me not to.
Did a tablespoon of salt per side, and then
Spiced it with the BBR, modified it to work with the bland pallette of my family.

Fired up the WSM, (with cherry wood, thank you!) remarkably easy for a first timer, and got it to a consistent 225 per the built in Guage.
Put it in, and it didn't really fit, but made it work.

[thaber]

4 hours later, been climbing steadily. Grill temp dropped a little but I got it back up.
I just opened it for the first time.

[thaber]

Taking a poll. Fire is struggling (maybe I overloaded the coal bin) so I have all the vents open and more white smoke than I would like. It's come back up to 215, and the smoke died down
Meat is at 176 and hasn't really stalled, but also didn't develop a dark color.
Wrap? Put it in oven? See what happens?

[Ygold]

4 hours later, been climbing steadily. Grill temp dropped a little but I got it back up.
I just opened it for the first time.

As long as your a Talmid Chochom you should be okay.

[thaber]

As long as your a Talmid Chochom you should be okay.

?

[thaber]

We're at 187, finally got some color

[thaber]

Wrapped at 190, pulled off at 203, put it in the oven with a towel at 100. I'll leave it in there until after Maariv, about an hour and a half, and then slice it later tonight.

[Sport]

Taking a poll. Fire is struggling (maybe I overloaded the coal bin) so I have all the vents open and more white smoke than I would like. It's come back up to 215, and the smoke died down
Meat is at 176 and hasn't really stalled, but also didn't develop a dark color.
Wrap? Put it in oven? See what happens?

I know it's too late now, but my worst briskets have allways been the ones I wrapped prematurely, needs a good dark bark before wrapping.

[Sport]

Wrapped at 190, pulled off at 203, put it in the oven with a towel at 100. I'll leave it in there until after Maariv, about an hour and a half, and then slice it later tonight.

Can't wait to see the final results.

[thaber]

Can't wait to see the final results.

Thanks, me too. Ended up waiting to wrap until it was dark. Probably could have skipped the wrapping totally, but I wasn't moving off 190, and from what I understand it doesn't hurt at that point anyway