Offset smoker 3rd cook went wrong

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Is it ready yet
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:49 am

Offset smoker 3rd cook went wrong

Post by Is it ready yet »

Hi all

Im pretty new to the hobby, having fun with it but lots to learn.

I have an offset smoker from Bunnings with the side firebox and separate gas burners.

So far I've done 3 pork shoulders for pulled pork and a couple of ribs, and found I've had varying results, the last one has frustrated me and has me wracking my brains over what went wrong.

1st two shoulders i did, i maintained a fairly steady 220F on the hood gauge and took me 9 and 10 hours respectively, and even then I could only get them up to internal temps of 170-175 before the family insisted I take them off to rest. I know this was not the right temp but they were driving me nuts. Rested them for an hour and I was actually very happy with the results, pulled nicely and very moist.

This last cook though, I was up at 5am to start the coals, with the aim of eating at 5pm. This would hopefully give me time to get to 195 before resting.

I aimed for 240F on the hood, and did flirt with 290 for a little while.

This time round I had a Bluetooth probe in the meat and it was interesting to watch the temps shoot up before hitting the stall, but then it pushed past that and was at 195 by 3pm, an hour before I was hoping. This meant it had to rest for just under 2.5hrs.

Trouble was when I took it out to rest and probed the meat with the old analog thermometer it was very tough, nothing like the 1st two shoulders.

When it came time to pull, it was definitely overcooked, pretty tough and dry. I had to add bbq sauce to rescue it. Guests were none the wiser but I knew the truth.

Any suggestions on what I did wrong? Was it the hood temps too high?
I thought it would be ok, as long as the internal temp went to the target

Cooking notes below;
515 coals lit
615 pork on
Hood temp 240F
615 5C
7am 30C
8am 55C
830 60C
9am 66C
930 71C
10am 73C
1030 74C
11am 76C
12noon 77C
1230 78C
1pm 80C
Heat to 290 then down to 250
130pm 83C
2pm 88C done!
Except moved probe, and got 85 so back on
230 86C
3pm 88C

2.5hr rest

Tough to pull, overcooked?

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matty
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Feb 07, 2020 8:21 am

Re: Offset smoker 3rd cook went wrong

Post by matty »

Sadly, it looks like this forum is not very active these days. I've posted a similar question "First time smoked brisket – dry flat. What did I do wrong?" but no reply.

Perhaps there are one of two of the 'old-timers' still active who could offer us both some advice??? Or the forum moderator maybe?

Any help for us newbies to smoking BBQ would be much appreciated.
Is it ready yet
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2020 6:49 am

Re: Offset smoker 3rd cook went wrong

Post by Is it ready yet »

I've found that Facebook groups are the way to go, I think they're easier for folk to use

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