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  • Rotating Meat on a Smoker

    I have a large reverse flow smoker with four racks, two up & two down. I haven't had it a year yet and have only smoked about a dozen briskets usually 2 at a time. Still experimenting.

    Last Easter I cooked four 18 lb briskets, one on each rack with my modified Franklin method... One hour per pound, 1/3 of the time on the grate, 1/3 on a piece of cardboard, and the last 1/3 wrapped in butcher paper.

    The problem... one the briskets was undercooked compared to the rest. I think it was the one on the lower rack on the far side of the flow. I'm going to do 4 briskets again for the holidays and need to solve that problem.

    Should I try rotating the briskets between the racks as I set the cardboard and pull to wrap? Do I need an opening in the tuning plates on the firebox side? Any other ideas? The solution may be sitting in my closet still in the box, an ET735 my daughters got me for Fathers Day.






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    Last edited by HornedToad; 12-04-2016, 11:32 AM.

  • #2
    Hey Toad.. get a couple “tubes” of biscuits and distribute them around the cooker and “map” out the temp zones.

    the done ones are pretty good with sausage gravy too :{)
    In God I trust- All others pay cash...
    Check out the Mad Hunky and products at https://madhunkymeats.com or https://www.facebook.com/MadHunkyMeats
    Lang 60D, The Beast, 18 and 22 WSM, Brinkmann Backroads trailer, Weber 22 Kettle, gutted MB burning watts

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    • #3
      I would say yes rotate. But you won't know for sure unless you run a temp probe/thermometer in the different zones at the same time too see if that's actually the issue.

      And you likely already answered your own question with the reference to the ET735. Cook to temp, not time.
      Bored Guy Blog

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      • #4
        I have no experience with a reverse flow, but it does sound like you have uneven heat distribution. The biscuit idea or temp readings should verify. If tuning doesn't solve it, then you may have to rotate. But knowing that in advance should make it easier to deal with. That's my 2 cents. Hope it's worth at least that!
        sigpic
        "Once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken."
        Tom, smoker of meats and fine cigars
        UDS, Viking grill

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Richtee View Post
          the done ones are pretty good with sausage gravy too :{)

          Leftovers...





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          • #6
            You can check the temps at different places in the smoker for reference. Also check to see if the smoker is level. Raising & lowering the tongue of the rig can cause the temp to be higher or lower at the end farthest from the firebox. Upper and lower racks can and usually are quite different in temps, so rotating between upper and lower racks will help with that part.

            But, it could also have just been the one brisket. Not all hunks of meat cook the same.

            That is why you should be cooking each brisket to temp and probe tender not to time.

            JMHO-YMMV
            Last edited by BYBBQ; 12-04-2016, 01:24 PM.
            Jim

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            • #7
              Good point Jim. I've seen equal sized briskets differ in cook time by hours.


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              sigpic
              "Once I thought I was wrong, but I was mistaken."
              Tom, smoker of meats and fine cigars
              UDS, Viking grill

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              • #8
                The biscuit test shows my top far side of the firebox is the hottest and the bottom rack near the firebox the coolest. I probably need to run the test again with a steady temp, this was during my start up fire that spiked @ 450 degrees.





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                • #9
                  The biscuits cooked evenly on the smoker once the temp evened out. No picture... the dogs nabed em.

                  I'm going to write the undercooked brisket off to a difference in the meat and start rotating.


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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by HornedToad View Post
                    The biscuits cooked evenly on the smoker once the temp evened out. No picture... the dogs nabed em.

                    I'm going to write the undercooked brisket off to a difference in the meat and start rotating.
                    Dang! Shame about the bread But good info to have...
                    In God I trust- All others pay cash...
                    Check out the Mad Hunky and products at https://madhunkymeats.com or https://www.facebook.com/MadHunkyMeats
                    Lang 60D, The Beast, 18 and 22 WSM, Brinkmann Backroads trailer, Weber 22 Kettle, gutted MB burning watts

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