Smoking Temperature?

[Bigfish]

I have been watching the BBQ Competition Shows, when ever possible. I have noticed that the competition chefs have widely varied opinions about optimum smoking tempts which seem to range from a low of 225 F to a high of 300 F. Previously, I have believed that long, slow smoking at 225 produced the most tender meat. However, I am now wondering if smoking at a high pit tempt and then tightly wrapping the meat in aluminum foil for the last portion of the cook may produce better results.

I would appreciate your comments!

Ken

 

[DjPorkchop]

I think BBQ is like anything else. Put 15 different pit masters in a room and you will get 15 different ways to do something. I am all for low and slow but when needs be, I have no issues kicking up my heat.

I ran a pork butt recently and it averaged 325 while I was smoking it and frankly speaking, it might have been the best piece of meat I ever cooked.

So bottom line is, I think it is more how a person wants to cook and feels comfortable doing so. I also wrapped my self up on BBQ shows and watching what they were doing as well as taking notes. I finally gave up on that and read what people on the forums were doing and tried it. I had some failures but had some great cooks as well. I think cooking should be fun, not home work or science.

Take care and happy Q'ing!

 

[southga]

after cooking on your drum a few times, you will find a temp range that your drum likes to run. Each drum is different. There is nothing magical about 225*. A drum produces very moist heat so unless you overcook something, it will come out moist. Learn your drum's happy zone & adjust your cooking time to match instead of fighting it to run at a specific temp. Most days my drum likes to cruise at 255-265. I set it & let er go.

 

[scooter]

There's more than one temp to smoke at to get tender meat. 225 is just one of them. Anyone who says there's only one right way to approach smoking meat is only limiting themselves.


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[bbqclyde]

I prefer to do all my smoking between 225-250. Thats the temp my old offset always liked and my drum likes to stay there also.

 

[DjPorkchop]

+1 bbqclyde

Yeah clyde, I think that is the whole thing to it. Just figure out where ones cooker prefers to run and go for it. No point in fighting it. Let the chips fall where they may and eat good food. I gave up on chasing temps. When she gets a decent hold going, I cook.

 

[brent2828]

I did a 7.6lb butt on sunday, about 8hrs and 20min total, I ran it at 270 to 280, after it got to 160, I wrapped it and went to 202 on therma pen, best butt i have ever done hands down and i've always fought on my old smoker to stay at 225 and not wrap and stay at it for 13 to 15 hrs. and not get that great of results.