I'd really like to share here how pleased I am with yesterday, my very first smoke with my new grill set or system if you will:
Weather outlook yesterday was better than expected and today was previously obligated to be an outdoor shooting range trip with friends and family until mid day, which meant no early smoking start. So yesterday, rather unplanned, I began my Kettle Smoking journey with my beautiful new copper Weber 22.5 inch, an added welding blanket topper, gasket, Slow and Sear 2.0, and Thermapro TP08S remote. I took the plunge, starting out at 10:30 AM. Got 5 Weber briquettes going with my propane torch in the Slow and Sear then added a chimney full of briquettes. Boiled a quart of water and added it to the SAS container. Added 6 cherry wood cuts 2x2x1 from scrap in our wood shop.
In 3.5 hours I had a beautifully moist and tender pork loin, and was a third of the way into smoking a 6 pound pork butt. Before the day was over at 8:30 PM I had also smoked two very large chicken breasts seasoned with Ms. Dash and a sprinkle of salt. Wow. I am so very impressed with my Weber and the Slow and Sear 2.0. For three years I loved and enjoyed my offset wood fired smoker. I struggled though at times to split the wood, and constantly had to adjust the dampers of it to accommodate the changing breezes of the given day and level of flame. The results were usually great and rewarding, but involved much attention and physically demanding effort for me. Yesterday with my Weber and SAS was an eye-opening experience for me.
After one day I've decided my Weber is the easiest manually controlled and used grill I have ever been around. Between it, the SAS 2.0 and using the TP-08S I had perfectly smoked, loin, chicken and butt at the end of my long 10 hour day. I used a total of 3/4 an SAS of charcoal. After several vent adjustments I developed sort of a feel for the vents and was able to maintain a 250 degree temp consistently. That was almost unheard of for me with my offset burning straight wood splits. At the end of the day I shut the dampers to stop the fire and now have a good start of unburned charcoal on my next grilling/smoking adventure. Wow that's a savings over ricks of hickory and oak that are becoming more expensive in my area of our state. I told my adult son this morning that I feel like I've been smoking too hard of a way for three years.
My Weber is versatile enough to challenge me and easy enough to use that I will not dread using it as I had begun to dread the hard work of my offset. I should say here I've had two spinal surgeries after injuries and for spinal disease, and have a replacement knee. Physically I do have some issues that made my using my offset progressively more difficult over time. An offset is still a time-honored, visually pleasing and classic method to smoke our foods. I don't regret at all what I learned and experienced in my time using it and I will always look back fondly to my experiences.
I only have a photo of the cooled and sliced loin to share. The smoke ring is beautiful and flavorful. The moisture is ...hard to show.... but believe me it's there. Using the Weber, the SAS 2.0 and the Thermapro I feel I've discovered a completely new way to give my family and me fine dining without the seriously labor intensive work I've been investing for a long time.
Now I can spend more time working to craft new rubs and marinades.
Thank you for allowing me to share, and to everyone here for so freely sharing the wealth of knowledge among members.
Don.
Topic: First smoke. Extremely happy with my 22.5 Weber and Slow and Sear 2.0 (Read 2729 times)