Well the time is almost here..

My inagural cook is on Friday after work. I've determined that a nice fatty is the way to go given the time i get home etc. While the fatty is on I'll prep some ribs or a butt for a cook on Saturday. Need something to monitor while I mow my grass.

Fatty will be consumed for breakfast on Saturday morning.

Its been very difficult not to cook on the XL 20. Its just been sitting in my office.. waiting.. beckoning me.

I've named her lizzy. Since I'm a Tennessee transplant in Texas.. I went with Davy Crocketts wife's name Elizabeth. Crockett also left TN for Texas. It all made sense after a few beers (bitburger pils).

Remember the Alamo.

I understand! I haven't taken the Excel outside yet. It's sitting in my family room (by the window to watch the wildlife while I'm at work) just itching to get outside and cook some of the scenery! 8 days and counting.

(Don't forget the pictures!)

Hey I just picked up a roll of felt to put a new roof on my 20's home.

Dr_KY wrote:Hey I just picked up a roll of felt to put a new roof on my 20's home.

Does it have it's own shrine in your backyard??

So.. started a picnic and two fattie this morning at 4..





2.5 hrs later.. fatties are done.. had to snap a pic of the pork too..





more later.. need coffee.

Looks Great .




Hey man can you try and get some shots of the fuel that is left over before you disturb it. Would be nice to see if there is some sory of burn pattern going on.

Dr_KY wrote:Looks Great .




Hey man can you try and get some shots of the fuel that is left over before you disturb it. Would be nice to see if there is some sory of burn pattern going on.

will do. Although I wasn't very scientific.. at about 12 midnight I prepped everything for a 3:30 am wake up call. I was tired then so I just kind of "winged it" if you know what I mean.

For fuel I used a based of Kingsford with some oak chunk wood. Then I used some mesquite kingsford briquettes for the minion piece. Again.. I had no idea what I was doing. Sure is fun though.

Hell it looks like you got it right!!! How are the temps holding for you?

Smokin is easy when ya just get after it just remember to document the things you do like temp when you pulled ect.

Remember to check the water pan every few hours and fill it with warm/hot water.

Dr_KY wrote:Hell it looks like you got it right!!! How are the temps holding for you?

Smokin is easy when ya just get after it just remember to document the things you do like temp when you pulled ect.

Remember to check the water pan every few hours and fill it with warm/hot water.

Temps are good. Holding at 225 but I feel like I'm running low on fuel. Could just be me. Don't know. Just checked it to spritz with some apple juice and apple cider and noticed the water at darn near burned off. Interesting. I added more water (that ain't easy!). The meat is sitting at 139 right now. I'm 4.5 hrs into the cook.

I add water using a plastic watering can now. The first time out we used a section of copper pipe.

I would take it to about 190 then remove it from the smoker and wrap ( spritz with juice)it in foil for a few hours. If you don't have a cooler to put it in then simply wrap and place in the oven. After a hour or so it's ready to pull , sauce and eat.

Your times may very depending on who you ask.

Dr_KY wrote:I add water using a plastic watering can now. The first time out we used a section of copper pipe.

I would take it to about 190 then remove it from the smoker and wrap ( spritz with juice)it in foil for a few hours. If you don't have a cooler to put it in then simply wrap and place in the oven. After a hour or so it's ready to pull , sauce and eat.

Your times may very depending on who you ask.

Thanks.. just added some more coals. Just a handful. I obviously put to little into begin with.

Aint it nice to have a door to toss them in through.

Looking good so far.. Cant wait to see the finished product..

Dr_KY wrote:Aint it nice to have a door to toss them in through.

Very nice!

Well she finally finished up.. Actually took it off at 187.. figured I could probe around long enough and find 190 somewhere. It had been on for 15.5 hrs. This was the first time I had the picnic cut and I'm not as much as a fan as the boston butt. It seemed "fattier" to me. Don't get me wrong.. it was good but there was room for improvement. I can't be too upset as I prepped all of about 15 min on the meat. Just did some mustard and a rub and let it sit in the fridge for 9 hrs.

All in all a fun time for the first merry go round and got a thumbs up from the wife and a friend (two thumbs up on the fatties.. those things took smoke on like a duck to water). The smoker did an excellent job. Any thing that went wrong was on me. I didn't fill the charcoal ring up as much as I should have starting out and had to repeatedly add charcoal. Lesson learned.

I'll post pics of the ash layout when she finally cools down overnight.

Final product below..

Bigthirsty,

Looks great!

The butt end will be less fatty if you cook it longer. I usually take mine to 168*F, wrap with a little apple juice, then place back in the smoker until 198*F. It's my belief that the meat will not take on more smoke at that wrapping temperature and wrapping it will help it to retain it's moisture (self basting) while it continues to cook to the 198*F mark. Using this method (for me) has resulted in not having to remove very much fat...if any. After removing at the 198*F mark, I will still wrap in a towel and place in a cooler for a couple of hours before pulling. At that point, it will still be too hot to handle, so wear gloves, and the bone will just slide right out...clean as a, well, bone. The entire butt will basically pull itself...very tender, juicy, and sure to receive 2 thumbs up.

Others may do it differently, but that's the method that has been working for me. I've got a couple of add-on techniques that I use in competition too...I may be persuaded to share if you promise not to use them against me in competition!