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My First 2 Cooks on the BDS

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Amanda

  • Karma: 0
Here is what my husband had to post on the BDS forum... (The photos are too large to post so check them out at: http://bigdrumsmokers.com/Forum/showthread.php?p=12679#post12679

I picked up the Mega on Monday from the Fed Ex facility. I unpacked the Mega Monday night and took inventory of everything Rocky sent. Everything was perfect. I also read all the paper work in preparation for my first cook, which was the next night. I had a bigger cook later in the week, so I wanted to get a little practice in before I had to cook for a group of people. For the first cook I just put on a brisket, a pork butt, and some kielbasa sausage. I got the fire going using the propane torch, and quickly had the coals ready to go. Here are some pics of the first cook on Tuesday night.

Pictures in order (First Cook):

BDS Holding Steady Temp.
Brisket and Pork Butt
Smoked Kielbasa

You might have noticed that the thermometer was a little crooked in the picture of the BDS. I like to orient my thermometer so that the target temperature is straight up. That way I can tell at a glance if I'm were I want to be.

For the second cook, on Thursday, I put 3 pork butts, and a brisket point on the bottom rack. On the top rack, I put on beef back ribs, a brisket flat, two fatties, and some A.B.T's. With the A.B.T.'s, I put a green onion, clove of garlic, and a small bunch of cilantro in the food processor, and then added a package of cream cheese, with a little leftover asiago cheese I had from a different dish. Yummy!

I took the ribs and brisket off after 6 hours, and the pork butts stayed on for about 9 1/2 hours. When I'm catering, I always foil my brisket, so I can reserve some of the juices for reheating. I've found that it's easier to cook in advance, cut the meat while cold, and then reheat in the cooking juices. I've found that my briskets are consistently very tender using this method. With the pork butts, I reheat with a little apple juice and brown sugar.

Second Cook photos:

The brisket point and the pork butts on the bottom rack
The brisket flat with beef back ribs, and a couple of fatties on the top rack
Finished ribs (beef)
Finished brisket. Very tender. Notice the yummy juice in the bottom of the pan.
And the finished pork butts



I got to say that I love this smoker. It's by far the easiest smoker I've ever had to maintain temperature. You can easily keep the temperature between 200-275 degrees, and with a little vigilance, you can keep the temperature wherever you want it. This smoker is also very efficient. I'm originally from the Kansas City area, and smoking wood is not a problem to find, but now that I'm in Arizona, wood has become much more precious. I love how a few little chunks of wood can last 10 plus hours. My Lang 84 would eat wood like a fat man eats BBQ off of a BDS!  The flavor this smoker gives the meat is also much better than any smoker I've used before.

I also used Rocky's pork rub on the butts that I cooked. Top notch stuff. He used a spice in the pork rub that I never would have thought of using, and when I tasted it, it was like, "Duh! Why didn't I think of that!". Very good stuff.

I just want to thank Rocky again for the work that he's put into this smoker. Some might say that paying that kind of money for a drum is a little crazy, but Rocky's smokers are a great deal, and definitely worth every penny.

#1 - September 28, 2008, 02:09:14 pm
I love smoking meat, but where do you find papers big enough to roll them?

Mike (AZBarbeque)

  • Karma: 171
Here are the photos..  Looks great and yes, Rocky's BDS's are certainly worth the money..





















#2 - September 28, 2008, 02:17:33 pm
Michael J. Reimann
Realtor - Clients First Realty (Real Job) - www.TheReimannWay.com
Owner/President - AZBarbeque - #1 BBQ Club in Arizona
Owner/Pitmaster - AZBarbeque Catering - www.AZBarbequeCatering.com

If God wanted us to be Vegetarians, why did he make animals out of meat??

ddog27

  • Karma: 0
All that food and Amanda didn't invite us over? :'( :'( ;D ;D
#3 - September 28, 2008, 10:59:50 pm
Darin "D-Dog" Hearn
Eastern Arizona BBQ Club Ambassador
DDog@AZBarbeque.com

D-dog's BBQ Rubs,
So good they're better than Ketchup!
http://ddogsbbq.com

http://www.myspace.com/ddogsbbq

Jaybird

Congrats on the new cooker. I've been using BDS's for competition for about two years now and I love 'em. Food looks great. Welcome to the club!!
#4 - September 29, 2008, 07:27:38 am

Amanda

  • Karma: 0
All that food and Amanda didn't invite us over? :'( :'( ;D ;D

LOL!  That's what our friend says.  She lives down the street and if she finds out we smoke without her, boy, you'd better watch out!   ;D 
#5 - September 29, 2008, 08:35:13 pm
I love smoking meat, but where do you find papers big enough to roll them?

KidCurry

  • Karma: 1
If it cooks half as good as my "trash can" then its more then worth it...Smoke on! O0
#6 - September 29, 2008, 09:30:24 pm
KidCurry@AZBarbeque.com
KCBS CBJ
Mike boils his ribs....pass it on.

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