[azkitch]

Previously, on Burning the Drum, Dave had 2 consecutive cooks where the charcoal wasn't getting fully involved, producing low temps, causing Dave to resort to the Old School Stoker Gen.II. (Hair dryer--Gen.I was a bellows...) Last time, he used a FULL chimney of K bricks, despite the new asphalt road scent, and Drum ran for hours at 230. This time, a full chimney of BOTW lump was the ignition source, and Drum was hot and bothered the whole time, running from 300, finally calming down to 260.  This time, in addition, the drum ran empty and unattended for over an hour whilst Dave fed the masses at his Group Home, where he spends his quiet time. In y'alls opinion, which Dave respects highly, were the lump and the long warm up before cooking the brisket bones the primary reasons for the higher temperatures?

[jmcrig]

Can't speak from experience, but I've always been told that lump burns hotter than a new asphalt road. The other option was someone spiked your Old Bushmill and it was all an illusion.

[KidCurry]

My drums always run hotter with lump.  240 with BlueBagK, 260 and above with lump/compk. Burn times seem to stay about the same 20+hours no joke.

[azkitch]

Well, tonight it's the other story. Full chimney with a large pecan chunk on top. Pecan chunk bounced off the edge of the charcoal basket, fell on the bottom. Temp went to 355 quickly, so I closed the intakes. 35 minutes later, temp was 218 and falling. Stirred and left open for a few minutes. Since then it's been 222. Time to go check again.
It's gonna be a long night.

I'd opened 3 vents. Just checked, it's 247. I closed a vent. I think I'll go open it and nap for 2 hours...250 is great...

[azkitch]

Well, my 4 AM QC check showed my drum chuggin' along. Much better than finding no smoke and a temp of 140...in the last 2-3 hours, it'd climbed to 287. I closed a couple holes, and now back to bed. Wifey's alarm set for 45 min from now...
HAPPY EASTER

8:33 AM. Got back from the Sunrise Services and a cheapie Denny's breakfast. I was saying, on the way home, that I just hoped the barrel was more'n 180*, less than 300. It was at 187. Whew. It was beginning to choke itself out w/ash. I stirred the coals, replaced the chunk that fell on the floor last night, and within minutes had flames. I wrapped the butt--my Mundial spatula is fantastic!--and sealed the drum again, and the temps were over 385 nearly instantly. And I think the butt is done. At last look, the probe was claiming 220, but that was dropping. I sealed some spritzer/mop in with the meat when I foiled it, and I may be reading some steam. I'm not sure what to think. It was reading 179 at first. I'll find out in minutes...

[jmcrig]

Sounds like a long night. Let us know how it all comes out.

[azkitch]

Next update. I went out 20 minutes later, temps were 130. Oh well. New batch of charcoal. Temps were 265 last I looked, meat was 185, almonds were done. And pretty tasty. I made the finishing sauce from thesmokering.com, and it's waiting. Recipe calls for red pepper flakes, but I used the Southwest Chipotle shake that Sam's has just started carrying again. Smells pretty good for a cup of modified vinegar.
I'll be editing in pictures shortly...

Here it is after 8 hours or so.


After the fire went out, and I started another, and put the butt in for another hour, here it is out...


Here are all the little bits of goodness that I washed off of the foil with my "basting" liquid.


It pulled perfectly. What a dream; it was everything I've ever wished for out of a pork butt. I wouldn't hesitate to enter this in a comp...DW wouldn't even keep out of it. But she did tell me not to talk about comps 'til I'd cooked 4 like that...Boy would I love that!!

[dieselfuel]

Daaaammmn that looks tasty! Nice job, I hope to try my first pork butt soon.

[jmcrig]

What was that crap about how bad you were at butts? Very nice job my friend.

[azkitch]

Drum and nap corps!!