Anyone running a pellet smoker or looking at buying one? What brand/model do you like or already own? I thought this would be a good thread to start to share tips and techniques, pellet brands, rubs, cook temps and times, successes and failures and such.
I just acquired a Rec Tec 300 Mini a couple of days ago from a new customer and friend who had moved up to the larger Rec Tec 680. I've been really wanting a Rec Tec pellet smoker for a while, but couldn't justify the price, but when I got a chance to take this one in on trade I was pretty stoked. Well I used it for the first time last night, smoked an 8lb boneless pork shoulder on it overnight, using Pit Boss Competition Blend pellets, slathered it with mustard and a liberal coat of Texas Grub Rub. I also misted it with 50/50 apple juice/vinegar apple cider a couple of hrs in to keep it from dying out before hitting the sack.
I was going to set it at 225* but it was a frosty 27* here last night, so I was afraid it might not maintain the temp and take forever to cook, so I set the Rectec at 250* and put it on at 10:30 pm. I pulled and foiled it at 3:30 am at 160* internal temp and put it right back on and dropped the temp to 230* so it wouldn't overcook. It hit 200* internal temp at 8am this morning so I pulled it off the smoker and put it still double wrapped into a cold oven to sit for a couple of hrs to draw the juices back in before shredding it. It turned out super tender and juicy and had a bit of a smoke ring but didn't have much smoke flavor. I was still pretty happy for the first cook on it.