Well, yesterday was the American celebration and the wife and I decided to smoke, so she lit a cigarette and I lit my pipe, no seriously, I fired up the smoker and she ran to the store and brought home a nice sized pork roast and some chops. When we put the meat on the temperature was about 300, but we figured it would cool down. About half an hour later we checked the meat, turned the chops and moved the roast further from the heat and we were running about 250. We tested the chops after about another 45 minutes, deemed them edible and took them off. They were delicious. We left the roast as I had read on one of the barbecue sites that we should allow about an hour and a half per pouund and the roast was about 6 pounds, so we knew we had to wait a while. I was able to keep the fire going and the temperature stayed right where we wanted it. I was disappointed that my audible thermometer, which I purchased at Radio Shack a couple years ago wasn't sounding the alarm. Finally she used her regular meat thermometer and checked the meat, it was about 170, which we thought should cause the audible thermometer to beep. I had read in the Texas Rub newsletter that pork roasst should register about 195 so we left the roast in. Also my temperature on the smoker had dropped below 200, so I added some coal and we left it cooking. As the wife had to rest up to return to work, we checked the meat about an hour later and the temp was up to 185, so we pulled it and figure we will finish it up in the oven today. Now for die hard smokers, they would probably have waited it out, but for us, the chops were wonderful and if we can finish off the roast in the oven today, we sure the thing will have a good smoked flavor and we know to start a little earlier next time. All in all, I didn't suffer any injuries, still have a lot to learn about the art, but I am willing to keep practicing. We also figured out that the audible thermometer only allows us to make changes to the settings on beef and lamb as it showed turkey, pork and hamburgers setting for well done, so maybe the roast wasn't well done, hmm! Maybe, Jenifer should get a smoker and fire it up regularly to chase away mosquitoes, I don't think they like smoke, smile!
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