Greetings from Seattle!

[DougalMcRay]

Hello - my name is Doug and I live just outside of Seattle, WA. I've been Q'ing for about 5 years now using a couple of WSM and finally decided it was time to upgrade to something bigger and more professional. I just received my new FatBoy last week and I finally got it all set up and ready to go! Yesterday I fired it up a couple of times (without any meat in it) just to "clean it out" and get familiar with it. Today I'll be doing my first cook - I'm thinking ribs, butt, and some chicken.

I'd love to hear any tips you vetern BWS owners may have regarding cleaning and maintenance. And any cooking tips would be welcome too!

Thanks,
Doug

[RickC]

Welcome to the forum.

Tips:
Spray your racks and water pan with Pam before use, it will make cleanup a breeze.
Search is your friend on the forum, there is a lot of excellent information.
Bookmark Old Dave's blog, there is tremendous amount of information at his site. http://olddavespo-farm.blogspot.com/

[RickC]

One last thing, get you a BBQ Guru if you don't have one, it makes life so easy

[DougalMcRay]

I've heard good things about the guru, and it is definitely on my wish list. Before I get one of those, however, I want learn to control the temp the old fashion way

[trueque]

+1 on Rick's recommendations. Consistent solid advice!

Take a look at the Stoker also. I have owned them all ... DigiQ, CyberQ and Stoker. If you want remote control functionality, you will find this one at the top of your list. https://www.rocksbarbque.com/

Have fun and enjoy that fatboy. I cannot say enough good things about my short experience with mine.

[DougalMcRay]

I just did my first cook yesterday - chicken thighs (22 of them), 2 butts, and 3 racks of ribs. All that and I still had 2 empty racks. I'm really impressed with how efficient the fuel is consumed - a single chimney lasted 6 hours holding steady at (right around) 240 degrees.

Here is a picture:

firstcook.jpg (44.31 KiB) Viewed 245 times

I'll be looking into temperature control systems this summer once I get several more cooks under my belt. That stoker system looks impressive - I'm a software developer by trade, so that one is rightup my alley.

[RickC]

Fantastic looking racks of meat. Makes me want to go out and fire up the Chubby if I wasn't on the way to the airport to work on the airplane, car, and the motorcycles...men have to have their boy toys.

How long did you end up cooking the butts? I normally run somewhere around 11-12 hours before they get up to 195-200 degrees. Butts will plateau between 160-185 degrees for about 6-8 hours before the fat renders and they head on up to the final finish temp.

[DougalMcRay]

I wan't going to be able to do an all day/night cook, so I cooked them for about 6 hours then wrapped them in foil and finished them in the oven. Had it for lunch and dinner the next day.

[RickC]

I wan't going to be able to do an all day/night cook, so I cooked them for about 6 hours then wrapped them in foil and finished them in the oven. Had it for lunch and dinner the next day.

That works, you have got about all the smoke flavor you will get after 6 hours. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.