Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Ya I get sick 1-2 times a year (daughter in elementary and a wife that’s a teacher). This one is full on suck. Told my wife I feel like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson in his prime.

 

It is not a ribeye it is a NY Strip, totally different cut of meat also called top loin for where it comes from. It is extremely well marbled for NY Strip though. Some people prefer NY Strip but I have no idea why, I will take a ribeye any day of the week over a NY Strip.

You are not wrong. The 3 on the left are ribeyes, the 2 on the right are strip steaks.

Hope you feel better I am fighting a cold now. Last week was on the North Shore grouse hunting and before I left cooked up 2 gallons of beef stew of course smoked the meat first and I used prime grade sirloin instead of stew meat... Froze 4 quarts for next trip I leave Sunday for a week and a half again.

Want to take some chicken noodle soup in addition to the beef stew this trip cold enough that a hot lunch is good in the woods every day. Noodles don't freeze well however. So going to pick up a big bag of Costco rotisserie pulled chicken instead of cooking my own and simmer down some onions, carrots, chicken cut up really small and chicken base in till it is concentrated and freeze that. Then at the cabin make the soup from the other stuff I will have already prepped. That is the theory anyhow.

Rained almost every day but still cooked on the Jumbo Joe most evenings. Posted one of the steaks I did, another night did Caribbean jerked chicken thighs. In the rain.



Friends FJ he has had Toyota pick ups before the Tacoma was born, his wife still drives a first gen Tundra. With his dog boxes in the back LOL. My Taco with the grouse buggy and dog box in the cabin front yard



Anyhow rain or not turned out well, I took the most done pieces. Was worth it love the Jumbo Joe for camping and travel.



Tomorrow depending on the rain and snow here will smoke up ~5 lbs. of breakfast sausage ahead of time for the trip then just reheat it in the mornings at the cabin on the Gunflint Trail.

 

So I got some family coming over for the game Sunday morning. Playing in England so the game starts at 9:30 am. We’re doing a breakfast thing. I gotta throw something on the smoker. Can I smoke bacon?

 

100%

 

I've smoked bacon right in the iron frying pan at a pretty high heat. Throw some whole fresh peppers in the frying pan as well. Use the smoked pepper chopped in scrambled eggs/omelets.

 

Sounds like a perfect time to do some breakfast fatties

 

This. for sure.

 

I just got one of those Jalapeno popper rack things off Amazon so I might do up a batch of those this weekend. Hopefully time allows.

 

But is there ever a bad time to do them?

 

Nope, never a bad time. In fact I’ll be doing some for dinner since our power is out and no generator. Don’t want food to go bad so I’m cooking everything and in to the cooler for leftovers

 

Any advice on time/temp? Thinking about borrowing a smoker to do some boneless skinless chicken thighs.

 

I run em at 350°F gives em a good kiss of smoke still without overpowering. depending on thickness, 30-45 mins iirc

 

Well it's rainy and cold today so I guess I'll go play with the air fryer I just picked up for $30 at Sam's. Not the biggest or best but cheap enough to try it out!


Edit: added picture

 

The air fryer is probably the most used appliance in my house. It’s been a game changer for a lot of things.

 

For what kinda stuff? I've been looking at those things a bit lately.

 

Ditto! Curious.

 

BACON

If I used mine for nothing else it's earned it's place just for cooking no hassle bacon for me in 10-11 mins from the time I turn it on.

 

Well I just broke it in making some french fries, but tater tots and chicken wings are HIGH on my to do list.

Probably gonna need someone to start an air fryer thread Hahaha

 

for starters, anything you might make in the oven or deep fryer.

I have made hamburgers, bacon, and my wife even did a whole chicken in ours once. Fresh fries are easy and delicious in one and frozen fries are way better than making them in the oven and less messy than deep frying.

Edit - As was previously mentioned, wings are also awesome in these things!