Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Hold up, what is this delicious-looking concoction?

 

At first I thought it was two things.

Then I realized there's apples on meat?

Now what I think it is - Pork loin sliced thin, baked apples rolled up in it, and then you smoked it. Also wrapped in bacon?

....I have been doing a lot of pork loin lately, this or similar might just have to be my first smoke of the year

 

1. Made my apple pie filling on the stove top using a long simmered simple syrup with thyme and rosemary instead of sugar/water. Still used cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
2. Roll cut a pork loin, seasoned with spg, and placed the filling in
3. Rolled it back up, forgot to secure it with skewers, seasoned the outside with dijon/Worcestershire binder, ground celery seed, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Made a cute bacon blanket and it tucked it in for savory smoke dreams. I’ll make the filling thinner (more syrup reduction) next time as the interior didn’t get enough bacon fat.

 

I did an oven version with chicken stock, bread crumbs, cranberries, pecans, and apples for the holidays, though that was oven baked and no bacon

 

Found it:

 

It’s been a while, boys....(and ladies?).

Sold the PBC and upgraded to a Ironwood 885.

 

Looks great!

Stopped at Costco yesterday and picked up steaks, bacon, and wings. Did wings last night with the Vortex. Haven't really paid attention to the prices but when I got home realized they were $20 for 8 pounds?! Not that it matters will pick up more this weekend getting low.

But what really concerns me is getting low on charcoal. Almost exactly a year ago.



No sales last summer on the twin packs of Kingsford and down to 6 bags after last night getting nervous. Here's hoping that this year things will get back to normal. Not a "hoarder" but been laying up powder, shot, primers, and wads when I can find them. Keep moving stuff around in the garage to make room need to build some more storage racks. When (if) the twin packs of Kingsford go on sale come Memorial day I'm going to inflate the air bags on the Taco before I head into town I'll make room. Someplace.

Are you sure that is an upgrade over the PBC? Sorry couldn't help myself LOL, j/k. Good to see you again Now break that puppy in and lets see some meat!

 

That's a nice stack of charcoal. I stocked up on the blue and white twin bags last year when Lowe's had them on sale. Had maybe close to a pallet of them over a few shopping trips. Probably down to about four or five bags now. Haven't smoked much over the winter, though.

 

Nice! I usually go through 4 bags of those kingsford charcoal bags every year if my history is any indicator. Have to check what I have in my shed right now, will probably try to get some more.

 

I'm with you on both points there. Just bought a bag each of wings, thighs, and breasts at costco last weekend and those damn wing prices are crazy! Although I think they've been up there for a while. Each week my wife and I look forward to wings on Sunday night so at this point I kind of just ignore the prices and just buy them.

No good sales last summer on the Kingsford really killed me too. Lowes did have a sale on their house brand that is made my Royal Oak though. I think I bought 15 bags back in September but now I'm down to 5. Don't think I'll make it to the next sale so I'll have to just bite the bullet and pay full price for some more in the coming months.

 

haha I guess upgrade is subjective. I’m not as serious as I once was about smoking and bbq. Decided it was time to consolidate a bit. The ease of Traeger was damn too appealing.

 

I wasn't a huge fan of the royal oak lump, but I haven't tried their briquettes. I only have a barrel grill though, but I tend to like the briquettes and woodchips as my method for smoking. I liked the lump more for high heat grilling though.

 

If the price was the same I would go with Kingsford over Royal Oak every time. I'm a bit of a cheap ass though, and the savings were too good to pass up.

 

Getting my smoking season started with some ribs. Screw you winter.

 

I wish. It’s raining cats and dogs out there today. Maybe next weekend!

 

First time buying lobster tails. Bought bulk and planned on freezing all but two for future cooks. The underside spines kept poking through the bag, so I sliced up the styrofoam packaging and vacuumed them right up — worked like a charm!

Maybe I’m slow to the game or maybe this isn’t a concern for others, just trying to help!

 

How long would vacuum-sealed lobster tail stay good?

 

We will find out

Googled after I typed that and found:



Cut them off Damn.

I’ll probably pull them out for lobster rolls and lobster mac ’n’ cheese between the beginning of April and end of May.

 

I’ve never cooked lobster, I might have to give it a shot. I do like some lobster.