Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

DRUMSTICKS...
I was inspired to get some drumsticks because I wanted wings...but there is apparently a wing shortage....I had some in the freezer but when you're impulse buying/cooking who has time for defrosting...
ANywho...Drumstick multipack at BJ's $6.03 THAT'S RIGHT SIX DOLLARS AND THREE CENTS and I didn't cook them all...I put 6 in the freezer...

Sooo...
Give them a little love with McCormick Cajun seasoning and this BBQ company smoked salt pepper garlic mix I use...

Then I heat up a near full chimney of kingsford and split it between 2 baskets. I put them at the sides of the Weber classic and put a piece of aluminum foil down the middle for drippings et al...
After the grill is warmed up...Vent on top at 50% lower inlet at 25% (Yeah, I marked the lower vent with a sharpie to set it)
Sere the drumsticks 3 min a side over the baskets of hot coals...

Flip and get some nice crispy grill marks on the other side....

Now...I put some maple chips on the coals and close down the vents to get it about 350-400F in there...and MOVE the chicken to the center of the rack for indirect cooking...basically suffocating the system to keep it from flaring up while smoking and cooking the chicken...Oh the sweet smell of the maple smoke...

Spend the next 20-25min selecting a BBQ sauce if you'd like...

When the chicken temp hits 165F close ALL the vents and sauce it up...
Take them off about 8 min later...Sauce is nice and solidified around the chicken...mmm...I love it that way...
Plate and drool!

 

Ribs were good, wife didn't want any bbq sauce so they must have been good. I wasn't impressed and my slicing job looked like a monkey doing something to a football. So no pics. Looked like a slab of ribs til I took a knife to them.

 

Well you didnt go hungry so thats a plus

 

dull knife? I actually use a bread knife for slicing my ribs and brisket. “scalloped” blade. It’s more forgiving by getting a nice slice started.

 

No I did not. And the ribs were pretty good. I just got frustrated slicing them. Made a mess, didn't change the taste.

 

Knife is sharp, my eyesight is not. I hit bone too many times. Make that 'knife was sharp'.
Eye surgery this coming week.

 

Meal prep! Smoked salmon for salads, spicy chicken breast for black beans and rice, Ribeye for tonight because the MIL visited, and finished the coals with a few brats. My body is ready.

 

What cut is that? Looks bitchin'.

I've never been a huge fan of wings. They're good but meh. I use them when I want to try a new rub or spice or something, because they cook faster and are smaller so if it turns out bad, less issues. But overall I stick toward leg quarters for chicken. I do whole chickens though as of late. My freezer is backing up with carcasses for broth since I hardly use any in the summers

I don't know if ribs are just insane either but a rack of ribs was like 12 bucks a couple weeks ago, maybe I just haven't been tracking how much I've been paying but I thought it was less. I also got a "fresh never frozen" that time around which I usually don't give a rip about, might have been it.

Chx is starting to come down in cost though I think - ton of it was "on sale" this weekend.

HONE THAT SHIT.

Sorry. This is my soapbox. If you need a serrated knife for tomatoes, you're doing it wrong. Sharpen your knives, and slice the tomatoes. I've never had a problem cutting tomatoes because I keep my knives sharp. Ideally for briskets you'll want a long and small blade (giggity) carving knife etc. Same for ribs, but as a Joe Schmo without a full knife set, I just use chefs knives and they work well.

Get that shit sharp though. I went off the rails about tomatoes, but my point still stands

sausages. So good. One of my go to's for smoking - sausages and brined turkey breasts

I tried some of them vegan sausages - not to smoke, anything other than pork casings doesn't really smoke all that well, they were .... uhh ..... well they were edible, I'll give 'em that.

I've had decent ones before, but these were on sale so I figured F it give it a shot. There's a reason they were on sale, I think ....

 

Yup, sharp knives and a bit of steel action keeps that edge. Unless you let my wife use the knives.

 

no way!?! I never heard of such a thing!

 

Had to try the Smoked Cream Cheese trend..


A couple of different flavors



One 8oz block cut in half, rubbed with each flavor and topped with some EVOO.



Smoked at 260 for 3 hours ... Smoked was running a tad higher as it was in the direct sun at this time of day.



Shared 1/2 of each block with my neighbor who is my official taste tester.



Conclusion:

Fun experiment but it's not a show stopper. Most people are surprised the cream cheese doesn't just melt into a puddle of goo.

Might be a Party Garage thing but I wouldn't make it just for myself again.

 

What? That some of us let our wives use the knives, or that they seem to run the edge flat over concrete every time we turn our back?

 

Slice... scrapeeeee to the side. Repeat over and over then she says 'this knife is dull'.

 

I hope you caught my sarcasm...my wife uses our kitchen knives to open cans...im sure of it...

 

So.... This is not a normal thing?

 

Haahaahaa

 

My sarcasm or my wife opening cans with knives?

 

One of these things I have more experience with than the other!

 

My wife builds stone walls, does brick work, and cuts stone and ceramic tile after cutting dry wall and digging up plants with our knives. When she is done she cuts work hardened stainless cable and quarter inch titanium.

 

Smoked Lasagna