Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

It’s nice to be able to remotely check on the temps of the meat. I do not smoke by time I go by temps and tenderness. I’ve had 3 briskets on at once and all 3 finished at different times but within a degree of each other.

Would have been very helpful for me a while back when I had to go with my wife to run errands and I had some food smoking she took longer than I had planned and I was worried I was getting to pull temps.

 

Yeah, but I know 5 hours is not nearly enough time for a butt, for example, but 10 hours maybe I should check temperatures. I cook to temps too, but I know the neighborhoods where I should be checking temps based on time.

 

Nothing can touch a Vortex for wings, not even come close to it. Not even the Anchor bar in Buffalo then again they have gone to hell. And because butter is so expensive have changed the recipe now. Franks has changed their recipe since the 70's too though.

You can have my Vortex when you pry it from cold dead hands LOL. Every time I make wings with it and lift the lid to peek at them it puts a smile on my face when I see the skin bubble on them.



But that is coming from someone that has been eating chicken wings for more than 50 years. As a meal and often. And they must have Buffalo sauce, celery and blue cheese.



If you eat them any other way well then you are on your own

Bought a Slow N Sear when they first came out. Not a fan. Everyone ranted and raved about them but found I could do anything I needed and that it could do with Weber charcoal baskets. Like I said many love them though.

After using it a few times pretty much sat around until I got a 26" kettle and then played with it one day. Because it is built for a 22" kettle it leaves a gap around the outside and then realized I could pull it out just a little more and it was a perfect template for a snake. Plus works as a heat shield for the protein. Used it last night.



In fact use it several times a week only smoke on the 26" anymore and when done I just close the vents and save the coals for next time.



Uses the least fuel of any device I own to smoke. I stir the burnt coals with tongs, refill with another layer and replace the aluminum foil and away I go again next time. No wasting time stacking just pour straight from the bag 2-3 deep and holds steady at 225° for at least 6 hours if I want. Not what it was designed for but sure works great in this manner. Oh and of course put wood chunks on. For real smoke flavor that I have control over unlike the pellet pooper.

 

He has spoketh

Way to nuke it out! I approve

 

I like not having to dick with it...

 

What if that's the part that I enjoy??

 

What she said.

 

Then cover your monkey, before you get spunky...

 

Didn't know that was a thing!
I got my 300 mini several years ago. Started having many problems with it over the last year. After spending numerous hours on the phone with rectec trying to fix it they realized I probably just got a lemon. Way out of warranty so they wouldn't refund the whole amount but gave me a significant discount if I was willing to purchase another one. I decided I wanted something a little bit bigger and went with the Stampede.

 

@bvbull200 I know you just built a rocket stove... And are probably looking for a new project... Look no further than the "stove" in this! @Misplaced Nebraskan @Kanyon71 @Bigdaddy4760

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAGyHlCJzqY/?igshid=f9jqjl89nju8

If anyone comes up with the plans for this post them up here!

A picture for those who can't see

 

Smoking in the cold, like teens and twenties below (fuck it not doing it at 30 below zero) adds a lot of variables. Now that we starting to enter the 6 weeks of piss poor sledding I don't probe and use the remotes as much as I do in the winter.

Yah that is one of the reasons why you moved South, so you don't have to

I lied. Didn't replace the aluminum foil from last night just kept it place and poured some more coals on the outside of the SnS. Today was the end of our major project since COVID hit been working some stupid long hours and did the final major workflow cutover today. Pulled a capsteak out of the freezer with some Sirloins for the son yesterday and wrapped mine in bacon in anticipation of celebration.





Going to be awhile yet. But worth it. Can't help worrying about when the next time is I will have a capsteak. Wrapped in bacon.

Got word from a friend of mine today that some of the meat lockers have bacon. This weekend might have to do a road trip. Or 3.

 

And the reverse sear over the snake...



Sorry no plated pics. It is gone along with the mashed cauliflower with sour cream and scallions mixed in with some pepper. Beats the hell out of an Atkins protein bar any day of the week. The son likes his steak well done and did sear that too, why he only gets sirloin.



Probably should go pull it off am sure it is done to the consistency of shoe leather soles by now. How he likes it

 

https://youtu.be/amKyA2PrSu4

 

GrillGrates sale

Save up to 70% off.
All items are sold on a first come, first serve basis. When they're gone, they're gone.
Edit https://www.grillgrate.com/warehous...ubmV0IiwgImtsX2NvbXBhbnlfaWQiOiAiTDNRU1kzIn0=

 

Yeah, people go on there and bitch about the stuff being made in China, that Rec Tec takes doesn't allow negative reviews, blah, blah, blah... I know I have a 4 year old Toro Timemaster that cost almost as much as my RT-700, and I had to basically rebuild it a month or so ago, after a metal cap screw froze in the aluminum frame, and snapped when I was trying to change a belt. Let's just say Toro's interest in making it right for me was nil. Their customer support actually mentioned something about my machine being on the older side of the equation!

 

Is it at their website? I’m not seeing it.

 

woops https://www.grillgrate.com/warehous...ubmV0IiwgImtsX2NvbXBhbnlfaWQiOiAiTDNRU1kzIn0=

 

Damn they had 6 of the pellet grates in stock when I clicked on this and toggled over to my personal PC and went to add them into my cart and already down to none in stock


Story of my life damn work gets in the way once again but thanks for putting this out there. That pellet one would work perfect for the built in grill at the cabin I rent each fall. Guess going to have to go out and look for a new shotgun to buy instead now, just because

 

They don't make 37" variants for the ranch kettle luckily

 

Puzzle them together. You know square grate in a round hole thing...