Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

It started off innocently enough with a counter top ice maker for $99

Freezer space here is limited so thought I'd make more room by moving ice making to a counter top machine. Everyone else has had the same idea since freezers are not available until late August or September. Thought about it for 24 hours and the one I was looking at was sold out when I went to buy it. As are most of them. The ones that are not are North of $250. Found one at the Military Exchange and it works well.

But want my counter space back. My Weston Pro Vac sealer takes up a fair amount of space with a cutting board in front in it to rest meat on so it is level when I seal things. And sits on the island counter all the time. Had an idea of what I wanted for a cart to move everything to and found it.

$475 TRINITY 24" Bamboo Kitchen Cart w/Drop Leaf

Amazon has it and so does Home Depot. HD wants $336 for it but thanks to Google found it on Costco for $219. Will be here Monday.

Can move the Vac sealer, cutting board and ice maker to it along with a few other things. Always wanted a chamber Vac sealer though. You can do liquids like soups and stews. More vacuum. Double seals. Marinades. Just better all the way around but never could justify $1K+ for one. Looked anyways and always figured I'd end up with a VacMaster VP215 or there about. So I looked again.

And found the

$539 Avid Armor Ultra Series USV32: Premium Chamber Vacuum Sealer Machine High-Performance Vacuum Chamber Sealer for Professional and Home Use, Ideal Commercial Vacuum Sealer Machine for Food Preservation

Avid chamber sealer for $599. Did some research on it and ordered. Be here on Monday also. And the customer support appears go be much better than Ary (VacMaster). Reviews are also much higher. Time will tell.

Will still use the Weston for long items like Ribs, etc. Also ordered 1,000 quart sized bags. In 4 mil which can be boiled and stand up to heavier use than Weston or Foodsaver bags. Chamber sealers use smooth both side bags and are a LOT cheaper. Should Get 'R Done for a few years now. And quart sized is what I use the most.

The vacuum on the chamber sealers is so much greater than table top external sealers that many have complained of Jerky puncturing 3 mil bags. But it is adjustable and you can even do bread if you have the desire.

No one has had Freezers in stock for a few months now with delivery dates out until almost hunting season. Have a 5 cubic foot chest freezer that is a pain in the ass to be honest and too small. Always has been, even though it is only for my son and I.

So did more digging knowing it was likely an exercise in futility. Unless you were willing to spend $5K on a freezer or more and I am not. Stumbled across Home Depot Frigidaire 16 Cubic foot upright for almost $700 in stock which I feel is a bit much despite the features. Signed up for the HD credit card and got an additional $50 off and free delivery and setup. I will pay it off the first statement. Will be here on Friday July 3 or so they claim.

Did I mention it started off innocently enough? But should have done this a long time ago. Do not believe I will have any regrets.

 

I have 3 racks of ribs on and ZERO pictures of anything that has "happened" so far.

 

Got the kettle fired up, the wifey’s parents are coming by for a combined Father’s Day and mother in law birthday celebration

 

Going to fam for the 4th. I’ll probably do a cook ahead of time and bring it up. Not sure on the plan yet. Thinking pork shoulder, turkey. Maybe ribs and a round of sausages, haven’t yet decided. Giving a variety of meats. Nobody is a big red meat person in the wife’s family so I don’t think anyone will miss brisket/otherwise red meat. Won’t be doing fish I don’t think. We’ll see, setting up plans soon and I will be volunteering for a meal.

 

Not quite....

 

Still haven’t made a decision between the Weber and the Akorn. It doesn’t help that apparently everyone decided to buy all the stock at once.

 

Snapped a pic when I added the veggies. That was probably the best whole chicken I’ve done

 

All of that looks amazing. I need details.

 

Me?

If so, whole chicken on the Weber poultry roaster thing. Just has olive oil rubbed on it then liberal coating of chicken shit ( http://www.specialshit.com/ ). Veggies are mushrooms, asparagus and onion seasoned with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Cooked the chicken at 350-400 degrees about an hour and it was pretty much done, threw the veggies in for about 20 minutes or so until done

 

3 racks of ribs, Pitfaced style, and the first corn on the cob of the summer!

 

Rec Tec ain't made in USA.

 

Jack Daniel's on the left, Rec Tec Competition on the right, and and 3 racks of St Louie in the chamber. Happy Never Been A Father Day to me!

 

When did they stop making in the USA? I know that used to be one of their big things they pointed out.

 

No idea. I just know that the haters like to point that out. You know, the dumbasses that don't know that global manufacturing has been a thing for quite awhile now.

 

These are about to be reverse seared with hickory. They got a rub of SPG and On point for about three hourS. Should be good.

 

Very nice.

 

Father’s Day supper

 

I didn’t know they stopped to be honest. As long as they keep quality then that’s all the matters. When Traeger first sent it overseas the quality went WAY down. After a ton of client complaints they got it worked out but it really hurt their reputation.

 

Ate a whole one. Good night.

 

Yours is a Rec Tec??

So wait, it feeds from both hoppers equally?? That's interesting....cool way to get a 50/50 blend I guess.