Food Smokers and Smoking Tips/Tricks/Techniques

Mine took about 5 days to return when I got the ‘rona.

 

Did you have it recently? Did you have mild symptoms?

 

Sorry to hear it ruined your plans! I got it for the second time about seven or eight weeks ago. Nasty cold for a few days, then the lungs felt it for about a week and a half. Didn't lose my sense of smell or taste this time, but did lose it for a couple days the first time I got it almost two years ago when my Mom gave it to me for xmas. I did get sidelined this week by RSV, though. Nasty fever for two days and then on day 5 of nasty coughing now, but starting to slow down.

Fingers crossed your taste comes back soon because that piece of brisket looks phenomenal

 

December 2020. Symptoms were almost non-existent. I felt a little winded at times but in pre-COVID world I would’ve gone into work the way I felt. Took a rapid test, negative. Wifey took one, positive. Went and took the one they send off but I knew I had it on the way there. I was driving the wifeys car and used some of her hand sanitizer. It was apple something or other. Couldn’t smell a thing. Held my hands right to my face and sniffed. Couldn’t smell apple but got the essence of alcohol if that makes sense. Burned a little but no smell. My sense of taste was affected but not as bad. Smell was completely gone. Weird as shit. Of course the worst thing you can do is Google it. “Smell gone forever” and all the other BS like didn’t smell the exhaust leak, ate rancid meat blah blah BS you’d expect online to get you worked up. Day 5 I woke up and went to the MIL who was cooking spaghetti. I walked in and caught the slightest whiff of garlic and marinara. Buddy, that was a happy moment. Started coming back on day 5, taste and smell. Took another week to get completely right again.

 

Back in August of ‘21….hit me like a ton of bricks. And I literally never get sick. Anywho, fast forward after 5 days of sleeping and fevers, I was showering and realized I wasn’t smelling the shampoo or soap. Got out, dried off, got dressed. Over to the pantry, grabbed the Costco sized white vinegar and stuck my nose into the bottle. NOTHING! Still got a little of the burn of vinegar, but zero of the scent. Craziest thing ever. Had some fun with it for a few days, then slowly back to normal. Worst lasting effect was the tiredness/feeling winded. That took a few months. Hope y’all feel better quick!

 

That’s the boat I’m in - I get the EsSeNcE of flavor/aroma, but no real sense. I know when something is salty, vinegary, spicy, etc., but nothing else. It’s like someone is yelling the flavor from another room as I’m eating.

 

Traveled on thanksgiving’s day so making up for it now. :turkey:

 

$249 for the 36” Blackstone - just a heads up for the homies.

Limited-time deal: Blackstone 36" Cooking Station 4 Burner Propane Fuelled Restaurant Grade Professional 36 Inch Outdoor Flat Top Gas Griddle with Built in Cutting Board, Garbage Holder and Side Shelf (1825), Black

$499 Blackstone 36" Cooking Station 4 Burner Propane Fuelled Restaurant Grade Professional 36" Outdoor Flat Top Gas Griddle with Built in Cutting Board, Garbage Holder and Side Shelf (1825), Black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078HFRNPQ

 

The brisket was good - I don’t know what I was expecting. Slightly more buttery flavor, but I do not think it is worth twice the amount for a well picked Choice that can yield the same results if done properly. I’m happy with the experiment, it was good one time fun.



I also got some delicious cooking fat out of it!

 

Any of y’all have a favorite source for smoking wood chunks? I can get hickory and mesquite at Lowe’s but I’m not sure where to look for other types.

 

I like cherry and apple, they usually have those

 

I can get maple and alder when out wood cutting.

Ace hardware, Lowe’s, or Home Depot usually have a variety in stock. Not a favorite source but Amazon also has a variety available when I can’t find it locally.

We also have fruit growers over on the Eastern side of the state. I can get apple and cherry wood after pruning season. Just have to watch Craigslist for availability.

I love alder, apple, or cherry for fish and poultry

I use a hickory blend for beef

I used to use mesquite but broke out in a rash one time while doing a long smoke so I stopped using it.

 

The best cost I’ve found is Academy for bagged B&B (the best quality, in my opinion). $5.99 per bag and 1 bag of pecan and post oak each will get me through 10 - 12 smokes on the Weber using the snake method. I recommend checking the bags for good sized chunks, though. Wound up with one that was mostly splinters once.

Now that we’re in a house and I’m buying full cords for the pit, I cut up splits from that.

 

I have a couple choke cherry trees but have not tried to use it for smoking. Anyone ever do this...interwebz says it might give a little bitter taste to the meat.

 

Last couple bags I bought were at HEB. At that time, they also had cherry and apple, but this was a while back.

 

HEB.

I’ve found pecan, oak, mesquite, and all the fruit trees.

Academy has some as well.

 

https://www.houstoniamag.com/travel-and-outdoors/2021/10/texas-apple-orchards-visit-this-fall

The problem is "five apple orchards to visit in Rhode Island" I can hammer them all out in a morning, and be home for lunch. The first one I looked at is in Pittsburg TX which google says is 4.5 hours north of Houston........ so, your mileage may vary - but if there are any close enough, call 'em up and ask. That's how we do whole hog up here, but we have a ton of orchards around to get the wood from.

 

@GarlicFarts



Random…but had me cracking up again. Carry on…
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L1JYHNX8pdo

 

Hey Guys, Ive been scrolling through for a while and needless to say, Im hungry!
Ive been wanting a smoker for a while, and Traeger is having a sale at the moment, so it seems like a good time to buy I guess. Im looking at the Ironwood series, I was thinking the 885. Does anyone have any feedback on that rig? or is the size difference from the 680 not enough to pay the extra $?