tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8496012927018404902024-02-07T05:01:50.416-08:00Smoke On!HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.comBlogger86125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-58630762525981960042016-10-29T20:27:00.001-07:002016-10-30T18:16:21.408-07:00Ribs on a Kettle<h2>
Ribs</h2>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfZgrPOOXISZpFwcE6Fg17Z5zPwF6uJcdz7IJTRiBJTA_c260YnYhi5ys_TO23k2h8AXJe7XA3OlEzSFLD3OYWnJOwcpnALHPbzAlnan9557jT7M5FwOzcVll_368eqfI4pQaA1J9w4U/s1600/DSC_0642.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfZgrPOOXISZpFwcE6Fg17Z5zPwF6uJcdz7IJTRiBJTA_c260YnYhi5ys_TO23k2h8AXJe7XA3OlEzSFLD3OYWnJOwcpnALHPbzAlnan9557jT7M5FwOzcVll_368eqfI4pQaA1J9w4U/s400/DSC_0642.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
I shared some ribs with a friend recently and he told me he really enjoyed them. I said that he could do that himself and wouldn't have to wait for me to decide to share again. He thought it involved too much skill and technique. I disagree, but I've been doing this for years. The purpose of this post is to describe my process so any reasonably competent cook can follow it. There is really a lot of margin in the process and I'll try to identify any points I think are critical.<br />
<h2>
Equipment</h2>
I really love my Weber Smokey Mountains. They are awesome smokers but they are expensive and you really have to be dedicated to spend $300 on one. (If you decide to go that way, I recommend the middle size 18 1/2" as the most useful.) I just checked Craigslist and there are two for sale. That compares to a couple dozen kettles.<br />
<h3>
The Kettle</h3>
The kettle is the original Weber (slightly modified from George Steven's original design.) It remains the most versatile cooker. I prefer it for ribs because grate area is what counts. I like to use my 26" kettle for ribs but the 22" will do the job. I see them on Craigslist for $15 and up. (You can recognize the 22" because it has the lid vents in line with the handle instead of to the side of the handle.)<br />
<h3>
Charcoal</h3>
<div>
For smoking on the kettle I use KBB. That's code for Kingsford Blue Bag. Plain old charcoal. <i>Not matchlight! </i>(Unless you like the taste of petroleum accelerants.) KBB provides a consistent burn. Stick with that unless you are confident in another brand.</div>
<h3>
Smoking wood</h3>
<div>
This is not required but I think it adds a nice flavor. It can also add too much flavor. A couple pieces of hickory, maple, apple and/or oak will do. They can be about the same size as the briquettes. wood chips work too but I prefer chunks. I don't bother to soak the wood in water. Wood is waterproof. They make boats out of wood.</div>
<div>
If you have no smoking wood handy, don't worry. The ribs will still be good with just plain charcoal. (And less likely to be oversmoked.)</div>
<h3>
Fire</h3>
<div>
No charcoal lighter fluid! I use paper in a Weber charcoal chimney. (Don't cheap out and buy a knock off that won't work as well.) I use the small Weber chimney for this because I only need to start a big handful of charcoal. </div>
<div>
An alternative is a big weed burner. I'm talking with the kind with a 4" burner tip and hose that attaches to a 20 lb. propane tank. You listen to the combustion roar when lit and you know it's going to light charcoal! You can also use an ordinary propane torch but it is not nearly as dramatic.</div>
<h3>
Meat</h3>
<div>
I think back ribs are going to be the easiest. You may also run across baby back ribs but those are going to be pricey and not really necessary. The whole point of BBQ is to take tough and otherwise useless pieces of meat and make them good. I find spare ribs a little tougher (pun intended) to get right. Country ribs are just a pork butt sliced up. I don't recommend them. (You can do a whole butt on the kettle but that's something entirely different.) I find nice meaty back ribs at Sam's Club. They come 3 to a Cryovac pack which works well on my 26" kettle. For a 22" kettle two racks of back ribs are enough.</div>
<h3>
Rub</h3>
<div>
I mix a bunch-O-spices and grind them in a retired coffee grinder. (The one shaped like an oval beer can.) You could just mix ground spices and be just as well off. Here's my mix.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
2 Tbsp black pepper corns</div>
<div>
2 Tbsp whole dried Rosemary</div>
<div>
1 Tbsp sea salt</div>
<div>
1 Tbsp whole Coriander</div>
<div>
1/2 Tbsp whole Cumin</div>
<div>
1 Tbsp whole Mustard</div>
<div>
Grind up dry spices</div>
<div>
1/2 tsp cayenne</div>
</div>
<br />
Some times I add some Ancho chili for a more Southwest flavor. Go easy on the cayenne if you don't like the heat. Add/subtract to your preference. This is not a lot of cayenne because I cook for our grandchildren. I get a kick out of seeing the youngest in his high chair with a rib in each fist. :D Seasoning is one of those areas where you can be flexible and experiment. I did some testing with a variety of commercial rubs (which are often heavy on sugar and salt) against my rub. I left some ribs unseasoned. They were all good, even the ones with no seasoning (though I would recommend at least some pepper and a little salt at a minimum.)<br />
<h3>
Sauce</h3>
<div>
I don't sauce the ribs in the cooker. Some times I sauce them a little when I reheat them. You can sauce them toward the end of the smoke if you want. I like Sweet Baby Ray's plain sauce but there are many other good sauces. Of course a little spritz of Louisiana Hot sauce or Tabasco at the table is good if you like a little more heat.</div>
<h2>
Process</h2>
<h3>
Prep the ribs</h3>
<div>
First thing I do is unwrap the ribs. Flip them over and try to peel the membrane off the back. Stick something like a bamboo skewer or spoon handle under the edge to get it started and grab it with some paper towel to get a grip and peel it off. If it doesn't come off easily, just leave it in place.</div>
<div>
Apply the rub to both sides of the ribs. The recipe above is about right for three racks of back ribs or two of spares. They come out kind of like herb crusted ribs. I like that. If you don't, use less rub. It's not critical. The ribs sit with the rub on them while I get the fire going.</div>
<h3>
Fire Lay</h3>
<div>
I use a charcoal arrangement that is called the snake. I put a wide row of charcoal about 2/3 of the way around the charcoal grate. I do this about 4-5 briquettes or so wide. Think of that as three briquettes next to each other on the bottom and two set on top of them. I used to carefully arrange them but lately have gotten too lazy to do that. They still burn. The wider the 'snake' the hotter it will burn. Don't worry if you don't get it exact. Ribs tolerate a range of cooking temperatures. 200° F to 375° F will work and just result in different cooking time. Add a half dozen chunks of smoking wood spaced along the back of the snake and the fire is set. I also put a foil pan on the charcoal grate to catch some of the grease that will come off the ribs. You can make a tray with several layers of foil.</div>
<div>
Light the charcoal at one end. Either light 6-8 in a chimney or aim your flame thower at one end of the snake for a half minute. The point is to start the fire at one end of the snake, not to get <i>all</i> of the charcoal lit. This controls temperature by limiting how much fuel burns at one time.</div>
<div>
Open all vents completely to start. Closer to the end of the cook when the meat is hot and more of the charcoal is burning, you can close the lid vent a little to moderate temperatures. If your kettle has a lid thermometer, look for a temperature from 250-350° F. The snake will normally run at the lower end of that range. Here's a double snake that will run a little hotter.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVWcK5vvrhuJWIF3o4p-7NJKJZoH8YIquqF6zuzGsBaHBCBHNVK882xEWWInzzgBkEEU66ts6RYXNRVH7-qUGm8p682scFmCAVFUXXkT4wZAK2iY9B3hzyPItRpMUCdGvc6dXXdadT1Y/s1600/DSC_7624-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXVWcK5vvrhuJWIF3o4p-7NJKJZoH8YIquqF6zuzGsBaHBCBHNVK882xEWWInzzgBkEEU66ts6RYXNRVH7-qUGm8p682scFmCAVFUXXkT4wZAK2iY9B3hzyPItRpMUCdGvc6dXXdadT1Y/s400/DSC_7624-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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<h2>
Meat on!</h2>
<div>
My favorite part. Wait... meat off is my favorite, this is my second favorite. Arrange the racks on the grate with the end with the thickest meat toward the lit charcoal. If space is tight you might have to overlap racks but understand they will probably take a little longer to cook. When I do that I also rearrange them every hour or two to get more even cooking. Some times I flip them over for a bit too. I start ribs with the bones arched up (membrane side down.)</div>
<div>
Put the lid on and orient the vent opposite the lit charcoal.</div>
<h2>
Cook</h2>
<div>
Resist the temptation to open the cooker and peek. It doesn't help them cook. Check after an hour or two and perhaps every hour after. When the ribs are near done, you might want to check every half hour or 20 minutes. There are strategies that involve wrapping the ribs in foil but I do not do that. Ribs steam in the foil and I want mine smoked.</div>
<h3>
When are they done?</h3>
<div>
If not cooked long enough, the meat will be tough but still tasty. If cooked too long, they may be falling off the bone. The ribs will usually pull back on the bones about 1/2" before they are done. At lower cooking temperature (below about 225° F) they may not pull back. Pick the rack up at one end with tongs and they should be somewhat floppy when done. If you get them off too soon and find them tough, stick them in the oven at 275° until done. The smoked flavor is there and will not evaporate in the oven.</div>
<div>
They should be done in about 5 hours. It will vary depending on cooker temperature.</div>
<h2>
Do your homework</h2>
<div>
Take notes. Record what you liked, what worked well and most important, what you would do next time to make better ribs. If they don't come out perfect the first time, don't give up. Just do better. That is actually the primary purpose of this blog. I used to record in detail all of my cooks so I could reflect and do better next time. I recommend you do something similar.</div>
<h2>
Postscript</h2>
<div>
The first thing I ever cooked on a Weber kettle was back ribs. They came out so good I remember them to this day, over 4 decades later. I got good results by following the instructions that came with the cooker. You could do that too. I'm sure Weber publishes that information on line.</div>
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<h4>
Enjoy!</h4>
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</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-65206946907830773912014-07-05T19:46:00.001-07:002014-07-05T19:46:53.016-07:00Independence Day Brisket Only a day late? Maybe TdF kickoff brisket. ;) Got a 14.75 lb packer from Sam's.<br />
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Weather was warm and sunny holding at about 75°F. Wind is light to moderate at about 12 mph. Towards the end of the cook a light drizzle began, but not enough to cool the cooker.<br />
<br />
KISS - salt and pepper rub. I cut the brisket more or less in half to fit the 18 WSM.<br />
<br />
This cook is going on the 18 WSM fired mostly with Stubb's briquettes and mostly oak with some hickory for smoking wood. Should throw a piece of mesquite in there as well. Using both ET-73 and ET-732 remote thermometers so I can get readings from both pieces of meat. One is much thicker than the other. A not over full charcoal ring kept the temperature between 275°F and 310°F for over ten hours (with no fiddling except opening an additional bottom vent when the brisket came off.)<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:15 AM</td><td><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</td><td>Lit cooker closed up - wait to come to temp.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:35</td><td><br /></td><td>With cooker temps approaching 300° F (only one bottom vent wide open) time to put the meat on! (Bigger piece up top.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:55 PM</td><td>270°/277°/138°/75° (lid/grate/lower/upper)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>1:59</td><td>265°/275°/167°/111°</td><td>Threw on a piece of mesquite.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:23</td><td>265°/275°/178°/153°</td><td>Coming along nice!</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:50</td><td><br /></td><td>With the bottom (smaller) piece hitting 180° I opened the cooker and wrapped it in white butcher paper.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:35</td><td>275°/307°/207°/191°</td><td>I think I'll pull the small piece and wrap the big piece.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:25</td><td>320°/295°/.../202°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>7:20</td><td>300°/.../.../212°</td><td>Bigger piece off - CI grate on and now for some bacon.</td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>7:42</td><td>250°/275°<br />
(lid/grate)</td><td>Stirred the coals a bit.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:00</td><td><br /></td><td>Put some butcher paper on the bottom rack and laid out the rest of the bacon.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:30</td><td>280°/300°</td><td>Bacon nearly done on the top rack (CI) bottom needs a little more to go.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:00</td><td>285°/305°</td><td>Bacon on top done - on the bottom - not so much. Peeled off paper as best as I could and left on the top grate to crisp.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:30</td><td><br /></td><td>Rest of bacon off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
About three hours into the cook - looking good so far.<br />
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<br />
Rested and sliced and ready to eat! A slice will support its own weight but pulls apart with a little more tension. And is moist. And tastes marvelous!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTWcEuIFG-pzhjFJRrSG5ar8njzD01zvWgyiiJ0is-wIjoIPRUuGRQNjAah0ZbGDgTpN64Pd3PzJWCYkbpW_mO9czxezH2GIc8DJwSwxmisX7yYtMYAdyUBV9ZRxNXgbbqOS0HMqzaic/s1600/IMG_20140705_200629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTWcEuIFG-pzhjFJRrSG5ar8njzD01zvWgyiiJ0is-wIjoIPRUuGRQNjAah0ZbGDgTpN64Pd3PzJWCYkbpW_mO9czxezH2GIc8DJwSwxmisX7yYtMYAdyUBV9ZRxNXgbbqOS0HMqzaic/s1600/IMG_20140705_200629.jpg" height="295" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
Possibly my best brisket so far. </div>
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<div>
I needn't do anything differently with the brisket next time. Perhaps serve with some fresh grated horseradish.<br />
<br />
Bacon on the cast iron grate works well and takes advantage of the lingering heat from the charcoal. The bacon on the paper - not so good. Moisture puddled up and it stuck badly to the paper.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-18895812907650977242014-03-17T20:11:00.002-07:002014-03-17T20:12:39.098-07:00Happy St. Paddy's Day!Or Happy St. Patrick's Day (<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2014/03/please-dont-call-it-st-pattys-day/" target="_blank">But never St. Patty's Day!</a>) I headed to the store to see if they had corned beef brisket on sale. Marianos had near 9 lb. corned beef flats for $2.99/lb. I bought two to smoke. They should freeze well. :D<br />
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Weather is still late winter clinging. About 26°F at the start of the cook and climbing rapidly toward an expected high in the mid 30s. The sky is clear and thankfully wind is light<br />
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I soaked the briskets in a big pot of water for about an hour before laying them out on the full sheet to apply the rub. They should really soak overnight to leach the salt but I did not want to wait for another day. Hopefully they will not be too salty. For rub I started with the little spice packets that came with the briskets. They look like mostly mustard with some anise and maybe coriander. Some were wet so I stuck them in the oven (spread on a plate) to dry and went to start the fire. By the time I got back in, they were toasted. ;) There were a couple tablespoons of this to which I added about a tablespoon of black pepper corns and another of coriander. In order to fit these flats on the 18 WSM, I draped them over stainless steel bowls. (Cat will have to go hungry for a while.)<br />
<br />
This cook is on the 18 WSM. I almost went with the 22 but the flats almost fit the 18" grates and I bought a little space by draping them. They will shrink a little and at that point I could remove the props so the flats lie flat. I fired the smoker with Stubbs briquettes with a large chunk of oak and a couple chunks of mesquite.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:45 AM</td><td><br /></td><td>Dump lit coals on and close up the cooker</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:00</td><td>220°</td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:33</td><td>190°</td><td>Opened one bottom vent full.</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:07</td><td>205°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>1:20 PM</td><td>220°</td><td>Set up ET-73 for remote temps</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:58</td><td>235°/148°/245°<br />
(grate/meat/lid)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>2:57</td><td>245°/156°/240°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>3:25</td><td>247°/158°/240°</td><td>Removed SS bowls. Briskets a little firm but may settle to grate eventually.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:07</td><td>242°/163°/245°</td><td>Pulled half of the top brisket to cook conventionally. (e.g. boil with cabbage and carrots. Maybe a potato.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:54</td><td>259°/164°/265°</td><td>Closed single open bottom vent to about half</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:27</td><td>238°/168°/235°</td><td> Added carrots to the pot</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:10</td><td>218°/166°/225</td><td>Stirred toe coals, added cabbage to pot (about 7:00)</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:33</td><td>240°/168°/230°</td><td>Finished a plate of corned beef and cabbage and it was very good. Still a bit firm but not tough and gristly like the one I recently got at a restaurant.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:00</td><td><br /></td><td>Cooker cooling down so I took the meat off. It is done.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
Fabulous! The corned beef and cabbage was good. The meat was a little firm when I had it so I took the cabbage out and let the meat cook another hour or so and it was much better. Flavor was a little bland but some horseradish and stone ground mustard turned that right around.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Next time I need to soak the briskets a little longer. They are bordering on a little too salty. These got about a 1 hour soak. Otherwise flavor was great!</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-13096947783765459262014-02-12T08:37:00.000-08:002014-02-23T08:41:30.969-08:00Beef Neck Bones - Liver Dumpling SoupWe were at the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle (which I highly recommend, both for food and their selection of beer.) Cindy and I both had liver dumpling soup. While I found the dumpling itself a little on the firm side, it reminded me of a favorite dish from my youth. I resolved to give it a try at home. <a href="http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/soups/r/Czech-Liver-Dumpling.htm" target="_blank">This recipe</a> resonated with me so I started assembling ingredients. I picked up a package of neck bones yesterday (for $3.59/lb.) That evening I saw that neck bones were on sale at Valli for $1.99/lb. <sigh> I decided to employ dollar cost averaging and bought two more packages for a total of nearly 8 lb.<br />
<br />
Weather has broken! Temperature was 22°F at the start of the cook and had dropped only 2 degrees by the time the meat came off. The sky was cloudy and wind light at less than 6 mph.<br />
<br />
The first step was to smoke the neck bones. Yes, I had to figure out some way to get a Weber in the act. :D I recall that some recipes for beef stock start with roasting the bones to utilize the Maillard reaction to develop more flavor. In addition to that, I added some smoke to the mix. I rubbed the bones with Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper before they went on the fire.<br />
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I used a drip pan (two actually) to catch drippings as well. The cook was done on the 26 to leverage the grate real estate to lay out 8 lb. of beef neck bones with an indirect fire. I used some left over lump in the mini-chimney to light some Stubbs briquettes behind the fire-brick wall. I was loath to wakl through 20" of snow to get to the shed so I grabbed a split of maple and another of oak for smoking wood. I alo threw in a chunk of what looked like apple.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:00 PM</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:10</td><td>400°</td><td>Thermometer is almost over the coals. Nevertheless, closed the top vent to about half.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:30</td><td>300°</td><td>Meat off! Looks good! Trimmed a bit of meat off and it is tough but very tasty!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Results - A little of the meat trimmed from one bone was tough but tasted great! The smoked bones made a great stock with smoky overtones. I will do this again.<br />
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<div>
What to do differently next time: I could watch the fire a little more carefully but 400°F measured near the coals is not at all unreasonable for what I was doing. I just wanted to brown the bones before boiling.<br />
<br />
I went on and boiled/simmered the bones that day and the next until the meat was falling off. After removing the bones, I added some carrots and celery since they were called for in the Liver Dumpling Soup recipe. The liver dumplings came out rather substantial. Very tasty but not exactly fall off the bone. I will try a different recipe next time (Mom's recipe acquired from little sister.) I will definitely make this again!<br />
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I could probably make them a little smaller too. ;)</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-15369150811767725272014-01-28T20:57:00.000-08:002014-02-12T20:59:52.013-08:00Jerk Chicken<span style="font-family: inherit;">Someone else posted this at the WKC as a way to move past the cold weather. I picked up 7 lb of chicken leg quarters (on sale 59¢/lb!) and had everything else needed. Tonight I prepared the marinade using "Phrasty's <a href="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36577" target="_blank">REAL Jerk recipe.</a> (Copied <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L7Ejwr3O3G6LCrIfBQH750lWjX00G3b9MUvsc3PI9ZM/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>.)</span><br />
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1°F, sunny and wind moderate at 10 mph. I'm using our new recyclable bin as a wind block.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">For the rub I made a double recipe and made some substitutions.</span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8 green onions and a medium yellow onion. (Should have been 12 green onions.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 tsp allspice berries</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 tbsp fresh thyme (or as much as I dared trim from the plant on the window sill.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4 tsp ground cinnamon</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 tsp grated nutmeg (~1/2 whole nutmeg grated.)</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 tsp brown sugar</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 tsp ground black pepper</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.15; white-space: pre-wrap;">1/2 C half and half rice vinegar and white vinegar (didn't have 1/4 cup malt vinegar.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2 tbsp peanut oil </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">juice of two limes</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I put the wet rub on the leg quarters about 10:00 PM the night before the cook. Total marinade time is about 17 hours. The plan is to cook indirect until nearly done and then crisp the skin over the coals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll do this in the 26 kettle so I can spread the chicken parts out. Better to have more space than not enough. A couple fire brick ob edge will provide for indirect cooking. Stubb's briquettes will be providing fire. The fire is started - a chimney full - about 2:10 PM. I grabbed a couple chunks of what I believe to be apple for smoke fla</span>vor.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:35 PM</td><td>°</td><td>Poured lit briquettes out of the chimney and added the apple chunks. Temp went up pretty fast to about 350°F on the cooker. I'll let it settle a few minutes before putting the chicken parts on.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:55</td><td>425°</td><td>Meat on! And no extra space on the grate. Good thing I went with the 26.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:40</td><td>450°</td><td>Flipped the pieces over. They seem to be cooking pretty evenly across the the grate.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:25</td><td>325°</td><td>Chicken probing at 150° and more. Time to add more briquettes and crisp the skin!</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:40</td><td>350°</td><td>Spread lit charcoal out and put chicken on it skin side down.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:50</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat off!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Results: chicken was delicious! I'll be doing this one again.<br />
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What to do differently next time. The only weak spot was that the skin still was not crispy. Tasty, but not crispy.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-11483429591627617272014-01-13T21:05:00.000-08:002014-02-12T21:07:14.135-08:00And now for something completely differentThat's the theme of the most recent throwdown at <a href="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/" target="_blank">BBQ Brethren</a>. I've got some goat meat I picked up on sale that has been in the freezer for a while so I decided it was different. I cast about for recipes and finally decided that Mole Goat would be good. Having recently learned that the mole paste in the refrigerator is actually Adobo paste. Duh! I'd use that to season the goat.<br />
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Weather is right balmy with Temperature at 39°F and a bit of wind reported at 15 mph. Sky is presumed to be a bit cloudy (but the sun is down) and no rain is predicted.<br />
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The goat was sliced into 3/4" slabs after freezing and sold that way. I think it might be a goat leg. I thawed and drained it. The Adobo paste is pretty stiff so I mixed several tablespoons with enough water to make a loose paste that I then marinated the goat in for about two hours. My plan is to do the goat in the 14 WSM until it is well done and then put it in the smallest Dutch oven with some more adobo sauce to braise until it falls apart. Here I'm thinking of the treatment of Pepper Stout Beef.<br />
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As noted, this is going on the 14 WSM. To do something different, I put about a quart of hot water in the bowl. For charcoal I used some left over lump and briquettes with some fresh Stubbs briquettes in the small chimney to light things off. I had some hickory that hadn't completely burned away in my last cook and added a couple pieces of oak to that. Temperature is measured using the Maverick ET-732 (cooker probe only) and the lid thermometer. After closing up the cooker, I left one bottom vent open. At my first temperature check, I opened a second vent since temperature seemed to be lagging.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:20 PM</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on! (cooker still coming up to temperature.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:40</td><td>191°/150°</td><td>Opened a second bottom vent.</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:35</td><td>225°/185°</td><td>Meat probes about 150°.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:16</td><td>236°/195°</td><td>Meat probed at 150-165°. the surface no longer holds puddles of meat juices so I put the meat in the Dutch oven.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:45</td><td>262°/210°</td><td>DO lid temps at 210° and meat over 200°. Not yet falling apart so I'll let it go a little longer.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:17</td><td>282°/240°</td><td>Done!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Results: The goat was tasty - reminded me of lamb but stronger flavor. It was just a little on the dry side and not terribly tender but not tough either. It made tasty tacos.<br />
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What to do differently next time: Not sure. I might look for a different recipe to try.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-88129403103031263382014-01-01T20:01:00.000-08:002014-01-01T20:01:06.056-08:00Stuff It!Stuff it is the theme I chose for a BBQ Brethren throwdown. You win one and you get to choose the following theme. I won "That's a Wrap" and chose this. I decided to realize this theme with a stuffed tenderloin when I found whole tenderloins on sale for $1.99/lb.<br />
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The stuffing will be made from wild rice and mushrooms.<br />
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Weather was chilly at about 20°F with snow coming down. Wind was light.<br />
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I trimmed and split the meat.<br />
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I pounded it as flat as I could get it which was not very much.<br />
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The stuffing was made with rosemary, sage, cumin, pepper and crushed garlic. I added some bread crumbs (processed commercial stuffing) and a handful of dried cherries (which actually include cranberries and currants as well.) I mixed in a couple eggs to hold it together and some milk so it wasn't too dry. I didn't want it pulling moisture from the meat.<br />
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After spreading the stuffing on the meat, I rolled the whole assembly in parchment paper and stuck it in the car trunk (where it would be safe from neighborhood canines) to firm up for a couple hours. Then the task was to tie it up. On the outside I had to decide between a bacon wrap and a rub. I decided on a wet rub with crushed garlic, cumin, sage, black pepper and a little crushed red pepper in a peanut oil slurry.<br />
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The cook was done on the 26" kettle to handle the length of the roll. I used an indirect fire held back by a couple fire bricks. Fire was using some Royal Oak and Stubbs briquettes. I dropped a hickory stick on the lit coals to add some additional smoke flavor. The bottom vent was closed to about 1/3 open and the top to about 2/3. Part way through the cook the top was opened fully. This resulted in a temperature on the lid thermometer of about 350° measured half way between the fire and lid vent. (In other words, the lid vent was positioned opposite the coals when I remembered to do so.) I also wrapped a couple spuds in foil and put them over the coals until done. Here it is ready to come off.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:30</td><td>°</td><td>Closed up the cooker</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:40</td><td>350° (lid)</td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:17</td><td>400° (right over charcoal)</td><td>Meat probes at about 70°.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:00</td><td>320° (opposite charcoal)</td><td>Meat probes about 110°.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:30</td><td>350°/130° (lid/meat)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>7:10</td><td>350°/153°</td><td>Meat off!</td></tr>
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The meat and stuffing had good flavor. I could have used a few more cherries and a little less cumin. The pork was neither dry nor overly moist.<br />
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What to do differently next time: I can think of several things. First, I could slice the meat thinner doing a spiral butterfly rather than just one cut. I might also take it to a lower temperature. With the middle at 153° the pork was well past the required 140°. I could also cut the tenderloin in half and do two different treatments, trying out different fillings and/or bacon vs. wet rub.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-39092166070954134232013-12-25T20:12:00.000-08:002014-01-01T20:34:35.719-08:00Boxing Day Standing Rib RoastWe decided to do a standing rib roast for Christmas this year. Our plans are slightly constrained because we're heading into Chicago on Boxing Day to celebrate with our kids and we need to accommodate our grandson's sleep schedule. We also need to respect our daughter-in-law's need for rest and privacy as she is going to deliver our next grandchild any day now, so we have a 3 hour window this afternoon. Our plan is to arrive about 2:30-3:00 and stay until about 6:00. Most, if not all food is being prepared off site and I plan to finish the roast just in time to rest so it is ready to carve upon our arrival. I could probably hold it a little longer if needed but that seems unlikely as the meat did not hit the grill until almost 10:00<br />
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Weather is chilly at about 16°F and might hit 20° before the cook is complete. Wind is very light reported at about 3 mph and skies are cloudy. A few flakes of snow are falling.<br />
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The meat has been dry aged for a week now. Here it is fresh from the market.<br />
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Five days later it had darkened considerably. It darkened a little more in the next three days before the cook.<br />
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I rubbed this morning with cracked pepper and coriander and Kosher salt before I set up the cooker. I've placed a foil pan under the roast to capture any drippings. Here it is shortly after going on.<br />
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The cook is being done on the 18 WSM. I want to cook at about 225° and the smoker provides the tightest temperature control. Fire is using Royal Oak briquettes with a few chunks of oak and some hickory and mesquite for smoke flavor. When the meat hit a target temperature of about 120° I plan to move it to a hot 22" kettle for a reverse sear. The kettle was fired with a chimney of lump and held indirect using a firebrick standing on edge. Following the cook, the meat would be wrapped in foil and held in a preheated cooler for transport to our kids place where we were going to eat Christmas dinner. That would give it an extended rest.<br />
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<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:10</td><td><br /></td><td>Close up the cooker with all vents wide open. Foiled the water pan and have a foil pan on the lower grate to capture any juices.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:17 </td><td><br /></td><td>Cooker temps about 180° and climbing so I'll close two bottom vents and leave the last about half open.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:25</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat probe laying on top grate at 201° and cooker temp reading 208° and these seem to be stable. Might have to open a bottom vent a bit.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:30</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on! IT initially reading 41°F. I guess I could have gotten up earlier and let it come closer to room temperature.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:44</td><td>41°/212°/195° (meat/grate/lid)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>10:07</td><td>54°/252°/</td><td>Need to close one of the bottom vents as temp is slowly climbing past where I want it.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:26</td><td>93°/223°/225°</td><td>Super!</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:18</td><td>111°/193°/210°</td><td>Stirred the coals a bit. </td></tr>
<tr><td>12:47</td><td>120°/194°/194°</td><td>Closed the cooker up while I got the kettle fired up with some Royal Oak lump.</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:58</td><td>124°/181°/175°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>1:00 </td><td><br /></td><td>Transfer to 400° kettle to sear.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:10</td><td>124°</td><td>Off!</td></tr>
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The meat had a uniform rare appearance and tasted great! It might have had an over smoked flavor, but that was only a problem in the end pieces. It produced a lot of au jus while resting and unfortunately some of it escaped the foil and was in the bottom of the cooler. There was enough in the foil to serve with the beef. Before carving, I cut off the bones (4 ribs) and saved them for later. I did those for a couple hours the next day in the kettle. Those ribs were great!</div>
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No plated pix but here is the roast ready to come off the smoker. The top part pulled back a little away from the rib ends when I seared at high temperature.<br />
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What to do differently next time. I might go with a little less smoking wood.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-63615230386449202672013-12-19T20:22:00.000-08:002013-12-21T20:23:29.624-08:00Couple more stuffed fatiesI had a roll of breakfast sausage in the fridge and needed to use it or freeze it. I decided it smarter to use it. :D And besides, we have finished the fatty I made a little while ago. I also had this package of ground beef in the refrigerator that I wanted to deal with. I decided to mix it with the sausage and wrap it around a roll of chorizo sausage with some sharp cheddar.<br />
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Weather was warm today with temps warm at about 39°F. Sky was cloudy and wind was light at just under 10 mph.<br />
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I started mixing the ground beef and breakfast sausage. There was enough for two fatties.<br />
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It spreads out on was paper pretty easily with a wood spatula moistened with warm water.<br />
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And then spread out some cheese and get the chorizo ready to roll.<br />
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This time I twisted the ends of the wax paper to see if that would seal them up.<br />
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These also roll out nicely with a second piece of wax paper and a rolling pin.<br />
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Both fatties went into the freezer to firm up a little while I prepared the bacon weave.<br />
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And ready to put on the fire. (Should have had a little more bacon.)<br />
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I cooked again on the 14 WSM (Weber Smokey Mountain). I fired it with some Royal Oak lump and a few pieces of hickory. Water pan was dry and foiled. I started with two bottom vents open and cut that back to one part way through the cook. I measured cooker and meat temperature using a Maverick ET-732. When the meat hit 155° internal temperature I cranked the heat up by removing the water pan and opening all bottom vents. I also stirred the charcoal a bit to knock the ash free. When the meat hit 170° I took it off to rest and put some zucchini on to grill.<br />
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<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:55</td><td>°</td><td>Close up the cooker and wait for the fire to settle. Two bottom vents wide open.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:05</td><td>245°/???°/???° (lid/meat/grate)</td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:40</td><td>280°/115°/295°</td><td>Went to one bottom vent open. I would like to go a little slower and allow more fat to render off.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20</td><td>290°/158°/280°</td><td>Pulled the foiled water pan out, stirred the coals and opened all vents to get some heat to see if I can crisp the bacon.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:40</td><td>335°/165°/367°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:45</td><td>335°/171°/363° </td><td>Meat off and zucchini to go on.</td></tr>
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These fatties are great! The spicy core blends with the wrapper and the cheese just adds another shade. I wish the bacon wrap would crisp but it tastes good nevertheless. Add some hickory smoke flavor to that and it is just fantastic!</div>
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What to do differently next time: Twisting the ends seem to have sealed the cheese in pretty well. the bacon still didn't crisp. Maybe next time fire up a separate kettle really hot to see if that does it. Maybe put the fatty on the bottom rack to get it closer to the coals.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-73548049923726871822013-12-11T19:05:00.000-08:002013-12-11T19:05:29.293-08:00That's a Wrap!Flush with the win at the BBQ-Brethren "Spin to Win" throwdown, I'm preparing another entry. The current theme is "That's a Wrap!" I've done plenty of naked fatties - had some for dinner just last night - but I'm going to do something a little special for this one. I've seen some with the bulk sausage wrapped around another sausage and then the whole thing wrapped in a bacon weave. I'm starting with hot Italian sausage, some sharp cheddar and savory sage bulk sausage. I'll finish it off with a wrapping of bacon weave.<br />
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Weather is COLD with temperature at 17°F and wind a little over 10 mph.<br />
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Ingredients are listed above. I stuck the sausage and bacon in the freezer to harden them a little for easier handling. I then rolled the sausage out on a piece of parchment paper (ran out of wax paper) and then peeled the casing off the Italian sausage and set them approximately in the middle. I sliced some sharp cheddar and spread it on either side of the Italian sausage. Then I rolled the assembly up in parchment paper and stuck it back in the freezer to harden a little more. While that was going on, I separated my bacon and wove it on a piece of parchment. When that was done, I got the sausage assembly out of the freezer and rolled it up in the weave. That went back in the freezer while I got the fire started.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6mqdSA7xQBg/UqjhpzD9suI/AAAAAAAAUK8/-FLj-KPuYe8/s1600/DSC_8330-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6mqdSA7xQBg/UqjhpzD9suI/AAAAAAAAUK8/-FLj-KPuYe8/s400/DSC_8330-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Components ready to roll</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynLmwJv264WvOlNv390WQ00uturJXaAgd_UYgpzfiRuZGQ6FNUNJzl8dsSv8r3VVXoaVBFSJHDM0J8adeBjGPnkY44NQCByXZEF6Tj1cYLPjgdiEh-gPdlJHWOg7g36ABpDNnXWfA3wI/s1600/DSC_8335-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiynLmwJv264WvOlNv390WQ00uturJXaAgd_UYgpzfiRuZGQ6FNUNJzl8dsSv8r3VVXoaVBFSJHDM0J8adeBjGPnkY44NQCByXZEF6Tj1cYLPjgdiEh-gPdlJHWOg7g36ABpDNnXWfA3wI/s400/DSC_8335-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything goes better with bacon!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFzKiJuZl9kDkx0OUK9T1PlI6W2eNkgl-hvW_YQIs0vU5QMIFhART32_jKwx6RinyGUKRkiPBdFt62fh3z4kI-a8WGWfDUFAv_0RCsQ28_-y_3z4TsLXL1z8uBaoUNX7ZWpVuA7ATfrQ/s1600/DSC_8336-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPFzKiJuZl9kDkx0OUK9T1PlI6W2eNkgl-hvW_YQIs0vU5QMIFhART32_jKwx6RinyGUKRkiPBdFt62fh3z4kI-a8WGWfDUFAv_0RCsQ28_-y_3z4TsLXL1z8uBaoUNX7ZWpVuA7ATfrQ/s400/DSC_8336-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bacon weave was built on parchment to facilitate assembly</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUNff2hMTofwIv79RtGppYDoqzdfejJVn381XOUMrhzo3LghZqmd89K_a3eVrH_56lHligaawEeetClK7vlZtlwCDobjuPrcSmhGttXMmyNo2F59DjFeUxpMepAKNXjGkwUSCfg2de8w/s1600/DSC_8342-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUNff2hMTofwIv79RtGppYDoqzdfejJVn381XOUMrhzo3LghZqmd89K_a3eVrH_56lHligaawEeetClK7vlZtlwCDobjuPrcSmhGttXMmyNo2F59DjFeUxpMepAKNXjGkwUSCfg2de8w/s400/DSC_8342-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ends are loose - not sure what to do with them.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The cook will happen on the 14 WSM as it seems an ideal size. If it finishes before the fire goes out, I'll smoke some mixed nuts as well. I plan to see how hot the 14 will get by firing with a good supply of lump and leaving all vents wide open. I mixed a few pieces of hickory in with the lump to provide some additional smoke. As I type this (nearly an hour onto the cook) it seems that the cooker is not going to get too hot. It's been holding about 250°.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:50 PM</td><td><br /></td><td>Closed up the cooker with lit coals. All vents open to see what it does. Got bacon I want to crisp.</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:58</td><td>255°</td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:26</td><td>250°</td><td>Not as hot as I expected. But the bacon is cooking. Might need to finish in a kettle that I can get a little hotter. Added three Italian sausages. Might as well smoke them while I have the smoker running.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:58</td><td>250°</td><td>Italian sausages look good and progress is evident on the fatty. I'll check Internal temperatures in 15 minutes.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:25</td><td>260°</td><td>Sausages temp at 200° and fatty at 160°. Pulled the sausages and removed the foiled bowl to see if I could get some more heat on the fatty to crisp the bacon.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:33</td><td>290°</td><td>We be crisping! Carefully turned the fatty over.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:35</td><td>290°</td><td>And off</td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td>Now to prep the nuts.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:55</td><td>290°</td><td>Nuts on</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:15</td><td>210°</td><td>Stirred and opened a second bottom vent.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:35</td><td>245°</td><td>Stirred some more.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:07</td><td>265°</td><td>Stirred probably one last time.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:30</td><td>235°</td><td>Nuts off. Surprisingly the ones in the bottom rack were more done.</td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3SxNwZ1cFP8/UqjhourKtgI/AAAAAAAAUKk/4TS7S2n8YeQ/s1600/DSC_8345-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3SxNwZ1cFP8/UqjhourKtgI/AAAAAAAAUKk/4TS7S2n8YeQ/s400/DSC_8345-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just fits on a 14 WSM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiul3WY1LIKGfjkn5qka8sRVU1UrnX1DRBOizLoWu_ATrkYOL8QKBVurgZEw3MCddIC9cuS-bLwidiZHdMkoQJdHVZfvFgDE8Osg7IK6fiDy-HtXlXKIOz-GryTQBr3UE4aVMR38uI9aU/s1600/DSC_8347-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiul3WY1LIKGfjkn5qka8sRVU1UrnX1DRBOizLoWu_ATrkYOL8QKBVurgZEw3MCddIC9cuS-bLwidiZHdMkoQJdHVZfvFgDE8Osg7IK6fiDy-HtXlXKIOz-GryTQBr3UE4aVMR38uI9aU/s400/DSC_8347-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half hour in - added some sausages.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2b-e9ymhfTY/Uqjh012OF9I/AAAAAAAAULE/MBEpY7oAYR0/s1600/DSC_8351-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2b-e9ymhfTY/Uqjh012OF9I/AAAAAAAAULE/MBEpY7oAYR0/s400/DSC_8351-PP.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to come off</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mV86ust0Mfc/Uqjh4vCpJKI/AAAAAAAAULU/Aj94LkRhwxM/s1600/DSC_8354-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mV86ust0Mfc/Uqjh4vCpJKI/AAAAAAAAULU/Aj94LkRhwxM/s400/DSC_8354-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking good - the sausages should have come off sooner though.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPI5DKqhZaGQVAQZevBjLrj0m-bIurod2XeoVtDbBhIr6YqFsga7_P3dyiRzLAOiEzM_P4lPlmAxzBQHPDNNwDx-S_r8OdJdZIxAtAuxjEEI-4SEWjEr7wQjWVKo4h5mra5Te2VIjbp8/s1600/DSC_8361-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPI5DKqhZaGQVAQZevBjLrj0m-bIurod2XeoVtDbBhIr6YqFsga7_P3dyiRzLAOiEzM_P4lPlmAxzBQHPDNNwDx-S_r8OdJdZIxAtAuxjEEI-4SEWjEr7wQjWVKo4h5mra5Te2VIjbp8/s400/DSC_8361-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div>
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<div>
What to do differently next time: First I need to get the sausages off before they hit 200°. Next I'd want to get the fatty on high heat to crisp the bacon before it hits 160°. Lastly, I'd want to do something with the ends to keep the cheese in the fatty. I could either trim the inner sausages so I can close the ends (or roll the bulk sausage out a little more. Perhaps tie some butcher string around the end. With regard to the nuts, it would be useful to swap trays from top to bottom grate for more even smoking.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-2599019939777274992013-12-06T05:58:00.000-08:002013-12-09T06:00:46.774-08:00Pepper Stout Beef and Turkey<h4>
Beef and Bell Peppers</h4>
Beef chuck roasts were on sale ($3.69/lb) so I picked up two for a little more than four pounds total. They're steaks about 2" thick rather than one big chunk-O-beef. Bell peppers were on sale as well so I picked up two meaty ones and some jalapeños. Already have some stout and garlic. Once again I'm following the <a href="http://wolfepit.blogspot.com/2009/10/pepper-stout-beef.html" target="_blank">Wolfe Pit recipe</a>.<br />
<br />
But wait! There's more! I'm also going to cook a 20 lb turkey provided by Alice Hanes for First Friday. I plan to do it on the rotisserie (hoping to learn from previous results.) I will time it to finish about the time we are ready to head out and then carve at the party. (Scroll past the PSB entry to find this one.)<br />
<br />
Weather is chilly at 16°F with light clouds and wind light reported at 10 mph. We may not get any warmer through the day.<br />
<br />
Beef was rubbed liberally with cracked black pepper and Kosher salt. The remaining flavors will go on in the Dutch oven.<br />
<br />
This is being cooked on the 14" WSM (Weber Smokey Mountain.) This cooker seems to work best with lump charcoal so I used the remainder of a bag of Cowboy Lump and topped it up with some Royal Oak lump. I mixed in a few small chunks mesquite and hickory for flavor and made sure the wood and charcoal was fairly tightly packed for a better burn. I', starting with the three bottom vents about half open and will adjust as necessary. An ideal cooker temperature would be 275°-325°F. Temperature is measured using the ET-73 with the meat probe in the upper piece of meat and the cooker probe kind of wedged into the upper grate.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:00 AM</td><td>°</td><td>Beef on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:14</td><td>215°/226°/73° (lid/grate/meat)</td><td><br />
Still heating up.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:52</td><td>215°/226°/126°</td><td>Seems low but the meat is moving so no changes will be made.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:24</td><td>285°/284°/142°</td><td>Temperature came up w/out intervention.</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:19</td><td>250°/262°/156°</td><td>Opened the door and stirred the coals.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:19</td><td>225°/279°/163°</td><td>Time to pot up with the pepper and stout. Unusual lid thermometer reading.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:40</td><td>210°/259°</td><td>Time to open the bottom vents, stir the coals and let 'er rip!</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:20</td><td>210°/259°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>2:47</td><td>205°/261°</td><td>Need to bring in and finish in the oven.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:00</td><td>350° (Oven temperature)</td><td>Uncovered beef - it is starting to fall apart.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:00</td><td>350° </td><td>Covered, left in oven and oven turned off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Results: Flavor great! It could have been cooked a wee bit more as the chunks took a little encouragement to break up. Flavor balance and heat were perfect.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What to do differently next time. Nothing, really.</div>
<h3>
Another rotisserie turkey!</h3>
<br />
(Same weather as above.)<br />
<br />
The bird is injected so I'm not brining. I will rub with oil and stuff with fresh herbs and onion, orange, garlic and celery. I'll probably make some gravy too.<br />
<br />
I'll set the rotisserie on my Performer and cook with lump charcoal. I'll probably go with apple an cherry for smoking wood though I'm thinking of adding a little mesquite and hickory as well. Temperature is via lid thermometer and a probe poked tenuously through the slot for the spit rod.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:20 PM</td><td><br /></td><td>Bird on! Bottom vent about half open and top full. Temp is climbing fast! But that's supposed to be good for starting the bird so I'll let it ride.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:45</td><td>421°/280° (remote/lid)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>3:30</td><td>293°/170°</td><td>Threw more lump, apple and cherry on the fire. Bird looking good!</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:20</td><td>300°+-/170°</td><td>No more remote reading. It was winding up around the spit. Good thing I checked it before it ran out of cable! I need a better way to do that, probably using a hole in the ring. I had the cooker open so I could put a thermometer in the thigh so I can measure meat temperature.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:00</td><td><br /></td><td>Coals almost gone and temp is dripping. Thigh probes at 165 and thigh at 157. Time to prepare to hold the bird. Threw a few more coals on.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:30</td><td><br /></td><td>Bird off and in the pre-warmed cooler.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Results: Turkey came out barely done. I suppose this is a good thing. The leg joints were just starting to loosen. The result was moist meat. And the stitching job held and contents of the body cavity remained in place. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What to do differently next time: I need to work on the flavor profile. I have to plan some sort of further seasoning either under the skin or on it.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-76521172181704164762013-11-28T20:21:00.000-08:002013-12-03T20:23:04.384-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!We are celebrating with family and they have procured a 28 lb bird that is home raised. We're not sure about the breed but the shape looks a little different from the run of the mill store bought birds so it might be a heritage breed.<br />
<br />
Weather is calm at 25°F with a light cloud cover. Wind is reported at about 12 mph but we're surrounded by trees and things at ground level are calm. Perfect weather for a cook!<br />
<br />
This bird was not injected so we brined it for about 20 hours using:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 C pickling salt</li>
<li>1 C sugar</li>
<li>6 C apple juice</li>
<li>2 C orange juice</li>
<li>1 C lemon juice</li>
<li>1 C lime juice</li>
<li>Sufficient water to bring volume up to 2 gallons.</li>
</ul>
<br />
After brining, the bird was rinsed about 15 minutes and spitted. With the spit in place I stuffed the cavities with:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 limes</li>
<li>one orange</li>
<li>2 onions </li>
<li>6 cloves garlic</li>
<li>sprigs of thyme, sage and rosemary (all fresh from the garden.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
This time I took some little metal skewers and trussed up the openings so the fruit doesn't fall out as the bird rotates. I was also able to achieve fairly good balance so if the bird doesn't shift on the spit, we should get good rotation. Before putting the bird on, I spread the outside with oil. (Ordinary cooking oil - canola.)<br />
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kJuFQiqNNzo/UpeBq0rEXvI/AAAAAAAAUAw/2zeR9kMrlbM/s1600/P1020101-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kJuFQiqNNzo/UpeBq0rEXvI/AAAAAAAAUAw/2zeR9kMrlbM/s400/P1020101-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spitted and trussed and ready to spin!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I brought along my older Platinum (22.5 Weber kettle) on which to cook. This is fitted with my home made rotisserie ring. We're firing with Cowboy Lump and using chunks of cherry and apple for some smoke flavor. I'll be aiming for a little less than 300°F lid thermometer temperature as the last bird finished pretty fast.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gmID7tjQcFo/UpeBrbjW9MI/AAAAAAAAUA0/_q7QVlRkGCk/s1600/P1020102-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gmID7tjQcFo/UpeBrbjW9MI/AAAAAAAAUA0/_q7QVlRkGCk/s400/P1020102-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turkey on and cooker closed up.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I need to do a better job trussing these birds up. By an hour in, the leg end was loose and rolling on the spit and the stuff from the cavity was mostly in the drip pan.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRwB8enxIzU/Upehoh1CuEI/AAAAAAAAUBE/ChsMFOCT8Kc/s1600/P1020105-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yRwB8enxIzU/Upehoh1CuEI/AAAAAAAAUBE/ChsMFOCT8Kc/s400/P1020105-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">About an hour into the cook.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:30</td><td><br /></td><td>Lit lump dumped in the bowl on either side of a double drip pan and cooker closed up.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:45</td><td>350°</td><td>Bird on! </td></tr>
<tr><td>11:55</td><td>300°</td><td>Closed bottom just a bit more. No desire to rush this one. (Started cook with bottom vent about half open.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:38</td><td>220°/282° (lid/spit)</td><td>Added ET-732 probe to spit rod opening for second opinion temperature measurement. The lid therm is reading low!</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:50</td><td>220°/282°</td><td>While out running, temperature started dropping so son put more charcoal in and cleared the vents of ash. Temp seems back up. Probed meat and got about 155°, breast and thigh. Skin on back and legs is splitting so I brushed the bird with more canola oil.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:28</td><td>235°/300°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>4:40</td><td>???/300°</td><td>180° breast and a little less thigh so it's off and resting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
(lid/spit) => Weber lid thermometer and Maverick ET-732 probe stuck in by the spit rod opening.<br />
<br />
<div>
Turkey was tasty but dry. The information I saw that suggested I take it to 185° was bogus. Also this bird had no fat. None evident in the usual places and none in the drip pan.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What to do differently next time: Don't go to 180°! If I have one that's devoid of fat, I need to baste more and/or put some butter under the skin. An injection of butter might be good too.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-2235167164389098532013-11-13T20:13:00.001-08:002013-11-13T20:13:30.750-08:00Turkey TrialFor Turkey Day I'll be cooking a 28 pound bird. A little later for First Friday I'll be doing a 20 lb bird. I'm thinking of using my rotisserie for this so I will run a trial today using the cheapest frozen 12 pound bird I could pick up. (Jenny-O, $0.79/lb) I'll do it on the Performer using left over lump and some apple and cherry for smoking wood.<br />
<br />
We're running 39°F under sunny skies with winds brisk at about 15 mph.<br />
<br />
With the turkey ready I started fire building about 2:30 PM. That's piling the left over mostly lump into the chimney and getting it lit. I also split up some chunks of apple and cherry for smoking wood.<br />
<br />
This smoke is being done on the Performer using the Rotisserie ring. The bird has been stuffed with sliced orange, onion, garlic and fresh rosemary, thyme and sage. Part way through the cook I moved the covered Silver A upwind of the Performer to afford some block from the wind. Didn't seem to make much difference.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:55 PM</td><td><br /></td><td>Dumped lit lump out on either side of a drip pan and dropped a couple chunks of apple and cherry on the coals.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:00</td><td><br /></td><td>Rotisserie ring in place and spitted turkey rotating. Counter weight does not quite offset the eccentricity but helps I suppose.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:22</td><td>300° (lid)</td><td>Temp seems to have settled here for now.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:45</td><td>305°</td><td>Took pix and bird has lots of color! And the stuffing is falling out of it. :-/</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:20</td><td>250°</td><td>Probed 155° by thighs and 135° in breast. Was the breast still a little frozen when I started? Also added more lump and smoking wood.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:40</td><td>320°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>4:50</td><td>300°</td><td>Breast probed 156° and thigh about 160°. Huh?</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:10</td><td>300°</td><td>Breast probing 167° and thigh at 166° - Done! Off and resting.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Cooker temps measured using the lid thermometer.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yQdHmni70Pg/UoQFDCfwmnI/AAAAAAAAT3o/qWtGnFMby28/s1600/DSC_8120-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yQdHmni70Pg/UoQFDCfwmnI/AAAAAAAAT3o/qWtGnFMby28/s400/DSC_8120-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bird about 45 minutes in.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EZsch-hOi3Q/UoQFDNUP4kI/AAAAAAAAT3s/qiaP7RkuA7M/s1600/DSC_8122-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EZsch-hOi3Q/UoQFDNUP4kI/AAAAAAAAT3s/qiaP7RkuA7M/s400/DSC_8122-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Almost ready to take off the grill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyzrJxppdTgtuKDrYtIO8C6d8tFZYol37LO3LaP5FlHXOsvSZmbqUAP6tPT4qE2YnZm85lo2SGCBnGwI5Sg2QWVexVK_66CvdcxNQZQms9qm6WSWQxps48Tq8x6wL3o2vgHO3VwZ9TkA/s1600/DSC_8127-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyzrJxppdTgtuKDrYtIO8C6d8tFZYol37LO3LaP5FlHXOsvSZmbqUAP6tPT4qE2YnZm85lo2SGCBnGwI5Sg2QWVexVK_66CvdcxNQZQms9qm6WSWQxps48Tq8x6wL3o2vgHO3VwZ9TkA/s400/DSC_8127-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partly carved</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Turkey was very good! Skin was crisp and smoke flavor good. White meat ... was not dry. It's never going to be as moist as the dark meat which was very moist on this bird. Some of the stuff in the body cavity came out but the bird still tasted good.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What to do differently next time: I need to truss up the body cavity better so stuff doesn't fall out. Maybe leave an orange cut in half and run the spit through it to plug the opening. Maybe I could back off on the heat after the first half hour or so. It must have been pretty hot to finish a 12 pound turkey in 2:10.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-84797619040572732792013-11-11T07:20:00.000-08:002013-11-11T07:54:53.768-08:00Do you want to smoke?This is another departure from my typical record of a cook. It is for the benefit of friends who want to have a go at smoking but aren't ready to plunk down hundreds of dollars for a Weber Smokey Mountain. Weber kettles are very versatile charcoal cookers and with proper technique can make terrific BBQ. My suggestion is to watch Craigslist.com for a decent used kettle. The bowl and lid are porcelain coated and unless beat up badly, will last for decades. Grates and the One Touch system parts are wear items and can be had at your local Ace Hardware of Amazon for a modest price. Or go crazy and get a a 22" OTG (One Touch Gold) for about $150. (I do recommend sticking with the 22" kettle vs. the smaller 18" size.) Whereas Weber kettles are often available used, the Smokey Mountain is almost as rare as hens teeth on the used market.<br />
<br />
Here is an article that the proprietor of The Weber Kettle Club wrote to compile various methods to smoke on a Weber: <a href="http://weberkettleclub.com/blog/2013/11/05/smoking-on-a-weber-kettle/" target="_blank">8 Easy Options to Smoke on a Weber Kettle</a>. Techniques I have personally used include the charcoal basket and my recent favorite, the snake:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://weberkettleclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/smoking-snake-method.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://weberkettleclub.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/smoking-snake-method.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: cookingmama at Weber Kettle Club</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I used a double snake the first time I made pepper stout beef to get a higher temperature and it worked very well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8W1ZuiRchr5t6_ikYc8WgqWoLwr-o6DwXmVY68xvQvFn3DsaqP6_kSY1bNHEYXYmf7gv9-o0Oi_yzogUJ5uPrz9Jrw-CPw2o9JEZTjGWGuEUAYgXB000BOiOwQAlXEjrADAAyGp2kk4/s1600/DSC_7624-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN8W1ZuiRchr5t6_ikYc8WgqWoLwr-o6DwXmVY68xvQvFn3DsaqP6_kSY1bNHEYXYmf7gv9-o0Oi_yzogUJ5uPrz9Jrw-CPw2o9JEZTjGWGuEUAYgXB000BOiOwQAlXEjrADAAyGp2kk4/s400/DSC_7624-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This got me 375°F+ and worked well for the first and second stages of cooking the beef.<br />
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Want to smoke? Do it!HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-25062212896169272572013-10-31T18:43:00.001-07:002013-10-31T18:43:47.154-07:00Hanging spares for fishingMy dear fishing buddy asked for something from the smoker. Already got pulled pork and pepper stout beef but it is hard to beat ribs so I thawed a cryovac pack of three racks of spares. I'll have two cookers going since I did nuts in the mini earlier and have followed that with thick slices of butternut squash.<br />
<br />
Weather conditions have deteriorated since I started this morning. It's raining. Not hard but more than a drizzle. The little cooker is holding its own against the rain and hopefully so will the big cooker. Temperature is still mild at 61°F and wind just a bit over 10 mph.<br />
<br />
This is a lazy cook. I just cracked open a bottle of Slap Yo' Daddy rub and sprinkled that on the ribs. I didn't even pull the membrane off rationalizing that it was best to keep on for hanging ribs. I did hang the ribs from the end with the biggest bones (front of the pig? I should swap one around to put the thicker end close to the fire. I'll do that now.<br />
<br />
This was done on the 18 WSM (Weber Smokey Mountain) with no grates or water bowl. Instead I used the rack I made from 3/8 rebar. The fire was made using Cowboy lump with hickory, apple and some black walnut for smoking wood. Fire was started using the Minion method and the cooker closed soon after the hot coals were dumped on the fire lay.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vS6vnT7laUk/UnK8xUqnqhI/AAAAAAAATzw/Dk9Ad_1Q3lY/s1600/DSC_7776-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vS6vnT7laUk/UnK8xUqnqhI/AAAAAAAATzw/Dk9Ad_1Q3lY/s400/DSC_7776-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribs hanging in the 18.5 WSM</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The quantity of smoke in the picture probably results from meat juices and rain dripping on the coals compounded by very high humidity.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:35 PM</td><td><br /></td><td>Fire on the coals and close up smoker. Temperature is coming up quickly (empty smoker...) so I went to one bottom vent open.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:50</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:00</td><td>181°/180°(remote/lid)</td><td>Opened one more bottom vent (two open now.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:15</td><td>264°/230°</td><td>Opened the cooker to flip one rack thin end up.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:22</td><td>275°/245°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>4:19</td><td>270°/240°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:10</td><td>280°/260°</td><td>Rain stopped - Ribs look done! Closing down smoker and getting ribs off in a minute.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20</td><td><br /></td><td>Ribs off and resting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Ribs were good. The first thing I tried was one that hung front end (thick end) up. The lower end was predictably dry - kind of like jerky - though it still tasted good. The other end seemed like it was verging on being dry though it was not actually dry. I wonder if spares made this way would be a good candidate for wrapping before they finish. They also seem a tad bit oversmoked.</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcWVVtzikaX-bmZG0fmEVgf4IgAWqn4DBcMLJGNLMTe8SlbYGtfnnfrLertyME35ql_iaAA0dbAv-gJOiL8oo08UOksapEvfIUifVLPAqbkS4EnNbbux3ar_3eToQazDZl1LznAr_oiY/s1600/DSC_7781-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikcWVVtzikaX-bmZG0fmEVgf4IgAWqn4DBcMLJGNLMTe8SlbYGtfnnfrLertyME35ql_iaAA0dbAv-gJOiL8oo08UOksapEvfIUifVLPAqbkS4EnNbbux3ar_3eToQazDZl1LznAr_oiY/s400/DSC_7781-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off the smoker and ready to rest!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div>
I think that I'll either go back to doing spares on the grate with water in the pan or perhaps try wrapping them before they are done. When hung, I'll hang the skinny end up.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-68783556087977204162013-10-31T16:49:00.000-07:002013-10-31T16:49:19.752-07:00Soup to nutsNo soup today, but the saying has me thinking... I wonder how butternut squash soup would taste if the butternut was smoked first.<br />
<br />
Today is nuts. This is the first recipe in Weber Smoke (I think - can't find my copy right now.) Mix:<br />
<ul>
<li>1 tsp brown sugar</li>
<li>1 tsp ground cumin</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper</li>
<li>2 tsp olive oil (I used peanut oil this time.)</li>
</ul>
<div>
Toss this with 2C salted mixed nuts and put in a foil pan to put on the smoker. Smoke until done, typically about 20 minutes or so depending on level of smoke desired and the temperature of the smoker.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA_8AnrGwWVijgeLlsHGnPbU_dCMl4jA8t1RRV69FOEW_xkt5EK36Rk8x2S2u7dPkhUrkCw_rDH-IIatkofFiM80Nv9TPxAfmLy9dWrb1v011YCjFrQhj6wXtt4AldHMfPSIX8MYgIEo/s1600/DSC_7771-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDA_8AnrGwWVijgeLlsHGnPbU_dCMl4jA8t1RRV69FOEW_xkt5EK36Rk8x2S2u7dPkhUrkCw_rDH-IIatkofFiM80Nv9TPxAfmLy9dWrb1v011YCjFrQhj6wXtt4AldHMfPSIX8MYgIEo/s400/DSC_7771-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixed nuts smoking on the 14.5 WSM.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Before the cook was complete, I decided to smoke a butternut squash. I peeled and seeded it and cut it into thick slices - about 1". After the nuts were done, I put the squash on and it remained on until smoker temperature began to drop off, about 2 1/2 hours. It was still pretty firm but was done enough to freeze. We had one slice for dinner and I plan to freeze the rest to be used for other recipes (such as soup.)</div>
<div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zzDr0Bogt_I/UnK8xJtRFMI/AAAAAAAATz0/M41ygZ5zJIM/s1600/DSC_7775-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zzDr0Bogt_I/UnK8xJtRFMI/AAAAAAAATz0/M41ygZ5zJIM/s400/DSC_7775-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the nuts were finished the squash went on to pick up some smoky flavor.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br /></div>
Weather is kind of crappy today with a light drizzle. We might have gotten as much as 3" of rain over night. Maybe more. Temperature is mild at 61°F. Wind is moderate at about 10 mph.<br />
<br />
Today I'm doing a double recipe using two foil pans in the 14.5 WSM (Weber Smokey Mountain.) I'm firing with Cowboy lump and have stuck a few small pieces of hickory, apple, black walnut and mesquite in there. Once the mini-chimney was lit I dumped it over the rest and assembled the smoker with one bottom vent of three open. Water pan is w/out water and foiled. In about ten minutes the temperature was approaching 200°F and I put the nuts on.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:32</td><td>195° (lid)</td><td>Nuts on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:52</td><td>215°</td><td>Opened up to stir the nuts. Getting of to a slow start but no problem.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:23</td><td>260°</td><td>Coming along nicely - could come off in a couple minutes. Make another batch? Yes!</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:35</td><td>275°</td><td>Nuts off!</td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>10:35</td><td><br /></td><td>Nuts on! (second batch) This was about 50% more - 6 C of mixed nuts.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:58</td><td><br /></td><td>Added more smoking wood and stirred the coals.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:21</td><td>260°</td><td>Time to stir again.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:43</td><td><br /></td><td>Time to stir again.</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:30</td><td>255°</td><td>Nuts off. Rain has picked up a little but seems not to be affecting the smoker too much.</td></tr>
<tr><td><br /></td><td><br /></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>12:35</td><td><br /></td><td>Squash on! OK, I changed my mind and as long as the smoker is still going, I'll do some smoked butternut squash.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:38</td><td>250°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>2:15</td><td>230°</td><td>Raining - not drizzling. No surprise that temperature is holding. Squash looks like it is coming along too.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:49</td><td>175°</td><td>Opened two bottom vents (all three now open) to see if I can get one more kick. maybe the fuel is all burned out.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:00</td><td>180°</td><td>Squash off - stirred what remains of the coal and smoking wood to see if there is any more heat to be gained.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:21</td><td>245°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>4:19</td><td>175°</td><td>Last gasp of heat is done.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
Nuts are good! Only thing to do differently with those would be to divide them more evenly (instead of 1/3, 2/3 at a time.) The squash took on a smoky flavor and while not particularly tasty, I will defer final judgement until it is used in some other recipe.<br />
<br />
Overall the performance of the small WSM seems to be good when burning lump. It holds a steady temperature for an extended time with little to no fiddling.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-15515486969941565362013-10-24T19:03:00.000-07:002013-10-26T06:03:30.877-07:00UDR maiden VoyageHaving painted the outside of my rotisserie ring yesterday I an eager to put it to use. The ring is made from a 55 gallon drum, hence the UDR (Ugly Drum Rotisserie) moniker. Perdue Oven Stuffers were on sale for $.99/lb so I picked two up as they are near ideal for rotisserie cooking. They are about 7 lb each (and only have 3% retained water, whatever that is. At least I think they are not injected.)<br />
<br />
Winter must be fast approaching with temperatures in early afternoon at 42°F and wind moderate at a little over 10 mph. The sky is mostly cloudy (with a few patches of blue peeing through.)<br />
<br />
I plan to use a Roadside Chicken recipe. I mostly went with <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/ROADSIDE-CHICKEN-52111011" target="_blank">this one from Epicurious</a> and some additions from <a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/08/grilling-mexican-roadside-chicken-with-green.html" target="_blank">Rick Bayless</a> I went a little light on vinegar and squeezed two limes into a double batch of the marinade. I also added a couple tablespoons of ancho powder and a half teaspoon of cayenne. I managed to get the two 7 lb birds into gallon ziploc bags and poured the marinade on them about 2:00 PM. They came out about two hours later to be spitted and trussed prior to going on the rotisserie.<br />
<br />
The cook was done on my SS Performer using lump charcoal. (This was mostly Cowboy lump with a little of the Sam's stuff mixed in. No more Sam's. It doesn't burn well.) I threw a couple chunks of mesquite on the coals when the birds went on.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2za4a9-hBP1ayifHyhfh2Oku72UqwzEbxAtVL27-4dN0Z2FCQrcAWwhZa6-0FJ90vdpI0VkW0vFFNTWS_KKYbGj0gqcyJ7QnrVh4oZRdf0dYpNu920patIqQuEAv96Shq0mPL-1h9hQ/s1600/DSC_7743-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX2za4a9-hBP1ayifHyhfh2Oku72UqwzEbxAtVL27-4dN0Z2FCQrcAWwhZa6-0FJ90vdpI0VkW0vFFNTWS_KKYbGj0gqcyJ7QnrVh4oZRdf0dYpNu920patIqQuEAv96Shq0mPL-1h9hQ/s400/DSC_7743-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two birds on the spit.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6L6EUq_4zFU/UmnARbbT9ZI/AAAAAAAATvY/H0EZIq7swMo/s1600/DSC_7746-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6L6EUq_4zFU/UmnARbbT9ZI/AAAAAAAATvY/H0EZIq7swMo/s400/DSC_7746-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closed up and cooking.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yTkpdLGNMHTWqTnYiGbXHh3S5bEmfGfyQozugx9udyebN5qlc1TLFhieyjY1akDhsta96nU1-sxe0NurHzdqKz0G6IDUJefK404dGMgeL0cr1RjOSHKigOeSBKo4pk4Vb5jKyRiAtN8/s1600/DSC_7749-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0yTkpdLGNMHTWqTnYiGbXHh3S5bEmfGfyQozugx9udyebN5qlc1TLFhieyjY1akDhsta96nU1-sxe0NurHzdqKz0G6IDUJefK404dGMgeL0cr1RjOSHKigOeSBKo4pk4Vb5jKyRiAtN8/s400/DSC_7749-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birds nearly done.</td></tr>
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:20 PM</td><td>425°</td><td>Meat on! Closed bottom and top vents to about half.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:42</td><td>325</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:21</td><td>250</td><td>Opened top vent full, add some more lump</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:25</td><td>300</td><td>One indicator popped, the other not. Probed by thigh and got 161, 165.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:45</td><td>300</td><td>Meat done already!</td></tr>
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Temperature is via the lid thermometer which may read a little low in this configuration.<br />
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<div>
Results were good. Temps were right where I wanted them. Near the end I added some more lump but that's not really a problem. For lower temps I would either have to limit fuel additions or provide better sealing. Maybe just closing the bottom vent would do as temperature dropped quite a bit when I closed up the cooker with ring in place. It did not put the fire out so I removed the ring to do that.</div>
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Next time I will bias the food more toward the tip of the spit. I had clearance problems getting it into the ring with food closer to the handle. The other thing I need to do is get some foil wrapped spuds on the charcoal or perhaps some other foil pouch veggies. I could even put the grate on the cooker and grill some veggies on it though access would be a little difficult.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-71554615966709315082013-10-20T21:45:00.002-07:002013-10-20T21:45:37.427-07:00Double Your Pleasure!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dFUvP__TR_-pPn8-Z9Og27i-7bPqY0jUcUZm-L9CU11RuL_tQVHz2bo9ApF4yMBi57E2XMTDYzlmSyWJVVtvWWbLKiVpoEHPX6X8EtfyobDvefrpNMDBATcZmRdy-GywjkT3TWN1iao/s1600/DSC_7706-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dFUvP__TR_-pPn8-Z9Og27i-7bPqY0jUcUZm-L9CU11RuL_tQVHz2bo9ApF4yMBi57E2XMTDYzlmSyWJVVtvWWbLKiVpoEHPX6X8EtfyobDvefrpNMDBATcZmRdy-GywjkT3TWN1iao/s400/DSC_7706-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two new cookers alongside my Performer (for lighting charcoal and providing a work surface.)</td></tr>
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I have recently added two new Weber cookers to the stable. One, the 14.5" Weber Smokey Mountain (WSM), I used for the previous cook. The other, a brand new 26.75 One Touch Gold (OTG) I traded for my '85 flat top 26.75 OTS is being used for the first time. I cast about for what I could do first on the 26 and decided that rather than do something spectacularly big, I would just make a lot of food, taking advantage of the real estate. I recently saw a variation of Hasselback potatoes done in a cast iron pan and selected that for one vegetable. Last night on Primal Grill, Raichlen roasted Brussels sprouts in a cast iron pan over charcoal. When we spotted Brussels sprouts at Sam's, grabbing them was a no brainer. I might grill some yellow squash too. The vegetables will accompany a couple ribeyes and some shrimp that will go on the grill when the veggies are nearly done.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGjSDhP7nP7VfaHgUv6wRvBYGzkUEloeOWL7zoiAU-zd8Ld0gf-2Xon-U-3YJirr2XEKwGQL7XKmHDmgjlesOG0LckeZurLICU-b6I2k0AuBHbdnfUiHFcb1ofJGbcWX1RdQWObxKhGw/s1600/DSC_7702-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQGjSDhP7nP7VfaHgUv6wRvBYGzkUEloeOWL7zoiAU-zd8Ld0gf-2Xon-U-3YJirr2XEKwGQL7XKmHDmgjlesOG0LckeZurLICU-b6I2k0AuBHbdnfUiHFcb1ofJGbcWX1RdQWObxKhGw/s400/DSC_7702-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veggies on the 26.75 kettle.</td></tr>
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While at Sam's, I pointed to some chuck roast and mentioned that that's what I use to make Pepper Stout Beef. SWMBO made me get that as well, reminding me that she still needs to eat while I'm out of town on an upcoming fishing trip. I will smoke the chuck roast (two 2" thick pieces) on the little WSM while I prepare dinner on the kettle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2W6MFXtYePhektqAaWCRqq2cvgKMdAqnGUSvEz5LA9gVR_EfEqr8ZsJnRkhbU9Dl4RoAg2dUmzM83SOYBpMdRCMWlfJaC3k5dMQJqOPjKkWgqk7wnU8-ekF0WZEbtmfpMlV1YgUEtFoc/s1600/DSC_7704-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2W6MFXtYePhektqAaWCRqq2cvgKMdAqnGUSvEz5LA9gVR_EfEqr8ZsJnRkhbU9Dl4RoAg2dUmzM83SOYBpMdRCMWlfJaC3k5dMQJqOPjKkWgqk7wnU8-ekF0WZEbtmfpMlV1YgUEtFoc/s400/DSC_7704-PP.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Two chuckies on the little WSM</span></td></tr>
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We finally made it to 60°F under somewhat cloudy skies and with winds light at about 10 mph.<br />
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The potatoes are sliced about 1/4" thick (somewhat tapered to fit better in a circle) and stood on edge around the edge of a #7 Griswold frying pan. Every few slices, I inserted a slice of red or yellow onion. Before adding a liberal amount of EVOO, I garnished with some garlic and fresh sprigs of rosemary and thyme. The sprouts went into the lid of my CI Dutch oven. The recipe called for chunks of bacon which I didn't have so I used 1/4-1/2" chunks of ham and some lard rendered from smoked pork butt fat.<br />
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As noted, the cooks are being done on the two new cookers. The OTG is fired with two chimneys of Cowboy lump and the WSM with Cowboy lump with chunks of mesquite and oak. the 26 was operated with about 1/4 open on the bottom vent and wide open top. The 14 WSM was started with two of three bottom vents open.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqUWjs3yjNMuSVCNekzJfTLrieni7Ezi1TkzRNlnQBRnQ2oRMXTZohHteHmfXcqTesdSangV7oxMlnNl6s3qoDWowF0bcwlM0XwXdXU3jU3DZ3pXfjIc41OQSUrYunB0wcU5PloKgGaI/s1600/DSC_7696-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTqUWjs3yjNMuSVCNekzJfTLrieni7Ezi1TkzRNlnQBRnQ2oRMXTZohHteHmfXcqTesdSangV7oxMlnNl6s3qoDWowF0bcwlM0XwXdXU3jU3DZ3pXfjIc41OQSUrYunB0wcU5PloKgGaI/s400/DSC_7696-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can stack chimneys.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DRvJgY17iAU/UmRMQxsL4CI/AAAAAAAATpk/e5I8ZzVER5Y/s1600/DSC_7701-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DRvJgY17iAU/UmRMQxsL4CI/AAAAAAAATpk/e5I8ZzVER5Y/s400/DSC_7701-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mini-chimney on the 14.5 WSM lighting lump, oak and mesquite.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dpxf7sYUaBM/UmRYB7_JsKI/AAAAAAAATp8/5sOsLR4f4ug/s1600/DSC_7710-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Dpxf7sYUaBM/UmRYB7_JsKI/AAAAAAAATp8/5sOsLR4f4ug/s400/DSC_7710-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can gently warm a couple ribeyes for a reverse sear on the WSM.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4stlbqpoHc/UmRxQSEOCGI/AAAAAAAATqk/KOMIa4bUaro/s1600/DSC_7713-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X4stlbqpoHc/UmRxQSEOCGI/AAAAAAAATqk/KOMIa4bUaro/s400/DSC_7713-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ribeyes and shrimp in the barbie!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tEgkTeer6qA/UmRxQVowzWI/AAAAAAAATqo/Xoek9d5pKew/s1600/DSC_7719-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tEgkTeer6qA/UmRxQVowzWI/AAAAAAAATqo/Xoek9d5pKew/s400/DSC_7719-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dinner is finished and the WSM is still cruising along at 265°F</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UXNONwrPux8/UmRxQoL3NeI/AAAAAAAATqg/307PkMcs0r4/s1600/DSC_7721-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UXNONwrPux8/UmRxQoL3NeI/AAAAAAAATqg/307PkMcs0r4/s400/DSC_7721-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuckie at 165°F and ready to put on the bed of veggies.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwQ66Zdc4lrjltBFQzZ_MAp50GjYhtSP369X7LaZ_TltmWQF4J-FbFiHrzeaTBe4UAmWtwRwgYPNfps9_yEnu3RueergQkJsm5oKQHxolYvkJB174vtf9-rC8qHgxkdaj6h-jIja0bBo/s1600/DSC_7722-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwQ66Zdc4lrjltBFQzZ_MAp50GjYhtSP369X7LaZ_TltmWQF4J-FbFiHrzeaTBe4UAmWtwRwgYPNfps9_yEnu3RueergQkJsm5oKQHxolYvkJB174vtf9-rC8qHgxkdaj6h-jIja0bBo/s400/DSC_7722-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chuckie (for Pepper Stout Beef) on the bed of onions, peppers ...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ne2rHWbUZSs/UmRxRrDKJ5I/AAAAAAAATq0/iZdBdYhOuoQ/s1600/DSC_7723-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ne2rHWbUZSs/UmRxRrDKJ5I/AAAAAAAATq0/iZdBdYhOuoQ/s400/DSC_7723-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And closed up for the next part of the cook.</td></tr>
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Kettle with veggies and later ribeye and shrimp.<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:40</td><td>°</td><td>Veggies on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:20</td><td>470</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:10</td><td>450</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:35</td><td>425</td><td>Steaks moved from WSM to preheated CI grate on the kettle.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:40 </td><td>450</td><td>Shrimp on.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:50?</td><td><br /></td><td>Done!</td></tr>
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WSM with chuck roast.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:50</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:20</td><td>240°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:10</td><td>265°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20</td><td>265°</td><td>Stack steaks on the chuck in the WSM.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:40</td><td>265°</td><td>Steaks at 95, moved to hot kettle.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:16</td><td>265°</td><td>Chuck at 157</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:45</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat at 161/165, put in the DO with the veggies.</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:55</td><td>280°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>8:50</td><td>245°</td><td>Opened the third bottom vent and stirred the coals a bit. There are still a few pieces of charcoal left. I could throw a few more pieces from the 26 into the smoker.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:10</td><td>245°</td><td>Added some charcoal from the 26.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:05</td><td>???</td><td>Opened the Dutch oven and found the chuck probe tender. Shredded it and left it uncovered to reduce liquid a little.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:30</td><td>280<span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">°</span></td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>10:50</td><td><br /></td><td>Still had some liquid in it but I took it off the cooker and brought it in.</td></tr>
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Steak and shrimp was awesome as were the spuds and sprouts. Weber Kettles Rock!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6d8jW7UfdI/UmRxQG_bF0I/AAAAAAAATqY/EndFUBuNqYo/s1600/DSC_7716-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l6d8jW7UfdI/UmRxQG_bF0I/AAAAAAAATqY/EndFUBuNqYo/s400/DSC_7716-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Everything cooked on the 26 kettle save the green beans.</td></tr>
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After a somewhat disappointing first cook on the 14.5 WSM, the second one went w/out a hitch. It seems to run much better on Cowboy lump than RO briquettes. I added some fuel near the end though I'm not sure it was needed. For four hours it cruised along at 265° with two bottom vents open.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds7njTnYIppvjoRX6L9N95I4hUdqdznIg8cV6I8kuKNw9N3OTMjNQ9slWfHSJwh-EN7i_Ob4FrAaJM-ZDHGvtYGuFREyGaQ9G63wMHYH_AI0qptN68Z5HKCU_k3McOH7x7R_jmkRL5fY/s1600/DSC_7725-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhds7njTnYIppvjoRX6L9N95I4hUdqdznIg8cV6I8kuKNw9N3OTMjNQ9slWfHSJwh-EN7i_Ob4FrAaJM-ZDHGvtYGuFREyGaQ9G63wMHYH_AI0qptN68Z5HKCU_k3McOH7x7R_jmkRL5fY/s400/DSC_7725-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to shred.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SZ7TxRU1XiuZiDlEemRtxL-YAzt8qSbou0t8JOfM3HSO3rYXVlPywrQr8C1n9zakK3CWNMYoLk-X2BDsocJoWstH-_wU2oCkOmkwBR0TXsi8LcR7wnaijrfWkCQIBF1nMUFvAtZFbkY/s1600/DSC_7727-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1SZ7TxRU1XiuZiDlEemRtxL-YAzt8qSbou0t8JOfM3HSO3rYXVlPywrQr8C1n9zakK3CWNMYoLk-X2BDsocJoWstH-_wU2oCkOmkwBR0TXsi8LcR7wnaijrfWkCQIBF1nMUFvAtZFbkY/s400/DSC_7727-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to serve in all of its warm brown goodness!</td></tr>
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Once again I don't really see any problems to solve. At best there might be opportunities for improvement.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-74440820569032062512013-10-14T20:16:00.001-07:002013-10-14T20:25:44.809-07:00More Pepper Stout Beef (AKA Bell Peppers with Beef)Had to do it again. It seemed to be a perfect first choice for the new WSM (the 14.5) that arrived late last week and was assembled last night. I picked up a kind of chuck roast this morning along with the rest of the ingredients we did not already have.
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Weather is a very pleasant fall day with temp as the fires are lit at 57°F and not expected to go much higher. Early clouds seem to have cleared and wind is light at about ... The 12 mph reported does not seem to match what I feel in the back yard.<br />
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Once again I'm using the <a href="http://wolfepit.blogspot.com/2009/10/pepper-stout-beef.html" target="_blank">Wolfe Pit recipe for Pepper Stout Beef</a>. I found Boston Roast on sale and bought a 4.5 lb. one. It has a nice fat cap but not a lot of marbling. Hopefully it will work well for this recipe. I picked three Jalapeños from the garden which are reliably hot so I only used two. It's easy enough to add heat at the table if desired.<br />
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The ingredients collected.<br />
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Meat rubbed with Salt & Pepper<br />
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As noted, this will be the first cook on the 14.5 WSM. The newer Dutch oven (with the pan/lid) is a perfect fit inside the cooker as long as I don't try to fit it on the top grate. It is too tall for the lid. I plan to use the lid on the bottom grate during the first phase of the cook to catch the drippings from the beef. When the beef gores on the peppers, that will be in the Dutch oven, lid on and sitting on the bottom grate. I have some Royal Oak Briquettes that I am using for fuel with some chunks of hickory and oak for smoke flavor. I'd use mesquite as well if I had any. At about 10:30 I fired up some briquettes and left over lump in the mini-chimney and once it was starting to light, set it on the WSM. No water in the bowl for this cook - foil only. I want to see what kind of temperature I'll get with various combinations of bottom vent opening.<br />
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Detail of the bottom section of the cooker with heat shield, charcoal grate and charcoal ring.<br />
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Briquettes and wood chunks ready to light.<br />
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Charcoal chimney ready to dump on the unlit briquettes.<br />
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The 14 Weber Smokey Mountain in action.<br />
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Beef as it goes in the smoker when the smoker is ready.<br />
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Beef smoked to an IT of about 150 and ready to put in the Dutch oven with peppers and onions.<br />
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And in the Dutch oven before putting the lid on and continuing the cook.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:30 AM</td><td><br /></td><td>partially lit chimney on cooker.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:40</td><td><br /></td><td>Dumped fully lit chimney and closed up the cooker. Closed two bottom vents leaving one open. </td></tr>
<tr><td>11:00</td><td>???/???/245° (meat/grate/lid)</td><td>Fire looks settled - meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:31 PM</td><td>109°/291°/265°</td><td>Cruising along nicely.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:38</td><td>138°/273°/235°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>2:17</td><td>144°/270°/240°</td><td>Opened a second bottom vent.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:32</td><td>144°/262°/245°</td><td>Stirred the coals a bit to knock off ash.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:05</td><td>147°/286°/270°</td><td>Opened the third bottom vent and added miscellaneous smoking wood.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:30</td><td>151°/273°/???</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>3:54</td><td>153°/351°/??</td><td>Tired of waiting - putting the beef in the DO now.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:46</td><td>???/253°/255°</td><td>Moving the bef to a 350°F oven.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:55</td><td>???/253°/???</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>7:32</td><td>???/190°/175°</td><td>Broke beef up into chunks. Almost done but left covered.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:20</td><td><br /></td><td>Beef is shreddable and liquid is reduced despite the Dutch oven having remained closed. And it's DELICIOUS!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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(meat/grate/lid) => Maverick ET-732 and the cooker lid thermometer.<br />
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Results: The cooker was a little disappointing in that I could not complete the cook on it. Perhaps when it is seasoned a little better (better sealing) or with a different fuel. The recipe is a total success. I really like Pepper Stout Beef and I can see why it gets mentioned so much on the BBQ-Brethren site.</div>
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I still think about ways to tweak the recipe but haven't done so yet. Red peppers are more visible in the final result. I'm not sure why red onions are necessary.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-38210154153529449122013-10-10T18:58:00.001-07:002013-10-10T18:58:53.116-07:00Bell Peppers and BeefWith a nod to Jet, I'm making <a href="http://cowboybebop.wikia.com/wiki/Food" target="_blank">Bell Peppers and Beef</a> today (AKA Pepper Stout Beef.)<br />
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Weather is very pleasant at start with temperature at 54°F and wind light at 6 mph. The pit location is sheltered by high fences so it is really pretty calm. The sky seems a little hazy so there is not much sun.<br />
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We picked up a 4.8 lb chuck roast at the grocery along with some peppers, onions and rolls. I'll be following the <a href="http://wolfepit.blogspot.com/2009/10/pepper-stout-beef.html" target="_blank">Wolf Pit recipe</a> which I found on BBQ-Brethren.com. I also got some mesquite chips<br />
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I'm cooking away from home so this will be a bit of a minimalist cook. I have at my disposal a 22.5 Weber kettle and a proper charcoal chimney. We also got some mesquite chips so I'll be using those for some additional smoke flavor. Since I have no charcoal baskets, I plan to use the <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aweberkettleclub.com%2Fforums%2F+snake&oq=site%3Aweberkettleclub.com%2Fforums%2F+snake" target="_blank">snake method for charcoal fire management</a>. That involves a triple row of briquettes aroud the edge of the charcoal grate that is then set with some lit charcoal at one end of the 'snake.' Since I'm not looking for 'low and slow' specifically, I will employ two snakes. Desired temperature is about 275°F. If it runs a little high, I can moderate with by choking off the bottom vent. I need to have this ready to serve by 2:00 PM so I have to keep it moving. The only temperature measuring device I brought with is my Maverick Weekend Warrior so that will be used to spot check the cooker as well as the meat.<br />
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Two snakes on fire in the hole! (Good threads on this technique can also be seen at http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/food-pr0n/my-salute-to-1buckie/ and http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/grilling-bbqing/first-time-snakeminion-method-criticism-welcome/)<br />
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Salt and black pepper for the rub - KISS!<br />
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Lit coals on the snakes.<br />
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I think we're ready to add meat!<br />
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Looking good at the two hour check.<br />
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The bed peppers and onions is ready for the next stage.<br />
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But I do not need all of that stout for the recipe. Hmmm... What to do with the rest. :D<br />
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Ready for the next stage!<br />
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Once it has cooked long enough the beef shreds easily.<br />
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Food stylists have no fear of me!<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:48 AM</td><td><br /></td><td>Close up the cooker</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:00</td><td>382° meat(lid)</td><td>Meat on! (Bottom vent to about 1/2 open.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:47</td><td>341°</td><td>Looking good - figuratively speaking. I did not open the cooker. (If you're lookin' you're not cookin'.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:43</td><td>331°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>10:00</td><td>(143°)</td><td>Opened to check progress. Good!</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:22</td><td>302°(174°)</td><td>Transferred meat to the cast iron pan with veggies and covered with foil. Since the cooker is cruising along I just put it back on the kettle.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:36</td><td>309°</td><td>Would go full open on the bottom vents but have just been advised that I have until about 5:00 PM to finish so no need to rush!</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:20 PM</td><td>245°</td><td>Opened bottom vent full and threw a few more briquettes on.</td></tr>
<tr><td>12:45</td><td>245°</td><td>Firing up the gasser to move the cook to that.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:20</td><td>250°</td><td>Temp near the middle of the gasser with two outside burners on lowest setting. I cranked them up a little.</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:40</td><td>309°</td><td>Cranked up a little more.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:00</td><td>(204°)</td><td>Removed the cover from the meat. Parts are not yet probe tender. I tore it into chunks as best as I could and it will cook further as the liquid reduces.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:00</td><td><br /></td><td>Beef is shredding easier now. Once the liquid is reduced a little more it will be ready to serve.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:30?</td><td><br /></td><td>Off the fire ad shredding easy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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meat°(lid°) => measured using a Maverick Weekend Warrior either poking in one of the vents or stuck momentarily into the meat.<br />
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This was very tasty. I used only three jalapeños vs. the five recommended and it was appropriately hot for our tastes. The meat was very tender and moist. Yum!</div>
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How could I improve this? Hard to say. My first reaction is to suggest some additional seasonings such as bay, thyme or cumin. I also thought that a tomato or two sliced into the mix would add an additional layer of flavor. There was certainly nothing wrong that I need to fix. I suppose I could use one green and one red pepper for more color.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-42196905100111046022013-09-17T13:00:00.001-07:002013-09-19T19:41:06.074-07:00Brisket on the offsetThis is the first post-restore smoke on the New Braunfels Black Diamond (NBBD.) I'm firing it up pretty much unmodified just to see how it works as designed. I found a large brisket at Sam's - 14 lb - that might actually be a packer.<br />
<br />
It is 52°F as I start the fire with a predicted high of 70 today. The sky is clear and the wind is very light at 0-5 mph.<br />
<br />
I trimmed as much fat off the brisket as I could and rubbed liberally with salt and pepper. I'll smoke fat side down and put some of the trimmings on top to help keep the meat basted.<br />
<br />
Fire was started with a mini-chimney of lump and then stoked mostly with oak splits with some apple and maple mixed in. The fire box got hot enough to ignite splits warming on the shelf!<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:25</td><td>°</td><td>Got some hot coals on some wood in the fire box.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:38</td><td>443°/484°F</td><td>Probably put too much wood in the fire box and temper is climbing right up! I'll let it burn down a bit before I put any meat in there. I'm using a mix of oak and maple to get things started. I'll probably add some apple as things go along.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:45</td><td>482°/HHH</td><td>Overranged the probe closest to the fire so I closed the slide about half and removed the probe from the smoke chamber.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:06</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on! Fat side down. Draped liberally with the trimmed fat.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:15</td><td>234°/45°</td><td>Threw some more wood on.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:37</td><td>261°/59°</td><td>Temperature had come up and was dropping so I threw in some more wood before going for a run.</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:24</td><td>189/93</td><td>fire down to coals - stoked with oak.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:06</td><td>194/120</td><td>down to coals again, stoked the fire with more oak.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:48</td><td>235/136</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>12:16</td><td>316/153</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>12:51</td><td>304/172</td><td>Temp dropping a bit and time to wrap in paper</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:32</td><td>277/199</td><td>Temp falling off, time to probe. Probing pretty tender but still some resistance under the point. Threw one more split in and will probably leave it at that.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:00</td><td>248/207</td><td>Time to rest my meat.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
It seems like the cooker in stock form likes to run about 320°F or so. For the last stick, I've cut the draft port to about half to see what that does. (Another NBBD owner told me it holds 225-250 at 1/4 slider opening.) Paper wrap seemed to work OK. It captured a lot of liquids by the end of the rest. Meat toward the thick end was terrific! The other end was pretty chewy. I think that the temperature distribution is pretty uneven. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
What to do differently next time...<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Install some kind of tuning plate for more even heat distribution.</li>
<li>Run with the door slider at 1/2 or 1/4.</li>
<li>Run less than 4 miles between tending the cooker.</li>
<li>Crumple some foil to make a gasket for the stack. It looks pretty leaky at the base.</li>
</ol>
</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-52993979385259345942013-09-05T21:17:00.000-07:002013-09-05T21:17:17.972-07:00Firing up my SequoiaThe effort to clean up and refurbish my Sequoia grill is nearly complete. (I still have to get H/W to mount the towel rings.) Today I do my first cook in it. I had gone to the store with plans to pick up some salmon steaks to grill. I found baby back ribs on sale for $2.99/lb. and since that's the first thing I ever cooked on a Weber kettle, I decided it would be appropriate for the first cook on the Sequoia since it has come into my hands. To go with, I'll grill some spuds and broccoli and squash. To avoid the conflicts between grilling and smoking, those will be done on my 18" kettle.<br />
<br />
Weather is pleasant at 73°F with wind light at about 10 mph. The sky is clear of clouds resulting in bright sun.<br />
<br />
I peeled the membrane off the back side of the ribs and rubbed one rach with Slap Yo' Daddy rub and for the other I used some rub left over from a <a href="http://smpoke-on.blogspot.com/2013/05/four-boston-butts.html" target="_blank">previous cook</a>.<br />
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Ribs will be done in the Sequoia using a wire basket to hold the coals and a drip pan under the ribs. I'm going to use Coshell (coconut shell) charcoal for this because it seems to burn slowly and with less heat - ideal for ribs. To the briquettes I've added some oak, pecan and apple chunks for smoke. Shortly after closing the cooker I went to a single bottom vent wide open and I'll monitor cooker temperature through the lid vent using the Weber thermometer.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:35</td><td><br /></td><td>Fire in the hole! Lit coals are put with the smoking wood in the basket in the grill.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:50</td><td>320°</td><td>Meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:11</td><td>320°</td><td>Seems to be holding steady at 320° with a single vent open.</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:35</td><td>340°</td><td>Closed single bottom vent to half. I'd prefer temps about 300°</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:00</td><td>290°</td><td>That's better. Ribs look good!</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:45</td><td><br /></td><td>Added more smokin wood and stirred the (mostly burned up) coals.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:00</td><td>250°</td><td>Ribs looking good but not starting to pull back on the bones. Opened the one bottom vent full and stirred the ash that had fallen on it. Need to bump things up a bit. I'd be happy to be resting the ribs now. Starting lump for the veggies.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20</td><td>275°</td><td>Opened another bottom vent.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:30</td><td>300°</td><td>Let's get this show on the road! (SWMBO will be home any minute and the ribs are not done.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:54</td><td>340°</td><td>(Not peeking...)</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:20</td><td>300°</td><td>Threw some lump on for a faster finish. I'm getting hungry!</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:40</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat off! One slab closest to the coals was done and the other finished in the oven.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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5:30 - I want them done!<br />
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<div>
Results: The ones with my rub were a little over seasoned. The rub was good for a butt but I applied too much on ribs. I was also disappointed not to have the ribs finish on time and on the grill. But dinner was good anyway. Did some veggies on another kettle<br />
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And had enough coals left to make some peach pies. :D<br />
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<div>
What to do differently next time: Start earlier. Add briquettes more frequently. (The Coshell briquettes seem not to last longer than other briquettes.) Go easy on my rub.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-17937135934449445922013-08-29T12:57:00.000-07:002013-08-29T12:57:03.135-07:00A little brisket and a bottom roundTwo separate pieces of meat to be cooked in their own way. The brisket will be done low 'n slow on the smoker until it is tender. The beef round does not have sufficient fat for this treatment so I will roast it until the Internal temperature is 120°F and slice it like Italian beef. It will be cooked on the 18" kettle. The brisket was just over 6 lb and the bottom round, nearly 4 1/2.<br />
<br />
Weather has been hot and muggy. It was 80° already when the meat went on. Wind is light at about 5 mph and the sky is overcast.<br />
<br />
Both pieces of meat are getting a simple treatment with salt and pepper only. The brisket was just a bit too long to fit on the mini-WSM so I trimmed a triangle off the skinny end of the flat. I flipped this over and lay where I cut it and saw that the two pieces were about the same thickness of the other end of the brisket. I decided to cook it that way to see if that helped to get more even cooking overall. I also trimmed some of the fat off the brisket. the final disposition of this is that the fat side of the main piece was down and the fat side of the small triangle was fat side up. I spread a couple more pieces of the trimmed fat on the other parts of the brisket to render into the meat as it cooked.<br />
<br />
The round had a fat side which I started down with some of the fat trimmed from the brisket spread over the upper surface.<br />
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The brisket is going on the mini-WSM with a foiled pan. I fired it with K-comp briquettes and and some oak, mesquite and apple. The lower vents were partially open and I just left them as they were. This will likely be a semi-high heat cook. The time/temperature profile below is for the brisket in the mini.<br />
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The round will be cooked in the 18" kettle where I used a single wire basket to hold Cowboy Lump (meant to use Mesquite lump but wasn't paying attention...) with some mesquite and apple for smoke. All vents are wide open. I used the lid from a Dutch oven as a drip pan under the round. About half an hour after firing this up and putting the meat on, a thermometer stuck through the lid vent read about 300°.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:50 AM</td><td><br /></td><td>Meat on! (Brisket, round went on about 15 minutes later.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:45</td><td>93°/331°<br />
(meat/cooker)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>12:33</td><td>140°/309°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>1:24</td><td>165°/203°</td><td>The cooker temperature makes no sense. I might have bumped the probe when I opened the cooker to check about half an hour ago. As long as the meat temp keeps going up. I'll leave it be. On last check, the kettle was running about 300° and the round looked good. Round measures 139° internal so it's coming off!</td></tr>
<tr><td>1:43</td><td>174°/304°</td><td>Repositioned the cooker probe where it was not under the meat and could have meat juices dripping on it.</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:45</td><td>187°/315°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>3:51</td><td>199°/306°</td><td>Need to probe the brisket! Still pretty firm - letting it go a little longer.</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:45</td><td>205°/300°</td><td>Meat off! Probing tender enough for me. ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div>
The bottom round came off first. I had planned to take it to 120° but the first time I checked it, it was already at 139°. I took it off then and covered with foil to rest. I captured the meat juices as it rested and added them to the drippings captured in the cast iron pan. To that I added about a cup or so of water and some beef soup base to make the au jus. I also added about a tablespoon of potato starch. The beef was still on the tough side, but I sliced it as thinly as possible and it made a decent Italian beef.<br />
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<br />
The brisket was very tasty. It was perhaps a bit on the dry side but not objectionably so. Tenderness was also good. The test of doubling up the thinnest portion seems to have worked well. I didn't think the thin end was overdone compared to the thick part.</div>
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<div>
With the round, I might try a pot roast style cook with the meat sitting in juices while it smokes. Slicing (shaving off thin slices) is a fair bit of work. On the brisket, I would like to find a bigger one. Just over 6 lb was the biggest one they had at Sam's! I also really need to try wrapping it. I guess I should bite the bullet and buy some butcher paper at Sam's club so I can wrap just like Aaron.<br />
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Guilty pleasures ... The fat that I trimmed from the brisket and placed on the brisket and bottom round rendered and came out really good. :D</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-87094639259952272152013-08-09T10:03:00.000-07:002013-08-28T10:04:41.051-07:00Cindy asked if farm raised salmon tastes different from wild caught. I did not know the answer so when I saw both in the fish case at Sam's I bought some of each to try. Some will be grilled while the rest will be smoked on a mini using cherry wood for smoke.<br />
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Weather at the start of the cook is about 78° and wind has picked up a bit to 9 mph. The sky is a little cloudy.<br />
<br />
The salmon prep was simple to avoid coloring the results. I wanted to see what the difference was. I seasoned with salt and pepper.<br />
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The meat was divided between smoker and grill. Smoking was done with briquettes and some cherry for flavor. Grilling was similar.<br />
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<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>4:44PM </td><td><br /></td><td>Salmon on the smoker!</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:12</td><td>325°</td><td>Salmon beginning to firm up. Will give it a few more minutes.</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20 </td><td>325°</td><td>Salmon off!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The color of the wild caught salmon was deeper in spite of the coloring added to the farm raised. There is a distinct difference in flavor as well. The wild caught fish had a more robust salmon flavor. Both were good and I have a hard time deciding whether to pay more for wild caught or not.<br />
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What to do differently next time: My only disappointment was that I slightly overcooked the grilled salmon. I prefer it a little on the rare side and it was cooked through. It goes so fast!</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-849601292701840490.post-24875788739858630212013-08-09T09:46:00.000-07:002013-08-28T09:51:29.886-07:00Butts for a birthdayOur first grandson turned two this week and we celebrate tomorrow. I have been honored by being asked to provide pulled pork for 25. I was hoping to find a pack at Sam's in the 20-22 pound range but was disappointed to find the largest pack was about 17 pounds. I got two of the smallest packs that were about
14 pounds. I'll have a little extra. I'll also do a couple naked fatties for the birthday boy.<br />
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Weather is very pleasant at about 70° and sunny with wind light at about 4 mph. We should climb to near 80° by afternoon.<br />
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I used a rub recipe similar to the previous cook with the addition of a couple tablespoons of oregano as follows:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Tbsp black Pepper (whole)</li>
<li>2 Tbsp Rosemary (dry, whole)</li>
<li>1 Tbsp Coriander (whole)</li>
<li>1 Tbsp mustard seed</li>
<li>2 Tbsp Hungarian Paprika.</li>
<li>1 Tbsp Adobo seasoning</li>
<li>1 Tbsp powdered onion</li>
<li>2 Tsp Cayenne pepper</li>
<li>1 Tbsp Cumin</li>
<li>2 Tbsp powdered garlic</li>
<li>2 Tbsp Kosher salt</li>
<li>2 Tbsp sugar</li>
<li>2 Tbsp Oregano</li>
</ul>
These somewhat smaller butts are going on the 18.5 WSM (Weber Smokey Mountain.) The water pan is foiled and for the first time ever, I am using Kingsford Competition briquettes. For smoking wood I'm going with chunks of hickory, black walnut and apple.<br />
<br />
<table border="1"><tbody>
<tr><td>time</td><td>temp</td> <td>comment</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:00 am</td><td><br /></td><td>propane on the mini-chimney about half full</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:10</td><td><br /></td><td>partially lit chimney set on cooker.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:20</td><td><br /></td><td>lit chimney emptied on the fire lay and cooker closed up. Closed two bottom vents to about half and the third is fully closed.</td></tr>
<tr><td>9:45</td><td><br /></td><td>Temps in the cooker around 260° and stable so meat on!</td></tr>
<tr><td>10:15</td><td>217°/48°/112°/230° (grate/pork/fatty/lid)</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>10:50</td><td>214°/68°/152°/220°</td><td>Opened one closed bottom vent to about 1/2.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:13</td><td>252°/81°/163°/255°</td><td>Time to take the fatties off the cooker.</td></tr>
<tr><td>11:58</td><td>279°/108°/x/270°</td><td>Closed one bottom vent. (two remain half open.)</td></tr>
<tr><td>2:17 pm</td><td>275°/160°/x/250°</td><td>Moving right along!</td></tr>
<tr><td>3:40</td><td>262°/171°/x/250°</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>4:13</td><td>243°/171°/x/235°</td><td>Time to fiddle with the fire. Found lots of ash on the coals so I stirred them a bit and tapped on the grate so it wold fall through. Left lower vents as is (2x 1/2 open.) Boy that sure smells good!</td></tr>
<tr><td>5:05</td><td>264°/172°/x/???</td><td><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td>5:20</td><td>248°/172°/x/225°</td><td>Added a couple handfuls of charcoal (left overs including some lump.) Need to get this show moving! Will open the third vent 1/2 also.</td></tr>
<tr><td>6:05</td><td>255°/174°/x/220°</td><td>Just added a couple more handfuls of new briquettes and opened two bottom vents full.</td></tr>
<tr><td>7:05</td><td>280°/181°/X/275°</td><td>Now we're cooking!</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:02</td><td>302°/196°/x/???</td><td>cooker closed up, meat on.</td></tr>
<tr><td>8:37</td><td>158°/198°/x/175°</td><td>meat off!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div>
The butts were great! Some parts were a little harder to pull and others pulled very easy. Maybe they could have gone a little longer, but the result was very tasty.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yb35uPaszUs/Uh4qNNfYKHI/AAAAAAAAS-4/J2_sMVwhWhA/s1600/DSC_7097-PP.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yb35uPaszUs/Uh4qNNfYKHI/AAAAAAAAS-4/J2_sMVwhWhA/s400/DSC_7097-PP.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Not sure I would do anything differently next time.</div>
HankBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15271816862830742570noreply@blogger.com0