Smoking for Two - How do you handle small batches?

LOL!  BurghRoots woke up a three year old thread!  The great advice still applies, and that's some good looking food Johnny B!

Mike

Living alone, if I'm just cooking for myself and maybe a guest, I usually do something relatively quick and easy like grilled something or a bbq chicken or pork loin.  If I'm gonna fire up the smoker, I firmly believe "go big or go home."

If I'm not smoking for a party or something, I vac and freeze the "leftovers" as others have mentioned.  I gave some to my parents once, which led to one of my few really brilliant moves.

They really liked the frozen Q, so would always give them some when we met.  They always liked it.  My folks are in their '70s and neither likes to cook much anymore, plus they live in a rural area with few dining out options.  So for Christmas several years ago I gave them a bunch of frozen Q.  Made them very happy.

In addition to being older, they have pretty much everything they want (in fact they're trying to downsize, often calling to ask if I want this or that they want to get rid of).  It was always a struggle to come up with Christmas gifts for them.  So one year, I cooked up a bunch of stuff, froze it, and gave it to them for Christmas.  They were ecstatic.  Probably couldn't have given them a better gift.

So, now, every year I start cooking in mid-September for their annual "food drive."  A bunch of BBQ, soups/stews/chili, various other entrees, and even some desserts that freeze well like some cookies and pies.  Also include some local fruit (peaches, berries, apples) because the still like to make pie.  I throw in a few "exotic" things because I like many ethnic foods (sometimes they like those, sometimes they don't).  Overall, it's worked great.  I don't have to fret over gifts, and they always have something good and convenient to heat up if they're not in the mood to cook something fresh.

Of course, works out well for me as well.  I'm not as far out in the boonies as they are, but not close to many dining out options.  So I've usually got a variety of stuff in the freezer that I can prepare more quickly than going out if I want something quick and easy; and it's better and cheaper than most.

according to recommended portion sizes, I'm a family of 4, so there's that.. I don't wind up with leftovers like regular people do... 

but seriously.. vacpac and chill chest are your best friends. smoked meat is good 3, 4 months later if it's been kept frozen and airtight.

of course, I'm the weirdo that also freezes raw meat in a ziplocked block of ice (or marinade). I've fished stuff up a year later, no freezer burn. (because you're not losing moisture to the air from the meat - the ice coating keeps it airtight, and it sublimates first - and don't judge me. we've all had that piece of forgotten in the vast depth of the chill chest and gone 'what in the hell are you??' this way, it's still identifiable and certainly edible :P )

I usually smoke for two or three. For example, I'll get an 8-pack of chicken thighs, smoke (or otherwise cook) four of them and freeze four for later use.

Hey since we're tossing around leftover ideas, consider a bit of smoked meat, maybe a smoked meat salad, on crackers or toast as appetizers. Salmon ...

I usually just smoke for me and my wife.If there is a lot left over,I give some to  my neighbor.

Dan

zymer said:

 
Living alone, if I'm just cooking for myself and maybe a guest, I usually do something relatively quick and easy like grilled something or a bbq chicken or pork loin.  If I'm gonna fire up the smoker, I firmly believe "go big or go home."

If I'm not smoking for a party or something, I vac and freeze the "leftovers" as others have mentioned.  I gave some to my parents once, which led to one of my few really brilliant moves.

They really liked the frozen Q, so would always give them some when we met.  They always liked it.  My folks are in their '70s and neither likes to cook much anymore, plus they live in a rural area with few dining out options.  So for Christmas several years ago I gave them a bunch of frozen Q.  Made them very happy.

In addition to being older, they have pretty much everything they want (in fact they're trying to downsize, often calling to ask if I want this or that they want to get rid of).  It was always a struggle to come up with Christmas gifts for them.  So one year, I cooked up a bunch of stuff, froze it, and gave it to them for Christmas.  They were ecstatic.  Probably couldn't have given them a better gift.

So, now, every year I start cooking in mid-September for their annual "food drive."  A bunch of BBQ, soups/stews/chili, various other entrees, and even some desserts that freeze well like some cookies and pies.  Also include some local fruit (peaches, berries, apples) because the still like to make pie.  I throw in a few "exotic" things because I like many ethnic foods (sometimes they like those, sometimes they don't).  Overall, it's worked great.  I don't have to fret over gifts, and they always have something good and convenient to heat up if they're not in the mood to cook something fresh.

Of course, works out well for me as well.  I'm not as far out in the boonies as they are, but not close to many dining out options.  So I've usually got a variety of stuff in the freezer that I can prepare more quickly than going out if I want something quick and easy; and it's better and cheaper than most.

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Great post zymer!  I brought food to my ailing mom from 2008-11, as well as sending my daughter home with food after spending weekends with me.  It was a very rewarding time.  My mom has passed, and my daughter is in her second year of college, so I'm cooking for just me and my significant other, who isn't fond of smoked/grilled meat!      When I smoke, I try to fill the smoker.  When grilling, it's a quick meal usually.  I prefer grilled to anything that is produced inside.

Mike

SmokedCaveman said:

 
according to recommended portion sizes, I'm a family of 4, so there's that.. I don't wind up with leftovers like regular people do... 

but seriously.. vacpac and chill chest are your best friends. smoked meat is good 3, 4 months later if it's been kept frozen and airtight.

of course, I'm the weirdo that also freezes raw meat in a ziplocked block of ice (or marinade). I've fished stuff up a year later, no freezer burn. (because you're not losing moisture to the air from the meat - the ice coating keeps it airtight, and it sublimates first - and don't judge me. we've all had that piece of forgotten in the vast depth of the chill chest and gone 'what in the hell are you??' this way, it's still identifiable and certainly edible :P )

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 Great post SmokedCaveman!  Great tip for freezing raw meat!  

Mike

mike5051 said:

 

 Great post SmokedCaveman!  Great tip for freezing raw meat!  

Mike

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thanks.. I found myself at various points in the past dealing with an excess of meat and only so much room in the fridge and smoker, so I had to figure out something.. honestly, the first time I did it, I'd been reading about block-frozen fish and shrimp, and said 'huh. why not?' and did it with a pork chop that I promptly forgot about for 6 months because someone else in the house'd shoved it to the back for the freezer. (before I got the chest) ... well.. I found it after that 6 months was up, and said 'hell, I remember this! let me check it out'. put it in the stainless bowl into the sink, ran cold water over to thaw it, and the pork was as nice as the day I'd bought it. so I said 'ok. let me research this' (I do that a lot) and tested a few theories out, called a couple guys I knew at the college and picked their brains. now, there is a downside, is it can cause some structure breakdown of the meat if it's a slow freeze. (the faster the freeze, the smaller the ice crystals, which means less jagged puncturing of the meat's cell walls) so, what I found was ziplock bag, meat in, water (or marinade) in, then lay flat on a pan in the chest and get it frozen asap. try and keep the meat in the center of the block that's forming -an improvement I've found on that was when I'd poured a little water into the bag first, laid it flat, frozen it, then stacked the meat and the rest of the fluid in on top of that. that helps form a continuous seal around the meat. (I'd love to try it with some liquid nitrogen) funny thing is.. that broken structure seems to help the meat absorb things like marinades after the thawing, as well as working as a tenderizing function. I wouldn't do it with a 'fine steak', but something to be ground, or something tough? sure. might as well!

so if you do this, there might be a bit of 'mush' if you freeze it slow and thaw it quickly, but if you can freeze fast (and I notice very little of it in the chest freezer. it stays at -10F and gets things down there /fast/. thawing slowly also helps, as the ice crystals break down and back into fluid, if the process is slow enough, the cell walls shrink back and don't show as much damage. (kind of like with frostbite, you don't rewarm it too quickly, or you get way more severe damage.) 

anyway, sorry about hijacking the thread. just wanted to toss the info out in case anyone else wanted to try it. 

as for the main question - you can and almost 'should' freeze leftover bbq. (that feels so weird to say... leftover bbq... ) makes for all kinds of good eating - hunk of brisket with adobo? reheat it, shred it down and have taco night.. let your mind and tastebuds run wild!

I've frozen lots of shrimp that way!  Never thought of applying it to meat!  Thanks again, and great explanation.

Mike

There's only 2 of us at home and if Miss Linda is away visiting her daughter there's just me. I smoke anyway--usually just one thing at a time. Leftovers get eaten the next day or vac packed and frozen.

Firing up my MES 30 for 4 pork chops or a tenderloin or some chicken partsdoesn't cost any more than using the oven and sure tastes a lot better.


Besides, I get to sit outside and enjoy the smoke. Life just doesn't get any better than that!!!

Gary

My problem is I'd rather cook it than eat it. So if I place stuff in the freezer it just usually get thrown out a year or two later. LOL I got a free couple a years this time. Brother in Law left my big meat freezer door open and I found it a week later. LOL It was full of briskets, butts, turkeys, sausage, etc..... I didn't even tease him. It just means I have another empty freezer to fill again. 

I have gotta say though I do cook less. I always cooked a whole chicken be it smoked, grilled, fried, baked or boiled. Now I split 'em down the middle and get two meals. I could actually probably get three but..... after supper I just gotta have something left on that plate by the stove. Maybe I'll get hungry watching TV? Maybe one of the neighbors will come by.  Never assume you'll not have company drop by, in or around supper time, especially when the smoke is flooding the neighborhood. I am one of those that would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Been that way all my life. Ya know I also eat less when that plate is by the stove. If its not there I will walk in the kitchen at night and look for something. Its odd.

I really should have been a cook, I just enjoy pleasing folks with good food, which all my neighbor appreciate I'll tell ya! LOL They will actually come by and ask to be fed. They are all singles and have the same problem this thread is about. I feed them, when they see something different or fun they will bring some to me. Like the fresh catfish filets this morning. Maybe crabs, venison, etc..... 

Jump out and share with the neighbors, you might fine they have the same proportion problems as you. Besides make some more friends.

 ....it can cause some structure breakdown of the meat if it's a slow freeze....

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This is true.  It's one of the reasons I bought an upright freezer.  Mine has chill coils in the racks. Food in close contact with the coils will (theoretically) freeze faster than if just in the open air of the unit.  If I'm freezing a bunch of stuff or something thick, I'll dial down the control to maximum chill a few hours ahead of time to get maximum cooling power in the coils and flip the product after about an hour.

I get meats at the butcher shop mostly. I can pick out just how much I need.
Plus, I can eat the same thing for lunch and dinner 3 days in a row. Don't bother me a bit. [emoji]128521[/emoji]

Foamheart said:

My problem is I'd rather cook it than eat it. So if I place stuff in the freezer it just usually get thrown out a year or two later. LOL I got a free couple a years this time. Brother in Law left my big meat freezer door open and I found it a week later. LOL It was full of briskets, butts, turkeys, sausage, etc..... I didn't even tease him. It just means I have another empty freezer to fill again. 

I have gotta say though I do cook less. I always cooked a whole chicken be it smoked, grilled, fried, baked or boiled. Now I split 'em down the middle and get two meals. I could actually probably get three but..... after supper I just gotta have something left on that plate by the stove. Maybe I'll get hungry watching TV? Maybe one of the neighbors will come by.  Never assume you'll not have company drop by, in or around supper time, especially when the smoke is flooding the neighborhood. I am one of those that would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Been that way all my life. Ya know I also eat less when that plate is by the stove. If its not there I will walk in the kitchen at night and look for something. Its odd.

I really should have been a cook, I just enjoy pleasing folks with good food, which all my neighbor appreciate I'll tell ya! LOL They will actually come by and ask to be fed. They are all singles and have the same problem this thread is about. I feed them, when they see something different or fun they will bring some to me. Like the fresh catfish filets this morning. Maybe crabs, venison, etc..... 

Jump out and share with the neighbors, you might fine they have the same proportion problems as you. Besides make some more friends.

Click to expand...

I have a bit of the same problem, Foam. It's fun to play with the smoker....
Me: I think I'll do a brisket this weekend.
Her: We still have brisket in the freezer from last time.
Me: Oh.
Me: Maybe a butt for pulled pork!
Her: We still have 2 vac-seals of PP in the freezer from last time...
Me: Oh.
Me: I know! A beer can chicken using the Vortex!
Her: You just made that 2 weeks ago and we ended up throwing some away because you got tired of having it for lunch at work....
Me: Oh.
Me: How about ribs? We always finish those.
Her: OK.

We have a couple of neighbors who appreciate my stuff, but not as much as I like to cook it. All in all, it's not a bad "problem" to have [emoji]128522[/emoji]

SmokeyMose said:

I have a bit of the same problem, Foam. It's fun to play with the smoker....
Me: I think I'll do a brisket this weekend.
Her: We still have brisket in the freezer from last time.
Me: Oh.
Me: Maybe a butt for pulled pork!
Her: We still have 2 vac-seals of PP in the freezer from last time...
Me: Oh.
Me: I know! A beer can chicken using the Vortex!
Her: You just made that 2 weeks ago and we ended up throwing some away because you got tired of having it for lunch at work....
Me: Oh.
Me: How about ribs? We always finish those.
Her: OK.

We have a couple of neighbors who appreciate my stuff, but not as much as I like to cook it. All in all, it's not a bad "problem" to have [emoji]128522[/emoji]

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Yeppers. You know what I learned while living in West Texas? My inventory whse. was on 1st street downtown. It was where I did schools and we always cooked with a school, LOL we always cooked on Fridays too.  Friends would bring in quail, dove, venison, fish, I would furnish all the sides and cook. Cold beverages were consumed and the points spread on different sporting events were discussed. A few large ones but most schools stayed at 20 to 30, off Fridays were 10 to 15.

Hold on, hold on, I am getting to the point.

Lots of times after go bags were made, we still had food left over. On 2nd street two blocks over was "The Mission" ( the wine-o hotel) and they appreciate any and all contributions. They would rather canned foods so you can't poison 'em, but after they get a few smoked turkeys , some venison, some smoked sausage and fried fish.... You have got a whole new set of friends. I never thought of them until one year about Christmas I was volunteered.

Then all my extra food would go to them. I bet if you don't know them in your town, you can ask your preacher, a fireman or a cop. I didn't do it for this reason, but..... it did a world of great publicity and good will for the company and myself. Kinda worth it just for that good feeling ya get. Its like an all day get outta jail free feeling!  I couldn't suggest this enough to everyone here, you just gotta get up and do it once and you are hooked.

Foamheart said:

SmokeyMose said:

I have a bit of the same problem, Foam. It's fun to play with the smoker....

Me: I think I'll do a brisket this weekend.

Her: We still have brisket in the freezer from last time.

Me: Oh.

Me: Maybe a butt for pulled pork!

Her: We still have 2 vac-seals of PP in the freezer from last time...

Me: Oh.

Me: I know! A beer can chicken using the Vortex!

Her: You just made that 2 weeks ago and we ended up throwing some away because you got tired of having it for lunch at work....

Me: Oh.

Me: How about ribs? We always finish those.

Her: OK.


We have a couple of neighbors who appreciate my stuff, but not as much as I like to cook it. All in all, it's not a bad "problem" to have [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Click to expand...

Yeppers. You know what I learned while living in West Texas? My inventory whse. was on 1st street downtown. It was where I did schools and we always cooked with a school, LOL we always cooked on Fridays too.  Friends would bring in quail, dove, venison, fish, I would furnish all the sides and cook. Cold beverages were consumed and the points spread on different sporting events were discussed. A few large ones but most schools stayed at 20 to 30, off Fridays were 10 to 15.

Hold on, hold on, I am getting to the point.

Lots of times after go bags were made, we still had food left over. On 2nd street two blocks over was "The Mission" ( the wine-o hotel) and they appreciate any and all contributions. They would rather canned foods so you can't poison 'em, but after they get a few smoked turkeys , some venison, some smoked sausage and fried fish.... You have got a whole new set of friends. I never thought of them until one year about Christmas I was volunteered.

Then all my extra food would go to them. I bet if you don't know them in your town, you can ask your preacher, a fireman or a cop. I didn't do it for this reason, but..... it did a world of great publicity and good will for the company and myself. Kinda worth it just for that good feeling ya get. Its like an all day get outta jail free feeling!  I couldn't suggest this enough to everyone here, you just gotta get up and do it once and you are hooked.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea, Foam. For the last few years I've been giving small amounts monthly to the Lighthouse Mission here in Indy (It's local so I know the money isn't being diluted into some world-wide black hole). They appreciate every dime and are always asking for volunteers. Retirement is just around the corner and I've been wondering what to do with myself. Maybe.....

SmokeyMose said:

Thanks for the idea, Foam. For the last few years I've been giving small amounts monthly to the Lighthouse Mission here in Indy (It's local so I know the money isn't being diluted into some world-wide black hole). They appreciate every dime and are always asking for volunteers. Retirement is just around the corner and I've been wondering what to do with myself. Maybe.....

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<Chuckles> be careful or you'll be working harder retired!

It's just my wife and me too, but leftovers are king around here.  I'm one of those guys who can eat the same thing 3 or 4 days straight, twice a day, so I only cook/smoke/grill things I love.  My wife can go about 3 days max, then she needs something different.  Knowing that, I kind of cook/smoke/grill to that schedule, and often use the last of the leftovers to make something different (soups, stews, enchiladas, pasta, rice dishes, whatever).   

Noboundaries said:

 
It's just my wife and me too, but leftovers are king around here.  I'm one of those guys who can eat the same thing 3 or 4 days straight, twice a day, so I only cook/smoke/grill things I love.  My wife can go about 3 days max, then she needs something different.  Knowing that, I kind of cook/smoke/grill to that schedule, and often use the last of the leftovers to make something different (soups, stews, enchiladas, pasta, rice dishes, whatever).

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I think lots of us are like that Ray!  If it's good, I'll keep eating it!  For the better half, I have to keep getting creative...unless it's seafood!  She will eat seafood three times a day every day and never complain!

Mike

JIRodriguez said:

 
Vacuum sealer is your friend!

I load my smoker with multiple meats about 1x a month, then vacuum pack everything into 1 lb. portions that I can pull out and use later on for all kinds of stuff. The best method to re-heat is to toss the frozen vacuum bag into a pot of almost simmering water until it is heated all the way through. It comes out hot, and stays very moist with lots of good flavor!

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Yes....we are two people here as well. Got a vacuum sealer and it is the best thing I bought.