Hi everyone,
Just joined today but have been reading Jeff's stuff for months. My wife gave me a smoker over a year ago as a B-Day gift and I just looked stumped at the box and asked her what the hell I was supposed to do with it.
Well surprise, surprise, surprise, it is my new best friend. I use to BBQ everything from Pizza to Turkey but now my BBQ Galore, Capt’n Cook just sits very lonely alongside my new shiny penny Brinkman. Not quite in the league of smokers I see here but we all have to start somewhere. It is a propane Brinkman that is now well seasoned and recently modified to improve smoke flow and allow smoking at lower temperatures. It works for now as I work on my smoking skills and put together my wish list for what I would like to have for the next smoker I buy.
I think I can successfully say I am past the stage of intimidation as I have done countless chickens, ribs and pork butts, a turkey this past Thanksgiving, a ham for X-Mas,(both thanks to Jeff) and have now moved on to brine (pinksalt) curing and smoking for things like pastrami and Anduille sausages. I was happy to see this month’s newsletter on pastrami as I just did my second 5lb brisket (in a month) for a Superbowl party and WOW was it well received (read -gone in minutes). I know that Jeff likes to make things easy by starting with pre-cured corned beef but it is amazing how easy it is to just do it yourself and add whatever flavors you like in to the brining process. But then again, I was surprised at what just smoking a pre-cured ham would yield.
Glad to see so many smoking enthusiasts in one place. I know I am now hooked. My wife just sits back and laughs as I portray myself as some kind smoking knowledgeable person when we entertain as though I have been doing it for the past 20 years.
TJ
Just joined today but have been reading Jeff's stuff for months. My wife gave me a smoker over a year ago as a B-Day gift and I just looked stumped at the box and asked her what the hell I was supposed to do with it.
Well surprise, surprise, surprise, it is my new best friend. I use to BBQ everything from Pizza to Turkey but now my BBQ Galore, Capt’n Cook just sits very lonely alongside my new shiny penny Brinkman. Not quite in the league of smokers I see here but we all have to start somewhere. It is a propane Brinkman that is now well seasoned and recently modified to improve smoke flow and allow smoking at lower temperatures. It works for now as I work on my smoking skills and put together my wish list for what I would like to have for the next smoker I buy.
I think I can successfully say I am past the stage of intimidation as I have done countless chickens, ribs and pork butts, a turkey this past Thanksgiving, a ham for X-Mas,(both thanks to Jeff) and have now moved on to brine (pinksalt) curing and smoking for things like pastrami and Anduille sausages. I was happy to see this month’s newsletter on pastrami as I just did my second 5lb brisket (in a month) for a Superbowl party and WOW was it well received (read -gone in minutes). I know that Jeff likes to make things easy by starting with pre-cured corned beef but it is amazing how easy it is to just do it yourself and add whatever flavors you like in to the brining process. But then again, I was surprised at what just smoking a pre-cured ham would yield.
Glad to see so many smoking enthusiasts in one place. I know I am now hooked. My wife just sits back and laughs as I portray myself as some kind smoking knowledgeable person when we entertain as though I have been doing it for the past 20 years.
TJ
