Today's the day! Last night we got a big, hot fire going and seasoned the new offset. Really understand why you need to do that, now, for sure... it smelled **awful** at first! But got much better after a couple of hours. Also, it was a good way to see where the flaws are in this inexpensive unit... there are definitely some leaky spots, but honestly, it was quite cold yet the temperature didn't fluctuate much. Played with taking it up and down with the intake, so I feel at least moderately competent to try this thing out today!
Just a couple of racks of baby backs and a pork butt to start... will keep you posted!
EDIT 1:44pm EST
I needed to add some wood, and the smoke went all billowy on me, so I opened it a minute to spare the goodies from any nastiness, which allowed me to snap a picture of everything on the grill. Tasso up top, the butt & baby back ribs. It's raining more than I expected now, so I'm gonna have to babysit a bit, I think!
EDIT 3:22pm EST
Getting there! Just over 3 hours (these were extremely meaty racks) and I pulled them to wrap. I've never done these before, so I unabashedly stole the idea of butter + honey + apple cider drizzle. They look pretty good! Had to shoo the grandboys away. Put them back on the grill for another bit. Spritzed the butt a little more and left stepped away.
Speaking of the grandboys, I also pulled the tasso, and cut up a couple of pieces to take pictures to show the texture before wrapping up the rest of them for family & friends I'd promised them to. Turned back around and the "show" tasso had been scarfed up. I did manage to have a couple of bites beforehand, though, and it turned out pretty much exactly like the first batch did, only I made this one a LOT spicier.
Onward!
EDIT 10:10pm EST
Arrrrrrrrrgh. 10 hour ribs, anyone? Ugh. They were great.... but we were totally thwarted by rain and temperatures in the 30°s that kept our grate temps bottoming out no matter what we did. I'm exhausted; will post more about it tomorrow. Much, much, much to learn... probably starting with, "Maybe don't try to do 16 lbs. of meat on a rainy, windy, frigid day..."
EDIT: Next day, 3:00 pm EST
Unarguably the biggest success of the first smoke. Though this wasn't too much of a stretch since I've been making these in a grill since I was a teenager, I'll still take it. I think what you see right here is my very favorite food in the whole, wide world!
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