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I had a chance to use the LEM #8 575 watt grinder I mentioned in another thread this weekend. I'm really impressed. I didn't run a stopwatch, but I'd guess it only took a couple minutes to process 5lbs of pork butt I had cubed and chilled. The unit seems well made and dissasembles really...

Was looking at ground chuck locally, and was suprised to see that it is generally less expensive than buying a chuck roast. Seems to be backwards of how it should be. Since the ground chuck goes through an additional processing step, I assumed it would be more expensive. I checked three...

After reading a bunch of comments on the attachement for the Kitchen Aid grinder, I decided to get a dedicated grinder instead. Picked up a LEM electric #8. Can't wait to try it out.

Was thinking about replacing my not very well made manual meat grinder with a small electric one. I don't make tons of sausage, and don't have a big budget right now. I saw Kitchen-Aid makes a grinder that hooks onto their mixers. Anyone use one of these? Are they any good? And, does anyone...

Here are pics from my get together on Saturday. The two butts weighed in at about 15 lbs total. Smoked at 225ish for about 12 hours. Turned out great. I'm really liking the UDS smoker. Prepped and ready to go: After the post smoke rest: And after the 1st butt was pulled:

Cooked up a pork butt this weekend to test the UDS on a longer smoke before the big memorial day cook. 7.5 lb butt smoked for about 11 hours. Backed the salt level down in my rub a bit this time, and really like the results. Here is the before pic: And the after:

Here is my experiment from today. It's one pound of homemade Italian sausage, mixed with one pound Jimmy Dean hot sausage, stuffed with sweet onion, bell pepper, mozzarella, and tomato sauce with some garlic, basil, salt and pepper. I added some rub after the pic of it rolled back up, and...

Nothing too impressive, just covered a fatty with the last of my rub from the fall, and smoked it up. The UDS ran like a champ. Have to seal one air leak, and it will be perfect. Can't believe how long the fuel lasts. Here is pre smoke: And with a slice off after cookin:

Here are some pics of my just finished drum smoker. Thanks to everyone here for all the info.

Finishing up a vertical 55 gal drum smoker, and had a question. What's the distance from the lid down to the rack supposed to be? Thanks!

I usually don't freeze larger hunks of meat like pork butt and brisket, but there was a deal on pork butt a while back locally, and I got a few for the spring. How long do I need to thaw them in the fridge before I smoke 'em? I've read everything from 5 to 8 hours a pound. Thanks!

I've got a lot of recipes that use bacon fat. It seems like I need the stuff a lot when I'm not cooping up a bunch of bacon. How long will the stuff store? Do you just put it in a clean jar in the fridge? Thanks!

For the second year in a row, mice have invaded my house. Can't figure out how they get in, but it's a 110 year old house, so not air tight by any means. Snap traps got one of the current ones, and either it, or another drug a glue trap several feet and escaped. Something ate some of the...

Here is what I got out of the ground this year. Should keep me in horseradish for a while. My worries about not leaving enough in the ground to get a plant next year were unfounded. The stuff in the pic was tough to get out, and I left several pencil thick runners in the dirt, mostly because...

Getting ready to use my zinc plated cast iron #10 grinder for the first time. The tiny instruction pamphlet mentions oiling it to prevent rust after cleaning. Is mineral oil ok for that? Or, is there something else that works that isn't too spendy? Thanks!

Was preparing to make corned beef, and read the recipie in the book Charcuterie. The recipe calls for one ounce (5tsp) of pink salt for 5lbs of brisket and 1 gallon water. That struck me as a lot. Is the increase becasue it's not being incorporated into the meat like it would in sausage, or...

Digging up the horseradish tonight. Do I want to leave some in the ground for next year, or how do I store it so I can plant it in the spring? Thanks!

What do you all use? I've been using dish soap and bleach water for the cleaner and sanitizer, but the dish soap is a pain. Takes forever to get all the soap removed. I went to a class the order day, and the teacher had two spray bottles, one to clean, one to sanitize. I'm pretty sure the...

Tried a couple new to me meats this weekend. Had a small gathering over at the house, and decided at the last minute to smoke. Ran up to the store, and they didn't have the Tri Tip I was looking for, so I picked up a boneless top serloin, and a top loin pork roast. Gave em both a mustard slather...

Smoked the brown sugar bacon from my last post today. I'll never buy store bought again. Amazing, even though I took it 10 degrees hotter than I intended. Fried a piece up. Mmmmmmm. Here's a couple pix: Hot of the smoker: And the first cut: