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    Is 145 degrees safe for pork ?

    We were at the local meat counter a while back and asking the manager about safe internal temp. for cooking the pork we just purchased. He said 145 is safe, and too many people ( like my wife and I ) over-cook pork to 160 and complain that it's dry and tough. Is 145 safe ? What are your...
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    Tired of grissly steaks. Is beef tenderloin a good choice ?

    Fareway has beef tenderloin on sale for $12.99 / lb. which is $2 per lb. less than Costco. So I'm wondering... this is the really tender part of a T-Bone steak, and the same as Filet Mignion ? Am I correct ? My teeth aren't as good as they used to be and many of the steaks we bring home...
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    Is Pollock a mild fish that's good to smoke ?

    Our local Fareway has 5 lb boxes of Pollock fillets on sale for $7.99 each. My wife and I like mild flavored fish. Is this a deal I should jump on ? Any worries about fine bones like the last trout fillets I got ? Thanks.
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    What if I don't brine my Atlantic Salmon before smoking ?

    Last week we brined and smoked some Halibut and Tilapia. The brine recipe was this from Bear's post : Put 1/2 quart of apple juice in a pot on the stove, bringing to low boil & then down to simmer. Add to this; 6 ounces of soy sauce 1/2 cup of non-iodized salt 1/2 cup of brown sugar 1/2 tsp of...
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    Love Halibut but it's pricey, any economical substitutes ?

    Looking for ideas for our next fish smoking session. We really enjoy Halibut but it's pricey, so is Salmon. Tilapia is good, but we'd like to try some different fish. Since we live in small town Iowa ,USA we have a Wal Mart, HyVee, and Fareway. Costco and the other big stores are 90 minutes...
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    Overcooked meat: What can be done to make it appetizing again ?

    What can be done with overcooked and dry meat ? Beef, pork, chicken, I've made it all hard to chew at one time or other. Can anything be done to re-moisten it ? What are your favorite ways of making overcooked meat appetizing again ? Thanks in advance.
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    Brine and marinade newbie questions

    I've been watching videos about soaking a whole turkey in cold saltwater overnight (Alton Brown method) and the science behind it says it will be the most juicy bird you've ever eaten. 6 quarts water, 1# kosher salt, 1# brown sugar. Would this be a good brine and method for any poultry (and...
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    Pork Ribs questions please

    This will be our first attempt at smoking pork ribs on our new MES 30". Our local store only had "loin back" ribs. 1) Are loin back ribs a cross between baby backs and spare ribs ? 2) Is there a membrane on these loin backs that needs to be removed ? 3) These were on sale for $3.99 per...
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    Has anyone heard of Wild Cherry trees ?

    Here in southern Iowa there is a tree that grows in fence rows and other un-used land. The Largest specimens are 30' tall and 24-30" around but most are much smaller. They get little berries in the late summer, I've never tried them as I'm not sure they are edible. The bark is thin and peels...
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    MES 30" #20078715 : Will wood chips smoke at 200 degrees ?

    I've read that anything less than 240 degrees and the wood chips won't get hot enough to smoke. Is that true on this (later ?) model too ? We would like to try baby back ribs, but also pork steak, hamburgers, chicken. Also, should we always have water in the water pan ? It would seem to keep...
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    MES 30"- Is it OK to smoke chicken, beef, and pork at same time ?

    Is it ok to use different kinds of meats at the same time in the smoker ? If I'm smoking poultry, beef, and pork at the same time, which meat should be at the bottom, middle, and top ? Or should I smoke one kind at a time so they should be done at the same time, and I'm not opening the door...
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    From Brinkman charcoal smoker to Masterbuilt 30" electric smoker

    I've been using a Brinkman charcoal smoker for six years or so, and the results were mostly good. We really enjoy smoked meats: burgers, chicken pieces, beef roast, pork loin roast, pork steak, pork chops, bratwurst, even fish on foil, and the water pan seemed to keep things moist. However...
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    How cold can it be outdoors and still use my new MBES 30" ?

    I received a new MBES 30" for Christmas and I'm anxious to season it and cook with it. But it's not gonna be above freezing for at least a week. Are these efficient enough to use in sub-freezing temps, or even in the 30's F. ?
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    How do you know when venison is "done" ?

    I was gifted some whitetail venison and was considering two ways to cook it. One would be slicing the loin cross-grain and wrapping them in bacon and either baked in the oven or pan fried. The other option would be the same prep and cooked in my new MBES 30" , but I'm a total newbie to the MBES...
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