aluminum foil health risk?

[jp61]

 
Simple!  You don't. You enjoy your life, you eat all kinds of stuff in moderation and don't worry about it.

That's the philosophy I try to live by also but, even without cable TV, it's difficult to tune out all the 

 telling me what I should do for my own good.

 Speaking of moderation..... are two fatties in two weeks considered to be in moderation? 

......... pardon me!

 

[daveomak]

:biggrin:  Speaking of moderation..... are two fatties in two weeks considered to be in moderation? :th_anim_burp: ......... pardon me!

If you wrap asparagus or broccoli in the center, you should be good to go on 3 per week....

 

[jp61]

If you wrap asparagus or broccoli in the center, you should be good to go on 3 per week....

 Thanks Dave! 

 

[forluvofsmoke]

 
Thanks Eric,

 I am beginning to understand that there are many complexities when grilling/smoking meat.  Your ability to get out information to the point is well done.  I have a lot to learn...

Appreciating the information that you have to share.  Now, I will let the experience of trial and error to find its way.  Lesson #1, let sleeping dogs lie.  

Thanks you for being kind and helpful.

Tami

Again, you're welcome. With outdoor cooking, things can get complicated, yes, but they don't necessarily need to be as such. I find myself looking for simpler methods, or using those which I already know to be simple, or simpler seasoning blends, at times. There are many methods that can be incorporated into your smoking and grilling, but that doesn't mean you have to use them. KISS method comes to mind...use what works for you, your cooker, and as you gain experience, you will find there are little things you can do with certain cuts of meat, for example, to change things up and make it a little better than the last time you made it. There's no need to fret over any of it, in fact, that takes all the fun out of it, IMHO. Experimenting with some basic knowledge and methods, while following safe food handling practices, of course, can give you a lot of insight which you can carry forward to the next day you get to spend time with your cooker. As time passes, you gain experience and a better sense of confidence in your skills...and the cycle continues. Every cook becomes an easier task, becomes more enjoyable, less stressful (cooking should NEVER be stressful, it should be fun and relaxing) and allows you to consider more ways to create a meal. There are a wide variety of foods that can be smoked or grilled, and probably just as many methods to accomplish the goal of making a good (hopefully great) meal from these foods.

I can and have used some rather complicated methods with multiple cookers for a single meal, or just one cooker for the entire meal...they have all been rewarding, with a great dining experience. In recent years, I have come to realize that it's not just the methods as much as it is the ingredients and care used in creating a meal that makes it stand apart from the ordinary. A little creativity goes a long way. When your creativity begins to flow freely is when you can begin to see your true potential, and then nothing seems unthinkable or impossible to accomplish with a smoker. It took me a few months for that to happen after joining SMF, but when it did, all smokin' hell broke loose at my house...LOL!!! How far and how fast you let yourself go with it is entirely up to you. My only regret is that things got so fast-paced for me that I ran out of steam a couple years back, and haven't gotten that level of energy again since then. But, I still have the experience...nothing can take that away from me. The methods I fine-tuned for my personal preferences are still with me, as well as the recipes I formulated, from simple to complex. So, I can roll with whatever I choose when I decide to fire up for a smoke...that's part of the beauty of it all...it never leaves you. Sure, I still experiment from time to time, but not at the pace I did a few years back, and I do still enjoy the journey of making it all come together and sharing it with family and friends...even here on the forums.

Being new to smoking is exciting, but I will caution you to set realistic goals. Start with simple dishes so you can get to know your cooker. If you decide you want to smoke a particular cut of beef or pork, poultry or fish, do some reading on it from reliable sources until you decide on a method you'd like to try with it. Look for the simple side of things and these will usually be easier to follow. More complicated methods tend to be used due to the ability to create a better finished product or a particular texture/characteristic, but until you have used simpler methods typical of a more basic product, you really have nothing to gauge other more complicated methods with.

Tami, I'm looking forward to reading more from you and giving what I can...just paying it forward. It's been a pleasure!!! I don't know everything there is to know about smoking in my somewhat limited 8 years of getting really involved in it (after 6 years of just basically puddling around), and I'm not ashamed to say I'm still learning. So, when you say you've got a lot to learn, yes, to some degree, you do. However, you don't need to know a ton to be quite capable with a smoker or grill, just the same as indoor cooking...your skill-set and knowledge will determine what you can cook. Take it one day, one smoke, one cut of meat at a time...everything will come together and present itself to you with each meal you create. With everything, there is a learning curve...it may begin as quite steep, then over time and with practice, the curve flattens out. You'll do fine...just be patient with yourself...and, remember: there's no such thing as a stupid question, so when in doubt, just ask.

Eric

 

[GaryHibbert]

Hey

Welcome to the Smoking  forum.   You’ll find great , friendly people here, all more than willing to answer any question you may have.  Just ask and you’ll get about 10 different answers—all right.  LOL.   Don’t forget to post qviews.

Gary

 

[damnthatsgood]

Right, wrong, or indifferent, my wife read these posts and said I should be ashamed of myself.  And she's right.  This really is no way to treat a new member, old member, or any other human being at all.  I also got a strong wake up call from a fellow human being on this forum.  I'm not taking the high road here, believe me.  This is me being real--just from the other direction.

Peace, OP.  Happy smoken.

 

[jp61]

 
OP is just fine.  I kinda thought that my question was a bit too much to start with.  I am so busy smoking meat that I have moved on.  I will continue to ask question tho.  Thank you for the concern.  I work with the public as a service worker and meet these confrontations continually.  Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day to you as well, smo-kingmamma!

 to SMF!  

Hope someone had an answer to your question and your BBQ turned out well. 

 I am totally exhausted and have no further comment at this time.

Take care!     

 

[smo-kingmamma]

Thanks Eric,

I spent the entire day yesterday enjoying our new smoker.  I like the idea of preparing something that will take 4-6 hours to cook.  It gave me a lot of time to hang with the hubbie and the kids.  They are pretty easy to please as a whole and loved everything that I made.  I smoked Vidalia onions in hard cidar bath and they taste great and will be used today for burger toppings.  Also, garlic and jalepeno smoked in a ceramic dish while smoking the short ribs lended a nice sweet flavor to everything in the smoker.  Thank you for your helpful insights.  I got rave reviews on everything and am ready for the next challenge.

Tami

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

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• smo-kingmamma
• May 25, 2014

This is how it all started.  My photos are a bit out of order.  

Have a great weekend!

Tami

 

[shtrdave]

It all looks really good and as long as the family enjoyed that is all that counts.

 

[boykjo]

Nice Dino Bones... Great Job

 

[timberjet]

Looks great from here. Love the sweet onions this time of year!

 

[jp61]

Very nice!

 They look even better in this thread!

 

[forluvofsmoke]

Ah, man...now I wish I wasn't just vegging-out today...I shoulda planned a dinner for today...that looks fantastic!

Looks like you've been doing this for years...you sure you're a smokin' newbie? LOL!!!

Eric

 

[wensmoke]

We only joined today, and we already had some good advice. Our smoker was not smoking much, and someone said too much smoke was not good. We kept wondering why it didn't give out tons of smoke immediately. We are smoking our first beef brisket today. Any advice.

 

[paulyetter]

 
I don't understand why it's fine to cook with liquid that has been in an aluminum can for who knows how long but it's dangerous to wrap your food for an hour or two with aluminum foil????   : /

That is a good point. I would be interested in knowing the reason for this as well. Perhaps the thickness differential?

 

[daveomak]

That is a good point. I would be interested in knowing the reason for this as well. Perhaps the thickness differential?

Because aluminum can react with sodas and stuff in it...... and the new aluminum cans are about 0.005 " thick, they have a spray food grade coating to protect them from corrosion....

 

[dirtsailor2003]

image.jpg

• dirtsailor2003
• May 25, 2014

When I smoke using foil pans, and tin foil I wear my protective helmet!

 

[smo-kingmamma]

Will I ever live this down?

 

[jp61]

 
Will I ever live this down?

 Yes, you will.

 

[pineywoods]

I think this thread has more than run it's course and I'm closing it.