Any new Michigan Members?

[humdinger]

Re-registered as a new member, lost my old email and not able to get in under old name Cashew. Been away for a few years, but still smoking whenever I can. MES finally died, not sure if I can bring her back a 3rd time. On the fence about having to get a new one, haven't told the boss lady yet. Had to finish a load of ABT's in the oven, heaven forbid I have to put the Turkey in as well. Just read up on the Fatty contest, sounds like fun. A few years back took a BBQ class with my youngest son and had the best day rubbing elbows with other meat smokers. Glad to be back on SMF.
John

Hey John! Yes the fatty contest was a hit. Always a fun way to spend the day. Glad you found your way back to SMF, and the MI members group! Take care and see you around the forum!

 

[Pestilentchild]

Hello everyone, new member here from Northern Michigan, thought I would introduce myself. I've always been a big griller and did a little bit of smoking using my Weber charcoal grill but it was tricky to keep everything just right. This year I decided to get a propane smoker and bought a Smoke Vault. So far I am pleased with it and my first few smokes have turned out fantastic. My primary goal was to create more out of my venison than just the typical steak and burger, along with smoking up the bbq classics of course. I look forward to learning and creating. Heres a few samples of my first smokes.
Venison brats with 20% pork

Backstrap marinated in butter and garlic and wrapped in bacon

And finally, Some 70/30 venison/pork snack sticks with jalapenos, and cheddar cheese.

 

[fivetricks]

That all looks simply awesome..

Drool.

 

[bruster]

Hello.

Brandon from the Mount Morris area. I run a small MES30/mailbox at home and I have a block pit I run elsewhere. Looking to move into bigger units at home here.

Am wondering if I might not live just down the road from Eric who posted above. Seems that I've seen something like what he described in his area lol

It very well could have been me! I lived off linden in between Stanley/mt morris

I now live in MS though!

 

[fivetricks]

That's not where the house I'm talking about is, but funny enough, I kid you not, I live on linden between Stanley and mt Morris! :-)

 

[bruster]

Was it down MT Morris? I lived at 7207..you had to see the smoker out front at some point in time

 

[fivetricks]

Nah it was on linden up by Vienna. Right accross from menards

I just moved to this address october of '17.

 

[bruster]

Yup I know where you’re talking about

 

[martin1950]

Hi y'all.. Just joined up, we live in the S/W. just N of the little burg of Hartford, 20miles W of Paw Paw off I-94. I spend most of my free time fishing on Lake MI. so when I do fire up my smokers ya can figure out what I'm smoking. And I love my cold smoked cheeses. Hope to meet a few of my local fellow Trolls here. Burning on an old Char-Griller COS and a new Pit Boss 820D
Martin

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

Welcome Martin! Nice to have a new Michigan member!

Scott

 

[kingfishcam]

Man, I have been away for a while. Got some reading to do on here!

 

[humdinger]

Hi y'all.. Just joined up, we live in the S/W. just N of the little burg of Hartford, 20miles W of Paw Paw off I-94. I spend most of my free time fishing ......
Martin

Welcome Martin! Thanks for checking in! You'll find lots of ideas, camaraderie, and laughs with this group. I dabble with smoking fish so I'll be sure to hit you up next time I do. Take care and talk to you soon.

-Kurt

Man, I have been away for a while. Got some reading to do on here!

Cam! How goes it old buddy? Hope you had a good Christmas. See ya around.

-Kurt

 

[InThePittBBQ]

I live right on the state line, spend most of my free time in MI does that count?

 

[martin1950]

I live right on the state line, spend most of my free time in MI does that count?

Close enough for me.

Kurt, just incase I never see another MI. sunrise.
MY SMOKED SALMON (wet method)
I'm sorry but this is a little long winded because I takes me 3 days to put it all together, not counting the time it takes to thaw the salmon. Now I'm a little Old-School. I've used one of those old round Brinkmen charcoal water smoker for years, you know the ones you could buy at Walmart for $59.95 years ago. So you can modify your smoking method any way you want. But this works for me. I'll double bag and freezer chunks for snacks, dip and cracker spread. You might notice I don't use much salt but I do load up on the sugar, sweet tooth. This recipe also works great on grilled fish or mopped on any meat.
Ingredients.
SKINLESS salmon with rib AND pin bones removed.
1 large mixing bowl.
a 4 bottles of generic A-1 steak sauce
b 4 bottles of water, rinsing out steak sauce bottles.
c 1 cup canning salt
d 1 cup brown sugar
e 1 cup white sugar
f 1 table spoon garlic powder
g 1 table spoon onion powder
h 1 table spoon black pepper
Day #1. Mix (a-h) in a sealable container and chill over night.
Day #2. Place about 10-12 chunks or 1 fillet of salmon in 1 gallon freezer bag. Add 2-3 ladles of marinade/brine just enough to cover fish. Squish out all the air and seal. Place in large bowl, you will be rolling the bags in the frig about every 4-6 hours over night. Cut and water soak about 6@ softball size chunks of your favorite smoking wood, I like hard maple, you want the smoke not the heat on top of the coals.
Day #3 Drain BUT save brine because you'll be using about 1/2 gallon and extra water in the water pan. Rack salmon and let sit for 2-3 hours for glaze over.
I'm sure everyone's got it under control from here, weather your using charcoal, electric, stick/COS smoker, upright or pellet pooper, hot or cold smoked. Everybody does it different!!!!
Martin

 

[humdinger]

I live right on the state line, spend most of my free time in MI does that count?

For sure! We're all friends and neighbors here. It's good to meet you.

-Humdinger

Close enough for me.

Kurt, just in case I never see another MI. sunrise.
MY SMOKED SALMON (wet method)
I'm sorry but this is a little long winded because I takes me 3 days to put it all together, not counting the time it takes to thaw the salmon.................

View attachment 386565

Martin,
Thanks so much for sharing your marinade. Aldi has a great A1 generic for $1/bottle so I will definitely try it. One question though; what temp do you smoke it at and for how long?

Thanks
Humdinger

 

[martin1950]

Dog-Gone-It!!! I knew someone would ask that question. That's why I ended the thread that way. Been doing it this way for many years now, kind of an O.C.D. thing so I don't really think about it. My second lid doesn't have a thermo in it but I seem to remember 225*. Here is my step by step for my old round water smokers. Fill coal pan in smoker and light it up. After it ashes up I move it into the garage, install water pan, 1/2 gal. of marinade, fill water pan, 1st. rack with the thinner cuts over water pan, 2nd rack with thicker cuts on high rack holder and put the cover on. Open side filler door and add 2 chunks of wood, close door. Your 1st. load should only take a little over 1&1/2 hours, for your next load, your coals are good just add 2 more chunks of wood, little more water and load racks 3 & 4. This round will take a little over 2 hours. And just like any outdoor cooking/smoking you'll have to think about wind and temp. One draw back to smoking in the garage!!! Several years back I had 2 smokers going in the garage and the smoke was rolling out the door. About 1/2 hour into the job I had all these people show-up in the driveway with shiny red trucks. Since then I've been giving them a heads-up. Now they just show up to mooch fish. Never could get my Char-Griller C.O.S. dialed in and I'll be experimenting with my new pellet pooper this spring. FYI, -10*, 24mph/SSW. @ 0425hrs. Have a good one.
Martin

 

[Carpenter Gary]

I joined up probably a month ago,still making my way around the site, I just acquired a traeTra pellet smoker,also have a propane one I'm located a half hour north and east of Lansing

 

[fivetricks]

You're close to my neck of the woods then :-)

I'm gussing that puts you pretty close to Owosso!

 

[Carpenter Gary]

Actually I'm in Elsie

 

[fivetricks]

Darnit! I was gonna guess the Ovid-Elsie area too. Bah. I'll do better next time.

we need to get us a mid-state get together arranged.

There is a Michigan group that does great things already, but they're not really in our area and they focus on fatties.