Introduction

[dond]

Newbie to the world of smoking and anxious to learn fundamentals that have been field tested by your members.
I live in Rockford Mi and have been smoking for about a year with the Bradley smoker with many successful smokes but with enough busts to give me pause. I'm a frequent reader of the Bradley forum and your platform appeared to be a step up.
I'm finding it extremely important to find a good meat store and develop a relationship with the butcher. I'm looking for some suggestions
Also looking for a place to purchase spices, rubs, BBQ sauces, cures, brines and the like. I presently purchase supplies from Cabela's , Herman's Boy and Ace hardware in Rockford,
I smoke probably weekly and hope to refine my smoking and brining techniques for Salmon, Briskit , Ribs, Kielbasa, and pulled Pork. Specifically what woods pair best with each product.
I'm excited to be involved with this forum and thanks to all who have already welcomed me.

 

[drewhanbe]

Welcome DonD. I'm fairly new to this forum also, and many a good people on here with great knowledge and tips. Speaking of spices, Sam's Club is a great place to buy bulk size spices for under 10 bucks. Tones brand, amongst others. Good luck with all your cooks. BTW, I'm a beer salesman so that's how I got to develop a good relationship with the local butcher and store manager. It definitely has its advantages, so find a way to befriend one. Try talking about smoking meat to spark his interest. Chances are he has some customers who use his for this already, so it may spark his interest in you. It worked for me, as he's always asking what I smoked over the weekend.