Do you ever just start on a smoking project, without knowing where it's going?
Yesterday I was on the verge of smoking some ribs, but I got other things done. Today I waited for the stores to open, and hit the meat cases. The first store (Kroger) had only one small rack of ribs in the case, except for some pre-flavored ones I wasn't interested in. So I got those and went on to the Giant Eagle, where I found a big pack of "country ribs" which are not really ribs but still good to work with.
To complicate things, I also got a pair of huge, beautiful poblano peppers. I think I'll sear them in the firebox when I start the fire. But I still haven't decided what I'll do with them. That's compulsive behavior, when the act is more important than the consequences.
Now they wait. The charcoal waits. The offset waits. The weatherman wags a finger and calls for a 50% chance of showers - and we had some small but intense ones yesterday.
I have apple, maple and hickory, along with Stubbs charcoal. I have a few rubs and sauces but I'm the only one who will eat hot pepper.
All of these elements swirl around in a cloud of probabilities that hasn't condensed yet. I might as well get off my rear end and rattle some racks while the radar is still clear.
Yesterday I was on the verge of smoking some ribs, but I got other things done. Today I waited for the stores to open, and hit the meat cases. The first store (Kroger) had only one small rack of ribs in the case, except for some pre-flavored ones I wasn't interested in. So I got those and went on to the Giant Eagle, where I found a big pack of "country ribs" which are not really ribs but still good to work with.
To complicate things, I also got a pair of huge, beautiful poblano peppers. I think I'll sear them in the firebox when I start the fire. But I still haven't decided what I'll do with them. That's compulsive behavior, when the act is more important than the consequences.
Now they wait. The charcoal waits. The offset waits. The weatherman wags a finger and calls for a 50% chance of showers - and we had some small but intense ones yesterday.
I have apple, maple and hickory, along with Stubbs charcoal. I have a few rubs and sauces but I'm the only one who will eat hot pepper.
All of these elements swirl around in a cloud of probabilities that hasn't condensed yet. I might as well get off my rear end and rattle some racks while the radar is still clear.
