Retired from Montana

[scobeyjohn]

Hello there, my name is John Nelson, alias Wildhorse.  I live in Great Falls Montana and grew up in the NE corner of MT, about 12 miles from the Canadian border. I served in the US Navy for 4 years and got out in 1975, 10 days before the end of the Vietnam war.  I got into the grocery business in 1976 as a meat cutter.  In 1987 I started working for the Navy commissary at Whidbey Island WA.  I later became a manager and worked in Idaho, Okinawa, Belgium, Germany, and The Azores.  In 2005 I moved back to MT as Store Director at the Malmstrom AFB Commissary here in Great Falls.  I retired in 2012 with 29 years of government service and now travel a lot with my travel trailer.  Although I was a meat cutter, I have never smoked meat.  I bought a MASTERBUILT Electric Bullet Smoker and hope to find an easy recipe tomorrow to start out.

 

[SmokinAl]

Welcome to the forum, John!

For your first smoke I always advise something cheap & easy.

Chicken is a real good place to start.

Here are some good chicken recipes.

http://www.smoking-meat.com/tag/chicken

Good luck!

Al

 

[gearjammer]

Hello John, welcome to you.

As far as what to smoke for your fist time.

Al's advice is good, for the reasons he gives.

Let us know how it comes out, please.

Have fun and remember, pictures are nice.

          Ed

 

[scobeyjohn]

Thanks for the welcome. Today I am burning out the newness of the smoker and getting my area set up.  Also, I will be looking for a Baby Back Ribs recipe and use it tomorrow so I will have some to take with me when I leave Tuesday for Custer Battlefield.  I do have a question:  If I only use one rack, should I use the top or bottom, or does it matter?

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Welcome, glad ya joined us !

 

[hardcookin]

Welcome to SMF!
Enjoy your new smoker and good luck with the ribs cook!!

 

[remsr]

Hi john and welcome, you have come to the right place to learn the art of smoking. Ask a question and get answers from many expert pit masters.

Randy,

 

[nmills]

If you are looking for an easy chicken recipe, one of my favorites is taking a pack of 12 chicken drumsticks, coating them heavily in lawrys season salt and smoking them with hickory wood. They are very good and very easy. I also like to take a packet of ranch mix and make a thick garlic ranch dip for them by adding a few teaspoons of minced garlic. Good luck!

 

[remsr]

I would use the top and go with the 2-2-1 method, 2 hours in the smoke at 225, 2 hours warped in foil at 225 and 1 hour out of the foil at 225. The last hour is a good time to bast with sauce if you like.

For the prep wash the ribs under cold water then pull the membrane from the back or leave it, some say it helps retain the natural juices.
Next l coat with olive oil or yellow mustard and sprinkle a liberal amount of rub on the ribs wrap them in stretch wrap and put them in the refrigerator for a cupple hours or over night or just go get the smoker up to temp and smoking while they rest and get all happy. When the smoker is up to temp and smokeing, put the ribs on the top rack and do the 2-2-1 method.
If you want them perfect stick a prob in the thickest meatiest part and go to 195 for a nice pull or 200 for fall off the bone. The wood you use is like the rub and sauce, what ever you prefer. I like hickory or pecan

Randy,

 

[gary s]

  Good morning and welcome to the forum, from another hot day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web. Lots of great people with tons of information on just about  everything.

Gary

 

[scobeyjohn]

Well, I have learned that practice makes perfect.  Today I tried my Bullet for the first time, smoking a large fillet of salmon.  The recipe called for a brine with lemons, lime, oranges and crab/shrimp seasoning.  Not bad but pretty tart.  I kept the temp at about 225 but they finished in less than the 4 hours recommended.  All in all though, its not too bad.  It will make a good snack over the next 2 days on a short trip to the Little Big Horn Battlefield and the Big Horn Mountains. 

I enjoy this site and hope to become a part of it.  Finally, I will say  that retirement is great and I plan to smoke a lot of meats and fish.  I can't wait to try some fresh trout and baby back ribs.

 

[remsr]

As I stated in another post, I know very little about smoking that I didn't learn from the people on SMF but this I learned from a 28 time grand champion who also placed first 80+ times going up against big $15000 rigs with an 18" WSM. He says wrap your water pan in foil and don't fill it with water, spitz instead after bark is formed and never smoke fish, sea food or hotdogs in the smoker you use for pork, beef, chicken and other meats and vegetables. Fish and hotdogs distroys the aroma which is a Key ingredient in producing good tasting foods seasoning in your smoker. Check out Slap Yo Daddy BarBQ from Dimond Bar in California.

 

[scobeyjohn]

Thanks, good tips.