What is the general concensus as to the safety of cooking food this way?

[beer-b-q]

Simple Solution... Get a New Wife...

 

[Bearcarver]

I quit tobacco and started hickory. Mid life crisis I guess.

Ditto, except for the "Mid life" part, more like late life.

 

[princess]

You know... I wonder how many of us "ex-smokers" are on here?  I quit tobacco four years ago.

Ditto, except for the "Mid life" part, more like late life.

 

[pignit]

You know that just wakin up every day will lead to death. LIfe is gonna kill ya one way or the other.

 

[Bearcarver]

You know... I wonder how many of us "ex-smokers" are on here?  I quit tobacco four years ago.

 

Probably at least 50% of the members. Almost 3 years for me.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

You know... I wonder how many of us "ex-smokers" are on here?  I quit tobacco four years ago.

 

Good job!!!!!!

 

Probably at least 50% of the members. Almost 3 years for me.

You're both doing great!!!!! Stay with it!

I've quit for anywhere from a couple days, to a month, to 6 months, to 3 - 1/2 years...all this spread out over a period of about 20 years. I guess I don't have the self-discipline to do it straight-out, so I have started using an e-cig about 6 weeks ago. Other than running out of the cartridges which came with the starter kit and smoking until I got a 2 - 1/2 month supply, I can stay with this program. I still have the nicotine addiction, but not all the nasty crap that goes with it.
 

Anyway, my congrats go out to both of you, and anyone else who has the Kahonas (or self-disipline) to stay away from tobacco.

Eric

 

[scarbelly]

You know... I wonder how many of us "ex-smokers" are on here?  I quit tobacco four years ago.

 

I quit 25 years ago on my honeymoon when I had to have emergency surgery in New Orleans due to a busted blood vessel in my belly (Hence the Scarbelly) and the doc told me if I ever smoked again I might as well put a gun to my temple. So I had a choice quit or sleep with one eye open cause Mrs Scar would have bought the gun after the fun we had on the honeymoon. Three weeks in East Jefferson General.
 

 

[rdknb]

I quit 17 years ago, was at Ft Benning running and the left side of my body went numb.  Decided smoking may not be a good thing

 

[dalton]

well I realize I am a new guy here but all I can say is WOW!  what a great and funny thread to read!

here is my humble opinion on the subject.....

humans have lived for thousands of years on this planet smoking meat, making sausage to preserve the meat, drying meat to preserve it because until just 60 or 70 years ago there was no real fridges or freezers for the average person.  if you didn't preserve meat while it was availible for consumption when it was not readily availible you STARVED TO DEATH!  now of course... everything in moderation and I try to concentrate my eating habits around what is truley in season at the time to add a natural variable to my diet.  I absolutly agree that all the processed and prepackaged "fast food" available to us these days is much more dangerous to our health then any amount of properly preserved (smoking, drying, curing, etc) food will EVER be!  if you don't believe me just remember the "supersize me" guy who tried to eat at mcdonalds every meal every day for a month I think it was and after like 3 weeks his doctor told him if he kept it up for the whole time he probably would not make it! 

here in america I believe that as a general rule we have gotten very LAZY and fall into the convienience offered by those who wish to profit from creating that convienience.  But we half to remember that those offereing that convienience are much more concerned with their profit then our health!!!!!

everything in moderation.... and enjoy evey day! who knows what might happen tomorow...  you might be that person wandering around a nursing home trying to remember your own name!

 

[ol timer]

I really wouldn't be worried about cooking over a fire.  How many thousands of years have people been eating this way??

Cooking at these low temps, I do occasionally worry about getting some of these big cuts of meat through the 40-140* danger zone in 4 hours like the USDA recommends.  Especially when cooking for big groups of people.  But I've never had a problem yet.  Thats the biggest thing you really have to watch.

 The HD here in TN says they would like it thru the danger zone in 3 hours with pork and chicken.I run my smoker at 275° to 300° for the first hour then drop it to 250° for the remainder of the cook.

 

[smokermark]

I'm in agreement with many of the opinions shared thus far.

Cooking is an art form that many partake in as a hobby of sorts to express their creativity. For this reason I'm of the opinion this is one reason it is a healthy "hobby". Those sorts of things are good to have incorporated into our lives.  There are extremes of coarse but for me personally I barbecue/smoke no more than two or three times a week usually on  weekend afternoons. There's something special about enjoying a satisfying meal you've prepared yourself that you take your time with playing with ideas rather than "grabbing a bite to eat" on a continual basis. 

I've heard of folks who go into convenience stores buying three gallons of gas, five energy drinks and pain medication seemingly always in a frantic rush to get somewhere though the impression being not sure where.

Now don't get me wrong. I love fresh produce out of the garden especially fresh tomatoes, green peppers and onions. Salad, juice and most all those things. It can all go good together. And sometimes I wonder, why we might eat so much of the other "junk" anyway??? I think that part of the reason is that we miss great tasting foods really taking our time to enjoy them. We consume a lot more than we eat I'd say. And, there's a part of us that is creative just waiting to burst forth expressing itself.  Smoking foods is one way to do this.

I have a saying. It is better to be 90%  right one-hundred percent of the time rather than 100% right ten-percent of the time. Maybe there are far less "rights" and "wrongs" than we realize. Being "perfect" is irrelevant.  Life is a much better experience this way.

 

[sqwib]

All valid points.

Moderation is the key my friend!

My wife busts my balls every time I have a beer, since she don't drink alcohol she has a problem with me drinking , but I overlook that because she lets me do most of the cooking, and I cook some off the wall stuff.

Are you sure she's just not set in her ways and is just looking for an excuse to have it her way or no way?

I smoked many years myself, started at 12 yrs old, gave it up when I met my wife.

What I did to my body from the time I was 12 til I met my wife I should be dead!

There are far worse everyday things that we are doing to our bodies everyday, being overweight, lack of exercise, taking pain medicine, sitting in traffic, living in congested areas or factories, poor diet, stress, fast foods, carpet cleaners and sprays that are inhaled, the chlorine absorbed by our bodies every day from our water...the list goes on and on, just wanted to point out a few everyday things that harm us.

However, If you plan on cooking all the meals on the grill or smoker, I would have to agree with your wife.

 

[smokey mo]

I'm with meat eater but mine is alder and apple.

 

[roller]

We don`t live forever so enjoy the ride....after all you could get killed by a car crossing the street to get a watercrest and qcumber samwich on wheat bread.

 

[shooterrick]

13 yrs ago I had open heart.  It was a quad bypass due to 4 blockages as much as 85%.  My lipids were off the chart. My diabetis was crazy.  I ran a buisness and ate mostly fast food on the run while I worked.

Today I process much of my own food.  Love home made sausage, smoked meats, home made bacon all in moderation.  I watch my sugars and salts but not too much.  My cholesteral is now below 100.

My diabetes is non insulin dependent but I am overwheight.  My last nuclear stress test showed zero escemia, and I kicked the tredmills arse.  I should exercise more but all in all feel fairly good except for a touch of arthritis.  I may from time to time hit a burger joint but it is rare.  I eat alot of seafood and chicken but on the weekends it is red meat for sure, usually smoked or grilled.

I trim the fat cap off most large meat cuts and still produce some of the most tender briskets and ribs, and butts you could ask for.  The bark on my meat is mostly carmelization from the rubs.  

If I make it to 70 ok.  If I make it to 75 or 80 fine.  Longer well who knows.  Whatever time the good lord gives me I will take it and say I will not be miserable for a few days more.      

 

[mco]

What a great thread, and Corn Cob you put a smile on my face with this one "The object is not to walk across the finish line, but to slide across full speed with a rib in one hand, and a piece of Pecan Pie in the other saying..... Yeeeeeeee!! Haaaaa...What a helluva ride!!!!!

 I lost my son at age 34 this past summer and it wasn't from eating smoked meats, but he spent 15 years on a bucking horse following the rodeo circuit and loved every minute of it.

 

[sqwib]

Mco I remember your story well, How are the kids and wasn't there another little one on the way? I hope you don't mind me asking.

My prayers to the family

 

[mco]

Thanks for asking, kids are doing fine, and the new one is due any day now

 

[smokey mo]

Thanks for asking, kids are doing fine, and the new one is due any day now

That calls for a feast!!! Light it up and have party.  Babies are best reason to celebrate!

 

[dogcop1us]

well i smoked 2 packs a day for 25 years so some smoked meat is the least of my concerns