What's your minimum?

[sc smoke]

I have the urge to smoke something but with just two of us I have a hard time justifying the effort involved. (An hour to get the coals ready, babysitting the smoker etc.)
What is the minimum you would fire up your smoker for?
2 chicken leg quarters?
5 brats?
I don't have a huge smoker, OKJoe model, but still have a hard time starting it for a small amount.

 

[tropics]

I make a few things at once sometimes, I do just a batch of Thighs. Whatever I do I freeze what we don't eat in a day or 2

Richie

 

[seenred]

Mrs. Red and I are empty nesters, so like you, I only cook for 2 most of the time.  Same as Richie, most times we want something grilled or smoked, I'll plan ahead and cook multiple items all at once, then store a couple meals in the fridge for later the same week and freeze the rest. This makes better use of my fuel and cookers, and using that strategy keeps our freezer well-stocked with smoked meats that simply need to be pulled out and reheated anytime we want.

Red

 

[phatbac]

I usually smoke a good amount of food when i smoke (which is almost every week) so i invested a while back in a vacuum sealer and a deep freezer. I found most things like pulled pork and chicken etc. will freeze and keep vacuum sealed for 2-3 months after cooking and still be good. 

Also i make a lot of cheaper foods too. like clearance roasts and chicken and such.which work okay and i also give away plenty of food to neighbors and friends or coworkers when i make a bit much. or i take food to extended family meals and eating with friends etc. 

I find creative ways to use smoked foods like pulled pork tacos or smoked chicken in casseroles and things of that nature or smoked lunch meat.

Smoke all you can because for me at least it never gets old and if i don't feel like it once in a great while i take a week off. You never cease find ways to use cooked food.

Happy Smoking,

phatbac (Aaron)

 

[sc smoke]

I never thought of smoking and freezing! We have a vacuum sealer too, so why not, we frozen pulled pork already. Sometimes it just takes a little nudge from someone else.
Gonna have to look up some of those recipes phatbac/Aaron suggested.
Thanks for the feedback, time to start planning.

 

[joe black]

Yeah.... Smoking and vac-freezing is the way to go. That's what we do.

 

[sfprankster]

I make enough to eat for the 2 of us, and enough to vac-seal and freeze. Makes for a quick meal, just heat 'n eat, on our business trips. No having to search for mediocre food on the road. 

  Also, loads of fun answering the repetitive question, "Where's that from?". 

Smoking a few chicken leg quarters, as I type, for this weekend's road trip to SoCal. 

If anyone's interested, PM me, I have a couple of spare wristbands for Saturday's California Wine Festival - Orange County in Dana Point's Black Lantern Park from noon - 4pm. 

 

[bbqbrett]

Never really thought of a minimum. I am currently single so usually cooking just for me but generally put on enough for a few meals\leftovers. I think the smallest I ever went was either one rack of ribs or 6 pieces of chicken.

 

[lancep]

I absolutely refuse to fire up for one chicken leg. Two, we'll talk. I have a wife and two little girls so a little goes a long way. One rack or one chicken is not uncommon. However, I'm on a WSM so I might change my tune with a stick burner. I agree, creative and judicious use of leftovers is not only tasty but can also keep one out of the drive thru line. One thing I like to do is smoke whole chickens. I serve the legs and wings and slice the breasts for sandwich meat. The thighs and carcass get pulled and the bones thrown in with the pot with the backbones for stock. Most of that gets canned and the rest I use with the pulled meat and some sausage to make gumbo. That gives us quite a few meals on two $4-5 chickens.....winning!
Lance

 

[gearjammer]

I agree with everything that's been said.

Fill 'er up, vac and freeze what's left over.

Momma gear still puts the brakes on me

every once in awhile.,

I do get a little crazy, freezer gets full, 

Momma says enough. 

I quit for a little bit,then I start again.

                          Ed

 

[GaryHibbert]

Simply put, I don't have a minimum.  Period.  If I had a minimum, I would never get to smoke anything.  There's just Miss Linda and me to eat whatever I smoke.  We have a meal that day, leftovers the next, and usually freeze what's left over for another day.  I'll fire up the MES to smoke 2 hamburgers, if that's what we want to eat.

Gary

 

[SmokinAl]

Personally, any chance I get to fire up the smoker is a good day.

I enjoy sitting there smelling the smoke & having a beer.

I've been known to fire up the WSM for a half rack of ribs. 

Al

 

[smokesontuesday]

If all I had was my stick burner then it'd probably be something like 2 whole chickens or a pork butt but with the MES 30 in the herd there isn't a minimum.

Even so, if I know ahead of time that I'm smoking a single bird for dinner then I start digging in the freezer for something else to soak up the excess smoke. I wouldn't want to waste any. 

 

[b-one]

No minimum on my WSM!:biggrin: