Summertime...Barbeques, Grills & Smokers!

This is a little off topic but I figured I'll post it anyways...

So I'm a huge fan of grilling outside, but I just fried up some bacon on the stove, removed said bacon, then slowly pan fried a couple of Zwiegles white hots in the bacon grease and then topped them with mustard and bacon. Best hot dogs I've ever had. I suggest it to anyone. I nicknamed it the Hot Attack because it's not the healthiest thing for ya but damn is it good.

Nothing beats grilling outside and slamming down some cold ones though.

 

Add bacon to the mix and good things are bound to happen!

 

It's never too early in the season to advocate for bacon! Had some great barbecue pulled pork and St. Louis cut ribs in rural Missouri a couple weeks ago. I love warm weather!

 

Has anybody used the Kingsford Competition Briquettes? Today was the first I've seen 'em. They were on the Kingsford website.

 

Have you ever put bags of ice in the smoker to keep the temp down and put the smoker in the shade?

 

Kevin what is your opinion on the "green egg"?

 

Yes, but given a choice I prefer to not have to babysit and thus for long smokes, I tend to do overnighters...especially during the warm summer months.

Expensive, but well-built and they do a very nice job on long smokes where temp control is key. Owners of them I know speak very highly of them,

 

I say you build a UDS first and then if you feel the need to upgrade invest in an egg. I really wanted one but then I started looking at tables and such to place it on and the cost just got to be way to much for me.

 

Yesterday's Smoke…
First, start off with a 5-pound pork loin, sliced up into 1" steaks….


Create a seasoned brine (kosher salt, brown and white sugar, allspice, bay). Plunge pork into cooled brine and refrigerate 4-6 hours (ideally overnight, but I didn't think ahead)


While chops brine, prep a 5-lb chicken (wash, dry and season).

HOURS LATER: Get the smoker up to speed. This will be a 'hot smoke' as no cure is used. Get the temp up to 225-235° and insert a smoking A-maze-n tube filled with a combination of wood pellets (apple, hickory, oak).
Place pan with water below the rack that is to hold the chick. Place chicken in smoker and leave it there for about 90-120 minutes.
Then add the brined pork chops (well-dried). Chicken taking on some good color by this point. A brief flash of flame from the smoke tube from the sudden blast of oxygen when I opened the smoker door.


About two hours later, the chops and chicken are finished!
Chops were served with home-made hot German potato salad, homemade apple sauce and steamed asparagus.
Chicken for tomorrow's meal….

 

So you forgot to tell us how it tastes?

 

So you forgot to tell us how it tastes..what's up with that dude?

 

Pork chops: smokey, slightly sweet. Applesauce was a perfect accompaniment to the chops.
The trick with pork loin is to NOT overcook it as it can turn into shoe leather if cooked too long. These were just about perfect— slight smoke ring and still tender.
The chicken I'll have to report on later as I haven't yet sampled it.

 

Thank you...now that tastes like summer

 

Stumbled onto this thread recently. My-Oh-My! Looked at the first half of the thread this morning and couldn't resist - ran to butcher for some SLC pork ribs and some reliable rub...

ribs tonight!

 

Yes......good stuff. I am able to get long, slow smokes with my Old Smokey smoker. Easy to control temps.

 

Yum!

 

I have also found that a trip into the brine really helps lean pork cuts on the smoker.

 

When we get moved to Yuma, We are going to get a new BBQ/Smoker. You just made me hungry for Smoked Ribs and Chicken.

 

Rack of baby backs, low and slow on the Old Smokey. Used Apple Wood.
Pot of Collards and Turnips.
Pot of Black Eyed Peas.
Corn on the Cob.
Yum!!!
It can't get any better...........

 

Except if you had some of your TSD BBQ friends there to help out!
Yum+!!!