cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/36482640

Smoked with cherry for 3ish hours and glazed with a cherry bourbon glaze.

I got a new Weber 26" mastertouch to replace my busted 18" kettle; paired with a Vortex coal-thing and an al pastor spit I rocked chicken gyros tonight.

Before cooking:

The setup:

The result:

Throwing this out there in case someone has advice …..

I got a smoker this summer and have been having a great time cooking new (large) meals. But my kids are back at college and I can’t depend on my ex. How do you find people to eat your meals?

It’s a weird situation where it’s a huge pellet grill and smoking tends to focus on large pieces of meat, but not everything freezes well. I want to go gangbusters with feasts, just when I no longer have anyone to appreciate it. Anyone know if there is such a thing as cooking clubs, or something? How do you find one or how do you break into one as a single guy?

Fwiw

• kids are back from college today, ex is coming over and ex-FiL
• smoked duck with orange maple glaze
• chicken for those not willing to try duck
• rice pilaf
• arugula salad with toasted pine nuts
• I plan to throw chocolate chip cookie dough in a cast iron skillet for brownies and top with ice cream

• 2-1/2 lb. pork belly, rough 1-1/2" cubed
• dry rub of choice
• 3 hrs. at 225° directly on the grill
• braised in foil 1 hr. at 250° with a mix of honey, marmalade, BBQ sauce, agave nectar, bit of teriyaki, and salted butter
• removed cover and run for about 1 hr. same temp
• let cool and serve

I hate the prep work for these but it always ends up being worth it.

My first attempt at some beef short ribs. They came out better than I could have hoped and I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to keep my temps sane for 9 hours.

4 hours in the smoker and 6 in the dutch oven.

Baby back ribs for New Years. You can see more pictures and the temperature graph (of the smoker, not the ribs, usually don't stab ribs) on the fireboard session log.

I salted the ribs the night before the smoke and rubbed them with my variation of Memphis Dust (below) right before hanging them in my 14" Napoleon.

Quartered recipe from AmazingRibs.com with adjustments for more kick.

• 3 Tbsp packed dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp white sugar
• 2 Tbsp cayenne powder
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1.5 Tsp ground black pepper
• 1.5 Tsp ground ginger
• 1.5 Tsp onion powder
• 1 Tsp rosemary powder (smash 2 Tsp)

Based off a Meat Church recipe with some tweaks.

Trimmed, pulled membrane and dry brined with kosher salt the day before.

Took ribs out of refrigerator about an hour before I wanted to put them on to get the rub(s) on them and get them closer to room temp.

Starting on underside of ribs, gave a light spray with duck fat as a binder. Applied a pretty good coating of Meat Church Honey Hog Hot. Let ribs sit about 20 minutes to let rub become wet looking.

Flipped ribs over, hit with duck fat spray as a binder again. Applied a very light coat of Honey Hog Hot, then came in with a heavier coat of Meat Church Texas Sugar rub. Finished the top side of the ribs with some more 16 mesh black pepper (Texas Sugar has pepper but I like pepper).

Camp Chef Woodwind Pro had been turned when rubs came out of refrigerator. Using Knotty Wood Almond pellets. Started at 250 F with smoke setting on 10.

After rub on top side of ribs looking wet (about 20 minutes again) put ribs into smoker. Added 50/50 mix of pecan and cherry wood into Woodwind Pros smoke box. Feed chucks at same ratio into smoke box for first 3 hours, check smoke box every 30 minutes of so to add wood chunks.

After 2 hours, checked tops of ribs to see if rub was set and rotated the 3 racks of ribs, swapping positions and rotating front to back. Since rub was set I started spritzing with 50/50 water/apple cider vinegar (ACV).

At 3 hour mark rubs we’re cooking faster than I wanted to hit my mark for serving, so I turned down the heat to 225F. Was getting more bone pull back than I expected for 3 hours.

At hour 4, pulled the ribs to wrap them. Turned smoker up to 275F. Wrapped each rack in 2 sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil with a light spritz of ACV and a small amount of Blues Hog Tennessee Red BBQ sauce (vinegar based sauce). Turned ribs meat side down on sauce and wrapped up. Repeated for all 3 racks. Back into the smoker, turned down smokers smoke setting since I didn’t want to add more smoke and temps are more accurate with a lower smoke setting.

Checked at about 30 minutes and temped with the Thermapen. One rack looked good, good destruction on underside bones and was temping about 207F. Other 2 racks needed more time. After about 10 minutes more, destruction looked good but they were temping a bit low at 203F. I pulled them anyway.

Took all 3 racks from foil and put back in smoker meat side up. Basted ribs with Meat Mitch Naked Whomp! Sauce I had warming up in the smoker. Normally I would add, as per Meat Church, some Rib Candy Apple Cherry Habanero sauce to BBQ sauce. As Matt Pittman says, makes to ribs look “sexy like a show cat.” However, we had a guest to day who doesn’t do hot well and I was worried the ribs alone might be too spicy for her (they weren’t) Turned smoker down to 225F and let sauce tack up on ribs for about 10 minutes.

After sauce tacked up, piled and rested 15 minutes before slicing. Picture shows 2 racks sliced, last rack was in reserve if needed (it wasn’t).

Did a Korean bbq gochujang rub on one, something more traditional on the other!

Smoked in the pellet grill. It was delicious.

My go to barbecue when having some company over. Always a hit!

For Dinner: Smoked brats from the local butcher, and some Costco party wings.

Garlic aroma from these brats punched me in the face when opening the fridge. Wings have been dry brining in some basic Kinder BBQ rub for a few hours.

Started brats at 225F while climbing. After about 30 minutes I’ll go wide open on vents. Once at 275F, adding the wings and going wide open. Pulling brats at 155F.

Throwing a half sweet onion and a whole poblano on the BBQ to top the brats with.

I’m hungry!

First time making bacon! Tasted good before smoking, BLT sandwiches are on the menu for lunch today!

4 hours at around 200F until internal hit 150F

Followed method from Chuds BBQ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z19z5TNXf1o

I may have ate too much, but I am so happy with the results. Not bad for my first time and battling with rain messing with my temp.

Never smoked beef short ribs before. I'm looking forward to them. Here's to hoping I don't screw it up!