Yesterday, my wife and I got up early, had a quick cheese and mushroom omelette- with our fresh ground morning coffee- and headed up to Traverse City, for a little day trip R & R... Casino was under construction, so play was limited and really not that much fun. We drove over to a little municipal park on Grand Traverse bay, and checked out the beautiful view. We then stopped at North Point Brew Pub for an early supper bite to eat. With the breeze off the bay, it was perfect weather to eat on the deck, and watch the world go by... T.C. is an upscale, kind of hip place (for Michigan!) with many specialty stores, restaurants, and things to see and do. The service, menu, prices, and quality of food was a pleasant shock- T.C. is not known for cheap or being overly friendly to "fudgies" (that's one of their terms for down state tourists!). We ordered an appetizer of hot melted Gorgonzola, dried cherries, and walnut pieces, served with a cracked grain fresh bread. Delicious! My wife had a fried Walleye sandwich, and I had their Deli sandwich (Italian ham, turkey pastrami, Havarti cheese, tomato, lettuce, and a delightful chipotle mayo that really had a kick!). Long, relaxing ride home down some less busy highways...
Today, I tackled the project I alluded to earlier this week- I assembled my new smoker grill! This was after I grilled marinated chicken and made mashed potatoes and chicken gravy for my son and me! Dinner done, I started the task that the manual clearly had stated would go better with two people working on it. My son had to work, and my wife was down at Festival 2008, and attending a play later, so it was me, myself, and I who got it done! Right in the middle of this project, with parts strewn all over the driveway, we get a thunder and lightning rain storm! Put everything inside garage, and waited until it blew over, then finished it up. Really wasn't that bad to assemble- the instructions must have been written by an American! I took some pictures of the retiring smoker grill.. 10yrs old and still works, but I wanted a new vertical one. The new unit has a regular charcoal grill over the firebox for grilling, while the smoke chamber has lots of racks and room for competition BB-Q! It's compact, but heavy and well-built. I have to "season" it before cooking in it- which means I have to build a hot, smoky fire in the firebox and take the unit up to about 400F for a couple of hours, to cure and seal the painted metal with a layer of smoke residue... I may add another thermometer, as I have heard the one that it comes with isn't that accurate...
I hope everybody has a full-of-good-news upcoming week!
30 comments:
Now that's one serious cooker! I can only imagine the yums you'll be making there!
I have some fish ya can smoke on that Buff & some Morels I never had smoked morels damm that sounds good!
Now you're smoking!!!!!! ;-)
Peace
thats quite a box....its going to be fun to see all the great stuff that goes in and comes out of that 'unit'
My friends have one. While I don't enjoy the taste of smoked meat, I must admit that the scents it emits are nothing short of orgasmic.
jen- Can't wait to season it, and start cooking!
Roger- I love to smoke fish- trout or salmon, but sautee those Morels in butter, a little salt and pepper- and enjoy them with great reverence....
Odat- should be fun- but I'm already dreading clean-up...
DogB- Mainly got it for the contest we get in here in July.. I'll be handling the beef brisket and pork shoulder in the vertical..
Claudia- We've learned over the years to use a neutral wood like oak or alder mixed with mainly charcoal, for a lighter smoke flavor...
hey Buff...
very nice smoker!!
I'm afraid to ask how much that puppy was...
happy grillin....G
Well, I don't have a smoker....wish I did. That looks awesome. actually...I wish I had something to smoke (if you catch my drift)
You selling that old one? Looks nice ad broken in...just the way I like em.
Enjoy your MEATS!!!!!
Very nice. I am sure it will be better than my first smoker (my barely one year old Brinkmann bullet-style smoker). Feel free to drop some smoking knowledge on me. I currently use charcoal for my needs with soaked mesquite for the smoke. Enlighten this relative newbie.
I would LOVE to have one of those smokers! Ah, the thing you can do. Maybe one day I'll actually buy one.
And that meal you cooked sounds yummy!
Oooh that looks very swish! You could go professional with a cooker like that. :)
g-man- $299.95 + $65 shipping, from Bass Pro Shops (best price on Internet!) Shipped quickly, assembled pretty well, with no missing parts!
tentcamper- Old one going to youngest son, who is getting interested in outdoor cooking like his Dad!
sornie- bullet smokers are great! I have a Masterbuilt that is stainless, and uses either charcoal or propane... Charcoal is our main heat source, I flavor chicken and fish with apple and/or oak, flavor pork and beef with oak/hickory. The only reason Texans use Mesquite is because they don't have any real trees...
bina- They can be alot of work, but the food is usually worth it!
Ake- I don't know what "swish" means in U.K., but don't describe anything a red blooded American male owns by that term- ever!
Oh great, no I am really going to gain weight from your blog!
i stopped reading at that appetizer. yum.
Not that this means anything because I can barely use a gas grill properly but I have never had any food cooked on a vertical grill. It sounds as if you are going to gain some weight with that new gadget.
InsaneM- I'm kinda geeked to try it, but I can't season it until it stops raining for a day or so...
TanyaK- It really was stupid good- even my wife ate the heck out of it!
har- Indirect or "smoking" takes place at about 200-240F degrees... "Low and slow" is the key to tender, well flavored food in these devices. Also, dry rubs, wet sops, marinating are used to add flavor!
I'll bet you're like a kid in a candy store right now. Congrats on your new baby.
Here's one you may not have tried before. Smoked figs with mascapone cheese. I used to serve them as an appetizer back in my restaurant days. Light smoke and not too hot is the key.
damn..I was gonna ask for the old smoker.....
wow, that looks DANGEROUS. you are going to do some crazy things there, i know.
jeff- that appetizer sounds pretty good! I've been smoking foods for about 20yrs, and still learn new things to try...
DogB- The cleaning of it before reuse won't be pretty....
Pink- I wish I didn't have to work this week- I'd be busy every day working on getting it ready and cooking with it!
That's a gorgeous new smoker. My BIL has one and it's an all-day affair to smoke the food but it is definitely worth it. Saw your comment at Odat's place about everyone doing memes these days. You're right, I guess, but sometimes I do something political... I enjoyed your description of your day...
you are serious about your smoking Buff!!!!
and your "day trips" always sound so good....how are those t-shirts comin along? ;)
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
So, when are you inviting me over huh?
Teach- Let's recap; Monkey Monday, Ruby Tuesday, Wordless Wednesday, Half Naked Thursday, and Friday 55s! As Jimmy Buffet once said in the song "Fruitcakes", "I don't want that much structure in my life!" God bless all the folks who do, if it makes them happy!
Beth- Tee shirts probably around August sometime! Day trips really work for us!
anndi- Always invited, but you're so far away....
Now THAT is one seriou mother of a BBQ!!! I sooo love it!!! We have a Webber/Kettle BBQ, I heart it so!
I had a Brinkman Bullet smoker, it didn't hold up too well..
My Weber was the best quality so far...Yours looks great for competition cooking though...
One of these days I'd love to suprise you at a competition, be sure to post your next event...G
Looks very smart! Bet you will have fun with that!
cazzie- Welcome to the blog! I heat seasoned it last night (up to 500F!) for hours with charcoal and apple wood, and it is now ready to BB-Q!
G-man- Brinkman bullet smokers aren't the best built out there, as in the past, I had two (we also call them R2-D-2s!)... My current bullet smoker is a stainless 6 in 1 Masterbuilt that uses charcoal, wood, or propane as a heat source..
Just in time for summer too!
casdok- I will make meat into food of the Gods, and all will worship me... (Yeah, right!)
lynda- Wish I would have waited two weeks- they knocked down the price by $50 !!! Piss me off.....
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