F4T6UY’s Big Fat Thread of Accountability

And for the record, my group of chicken thighs that I three in the oven a couple weeks ago is my least favorite thing to reheat and eat. I shoulda in the least put em on a rack and let them drip probably. But I’ll still eat em…

 

I have a Mastercraft Smoker, and while I like it, set up and tear down can be a pain.
Recently I bought some ribs, rubbed them down with some Bad Byrons, and cooked them for about 2 hours in the oven at 250. Then I brought out my little kettle grill, cranked it up with some charcoal and when it got just right, put some wood chips on it and let it smoke for about 30 minutes.
It turned out pretty good......not as good as the smoker, but pretty good.

So, if you don't have a smoker, here's an alternative.
(They sell the chips at Lowes, etc).

 

The Weber has always been my go to. Cooked over charcoal and mesquite logs all my life, but fairly new to smoking.

Got the pit boss because I wanted the volume, and was hoping, to easily be able to regulate the heat.

It had mixed reviews, mostly about the temp control module. But we’ll ride it out til it craps out.

 

Same here but I'm telling you that Lawrys salt and lemmon pepper put it over the top, you'll nail it every time. They're great the next day too right out of the fridge not reheated.

 

I got the Austin XL Pitt Boss a few years back. It did brisket and ribs great until the controller quit. I should have taken it back to wal mart but I never did. Knowing what I know now I wish I had gotten a Rec Tec about half the size of the Austin XL Pitt Boss. Rec Tec is hands down the best pellet smoker on the market. They are expensive but worth it. Made and assembled in America. My brother has used one extensively for years and never had any issues.

 

I was on the fence between pellet or wood chip. Ended up going pellet just because I heard the smoke was better.

The reason I’ve never smoked is because I don’t like the idea of nursing the fire all day. But I’m starting to take to it and may step up to the next level if this one lasts me long enough to get addicted to smoking.

 

We don't get much meat on sale. Always trying to find the cleanest organic raised as possible. It's not the cheapest way to go but it's supposed to be healthier.

 

Yeah, I’d like to source my meat a little a better. Admittedly, I don’t pay a whole of attention to prices at the grocery store.

But just for reference, I paid around $16 for an 8lb bone in pork butt, $20 for. 10lb pork butt, and $40 for a 12ish lb brisket (I think - I forgot to look at the weight). Maybe $5 worth of pellets. So $80, and all day in the smoker, I’m gonna end up with 15-20 lbs of cooked meat (I don’t really know how much weight is lost in the cook).

That’s atleast 15-20 meals. Less than $5 a meal, plus whatever vegetable I add to it. Pretty reasonable overall cost is another reason I do it this way.

Hell, even if the meat prices were double, it’s still reasonable. I think it justifies the added price of sourcing the meat to be honest.

Maybe I’m not thinking of everything, but still, something to consider.

 

The vacuum thing also works very well for greasing new wheel bearings .
Put them in the bag with the grease and do it just like it’s chicken


don’t let the wife catch you doing it .

 

I love cold chicken legs from the fridge .


but the thighs and breast are not so good when cold .