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Whatcha grilling tonight?

w_r_ranch

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While I don't have any experience with electric smokers, I do know that dry chunks work much better & last longer than wet wood or chips. Try 2 fist sized chunks at a time set on the lava rocks NOT touching the element, should give you a pretty good smoke.

BTW, it doesn't take much wood to create a lot of smoke flavor. You want a thin blue smoke, not a heavy white smoke (which will make your food taste nasty).

Pulled_Pork_Smoke.jpg
 
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Slowngreen

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Since theres not much room for chunks without touching the element, think I could use a rack out of an old grill and place it on top of the element them put the wood on it?
 

w_r_ranch

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You can try... Just how big are your chunks??? The ones available here are usually about 3"...
 

w_r_ranch

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Thanks, it was good.

Taking the day off, more or less... Going to grill some steaks for supper & probably fry up some potatoes to go with the leftover stuffed japs. Made 2 loaves of French bread this morning, one of which will be made into garlic bread. Dessert will be the pear/fig cake I made yesterday.

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w_r_ranch

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Been busy here trying to get caught up on things that I let slid, but I'm taking the day off & smoking a chicken (over post oak) for tonight's supper. It's seasoned with pepper & sage. Thinking about tossing a couple of potatoes on as well to go with the leftover stuffed japs. Mrs Ranch is making a tomato/onion/basil salad & the dessert was the last of the pear/fig cake.

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w_r_ranch

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Smoked a rack of ribs for supper last night. A couple of baked potatoes went on an hour before the ribs came off. Also had 12 'just picked' okra (w/butter, salt & pepper) in foil pouch that went on 10 minutes per side. Yummmm!

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Ribs2_072714.jpg
 

w_r_ranch

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'Hotter than Hell' week (3+ weeks long this year) appears to be finally over so I can go back to grilling/smoking. We have been eating meals that we had previously prepared as it has been too hot to mess around.

To celebrate the return of sub-100 degree days, I got a beautiful 3 1/2 pound sirloin seasoned up which will be grilled to a medium rare over hickory coals. I also got a pot of pinto beans going & a loaf of homemade bread rising. Mrs. Ranch has a bowl of mac salad done & we will have watermelon for dessert if we have room for it!!!

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w_r_ranch

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LOL!!! Not much really... I can make bread dough in less than 5 minutes & bake it in 23 minutes. I can season a steak in about a minute & grilling it only took 13 minutes. Most of the time I'm doing other things whilst I'm 'biding my time' (aka enjoying an afternoon drink).

I've become very proficient at 'biding my time' over the years!!!
 
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ErnieCopp

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I used to drink while i was Grilling or Cooking, but eventually found it to be more effieient if i let some one else do the cooking while i focused on the drinking. It worked so well i never went back to cooking.

Ernie
 

Rockytop

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While I don't have any experience with electric smokers, I do know that dry chunks work much better & last longer than wet wood or chips. Try 2 fist sized chunks at a time set on the lava rocks NOT touching the element, should give you a pretty good smoke.

BTW, it doesn't take much wood to create a lot of smoke flavor. You want a thin blue smoke, not a heavy white smoke (which will make your food taste nasty).

View attachment 1344



Cool skulls by the way..
 

w_r_ranch

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Da*n Ranch!!!! Making it real! You smoking tomorrow for labor day? Post up a pic!

Going to smoke a split chicken this afternoon over hickory coals. My better half is going to make a big bowl of potato salad as a side & we have pinto beans as well. Made bread & for dessert we have oatmeal/raisin cookies that I made yesterday.

Per you picture request, here is our 'Labor Day' meal.

Supper_090114.jpg


Cool skulls by the way..

Thanks, I call it 'yard art', LOL!!! I got cow, hog & deer skulls just about everywhere. Every skull represents an animal that we've eaten over the years.
 
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Rockytop

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Sweet! I did up some filet steaks and pork chops a bit ago, love slow burning mesquite out on the egg.. Reminds me of fall hunting season..
 

w_r_ranch

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I got another beautiful 3 1/2 pound sirloin steak seasoned up. It will be grilled to a medium rare over hickory coals. I also got a batch of stuffed jalapenos ready & a loaf of homemade bread rising. Mrs. Ranch's contribution will be hash-browns!!!

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It was all good & we have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow!!! Here are the finished products:

Sirloin2_091114.jpg

Bread2_091114.jpg

Japs2_091114.jpg

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Mike

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I got another beautiful 3 1/2 pound sirloin steak seasoned up. It will be grilled to a medium rare over hickory coals. I also got a batch of stuffed jalapenos ready & a loaf of homemade bread rising. Mrs. Ranch's contribution will be hash-browns!!!

View attachment 1437

I'm sure you've posted it somewhere, but what seasoning do you recommend for sirloins?
 

w_r_ranch

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Mike, I just rub the meat with a light coat of olive oil & season it (sometimes just S&P, other times one of my rubs), then put it in the refrigerator for a few hours. The seasoning should play a minor role in the overall taste, as does the 'wood smoke' (which is also a form of seasoning). Don't overdue either, as you just want to just compliment/enhance the taste the meat itself.

When I'm going to grill it, I get a hot bed of coals (I like the combination of post oak & hickory or mesquite) & the put the meat on for 10 minutes & then do the other side for 8 minutes. I then wrap it in H.D. foil & let it rest for 20 minutes to reabsorb the juices.

If I'm going to smoke it, I get the temperature around 275 degrees a for 2 hours & then foil it before letting it 'rest'.

These times are for a thick steak (1 3/4" - 2" thick) as we like our meat a medium rare.
 

w_r_ranch

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Dang, Mrs. Ranch just suggest that I do another sirloin for tonight's supper. It will be served with a side of her potato salad & a loaf of homemade bread (used the 'Caputo 00' flour for this one)...

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The bread came out perfect & can say that the Caputo flour gave it a very good flavor, however I overcooked the sirloin (ended up medium)... dang it.
 
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w_r_ranch

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Since we had to go shopping & arrived home too late to do anything, I'm smoking a rack of ribs for supper tonight, along with a couple of baked potatoes & another loaf of 'Caputo 00' Italian bread (Mrs. Ranch's new favorite). Ribs are seasoned with spicy mustard/my rub & will be smoked over straight post oak.

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w_r_ranch

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Since my wife did her fried pork chops & potato salad yesterday, she said it was my turn today...

I have had a taste for beef, so I seasoned up another sirloin & will grill it over mesquite coals this time. Baked potatoes, stuffed japs & homemade garlic bread will round out this meal.

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ErnieCopp

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I have been hearing about these stuffed jalapenos on this thread, but never tasted one, We were eating in an Oriental Buffet where i go to get my Sashimi fix once in a while and they had these nice vegetables there with the fluffy batter, so i tried one without checking just what it was. One good bite and then the steam started coming out of my ears and water out of my eyes, so everything was working fine except no air was getting into my lungs.

I finally got a good breath of air, just before the jalapeno got me, but an Oriental restaurant was the last place i expected to run into something like that. I know to be on the look out for the tiny green peppers they sometimes use.

But i can see one benefit for you guys that like them and eat a lot of them,. I am sure none of you have a problem with stomach worms.

Ernie
 
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