What's on the smoker today?

WildWill · Sep 11, 2025

Rack of lamb i traded for some quail eggs. Nothing but olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme, basil, and rosemary from the garden plus smoke.

Dave N · Sep 11, 2025

WildWill said:
Gonna be in Memphis next summer for the first time. Hopefully I won't be disappointed.

I was.

WildWill · Sep 11, 2025

Dave N said:
I was.

Seems to be most BBQ places these days.

Dave N · Sep 11, 2025

WildWill said:
Seems to be most BBQ places these days.

We've stopped at 2 of the more famous places in Memphis. Each place had something that was good but the rest was meh. NEVER EVER had good brisket. I like some kick to my BBQ and serving to the general public means having to tone it down so folks can handle it. That meant most of the food I had seemed bland. Sausages were the exception.

Wildabeest · Sep 14, 2025

Two smokers running today. Some venison jerky and pulled pork to take to @Dave N elk camp.

kansasdad · Sep 15, 2025

@Wildabeest
I'm intrigued with your smoking trays. At first glance I saw evaporation coils, but that can't be it. I think you are using a similar smoker to mine (Masterbuilt) and I like your solution for smaller pieces much better than mine (aluminum foil). You are getting smoke 360 around your meat.

Wildabeest · Sep 15, 2025

kansasdad said:
@Wildabeest
I'm intrigued with your smoking trays. At first glance I saw evaporation coils, but that can't be it. I think you are using a similar smoker to mine (Masterbuilt) and I like your solution for smaller pieces much better than mine (aluminum foil). You are getting smoke 360 around your meat.

Yes, those are just cooling racks that you can buy on Amazon or at any home goods type store. They really help to keep smaller pieces from falling thru - especially since that Masterbuilt vertical smoker has significant hot spots that requires the trays to be moved around and rotated every hour or so. They were a bit too large for my smoker, so I had to bend the edges up using a pair of channel locks. A vise would have made that easier and required less swearing, but I didn’t have one.

TOGIE · Sep 15, 2025

Dave N said:
We've stopped at 2 of the more famous places in Memphis. Each place had something that was good but the rest was meh. NEVER EVER had good brisket. I like some kick to my BBQ and serving to the general public means having to tone it down so folks can handle it. That meant most of the food I had seemed bland. Sausages were the exception.

one of my gripes in life is that it's really hard to find spicy things at costco. the general population really sucks the life out of the market demand for all things good in the world of food. it's a bland world out there.

the thing about BBQ restaurants, is even if it's legitimately fantastic, it's still not worth the price. that kind of money is better left to "pinky out" steakhouses.

mtmuley · Sep 15, 2025

TOGIE said:
the thing about BBQ restaurants, is even if it's legitimately fantastic, it's still not worth the price. that kind of money is better left to "pinky out" steakhouses.

I like messing around and learning from guys on here and just winging it. Interestingly, the cooking thread on MM has some really good food ideas. mtmuley

TOGIE · Sep 15, 2025

mtmuley said:
I like messing around and learning from guys on here and just winging it. Interestingly, the cooking thread on MM has some really good food ideas. mtmuley

Dialing in home smoking routines is a ton of fun and listening to folks on here has been invaluable. I agree.

I've wondered what kind of hit the BBQ restaurant industry has taken since widespread adoption of pellet grills. I've gotta imagine it's non-negligible.

Even if I can't smoke a whole chicken, brisket, or pork shoulder quite like some of the pros at the better joints (and I can't), the price differential and fun added of DIY makes going out for BBQ a perpetual non starter, anymore.