Personality differences

[bzarcher]

Alex has been looking at my deepening obsession with building a backyard smoker with interest, but also confusion about how much we'd use one.

"We don't have people over often enough to need one, do we?"

My instant rejoinder: "Sure, but if we have one of these we could have more people over."

I think this highlights the core difference in perspectives beween Alex and I. :D

Plus, yes, this might not be the best way to do steaks (though I have, I think, juuuuuuust about mastered the coffee/pepper rub flank steak recipie from the BBQ U class - I made it last night for people, and the feedback was "MMmmmMMMMMMMmmmmmm!"), but frankly, I don't see being able to do pork roasts, pork shoulders, slow cooked ribs, or brisket as a bad thing AT ALL. Brined pork butt? Bring it. Whole chickens? Sure. Hell, give me a turkey. I will smoke you a turkey.

Hell, I could be easily talked into trying to do a 8+ hour smoked brisket once we get this figured out.

It'd be a nice "improvement" for the backyard, too. A nice concrete patio means we don't have to deal with those damn weeds from where dudefella had a pool. :D

Meanwhile, blipangel has been visiting Tuesday and Yesterday while seeing clients in the area, and it was great to have him out and hang for a bit before he had to go back to Alabama. One very awesome thing about having friends in EVE is that the sign off of "See you in Space" is -serious-. We wish him safe travels back home. :)

Comments

[jennekirby.livejournal.com]

YES. I have wanted to build one for so long and have never gotten up the motivation.

I used to live with thesepeople, and I have recently been taunted with photographic reminders that my friends from Reed do this and this to celebrate the end of the year, resulting in this. I miss smoked meat.

Of course, your building a smoker doesn't benefit me at all, except that you will hopefully provide pictures and descriptions. But I long to see the joy spread.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*grins*

Well, how about this.

I build it (if I get all my parts, money, and gumption together I expect it'll be done by August), and ya'll come and visit.

I'll put up a lot of pictures while we're building it, and with luck that'll get you the oomph to build your own. :D

If the guy I am talking to at the moment can get me barrels for free, the parts for the actual smoker will probably end up costing me ~175 if I'm doing my math right. ($48 for the stove kit, $40 for doubler kit, $36 for dampers, $50ish for stovepipe/chimneys)

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

I could be persuaded to fly north at some point in order to sample the results of the smoker.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I'll hold you to that. :>

Oh - I'm also supposed to tell you (via Blip) that your current location isn't so terribly far from AL. They'd love to see you down at a get together if you had a chance to drive over.

[alathaniel.livejournal.com]

I already semi-promised Blip that I'd try to head over that way later in the summer last night.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*grin* Cool. It came up as he was leaving for his hotel, and I kinda forgot until now.

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

I own a lot of tools, and many will do an okay job to accomplish what I want to do, but I'm still on the outlook for something better.

You have a gas grill that's back on the tool list, a weber that's on the tool list, so that steak is covered, as are other options. But this will be another set of options.

But if it's a concrete patio you want (and one would make a great base for your smoker) better bring a bit of cash, as that would require a concrete truck and some skilled labor. I can do small pads, but something big enough to set up tables too is more than I can chew.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

I'm still thinking of the 4x4 concrete we were talking about. Is that a pad, as opposed to a patio? This would be an area where I am confused on terms.

As to the gas grill, let's say that I'm gonna get it -back- on the tool list. I want to give it a good going over and make sure everything looks sound, aside from replacing the grates, before I get too committed to it. :>

[flaggerx.livejournal.com]

it would be a pad, as I see it. Figure the barrels will take up most of the floor space, along with other cooking gear.

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

*nod* Which, honestly, is probably most of what I need.

If I decide to get a picnic table (not such a bad idea), there's no reason it can't go on grass.

[flying-landon.livejournal.com]

SIDE OF COW.

GO!

[bzarcher.livejournal.com]

Break the ribs out and remove the membrane. Rub + mustard + a little apple cider vinegar and place at the back of the smoker.

Roast gets spice rub and placed on the front quarter. Steaks get the pepper rub.

If we happen to get a brisket, ignore everything I said and go to the omega plan, and don't have any plans for 10-18 hours.