New skills/outdoor cooking fun

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I'm a senior and retired, but I still find myself learning. My latest new skill attempt is smoking. I've had an old 600 lb iron grill/smoker for a long time, and have used it to grill for years.

I am now rigging up a surface to repair the rusted out bottom of the offset smoker box and am assembling stuff (hickory wood pellets and chunks) and am going to try my hand at smoking foods, probably starting with chicken.

I don't know if smoking vegetables is even done, but I thought I'd try smoking some peppers too, since amazingly, last years pepper plants are still cranking out more peppers and I already have tons of frozen peppers to use in cooking stews and veggie dishes.

What are your new skills lately?

Featured Answer

marilyn_c

10 years ago

I have really become a slacker, compared to all the things I used to do. I can't say that I have any new skills. I was clicker training my donkeys, which was a new way for me, but I haven't worked with them in quite awhile. I need to get back to it.

Your smoker reminded me of my cast iron wok. I used to collect cast iron cookware, and my husband found an enormous cast iron wok at a salvage yard and bought it for me. When I say enormous, it is easily 30" across. Far too big to ever use indoors. So, I have never used it. I was just thinking I ought to get it out, season it up and rig up a way to use it outside. It's a shame to have never used it.

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Comments (10)

rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
I was taken aback (WAY BACK) when I read the first couple of sentences, Lucille, lol!

Some will be envious of your big smoker/cooker. We just have our Weber, but often use it to smoke fish and meat. I would advise you to experiment with different types of wood.

For example, I much prefer apple or cherry wood with poultry. A relative in Florida supplies us with citrus, which is also delicious.

Oak and pecan are very nice, too. I despise mesquite and prefer hickory in small amounts mixed with other woods. I'm wanting to find some alder wood, it's reported to be a favorite for chicken and fish.

When using pellets, make sure that they are 100% your preferred wood and no fillers, glues, etc. Also, a little bit of smoke makes a big difference. Just add some at the beginning of the cooking and don't keep adding it.

Too much smoke will ruin your food. I speak from experience! Have so much fun; it's a worthy skill to aquire.
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Amazing Aunt Audrey
10 years ago
Rhizos advice about woods is very good. Experiment! With winter coming to an end you will be using it a lot! Hope your results are lip-smacking!
User
10 years ago
I love doing a bit of smoking in good weather. Rhizo is spot on. Everyone has to find what they like as individuals. I love Mesquite, but not very strong. If it's strong regardless of which wood is used, can ruin meat, I prefer a lightly smoked flavor which lets he flavor of the meat shine.
lucillle
Original Author
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
Marilyn_C, your wok sounds awesome. The problem with many woks is that they are too small when trying to stir fry for a family, you could make a wonderful stir fry feast with yours.

I bet you could find an iron tripod to set it on, and have a small firebox underneath. It would be useful as well as quite the conversation piece.

I do plan to experiment with different woods, a couple of sites said that hickory is a good general wood, not overwhelming. People seem to have strong opinions on some of these outdoor cooking sites about how to cook. But, as the title of the thread says, this new skill is for fun, no cooking competitions for me..
User
10 years ago
last modified: 10 years ago
I remember when my FIL smoked a whole turkey ..delicious! I think beef jerky would be good smoked....
gyr_falcon
10 years ago
We smoke 2-3 times per week. In fact, we are smoking ham and corn on the cob today, by request of our son who is visiting. The Smoke Vault we got in December is huge (24"W x 16"D with four racks) compared to the worn out smoker we used previously. Mesquite is probably our least favorite wood to smoke with; alder, wild cherry, apple, pecan, hickory, etc. are favored.

To smoke corn, just tie cooking string around the cob end to hold the husks in place and soak in cold water until ready to smoke. After it has been cooked, and cooled enough to handle, just remove the husks and silk. The silk is much, much easier to remove after cooking--saves a lot of time!

---------------------------------------

I am a bit between learning new skills or adopting a fresh hobby/area of interest right now. Will have to wait until something strikes my fancy. We downloaded Windows 10 this week. Learning how to tweak it should keep me busy for a little while. Please let this one be the last; I was happy with the Windows 7 and would rather not have had to switch. But I learned from XP that there is no sense putting off this one because, too soon, nothing will work properly without support. It was pleasantly surprising how little difference there was using the computer after Windows 10 was installed, especially after reading some of the thread posts I saw in KT not long ago.
lucillle
Original Author
10 years ago
I just re-read Rhizo's post, and my own, ha, ha! It looks like I'm saying that I learned to smoke. I did that when I was 14, learned to smoke a cigarette, smoked until I was trying to get pregnant, (much later) and never smoked cigarettes again after that.

I'm glad I gave up THAT kind of smoking, both for the sake of my sons and for myself. If I had kept it up, I might not bee here today enjoying my food smoking adventure.
jemdandy
10 years ago
Go to your local Boy Scout office to see if you can get a book about camp cooking. If its available, there is a handbook that has several good ideas for preparing campfire meals. Some of the recipes are based on using a dutch oven; Others can be done in metal foil. Maybe you can find the same information on-line using google.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
10 years ago
I laughed out loud, Lucille, when I read that you were learning to "smoke"! (Knew that you weren't picking up a pack of cigarettes....or a cigar!)

New skills/outdoor cooking fun

marilyn_c

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rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7

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