New FEC100 owner!

Do some overnight butts or brisket. Or you could do some 45 minute cometition chicken, or maybe some ribs, it is all good.

Remember to foil the bottom and if you are just cooking a little bit I sometimes put a throwaway foil pay underneath the meat to make cleanup easy.

Have fun!

Get good at it, expect a tailgater when the ducks come to Norman on September 18th.

Donna,

Smoke some bacon. Either smoke whole slices to use in BLT's, sandwiches or burgers, or make Pig Candy. Pig Candy is thick sliced bacon cut into thirds and coated in dark brown sugar. The ratio is 3 lbs. of bacon to 2 lbs. of dark brown sugar (it is said that light brown just won't do). Combine the sliced bacon & sugar in a disposable aluminum pan and work with your hand until all the sugar is mixed with the bacon. Put the pan in your pit and smoke at 225 or 250 until the bacon is done to your liking, usually about 2 - 3 hours. Some folks even reserve the liquid for beans. I recommend the pan technique as it can get very messy. FYI - cherry pellets are a great choice for smoking bacon.

Congrats on your new pit.

Rod

Just invite me and Mrs. Smokin to do an on site BBQ class

Glad you finally got one, getting ready for that contest yet?

I'd do ribs. They're fast and you'll see a big difference from the 150 you have. Put spares in, @ 275, for 4 hours and see what you think.

Smokin'

Thanks for all the tips! Mrs. Smokin' and I are planning our own smokefest as soon as we can both find a day to play. We are both busier than one-armed paperhangers. Now, who wants to come to my house and get this great big 415 lb. monster off the pallet?

Donna

PS I have never heard of Pig Candy but it sounds great. I am going to do that, a couple of recipes that papashaka sent me and some ribs. Then some chicken, then some pork butts ... whee!

Donna,
Congrats on the FEC100. When you do chicken, if you wouldn't mind testing out that 4-bird sitter you got off the net I would love to know how it works out. I am contemplating the purchase of one of those sitters.

My first cook was Baby-back ribs:
1.) take ribs out of fridge and prep them with your favorite rub. (I cant imagine you using anything but cookshack rub!)

2.) Go and prep (foil) your smokers innards

3.) Come back to kitchen, load the ribs up on a baking sheet to transport to smoker.

4.) Go 3 hrs at 275 degrees with Hickory pellets

5.) Since you will have the rack space you might consider doing a batch of smoked meat loaf as well. The cook times/temp is approximately the same. Makes great sandwiches the next day as well.

Thats what I did and I was stoked to do a boston butt next.

hey backyard,

The meatloaf thing interests me. How big a loaf and what temp do you cook it to. How does it taste? Lot's of smoke flavor? or is it subtle?

hey rodney,
what do you use the pig candy for? I would think it could make a killer appetizer kind of like rumaki or even just in your beans to add a different flavor profile.

Mark

Mark,

You got it, it's a finger food. This is not my recipe, but try it and let me know what you think.

Rod

Mark,

The meatloaf recipe is not mine. I will include it here and say that the only modifications I make are to substitute on occasion celery for green bell peppers. I usually make a half batch. It is awesome but thats just my opinion. I have used those large foil loaf pans to cook the meat loaf. I get a subtle smoke flavor. To get a stronger flavor, the smoke needs to contact more of the meat. For that I would suggest forming the loaves in a loaf pan then flipping it over onto a predrilled 17" pizza pan (so the fat can drain). Here is the recipe and cooking instructions:

OLE MAN JIM'S MEATLOAF

By: Jim Anderson

5 lb ground chuck roast
2-1/2 lb ground pork
2 large onions, minced
2 bell prppers, minced
16 oz italian seasoned bread crumb
2 oz cajun bbq rub
2 teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoon sage
6 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup danny's glaze*
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/3 cup danny's glaze for topping
1 glaze (danny's glaze)
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup yellow prepared mustard

DANNY'S GLAZE
Place brown sugar, vinegar and yellow mustard in a small pot and bring to a
simmer (Do not boil.)

MEATLOAF
Throughly hand mix first eleven (11) ingrediants and form into 2 equal
loaves. Place each loaf into a foil loaf pan and place both into a 275�F
pit for 2-1/2 hours. Remove from pit, brush tops with Danny's glaze and
return to pit for 15 more minutes.

Drain fat from loafs, slice and serve

Yield: 2 large loafs


Enjoy!

P.S. I dont eat meat loaf any other way now. I love this stuff next day in a sandwich.

Hello all,
I think Pig Candy came from The Sweetpotato Queens first book. I had a friend who was involved with that group. She fixed it for me a couple of years ago. I think it can be done a lot better than the book calls for.
If you check out the book be sure to make New Alison's margaritas. They are killers!
Charles