Recipe for Patience needed

Carrollfamily,

Go shopping for smokers. Seriously, look at the Bradley and know your not going to be buying all those wood pucks. Look at the Smokin Tex and see the quality difference of the knock off, look at all the other tin tubs that are just that for around $250 and know that you have bought the best deal and quality you can get. However it might arrive sooner unless specifically Karen specifically said 2 weeks. Shop around for cuts of meat, at least, where you can and can't find certain ones. Especially choice grade meats. They can make a huge difference in how thing turn out. A lot of people think you the way a somker works is you can make any hunk of meat turn out, you know low and slow and everything is tender and juicy. I don't find that that is true. The better quality of meat to start with the better mine end up.

If that don't work.....ah......Paint all the rooms in your house. That will take two weeks

Thanks BigDMK.
Unfortunately, Karen thought it would be the first or second week of January until the smoker got here.
I will take you up on all of your good advice.
I appreciate the suggestions...except the painting part !

Welcome to the Cookshack family CarrollFamily. You already have made the best decision... buying a CS smoker. Now go to the Open Forum and read all the 101's. Get a thermometer with the probe to track your smoking meats progress. Oh yeah.. did I mention reading the 101's? lol Just relax.. ask questions, learn to use the FIND button and enjoy the most fantastic smoked meats you have ever made.

bob

All of the above is great advice. Now that you've got some time you can go back and add your location to your profile so people will be better able to advise you based on what might be customary in your area. And it will be worth the wait! Merry Christmas to you!

With some of the comments I've read lately you might want to be composing & rehearsing the "Honey, I think we need to upgrade to the CS055 or AmeriQue" speech. Several have taken that plunge.

Really, best thing to do is read the 101s and get a mental picture of your first smoke!

Wise choice in smokers. Good luck!!!

Thanks for all of the great advice. We live in Virginia where we are blessed with several good places to get 'que. However, I want the satisfaction of making my own...whenever I want and whatever I want !
I have been reading the 101 religiously and have read every entry I can find about wireless thermometers. Right now I am leaning toward to the Nu-Temp.
Wheelz--I figure a year with the Smokette and I can start laying the groundwork for an Amerique.
Just sign me,
Hungry in Virginia

Go out and buy lots of meat and freeze it. Then when it gets here you will be ready.

That should kill at least an afternoon.

Good luck and enjoy.

RandyE

Go to the forum recipe archives and the cooking section at www.cookshack.com and look at techniques and recipes to inspire you.

Think about what you want to smoke: beef, pork, poultry, freshwater fish, saltwater fish, shellfish, vegetables, sauces, desserts, fruit, salt, salsa ingredients, sausages, jerky?

What do you want to smoke with: hickory, apple, cherry, mesquite, oak, grapevine, maple, pecan, rosemary? What fruit or nut hardwoods are plentiful where you live?

Get a 3-ring binder and write down a list of answers to these questions. Add pages for keeping notes when you smoke. Notetaking will help you improve your results.

Plan a party to serve bbq to your friends about a week past the arrival date of your smoker. Practice cooking a few things before the party.

Decide where you are going to put your smoker. If the surface will be affected by grease, buy something to cover it with. It's impossible to unload a smoker without dripping.

Buy supplies: heavy duty aluminum foil, wood, paper towels, wide blade scraper, disposable drip pans. Put them in a special place near your smoker's location.

Call Karen twice a day and ask her the status of your order. NOT! She would kill both of us.

Whoever said that being obsessive-compulsive was a bad thing. :-)

Thanks Donna !
I got an email that my Smoker is being shipped out on 12/29 so just a few more days of waiting.
Donna, I will follow your advice and get a three ring binder. I had already printed out some receipes so the binder is a great idea.
I already have some chunks, the MT-73, Bear claws, dry rub, HD foil....getting kind of anxious here !
Thanks for providing this forum. It really has made all the difference.