Hello from Albuquerque

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garand555

Smoke Blower
Original poster
Apr 17, 2011
107
11
Albuquerque
Well, I wanted a bbq pit and I wanted to learn how to lay brick, so, without ever having laid a brick in my life, I started on a gigantic masonry pit.  As of now, all it is missing is some chimney caps and a thermometer. My brickwork isn't as nice as a professional's, but I did have fun even though I had nobody to teach me.  I did not build a hearth next to it due to the location (I wanted it to be protected from the weather,) but I will use a chiminea until I get around to building a brick oven that I can also use to build up some coals.  In stead of the hearth, I put an area where I can grill right next to it.  In the meantime, I'll just use charcoal.  I'm also going to set it up so that I can use propane, even though I hate the stuff.  They tend to enact statewide fire restrictions here in the summer which often nixes even charcoal.  I'll take propane over nothing, even if I do have to call all my neighbors and tell them that it's just me and that the smell doesn't mean that the Bosque is burning. 

I also set it up so that the coals go on a rack that I can adjust the height, as well as having racks where the food goes adjustable. 

I don't have a lot of experience with bbq, but I have plenty experience of cooking over open wood fires.  People say gas is convenient.  I say charcoal is convenient.  It doesn't require an axe.  I do like cooking, fire and bbq, so this is right up my alley.  I'm just going to have to figure out how to meld traditional New Mexican flavors with the new pit. 

I did try cooking a green chile bacon cheeseburger in the thing yesterday using an oven thermometer that I had to open the door to get a reading on.  Yes, I'm that tired of being patient.  While it was a bit on the overdone side, it was still very good.  I used apple for the smoke because I have an apple tree that needs pruning every spring, not to mention the peach, pear, cherry and plum trees.  I just need a good supply of mesquite and hickory.    Too bad the huge pile of sycamore that I have is not ideal.  It's typically fine for cooking over open flames, but that smoke can become overpowering real quick, even out in the open. 

- Jesse
 
Welcome to the site, it sounds like you have a plan in place and now you have a good excuse to take pics of everything you cook.

Dont worry if folks give you funny looks cause you start taking pics of all your food so that you can post it here for us to look at.
 
Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks, great recipes and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.
 
Hello one from the Land of Enchantment, and welcome to the SMF. We'll be looking forward to some pics of your project. I must say that NM has the corner on green chile. it's all good my friend.
 
Welcome to the forum.... not don't forget as the newby you are supposed to ship a case of green chili to each of us!
biggrin.gif


.... or at least a dozen green chili Lotta Burgers!
 
[quote name="JIRodriguez" url="/forum/thread/105459/hello-from-albuquerque#post_620296"]
Welcome to the forum.... not don't forget as the newby you are supposed to ship a case of green chili to each of us!
biggrin.gif




.... or at least a dozen green chili Lotta Burgers!
[/quote]

Haha, I have Lotaburger's ## programmed into my cell so I can call it in and have it ready when I get there. Their chile is hotter than it was a year ago, but still mild compared to what it used to be. As for green chile, my recommendation is to plan a trip about, oh, late Septemberish and either stop by one of the stands that says "Lemitar Chile" or stop by Wagner Farms in Corrales and get a couple of 40lb sacks. Either will have both some heat and some flavor. They'll roast it for you right when you buy it. I love the smell of chile roasting during the beginning of autumn. The stuff from the northern part of the state is pretty good too, but the window for getting it is narrower and they don't export very much. Hatch isn't nearly as good as it used to be.

(HRMMMMMM, smoked meatloaf stuffed with cheese, green chile and bacon...)
 
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Welcome to SMF, Glad to have you with us.
 

This is the place to learn, lots of good info and helpful friendly Members.
 

For those of you new to Smoking, be sure to check out Jeff's 5 Day Smoking Basics eCourse.

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Also for those of you new to smoking,  Get a good Probe Thermometer as we smoke by Temperature NOT TIME.



A good choice for a remote dual probe thermometer is the Maverick ET-732
 
Welcome to the forum.... not don't forget as the newby you are supposed to ship a case of green chili to each of us!
biggrin.gif


.... or at least a dozen green chili Lotta Burgers!


Haha, I have Lotaburger's ## programmed into my cell so I can call it in and have it ready when I get there. Their chile is hotter than it was a year ago, but still mild compared to what it used to be. As for green chile, my recommendation is to plan a trip about, oh, late Septemberish and either stop by one of the stands that says "Lemitar Chile" or stop by Wagner Farms in Corrales and get a couple of 40lb sacks. Either will have both some heat and some flavor. They'll roast it for you right when you buy it. I love the smell of chile roasting during the beginning of autumn. The stuff from the northern part of the state is pretty good too, but the window for getting it is narrower and they don't export very much. Hatch isn't nearly as good as it used to be.

(HRMMMMMM, smoked meatloaf stuffed with cheese, green chile and bacon...)
Yeah... I lived in Arroyo Hondo (just north of Taos) off and on for 10 yrs. growing up. We used to go to the local farmers market and get two of the 40 lb. bags roasted for us - then spend an afternoon pealing them and getting them into freezer bags.

.... and let me tell you, getting good fresh green chili's in Oregon is like trying to find a snowball in Arizona in August!
th_violent5.gif
 
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