2014 South Florida Gathering (November 7-9)

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.

What would you prefer for our Cold Smoking & Dehydrating Project?

  • Snack Sticks and lots of them!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Enough Snack Sticks for everyone to take a little home as well as Beef Jerky and Cheese

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Beef Jerky and Cheese only

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • I dont really care for participating in this type of project

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    0
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
ok.. so it's getting down to crunch time.... if we can get a list of what meats (pork,beef) everybody's bringing then we can figure out what supplies we will need to make the finished product... may I suggest that half of us bring pork and half bring beef ? But if somebody wants to bring some of both that's fine as well ...

Myself, I am going to bring a 2pk of Butts to put towards snack sticks and sausage ... so that will be somewhere around 15-18 lbs ...

As for other meats that I will be cooking... A ham for Thurs. or Fri. and of course ribs for Sat. ...

For equipment... Smokehouse (propane) ... MES 30 (PID controlled for low, steady temps)... Mini WSM ... Grinder... 5 lb stuffer ... 1 EZ up for common area... 1 table

what say's y'all ??

PS... I will bring a little bit of wood for nightly campfires as well... others feel free to bring some too ... will also keep adding to this as I think of things...
 
Last edited:
popcorn.gif
 
What to bring. Hmmmmm. What to bring.

I agree with Keith, time is running out and we need to get a little better organized to make sure we have everything we need equipment and food wise. Remember Boykjo isn't bringing his kitchen this year. If we need to order something (casings, hitemp cheese, seasonings, etc.) we are running out of time.

We'll start with equipment I suppose. No need in my opinion to have more than two of each item we need. I am happy to bring anything I have that we might need but I know I don't want to carry anything I don't have to.

Sausage making:  Keith is bringing the primary grinder and I believe Jeremy had offered to bring his which can act as a back up. I will leave my little kitchener at home. I will bring my stuffer as a back up. Smallest tube I have barely fit a 19mm casing for sticks. I believe Keith's has a tube for 17mm. Between the two we should be fine. Hoping Jeramy still has and is bringing the containers/tubs that he collected earlier this year for the mini gathering that never happened so we can put them to use. Otherwise we will need meat lugs of some sort. Hope someone has a decent scale as mine only goes to 5 lbs. and I don't trust it's accuracy to measure cure and such.

I'll be bringing a two pack of butts(may cook one depending on what others are bringing for sausage), a package of 17mm casings for snack sticks(doubt this is enough for what we're doing), I picked up a gallon of jalapenos and will bring enough to make up Joe's jap&cheddar kielbasa. I think we will still need the cheese and casings.

Jerky: I also have 2 4 tray Nesco square dehydrators but I think this is covered already so they will stay home unless I hear otherwise. Marinade I think Doug has covered? I have one of the jerky cannons and will bring it if anyone wants to try it out. Let me know. I will also bring at least one EOR cause you know I want to bring some home.

Haven't decided what all I will be cooking just yet. Still perfecting my sugar brined honey injected brown sugar encrusted rib recipe so you guys can breath a collective sigh of relief that I may not even enter. Will most likely whip up a batch of my version of Dutch's wicked beans. Not sure what else. Possible pulled pork, meatloaf, chicken. Just undecided. Will update.

Wondering of those who attended last year if anyone still has ice coupons and if they still work. I have access to an ice maker and can bring several coolers full depending on space in the truck.

I will also bring my stacking chairs (6) and my folding table. I have some firewood as well but not sure I'll have room for it.

Will update as I think of things but gotta go for now.
 
Hey guys..just got back from a BBQ comp so getting caught back up on stuff.

Ok i've updated Page 1 with details of the jerky/snackstick/Cheese project as well as the table of attendees and who is bringing what. If i missed anything please let me know. 

Thanks to everyone for helping pick up my slack with planning this year....been a crazy couple months in my life. But after another trip out of town this weekend i should be back in the grind andon top of things.

I"ll premake marinade for jerky. ill make my base recipe and when if we wanna make it spicier, or add other flavors we can do so then.  I have a big dehydrator that should be adequate for what we are doing. Even if we have to do 2 batches. I usually smoke for a few hours and then dehydrate mainly because i just do small batches on my kettle grill. With Kieths smoke house we could do some in the smokehouse the entire time and more on the dehydrator? I have a cheapo slicer i can bring or we can just slice by hand....

As for Cure....i have enough morton tender quick to dry out a whole cow. So i have that covered. I also have a packet of pink cure that i've never used...its abotu 2 years old, is that still good? Anyone else bringing cure for Snack Sticks and Sausage.

As for Cheese, I can bring some, maybe i'll pick up a couple blocks from Sam's Club...any preference? I've never smoked cheese so thinking Cheddar and Mozzerella to start? If the weather is looking warmer then normal should i not even bother bringing cheese?

As Keith said...if anyone can bring wood for the camp fire that'd be great. 

Ice and Sponsors - I talked to IceDaddy a few weeks after the last Gathering and he said those tickets were only for that machine, that weekend. So they aren't valid anymore. I'm going to reach out to him right now for more tickets. I've contacted Todd at AmazeN about swag for competitions and give aways. I'm also going to message Jeff for some books or anything else he may want to give us and i'll talk to Lisa from VacuumSealersUnlimited for maybe getting somemore Vacuum bags.

i think that's about it for now! cant wait only a few weeks away!
 
Lets see equiptment:
1ea Jumbo Mini
1ea Grinder (can do some stuffing)
1ea dehydrator (5 shelves)
1ea Dutch Oven
1ea 12" Cast Iron
1ea 9' pop up canopy (looking at getting another)
1ea 6' prep table (might get another or 2)
1ea propane burner
besides the normal knives, cutting boards, spices and other nenecessities thats about it at this time.

Food:
Normal pantry stuff of butter, potatoes, onions, eggs and other items that are found around the house.......
meats will include ribs, chicken, tri tip if I can find some, store bacon and anything else that gets me excited.....

Meats for community projects:
I will hold off till we see what is already being brought. I have a butcher shop near by that I can get product the day of if needed.

Product for community projects:
I am willing to buy some casings, high heat cheese and cure if needed, just need to know soon so I can order it.

Recipes:
I have not done any of these before. So I am in your hands. I can look and find some on line. I am not too sure if there are any good sites out there to find info for these things, but I am sure I could find one.

Travel plans:
At this time my plan is to come down in the late morning with the camper, set up and hang out till around 5ish. Then drive back to get the better half and come back later. I am hoping I can convince her to drive down on her own, but never know.....

Containers:
I used the ones I had gotten. I will see if I can get more by then.........


Let me know if I missed anything..........
 
I've made neither but the meat sticks sound good. If we go that route let me know if I need to bring casings so I have some time to get them. I'm a newbie in this area so I'll go with the flow.

Craig (Nimrod).. If your offer still holds on getting casings and such.. I suggest these... unless somebody else knows a better deal ???

2 of the 3 pack - http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-565-19mm-smoke-collagen-casings.aspx

2 pcks - http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-642-1-lb-hi-temp-cheddar-cheese.aspx

1 pck - http://www.waltonsinc.com/p-643-1-lb-hi-temp-hot-pepper-cheese.aspx


I know Butcher-Packer has a bigger selection of cheeses and bigger packs.... but they don't offer 19 mm casings ...

so hold off until next week and see what some of the other guys say....

you say you will be arriving on Friday... any idea on what time ???
 
Keith,

 Thanks for the links, good info. I order some early next week unless someone else has a better suggestion.

My wife starts a new job next Monday so that will change our plans for a early arrival on Friday. I'll have to see what we can work out for arrival time.

Thanks
 
Everything is coming together nicely! 

Will cheese for smoking say "high temp"? I was gonna goto Sam's and get a block or 2 of basic cheddar and/or mozzerella because those are usually the biggest ones.  While i'm there i'll probably pick up some beef for jerky.

I'm also going to call the University of Florida Meat Processing Center and see if they have any pork bellys. I wanna try Pop's wet brine for the gathering so i need to get it into the brine in the next few days.

Everyone has a campsite who is camping correct? 

I reached out to Jeff, the owner of this site, (@TulsaJeff  ) about donating some of his books for prizes and I got home last night from my flight from new orleans and they were sitting right there! Thanks jeff!


Also Lisa from Vaccum Sealers Unlimited it going to send us bags for sealing our project final results!

I haven't heard back from Ed yet on Ice but ill follow up now. Also i believe Todd at AmazN is going to send some swag as well!  Anyone other sponsors you guys want me to reach out to. 
 
Doug.. as for cheese to smoke, it's just regular cheese.. what ever flavors you like... we can smoke the cheese but it won't be consumable for at least 2 weeks... so we can vacuum seal it (bring a vacuum sealer) and send it back home with ya... The only 'High Temp" cheese available that I know of is the stuff to use in sausage which is already cubed at 1/4" sq....


A early thanks to our wonderful sponsors

Jeff... thanks for the books.. hoping I will get one of them this year with my Jalapeno infused peanut butter crusted glazed ribs :biggrin:

Lisa... sure do appreciate the bags.. we will give a go with the cheese and such...

Todd... thanks again for donating your wonderful product... don't know where we would all be without your product...


Craig (Nimrod)... If it seems your gonna be a late friday arrival.. maybe just have those packages drop shipped to me... let me know and I will PM my address... that way we can get started Friday morning with the task at hand... If your gonna bring some butts as well.. we can let you be hands on with process of what you bring to learn how to do it ...

Getting closer every day y'all.... started this past weekend getting things around.... Don't know if I mentioned it or not.. but I'll be bringing some venison to make snack sticks with as well... also might get my hands on some wild gator as a co-worker had 4 tags and filled them.. so we'll see...
 
Last edited:
I second a BIG THANK YOU to all the sponsors.

We have site 78 reserved.

 Yes unfortunately we will be arriving late. I may be able to set up early and go back for Ann but will have to play that by ear.

 JD07,

 I really appreciate the help. Send me a PM for the shipping info. I really do want to learn how to make the sausage or meat sticks. Ann can't take the MSG in commercial stuff so looking to learn how to make some good sausage without it. I plan on bringing some butts already cubed up. 

 I'll also make sure to have some extra fire wood for the campfire.

 Craig
 
Appreciate the wood for camp fire Nimrod!

I've updated page 1 again with more project supplies

I think everything is coming together....Rib and Something Special competition "early" dinner on Saturday, and we'll spend the rest of the time sitting around, making jerky/sausage, playing horseshoes and cornhole (bean bag toss)! For those who were wanting to compete in a Chicken competition your more the welcome to still make your version of chicken for Saturday Lunch.

Also any day/time people wanna cook something up its more then welcome. This year we'll just snack for 3 days straight like we did the first year haha!

anything I/We are missing from last year?
 
Containers???
How manybare people wanting? I grabbed a few today, not sure what I can get between now and the gathering, but an idea of what people want would be good.
 
I would like to be there but i dont think my wife can get off her volunteer work.
 
Containers???
How manybare people wanting? I grabbed a few today, not sure what I can get between now and the gathering, but an idea of what people want would be good.
Are these the white rectangular ones you had last year? I would take a few if you had enough. If there were alot i'd take more haha
 
Rick.. it would be great If ya coulda made it.. we need some recipes for Venison snack sticks and gator snack sticks... maybe you could still enlighten us... LOL...

Jeremy... I could use a couple more...

So I did score some gator today... will bring that...

Craig... there won't be any MSG's but there will be cure #1 in the snack sticks and sausage... we can make some of them fresh sausage (without cure) but will not be able to hang them in the smokehouse ...

I also have 1 pack of some kinda of casing's I bought at the butcher shop... I'll bring them just in case....

Doug... gonna have Charlotte pick up an EOR at Publix.. they are on sale there this week.. I also have one of those jerky cutting boards (with knife) that I am going to bring so we can try it out (still new in box) and see if they are any good... come to think of it, I believe it even has a lil seasoning pack in it as well....

WOWWWW.. I'm gonna need a semi truck to bring all this stuff... keep forgetting the smokehouse will not be torn down for transport this time....

Do y'all think the amount of casing's Craig is gonna get will be enough ?? chime in as soon as possible so they can get ordered ....
 
Last edited:
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky