A bit about me

  • 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.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

newmexicoalien

Newbie
Original poster
Apr 10, 2011
4
10
I have been grillling for only about 55 years or so now--maybe more--too many moons have come and gone--hard to actually remember how long.  My mother (pri marily) was somewhat eccentric in some things she did in life.  We took a trip to northern California in the early fifties and she discovered a charcoal grill--it happened to be a CharBroil (model # escapes me).  Paid for it and it was shipped to NM--Roswell, to be exact.  She started grillling everything imaginable from steaks, chicken, fish, vegetables, turkeys--you name it, it went on the grill. As the oldest (in my teens at the time) I got to"help" and I was hooked.  We actually recieved a grill as a wedding gift--a rather flimsy affair, but it worked.  Purchased my own CharBroil in about 1970, maybe 1971 and really began grillling own my own in earnest.  After my father's death and my mom decided to downsize, moving to an apartment, I asked for the original CharBroil, which was larger and heavier than the one I had.  At that time, I gave my daughter and her husband my CharBroil, which has now been passed on to my younger son.  About five years ago, I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life--lol--when I bought a "fancy" five burner gas grill.   Used it yes, but had cooked over charcoal for so many years, the results were less than satifsfactory.  I need to add at this point, one of the accessories I inherited was a smoker attachment that--the kind that takes the place of one of the grates in the grill, has a damper to control temp, etc.  Works like a charm. Upon the purchase of the gas grill, I gave my CharBroil grill to my daughter and her husband.  Included the smoker attachment and rotisserie, too!  Dumb!  FINALLY, I now have a wonderful CharBroil 940X and am back in my own element.  Those heavy cast iron grates are fantastic, it holds the temperature like a champ and already the grates have so much seasoning (read grease) in them I could probably give some to McDonalds for their French Fries!

Two of my specialties are not truly smoked, but I have become somewhat renowned for them.  The first is turkey which I am asked to do every Thanksgiving, sometimes during the year for other occasions.  Simply it consists of a thawed, if frozen, turkey, up to the size of your rotisserie motor (have only burned up three or four!),  make a paste of peanut oil, salt and soy sauce, which is rubbed in the cavities, then just the peanut oil and soy sauce is used to baste the turkey.  Soak hickory (or I often use pecan, because we are in a pecan growing area), start your fire, put the turkey on the rotisserie, balancing it as closely as you can, and grill over indirect heat for about 20 minutes per pound, basting it about every 20-30 minutes with the peanut oil/soy sauce.  You may have to replenish both the fire and wood chips, although after about two hours not much more smoke is absorbed.  Use the old joint test ( or a thermometer if you wish) to see if it is done.  Let sit for at least 20 minutes, 30 is better, carve and serve.  My two boys--now both big, brawny adults, still fight over the legs and the wings with all the crispy, dark brown skin. 

My other specialty is beef brisket.  I found the original recipe in the Albuquerque Journal in 1974(!) and have adapted it.  NOW I used Jeff Phillip's rub the night before--yes, using his yellow mustard first.   I then put it in a wonderful, very large, cast aluminum roaster with a tight fitting lid (another item I inherited from my mother) and cook it from 5 to 6 hours at 300 degrees after adding about a cup of water--some may want to add more, but generally the brisket has enough water in it to make that unnecessary.  I need to add I trim the fat to about 1/2 inch over the whole thing--this method doesn't need more fat than that, since it's basically steamed for the first part.     After cooling, I pour off the liquid and cool the brisket-- it can even be frozen at that point until the next step.  When ready to finish, I warm it up and place it on the grill over direct low/medium heat, with soaked hickory chips, grilling about an hour on each side to give it the grilled flavor.  Let sit, slice across the grain and serve.  I also take the leftover liquid, remove the fat (another advantage of doing ahead of time--by refigerating the liquid, you can dispose of the fat), grate an onion or two, add some lemon juice, ketchup and more of Jeff's rub to make a sauce.  Let the sauce cook down til thick. 

I have found this a very useful when a large crowd is to be fed, such as family reunions, church dinners, etc. I am called on at least once a year to provide it on above occasions. 
 
Welcome to SMF - hopefully you will find your smoking comfort zone
 
welcome1.gif
 
Hey Alien,

Welcome to SMF, sounds like you have a few years experience to share with us, Roswell huh, ya ever cooked any of they little green men, I heard someone say they taste like chicken.  LOL

Gene
 
Welcome to the SMF.  Glad to have you aboard.
 
Welcome to the SMF. Glad to have you here. Lots of good folks, great recipes and knowledge. Looking forward to your first qview.
 
The SMF welcomes one from the Land of Enchantment. Thanks for the introduction, and we'll be looking forward to your next smoke and Q too. It's all good my friend,.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky