In For It In Alaska

  • 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.

tacman

Meat Mopper
Original poster
Jul 22, 2009
175
10
Alaska
Being New Here To The SMF, I Would Like To Make The Following Suggestion. Prior To Registration, I think Potential Members Should Receive The Following Warning:

WARNING….. Purchasing A Smoker And Participating In The Age Old Tradition Of Smoking Your Food Has Been Proven To Cause The Following:

1. A Sudden Lack Of Interest In Cooking From Your Spouse (at least on her part).

2 . An Increased Interest In Your Children, Family, Friends And Neighbors For You To Spend More Time In The Backyard.

3. Prolonged Exposure To The Elements….REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER!

4. A Sudden (And Rapid) Increase In Your Social Network And A Desire For The Afore Mentioned Social Network To “Hang Out” In Your
Backyard.

5. It Has Been Known To Become As Addictive As Any Illicit Drug And May Cause (God Forbid) Men To Spontaneously Offer To Not
Only Cook The Meal But Even Has Been Known To Cause Men To Spontaneously Offer To Do The Weekly Shopping.

If You Are Not Prepared Or Do Not Desire Any Of These Things…..Then Don’t Purchase A Smoker, Or Partake In The Age Old Tradition Of Smoking.

Let me explain. I have lived in Alaska almost my entire life and have sampled and smoked more salmon than most fish markets sell in a year.

Recently, my wife and I were watching a show on the Food Network on Southern tradition of smoking meat and she asked me why I didn’t smoke any meat since I have perfected the art of smoking salmon. I am embarrassed to say, I did not have an answer for her as I had never given it much thought.

So, over the Fourth Of July weekend, I thought I would give it a try. Now for convenience sake, I have always used two Big Chief smokers for smoking my fish. However, after a little research (and knowing these smokers intimately), I came to the conclusion that with our erratic weather patterns and the unpredictability of the wind in our area, that, while fine for smoking fish for long periods at low temps, my Big Chief smokers were not the best choice for what I was contemplating….which in turn gave me the excuse to do what I had wanted to do for a VERY long time….I am talking about every man’s fantasy….THE UPGRADE!

After looking at what was available locally and recovering from the sticker shock, I settled on the 24 inch propane fired Camp Chef Smoke Vault because it afforded the most flexibility in temperature control for our area.

To make a long story short(er), in the past few weeks, I have smoked Brisket, Pork Roast, Pork Tenderloin, Pork Chops, Chicken (twice), and of course fresh from the stream, melt in your mouth salmon which is in abundance right now as the fish return to their native streams to spawn.

But I digress from my initial point of including a warning to those who venture into the realm of the thin blue smoke.

While my wife was watching House Hunters the other day, I overheard her talking to herself about a couple who were discouraged from purchasing a house in the Caribbean because it did not have an oven. Her comment was, “Who needs an oven….just buy a smoker and cook outside on the deck”.

I found this innocent comment in and of itself as humorous and it would have remained that way if it were not for other comments she has made since about not needing to remodel the kitchen anymore because now that I have the smoker, she can just use the oven for more storage space for pots and pans which naturally stroked my ego. However, when she started asking questions regarding the baking of cakes in the smoker, I realized that I may have inadvertently stumbled into a realm that is going to cause me more than my fare share of time smelling like smoke and suffering through long hours relaxing on the back deck in the company of friends, family and a growing social network while enjoying the long days of summer here in Alaska but what am I going to do when it is 30 below this winter and the only one on the deck will be the one tending the smoker?

Hence, my initial suggestion regarding the warning.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to run to the grocery store!
 
Tacman, You need to place the following in front of your code [HTML ] and you need to place this after the last of your code.[/HTML ] you leave out the extra space i put between the L&] or you can locate the <> brackets at the top of the message box and it will place them and all you have to do is put your code between them, that way your messages will be readable.

Also the brackets you are using are BBC not HTML.
 
Two words... "Preview Post"
biggrin.gif


Edit: Oh yeah, Welcome to the forum!
 
Welcome to SMF. And Congratulations on your new found addiction.
PDT_Armataz_01_36.gif
 
Yep Tacman, that warning sounds right to me, one of the dangers of getting into "Smoking".

You might also point out that with some of us
"ONE SMOKER IS NOT ENOUGH" LOL
 
Tacman, There is a 12 point program to wean one off smoking, sadly none of those 12 steps work. So you're probably stuck with the addiction. I lived in the Queen Charlottes 60 miles from Alaska so I know all about the bounty that comes from the sea in the north Pacific. Amazing!

I am almost afraid to add fuel to the fire but does your wife Know that anything that can be baked in an oven can be baked just as well and just as easy In a Dutch Oven over a campfire? Check out our Dutch Oven forums.

When I lived up there in the land of free salmon and halibut we smoked them in an Upright Drum Smoker till I made friends with one of the locals who had a 16 X 16 smoke house and would smoke fish for me. The deal was give him two fish and he would give you one back already smoked. The smell of green alder smoke can take me back there in an instant.
Such a deal you will never find in the south.

You have missed the obvious solution to the problem. Teach your wife to smoke. My wife and I often vie with each other to be the one to use the smoker on a given night. The result is lots of good eats, which is after all the whole point. At least I think it is.

Anyway welcome to the Smoking Meat forums, I know you will enjoy the great folks that gather here to share smokes qview and occasionally excessive bovine excretia.
PDT_Armataz_01_12.gif
 
Welcome to the SMF. Sounds like you're getting this smoking thing down pat already. Found a great smoker, too!
biggrin.gif
 
Welcome abaord. Loved your introduction. You're gonna fit right in around here. Looking forward to seeing some of your work.

You may want to add that to the list...
The overwhelming desire to take pictures of everything you prepare and cook. And still doing this while the spouse, friends, family and pets are rolling their eyes at you while doing so.
 
Welcome to the SMF, and thanks for the introduction. Looks like you're in for more fun!
 
LOLOL! Enjoy the ride, Tacman! I'm right there with ya!

Some friends of ours just informed me yesterday that they have a bunch of brisket (home-grown beef) in their freezer, and she didn't know how to cook it so it wasn't tough. I told them I knew exactly what they needed, and how I do mine. She asked me when I could do it.

They're talking like they want me to smoke 'em up a few for trade, me keeping one for myself...man, what a guy won't do to get a good smoke going, hah?

Welcome aboard!

Eric
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky