Smoking for Two - How do you handle small batches?

[maineac]

As most of the others have said, a vacuum sealer is the way to go  Just load up the smoker and seal what you don't eat.  It's great to get some ribs or whatever out of the freezer, pop them into a pot of boiling water, turn to low, come back in 15 minutes and plate.  Easy peasie.  But once you have the sealer you will find many uses for it.  When rib eyes or chicken thighs go on sale, stock up and vac seal.  I'll bet 90% of our uncooked freezer food were sale items.

Be warned though. Buying a smoker can be habit forming.

 

[natej]

Its just me and the mrs i smoke for.. ill usually smoke a large cut of meat and portion out the leftovers for work lunches or the boss will use the leftovers in making other meals, last week she made a beautiful brisket chilli and a beef cheek Bolognese

I tend to prefer getting the most meat possible smoked from the fuel im using

 

[SmokyMose]

Its just me and the mrs i smoke for.. ill usually smoke a large cut of meat and portion out the leftovers for work lunches or the boss will use the leftovers in making other meals, last week she made a beautiful brisket chilli and a beef cheek Bolognese

I tend to prefer getting the most meat possible smoked from the fuel im using

My Mrs made Brisket chili for the first time last week and we're sold! We still like it with brown gravy and mashed potatoes, though...

 

[sundown farms]

We also cook for just us two and use a vac sealer for large chunks that will not be eaten soon. I take my lunch to work and so cooking on the weekend is about having a great lunch all the next week. Whatever is smoked becomes lunches along with the big pot of dried beans or peas and often cole slaw. I never get tired of warming it up or getting home and the wife has warmed it up in the steamer with fresh sides.

 

[bigridgeback]

I smoked this for just me and my wife and had 3#s left over that I vac sealed and put in freezer for later.

 

[ristau5741]

Smoking wood is expensive if you don't have the backyard resources, or a buddy looking to get rid of some wood. Especially if you have to use the bags from the big box home improvement store liek I do. I smoke as much as I can fit into the smoker to make it cost effective and process the rest, work lunches, food saver, and freezer. I did ~14lbs of bacon wrapped chicken thighs last weekend for myself. only a few pounds of thighs made it into the freezer.

 

[normonster]

...
I'm intrigued and scared all at the same time. ^_^

Man I love when that happens!!! Cheers!

 

[rc4u]

i use my grill with small cast iron pan for wood or chips or pellets i use em all and mostly at same time.. i have a weber genisus, first gen with three burners horizontal..i put the pan on end of first burner and lite all three burners first one kabout half and other about 3/4+ when the smoke starts i put on my steaks or burgers or chicken, what ever, but turn center down to just over low and that's where i put meat. just make sure the first burner is not up to high as then you may get fire on the wood, after a few times you get it down...and every body really likes it.. it works//

 

[tktplz]

Smoking for Two - How do you handle small batches?

I bought a Foodsaver Vacuum Sealer as did many others on the forum. I do full smokes and seal and freeze the rest. Now I have a full selection of goodies, vacuum sealed, enough for two and fresh when we want them.