Smoking in progress

[elde]

Ahhh... Here it is a little after six and on my first cup o' joe.

In a few minutes I'll be firing up my Smoke Vault, loading 'er with fourteen pounds of country ribs and an a chunk of Canadian bacon. The ribs are for this afternoon, the bacon is an experiment.

 

[rivet]

Looking forward to the Q-Vue!

 

[elde]

Here ya go Rivet!

Ready to load!

Loaded and ready to roll!

Preparation notes:

• I couldn't make sure the ribs were minimally processed, so I skipped my normal overnight rub (which has salt in it) and rubbed 'em with chipotle and paprika. They'll be mopped with my usual mop, 1 part Lexington style dip and 1 part apple juice.

• The picture doesn't show it clearly, but there's a spot of pink on the end of the bacon where it rested against the container it was pickled in, which makes me think it may not have cured long enough. Ah well, that's what experimenting is for isn't it? To learn?

On a side note, I've always hated getting up this early, but perversely have always loved being up this early - while all is quiet and still.

 

[rivet]

Lookin real good so far~

Yeah, the morning is great when you are the only one up and all is quiet.

 

[irishteabear]

You're off to a great start. Looking forward to more qview.

 

[mballi3011]

Thats is alway a nice site. A smoker full of some really good eating. I'll check back with you too for the finally.

 

[bigsteve]

Make sure you post finished Q-view!

I never liked CS ribs until I started smoking them. That's because we didn't know any better, and boiled them before grilling.

 

[elde]

First mopping, and maintaining a nice steady 210-220...

Now off to clean the kitchen and start the potatoes for the potato salad, then clean the pool... A host's duties are never done eh?

I should have done much of this yesterday, but yesterday was the LOML's high school reunion and she wanted me to go. (To buck up her ego I suspect.) And y'all for sure know what happens if mama ain't happy, right?

 

[bigsteve]

Or what doesn't happen!

My motto in 25 yrs of marriage is: "Do your honey-do's before they turn into "Honey, don't""

 

[elde]

Was flagging a bit in energy until I opened the smoker for the second mopping and was greeted with this:




A piece of one stuck to the grill when I was turning 'em - mmmm Yummy! Maintaining a steady 220 and energy renewed.

I hear ya Steve, we've passed 19 and are going full steam towards 20... and I like to tell folks that making it this far "isn't an accident".

 

[old poi dog]

Wow! Everything in the Smoker is taking on that rich coloring. I'm hungry already just looking at the halfway mark Q-view. Looking forward to the finish.

 

[beer-b-q]

What time did you say dinner was? LOL Looks like a feast fit for a King.

 

[elde]

Whew - into the homestretch!







The meat is already damm near falling apart, so I'll only foil for an hour or so the rest in the cooler for an hour or so.... So if you want to make it in time for dinner, you better already be on your way!

The bacon was just a couple of degrees short, so I pulled and foiled it as well.

Me, I'm off to float in the pool with a cool one for a bit.

 

[beer-b-q]

Sneaking into kitchen while Elde is in the pool to steal a couple Ribs.

:PDT_Armataz _01_12:

 

[rivet]

A well deserved rest! Nice to have a pool after a day at the BBQ!

 

[elde]

Hey, who took one of my ribs?

Chopping the Q.




A whole bowl o' Q, ready to mix with dip.




Now this is summer! Nice Lexington style Q, Ambrosia salad (fruit salad with whipped cream), potato salad, and baked beans. (Not shown, the grilled corn on the cob that wouldn't fit on my plate.) All this and some of our best friends around the table.

Folks, this is livin'.

(The bacon was cooled on the counter, then into the fridge to firm up overnight. Pics tomorrow.)

 

[elde]

Contemplating the amount of dirty dishes, smoker parts, etc. still left to be cleaned today....

- I wish there was a 'dishwasher-o-mat', like a laundromat, where you could take multiple loads and wash things too big for your dishwasher....

or

- I wish somebody would go all Tim Taylor and invent an automagic dishwasher attachment for smokers... Just hook up the hose and let 'er rip.

 

[elde]

No pics of the bacon - it did not come out at all well.