# WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO SMF?



## SmokinAl (Feb 1, 2022)

Well, Judy & I were vegetarians for 30 years, until one day we were in Sam’s & they had a MES 40 on sale. I said why don’t we buy one, and Judy said, “ What the hell are you gonna smoke? LETTUCE? I said no, why don’t we buy some meat. She just looked at me like all the times that I come up with some crazy idea, and just rolled her eyes. So we bought a MES 40, a couple of racks of spares, wood chips, and a butt. We came home & I started searching the net for a recipe to smoke a rack of ribs. Of course SMF came up & I got on & went to chat & a real nice lady gave me all the instructions on how to smoke ribs & she gave me a coleslaw recipe that I still use to this day. Then from then on I just learned how to smoke, cold smoke, make sausage, dry cure, and on and on. I have made a bunch of friends on here over the years, and hope to make many more! I was just wondering what brought the rest of you here. Oh, and by the way that first rack of ribs was awesome, only because of that nice lady here on SMF, and as I said earlier, her coleslaw recipe is the best I have ever had!
Al


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## smokerjim (Feb 1, 2022)

years ago i built a cinderblock smoker for my brother who was using a charbroil offset at the time, he gave me the old offset , i think the first thing i smoked was ribs which if i remember right they came out edible. then i tried chicken, my thinking back then the more smoke the better so i had smoke billowing out of that thing like ya wouldn't believe waiting patiently for what i thought was going to be the best chicken i ever had! one bite of that proved me wrong, spit it out threw the chicken away not understanding where i went wrong i starting searching why my chicken turned out so bad and i ended up here. luckily everyone straightened me out, so basically most everything i learned about smoking i learned here and still learn things today. so thats basically how i ended up here.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Feb 1, 2022)

I had been with The Virtual Weber Bullet site for many years.  I than joined Facebook Texas Recipe Club.  The guy running that is a total control freak and gets his kicks from banning people which he does constantly and with any notice.  He has a long list of rules that are crazy.  The people there are really  nice though.  You can only make posts with pictures and recipes.  Can not discuss anything but a recipe.  Someone posted a recipe that used a kit for making chili that was hard to find.  I found one at Market Street and took a picture of it and where found and posted it thanking the person you recommended.  Next thing I knew I was banned.  I did not post a recipe with pic!  I could not even send him a message.  I sent one of the other people in forum a message who talked to him and got me back in.  I was the only person he did this for I guess.  Later on in one of my recipe post I recommended an oil sprayer in the post.  You can't talk about equipment I guess and he banned me again.  Thing was he has to approve every post and he approved mine.  I did nothing wrong and was very upset as I really enjoyed the people other than him!  Started looking for other recipe clubs and found this one.


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## clifish (Feb 1, 2022)

I generally join forums for all my interests,  even joined a snow blower forum while researching which one to buy.  I belong to Triumph car forums, corvette forums, Subaru and Jeep TJ Wrangler forums.  I bought a used mes propane smoker and totally destroyed a turkey and then found this site.  I found another smoker an electric and added a pid thanks to this place.  People here have been great (unlike some on the Corvette forum).    Like my Jeep forum this place likes to spend my money but at least I have some great meals to show for it.


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## Sowsage (Feb 1, 2022)

If I remember correctly I was looking for summer sausage recipes and stumbled across this forum.. Sure glad I did! Ive learned a lot of things here and I'm thankful for that because its something I can share with my sons that will stay with them. Met a lot of great people and made some friends!


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## Colin1230 (Feb 1, 2022)

In 2010, my wife and daughters bought me an 18" WSM for Father' s Day. When researching recipes and how to use it I found TVWB. Learned a ton at that web sight and eventually joined TVWBB forum. I enjoyed the people there so much that I was looking for more. I just lurked at a number of other forums for a long time, never signing up. I was loyal to TVWBB. Then came a YouTube video by Jeff and the rest is history. The people here are every bit as nice and helpful and I have to say that I have made more friends here but I frequent both forums daily.


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## unclebubbas bbq (Feb 1, 2022)

I bought a elcheapo brinkman to smoke some bluefish, hell I threw a couple of logs on top of a full pan of charcoal and smoked out the neighborhood, along with my wife's lunch party she was throwing for the girl's that day. The fish came out extra crispy and looked more like the charcoal I used to start the fire with


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## BandCollector (Feb 1, 2022)

I needed instruction on how to smoke trout (that I had caught) on a cheapo Brinkman water smoker which I found at a flea market for $15.

The rest is history. . .I made many faceless friends here as well. 

Here is an idea.  Why don"t we have a thread where members can post a picture of themselves so we can put faces with Avatar names.

What do you think 

 SmokinAl
 ?

It took you 30 years to come over from the dark side?. . .LOL!

John


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## GonnaSmoke (Feb 1, 2022)

I found SMF while looking for recipes, ideas, and to generally just learn more about outdoor cooking. I joined, but didn't participate for 2+ years, I just watched, read, and "borrowed" ideas. I didn't realize that I could do all of that without joining. Then about a year ago, I decided that I wanted to step up to a bigger, custom offset and started participating more seeking advice and info about what offsets to look at.

I have been really happy with the overall feel of this forum, the positivity, the knowledge and willingness to share it, and the amazing generosity of someone here that I've never met. More about that to come a little later...


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## Brokenhandle (Feb 1, 2022)

Can't remember for sure why I joined but guessing I was trying to learn how to do something and happened upon this site...just never left! Glad I didn't...have learned a ton and met some awesome people! And still have a ton of things on the things to do or try list! I'm really glad a couple vegetarians joined a long time ago.. 

 SmokinAl
  And his wife Judy...made some mighty fine racks of ribs, some awesome pickles, and some really good buns from Judy! 
Smoked lettuce...that's funny!

Ryan


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## bauchjw (Feb 1, 2022)

My father is awesome, but BBQ/Grilling Cook was not something he ever really got into to teach me technique. When I moved on and joined the Marines I bought a Weber Kettle and winged it for years, but one random day I was at Home Depot and, on impulse, bought a Weber's Real Grilling Cook Book. Reading through the introduction it was the first time that I was introduced to techniques and recipes for BBQ/grilling and the change was huge. Using that book literally changed my life, It was the first time I was really proud of the food that I prepared for friends/family and how I met my wife. I started getting cocky and bought a Bar-B-Chef offset when Box stores had offsets that were actually heavy duty. Then disaster, I screwed up bad on was a Brisket that I absolutely destroyed to the the most atomic charcoal level. It was unsalvageable and that terrified me to ever spend that kind of money and ruin a cook again. But, returning from my third Iraq deployment a Cajun friend in my team showed me how BBQ was really done, and when my new Bride and I got orders to the Mojave Desert, I was motivated to get back on the Brisket horse. I asked Google and came here and the change was once again dramatic. 

 foamheart
 took pity on a Marine and worked with me and taught me a ton and became a great friend. 

 noboundaries
 was the first to message me. 

 chef jimmyj
 was also a big help, and so many others. After my hiatus, due to life and work, its been so great being back on and make more new friends with the same passion.  Whenever I get compliments on my BBQ or cooking I refer people here.


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## Ringer (Feb 1, 2022)

A few years ago, I acquired an old grill that my grandfather had built for parties and family gatherings. He passed away several years ago so I wanted to restore it. It was totally rusted through and really should have been scrapped. I came here and found 

 daveomak
 and he helped me through the calculations and advised me on turning it into an rf smoker. It took alot of work but today it turns out the best food I've ever made. Many here have helped me dial it in and I'm forever grateful.


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## Smoke-Chem BBQ (Feb 1, 2022)

I joined because I was looking for a forum from which I could learn more about competition BBQ.  As it turns out, that topic doesn't get a lot of discussion here, but I have found a lot of other great content from which I can learn.  The breadth of recipes and techniques that turn up on this forum is really impressive.


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## justplainbob (Feb 1, 2022)

I was promised free beer


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 1, 2022)

A member who left us in the past year was the first to welcome me to the Forum.
I was looking for ways to smoke tuna and on came Gary S rest in peace my friend.
I still have to make his bake beans at any family smoking event.
There is so much available knowledge on here it's almost unreal.
So glad I found this forum.

Warren


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## tx smoker (Feb 1, 2022)

In 2010 I had a ton of vacation time I had to use or lose. Took 3 weeks off, got bored, and went to the big orange store and bought an $89 throw-away smoker. Absolutely destroyed a couple racks of ribs. Was chatting with a friend and he turned me onto SMF. I had not participated in any sort of forum for a LONG time due to every one of them becoming toxic. I lurked here for a long time just reading and familiarizing myself with some of the regulars. After reading thousands of posts I realized that the environment here was anything but toxic and the folks were so nice and helpful. Finally got some decent Q going and got up the courage to post it. The horizons have expanded beyond belief for me and I've made some extraordinary friends here. No doubt, this site has been a life changer.

Robert


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## sandyut (Feb 1, 2022)

If I recall, I found SMF looking for a meat grinder and likely some WSM questions too.


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## noboundaries (Feb 1, 2022)

I grew up in California where BBQ was hot n fast grilling of burgers, dogs, and steaks. In my teens we moved to TN where I tasted actual BBQ for the first time. Wow. I was hooked. Then came a duty station in South Texas where a whole new flavor of BBQ found my tastebuds. It became permanently imprinted in my brain.

After getting stationed back in Cali, that Texas flavor proved elusive. I'd charcoal grilled but never smoked meat. A few trips to the Reno Rib Cookoff as an eater rekindled my love of Texas smoked beef and pork ribs 

A detour into propane grilling was convenient but disappointing in flavor. I decided to see if my early generation Weber Performer gathering dust on the side of the house could be used to smoke meat. A few Internet searches and I found SMF. Out came the Weber, and with the right wood chunks, that Texas flavor returned. Six months later I added a 22" WSM. Both gave me exactly what I craved, and SMF was the guide. 

Happy Smoking, All,

Ray


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## kit s (Feb 1, 2022)

I was doing a search on how too type thing...well this forum popped up, and golly miss molly has it been the cats meow. So much info, so many recipes, so many great people. Been on ever since.


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## poacherjoe (Feb 1, 2022)

I had been paying the butcher to make my sausage and summer sausage from my wild game for years and I had always requested that they only use the meat from my buck and not mix other improperly cared for meat with it and they always lied to me and mixed up  with gut shot deer  and you can taste it .Plus they always stole some meat . So I wanted to start making my own and I was searching the internet and this site popped up and I joined it and my waistline has blossomed significantly and I have made some great friends . If I have a problem or need a question answered there's always someone here to save my day.


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## Bearcarver (Feb 1, 2022)

OK, here we go---About 3 months after 

 SmokinAl
 got here, I dropped in:

Bear Jr brought 19 Salmon Fillets, from 10 Big Salmon, from Pulaski, NY.
They were all between 30" and 36" long, and I needed to find out how to Smoke them. I got my first Smoker "MES 30", and did some searching.
I figured out how to do it, with some help from a lot of guys, including some who are still here.
The Salmon took a month or two, because I did it in about 8 batches to get it all done.
That was over 13 years ago!
Here's the Thread of the Final Batch of that Load of NY Salmon:
Smoked Salmon

Bear


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## normanaj (Feb 1, 2022)

My WSN 14.5" originally brought me here but it was my MES that kept me here...I needed to learn about it!

That's not really true I simply just needed to learn!And all these years later the lesson is still being taught.


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## Buckeye1 (Feb 1, 2022)

Bought a Recteq at beginning of work from home at start of Covid. Started looking for smoking techniques and recipes. Stumbled upon this site and really love the group on here. As previously mentioned most forums have turned toxic. This one is truly a pleasure to participate on.


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## civilsmoker (Feb 1, 2022)

I rarely join forums or social media groups of any type.....and in fact I have NEVER had a Facebook account (NEVER WILL), only did Instagram for a few months and have only participated in two other forums for a short time. These other forums had way too much "anger" going on all the time and Instagram (aka fakeagram) was well....I DIDN'T want to see tik tok vids of dancing whatever all the time....I mean after blocking them for months.....I finally said enough...... 

All that said, I spent lots of time reading many BBQ forums because I wanted to expand my smoking experience and build a RF smoker.  After spending considerable time researching forums and reading build posts as well Qview posts, I discovered SMF and that Jeff was an engineer.....as an engineer myself, I found how Jeff presented his cooks and recipe's was very open and done in a teaching way.  Furthermore, I found almost every member to have a similar mentality, so I joined and read posts for 2 years before I posted and over that time I found SMF to be different as in I learn new things all the time and it has almost always been a positive, open, and welcoming group.

I will say honestly, I never thought being a member of SMF would have had the impact (continued even to today) that it has to me personally and my family!!!!  This is way I stay!!!


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## DougE (Feb 1, 2022)

All I wanted to do was make some pulled pork, and, well, once I got here, it just mushroomed into a lot of other things.


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## daveomak (Feb 1, 2022)

SmokinAl
...  Want to share that slaw recipe??  I've tried about a dozen and I'm still looking...


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## clifish (Feb 1, 2022)

Bearcarver said:


> OK, here we go---About 3 months after
> 
> SmokinAl
> got here, I dropped in:
> ...


Wish I saw that salmon thread before,  last year we caught 31 king salmon between us in Sodus bay, lake Ontario NY.


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## pineywoods (Feb 1, 2022)

BandCollector said:


> I needed instruction on how to smoke trout (that I had caught) on a cheapo Brinkman water smoker which I found at a flea market for $15.
> 
> The rest is history. . .I made many faceless friends here as well.
> 
> ...



Kind of like this old thread??????

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/show-yourself.57052/


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## Nate52 (Feb 1, 2022)

In my circle of family and friends, I've always been thought of as a pretty good cook. But I never really got into cooking good barbecue. Years ago, I "borrowed" an unused brinkman smoke n grill from my dad and used it a couple times. I've also tried those chip boxes for a gas grill with so-so results. But never really went any farther with it.

Most of my main hobbies brought me away from home for several days at a time like hunting and fishing. My other favorite hobby was planning for those trips.

But then life happened. Now I have three kids ages 4 and under and a 55-60 hour a week career. Those trips just don't happen as often as they used to. Without the physical escape of those trips, or even the mental escape of planning for them, I was starting to go downhill with anxiety and depression.

An old acquaintance got a cheap offset and started posting a lot of his cooks on Facebook and I started to get interested. I did a lot of Google searches about smokers and techniques, and the best results always came from this site. So I quit searching on Google and just check here first.

Now I have a new hobby that I can focus on. Even though it's winter and outside cooking is limited, I can still plan and daydream. That alone is enough to help when everything else gets to be too overwhelming. It's helped me avoid some of the issues I was having before.

So this place is as much therapy to me as it is good food.


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## yankee2bbq (Feb 1, 2022)

SmokinAl said:


> Well, Judy & I were vegetarians for 30 years, until one day we were in Sam’s & they had a MES 40 on sale. I said why don’t we buy one, and Judy said, “ What the hell are you gonna smoke? LETTUCE? I said no, why don’t we buy some meat. She just looked at me like all the times that I come up with some crazy idea, and just rolled her eyes. So we bought a MES 40, a couple of racks of spares, wood chips, and a butt. We came home & I started searching the net for a recipe to smoke a rack of ribs. Of course SMF came up & I got on & went to chat & a real nice lady gave me all the instructions on how to smoke ribs & she gave me a coleslaw recipe that I still use to this day. Then from then on I just learned how to smoke, cold smoke, make sausage, dry cure, and on and on. I have made a bunch of friends on here over the years, and hope to make many more! I was just wondering what brought the rest of you here. Oh, and by the way that first rack of ribs was awesome, only because of that nice lady here on SMF, and as I said earlier, her coleslaw recipe is the best I have ever had!
> Al


Great topic. For me, I think it was searching for recipes on-line pertaining to smoking meat on my Weber kettle. (Been a few years, so please excuse my memory lose). However, it snowballed into multiple smoking/cooking/side-dishes from this forum that made me join. Learned alot on SMF. 
And like mentioned before, a stress reliever from everyday life.


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## masssmoke (Feb 1, 2022)

I bought a cheap Brinkman electric with the general idea to smoke ribs.  I had never done it or seen it done or knew anyone who smoked meats at home.  I tried to "learn by doing" and make the terrible decision to follow the cooking times advised in the manual.
So, following a few laughable tries I stumbled on this board when searching for answers.  In the years since I have learned plenty (which much more still to learn) made some decent ribs, butts, burnt ends etc while upgrading a bit to a pellet smoker.  When I have need help, I have gotten it, when I have shared success others are happy for it, when i have had been frustrated with poor results, I have gotten encouragement to try again.  All this from people I have never met in person!

And I remain amazed at the knowledge, friendliness and helpful nature of this board and how willing those here are to share their expertise with all that are curious enough to ask and learn.  The other thing I love about this board is that while there are disagreements and different opinions threads don't dissolve into personal insults or bickering like so many message boards do.  Long live SMF!


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## bigfurmn (Feb 1, 2022)

I started with adding wood chips to my Weber when doing steak and chicken. Saw a good deal on a MES40 at Sams. Wife got it for me for Christmas. Since then added a tube smoker and maze. Oh and tested a Pit Boss 340 and sold it to my boss, then upgraded to a Pit Boss 1000SC. SMF, come for the knowledge stay for the great people.


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## indaswamp (Feb 1, 2022)

My Uncle bought a new MES in 2015. He told me about some of the ideas he learned on this site like the mailbox mod. I had been wanting to build a large outhouse smoker like the one my grandfather had, but more modern. So when I got ready to build it, I looked up the site on google for ideas. I ran across Pops smokehouse that he built and got some ideas from his build. Picked up some other ideas from other random threads. Decided to join so I could thank the people that I got ideas from and to show my build thread. Though I have been making sausages for about 30 or so years, I have learned a lot of little tricks and information on additives on SMF which have upped my game. I also got a lot of good information on salumi and salami. I have been wanting to make dry cured meats...especially salami for 25 or so years but felt intimidated. I finally got the big picture reading the Marianski's Yellow book on making salami (thanks 

 daveomak
 ) and learned enough to feel confident to take the plunge. Had no idea how deep that rabbit hole would go once I started down it. Salumi has been the pinnacle of my journey in charcuterie. Thank you again for all the help guys.


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## DougE (Feb 1, 2022)

indaswamp said:


> Thank you again for all the help guys.


Thank you for all the great info you share here.


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## OldSmoke (Feb 1, 2022)

My Masterbuilt propane smoker bought on sale brought me here, the people are so amazing I stayed.


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## MJB05615 (Feb 1, 2022)

I was smoking on an MES 30 for about 7-8 years, with minimal success.  The only thing that came out good every time was Pork Loin.  All else was hit or miss.  The worst thing I ever did was cooking a Brisket to an IT of 140.  I thought it was like a steak, lol.  That's how we learn.  I was looking for a Brisket recipe and found one of Jeff's.  So I used it, still do to this day.  From that recipe site it lead me to SMF.  This Forum has elevated my smoking to levels I never thought possible.  I have learned so much from so many people here.  Still do to this day.  Made several friends too. This is my salvation most days.


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## Sven Svensson (Feb 1, 2022)

I discovered this site in about 2010 as I was looking for sausage recipes. I frequented it on and off but rather regularly as it was bookmarked. In 2012 I was given a new MES so I started checking in more frequently. I’m not into social media so I’m not much of a joiner but more of a lurker. In 2015 I wanted to make my own Easter ham and I discovered Pop’s brine. That turned me into a curing monster and down the rabbit hole I went.

This last year I thought it was the right thing to finally join, throw in some $, and contribute to a site I’ve lurked through far too long. It just seemed the right thing to do. I also got to the point where I wanted to do more and expand what I was making and to do that I needed to ask questions. Although I’ve watched this site for more than a decade, I’m still a newbie, still learning, still making mistakes, but I’m improving.

I’ve now gone through 3 MES smokers, all duds. I then decided to forego the electronics and switched to a gasser. I loved it and never had any issues with it. But I passed that along to a friend who is now hooked. I decided to get a Yoder last year and i love it. And now my friend just got a Yoder as well and he’s passing on the gasser to his dad (which makes the junior higher inside me laugh about saying “passing on the gasser”).

I most appreciate how this site strives to stay non-political as we all don’t think alike in that area but we all need a break from it and need to start finding common ground instead of letting our views divide us. If smoking meat, learning from each other, and making amazing home-cooked meals is how we do it, then let it begin with smoke and meat and hopefully that leads to friendship, understanding, grace, and the best bacon your side of the Mississippi.


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## chesterinflorida (Feb 1, 2022)

I’ve been on the Brethren forum for 10 years or so, but found this place maybe a year ago.  Really growing to love this place,  Good folks and ideas abound,


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## HowlingDog (Feb 1, 2022)

In 2008 I found a cheap offset smoker at Home Depot and bought it on a whim.  Played around and got results, would not call them great but they were results.  Did some internet searching and found The Smoke Ring and was semi active on there for awhile.  Good folks and helpful but over the years folks sorta drifted away and fewer postings.  

Did more searching and found SMF and have really appreciated the help and encouragement from everyone here.  As a result, I have tried smoking cheese, hot smoked bacon, several kinds of sausage, pickles and even English muffins!!  Also spent lots of money on grinders, stuffers, tubes, pellets and other assorted smoking gadgets.  Because of all the smokehouse builds I have seen here,  I am working on an overly complex small smokehouse that will be charcoal powered.  

Thank you all for the benefit of your experience and willingness to share and keep this hobby moving forward.


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## mneeley490 (Feb 1, 2022)

HowlingDog said:


> In 2008 I found a cheap offset smoker at Home Depot and bought it on a whim.  Played around and got results, would not call them great but they were results. .


Same as HowlingDog. After many, many mods to my horizontal smoker, and endless all-night cooks, I aspired to get a set-it-and-forget-it Cookshack smoker. But they were too small, and way too expensive for my budget at the time. So I got the idea in my head that I would just build my own Cookshack clone instead. Found a used 6'3" SS commercial fridge on Craigslist, and started gutting it for a conversion when I first ran into trouble with the blown-in polyurethane foam. It was set up like concrete. So I belatedly started checking the internet for help, and fortune smiled on me when I found this site. With some knowledgeable help and inspiration, I finally got it up and running. Been happily smoking on several rigs ever since.
My first thread.


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## daspyknows (Feb 2, 2022)

I was at home recovering from Covid in spring 2020.  My existing Weber kettle which I had used for over 10 years was in need of replacement.  When they announced the stimulus checks I was ready to upgrade to a better smoker/bbq and started doing research.  I found SMF in my research and learned a lot here that helped me decide on the Horizon offset which I ordered in June and which arrived in October.  Up to that point I had done one brisket on the Weber with so so results.  With the knowledge obtained here I have upped my game and am now making things like bacon which I never even though to make.


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## forktender (Feb 2, 2022)

SmokinAl said:


> Well, Judy & I were vegetarians for 30 years, until one day we were in Sam’s & they had a MES 40 on sale. I said why don’t we buy one, and Judy said, “ What the hell are you gonna smoke? LETTUCE? I said no, why don’t we buy some meat. She just looked at me like all the times that I come up with some crazy idea, and just rolled her eyes. So we bought a MES 40, a couple of racks of spares, wood chips, and a butt. We came home & I started searching the net for a recipe to smoke a rack of ribs. Of course SMF came up & I got on & went to chat & a real nice lady gave me all the instructions on how to smoke ribs & she gave me a coleslaw recipe that I still use to this day. Then from then on I just learned how to smoke, cold smoke, make sausage, dry cure, and on and on. I have made a bunch of friends on here over the years, and hope to make many more! I was just wondering what brought the rest of you here. Oh, and by the way that first rack of ribs was awesome, only because of that nice lady here on SMF, and as I said earlier, her coleslaw recipe is the best I have ever had!
> Al


I've smoked my fair share of Nocal home grown lettuce in my day.


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## forktender (Feb 2, 2022)

With a name like *"The Smoking Meat Forum"* I'm surprised that I chanced clicking on it may years ago.
I was pleasantly surprised by the recipes and friendly, knowable, and helpful people that were more than willing to help with my newfound addiction to slow smoked goodness.
I really liked that you could be right in the middle of a smoke and ask a question, and it would be answered in minutes most of the time.


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## SmokinAl (Feb 2, 2022)

daveomak said:


> SmokinAl
> ...  Want to share that slaw recipe??  I've tried about a dozen and I'm still looking...



This is the original recipe:
If you use one bag of coleslaw mix, just cut the recipe in half.
COLESLAW DRESSING
2 bags of coleslaw mix
5 TBS white vinegar
2/3 cu sugar
1/4 cu canola oil
1 cu mayonnaise
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery seeds
1/2 tsp CBP
With a wire whisk, blend each ingredient one at a time.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before adding to cabbage.
Add cabbage & refrigerate for at least 3 hours stirring often.
Hope you enjoy it as well as we do!
Al


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## SmokinAl (Feb 2, 2022)

forktender said:


> I've smoked my fair share of Nocal home grown lettuce in my day.



Me too!!
Al


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## bauchjw (Feb 2, 2022)

SmokinAl
 , Not trying to divert an awesome thread, but I'm really curious how your body reacted to 30 years vegetarian followed by Ribs? I intentionally go through meatless periods of 7 days or more for health and weight management. Ive found that I have to ease back into rich meats with low fat meat, high veg/fruit diets first. After one long meatless period I broke it with a buddy's brisket and my stomach cramps were out of control (Nobody else who ate it had problems). So did your bodies just accept it without adjustment?


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## chilerelleno (Feb 2, 2022)

Heck, not sure I remember the who, what, where and why of how I came here.


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## tx smoker (Feb 2, 2022)

chilerelleno said:


> Heck, not sure I remember the who, what, where and why of how I came here.



I can answer that.You came here to teach me how to create excellent Mexican food. Once done you decided to stay   

Not really but it seems viable 

Robert


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## fxsales1959 (Feb 2, 2022)

was poking around the interwebs deciding on my next smoker  and stumbled on this gang. Now you csn't get rid of me.
thanks for everything!


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 2, 2022)

Has been a very interesting thread Thanks to all for their comments and all the likes laughs and etc. We all appreciate them.

Warren


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## jcam222 (Feb 2, 2022)

I got an MES40 a few years ago after my brother in law had one for a few months. My quest to be good at it led me here. Been here since and man I have learned a lot about smoking , general cooking and plating for sure. Aside from cooking I’ve also made life long friends and that’s priceless.


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## Cody_Mack (Feb 2, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> I had been with The Virtual Weber Bullet site for many years.  I than joined Facebook Texas Recipe Club.  The guy running that is a total control freak and gets his kicks from banning people which he does constantly and with any notice.  He has a long list of rules that are crazy.  The people there are really  nice though.  You can only make posts with pictures and recipes.  Can not discuss anything but a recipe.  Someone posted a recipe that used a kit for making chili that was hard to find.  I found one at Market Street and took a picture of it and where found and posted it thanking the person you recommended.  Next thing I knew I was banned.  I did not post a recipe with pic!  I could not even send him a message.  I sent one of the other people in forum a message who talked to him and got me back in.  I was the only person he did this for I guess.  Later on in one of my recipe post I recommended an oil sprayer in the post.  You can't talk about equipment I guess and he banned me again.  Thing was he has to approve every post and he approved mine.  I did nothing wrong and was very upset as I really enjoyed the people other than him!  Started looking for other recipe clubs and found this one.


I am a relatively newbe on that FB page and I agree with all you said! Do you still follow the page?


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## Cody_Mack (Feb 2, 2022)

bauchjw said:


> My father is awesome, but BBQ/Grilling Cook was not something he ever really got into to teach me technique. When I moved on and joined the Marines I bought a Weber Kettle and winged it for years, but one random day I was at Home Depot and, on impulse, bought a Weber's Real Grilling Cook Book. Reading through the introduction it was the first time that I was introduced to techniques and recipes for BBQ/grilling and the change was huge. Using that book literally changed my life, It was the first time I was really proud of the food that I prepared for friends/family and how I met my wife. I started getting cocky and bought a Bar-B-Chef offset when Box stores had offsets that were actually heavy duty. Then disaster, I screwed up bad on was a Brisket that I absolutely destroyed to the the most atomic charcoal level. It was unsalvageable and that terrified me to ever spend that kind of money and ruin a cook again. But, returning from my third Iraq deployment a Cajun friend in my team showed me how BBQ was really done, and when my new Bride and I got orders to the Mojave Desert, I was motivated to get back on the Brisket horse. I asked Google and came here and the change was once again dramatic. @foamheart took pity on a Marine and worked with me and taught me a ton and became a great friend. @noboundaries was the first to message me. @chef jimmyj was also a big help, and so many others. After my hiatus, due to life and work, its been so great being back on and make more new friends with the same passion.  Whenever I get compliments on my BBQ or cooking I refer people here.


Sir, thanks for your Service!


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Feb 2, 2022)

Cody_Mack said:


> I am a relatively newbe on that FB page and I agree with all you said! Do you still follow the page?


I was banned for suggesting that oil sprayer so can't even look at the page now.  That Moore guy is a real piece of work.  The people on there had become like family as there are here which is why it really hurt.  I really think he was jealous of me taking away to much of his spotlight.  A lot of people got to where the where afraid to post fearing getting ban for one small rule break.


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## smokeymose (Feb 2, 2022)

I honestly don't remember what got me here. I had an electric smoker that fried a circuit and moved to a gasser and was looking for info.
I guess I stumbled on the site, and when I found out you could actually make your own sausage I was hooked....


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## Cody_Mack (Feb 2, 2022)

Sorry double post!


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## Cody_Mack (Feb 2, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> I was banned for suggesting that oil sprayer so can't even look at the page now.  That Moore guy is a real piece of work.  The people on there had become like family as there are here which is why it really hurt.  I really think he was jealous of me taking away to much of his spotlight.  A lot of people got to where the where afraid to post fearing getting ban for one small rule break.


Yeah I had my own run-in with him. A couple of times. The second time I called him out for his double-standards and surprisingly he owned up in public that I was right, and re-instated my post. Some folks were arguing about beans/no beans in chili, so instead of dealing with the folks that got rude he banned all chili posts; on a Texas Recipe page for gosh sakes. I'm sure he didn't like it that he had to own up in public. And like you say, bunch of nice folks there, too.


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## Cody_Mack (Feb 2, 2022)

I came here first looking for ideas to build a brick smoker. Didn't hang around long then, but a smokin' bug hit me several months later and I came back and now on here every day. Lots and lots of wonderful gentlemen and ladies on here, and I can easily say this is the friendliest and most civil forum I have been on, and that's over 30 years banging on a computer!

Rick


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## Winterrider (Feb 2, 2022)

I started on the larger scale smoking venison ring sausage and summer sausage in a 3'x3'x7'. Wanted to get into doing jerky other than the use of dehydrator so purchased a King Kooker propane smoker. Alright but hard to regulate lower temps. Started researching electrics from a co-workers recommendation, and came up with the MES 40 as many here were using. A few modifications from the great folks here and has been the best smoker I could have ever purchased.


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## JckDanls 07 (Feb 2, 2022)

My wife bought me a cheap Char-griller grill for Christmas one year...  No side firebox... Had no clue how to do anything other than grilling... So I started researching how to smoke with it... brought me to this site..  I lurked for a long time as I don't do social sites .. But when Al (

 smoking al
) and Doug (

 dougmays
) started a thread about doing a S. Fl, Gathering I signed up just to see If a stranger/newbie/lurker could come to the Gathering or if it was for members only ... Of course they said ALL people were invited even lurkers.... Well..  I went and haven't missed one since... Next will be the 11th Annual ... 

Then I seen Jerry's (

 pineywoods
 ) N. Fl. Gathering and decided to go to that one as well...  This is where I got the hands on training/learning of how to make sausage from Joe (

 boykjo
) and Rick ( 

 BGKYSmoker
 )...  

So all the things that I know now about smoking and sausage making are all a result of Smoking Meat Forums...  Jeff (

 TulsaJeff
 ) I want to THANK YOU again for such a friendly/knowledgeable web site ...


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Feb 2, 2022)

Sorry about some of my previous ranting.  This post brought back some really hurt feelings that in turn brought me to my SMF home.  Now I have to have a drink so I can try to forget them again.


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 2, 2022)

Make it a double and I will join you after all I've had going on.

Warren


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## MJB05615 (Feb 2, 2022)

Forget what?  I've already started drinking.


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## chopsaw (Feb 2, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> Sorry about some of my previous ranting.


LOL . I get it completely . 


MJB05615 said:


> I've already started drinking.


I started once . I was 14 ,, never stopped .


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## texomakid (Feb 2, 2022)

Been around the casual cooking of BBQ & smoking meats for most of my life with dad, uncles, relatives, & friends smoking briskets & spare ribs from back in the day as well as the many old classic BBQ joints we used to stop at - It's been a fun journey. Along the way at some point I wanted to "make my own rub". Got on the inner webs and found 

 TulsaJeff
 rub & sauce recipe so I purchased them and enjoyed mixing & using them. Then he introduced the "Texas Rub" so heck I purchased that recipe too and around that time I stumbled into the forum - I lurked for several years prior to joining and finally jumped in around the time I purchased the Pellet cooker. I've had many smokers over the years - a couple of electric, had a few stick burners, ect ... 

but it all started with the Brinkmann Bullet.......

Around 40 or 50 years ago I saw my first bullet. These were popular in my circle since they were very affordable. The recipe back in the early days was simple - charcoal, pepsi (that was the secret fluid in the water pan) and brisket or ribs with lots of salt & pepper on them. LOTS of Cold Beer and about 12 hours of cooking & adding charcoal. Slipping in a little chunk of wood was really next level.

Slap yo momma! I've seen a lot of really good food come out of one of these and even more memories of friends and family.








I'm glad I found this place. Nice to be able to discuss smoking meat & BBQ without all the static.


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## boykjo (Feb 2, 2022)

I was searching website's that were about making sausage. Most websites were all about BBQ which I knew very little about. SMF had a sausage forum. I finally found people that had the same addiction. Here I learned how to make BBQ, share what I had learned over the years making sausage, met some awesome people at gatherings and made a few friends along the way.
My first post back in 2010




__





						Hello from Raleigh NC
					

I have been surfing this website for a while and you all are a great group of people with a lot of knowledge about building, smoking meat, poultry and fish. I decided to join in and share with many of you.  First I would like to introduce myself and tell you a little about me. My name is Joe and...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com
				




Boykjo


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## pc farmer (Feb 2, 2022)

JckDanls 07 said:


> My wife bought me a cheap Char-griller grill for Christmas one year...  No side firebox... Had no clue how to do anything other than grilling... So I started researching how to smoke with it... brought me to this site..  I lurked for a long time as I don't do social sites .. But when Al (@smoking al) and Doug (@dougmays) started a thread about doing a S. Fl, Gathering I signed up just to see If a stranger/newbie/lurker could come to the Gathering or if it was for members only ... Of course they said ALL people were invited even lurkers.... Well..  I went and haven't missed one since... Next will be the 11th Annual ...
> 
> Then I seen Jerry's (@pineywoods ) N. Fl. Gathering and decided to go to that one as well...  This is where I got the hands on training/learning of how to make sausage from Joe (
> 
> ...



You need to make it to a pa gathering


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## SmokinAl (Feb 3, 2022)

bauchjw said:


> SmokinAl
> , Not trying to divert an awesome thread, but I'm really curious how your body reacted to 30 years vegetarian followed by Ribs? I intentionally go through meatless periods of 7 days or more for health and weight management. Ive found that I have to ease back into rich meats with low fat meat, high veg/fruit diets first. After one long meatless period I broke it with a buddy's brisket and my stomach cramps were out of control (Nobody else who ate it had problems). So did your bodies just accept it without adjustment?



Yes there was a long period of adjustment. After going so long without eating any flesh, including fish. Our boldies did not make the enzyme’s that it takes to break meat down. The meat just sat there in our stomachs & in our intestines. It seems like it would take several days to make it thru our digestive systems. I would say it took about 6 months before we could fully digest a piece of meat. Actually we still go most days vegetarian, and when we do eat meat, we go for quality instead of quantity.
Al


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## nanuk (Feb 3, 2022)

the smell of smoked sausage
the taste of bacon

that's what brought me here


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## justplainbob (Feb 3, 2022)

SmokinAl said:


> Yes there was a long period of adjustment. After going so long without eating any flesh, including fish. Our boldies did not make the enzyme’s that it takes to break meat down. The meat just sat there in our stomachs & in our intestines. It seems like it would take several days to make it thru our digestive systems. I would say it took about 6 months before we could fully digest a piece of meat. Actually we still go most days vegetarian, and when we do eat meat, we go for quality instead of quantity.
> Al


went veg when I "fell in love" at 20 
5 years or so 
gained weight 
big adjustment getting back to normal


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Feb 3, 2022)

texomakid said:


> Around 40 or 50 years ago I saw my first bullet. These were popular in my circle since they were very affordable. The recipe back in the early days was simple - charcoal, pepsi (that was the secret fluid in the water pan) and brisket or ribs with lots of salt & pepper on them. LOTS of Cold Beer and about 12 hours of cooking & adding charcoal. Slipping in a little chunk of wood was really next level.


Those things put out amazing ribs!


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 3, 2022)

Masssmoke, and crazymoon Thanks for the like I appreciate it.

Warren


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## SmokinVOLfan (Feb 3, 2022)

Always loved grilling going back to when I was a kid and then when I was in high school running the tailgates for high school football games. Spent most of my 5 years in college drinking beer and eating ramen noodles and totinos party pizzas. Got married, bought a house, had kids. Continued grilling. Bought a Masterbuilt analog smoker from Aldi's about 8-9 years ago for $100.00. Lurked here for a long time checking out recipes and techniques teaching myself how to smoke. Finally joined almost 4 years ago now. 4 grills, 3 smokers, countless other cooking utensils and outdoor cooking equipment later, I have made several lifelong friends and learned more than I could ever give back. Appreciate you all for putting up with me for this long!

As an added bonus I am now a master at making peach dump cake and smoked chex mix.


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## crazymoon (Feb 3, 2022)

I  had figured out sausage making/ stuffing/smoking by reading books ( there was no internet back then). I bought a new smoker(PK 100) for sausage and decided to expand my smoking by doing some ribs. I found this site while looking for rib info. I loved the friendly folks and have been hanging around ever since. The ideas,tips,recipes and other information have been invaluable over the years. SMF is an awesome site to belong to !


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## mosparky (Feb 3, 2022)

I worked for a Head Meatcutter who also runs a butchering business from home. He did a bit of cold smoking and brought in some cold smoked snack sticks. I have always been interested in sausage making. That was enough to get me to start looking into doing my own. A google search landed me here and a little reading convinced me that was not the place to start. A little more reading got me to thinking about a whole new world of smoking meats and sausages I never thought I could do myself. Very soon after that I decided my ECB just wasn't going to cut it. This place has been spending my money and expanding my aspirations ever since.


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## JLeonard (Feb 4, 2022)

COVID struck the country. Restaurants were closed down. The whole dang country was in lockdown. I was bored sitting at home. Got to looking  on the Neighborhood app and ran across a Masterbilt Propane smoker for sell. $50 still in the box. I thought what the heck. Bought it then got to searching trying to figure out what the heck to do with it. Then I ran across this forums and thus began my trip down the rabbit hole of cooking. I was always a basic cook, But now I'm a basic cook with a bigger repertoire. LOL. Lots of great info gleaned from here. Some really great friends that I've never met (my wife calls 'em enablers but whatever  ).  
Jim


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## BandCollector (Feb 4, 2022)

JLeonard said:


> COVID struck the country. Restaurants were closed down. The whole dang country was in lockdown. I was bored sitting at home. Got to looking  on the Neighborhood app and ran across a Masterbilt Propane smoker for sell. $50 still in the box. I thought what the heck. Bought it then got to searching trying to figure out what the heck to do with it. Then I ran across this forums and thus began my trip down the rabbit hole of cooking. I was always a basic cook, But now I'm a basic cook with a bigger repertoire. LOL. Lots of great info gleaned from here. Some really great friends that I've never met (my wife calls 'em enablers but whatever  ).
> Jim




Enablers?. . .LOL. . .Love it!

John


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## SmokinVOLfan (Feb 4, 2022)

JLeonard said:


> (my wife calls 'em enablers but whatever  ).


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## ravenclan (Feb 4, 2022)

I started a new job and one of my co-workers had a BBQ restaurant back in the day. He still smoked meat and invited me over to his place to help him.

And that started my "have to smoke meat and buy bigger, better smokers and every thing that goes with it!!!"

I did a lot of grilling before that but the taste of the meat from a smoker was a new level of taste that I wanted to do at my own place.

After buying a cheap Brinkman smoker and failing many, many times, I started looking on the internet and this forum popped up first. I joined and did a lot of reading before I would try and smoke any thing but after about a week of reading I tried my hand again and went with spare ribs.

That first bite and the reaction of the family and friends, I knew I was on to some thing big.

I still blame my co-worker for this addiction.


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## JLeonard (Feb 4, 2022)

SmokinVOLfan said:


> View attachment 524488


You dont know how close to home this meme is!       
Jim


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## tx smoker (Feb 4, 2022)

BrianGSDTexoma said:


> Now I have to have a drink so I can try to forget them again.



 Want some company? Just finished breaking down 50 pounds of striploin roasts and vac sealing about 45 steaks. I'm due for a cold one right about now    

Robert


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## Cody_Mack (Feb 4, 2022)

SmokinVOLfan said:


> View attachment 524488


Yeah I get that with smokers; also with speakers and other hifi audio gear...LOL


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## olecrosseyes (Feb 4, 2022)

Well I've been around a while. It took me a while too to register on the site as well. Back then forum sites were really riskier for me. so I was a lurker. " Hello My name is Denny O and I'm a Lurker"! LOL  Any hoot I registered in mid year 2007, thinking I had been look'in in on the sidelined for at least a,,,, ehh maybe likely near three! I started traveling for work as a site Superintendent for restaurant construction in 2004 and I thought I was watching and learning some for a few years before that. Ell who knows!

SMF has helped me immensely back in the early years! I started with a tiny Hibachi grill, (what a joke!). Then in 1976 I graduated to one of my 22" Weber kettles, 2 years later the addition of a rotisserie. Then tried to do a major fire control with various 2 zone and offset setups. You name it I was doing it!! I just wasn't happy!! (Hey when Momma O ain't happy ya know Denny O ain't happy either!) I knew what I had to use, something of a real smoker! I found a little propane cabinet GOSM with a couple of uses in it and brought it home for $30.

Being a traveling superintendent building restaurants across the US I had a lot of extra time alone in my motel rooms with a laptop. I searched and searched and,,,, Well I think you get the picture. SMF and a minimal few other sites kept my attention. Now, I'm not logged in much nor was I logged much then, but I still have learned from many others.

My biggest kudos goes out to:


 TulsaJeff
  who was teaching me early on!!


 Dutch
 For his baked beans that I've played with, Fabulous, simply Fabulous!!


 disco
  for things in general and Canadian bacon!


 pops6927
 for my ability to cure meats!


 Bearcarver
 to nudge me along to get into pork bellies and do a cold smoke for a couple of different days!
Then one of the first posters for me to incorporate into my home crafts was


 daveomak
 and your safe temps and how to achieve it in poultry!

I have to think a bit if there are any others that have had more of an impact on me than those. Well I've set on this for too long now as I'm no longer going to be listed on the 1st page so I better get this off into the mail.


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## culpepersmoke (Feb 5, 2022)

I grew up in northern MI and back then BBQ was anything cooked on a grill or anything served with BBQ sauce (ie moms left over pot roast made into bbq sandwich the next day). After collage I moved to TX. I was driving around trying to learn the area and saw an old guy on the side of the road with an offset smoker. I stopped to have lunch and was hooked. About 10 years later I got transferred to VA and alas no more BBQ. So my dear wife said why don’t you make your own?  I started searching around the internet and found this site.  That’s when the obsession began……
My first few try’s were almost inedible but over time I’ve learned so much from the good folks here.


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## RyderD2013 (Feb 5, 2022)

What brought me here was watching my dad so i wanted  to do something on my own.


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## oscar (Feb 19, 2022)

Late to a thread as usual....I asked for, and received two 1/4" steel barrels for Christmas in 2012, from my father-in-law, who just scratched his head and wondered aloud why I wanted rusty steel as a present.  Problem was, I didn't know anything about building a smoker.  That brought me here.  So, three years later I had a hybrid rf, with removable plate.  I stole from every build I followed, but fleeced Gary S the most.  Problem was, I didn't know how to properly use it.  Back to SMF......I now turn out some good eats, but 90% of what I know is from SMF.  The beans are Dutch's,  the rib method is from SmokinAl, and the list goes on.  My only regret is that, as someone early in the thread suggested, the beer has not been free.


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