What is The First Thing You Want to Smoke After A Long Break From Using Your Smoker?

[wire-it-up]

I posted pics here a couple of weeks or so ago, of lots of snow and ice, and two lonely smokers on the back deck. I haven't cooked for a couple of months or more now, probably since around Thanksgiving or shortly after. Well, the weather hasn't changed since those pics were taken, and I'm starting to get the itch to fire up the Humphrey's.

I don't mind cooking in cold weather, but I hate cleaning the smoker in cold weather, and I clean it after each cook. Takes me about an hour to give it a thorough cleaning. I usually cook on Saturdays, and clean the smoker on Sundays. As a full time electrician, I get to work outside in frigid weather. That makes me not so excited at the prospect of playing outside in the same weather. And we've had enough snow that I've been outside plenty this year, clearing the driveway.

The days are getting noticeably longer, and I'm hearing birds chirping when I'm outside now. Do they know something I don't know? Is warmer weather closer than it feels like it is? I'm getting so hungry for some good Q that I got desperate and went to a local BBQ joint and overpaid for a pulled pork sandwich. Truth is, I didn't mind, because the food is really good there. I just don't go very often, for a couple of reasons. 1.) I prefer to make my own BBQ. 2.) Price.

Anyway, I'm thinking the first time I cook after this long hiatus, it'll be ribs. I owe a coworker 1 butt's worth of pulled pork. He won a raffle that I provided a prize for. I agreed to provide and cook a pork butt for whoever drew the winning ticket for that particular prize. There were several other prizes, including tools and handguns. The money was sent to another coworker who is battling cancer. Thank God, his cancer is currently in remission. But he hasn't returned to work yet. He has to get his immunity back up to snuff. Unfortunately, they didn't draw the tickets for the raffle until it was very cold here. I explained to the guys in charge of the raffle, and the winner, that I probably wouldn't cook again until it gets a little warmer outside. They are all very understanding about that. Most of them have their own smokers, and they don't cook in the winter either.

Sorry about the long rambling post. If I can't cook Q right now, at least I can talk about cooking Q right now. So, what do you like to cook after taking an extended break from it?

[Smoking Piney]

To be honest, I smoke year round, and my version of an extended break has been 2 weeks........rain, snow, or shine.

If I was in your your shoes, ribs would be great, with a pork butt close second.

[Stlsportster]

RBs.

[jermoQ]

Pulled pork, maybe ribs too?

[Gimmethecash]

Same here. I’m spoiled for good weather here in So Cal and I don’t like to cook & clean outside when it’s wet and (relatively) cold. Call me a fair-weather flyer.

When it finally stops raining here (already an above-average year), I’m going to fire up some ribs.

[BillN]

Break or not I am always up for Beef Short Ribs.

[slackdogbbq]

Butt

[wire-it-up]

Originally Posted by BillN

Break or not I am always up for Beef Short Ribs.

Oh, beef short ribs. So good! Been thinking a lot about those lately.

[16Adams]

The “Trinity” as The Bride calls it- Brisket-Ribs-Sausage

She uses that term kind of like when your parents called you by your first middle and last name. Not necessarily a good thing. But this combo hits out of the blue like no other combo- Wings & Sausage.

[kevinstaggs]

Ribs and hot links. No question.


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[dadsr4]

You obviously have the wrong cooker, it's too much work for you.
If it's been that long, the freezer will need to be restocked with pulled pork, chicken, sliced beef, and lamb.

[wire-it-up]

We have two freezers, and I'm not sure why, but I've never stocked up on meat and put it in the freezer. Since I got into making barbecue a few years ago, I've always purchased whatever I want to cook on the day I cook it. I just head to the store that morning and pick something out, bring it home and prep it, and in the cooker it goes.

Do you notice any quality difference between fresh meat and frozen? I don't really cook meat that has been frozen, so I have no way to know if freezing affects quality. I suspect it doesn't affect it much, if at all, or people wouldn't stock up.

As for the Humphrey's being a lot of work... I guess it kind of is when it comes to cleaning. Either that, or I'm anal about not wanting to eat food out of a dirty cooker. I am a borderline germaphobe - I'll admit that. When I say that in front of my wife, she looks at me and says "Borderline?" LOL

[Smoking Piney]

I freeze meats as a practice........no problems with the quality of the cook and outcome.

[jermoQ]

Originally Posted by wire-it-up

Do you notice any quality difference between fresh meat and frozen? I don't really cook meat that has been frozen, so I have no way to know if freezing affects quality.

I haven't experimented, or researched enough to verify this. Someone I talked to some time ago said that he takes big cuts of meat and freezes, then unfreezes and smokes them so they will be more tender. This could have some scientific proof??

[dadsr4]

We have two freezers, and I'm not sure why, but I've never stocked up on meat and put it in the freezer. Since I got into making barbecue a few years ago, I've always purchased whatever I want to cook on the day I cook it. I just head to the store that morning and pick something out, bring it home and prep it, and in the cooker it goes.

I was referring to freezing cooked meat for other meals after cooking fresh.

As for the Humphrey's being a lot of work... I guess it kind of is when it comes to cleaning. Either that, or I'm anal about not wanting to eat food out of a dirty cooker. I am a borderline germaphobe - I'll admit that. When I say that in front of my wife, she looks at me and says "Borderline?" LOL
Fire kills all.