Smoking, grilling and curing foods, etc.

BOB357

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Just thought I'd see how many out there enjoy these hobbies. I have some great recipes, techniques and reviews on equipment that I'm willing to swap/share. Pastrami, corned beef, pulled pork, ham. bacon. pork belly, Salads and sides that go well with BBQ. Smoking fish, cheese and jerky. Sauces, rubs and marinades too. I've been doing these things for 40+ years and have a pretty extensive collection.
 
Just thought I'd see how many out there enjoy these hobbies. I have some great recipes, techniques and reviews on equipment that I'm willing to swap/share. Pastrami, corned beef, pulled pork, ham. bacon. pork belly, Salads and sides that go well with BBQ. Smoking fish, cheese and jerky. Sauces, rubs and marinades too. I've been doing these things for 40+ years and have a pretty extensive collection.
Definitely a hobby I am looking to get more into. Goes well with homebrewing.
 
I haven’t done pastrami or corned beef yet, but they’re on my to do list. I do a lot of sausage. Bacon, ribs, ham, and any meat worth smoking for dinner, too. I did some pancetta not long ago. And I love making jerky. I just dehydrated a batch for the first time. I made my own teriyaki sauce for it. That’s money! If BF doesn’t have a problem with this discussion, I’m all for it. I tried a smoked meat forum, but it’s overwhelming. Most of my recipes come from Michael Ruhlman’s Charcuterie. That’s a good book.
 
Definitely a hobby I am looking to get more into. Goes well with homebrewing.

It sure does. Nothing better on a nice day than sitting out on the patio with a cold beer and the smell of wood smoke and BBQ.
 
I haven’t done pastrami or corned beef yet, but they’re on my to do list. I do a lot of sausage. Bacon, ribs, ham, and any meat worth smoking for dinner, too. I did some pancetta not long ago. And I love making jerky. I just dehydrated a batch for the first time. I made my own teriyaki sauce for it. That’s money! If BF doesn’t have a problem with this discussion, I’m all for it. I tried a smoked meat forum, but it’s overwhelming. Most of my recipes come from Michael Ruhlman’s Charcuterie. That’s a good book.

When you decide to try pastrami and corned beef, I've got a great dry cure recipe to share.

Most of my recipes are ones I have collected from various sources and modified over the years. Like brewing beer, you never run out of new things to try.
 
Bob, I've made my own brats and some cheese. I bake my own hard rolls, stuff my own brats, and serve it with my own brew. That's pretty rewarding even if its just to prove I can.
Warn the neighbors, I have a grinder and a stuffer and I know how to use them!
 
I bought a grinder and a stuffer. I bought a slicer but I stopped using it to slice jerky, because the store does it for free. I started using it again with my bacon. I can’t exactly bring it back to the store! I just bought a 20 lb meat mixer I’ve been on the fence about. I didn’t know if it’s he worth having to clean it. It’s a lot easier to clean than I thought it would be. I also have a 40” Masterbuilt electric smoker with the cold smoking accessory. I’m quite pleased with them.
 
I bought a grinder and a stuffer. I bought a slicer but I stopped using it to slice jerky, because the store does it for free. I started using it again with my bacon. I can’t exactly bring it back to the store! I just bought a 20 lb meat mixer I’ve been on the fence about. I didn’t know if it’s he worth having to clean it. It’s a lot easier to clean than I thought it would be. I also have a 40” Masterbuilt electric smoker with the cold smoking accessory. I’m quite pleased with them.
I'm really tempted to get the same smoker. Do you use the cold smoker for cheese?
 
I use it mostly for the wood chip chimney. Six hours worth of smoke instead of 45 minutes. I’ve never smoked cheese. I did just cold smoke a half pork half beef sausage. That turned out to be spectacular!
 
I use it mostly for the wood chip chimney. Six hours worth of smoke instead of 45 minutes. I’ve never smoked cheese. I did just cold smoke a half pork half beef sausage. That turned out to be spectacular!
Okay. That's the excuse I needed. I'm shopping for that smoker.
 
Bob, I've made my own brats and some cheese. I bake my own hard rolls, stuff my own brats, and serve it with my own brew. That's pretty rewarding even if its just to prove I can.
Warn the neighbors, I have a grinder and a stuffer and I know how to use them!

Sounds great! I've made various sausages including brats. Got the wife a cheese making kit for Christmas, but we haven't gotten around to making any yet. I also make an artisan bread that would make good hard rolls. Now you made me hungry to do the whole thing like you did.
 
I bought a grinder and a stuffer. I bought a slicer but I stopped using it to slice jerky, because the store does it for free. I started using it again with my bacon. I can’t exactly bring it back to the store! I just bought a 20 lb meat mixer I’ve been on the fence about. I didn’t know if it’s he worth having to clean it. It’s a lot easier to clean than I thought it would be. I also have a 40” Masterbuilt electric smoker with the cold smoking accessory. I’m quite pleased with them.

Looks like you're ready to go into production. I use the stuffer attachment for my grinder. It's slow, but I have a lot of spare time. I use my slicer mostly for pastrami and sometimes for jerky. Most of the time I grind meat for jerky and use a shooter. That way I can do sticks as well.

How do you like your Masterbuilt?. I looked at them a couple of years ago and balked because of the mixed reviews. I have a cold smoker for my Traeger, so ended up getting a Big Chief just for smoke. Those, along with a gas grill w/rotisserie pretty much covers all bases.

Now I'm getting hungry for something grilled. Think I'll dig out a tri-tip and fire up the Traeger.
 
I’m very pleased with the Masterbuilt. I don’t see a reason to go with another brand. Good stable temps, and the chimney accessory. Also with electric, I can smoke my jerky at a constant 140°.

I tried the stuffer attachment on my wife’s Kitchen Aid grinder attachment. I do not have the patience for that! That grinder works well though.
 
Found a bacon recipe that sounds good. Put 2 slabs on cure last Friday. Should be ready to smoke about Monday. Error in recipe. Smoking temperature should be 195 degrees F.
 

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I wouldn’t consider it an error in the recipe so much as the way the author likes to smoke it. That said, I’d set the cabinet at 200° myself.
 
I’m very pleased with the Masterbuilt. I don’t see a reason to go with another brand. Good stable temps, and the chimney accessory. Also with electric, I can smoke my jerky at a constant 140°.

I tried the stuffer attachment on my wife’s Kitchen Aid grinder attachment. I do not have the patience for that! That grinder works well though.
I have a LEM five pound stuffer and it works well. It would be easier with two people but I've managed by myself. Just need some stick time. The only drawback is that clean-up takes almost as long as stuffing sausage.
I'm about to pull the trigger on the Masterbuilt 40" and the cold smoker attachment. I had a 30" but it was destroyed in a move from my old place.
 
Sounds great! I've made various sausages including brats. Got the wife a cheese making kit for Christmas, but we haven't gotten around to making any yet. I also make an artisan bread that would make good hard rolls. Now you made me hungry to do the whole thing like you did.
Don't hesitate to make some fresh cheese. It will make store-bought cream cheese seem like lard in comparison. It takes about the same sanitation practices as beer and about the same patience. Try some on a soft pretzel and wash it down with a homebrew.
 
I have the same LEM 5 lb stuffer. And you’re right - it takes less time to use it than it does to clean it! I make sausage 10 lbs at a time for that reason. I may up it to 20 lbs.
 
I wouldn’t consider it an error in the recipe so much as the way the author likes to smoke it. That said, I’d set the cabinet at 200° myself.

That could be but I, like you, prefer something close to 200F. Will need to put the jacket on the Big Chief to get near that.
 

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