By far, for the novice smoker, a pork shoulder aka pork butt is really really hard to mess up and works great for large groups. Pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, whatever you like. Or just eat it with sides. If you want, do two at once. The bigger they are, the easier to smoke. Just get a bone-in pork shoulder, in the 8-10 lb range – or two of them. I think Sam’s Club still sells them in a two-pack. About 24 hours before you want it to be ready, dry off the pork butts, salt them liberally, and add whatever other seasoning you want. Salt and pepper is really all you need, and if you want to smear some yellow mustard on first as a binder, that’s good too. Just a thin layer. Don’t be shy with the salt, you’ll want to use at least 1/3 cup kosher salt for each. Then smoke at 225 for 16 hours and start checking every couple hours to see if they are really tender. If you can grab a bone and it just about wants to slide out with just a little tug, they are done. Let rest a couple hours uncovered, and then shred them into pulled pork. I like to drizzle a mixture of apple cider vinegar, salt, and cayenne pepper as a finishing sauce. Serve with soft rolls, cole slaw, Carolina mustard sauce, and BBQ sauce. Serves 20+.

This is a great dipping recipe for Ritz Crackers. No other crackers work as well.

2 lbs hamburger browned

1 cup ketchup
1 T yellow mustard
1-3 T apple cider vinegar
1 T sugar (I omit)

Stir remaining ingredients into browned hamburger over low heat until warmed through. Serve with Ritz crackers.

Menagerie,
How about veggies on that smoker? Use a cast iron grill plate or a large cast iron skillet. I use olive oil and sea salt on veggies: onions, tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, brussels sprouts, asparagus, egg plant, and even potatoes.

I roast the Brussels sprouts until the become browned, then I smash them (cast iron pan) and drizzle aged balsamic on them.

We roast garlic in olive oil (use a small cast iron pan). They caramelize and are super tasty finger food.

I stuff Jalapeno peppers with sausage leaving a little room at the top. I use a vertical pepper roaster and roast them until tender and the sausage is cooked. Then add a good cheese in that space at the top, until melted.

Smoked turkey and duck is also great. But that may take a separate dedicated smoker and more time. The smoked gravy from both birds is absolutely delectable over roasted or mashed potatoes.

I use sliced or large diced potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Cover them in Olive oil, sprinkle salt, add dusting of white pepper powder and spring of Rosemary.

How about meat and veggie skewers? I use a good cut of beef, cut into cubes. Alternate with onion, bell pepper and squash. Make a marinade of Worcestershire sauce and a good Italian salad dressing. Marinate the beef an hour beforehand in a plastic bag. Use the remaining marinade to brush over the skewers. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pork loin skewers are great too. Cut the pork into cubes. Open a can of chunk pineapple. Use the liquid to marinate the pork cubes. Add some curry powder to the marinade along with some soy sauce. Alternate with bell pepper and pineapple chunks. Baste with remaining marinade.

Of course, your photo shows a wonderfully delicious panoply of meats.

Have fun!

Chewy Walnut Squares:
8×8 pan, 350 degrees, 18-20 minutes

Mix together and pour into prepared pan :
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 egg
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teasp vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teasp salt
1/4 teas baking soda

**Lightly** sprinkle flake sea salt on top of batter before baking – for salty caramel taste
Cool in pan, cut into 16 squares, freezes well – make ahead of time

Food and friends?? Sounds like a good day😉🙏🏻

This is an easy one. I’m sure you can make adjustments and/or use your own preferences. But if you just want easy and fast, this works. Hope y’all will like it if you decide to give it a try.

Rotel Bacon Cups

1 cup Hellman’s Mayo (I’m
a Duke’s girl but recipe
was specific)
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack
cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes,
drained
1 small package bacon bits-
not the crunchy kind. I’d
think real bacon pieces
would be even better
2 packs small phyllo cups in
in freezer section

Mix ingredients together and spoon into phyllo cups.
Place on baking sheet.Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Easy, quick and tasty 😘

Love some tri tip and Evergood hot links😃

I do a lot of smoking, mostly on a Memphis pellet grill. High quality pork and beef are essential. Whole Foods tends to do an excellent job of sourcing and organic is the way to go; not because organic is magic beans but because the high volume mass produced pork ribs are just nasty; texture is off and flavor is off. Pasture finished organic beef is great too, but the difference is most dramatic with pork.

Salt Lick Dry Rub, the original is very hard to beat.

If you want to lessen your burden on game day, they also sell and ship prep-cooked frozen Texas BBQ that can be finished on your smoker reliably and in a reduced period of time. Proven recipes and good instructions are available on the Salt Lick website. You might have to call them to place your order.

It’s the real deal. If you’re uncertain about your smoker skills, this can be a great way to go when the pressure’s on and there’s people to please.

I’ll probably be skipping the game but I will be making payala… firing up the Webber lil smokey with the large lump charcoal, deep dish cast iron pan on top. This also works well for jambalaya, and brisket pot roast… use canned potatoes instead of mashed for a one pot full meal with less mess!!!

OK, that picture of all the great looking meat on the smoker is mouth watering…..but, to me there’s something missing. Where’s the smoked toppings and sides?

Toppings-
How about onions sliced, half, or whole?
Mushrooms?
Garlic whole heads or separate cloves?
Cheese of all types?
Nuts of all varieties?
Herbs, especially Rosemary?

For the 1st 3 spray or drizzle a bit of olive oil or rub with butter along with a spritz or a light splash of balsamic vinegar or wine and place on racks or on top of meat for last 30-45 minutes of smoking. Cheese from 10-20 minutes. Herbs on top of meat for last 15-30 minutes of smoking.

Sides-
Ever tried smoked whole, half, or even stuffed potatoes or sweet potatoes?
Pineapple slices? Apple slices? Mandarin oranges? Bananas? Apricots, Peaches?
Peppers halved or sliced-hot, mild, or sweet?
Cauliflower, ears of corn, sliced turnips, broccoli, string beans, carrots, radishes……….?

These can all be done separately in a basket, on the racks, or on top of the meat. Timing will obviously vary as well as whether or not to lightly apply oil, butter, wine, vinegar, beer, spices, brown sugar, dressings, sauces, etc.

Experiment and have fun! Even lightly smoked sweet cherries or sliced beets or kohlrabi or coconut chunks can be mighty tasty. Though, I must admit that smoked celery, horseradish root, or cucumber are a no go, at least for me! <smiles>

I don’t own a smoker but I can highly recommend grilled Tri Tip. It’s a flavorful cut, relatively inexpensive and easy to cook.

For central coast CA Tri Tip (Lompac), they mainly cook directly over Red Oak. Our old local butcher used to grill Tri Tip roasts over fire, diced the meat into bite size cubes next to the grill, and stuff corn tortillas with the meat and Pico de Gallo with a squeeze of BBQ sauce on weekends.

On a gas grill, I normally do a quick sear on all sides over flame and then offset cook to temperature. I use a Thermoworks instant read thermometer to pull the roast at 130-135F for MR-M rosy pink thick part and more M or even MW on the edges, as my wife doesn’t like the juices to run red. I honestly like it best “just past moo.”

Let rest tented for 10-15 minutes before slicing. For everyday prep, I normally use Lawry’s seasoning salt and fresh ground pepper, but have used Kosher and/or Sea Salts and black pepper, various homemade and store bought rubs and even tried marinades over the years. For the most part simple is best for Tri Tip as the meat is flavorful without much doctoring.

Good luck with your Superbowl family gathering.

Here’s my recipe for a great rub that will work for a tri tip, whether you slice and serve as is, or on say tortillas with a salsa. It’s enough for up to a 4 lb piece of meat.

1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp finely ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary (or fresh, finely minced)
1/2 tsp dried sage

Native Texan here. I smoke a lot of meat. Smoking a pork butt is pretty hard to mess up. Yes, rub at least 24 hours in advance. No to anything but the rub. I like Weber smoky brown sugar rub on pork, but tastes vary.

Start it at first light. Yes to cooking at 225, but pork is very forgiving. You don’t have to babysit it like brisket. I’ve had mine get up to 275 and still taste great.

The hours required to cook it vary every time. The answer is internal temperature. Opinions will vary on 195-205 internal temperature, but anywhere in there you’re fine. Pull it off, wrap it up in foil. Put it in a room temp ice chest (no ice) for 30-60 minutes, with bath or pool towels under and over. After it has rested, then pull it.

Any sauces should be on the side. Any properly smoked meat should be able to stand on its own. Brisket is an advanced class.

Grilled vegetables:
I like grilling zucchini, mushrooms and onions. Goes great with steak.

Slice the zucchini length wise into 1/4 -3/8 inch thick slices. Cut the onion about the same thickness. Leave the mushrooms whole.

Lightly oil all sides and
sprinkle course ground salt on the veggies. Cook over high heat until dark grill
marks on both sides.

Enjoy.

Here’s a simple, no-cook app recipe that is always a big hit at our parties:

Salami Cornucopia

Filling:
1 lb Genoa salami, medium sliced
16 oz cream cheese
1 clove minced garlic
1 tbs onion, finely minced
1 tbs fresh parsley, finely minced
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Pinch of dry mustard

Assembly:
Blend filling ingredients
and let sit overnight in fridge to blend flavors. To assemble, cut a little wedge in each salami slice. Spoon about 1 tbs of filling onto the salami slice & roll into a cornucopia shape. Then watch them go!

Enjoy the party with family and friends, whether you watch the Superbowl or not!

Menagerie, I want to come to your house. Smoke everything! All the meats!

Steak Loco MocoThis is a twist on the Hawaiian Classic, Loco Moco. Instead of a ground beef patty, we are using a massive ribeye steak for a huge boost in flavor! 

Prep Time

30

minutes

 mins

Cook Time

1

hour

 hr

Total Time

1

hour

 hr 30

minutes

 mins

Course: DinnerCuisine: American Servings: 2 people Author: Derek WolfIngredientsSteak:

• 1 Ribeye Steaks
• 2 tbsp Bourbon Prime
• Neutral Oil as needed

Gravy:

• 1.5 cups Sliced Sweet Onions
• 1 cup Sliced Mushrooms
• 1 cup Beef Broth
• 1 stick Unsalted Butter
• 2 tbsp All Purpose Flour
• 1.5 tbsp Minced Garlic
• 1.5 tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp FYR BLK Hot Sauce
• 1.25 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

Serving:

• White Rice
• Fried Egg
• Sliced Scallions
• Sesame Seeds

Instructions

• Slather the steak with a neutral oil and season with my Bourbon Prime Rub all over. Set to the side till ready to cook.
• Preheat the fire to medium-high temperature about 375 degrees F for direct grilling.
• Next, add your steak to the grill to cook until 120 degrees F internal (about 5-9 minutes per side). Once the steak is done cooking, pull it off and let rest for 10 minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• Add a large skillet to a medium heat fire (about 325 degrees F) along with oil, sliced onions, sliced mushrooms, and minced garlic. Cook until well browned and slightly caramelized (about 20 minutes). 
• Next, add your flour and stir around to coat all the veggies, then add your butter and let it melt. Stir until the sauce has slightly thickened, then add the rest of your ingredients to the skillet. Stir and let simmer until thickened (about 4-8 minutes). Pull off and keep warm for serving.
• Fry up your egg to your preferred doneness then begin serving. Slice your ribeye and add some white rice to a plate along with the steak. Top everything with some gravy, sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Add the egg on top of the rice, serve and enjoy!

NotesWhy Sticky rice is best for Steak Moco LocoLong-grain rice is non-sticky and a good choice for pilafs and stir-fries. Short-grain rice, aka sticky rice or sushi rice, works best in any Moco Loco recipe for how well it holds together in a tasty bite packed with steak, egg, and brown gravy. A rice cooker is a great investment, btw, for perfectly cooked rice without overthinking the instructions.

Yes. And it’s been an amazing, fun, exciting season.

My go to crock pot a la Aggiegirl’s this and that….a variation of Crack Chicken

3-4 lbs boneless chicken breasts…I aim for 4 lbs give or take

1/2 pound bacon (cooked, cut into small pieces)–I use Oscar Meyer maple flavored (the more the better)

1 1/2 bricks of cream cheese, 8 oz size I use Philadelphia, store brand does not cut it….

1 1/2 packets of Ranch Chicken seasoning…(a Walmart purchase…packet had crock pot picture with a mustache on the pot) Hidden Valley does not cut it…

Clean and rinse the chicken…layer it in the pot with sprinkled ranch seasoning….and with slices or cubes of creme cheese…and adding bacon as you go…I throw in a chopped onion if i have one. And some shredded cheddar (sharp)…and repeat…

Cook on low for 4-7 hours in crock pot…I stir it after about 3 hours and try the shred the chicken as needed.

It takes about 15 minutes other than frying the bacon….

Can be used for slider style buns for sandwiches or a dip (if the chicken shreds easy).

Skillet taco pizza
1 pound refrigerated pizza dough, at room temperature
All-purpose flour, for dusting 
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 15-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces ground beef
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powde
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) 
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
Shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped avocado and pico de gallo, for topping
Directions

• Preheat the oven to 525˚ (or the highest temperature available). Press and stretch the pizza dough into a 12- to 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Lightly dust the top with flour and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened and reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the beef and season with a large pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin and garlic powder and cook, stirring, until combined, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the beef mixture to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. 
• Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly sprinkle the skillet with flour and immediately add the pizza dough, stretching it as needed to completely cover the bottom of the skillet. Cook until the dough starts to puff slightly, about 2 minutes. Spoon the tomato sauce mixture all over the dough and spoon the beef mixture on top. Sprinkle with the cheddar, top with the red onion, then sprinkle with the mozzarella. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is browned around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly. 
• Run a small spatula around the edges of the pizza to loosen. Top with lettuce, avocado and pico de gallo. Cut into wedges.

Our typical Super Bowl meal is fajitas; chicken, beef, veggies… then watch, eat, drink..

Pioneer Woman had a show recently dedicated to game day treats. The bread bombs looked particularly good. Also deep fried pork tacos and all the goodies you can make from a rotisserie chicken from Costco.

This is dangerously good, and not too expensive. Don’t brown the ground beef, it cooks in the sauce which ends up with a fine crumbled texture and thick. Perfect for a great chili dog. Easy to scale up or down.

Coney Island Hot Dog Sauce
Makes enough for 16 hot dogs, about 6 cups

2lbs lean ground beef, 90/10 mix or leaner
1/2c finely chopped sweet onion
1-1/2c ketchup
1/4c white vinegar
1/4c sugar
3Tbsp yellow mustard
1tsp celery seed
1tsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp kosher salt
1tsp ground black pepper

Combine raw beef, ketchup and vinegar in a large bowl, stirring/mashing until it is well mixed. Stir in remaining ingredients. Dump into a saucepan and heat on a low simmer or the ketchup will burn. Cook for an hour and a half, stirring every 10 minutes.

Arizona here so we have Mexican tastebuds. For at least 20 years we’ve made a delicious cassarole we call chicken enchiladas but really its more like a lasagne. You can do it with chicken or with beef (ground or shredded). For that matter it would work great with shredded pork though I haven’t done it that way.

Use a large, deep cassarole dish with a cover.

Two large cans of Las Palmas brand Green Chile enchilada sauce

Meat from a large cooked chicken,or 1 -2 lbs of hamburger browned

One lb of goat cheese

shredded cheddar/monterey jack

chopped garlic

sour cream

Pour a layer of enchilada sauce then a layer of corn tortillas then a layer of meat, goat cheese and green sauce then repeat with the tortillas etc. One of the layers should have a generous amount of garlic spread on the meat. Keep going until your ingredients are used up spraying the top with enchilada sauce and shredded cheese and sour cream.

Bake covered 1 1/2 at 375 degrees. You should see the top bubbling. We serve with nachos and salsa and guacamole.

[I’ve kept it intentionally vague on the quantities because it all depends on the size of your group. There are only a few of us but we like leftovers. One advantage of this, a lot of it is done in advance. We use the goat cheese because it works well it is so mild and because we had people who had difficulties with too much milk and preferred corn tortillas which are gluten free. The corn tortillas may disappear almost entirely in the cooking.]

The NFL was on their knees disrespecting our troops and our ancestors. Seriously who gives a s**t about the Super Bore.
Recipes are a joke. We are losing our country and you want recipes? You guys are better than that.

Easiest BBQ ever.

Place beef roast or stew pieces or venison roast or stew pieces (almost any cuts will work) in plain old crock pot (enough meat to almost fill) .
Add 1 medium whole peeled onion
Fill crock pot almost to top with plain water.
Cover and Set on slow or low cook for 6 to 8 hours.

After six to eight hours drain the meat and save the liquid for broth, toss the onion, (it was for tenderizing and flavor).
Pull the still warm meat with two forks in a bowl since its still hot.
When the meat is pulled then stir in Sweet Baby Rays bbq sauce in small amounts until you are happy with the consistency and taste.

That’s it. It’s surprisingly good and takes about 5 minutes total prep time.

Menagerie, while you have the smoker going, this is a great snack mix…

Smoked Snack Mix

9 cups Crispix Cereal
1 cups pretzel sticks
1 cup Cheez-Its
1 cup unsalted peanuts
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
¼ teaspoon paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Set up the grill or smoker for indirect heat using the three-zone split fire method. Preheat to 250 degrees F and add some apple wood to the hot coals.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and turn off the heat.
Add the cereal, nuts, crackers, and pretzels to a large bowl. Pour the melted butter mixture over the snack mix. Toss to combine. Coat well.
Pour the snack mix out onto the disposable pan, spreading it out in an even layer across the sheet.
Place the sheet pan of snack mix over the center (non-heated) portion of the grill or smoker.
Smoke for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
After an hour, remove the pan from the grill or smoker. Allow the snack mix to cool completely.

jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese
smoker at 225

Last one. The sauce is great on smoked pork, beef or chicken.

Alabama White BBQ Sauce (for chicken or pork)

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together. Chill for at least a couple of hours. Keeps for a week in the fridge.

Sea scallops wrapped in prosciutto

I second pulled pork is easiest for beginners. It’s very forgiving. I suggest to go with making pulled pork sandwiches. No fancy buns, just the cheap Costco burger buns. This recipe, from “Smoke and Spice” is very good (I’ve made it many times). We use Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce (warmed up of course. If your smoker doesn’t use a water bowl, just ignore that part. This website is specifically for the Weber Smokey Mountain, but the recipe is for any smoker. https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pork-butt-smoke-spice-renowned-mr-brown/

Here are a couple of smoked desserts.

Smoked Bacon Wrapped Oreos

16 Oreos
8 slices thick cut bacon, cut in half
BBQ dry rub (whatever you usually put on pork)

Wrap each Oreo in a half slice of bacon, put seam side down on smoker grate. Put a pinch of BBQ rub on top of bacon on each cookie. Smoke for about 40 minutes at about 250° until bacon is crisp. Note: don’t wrap bacon too tight, it’ll shrink and squeeze cookie. Wait until smoke is almost translucent, ‘clean’, not gray or white for best cookie flavor. I haven’t done this since Oreos changed the filling, don’t know if that would make a difference. Tried it with chocolate chip and molasses cookies and those were good. I suppose almost any cookie would work.

Smoked S’mores

8 full graham crackers, break in half
Chocolate bars, broken into pieces
Large or Jumbo marshmallows – those square ones work too

Use a large cast iron skillet. Put 8 graham cracker halves in skillet, reserve other 8 halves. Put chocolate pieces on top of graham crackers in skillet. Top each cracker with a marshmallow. Put in smoker (indirect heat) and smoke at 350° for about 5 minutes or until marshmallows are browned on top and soft. Take out of smoker and squish the other graham cracker halves on top. Line the skillet with foil if you don’t want to scrub marshmallow out of it.

I learned how to cook ribs during last year’s SB. I still have a rack in the freezer. How good or bad do you think it is? It’s vacuum-sealed.

The #1 BBQ in Texas. They show you the whole process except for giving recipes for their rub.

Viewed 13,000,000 times. Must be good.

Won’t to talk football fans.

“O” Man, we would be outside rain sleet hail snow playing football before the super bowl would start. Mom is and the ladies making all those fix-en’s. Mom would not let anyone in till the clean cloths were on. Its was then the game statred and the roar got loud. It did not matter who was playing, it was the super bowl, period. Ramming speed Csonka, ramming speed.

Of course we are older, but that has nothing to do with us not watching. Sinking Politics!

I just smoked 16 lbs. of chicken thighs on a Weber smoker yesterday, with oak chunks and quality charcoal. Others here have wonderful recipes and I will have to try a few.

My only added thoughts: if you want to do larger chunks of meat, don’t be afraid do them a day ahead and re-heat them (I usually smoke pulled pork in 20 lb. increments, and it takes me over an hour, once cool enough to handle, to shred it because I remove the fat and connective tissue before portioning and freezing). Also, having relocated from the desert southwest to the PNW, cold and rainy weather can cool off a smoker, requiring more time and charcoal. I pre-heat 1.5 quarts of water for the water tray (lined with foil for easier cleaning), seems to get to temp faster and minimize fluctuations when adding new charcoal, meat does not dry out.

For me, learning how to smoke had a bit of a learning curve regarding patience and timing, definitely worth it!

Ok guys, let’s change it up.
How about smoked venison backstrap (same cut as pork tenderloin)?
Thaw in fridge, don’t hurry it. Wrap it in bacon, sprinkle your favorite rub on (a little goes a long ways) and smoke (I use apple chips) unitl internal temp is 130…anything higher will dry it out This means you have to monitor it carefully, at what ever time it takes to get to temp.
Slice in thin cuts and enjoy. Mine never lasts long as it’s amazing.

1.5 kg of meat cut into squares, lamb or chicken. Kebabs (sosatie)
50 ml of oil 
2 cloves of garlic 
2 x onions cut into squares
40 ml curry (to taste)
3/4 cup of vinegar 
3/4 cup of Worcestershire sous
3/4 cup of American mustard 
3/4 cup apricot jam
1 teaspoon salt
Put everything (not the meat) into a small pot and bring to simmer (2 min)
Let it cool down and pour over meat…
Let it sit for 2 days in fridge. Skewer dried apricots and onion with the meat.
Medium to hot fire. Baste while braaing. Always a winner and use Rajah curry powder.

Just a few pointers for a newbie smoker for pulled pork:

Give yourself plenty of time. If the calcs say it will take 16 hours, give yourself at least 20 hours. You never know how long a pork butt will stay at the stall temp.

I always set the smoker around 25 degrees higher and let it settle for an hour before I add the meat. Once the smoker stabilizes, I add the meat, let stabilize, and adjust the temp as planned.

The smoke should be fairly light and blue. You don’t want a thick white smoke coming out. It should have a light, sweet smell (from a distance). Better to start slow and add the chunks a little at a time. If you’re using a pellet grill, then ignore this as you have no control of the smoke and most likely it will be light as is.

Cook to temp not time.

Good luck and happy eating.

I found the best pimento cheese recipe ever!

Mayo mixture, mix until blended: 1.5c mayo; 4 Oz diced pimentos; 1t Worcestershire sauce, 1t finely grated onion, 1t ground red pepper.

Cheese mix, mix together: 8oz coarse/ med freshly grated cheddar cheese. 8oz finely grated fresh grated sharp cheddar cheese. 1c toasted, chopped pecans.

Add mayo mix to cheese/pecan mix. Stir until blended. Serve with crackers (I use ritz but use what you like!)

Warning: it’s addicting!!

BTW if you want to smoke pork or brisket ahead of time, you can do a few days in advance. Pull the pork or slice the brisket (after resting it of course). Then vacuum seal it. It’ll be fine for a few days. To reheat, I put the whole vacuum bag in a pot of boiling water, still sealed, and essentially sous vide. After it’s hot let it rest for a bit to reabsorb all the juices, then cut open the vacuum sealed bag and it’s darn near as good as the day you smoked it.

If you like turkey and you’ve got the smoker, may I suggest brining and smoking one? It’s the only way we do holiday birds around here anymore (Camp Chef pellet model). Perhaps just some wings and drumsticks first time ’round? A favorite here is to butterfly a venison loin, stuff it with peppers and cheese, roll it back up, wrap it in bacon and then smoke it. If you use cream cheese and jalapeños, you can end up with a big, delicious keto popper. I’m sure you could recreate it with a pork loin or perhaps a beef hind roast. We’re doing a deer taco bar this year while we cheer our local boy done good:

Enjoy!

This is an excellent recipe: https://www.bonappeteach.com/smoked-pulled-ham-recipe/
I like this site, lots of smoked recipes (including one for smoked hard cooked eggs) and other interesting recipes.

I make this one a few times a year, no smoke but really good: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/beer-braised-pulled-ham/

I always buy a few hams to freeze when the Christmas sales are on. Nice to have an alternative to regular pulled pork.

I usually make chili. This year will make White Chicken Chili from downshiftology.com. Something different this year.

How about doing a smoked pulled chuck roast. You can make sandwiches or sliders out it.

My husband smokes meats often as do our sons. They found MEATER meat thermometer and it is very accurate they say. Kind of spendy but they think worth the money and easier than the instant thermometer. You install an app on your phone and it tells you what the temp is. Maybe you already have one. They say it’s worth the $…$70.

Anybody have a white queso recipe that is the bomb?

Here’s a simple but tasty dip, cleverly called “Cupa cupa cupa”!

Mix together. . .

A cupa mayo
A cupa shredded cheddar cheese
A cupa chopped onion

. . .and place in a ready to serve baking dish or the like and bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes or so until bubbly hot.

Serve with cut up pieces of your favorite bread (Italian, French, Sourdough, Rye, etc.), or, get a large round or oval loaf of bread and carve it out and pour the gooey mix in and serve w/the bread pieces.

The bread-bowl itself is edible of course so it’s always fun to go cave-man on it and pull it apart once the cut-up pieces from the center are gone!

For larger crowd the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled without having to use any complex math equations!

Bon Appetite!!

And here’s another pretty quick’n easy but good “Sausage Dip”. . .

1 Package Jimmie Dean Sausage
2 Packages cream cheese
1 Can Rotel Tomatoes with green chilies
1 can chopped chili peppers (your choice of hotness)
 
Brown Sausage in pan. Drain off excess fat if preferred. Add cream cheese. Once cream cheese is nicely melted in with the sausage, add Rotel Tomatoes (not drained) and Chili peppers (drained). Stir together and simmer for a bit to blend everything together. You can add a few drops of hot sauce if you would like it to have more heat.
 
Serve with Tortilla chips.

Sooooo good!!

Tuna
Sour Cream
Tobasco
Mix and Serve with corn chips