lancastermike

This is now available by SLO in Pennsylvania. I called last week and there is a one case minimum order. At one time , I would have considered a case of whiskey a good start to a weekend, but those days are gone. I am still looking to score a bottle of this and I know it is available in MD. I guess a trip south of the Mason Dixon Line is in order

Chris is right, one can't ignore the physics. For this cook the amount of meat mass means a longer time. Also, I would not bother with water in the pan as the amount of meat will serve as it's own heat sink. I do not think the additional time is a one to one ratio. That is if 10 pounds of butt takes 8 hours it does not mean 40 pounds will take 32 hours. You certainly may need to re-fuel the cooker. I would not be surprised to see 4 10 pounders to take 18 or 20 hours. However, I never like to predict times, we all know every one seems to be different. And Chris, SSB? Smokin son of a bitch? Or is tha a degree , like PhD.?

You can do as many as will fit. I have done as many as four, or I guess three and a half, but over on the Weber Bullet site there are stories from folks about even more by doing mods to the cooker. Both racks are meant to be used. 4 10 pounders may be pushing it for space, but I would do whatever fits

For those visitors to Chinatown from other places, Lakeside Deli is great. We like it as they are always so friendly. Perhaps it is the safe and not the most adventuresome choice; however we make it a destination when in Chinatown

Maybe for Labor Day I'll do brisket. The thing is I have to remember to order one. I can get all the butt I want around here just by walking up to the meat counter. I'm sorry they scarfed it all up before you got to eat. I hope they saved you some sweet corn! If not, I would fear for their saftey

Many regrets on the passing of your brother. I know it has been a while in coming, but it just is never easy. As to the multiple butts, I'd say yes. When I do them ahead of time I do pull the pork. I re-heat the pulled pork in a low oven 200 or less and like to add just a little cider vinegar and water mixture to keep it from drying. This could also be done in crock pot or other slow cooker. I have never re-heated the whole smoked butt. I think it would be a long time to do it that way.

Two weeks ago we came back from San Diego on the second day of the new rules. I had a pack of fig newtons in my bag. I got pulled out of line for a total bag search because of them. They let me keep them after they tested negative for explosives. International flights are even tougher. Good luck with the sandwich.

No brisket expert here. But I think I would go with day before or an overnight smoke. Dinner at 7 means it has to be done and holding by 6. I'd want more than 12 hours of time just to be sure. Of course, we all know you can make magic with that kettle. ← Overnight smoke and a Weber Kettle is a no go. I'm smoke on Thursday. That's probably better anyway so I can get the last minute stuff done on Friday! Brisket. Yummm. Mike, find a whole untrimmed brisket or at least the point and do one! ← I have done brisket on the WSM, but only once. I guess I just have a thing for butt.

No brisket expert here. But I think I would go with day before or an overnight smoke. Dinner at 7 means it has to be done and holding by 6. I'd want more than 12 hours of time just to be sure. Of course, we all know you can make magic with that kettle.

Home after a week in San Diego. A few comments on some of the places we got to. First of all. San Diego is lovely and the weather was wonderful. 222 cafe. A very cool little place and the breakfast was outstanding. Not ready for 30 buck for two breakfasts every day, but once in a while would be fine. Young staff, very friendly and efficient no one wearing waffle hats however. Grape on Fifth. Had a couple nice flights of wine in this tiny place. We did not eat here however. Bartender was very nice and she even recognized and spoke to us when we were in another place for dinner the next night. Red Pearl Kitchen. Really liked this place. Young hip crowd with a very cool bar. Inventive drinks made with real infusions. However, all were vodka based. Some of there concoctions would have been even better with a different base. Food was nice as well. Had several of the small plates their menu laughingly call "tapas". Not that, but not bad either. For the gaslamp area, not overpriced either. Ciero's Pizza. had a couple of slices for lunch and it was not bad. Was touted as the best in San Diego. If that's true, pizza is not a reason to visit San Diego. Nothing wrong with it, but around here there is much better. La Fiesta on Fifth. I know not any of the places you all touted for Mexican. However, time was an issue. I thought this was fine. Certainly much better than anything in my area. Very nice service. I am not a margriaita drinker, but my wife enjoyed hers. She clearly knew it was not from a mix. I guess this is a tourist Mexican place. but I enjoyed the meal and the staff and would eat here again. Gaslamp prices of course. Tin Fish. My wife's first fish tacos and she loved them. I thought they were pretty good as well. Nice little place just across from the Convention center. Enjoyed walking to Seaport Village for Ben and Jerry’s. That was some real tourist pricing, but the ice cream is good. We were in Balboa Park on Sunday and the international village was open. It was Peru day and we ate a nice lunch of Peruvian food. A couple of duds. We went to Old Town as my wife got a tip on a place for silver jewelry. She knows much more about that then me and seemed happy with the price. We came out of the store and walked down the street. She saw the Coyote Cafe. I was more thirsty than hungry, but it was lunch. Nothing special here. A nice touristy place. Had carnitas and the pork was tough and dry, unlike what I had at LaFiesta. However, I knew this was coming as soon as I walked in. I could just see what it was, so no real complaints. The one and only real disappointment to us was the Top of the Hyatt lounge. We stayed at the Marriot but walked over for a drink one night. What great views!!! What lousy service!! The place was not busy and we waited and waited to be served. We finally were by a snotty waiter. There was also a group of about five guys who were clearly drunk off their asses and should have been flagged, and after having to listen to them for a while, thrown out. There was a guy who seemed to be a manager of some type but he mostly seemed scared. Seems a shame that Hyatt is using that valuable real estate for a lounge and not interested in running it. Lots of places we wanted to get to, but the convention cut into the time. Thanks to all for the tips. .

Sounds good and also easy. The only thing is, I have no idea what it is supposed to taste like.

Sorry to intrude in the NYC topic, but my wife and I vacation on the Outer banks of North Carolina. There is a place ther called Elizabeth's cafe. It is amongst the highest rated place in this area and has received many awards for food and wine. We went there once. The single most pretentious bunch of people I have ever see. I know just a little bit about food, wine, spirits and service. An attempt to engage the staff and the owner in the selections was went with sheer disdain. I was dressed like everyone else in the place, but I drove a Chevy and my wife does not wear flashy bling. But we clearly were not like alot of the other customers. My wife and I have a name for the kind of customere this place was looking for. RWF. That stands for rich white folks. We are actually all three of those things but don't act like it. Guess what owners. All us customers ought be treated with respect. If you only want a certain type of customer post it on the door. I know plenty of pretentious folks who will spend big money to be condesended by the staff and enjoy that as part of the experience. Not me. I go out to enjopy myself not to be treated like crap by some establishment that does not think I fit in

From your timeline it seems the pork really had about 6 and a half hours at temp. That truly will not do it. Whenever I plan on a butt smoke I allow myself 12 hours in the cooker. If it takes less, cool. I'm sure you were grateful to your pal Bruce for his help. However, next time you see him he deserves a dope slap for that “take advantage of the wind" advice. Your idea that you should keep the vent facing the wind closed is the way to go. The wind is no friend of the WSM. However, if he is helping with the beer, I'd give him a pass. You will get the WSM to work the way you want it to as you already understand what occurred on your first effort. Plus, you are an experienced and very smart cook, plus you have the most important thing one needs to be a successful WSM operator, that being a good supply of beer. The water in the pan also serves as temperature control. With Minion starts it is not as critical as you are starting low and building temp. With a standard start, which I don't use much the water is much more important as a heat sink till you get your temp stable. So, maybe don't fill it all the time and let it see how it does with little or even no water. As to the beer can chicken, if you use the WSM I would use a foiled empty water pan. There is no need to keep your cooker temp at 225 or so with the chicken. You can do it with temps of 325 or so as you would normally. I love smoking chicken, but I have never done beer can chicken on the WSM. It should work fine, I did a whole turkey just last week and smoked poultry is great stuff. I like fruitwoods with poultry.

Very much enjoyed your blog, Kristen. Your beautiful children get to enjoy the best both cultures have to offer. It's great you are able to keep your family close to the foods of both countries each half a world away. In your case it seems Cleveland and Yokohama are really not that far apart

I know lots of folks rave about Sam & Omies, I know all about tradition, but Sam and Omie are long gone. Here's the thing, the food stinks. Or at least is just average diner stuff. I have been vacationing on the OB for twenty years or so. There ain't much in the way of good cheap eats there. Good food can be had, but more at the upper price points. Lou's Deli in nags Head is real nice stuff. Mama Kwans good as well. many of the places that were good and cheap have been priced out of business by the real estate values going goofy.

The last shipment of Rolling Rock left the Latrobe Brewing Company yesterday. A sad day in latrobe. Negotiations continue to find a buyer for the brewery, but as of Monday, it is closed

Here in Pennsylvania the same thing holds true. Silver Queen, which used to rule the sweet corn world is all but gone. The new super sweet varieties have replaced it. They hold their sweetness longer. About a mile from my house I used to buy Silver Queen coen from a farmer just after he picked it. It was wondefull stuff. Now he grows other varieties. He told me it makes economic sense for him. He can bring it in sooner and keep the crop going longer. He tells me very little Silver Queen is grown in Lancaster County these days. The super sweet varieties are sweet indeed, but I'm not sure they taste like corn. I too miss Silver Queen.

Wow Katie, you have created cocktails out of all sorts of things. But this one I just can't imagine. Would the lavender work here? You know that I think a little Luxardo maraschino always helps a drink. I am just as interested in the name you have given this one. What's that you say? This isn't the cocktail thread? Oh. Sorry, please disregard

That's very cool , Emma. All us WSM smokers wish you luck

I was kidding about all that stuff. Those guys on the Virtual Bullet site who do all that crazy stuff are really around the bend. It is alot more info than you will need. But you being a scientist I thought you may have a need for all that data! Never heard of anyone doing this. For it to have effect you would have to do it without the wood ans the smoke would overwhelm it. Tea leaves in a dry water pan? That may work to generate the tea smoke. I'll have to think about that

I think you are most likely correct. I know you are professionaly certified in food safety and i am not. My position is probably overly cautious. If the temps of the lower level meat reach that necessary to kill the ugly little things dripping form above all is well. I also think the pork will give up alot more than the chicken to drip down. But the real thing is this: Smoke that meat!! All these other questions are secondary. Low steady temp with some hardwood smoke and all will tuen out fine

Good Choice of the WSM as to the questions. 1. Chicken on the botton pork on the top, reason being the contamination issue. 2. Skin side up on both, however this does not really make a big difference either way. 3. Wow 4 probe thermometers. Pretty cool Melissa. I think one would be fine. The Weber Virtual Bullet is full of modifications that many of the truly geeky smokers have made. The only one I have done is to buy the eyelets that go in place of the screws for your probe wire to go through. You could get temps from all over the thing and chart them and all those other things the true believers do. I would urge you not to do those thngs as I believe they are really more than is needed. I do use a candy thermometer in one of the top vent holes to give me my dome temp. 250 or so at the dome gives me about 230 at the grate. I would start with all the bottom vents open half way and adjust as needed. On a hot day once it gets going you will most likely be closing at least two of them. 4. I always use the minion start. I would still fill the ring up most of the way before you dump your hot coals on. 20 coals to start should be fine on a hot day 5. You can sort of bury some wood in to the coals in the ring and than lay some on top after you dump the hot coals on top. 6. No problem leaving it alone, I often do that. The chicken may be done before you leave but the pork will do fine sitting there. I would urge you to foil your water pan for ease of cleanup. And for the cook you describe I would indeed use water. I do not always do so. Your ease of construction correlates with ease of use. I can start mine with a full ring minion start, get it up to temperture and leave it alone for 12 hours or so. Once it is going there is no need to fidget with it. Other good advice is not to peek to much. I love smoked chicken thighs. They make wonderful chicken salad. Have fun Melissa and drink lots of that good home brew.

For all you Tony groupies, Mr. Bourdain will be doing a live chat on the Washington Post web site today at 11am. Just remember it's all about him.

I think it would go well with the duck. I have smoked duck on the WSM and it turned out fine. Did you get rid of that smoking contraption you had the trouble with last year in favor of the WSM?

No car, arrive on Saturday depart on Monday, I guess there will be some meals at the convention. Not looking to spend big dough, but budget is no issue. Won't have an issue with the trolley of some walking. Tijuana would be cool, if it is some place good and not tourist trap Thanks