lancastermike

Thanks for a wondefull blog, Lori. We are neighbors in several ways. You and your husband have made great decisions for your kids. I know they will be great adults because of it. And thanks for the very kind answer to my PM. Pennsylvania's make great bloggers.

When did you plant those tomatoes, Lori? Mine are no were near ready. I always go with Mothers Day as the time I can plant.

There is nobody on TV that equals Pepin. Classic technique, good production, seems very real. I read his book and the man has had a fascinating life. Love Alton Brown. Always makes me laugh at least once a show. Flay can cook, just seems like he is trying to be a New York wise guy. Alan Harding is great. Just a normal goofy guy, who can cook. I really like this show. I like Ming. He seems like he is the real deal. Ah Bourdain. Everyone loves him. Women find him hot. Guys think he is cool. I know he has got to cash in while he can and I guess he is fine. But hey Tony, give us a break and shut up for a while.

Susan, I have several comments, however I will defer in the interest of E-Gullet decorum. I'll only say that context is very important

Turkey breast requires brining or it will be dry. You can smoke turkey at higher temps than pork if you choose to. I have had WSM temps over 300 for turkey and it comes out fine. There just is not all that fat and connective tissue in turkey that needs to break down. Arne said, He is 100% correct. If you cook that turkey to 195 it will be really tough. Unlike pork, the real long slow low heat smoke is not necessary. I would encourage you to seek out some fruit woods. The hickory may be a bit much for a turkey breast. Brine for sure. Just be sure it does not dry out. 155 or 160 internal is what you want with turkey. My wife loves smoked turkey much more than pork.

Turkey Hill, Giant and Surfine brands remind me of my fridge, Lori. Do you shop at the Giant for things BB's does not carry? I mostly do shop at the Giant, prices are better. In our town we have a local owned store that is a Surfine store. I find the Giant brands to be better than the Surfine ones.

When I blooged I posted so many photos I learned to almost like Image Gullet. BB's discount grocery looks like some similar ones we have around here. When I do go there, I always have to go to somewere else for things they don't carry. So sometimes we just don't go. Do they have generators for the cold rooms?

Every year I pit cherries and freeze them for pies. However, I would be hard pressed to tell the difference between my frozen ones and the canned ones from your neighbors. I don't have a pitting gadget; I just sit there and sort of squeeze them out. Here in our little borough I ran for mayor a couple of years ago. The voters rejected my candidacy with gusto. I still remember the words I spoke to my supporter’s election night. "The people have spoken, the bastards" The deluge continues here in Lancaster County. It was real thrill driving to work this morning, lots of street flooding. I hope the worst is over for you in Biglerville .

You carry your own bottle of orange bitters with you into bars

Good Luck with the blog Lori. I hope you are not under water as it looks like you area has really gotten clobbered the last couple of days. It is a good year for cherries so I am looking forward to seeing some of them

Sam's thoughts are 100% correct. Expensive vodkas are one of the things that have always escaped me. They are a testament to the power of advertising and marketing. Spending 34 bucks for a bottle of vodka just to mix it with cranberry juice and lime just makes no sense

Very impressive meal as always, marlene. I love you method of camping. Many, many years ago I slept in tents. Now I find the very thought of it horrific.

One of my standard lunch items is a piece of fruit. I eat my lunch at my desk at work. My desk is full of fruit stickers. I have the edges of the desk completely covered and am now working down one of the sides. I find it to be very festive in an otherwise drab and dreary office.

Here's a guess. Chiantiglace, he's at CIA now and worked in kitchens at home before. He's from North Carolina, so maybe that would explain the barbeque in the picture

Top rack, marlene. Arne is 100% spot on here

I have used the Fee Brothers with good success. However, I have never had the Taylor Velvet so i cannot offer a comparision. The Flaming orange Gully is a good drink and a fine use of falernum

That's lovely butt, Annette. The additional photos on your blog are great as well. Very nice work and welcome to the wonderful world of butt and all the requsite jokes about your butt.

You really don't want an open flame in that baby. The heat comes from the electric element. Soaked wood chips or chunks are the way to go. With chicken however, a long slow approach is not really necessary. Chicken and other poultry do not have the large amount of fat and connective tissue that pork and beef brisket have that require the long slow cook to break down. Chicken can be smoked at a higher temperture. My first smoker was a Brinkman charcoal fired unit. it was really difficult to use effectivly as there was no real way to control the temperture. I doubt the electric unit is any better. But good luck and have fun! Smoking is a blast and there is tons of e-gullet smoke stuff always going on.

sara, try this thread brisket also the legendary Klink smoking class Klink's class

And the science behind all this escapes me as well, Susan. As we were having guests I did foil it and finish it in the oven. It was good, not the best we have had. I have said this before that one of the great things about smoking is this. Everytime you fire the thing up, the potential exists for real disaster. This was not a disaster, but certainly another learing experience

I am currently in the longest stall I have ever had. If we want to eat tonight I believe I am ready to foil and move to the oven. This thing has been stuck in the 170's for 4 hours now, I had to re-fuel the cooker. Every one is different.

To get a butt with skin I have to order it. Picnic shoulder can be found with skin. Why is this different here? Unknown. I guess I will have to try one with the skin sometime for a comparision

6 hours in and I am stalled at 175. I am leaving for a while and Maggie may post before I return. Here it is after 6 hours. looks good, smells good, I think we will have good butt sandwiches for a late dinner tonight

a couple of early morning butt smoke photos a partial chimney of Kingsford burning charcoal ring ready for my traditional Minion start, some cherry and some hickory in there today The butt in question. Naked and cold. Boneless and skinless with a nice amount of fat First reading, along way to go to 195

Nice butt, Marlene. And a lovely meal as always. At 9:15AM my temperture reading has reached 128F internal. From 35F to 128F in just a little more than two hours. Anyone care to guess how long from 128 to 195? I can't imagine much less than another 7 or 8 hours. Stall land approaches. I have grass to cut, an open house to attend and a visit to my mom before I plan to have this baby finished. I may try Arne's spray. Anything with borboun in has to be good