lancastermike
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Posts posted by lancastermike
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Sara
Susan is correct,as always. Don't despair, butt is a very forgiving piece of meat. All you need to do is get a nice low temperture going. A modifided Minion cook should work. Place some unlit charcoal in the kettle and top it with 8 or 9 lit ones and some smoke wood, the lit coals will fire the unlit giving you a slow steady cook. Go for it. The only real damage you can do to the butt is a real high temp for an extended period of time. Don't worry about an occasional or short term temperture spike. You can do it!!! I know you can.
All these new butt smokers are a wonderful thing! I haven't smoked since the soggy blog. I feel the urge. I believe there will be butt this weekend at my place.
Knock em' dead Sara. Smoked butt rules
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Great story, Chris. I too went from real big drinker to nothing at all. And now I have returned to the joy of a drink.
I also smoked for mostly the same reasons. I haven't smoked in 20 years now and I still miss my Zippo lighter. I ghave no desire for a smoke, but would love to have my Zippo.
I was able to understand why I drank to excess. When I did, I stopped. No treatment, no programs. Now that I understand those issues I am glad I have been able to return to the joy of a drink.
Thanks for sharing.
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I smoked my first butt over the weekend. I used the "Minion" method described by LankasterMike in his recent blog. I placed about 8 lit coals on a bed of about 20 unlit briquettes. Top and bottom vents barly open. I was surprised at how easy it was to maintain 225 deg. for 6 hours without adding any briquettes.
The only problem was the dang thing would not get done. After 6 hours temp. read 170. I thought someone on here had mentioned "one hour per pound"? Finished it in the oven in a dutch oven for 2 hours at 300 deg. It was great.
Crash,
When I started smoking pork butt I too wanted to know when it would be done. The guys I asked kept telling me it will be done when it's done. You just can't use time as a guide. As Susan says each one can be different. 6 hours is not a long time, even smaller ones take me at least 10 to get what I want.
But welcome to the wonderful world of butt. Nice pictures as well.
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Since I tend to frequent bars where I'm known and where I have friends or personal recommendations, I'll find myself in situations where my bill doesn't reflect what I've poured into my liver. Any time I've benefitted from someone's generosity I try to be as generous in return as my circumstances allow, and often wish my finances allowed me to leave more. If no one's taking my money, I like to leave at least $20. I often worry that I should leave more.
And that's a real good way for bartenders to manipulate there tip. And bartenders can get away with it, as most places expect a percentage to go away and make it coming back. This is a real difference between a waiter and a bartender, waiters have alot less leeway giving you something to make there tip higher.
And if you want show you gratitude for their generosity, perhaps you should tip the owner, it's their liquor the bartender is being generous with. I don't want to sound sanctimonious, i gave away lots of drinks in my time. later when I was in managment I saw the other side of this as well.
From both sides i saw how bartenders made sure they got theirs. When I was in managment i just had to make sure the bartenders share was a fair one
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I also never leave coins, unless the service was poor and I'm leaving close to 15%.
When I tended bar the quarters added up. Five quaters beats a one dollar bill anytime. If a beer was 2.25 I was content with the three quarters. I worked at some upscale places, but it has been a while, never served a 15 dollar drink. A buck a drink ain't bad. I certainly do better than that if i feel it is earned.
The amount of the tip is detemined by the place not the service? Bad service in a nice place with high priced drinks deserves a better tip than great service in a plain old bar? That logic escapes me.
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lexy: I love how you layered the apple slices to resemble a flower! Very pretty indeed!
I made brownies for dessert.
Perfect brownies Ling, looks like a straw could be used to eat them, my favorite kind, they are lovely
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I'm one of those Pennsylvanians who care. Back in the 70's there were lots of regional PA brewers still going. Almost all are now gone. Rolling Rock was one of them that has long since ceased being a PA beer.
But being bought out by A/B, man that hurts a little. I remeber the Latrobe Brewing Company. I was even there a couple of times. Used to drink the famous pony bottles. Oh well, enough memory lane. Times change and we cannot stop that.
33
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Thanks for bumping this back up, but I still can't find it.
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Thank you all for showing me a slice of life so very very different from mine.
In your honor, I smoked a tiny duckbreast and a slightly larger chicken breast this week on my new stovetop smoker. But I really enjoyed seeing butts, bacon and rows of sausages on your grills and smokers.
That mile high pie is in my files waiting for the right occasion.
Thanks for doing this, all 3 of you, it's hard work, please know it is much appreciated!
Mike, happy anniversary to you and Maggie. Dennis and I celebrated our 11th anniversay last week and one of my presents for him, was that I did not take pics of the restaurant dinner we had (like I always do)
Thank you Klary,
Your blog showed us a portion of your life as well. Differences yes, but much in common as well.
The pie is real good, I have made it many times, it is always a hit
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Sitting here drinking my coffee this morning it is relaxing to know I don't have to take any pictures.
My first blog was a real joy. Thanks to everyone who read and commented. Get off your butts and go cook one! With the summer upon us make sure you go out and light some sort of fire.
A special tip of the hat to my PA board homeys Sandy and Katieand Lori. After this week I am even more impressed with Sandy's recent blog. Katie hasn't blogged in a while and I think she is due
Many, many thanks to Marlene and Susan. Back when they first asked me to blog with them I was hesitant. I said they were two of the E-Gullet "big timers". They are that. But, they also made me feel so welcome that I had to say yes. I'm glad I did. In my mind they are both very special women and they have wonderful families and a full life. I am happy and proud to have blogged with them and equally happy they are my EGullet pals. Thanks you two, it was my pleasure.
And an extra big thanks to my darling Maggie for putting up with me this week. It rained here all week, but it was OK because she is the sunshine in my life. I promise the camera goes away for a while. This Saturday is our tenth anniversary. All she asked me for was not to take any pictures of her dinner that night. We are going out, I'm not grilling. I do love her so.
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We ran out of gas. Changed tanks. Back in business. We really are going to eat before midnight!
In one of my few smart moves, I replaced the tank the weekend before the blog started.
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No not a repost of last nights picture. This is what greeted me as I lit the grill. I must confess that it did not rain here today, but it is cold and gloomy.
Tonights dinner features a couple of more local products. Diffenbach's Potato Chips. In keeping with the all pork all the time format, they are cooked in pure lard. Deep in the EGullet bowels is a potato chip thread. I said in it that Diffenbach's were amongst the best in the land.
Dynamite Dills from the Pennsylvania Pickle Co. They really are not all that hot. They make a habenero one as well. They are hotter, but not real hot either. They are good and fresh.
Wait a minute. Didn't we see these before. Yeah, but these are the long rolls perfect for these.
Hot Italian sausage. I often buy the big pack of these at Costco and re-package them in smaller bunches for the freezer. Since I have yet to receive my order from the S. Fahning Sausage Co. I got these at my local shop. They make them there and they are, no surprise here, pork
Sausage on the grill
Susan, please let Peter know. My butt is no longer stalled, but my buns are on the grill.
done, one extra sausage.
plated, grilled hot Italian Sausage with Creole mustard, lard potato chips, and dill pickles
Since Maggie had to go I thought I'd have a drink to help my sorrow.
Old Overholt Rye, Luxardo Maraschino and Fee Bros Orange Bitters. Note to Katie: This bottle of Luxardo is almost empty. However I have another full bottle which I keep secured against raids from a certain Aphrodite of Alcohol.
My drink in front of the pitcher my mother bought when she first got married. She gave it to Maggie and me when we were married. Maggie has since collected a whole lot of this pattern.
Dinner was good, but Maggie had to run. I am sipping my drink and relaxing after a long day at work.
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Susan,
I am indeed taken by your bacon. I do believe I am going to have to try it. In a little while. We are home and I did grill. Maggie had just time to eat and had to run out on an voting machine call. Just me and the dogs watching the ball game. Going to upload some pics.
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Although the sun is out here now I just looked at the NWS radar. Their is a large band of rain stretching across PA into Ohio. The edge of it looks like an arrowhead pointed at guess were?
Also looks like some showers in Ontario and a small storm just north of Minneapolis.
Susan, I 'm glad you had a nice day for bacon and weeding. I fear buy the time I get home the rains will return.
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Ta Da!
About 4.5 hours to get it to 150 (actually just under 150). The second half is on right now.
The instructions in Charcuterie say something about trimming and squaring up the belly before smoking, but I really like those odd bits on the end, and I want to maximize how much bacon we have.
Edited to add: I really don't care of using these silicone hot pads because they aren't very flexible. But, they are idea for removing meat from the grill. Moisture doesn't wick up them to burn your hands. They work better than tongs and a spatula for the bacon because there's nothing to tear it.
Now, while this is still warm, time to trim the skin. This was smoked skin side down.
Edited again to add this:
The skin is off. I used a knife like this to get the skin off. It has a very thin, flexible blade that sharpens very easily. I think Paul has had this knife since he was about 12 years old.
Susan,
That looks just plain wonderfull.
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I have decided to go ahead and stop for lunch. The work never goes away, so i may as well eat.
I knew I would be real busy today so I packed light. Some celery sticks, a piece of cheese and a tangerine. And a diet Sprite.
No photos as we left early today to vote before work. The new machines were easy to use. lancaster County moves kicking and screaming towards the 21st century.
This blog should recieve an award form the pork producers of America. Remember when Les Nessman received the "Silver Sow" Award.
Pork tenderloin, pork belly bacon, pork ribs and most important of all pork butt.
No kickbacks or gratutiies were received from the pork lobby to produce this blog. At least not yet.
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Hot dogs sound great.
The bacon has been on for almost 4 hours, and it is at 130 now. I'll take it to 150 and then pull it off and get the second half on. Hopefully the second one will be done so we can eat at a decent hour! I don't know what the cure does for nasty critters, but I sure won't hesitate to eat this bacon!
150 internal ought to more than do the trick on any nastys. I was not sure you brought the internal up that high. I need to get the book and read the thread, i think
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The ribs are rubbed and in the fridge for now. I'm going to do broccoli again, but this time with hollandaise and baked potatoes. We still have cake for dessert. My dishwasher is running (again). The sun seems to be trying to peek out.
Do you brine the ribs? I know some do, as with butt i usually do not.
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Your yard looks great Susan, I wish mine looked half that good. This weekend is to include major yard work at our place.
I was going to ask the temp for the bacon. How long do you let it smoke at that low a temperature? Does the cure help with any nasty little critters that may lurk?
12:50 Pm at work today and lunch is no were in sight. maybe sometime this afternoon I'll have time. I did just stop for a bathroom break and looked outside and Glory Be! the sun be a shinin' on lancaster.
I will cretainly be here late tonight and than Maggie may have election night issues.
However, since this is our last night, sometime, something will be on my grill. Not sure what it may be or when it will happen. But happen it will. Hot dogs anyone?
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5:30 AM and the bane of the blogger presents itself.
The full dishwasher waiting to be unloaded.
Gus is with me, but seems unmotivated to the task. So I guess it's me. I have a system. When I pour the water over my coffee in the press pot it takes 4 minutes to be ready. In this time I unload and put away the stuff in the dishwasher. It is efficent use of the time.
Today in Pennsylvanis is primary election day. This is the first time the county is using the new electronic voting machines. Maggie is director of the county GIS department. The county IT staff is supporting this effort as technical support. Her and her staff are part of this effort and it could be a long day and night for her. I hope it goes well.
On the county web site there is an alphabetical list of every candidate. I cut these two from that list
Weidinger Margaret A R Republican Committeewoman
Weidinger Michael D Democratic Committeeperson
Yes, Maggie and I are a mixed marriage. In Lancaster County the republican party is dominant. There are many more of them than of us Democrats. Maggie and I are not really running against each other as these are party positions. She has served on the borough council, I am currently serving on the borough planning board.
So if anyone is in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Lancaster, Borough of Millersville, First Voting District, stop by and vote for one of us. Pennsylvania uses the closed primary system, were a voter can only cast votes for the party they are registered in. I would ask anyone to vote for me as many times as they can. When it comes to supporting a blogger, one man, one vote, is simply a suggestion.
My only pledge is to serve with fidelity, and to eat and drink well.
Addendum to this post
I am not really using E-Gullet to solicit votes. Both Maggie and I are unopposed for positions that offer no remuneration. It was meant as a day in the life of the blogger post and if it violates the agreement, Marlene or Susan in FL please take it down. Perhaps my brain, like everything else, is waterlogged
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I want cake. Now. You really need to start delivering, Marlene.
Me too, Marlene. E-mail me a piece over, please
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Da cake is Da bomb
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(psst...it's sunny here and is expected to be 99° by Wednesday)
Thanks, I needed that.
Behold My Butt! (2003–2006)
in Cooking
Posted
Butt is on. My is skinless as well. In fact, it is also boneless as I got it at Costco and that's the way they sell them. 2 in cyro pack, total weight at 14 pounds. I doing one only so I guess it is 7 lbs. It went on naked and cold. First reading from the probe was 35F. Long time till this baby is done. The Sunday paper just arrived and I'm off to go back to bed with it and coffee for Maggie. Oh and Susan, I already smell smoky.
pics and updates later