Shelby

Ok, Mr. Brisket is soaking in a nice ice water bath for a bit and then on to the smoker he will go.

I'm going to take notes ...I only did one half so I have the other to do a different way next time. I always like my beef rare but in this instance I want to harken back to the BBQ I remember. This is what I'm doing too. I hope to get in on the smoker early tomorrow afternoon.

I cut it in half and bagged each half up. They are generously rubbed with black pepper and salt and I put a few dashes of liquid smoke in. Going to SV first and then smoke. I've seen your temp and then Serious Eats says 155F for fall apart brisket. I'm torn about which temp.

Looking for suggestions I have this 5.56 lb Choice beef brisket point that I want to make--maybe just half of it and freeze the other half for later because it's a lot of meat. Should I sous vide it and then smoke it? Time and temp for both? Should I smoke it first and then sous vide? Or skip the sous vide and just smoke it? Forgot to add...I'm going for just a lovely, tender, smoked brisket--like at a great BBQ place. Should I rub it with just some salt and pepper and let it marinate in that while I decide what to do?

This all looks so good and I'm making a mental note to copy you. It's going to be hot hot hot here and the humidity is off the charts. Feels more like July. Next week is a high of 101. Yuck.

Jealous!

Peonies looking awesome

Ronnie went fishing at the lake yesterday and came home with walleye!!! My favorite fish. Been hard to catch them the last few years. Dessert--berries that my cleaning angel friend picked from her patch for me

Pineapple has been an addition for some for a while now. If you google something like "unusual things to add to crawfish boil" you will see. I like to put brussels sprouts in mine

My cleaning angel/friend/wonderful person brought me these from her strawberry patch today. Heavenly.

You just made my day. I'm sitting here having a pity party over my never ending poison ivy. I needed this laugh. PS--Judging by how dreadful those vegetables look, I'm scared to ask what the steak was like.

Smoked turkey sandwiches

Wave my hands, slap at them and curse.

Pork roast

Needed something easy so that always seems to be breakfast

It wasn't super long in the beginning....I've just tacked on to it so it feels longer

I compromised with myself. 30 minute nap. Now time to sit on the porch. I'll come over for ribs after a few more glasses of wine.

Thanks, guys. I'm having a hard time deciding whether to take a nap, or pour a glass of wine and sit out there.

Yes it's treated--I think I would like the grey color, but we've also tossed around the idea of staining it this fall. DEFINITELY NOT painting it. It goes good with the new Weber

Anna, you run circles around me. I'm really tired today. I have a family thing I have to go to and then I hope to have a big nap. It's bad when you wake up in the morning and the first thing you think about is when you can lay down again. And, it is I that thank you guys for being here with me--you keep me sane, and motivated at the same time

Good morning! I can't believe how fast time flies. I don't think I sat down yesterday until I was eating dinner. Between cooking and horse racing it was a full day. The final touches were put on the porch. It looks so pretty. Just a couple three pictures --after all, it is the holder of the new Weber They even built me new bird feeders out of the old porch wood. After all that hard work, the guys were hungry so I made some sausage rolls with some jalapeño mustard for dipping and set out some pimento cheese and celery Of course, we had to break in the new grill last night so we had venison burgers. I had made some of @cyalexa's buns and put them in the freezer--I was glad to be ahead of the game for once in my life I made potato salad Broccoli salad And our friend did the burgers and an onion that went on the side Best burger ever! And that's it for this trip. He will be back in September for dove and duck season. Until then, if you need me, I'll be sitting on my new porch

Thank you!!! She is pretty amazing Happy Saturday ya'll (and Happy Preakness Day to any horse racing fans) Another busy day on tap. Had a storm last night and got some much needed rain so we don't have to water the garden--YAY. The guys came home with some really nice fish 3 big catfish, some white bass and a wiper I think. I forgot to take pictures of the fish before they cleaned them but here they are after The usual breakfast got made They had such a late lunch that no one wanted any appetizer type stuff so we skipped that last night and went right into dinner Fried catfish and frog legs Asparagus from the garden My plate I gotta hurry up and get outside to do my chores before it gets too hot. Be back later

I knew it

My mom used to work on a peony farm. Sucker budding is done in order to make sure you get the main bud to bloom the biggest and best that it can--the "suckers" are off-shoots of smaller buds that form on the same stem and they "suck" nutrients from the main bud. You want to make sure you identify the main bud that forms and then pick off the smaller off-shoot buds.

O M G I am SO SO proud of you!!!! I swear on my life, the blossoms will be amazing. Keep doing it every year and they get even more amazing. Edited to say my mom will be proud of you too