snowangel

It's a pathetic year when it is just after the 4th of July, the tomato plants are only 19" high and each sporting a mere 5 blossoms (let's not even talk about set fruit). My basil has reached the unbelievable height of 9". We need nights that are warmer than 55 degrees (F). Some nice steamy nights, the kind where the top sheet gets all twisted up and you awaken all dewey (a nice way of saying sweaty). The strawberries were late coming this year by almost two weeks. And, don't they say that the corn should be knee high by the 4th of July? Not here, at least this year! But, it has quit raining, and the sun is out.

Search and ye shall behold! Responding to a couple of posts: There is the Butter Bell topic as well as the topic about Pros and Cons of Freezing Butter.

Brine, most definitely. Somewhere, at Varmints last Pig Picking, I think he devoted is bathtub to a nice brine for the lucky pig (a quick search revealed he did; click here). Garlic cloves? Sure, why not. One of the advantages of not going with a marinade (which I don't think do that much for pork or beef, quite frankly) is that you can offer several sauces. A Vietnamese/SouthEast Asian-inspired one, any one of the BBQ Sauces featured in RecipeGullet, or =Mark's absolutely fab South Carolina Barbecue Sauce. This offers more versitility, which can be helpful when planning sides. I can get all kinds of wood chips, which I hate because they burn so fast, and seem like such a waste, so I usually get the mongo bags of hickory from Home Despot. Oh, I mean Home Depot. I think a southerner would probably prefer pecan, but I could be wrong.

Us lucky folks in the Twin Cities (and those in Southern Minnesota) are pretty partial to Hope Butter. The link is old, but the butter is as good as ever.

I'm curious how well a marinade would penetrate a piece of meat with skin on. Me, I'm rather partial to smoking (with wood chunks) meat naked, and augmenting with sauce. Especially pork.

It's been a long time since I've done baby backs. I really like the meaty of the spareribs better, and I can often get them way on sale, whereas they charge a premium for baby backs. Better watch for the baby backs to go on sale at my meat market. I don't trim them to St. Louis Cut. I don't apply a rub. For some reason, I like my pork "nekked." Yes, about 6 hours, at about 225 or 230, or a bit lower. I use a Kettle, which works well for me. Yes, I do wrap and hold like a butt, usually because I'm doing them for a "do" at our house, and I'd rather hold them than have to hurry them. And, I do think that they benefit from a rest, just like a butt. Probably because I always do ribs with as big a fat cap as possible. Warms my heart to hear this!

Don't know if you served a sauce on the side, but I can most heartily recommend =Mark's South Carolina Mustard Barbeque Sauce. It has been mentioned on other smoking meat topics, and it always gets rave reviews. Yes, smoke them longer. Mop them if you think necessary (I usually just use garlic infused olive oil).

Did you brine your ribs first? I think that's a must. I also prefer to keep the temp under 250, preferably in the 200-225 range. I also tend to smoke them for longer (at the lower temp) for longer than 4 hours, and always buy the packages of ribs that have the most fat on them. Fat is good, especially when smoking meat.

Where do the blueberries come from? Probably not as colorful an experience as traipsing through a recently logged outcropping near our cabin in northern MN.

Abra, if there are kids present, smoke some chicken legs, but be sure and cut those tendon's down at the end of the leg so they aren't all stringy. Kids love legs.

Not only did I do both, very well, I got more tan, planted several plants and removed about 1/2 ton of river rock from my yard! I smell like smoke. I will gently reheat the beast tomorrow and serve it up to people who appreciate all of that hard work.

Chicken thighs. You are right. About an hour or an hour and a half. Even if you don't eat them on Monday, they are fabulous to have in the fridge or freezer. I'll post a photo (I only took one picture of the done thing since Paul thinks we have way too many photos of hourly progress of briskets already). I need a short nap before I do that. Smoking and drinking beer is exhausting work. But, somebody's got to do it!

I love when that happens. =R= ← Always happens to my butts.

I agree with the 'easy on the garlic' advice. I find that a few hours after the hummus has been made, the garlic seems to get stronger and can become very strident and overpowering. ← This is why the roasted garlic was so perfect. It added just the right touch. And, I took it extremely easy on the raw.

I keep sesame oil in the fridge, but not tahini. I get my tahini at a Middle Eastern grocery with high turnover, so I don't even have to stir it, and it keeps fine on the shelf, but I usually buy the smaller jars, because I am cupboard impaired. Reminder that this is not the same stuff as you get in Asian markets, also called sesame paste; the Asian version is made with toasted sesame seeds.

There are a couple of recipes for hummus on RecipeGullet. If anyone wants to post additional recipes, please do so, but in RecipeGullet and link them to this topic! In addition, there is this topic on hummus. And, this one. A couple of notes. I have made hummus so often I don't measure anything anymore, but sumac is a most worthy addition. And, last time I made it, I cut way back on the raw garlic and added a mess of roasted garlic. When I drain the beans, I save the liquid to use for thinning out, if necessary. Finally, last time I made it, Peter (age 9) was bored, so he slipped the skins off the beans. I don't know that it made much of a difference in the end product, but it kept him occupied. Easiest way to skin them is in a bowl of water, rub then around, and the skins rise to the top of the water.

Let the smoking commence. My brisket has been on for about three hours, and I've been holding the temp in my trusty old Weber Kettle to 200-225, with an occasional 250 spike. What a tough, long job. Many beers to drink!

Better late than never is my name today. Anyway, meat should be put on the smoker as cold as possible. I put my meat in the freezer as I get ready to fire up the chimney on my trusty Weber Kettle. It quits absorbing smoke when it gets to about 140 (f) As I recall, the 140 is the outside temp of the meat, not deep down, but I could be wrong. There are three other topics on the Cooking forum that can be helpful for smoking meat: Behold My Butt Smokin' Brisket and Baby Back Ribs Start with this course, and review the other three topics and you will know more than most of those whatevers on FoodTV!

Here in Minnesota, we call them Cheddarheads. Not sure why. What did the Dr. Mrs. Varmit have at the ice cream joint?

Anything with Bacon gets immediate attentioon in MY household! Congrats on entering the recipe!

Remember to post your recipes in RecipeGullet and link them back to this topic! Sure easier two years from now to find them there than search a bazillion topics.

So, I know you're going out for ice cream, but how about making some for dinner. You could call it ice cream day!

Gentle reminder that any recipe posted should go into RecipeGullet and a link inserted in the topic, and the recipe must conform to the RecipeGullet copyright policy. Thanks. P. S. Note also that RecipeGullet has a bunch of Chocolate Chip Cookie recipes.

I noticed, Abra, that over on Klink's course that you are doing a brisket this weekend. So am I! For you and anyone else who's smoking brisket this weekend, what sides are you planning on?

Maybe because they are getting trimmed briskets? I've never done the foil thing, either, until it's done and comes off. I think they slice much nicer after a nice rest in a warm place (electric oven with the light on) in foil. And, perhaps it's because they don't know what they are doing. I'm amazed at some of the TV shows on BBQ that don't insist on the low and slow, the ones that insist that you bring the meat to room temp, etc.