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Holly - Some info on a little stay I had in the Keys last summer can be found here. If you are returning on the Gulf Coast, I imagine you will be taking I-75. One easy to get to, and "must not miss" stain worthy stop that should be on your itinerary, is Snook Haven Fish Camp. Located about 15 miles south of Sarasota, this is old Florida at its best. After driving a mile or so down a rutted dirt road under a canopy of ancient cypress tress to the bank of the Myakka river, you encounter a dozen or so old fishing cabins along with a very rustic restaurant and bar. Very good barbecue, grouper sandwiches, and similar fare. If you're lucky, they might be offering the Florida Cracker Special - a platter of deep fried frog legs along with chunks of deep fried catfish and alligator. The crowd is very eclectic - just park between the Harleys and dusty pickup trucks. They generally have music everyday ranging from country, rock, to banjo concerts. If you have the time, and are so inclined, you can rent a canoe or kayak for a little trip down the river. Just keep an eye out for the alligators. Also, you should know that, for some very obvious reasons, Snook Haven was used as the location for that epic 1940s movie, "Revenge of The Killer Turtles". Take exit 191 off of I-75. Go west for about 1/2 mile to Venice Ave. Look for the Snook Haven sign on the left. Enter and enjoy.

I have a tile backsplash in one house and stainless in a more recently acquired 2nd home. No question about it, as soon as time allows, the stainless is going. What a PITA to get and keep clean. I've reached the point that when I'm doing any heavy browning or frying I go outside and use the side burners on the gas grill. If you go with tile, follow the tips upthread (darker grout, sealant, etc) and you should be fine. BTW - Your picture frame idea sounds interesting and quite practical.

Try 2 tbs minced shallot + 2 tbs balsamic + 1 tbs dijon mixed with 1 stick softened butter. Place in a small bowl and refrigerate. Good on veggies, fish, etc.

I guess I'll echo most respondents. I have both a client and a vendor that each send me a box of 6 filets each holiday season. Give a box to my in-laws and, for them, it's quite a treat. They love filets but can rarely afford them since they are on a fixed income. The remaining 6 go to the freezer. They are later thawed and pan fried when we want a quick and simple meal. Bottom line - they're OK but nothing special. I certainly would never order them. Also, as I recall, I once checked their pricing and it worked out to be about $50/lb + S/H for some pretty mediocre meat.

Jacqui - I was in the market for a smoker (electric) a couple of years ago. Looked at a number of units, including Bradley. Ultimately chose to go with Cookshack. I rejected the Bradley for a number of reasons: 1. As mentioned, you're stuck with their pucks. If you smoke a lot, as I do, it gets expensive. With the Cookshack, I can adequately smoke 20lb-25lb of meat with 2oz-4oz of any wood I want. 2. I wanted a unit with no external moving parts since my unit sits outside (covered) in weather that, sometimes, gets pretty extreme. I felt, under the circumstances, it would be just a matter of time until the Bradley smoke generator failed. 3. The quality of the build of the Cookshack far exceeds the Bradley. The thing's built like a tank. 4. Customer service. I spoke with severl Bradley owners who, when they did encounter a problem, had trouble connecting with the customer service department. Just the opposite with Cookshack owners. If you're going in the direction of an electric smoker, you owe it to yourself to compare the two brands.

Prague Powder 1 (aka pink salt) is a cure used when making semi-dry sausages that are going to be cooked or smoked at temps below 200F. It's a mixture of 1 part (6.25%) sodium nitrite to 16 parts (93.75%) salt. Also, goes under a number of brand names such as Insta Cure, Modern Cure, etc.

Had a similar thing happen to me a couple of years ago, though in a somewhat different environment. Same age at the time BTW. While killing time waiting to board a plane at Ohare, I strolled into one of the lounges and ordered a drink. Bartender returned and asked for my ID. My response was "You've got to be kidding". Stern faced, the bartender replied "Until I see your ID and verify that you're of legal age, I can't give you this drink". Obviously wanting the drink that I ordered, I gave him my ID. He gave me the drink. I later learned that the bar had been busted more than once for serving minors. As a part of their settlement, and in order to maintain their very lucrative airport franchise, they agreed to card every customer. They did, and from what I understand, still do.

I have 2 side by side refrigerators-freezers for backup storage in attached garages. One in the Chicago area (7 years) and one in the Sarasota FL area (5 years). Never had a problem. BTW - In both cases, I purchased them used from guys who get them from appliance dealers when they are swapping out older operating units for people who are remodeling their kitchens. They are checked out and reconditioned as necessary. They each came with a 1 year warranty. Don't recall the specifics but I know that I paid less than $100 for each unit. Both are still working fine.

And another here.

Doc-G Good luck on your smoking venture. Keep us posted with pics if you can. A couple of comments. The sides mentioned by you and others will all work just fine. With brisket, I also like serve some homemade onion rings with a few dashes of cayenne in the batter. As others have mentioned, don't mop with the sauce. Won't accomplish much and you'll screw up your temps and timing. Sugar content in the sauce could create problems also. With regard to timing, do you have a backup plan for dinner ? An 11 hour smoke for the brisket(s) you have is, IMO, a stretch. I smoke briskets 1 or 2 times a month and they consistently take 1.5-2 hours / lb. plus a rest of 2-3 hours once I hit my target internal temp of 190F. Did a 9 lb untrimmed flat a couple of weeks ago as follows..... Trimmed the fat to a 1/4" cap, mixed rub with mustard and "painted" the brisket. Wrapped and refrigerated. The following evening, at 10:00 PM, unwrapped brisket, added more rub, and put brisket into the smoker cold as fifi mentioned (internal temp was 34F). Set smoker (Cookshack electric) for 200F, had a beer and went to bed. At 8:00 AM the following morning, internal temp was 145F and I raised the smoker temp to 225F. At 4:00 PM, hit target internal of 190F - 18 hours total. Removed brisket, made up a packet with a couple of sheets of HD foil, added a mix of 1/2 cup each apple juice and beef stock, and sealed foil. Then wrapped in a large beach towel and put into a warm Coleman cooler to rest for about 3 hours (internal rose to 196F). Removed, sliced, and served at 7:00 - Perfect. Again, good luck and keep us posted.

Bacon, as mentioned upthread, any type of cheese, and best of all, anchovies.

CtznCane - Congrats - You're going to enjoy the smoker and get a lot of use out of it. A few suggestions - Before you attempt to smoke any item, "season" the unit. Do an empty smoke at your highest temp setting for 4-5 hours. You'll build up a residue on the interior which is fine. Also, you may notice some muffled "pops". That's OK - simply the metal refitting itself under heat. I checked out the Bradley forum and there does not to be too much going on there. Suggest you prowl around the Cookshack forum. They have a very active group with tons of recipes and tips, especially for those starting out with an electric. Oh yeah - Bradley owners aren't banned. For your first smoke, I would recommend a pork butt since they are very forgiving. Plan ahead - I've done a lot of butts and they normally take 2+ hours per pound. I did one a couple of weeks ago for a little Sat. evening neighborhood potluck get together. On Thurs., I picked up an 8 lb boneless butt, injected with 1 cup of apple juice, applied a heavy rub, and refrigerated it. On Fri., at 10:30 PM, I put the butt in the smoker with 2 oz. each of hickory and apple wood. Set the temp to 200F and went to bed. At 8:30 AM on Sat., I increased the temp. to 225F. At 4:30 PM, I pulled the butt out with an internal temp. of 193F. I then double foiled (HD), added 1/2 cup more of AJ, wrapped in an old beach towel, and put in a warm Coleman cooler to rest. During this period, the temp normally rises another 5F. Removed and pulled the butt at 6:30 PM, put the meat in a large LC Dutch oven, mixed in a little more rub and AJ based based serving sauce, covered and put in a warm oven until ready to serve (7:30 PM). Served with an optional mustard sauce. All in all, it was painless and the result was outstanding. Regarding your question about real men using electric smokers - sure we do. We also use refrigerators to keep food chilled, ovens for cooking, furnaces for heat, AC for cooling, lamps for lighting, cars for transportation, and phones/computers for communication. Hell, most of us even pee indoors. Good Luck.

Once I figured out the nuances of the Cookshack, I feel the end result with butts, briskets, etc. are at least equal, or more likely better than my old WSM or my big Klose offset. This is due to the fact that the final product is much more moist. The unit is so well sealed and heavily insulated that loss of humidity and moisture are not an issue. Another big advantage to me is the ability to easily smoke small items that will used as ingredients in a recipe (vegetables for soups such as gazpacho or 1 lb of chicken thighs for gumbo). Not going to fire up the Klose just for that.

CtznCane - I have pretty much the same equipment that you do and got interested in electric smokers a couple of years ago. I looked at various models put out by the major manufacturers (including Traeger and Bradley) and went with Cookshack. Far and away, one of the best decisions that I've made. Once I got past a little learning curve, I consistently started putting out some of the best barbecue that I've ever had (either in my own home or elsewhere). To top it off, it's so simple that it almost seems criminal. Insert the meat, add a 2-3 oz. chunk of wood, close door, and come back when it's done. I chose Cookshack over the other models for a number of reasons.... 1. The construction is far superior to all of the other models that I looked at.. The thing is damn near bomb proof. Also, there are no moving parts to break or malfunction. 2. Customer service. Though I have had no problems since I purchased the unit (which is used weekly), I have made several general inquiries. I call, they answer the phone, and answer my question. About 2 weeks after I received the smoker, I received a follow up call from their sales department regarding delivery and my overall satisfaction. I mentioned that everything was fine except one of the welds was off a rod on one of the grills (a $7 or $8 part). FedEx showed up the next day with a replacement. 3. Warranty. Cookshack's is 2 years. I don't recall the specifics, but all others were less. 4. Cost of operation. As mentioned, a 2-3 oz. chunk of wood (about the size of an ice cube) is all you need. No briquettes that continually feed through a smoke generator. 5. User forum. From rank amateurs to some of the top competition cooks on the barbecue circuit. With over 5,000 members, there's a ton of helpful hints and recipes. Check it out. I guess I sound like a shill for Cookshack but it's merely an indication of my level of satisfaction. Overall, my only regret is that I did not buy the unit sooner. Though I kept a big old Klose offset for capacity purposes, I gave away 2 other smokers that I had (an OJ and a WSM). The bottom line is a far superior result on a consistent basis with much less effort.

As an additional resource, an excellent tutorial from the Cookshack Smoker website on smoking a turkey can be found here.

I pullled this up earlier today in hopes of finding the recipe/instructions. Not there. Guess they want you to come into the store and buy a few things while you're there. Some helpful info if you hit the link re. "Questions? Click Here".

Yes, that is the recipe. I checked it with the one in Kathleen Kelly's "Favorite Recipes." Kathleen was the food editor at the Wichita Eagle for many years and I really, really miss her. Her cookbook contains an interview with Angelo Fasciano, who described the process in virtually the same words printed in the linked recipe. Unfortunately, Doc's garlic salad recipe is not in the same cookbook... ← Doc's Garlic Salad

Is this the recipe that you are looking for?

Thanks

As I look out at a garden full of green tomatoes and watch it rain, I'll second the request for recipes. Dave ← Well, this is timely. Sitting on my deck this morning looking at the same (sans rain), I though "What am I going to do with all of those green tomatoes?". 9 plants loaded. Turned on my laptop to check for email then drifted over to eg. Thanks all for the inspiration and ideas. Looks like a chutney making day to me. Jackal - What is the finished quantity with your recipe?

Try here. I've ordered several briskets from these folks and they have been outstanding. The taste and tenderness is incomparable. Once you try one you won't settle for anything less. And, at $2.95 a pound, they're a real bargain. There is a shipping and container charge however.

Bella - The only way I can get a skin on shoulder is to pre-order from my butcher. I've done it both ways (skin on or off) and it's not a big issue with the final result. The crispy skin is just an added bonus. Oloroso is a dry, full-bodied sherry that I'm not sure there is a substitute for. Someone else more expert in sherries may be able to provide a better answer. In any event, you should be able to find it at any decent wine shop.

Bella.... Paula Wolfert's recipe follows: Night-And-Day Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder 1 bone-in, skin-on fresh pork picnic shoulder roast Boston butt (6 to 7 lb.) 1 head garlic 1 tablespoon coarse salt 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano or marjoram 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 large onion, thinly sliced 1 carrot, sliced 1/2 cup oloroso sherry 4 cups chicken stock Crushed hot red pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar 1. Preheat oven to 450F. Score skin in a crisscross diamond pattern like a ham, making deep cuts about 1 inch apart. Separate and peel garlic cloves. In a mortar and pestle, crush garlic, salt, oregano, thyme, and pepper into a coarse paste (or mince garlic, then mix with salt, herbs, and pepper). Rub garlic paste all over roast. 2. Set roast, skin side up, on a rack in an oiled shallow roasting pan. Roast until deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. 3. Scatter onion and carrot slices around pork. Pour 1/2 the sherry and 1/2 the stock into pan. Add chile.. Baste pork with some of the pan juices. Reduce oven temperature to 180F and bake until a thermometer inserted through the center of thickest part at bone reads 170F to 175F, about 12 hours. If pork is done before you're ready to serve, reduce oven temperature to 160F and hold in oven up to 4 hours. 4. About 30 minutes before serving, transfer pork to a carving board. Cover loosely and set in a warm place. Pour remaining sherry and stock into the pan. Bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup. Strain the pan juices into a bowl, pressing on vegetables (discard vegetables). Skim off and discard fat. Stir in vinegar and correct the seasoning. 5. Lift skin off pork and cut it into thick strips; place on a serving platter. Slice meat across the grain and arrange on platter. Pour pan juices over meat.

You may be referring to Paula Wolfert's "Night-And-Day Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder" from her book "The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen". Outstanding dish. Pre-heat the oven to 450F the reduce to 180F and cook overnight. If this rings a bell, let me know and I'll see if I can find the recipe and post it.

I'll 3rd on Teddy Bear. They do have a vegetarian option and are very accomodating. Check the links on their site here.