Memorial Day, what are you cooking?

[Chris Cognac]

Well Chris, this comes too late to help you decide what to have with your skewers and sauces.... What did you make to go with them? I enjoyed the thread, though... thanks for starting it.

We grilled Kobe burgers and sausages and had a corn, avocado, sweet onion and etc. salsa as side dish.

Well,I ended up with some fat new yorks that I just added some dry steak rub too and they were awesome...I also did a shrimp skewer w onion and red peppers...covered in that costco chipotle rassberry glaze....mmmmm....plus HUGE baked russets with chedder,sourcream and butter....oh yea.....it was great...nice sunny day,good steak and cold beer in the yard....doesnt get much better than that.

[phaelon56]

I ended up with a grand total of three people including myself (although I'd only projected five maximum and two were always tentative). Lots of leftovers. We had:

Salsa and lime-tortilla chips

Baked pita wedges with hummous and roasted red pepper

Chilled raspberry/strawberry soup with kimi-lime sauce and cantalope bits

Collard greens with smoked turkey - cooked w/blood orange balsamic white vinegar

Smoked spareribs with dryrub

Sweet corn

Potato salad

Red Ame (beverage)

This may be the first holiday I've ever done the cooking for and it was great fun - I just need a larger crowd next time.

[Toliver]

We did our holiday get-together on Sunday. I was in the mood for some good BBQ (it's the beginning of Summer and the weather is great so it makes perfect sense) but, alas, I was in the minority. Everyone else had decided it was going to be a Mexican Fiesta.

My oldest brother made spicy shrimp tostadas. He made his own frijoles (don't ask me for a recipe...he's a freakin' "savant" in the kitchen, throwing this and that together and always ending up with something incredible).

My sister-in-law made fish tacos that were just as good as what Rubio's (a local chain that isn't just local anymore) makes. You could actually taste the beer in the beer batter on the fish. She even duplicated the white sauce they use to top the tacos. I am anxious to try that beer batter on some onion rings!

My other brother did actually grill some chicken & pork adobo that he and my SIL had bought at a local mexican market. The pork adobo was astoundingly good! They also bought freshly made corn and flour tortillas (my SIL lucked out and was there when the market received its shipment of fresh tortillas).

I ended up making the margaritas for everyone, guaranteeing a good time was had by all.

[phaelon56]

Unfortunately, the water pan on my electric smoker developed some pin holes in the bottom. I may have to replace the entire smoker. Darn

I suggest checking with an auto supply store. There may be a sort of liquid paste or goop that you can apply in thin successive layers to pinholes that will seal them up adequately. If that fails you can probably find a shallow mixing bowl that will fit in well enough to rest inside the existing bowl. I'm amazed that after five years of life and four winters outdoors (the last one without a cover on it!), my $70 Charbroil electric smoker is still cranking and oing a great job. There's a small bit of rust on the flat plate unde the heating element but it's still in one piece and cleans up nicely.

[mnebergall]

Unfortunately, the water pan on my electric smoker developed some pin holes in the bottom.  I may have to replace the entire smoker.  Darn  

I suggest checking with an auto supply store. There may be a sort of liquid paste or goop that you can apply in thin successive layers to pinholes that will seal them up adequately. If that fails you can probably find a shallow mixing bowl that will fit in well enough to rest inside the existing bowl. I'm amazed that after five years of life and four winters outdoors (the last one without a cover on it!), my $70 Charbroil electric smoker is still cranking and oing a great job. There's a small bit of rust on the flat plate unde the heating element but it's still in one piece and cleans up nicely.

Ordered a new one from Brinkmann. About $12. Also ordered some special water pan foil inserts. Should make clean up much easier.