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Lambtastic

This is lamb weekend. Some folks call it Easter weekend. I’m doing two legs of lamb - right leg and left leg. Both are about 4.7 lbs, $5.99 per pound. Today, Saturday, I’m going to smoke one based on this recipe, and tomorrow I’m going to Sous Vide one based on the same recipe I’ve used in the past. Sarah likes meat more well-done than I do, and with lamb I don’t mind that much, so my target is medium-well.

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Pork Butt for Friends

We’ve got some of Sarah’s best friends in town, and some of their family is coming over Sunday, so I’m busting out the smoker to feed everybody. Time for some pulled pork!

2030, Friday: salted the 15 lbs butt with 2.5 Tbsp salt. It’s in the fridge now until Saturday night, when I’ll put 1 cup rub on and start it smoking at 225℉.

2215, Saturday: put the butt on the smoker at 225℉, after putting the rub on.

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Smoked Steaks

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One of my best buddies got us some steaks for our wedding, and now it’s time to smoke a couple of them! Four of the steaks are half pound fillet mignons, so I’m smoking two. I’m wrapping two slices of applewood bacon around each steak, putting 1/4 tsp salt on each, and smoking them at 225℉. I’ll use the thermometers, smoking them to 130℉, then searing top and bottom on cast iron.

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More Jerky!

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Alright, time for more beef jerky. This time I found top round roast for $3.99 per pound. I’m using the same recipe as last time, but it’s 3.5 lbs so I multiplied the marinade by about 1.5. I sliced the meat more along the grain than last time, and also slightly thicker.

1530: Meat is in the marinade.

1020 Sunday: Meat is on the smoker, 175℉, vents half open this time cause why not, that’s what I normally do.

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Smoking Salmon

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Smoked salmon is one of my favorite foods. A luxury, truly. But, it’s much more reasonable when you can smoke it yourself. Salmon prices are at $8.99 a pound at Costco right now, which is a couple bucks more than I’m used to. Still worth it.

I’m using the same recipe I always use, with a bit over 5 lbs of salmon. This salmon was packed a couple days ago, unusually. Normally the Costco salmon on display is all packed the same day. It must sell out quickly, it is always beautiful. This fish still had a sell by day 4 days in the future, though. And it still looked beautiful. There was little liquid in the tray, the fillets were spotless… And they were $1 less per pound than the same day-packed stuff. Unpackaging the salmon, I sniffed for any unexpected scents, and looked for any defects with the fish. I found none.

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Trying Out Beef Jerky

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My brother-in-law gave me a taste of some of his homemade beef jerky a couple weekends ago, and it was fantastic! Apparently it was also easy to make. Easy, delicious, I’m gonna try it! He used a dehydrator, but I plan to use a smoker to keep my wife’s dehydrator from getting strong flavors stuck in it.

https://www.foxvalleyfoodie.com/homemade-beef-jerky

Jason’s Recommended Starting Recipe

I got a 2.5 lbs bottom round steak, sliced it thin, then started it in the marinade below at 2130. I plan to marinade for over 12 hours, then smoke the slices at 175℉ for 4 hours or so.

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Brisket and Salmon Again

I ran out of brisket too quickly last time… It makes a fantastic sandwich with Philly Cream Cheese (strangely enough). Then I eat a bunch of salmon on bagels, with Philly Cream Cheese… The discovery that it’s the right cheese for both sandwiches has made shopping easier.

The brisket is 15.5 lbs, $2.99 per pound. Salmon is 6 lbs, didn’t get the price before tossing the package. We have to move in July and I hope I can keep up this hobby at the next stop in life.

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Brisket and Salmon!


Just got married, just got honeymooned, just got back to work… Time for some food!

17 lbs brisket, $61, 6 lbs salmon $9 per pound. Using the same recipe as usual.

2120: Brisket went on the smoker. 4.5 Tbsp salt, 4.5 Tbsp pepper, 2.25 Tbsp garlic powder.

2200: Fish is brining.

0530: Brisket at 165 and 166. Crutched it, and turned temperature up to 250. Also, moved fish to drying.

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Brisket Numero Quatro

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Well, there’s the possibility that the brisket I did last weekend won’t be enough meat…  And there’s the fact that I can get another one done in time…  So I’m making another brisket!  We’ll just try for a repeat performance…

14.1 lbs of brisket at $3.99 a pound…

1045, 21 Jul: Brisket went on, fat cap up, 225℉.  I should check the temperature after 8 hours, at 0645.

0900, 22 Jul: The flat passed 166℉ a couple hours ago, but the point was only at 162℉.  Now, the flat is at about 175℉, while the point is at 165℉…  I wrapped it and increased the smoker temperature to 250℉.  This step took a little longer than last time, but then I was doing to finish up further ahead of the party than I wanted anyway, so the timing should be ok.  After wrapping I kept the fat cap on top.

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Brisket Numero Tres

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It’s time to make the brisket for our Maryland wedding party!  I’m pumped.  Goals this time - turn up the temperature to 250℉ earlier, or put it in the oven for a long time.  I don’t want to go more than 24 hours, I can’t go for nearly that long…  Cut off less fat than last time.  Keep the fat cap on top…

The slab of meat I got was a full brisket, point and flat, 14.6 lbs and $3.99 a pound.  Brisket has gone up in price, maybe it’s the season.  When I first did this last winter, it was at about $2 a pound, now it’s double that.  I guess I can’t wait to smoke a brisket in winter again.

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