Hello all! My name is Duncan, I live on the south coast of Massachusetts near Providence, RI. I've been smoking meat for about 10 years and doing it on bad equipment for 9. I started on a gas grill using foil packets of wood, then went to a vertical propane smoker. After my last vertical smoker crapped out on me, I decided I needed a COS. I wanted it for the size, but as we all know, it was a pretty miserable owning experience.
Well I love cooking for a crowd (don't we all?) and had an event a friend asked me to do last fall. You see, I'm really a Carolina boy living in Massachusetts and my BBQ (pulled pork for the uninitiated) is something of legend around here. Well my COS had finally rendered itself to basically an unmovable state - friends, I was afraid to even open the lid - but I needed to cook well up in New Hampshire. I needed to do 4 butts to satisfy the crowd and some research led me here to Amazing Ribs. This is the story of how I ended up with a Weber Smoky Mountain - in the 18.5" variety.
So I seasoned my WSM with pork scraps and junk bacon, got an idea of how it would run, and did the unthinkable; I carried that untested smoked up to New Hampshire and proceeded to cook for a crowd of unforgiving Yankees expecting nothing but perfection - they had, after all, heard of my legend. At this point I'm sure you all know that the cook went off without a hitch. I was celebrated in the most classic sense; men wanted to be me, and women wanted to be with me, all for the love of pork. While I reveled in my glory I would be remiss if I did not admit that I felt a bit of shame in the secret I held - if not for the WSM the cook would have been a disaster.
Such a trusty little friend my WSM is. Steady, reliable, and solid like my old splitting axe yet she was new! 11 hours she ran before reloading with charcoal to run another trouble free 7 until completion. I knew then that my WSM must be adorned with lavish gifts such as an Auber temperature controller and iGrill 2 meat thermometer. When someone or something does right by you, it is incumbent on you to do right by it. Now this trusty steed of mine was ready for Thanksgiving.
Having never smoked a turkey before I thought it prudent to practice first, I had always done a fried cajun turkey which was a family favorite. I knew if I didn't snow up with that famed fried bird I had best come with something better or not come at all. So I ordered three birds from my local grower and started two weeks ahead of Thanksgiving following the trusted recipe of The Meathead. The first was an 11 pound bird which genuinely turned out well - although just a bit well done. My biggest stumble on the first go around was the gravy. I didn't put the gravy in the smoker until I put the bird in - by the time the gravy started cooking the bird was done! Shame! Embarrassed by this folly I vowed to make things right for the annual event I hold most dear: Friendsgiving.
Every year the Saturday before Thanksgiving I host a party and invite the closest of our friends. Everyone is to bring a side dish and I will cook turkey and stuffing. I attacked the food prep with the ferocity of a coywolf and though we were not serving until 6 the gravy pan was ready to cook and muffing mix was made by 1. In this instance as soon as got my smoker up to temperature I added the gravy pan - giving it ample time to cook and render those delicious giblets. At the prescribed time I put the turkey in and friends stood by and watched in wonder and amazement when several hours later I pulled off the most beautiful 18 pound bird anyone had ever seen:
Well at this point we all know how the rest of the story goes. Praises were showered, children were named after me, the most sensitive of women's undergarments were thrown at my feet. Thanksgiving itself was even a mild improvement on what had just been produced 4 days prior. It was, in fact, the finest turkey ever produced.
So I am happy to be here, happy to contribute, and happy share tales of success in BBQ with you all. Eat, drink, and be merry!
Well I love cooking for a crowd (don't we all?) and had an event a friend asked me to do last fall. You see, I'm really a Carolina boy living in Massachusetts and my BBQ (pulled pork for the uninitiated) is something of legend around here. Well my COS had finally rendered itself to basically an unmovable state - friends, I was afraid to even open the lid - but I needed to cook well up in New Hampshire. I needed to do 4 butts to satisfy the crowd and some research led me here to Amazing Ribs. This is the story of how I ended up with a Weber Smoky Mountain - in the 18.5" variety.
So I seasoned my WSM with pork scraps and junk bacon, got an idea of how it would run, and did the unthinkable; I carried that untested smoked up to New Hampshire and proceeded to cook for a crowd of unforgiving Yankees expecting nothing but perfection - they had, after all, heard of my legend. At this point I'm sure you all know that the cook went off without a hitch. I was celebrated in the most classic sense; men wanted to be me, and women wanted to be with me, all for the love of pork. While I reveled in my glory I would be remiss if I did not admit that I felt a bit of shame in the secret I held - if not for the WSM the cook would have been a disaster.
Such a trusty little friend my WSM is. Steady, reliable, and solid like my old splitting axe yet she was new! 11 hours she ran before reloading with charcoal to run another trouble free 7 until completion. I knew then that my WSM must be adorned with lavish gifts such as an Auber temperature controller and iGrill 2 meat thermometer. When someone or something does right by you, it is incumbent on you to do right by it. Now this trusty steed of mine was ready for Thanksgiving.
Having never smoked a turkey before I thought it prudent to practice first, I had always done a fried cajun turkey which was a family favorite. I knew if I didn't snow up with that famed fried bird I had best come with something better or not come at all. So I ordered three birds from my local grower and started two weeks ahead of Thanksgiving following the trusted recipe of The Meathead. The first was an 11 pound bird which genuinely turned out well - although just a bit well done. My biggest stumble on the first go around was the gravy. I didn't put the gravy in the smoker until I put the bird in - by the time the gravy started cooking the bird was done! Shame! Embarrassed by this folly I vowed to make things right for the annual event I hold most dear: Friendsgiving.
Every year the Saturday before Thanksgiving I host a party and invite the closest of our friends. Everyone is to bring a side dish and I will cook turkey and stuffing. I attacked the food prep with the ferocity of a coywolf and though we were not serving until 6 the gravy pan was ready to cook and muffing mix was made by 1. In this instance as soon as got my smoker up to temperature I added the gravy pan - giving it ample time to cook and render those delicious giblets. At the prescribed time I put the turkey in and friends stood by and watched in wonder and amazement when several hours later I pulled off the most beautiful 18 pound bird anyone had ever seen:
Well at this point we all know how the rest of the story goes. Praises were showered, children were named after me, the most sensitive of women's undergarments were thrown at my feet. Thanksgiving itself was even a mild improvement on what had just been produced 4 days prior. It was, in fact, the finest turkey ever produced.
So I am happy to be here, happy to contribute, and happy share tales of success in BBQ with you all. Eat, drink, and be merry!
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