Sin City Pitmaster Wannabe
Hey everyone. I don't remember that exact order of things, but over the past few years I've been working to become WAY better in the kitchen. I've found that control of my kitchen and therefor my food, has lead to a dramatic improvement in my health and, frankly, there is no downside to eating the food I genuinely enjoy in the process. Plus, cooking is just too universal of a skill not to have. (Seriously, in the age of YouTube and digital thermometers, it's just not that hard.)
I've been playing with a pressure cooker, a sous vide water circulator, plus all the normal things like... you know... an oven and a range with a cast iron skillet. I do fermenting, make my own sauces, and in general just really enjoy my time in the kitchen and the response from my family and friends. It's fun being "that guy."
I picked up a Weber kettle a few years ago because after getting married and having a couple kids it seemed like I wasn't a "real" dad without a grill. For the most part, it was just to grill some burgers and brats like my dad. I did some chickens too, but it was really hit or miss.
About a year ago I did some ribs that were mostly a cook in the oven and then finished on the grill. They were great. After that my grill became mostly a finishing tool. Steaks from sous-vide were the most common application along with "diner style" burgers. Still, the ribs sat in the back of my mind. They were great, but I knew I could do better.
A few months ago I decided it was probably time to apply the same sort of study to the grill as I had so many other aspects of the kitchen. As one might imagine, I stumbled onto this site and found tons and tons of good information. Also, as a big follower of Kenji Lopez-Alt, when I saw he'd done the Foreword for Meathead I knew I needed to get a copy.
I read through the non-recipe portion and have just started applying the techniques. I've added a Slow N Sear to my Weber kettle, picked up a Thermoworks Smoke for temperature control, have done a few dry runs, and a really, really, really good chicken. Despite some clear rookie issues, it was still some of the best chicken I have ever tasted.
So I'm hooked. I've got a small brisket going now (I buy my beef 1/4 cow at a time do I've only got about 3 lbs) and am thawing a turkey I picked up in the usual post-Thanksgiving turkey sale for next weekend. I'm hoping this is the year where my turkey is more than just "pretty good." I have a whole pork coming next month (I get my pigs pig at a time) and while I can a really nice pressure cooker + broiler carnitas batch, I don't think it's unreasonable to believe smoking a pork shoulder will produce better flavor than the faux version I make in the pressure cooker.
Anyway, hello. I'm gonna start reading around here and probably asking some pretty basic questions. I'm super excited though. Cooking has become my favorite hobby and I don't think anyone around me is sad about it either!
I've been playing with a pressure cooker, a sous vide water circulator, plus all the normal things like... you know... an oven and a range with a cast iron skillet. I do fermenting, make my own sauces, and in general just really enjoy my time in the kitchen and the response from my family and friends. It's fun being "that guy."
I picked up a Weber kettle a few years ago because after getting married and having a couple kids it seemed like I wasn't a "real" dad without a grill. For the most part, it was just to grill some burgers and brats like my dad. I did some chickens too, but it was really hit or miss.
About a year ago I did some ribs that were mostly a cook in the oven and then finished on the grill. They were great. After that my grill became mostly a finishing tool. Steaks from sous-vide were the most common application along with "diner style" burgers. Still, the ribs sat in the back of my mind. They were great, but I knew I could do better.
A few months ago I decided it was probably time to apply the same sort of study to the grill as I had so many other aspects of the kitchen. As one might imagine, I stumbled onto this site and found tons and tons of good information. Also, as a big follower of Kenji Lopez-Alt, when I saw he'd done the Foreword for Meathead I knew I needed to get a copy.
I read through the non-recipe portion and have just started applying the techniques. I've added a Slow N Sear to my Weber kettle, picked up a Thermoworks Smoke for temperature control, have done a few dry runs, and a really, really, really good chicken. Despite some clear rookie issues, it was still some of the best chicken I have ever tasted.
So I'm hooked. I've got a small brisket going now (I buy my beef 1/4 cow at a time do I've only got about 3 lbs) and am thawing a turkey I picked up in the usual post-Thanksgiving turkey sale for next weekend. I'm hoping this is the year where my turkey is more than just "pretty good." I have a whole pork coming next month (I get my pigs pig at a time) and while I can a really nice pressure cooker + broiler carnitas batch, I don't think it's unreasonable to believe smoking a pork shoulder will produce better flavor than the faux version I make in the pressure cooker.
Anyway, hello. I'm gonna start reading around here and probably asking some pretty basic questions. I'm super excited though. Cooking has become my favorite hobby and I don't think anyone around me is sad about it either!
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