Wow, so much to learn for a PhM...

[AmosMoses01]

Instead of a PhD, a Physician of Meat!

As I am going through the articles on the main site, I realized that I have long been bought in to a lot of the myths. I'm all about learning, but sort of want to short circuit reading through them all and wanted to ask yall about best strategy for cooking small.

I'm going to get a pellet smoker once I have a covered area completed in my back yard this summer. I will be predominantly cooking for just my wife and I, so that got me to wondering about small batch smoking... For any of y'all in a similar situation, do y'all do that, or is it more common to do "normal size" (family sized) meals and freeze the extra? I have a Weber gas grill, and have historically not frozen stuff, but family sized batches don't always get eaten before stuff is too old.

Thanks for all the information that I have found so far, this place is awesome - I have so much to learn!

[Mudbeaver]

If you do it right it will never get too old

[Mudbeaver]

If you do it right it will never get too old

[Mudbeaver]

Love the name btw, but I thought Amos live by hisself in the swamp?

[AmosMoses01]

Yeah, mobile seems to act differently than using a computer to post. And eventually Amos got out of the swamp and moved to Central Texas! Ha!

[Mudbeaver]

Well supposedly he could eat his weight in groceries as well..... so should be no need for this post.... ah-ha!!!

[Harpeth2018]

This was my problem on my WSM for years until the kids got big enough to eat "real" portions. (Now they steal ribs before I can even get them to the table.) I always cut whatever I bought at the store in half and stored half in ziploc freezer bags to avoid all that waste.

Also, this might sound stupid, but we are a "make-ahead" lunch family and I use that to get rid of leftovers too. I normally make our family's lunches for the week on Sunday and store them in ready-to-go plastic containers. When I cook a bigger piece of meat (pork shoulder, brisket, etc.) on that same day, leftovers can go right into those containers and give the lunches a little variety.

[scottranda]

Cool! Yeah, I can’t wait for my 2 year old to be old enough to chow down and he will ask, "I’m still hungry, is there any more?" Yes son, THERE IS!

[AmosMoses01]

Leftovers for lunch can work for me some of the time, but with work I often have to grab something quick or on the run. We have an empty nest, so no kiddos around until (shudder at the thought of being old enough for this) our daughter has kids. 😂

[boftx]

Since you are an empty nest, I would suggest a Weber kettle with the SnS instead of a pellet smoker. Buy what you want at the store, but cut up and freeze the extra rather than cook it all and then freeze or have as left-overs (unless you plan for the left-overs like I do.)

[RonB]

I suggest getting a vacuum sealer and make larger batches of whatever. Then portion and seal in vacuum bags. That way you can pull a package of whatever out of the freezer , put it in hot water, and have your main course easily prepared. It works for sides too.

[Troutman]

I was thinking the same exact thing, we do this consistently. I just froze four pounds of brisket and two pounds of pastrami for later on. I would think this was an obvious solution.

[carolts]

This is exactly what we do. I love having ribs, pulled pork, and brisket in the freezer. I sometimes find that leftovers taste even better because I haven't been sitting in the smoke all day. A lot of folks don't like the taste or texture of leftover BBQ, but I'm definitely not one of them.

[Randy-Phx]

I like to smoke often so we usually have family and/or friends over to share the meals. It lets me use my smoker without having to eat leftovers for weeks at a time.

[FireMan]

You could also get a dog, it’ll help ya.

[boftx]

Ujjj, you might wind up getting less than you thought if you have a couple of dogs like mine.

[Randy-Phx]

I have one and she's over weight already.

[treesmacker]

Well, I have the same problem, but is even worse since my wife had oral surgery with a greater than six months of no chewing. So, from my experience, it doesn't work making too small of batches with the pellet smoker; it is just too much work, and time spent to get a good cook, so I make reasonable size batches, vacuum pack and freeze what I can't consume in one week. This works out great, especially if you package for individual or couple consumption.
As for the appropriate size and quality of pellet grill, I am extremely happy with my Rec Tec Trailblazer model RT-340 which I think is perfect size for a couple or a small family. So far, I've cooked two split chickens, 3 racks of ribs, 6 pounds of bottom round Jerky, bone-in pork loin roast, chicken lollipops, halibut steaks, whole chicken, roasted peppers, hasselback potatoes, corn on cob, rib-eye steaks, T-bone steaks, pork steaks, and tri-tip steaks; all with good results. I really like the WiFi controller and the way the Rec Tec controller holds extremely stable temperature.

[treesmacker]

Vacuum packed from the freezer also works out great when we take our trailer out - very convenient when we don't want to cook.

[boftx]

I cook what I know we will eat in two days, usually, with a plan for the second day that is not merely leftovers. For example, I did a full slab of short ribs for Independence Day and we had Mongolian beef with fried rice tonight that used up what was left. I usually limit side dish quantities to just one meal. Sometimes I cook enough to be used in three meals, i.e. a medium size pork butt for pulled pork, then enchiladas, and finally a batch of chili. The same can be done with a brisket flat or roast such as a tri-tip.

[Fire Art]

vacuum sealer and Sous vide machine looks like I’m not going to get it ate in couple day in the freezer it goes even frozen in 1 1/2 hr i have a great meal

[LA Pork Butt]

It is just my wife and me, so I don’t usually cook low and slow unless we have company. But, no matter what we cook any leftovers are eaten a day or two later or vacuumed sealed and frozen. We plan meals around what we have.

[AmosMoses01]

Thanks everyone -- it may seem obvious, but I hadn't really thought about getting a vacuum sealer... perhaps that is something in my future. My personal preference over the years has been to eat fresh, and maybe have one or two days of left overs. Things like a pot of red beans or split pea soup have been what I've frozen for later consumption. I will have to break 'old ways' of thinking here.

One of the reasons for getting a pellet smoker is long slow and low cooks - that I either start in the morning before leaving for work or starting at lunch at home - so we can enjoy a supper of smoked goodness. I do plan on having the occasional bigger cook for either church small group folk or (hopefully) the kids and future grand kids when they come home.

Again, thanks for all the feedback - y'all have a great weekend!

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Pulled pork freezes and reheats EXTREMELY well in vacuum seal. You can just plop the bag in a pot of hot water, you can sous vide, you can microwave... whatever, man.

[PappyBBQ]

When I cook "larger portion items" like a chuckie, pork butt, brisket etc I always have plans for using the result in several different recipes. Chuckies are great for tacos, chili, enchiladas, etc. You get the picture. Stuff like ribs is a difference story - ribs is ribs, but I usually only make one rack at a time since it's just me 'n the wife now. You'll learn to plan ahead and multi-purpose the fruits of your smoker! I also like to invite folks over for dinner parties. Haven't had anyone turn me down yet!!