I just joined the dark side... i went electric with a remote smoker.  It is a masterbuilt, fairly small in capacity... it came out of the box and was seasoned last night for about four hours... while that was going on i pulled some pork ribs and stripped the membrane, dried them, coated lightly in olive oil, and rubbed them in my wife's custom rub...


this morning i pulled the ribs out of the fridge and let them sit on the counter for about an hour or so, fired up the smoker- pecan chips, and set it to 230* for five hours 45 minutes.. i'm about three hours into it right now.







I got the smoker for free- part of a 'congrats you've put up with us for 15 years' thing my company puts on.. i crossed that line a few months ago, but just now getting the stuff.  I'd never have bought this on my own- preferring to use standard smokers (but just because i'm a cheapskate). 


I highly rec them... i couldn't stand it- i pulled one of the half rack out and sliced a rib off... dunked it in some homemade sauce my neighbor does that is fantastic- and..... bliss.... the smoke is throughout the meat.  that's the first time i've managed that all by myself. 


anyone got any good smoking specific recipes?  I've got a whole pig in my freezer, and both a standing rib eye roast and a tenderloin, both in the 15# class... I'm thinking pork belly next?

had poppers last night from jalapeno's grown in the garden, and bacon from a pig harvested in the spring (and frozen until recently).  cream cheese was from store, and of the chive and onion variety.  i eat them all the time- my wife's creation... i prefer the bacon crisp. 

the 'fattie' sounds like something a guy who works for me makes- and pretty dang good.  i really like the things he has made and shared with us, from brisket to turkey (and i'm not a turkey fan), but i need to figure out what woods he uses to smoke with- it's terrible. 

the pecan chips i just used impart a straight up sweet flavor- the ends i cut off the pork ribs burst with flavor like a piece of bubbleicious - sweet and with a twang, too.  I'm sure the 'twang' came from the apple cider vinager, Worcestershire, 1/4 tspoon of minced garlic cloves (about a cup and a half) in the pan during smoking. 

the internal temperature of those things sniffed 170* after about four hours, so- i pulled them, slathered them with that sauce my neighbor makes, wrapped them in foil pretty tightly- put them back in for about half an hour more... they're standing in the wrap on the counter now, and it's killing me not to attack them... i may have pulled one rib off already- and which makes me guilty of biggest smokers sin.   

they were fantastic- according to my wife too tough, but just right for me... i prefer a little resistance when i'm pulling a bone or tearing a chunk free with my jawals... feels... medieval.... yup...

the smoke was thoroughly through the meat... first time i've ever pulled that off... using a grill as a smoker, i usually get that light red ring just under the surface.  this one was throughout.  i dig that, too.

lesson learned about the little remote- if you turn it on last, the smoker takes the cue from it... won't do that again..