A year ago (?) we began smoking meat with a couple of friends. Seriously. It just tastes so much better. I also would like to point out that I use the term "we" loosely here. This is the first smoking of 3, maybe 4, that I have even seen. Up until this one, it has a cult-ish, secret initiation type vibe as it was much talked about, and unseen by mine eyes. I saw it mostly because it was our turn to host it at our house and foot the electrical bill. (Which was so not as bad as I thought it would be.) Turns out the actual smoking consists of checking the thermometer a bunch of times, futzing around with draft holes, and drinking scotch. And maybe or maybe not shooting air rifles at targets. Now I realize that not everyone is going to do this as it takes a lot of time to prepare and a ton of time to smoke it. Not that I would know, a fact for which I am extremely pleased. Here are a couple shots from the last smoking, or
meating. I like both terms
interchangeably.
I believe in this picture, there is some rubbing of briskets. I have never tasted anything so good meat-wise after tasting this for the first time. I have no idea how much they smoked, but I think we ended up with three briskets in our freezer, which is a little too few for my comfort.
This was stuffing the casing for the salami. Which, by the way, was phenomenal. As a sidnote, the immature gal in me giggles at this picture. I had no part in creating it or planning for it or the actual smoking of it. And that's the way I like it. Because I was useless in the process, I can gush and ooo and aah over this meat. I'll provide food and booze for the smokers until the cows come home. I have heard allusions, stories and other sordid tales that the womenfolk (Throw in a facetious air quote here, please) might be invited (again......air quotes.) to help this time. Ironically, we might be put on overnight shift. Ah, no. You really don't want someone in charge of a 24-48 hour process whom has a great deal of trouble making it past 9 pm on a school night.
These are three pork bellies (I seriously never knew that pork bellies really existed. I just thought it was something made up for "Trading Places".) Again, Iwill never go back to store bought bacon if I can have any say whatsoever about it. These are actually hanging in the smoker.
These are briskets on the left in front and also on the right with the fat cap facing the other direction. Behind those: summer sausage. We have given away a couple sausage bits, but I don't think we have personally eaten any of the summer sausage we made. I'm not really a summer sausage fan. Country sausage, sure, love it. Bratwurst sausage, yep you betcha. Summer? Eh. Reminds me of those Hickory Farms Christmas packages/boxes that my dad would get every year with the mini jars of jam and mini pinwheels of cheese. Most sausage I like without complaint.
I believe in this picture, there is some rubbing of briskets. I have never tasted anything so good meat-wise after tasting this for the first time. I have no idea how much they smoked, but I think we ended up with three briskets in our freezer, which is a little too few for my comfort.
This was stuffing the casing for the salami. Which, by the way, was phenomenal. As a sidnote, the immature gal in me giggles at this picture. I had no part in creating it or planning for it or the actual smoking of it. And that's the way I like it. Because I was useless in the process, I can gush and ooo and aah over this meat. I'll provide food and booze for the smokers until the cows come home. I have heard allusions, stories and other sordid tales that the womenfolk (Throw in a facetious air quote here, please) might be invited (again......air quotes.) to help this time. Ironically, we might be put on overnight shift. Ah, no. You really don't want someone in charge of a 24-48 hour process whom has a great deal of trouble making it past 9 pm on a school night.
These are three pork bellies (I seriously never knew that pork bellies really existed. I just thought it was something made up for "Trading Places".) Again, Iwill never go back to store bought bacon if I can have any say whatsoever about it. These are actually hanging in the smoker.
These are briskets on the left in front and also on the right with the fat cap facing the other direction. Behind those: summer sausage. We have given away a couple sausage bits, but I don't think we have personally eaten any of the summer sausage we made. I'm not really a summer sausage fan. Country sausage, sure, love it. Bratwurst sausage, yep you betcha. Summer? Eh. Reminds me of those Hickory Farms Christmas packages/boxes that my dad would get every year with the mini jars of jam and mini pinwheels of cheese. Most sausage I like without complaint.
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