Hello from Maywood NJ

Hello,
I am Tim I live in Maywood NJ. I owned a WSM 18.5 back in 2009 but after a divorce to a horrible women I lost my smoker. Its now 2015 and I have an amazing wife and a newborn and its time to get back to what I love. I got a weber performer when we first bought our house in 2012 but it didn't really re light my fire. After this awful winter I am ready to get back into it. I am getting ready to hit the order button on a new WSM just not sure if I should do a 18.5 or a 22''. Also back in 2009 I made promise to myself that I would enter a completion. I am looking to make that become a reality, so if anyone can lead me in the direction of a good first low key competition that would be great. I look forward to learning some new tricks and some great banter.


Cheers,
Tim

Glad you are here. Though I have never competed, I would think that the more cooking area the better. I am sure others with experience will chime in. Enjoy your new life.

Hi, Tim. I live just up the road, in Fair Lawn. Welcome back to smoking! Not much more experience than you, but good luck!

Welcome to tue forum Tim!

Hi Tim. Welcome. I own an 18.5 and have had it for a few weeks. Our weather has kept me from cooking the last couple of weeks and I know what you guys up there are going through as I have family in NY. Anyway, I thought I had read on the forums that the 18.5 burns fuel a little more efficiently and of course it uses less fuel. I'm sure other with far more expertise than I will offer their insights. Glad you've joined us.

Welcome! You're right around the corner from me too! I'm in Elmwood park. Welcome to the site. Lots of great advice from everyone here and some of the pics are incredible.

As far as competing. I myself don't have the time to but my guess if you are looking to complete is this. Since nj really isn't into bbq yet but it is getting better the only contests that I know if is the one in seaside in sept. I think it's called "q by the sea" and then there is one in wildwood in like mid July.
Also fairway on rt17 has like a firemans competition in the parking lot I'm not sure when and if you can compete but you can certainly call and find out.
Lastly check the website for the "mid Atlantic bbq association" it maybe worth the membership to join and see what's around here. I hope this helps

For what it's worth I have a 22" wsm that I love. (Too bad it's covered in snow)It's a little too big for the two of us but when we entertain it's perfect. I may look into buying a 14"
Happy q-ing!!!!

Thank you all so much for the welcomes and great to meet some locals. Also to the locals what are your shopping spots around here for supplies? Thank you again for the warm welcome!

hi Tim , hit the button! I just did on the 22" not here yet till next week.

TimD said:

Thank you all so much for the welcomes and great to meet some locals. Also to the locals what are your shopping spots around here for supplies? Thank you again for the warm welcome!

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I mostly buy my meat from Shoprite (I like the one on rt 4 for meat the best Lodi is decent but rt4 is better) because of convince and price for every day meats like chicken and steak. If I want something special see below:

To get a good brisket around here I'm having difficulty because the only butcher that I know of is Swiss pork store which I think specializes in pork not in beef. I've had good luck going to food bazaar in Union city (my husband grew up there). I also think fairway maybe a good choice (I've never got one there so I don't know) bjs never has brisket if they do its around a holiday and its meh. I've only made a brisket twice though

Bjs is good for large packs of chicken and chuck roast.
For turkeys- goffle poultry farm in Hawthorne. A little more but they are freshly killed.

Everyone says to go to restaurant depot and they will take me (you need to own a business and I havent done the KCBS membership thing yet) with thier membership but sometimes I like to smoke on a whim. Restaurant depot may be an excellent choice providing you have a membership.

My next venture is to go to the place where tyce farms used to be...I can't remember the name.

Hope this helps but keep in mind these are from my experiences.

Happy Bbqing!!

Welcome to the group Tim.

TimD said:

Thank you all so much for the welcomes and great to meet some locals. Also to the locals what are your shopping spots around here for supplies? Thank you again for the warm welcome!

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I have to admit, I shop either at Shop-Rite or BJ's, though the stuff I've had from the Swiss Pork Store in FL is excellent.