Recent content by ChadVKealey

My most used cooker is an 18" kettle fitted with a Cajun Bandit "stacker". For smoking, I have a diffuser plate below the lower grate. For grilling, I take that plate and lower grate out and let the drippings fall on the coals. Makes for some fantastic chicken wings & thighs. For high-heat...

That's kind of what I'm leaning toward as I think it'll require less time to reheat. I can add some beef broth and tallow to keep it from drying out while reheating.

Due to a variety of factors, I need to cook our Christmas brisket on Monday (12/23). I've done a day ahead before, keeping the brisket in a cooler, then warm oven until serving time, but never this far in advance. So, my primary question is: how "done" should I cook it Monday? Like, can I...

That's what I figured. I just don't understand why they made the default sound so bloody loud.

I have a ThermoWorks Smoke X2 with the Billows fan and use it for many overnight cooks. The problem is that I'm usually out setting things up at 10-11 PM and just the power on beep echoes through our neighborhood like a fire siren. Anyone know if it's possible to make that device completely silent?

I freeze it before hand and smoke at 225 for about 30 minutes. I've tried a bunch of different rubs on it but keep coming back to this: https://www.twinpinesfarmct.com/all/kickin-maple-honey-rub

This is my first observance of this most sacred of holidays in a few years. I just finished prepping a 15# brisket and a 10# Boston butt. It's also my MIL's birthday and she demands burnt ends, so I already separated the flat & point (much easier to do when it's cold). Also baking her cakes...

Actually, quite well. The weather on Christmas day ended up being cold but calm, so I fired up the pseudo-WSM to 275 and finished the flat in a hotel pan with a bit of drippings from my freezer stash. I had it on a small wire rack so it wasn't stewing and it only took a couple hours to get it...

I save excess drippings from briskets past in the freezer. Usually, I'll take a cup or two of that, mix with a little Worcestershire and brown sugar and use it as a finishing sauce of sorts, but it should make a good braising liquid, too.

Thanks, that's the way I was leaning.

I've got a 12 pound brisket (split into flat and point) on my pseudo-WSM (Weber 18" kettle with a Cajun Bandit stacker) today for tomorrow's dinner. Given the weather here in eastern PA (high of 17 with 20-30 MPH winds), I was planning to smoke them to about 170, then finish in the oven. I've...

I'm doing a cleanout of my old shed and found some remains from an SS Performer. Specifically: the charcoal bin (no holes, solid but dusty), the plate that covers the tank/valve (with the lighting instructions), a couple of the utensil hooks, the regulator/hose and two NIB swivel casters. I also...

Good to know. I do a lot of pork, not so much lamb. I know it also tends to burn pretty hot, so might be better for grilling than smoking.

So, I have a couple of dogwood trees that need to come down (both were killed by pine trees that sprouted up nearby and strangled the roots). I'm wondering if it might make good smoke wood. I've never heard of anything being "dogwood smoked", but I suspect it might improve the bark on my pulled...

I've got the alarms silenced, but just the beep that sounds when you power on the Smoke X or press any of the buttons is loud enough to wake the dead (or at least the neighbor's kid). I haven't found a way to disable that entirely.