I finally got back to the bullet.
Opening it up after about three months, I've solved the age-old question: yes. mold and fungus can grow inside the smoker. especially inside a water pan filled with grease. Yuck.
I smoked two turkey breasts first. I used hardwood charcoal and pecan wood. Once the smoker got up to 350, it stayed hot, even though it was about 50* and raining. I made a mistake using the Texas BBQ #1 rub, which really doesn't go with turkey. But after about 2 hours, I got two juicy breasts. (4 actually, since the lovely thing about breasts is that they travel in pairs.) Next time I'll finish them off in a 500* oven for about 10-15 minutes to crisp up the skin.
Another thermometer failure. The food probe on my Maverick registered 120 when plunged into a refrigerated breast. I guess the fungus on the cord screwed it up. Luckily I had a Polder lying around and it was willing to work today.
Since I still had a hot smoker, i decided to throw on a corned beef. Why not. It's been going for about 6 hours and has been hovering at 160 for a while. I haven't been doing too well with the temp (damn that hardwood runs hot). it's been fluctuating between 220 and at 270 at the lid. Notwithstanding the pouring rain. Oh well. I'm sure it will be delic if it ever finishes.
I also made a carrot cake, since i really didn't want to do the work that absolutely must get done. But I didn't have walnuts, so I diced up 3/4 of an apple and increased the cinnamon and ginger. How bad can it be?
Opening it up after about three months, I've solved the age-old question: yes. mold and fungus can grow inside the smoker. especially inside a water pan filled with grease. Yuck.
I smoked two turkey breasts first. I used hardwood charcoal and pecan wood. Once the smoker got up to 350, it stayed hot, even though it was about 50* and raining. I made a mistake using the Texas BBQ #1 rub, which really doesn't go with turkey. But after about 2 hours, I got two juicy breasts. (4 actually, since the lovely thing about breasts is that they travel in pairs.) Next time I'll finish them off in a 500* oven for about 10-15 minutes to crisp up the skin.
Another thermometer failure. The food probe on my Maverick registered 120 when plunged into a refrigerated breast. I guess the fungus on the cord screwed it up. Luckily I had a Polder lying around and it was willing to work today.
Since I still had a hot smoker, i decided to throw on a corned beef. Why not. It's been going for about 6 hours and has been hovering at 160 for a while. I haven't been doing too well with the temp (damn that hardwood runs hot). it's been fluctuating between 220 and at 270 at the lid. Notwithstanding the pouring rain. Oh well. I'm sure it will be delic if it ever finishes.
I also made a carrot cake, since i really didn't want to do the work that absolutely must get done. But I didn't have walnuts, so I diced up 3/4 of an apple and increased the cinnamon and ginger. How bad can it be?