Hello from Tokyo

[Quarlow]

Well if they come a knocking you will just have to show them how safe it is by feeding them a nice rack of smoked ribs. ;D

[ArnieM]

Good luck to you Hooner.  I hope it works out.  You may get a lot of company once you start smokin'  ;D

[Tenpoint5]

Welcome Aboard Hooner!! I am quite sure that you will not have any problems or complaints with the neighbors if you bribe them some. Once you get to smoking neighbors tend to just show up usually with the required adult beverages to make things all right in there eyes. Have fun and enjoy.

[Hooner]

I have my new Bradley Smoker in Tokyo!   ;D

At first, I was planning to bring it back to Tokyo as luggage on a trip to the States in March. However, I found that since the box would be overweight and overlength as luggage, I would incur a $200 charge from the airlines. Instead, I had it shipped to Tokyo via FedEx Economy shipping. The cost of shipping was $196, so I suppose I saved $4 and some heavy lifting. FedEx delivered it direct to my door. Amazon, as well as other companies, would not ship the Bradley overseas, so I used a package forwarding company called Shipito.com

Last weekend, I tested it out by seasoning it for about two hours with the special blend bisquettes. Everything worked fine, which is a credit to the Bradley packaging and the shipping from FedEx. I was also curious to see how noticeable the smoke output would be. It was stronger than I expected. The apartment smelled of smoke for about 12 hours after it was done. I'm worried about the neighbors above and next to me, since they are bearing the brunt of the smoke.

Today, one week later, I am doing my first real smoke. I have spare ribs and Japanese sweet potatoes cooking now. As I write this post, watching the smoke out the window from the balcony, I keep expecting someone to come knocking on the door. It was supposed to rain in Tokyo today, and I thought that perhaps the rain would wash away the smell of the smoke. Unfortunately, the rain ended in the morning.

My wife is convinced that I'm crazy, but I'm sure her opinion will change once the ribs are done.

[Tenpoint5]

Sounds like a plan. Let us know how the ribs turn out.

[squirtthecat]

Perhaps you could set up some duct work and a small fan to push the smoke straight out the opening of your balcony, so it doesn't waft around and get into your apartment?

[Tommy3Putts]

Don't know how friendly you are with your neighbors.  But as hinted above.  Invite them over for dinner and serve them some ribs.

Tw

[ArnieM]

Glad to hear you got your smoker and everything is well.  I agree that a small fan might help to push the smoke outside and keep it, or most of it, out of your apartment.

Let us know how you make out with your first smoke - and your neighbors.

[Old_Sarge]

"You see, burning Mesquite, Oak and Hickory incense is an essential part of  Kyu-do, or "Way of the Q", the official religion of my Texas homeland. The smoke returns the spirits of my ritual animal sacrifices to the Great Sky Cowboy, and oh by the way please try a bite of this tasty offering by way of apology for the inconvenience."

[seemore]

Hooner, your neighbors might develope a strong case of Smoker Envy.
Our neighbors around us have, anyways........
Mrs

[Hooner]

The ribs turned out great! I marinated them overnight, and then smoked them for 2 hours with hickory at 200F, and then braised them for another 3 hours in aluminum foil at 220F before splashing on some BBQ sauce for the final 30 minutes. My son must have eaten about a dozen. I'm trying to ween him off the rice and fermented soybeans.

The spare ribs were already cut in pieces at the store instead of on the rack. I really wanted to make baby back ribs, but after calling around I learned that Japanese pork producers do not sell baby back rib cuts. The only way to get baby back ribs is imported from the US. I'll need to go to Costco, which is located on the outskirts of Tokyo.

For my next smoke, I'm thinking that I might try hooking up a fan to blow the smoke out and away from the balcony. That sounds like a great suggestion. I think a lot of the smoke made its way into the apartment through the various exhaust ducts (bathroom, kitchen, etc).