Howdy from Arizona

KevinG · October 09, 2009, 09:12:11 AM

Quote from: squirtthecat on October 09, 2009, 09:08:23 AM

Welcome KevinG!

We can go from hot to freezing cold here IL, but that is just our crazy weather, the elevation remains pretty much the same from tip to tip.

You can smoke ribs and pork butt at home, then take the Bradley with you to the mountains to do some cheese..

I used to live in IL, in the Northwest side of Chicago. Haven't been back in a while, but sure do miss the people. Always a friendly face back there.

Kevin

squirtthecat · October 09, 2009, 09:16:05 AM

Ahh, I'm sure you enjoy your winters out there better..
The big Chicago Marathon is this weekend, and it'll be in the 30s when the race starts.

I live down closer to St Louis.

KevinG · October 09, 2009, 09:21:03 AM

Yea, winters are a little milder, but it I do miss throwing snowballs at cars and getting chased by angry drivers. Ha Ha. Of course I'm a little too old for that now. One thing I don't miss is the mosquitoes in the warm weather.

Kevin

La Quinta · October 12, 2009, 10:48:53 PM

Glad to see another hot weather compadre.....it does pose challenges, as you may see....but...dang...when the weather is nice....it's really nice.

Nice for us girls to hear about your "stick" as well... ???

KevinG · October 13, 2009, 12:19:40 PM

Couldn't help myself on that one, I tried to keep it clean but it was left wide open.
;)
Kevin

La Quinta · October 14, 2009, 07:19:38 PM

Yeah...pretty funny too!!! :D

NePaSmoKer · October 14, 2009, 08:01:09 PM

Arizona, where bouts would that be? Oh its over by LQ'S way

La Quinta · October 14, 2009, 11:08:26 PM

Yeah just over 100 or so miles away!!!! :) Well at leat the border anyway!!

KevinG · October 15, 2009, 08:40:34 AM

Well if you're at the border, I'll be as close to you as possible with out being in your backyard in November. I'll be on a deer hunt in Nogales on the Arizona side. Scare some up my way for me would ya!

Kevin

LindaCC · October 16, 2009, 02:19:21 PM

Welcome KevinG. I'm a newbie too. Having a great time. Had my 1st smoke just yesterday. Turned out amazing. Next Rib Roast tomorrow.

KevinG · October 16, 2009, 06:03:42 PM

You're a little more adventurous than I, I've only tried a couple of chickens and some cheese. I still need a little more experience before moving on to the big stuff. I already messed up on all of them, the first chicken I went into a panic because the internal temp never got above 140, the other chicken (too salty), and the cheese was too overpowering (according to my friends). Live and learn! I'll get it right one of these times. :)

Kevin

Tenpoint5 · October 16, 2009, 07:46:45 PM

Quote from: KevinG on October 16, 2009, 06:03:42 PM
You're a little more adventurous than I, I've only tried a couple of chickens and some cheese. I still need a little more experience before moving on to the big stuff. I already messed up on all of them, the first chicken I went into a panic because the internal temp never got above 140, the other chicken (too salty), and the cheese was too overpowering (according to my friends). Live and learn! I'll get it right one of these times. :)

Kevin

Kevin if it was too overpowering it sounds like you didn't let it rest in the back of the fridge for 10 days or so. The cheese will really mellow out during that time. NW of Chicago is that Rockford? or more like Crystal Lake?

Quarlow · October 16, 2009, 07:51:47 PM

Definitely Kevin you have to let it sit for at least 10 days. I let mine sit 14 days but I tried a little right away. It was like licking an ashtray.

ArnieM · October 16, 2009, 08:13:13 PM

I think 10 days is a minimum. I opened the first of my last batch yesterday, mozzarella, 15 days. It was pretty nice. I had a bit more today - maybe even better. I still have the cheddar, pepper jack and Swiss sitting in the fridge. It's a difficult thing, but it's worth it.

KevinG · October 16, 2009, 10:36:38 PM

Tenpoint - I was actually in the Northwest side of Chicago in the city. I do have relatives all over the place though, Palatine, Franklin Park, Elk Grove Village, Hawthorn Woods, and Schaumburg to name a few.

I did let my cheese sit for 5 days, I guess that might not have been long enough. I think I made another blunder too, which was to cut the cheese up in 1" chunks before smoking. I think between the two, it was a little too much. My next batch, I'm going to switch to apple wood instead of hickory, smoke for only 1 hour instead of two, and leave the cheese whole instead of cutting it up, and finally leave it set for 10 days instead of 5. Hopefully that will clean out the ashtray effect.

Kevin

Howdy from Arizona

squirtthecat

NePaSmoKer