The Smoker Arrived!

jiggerjams · April 29, 2010, 09:20:39 PM

Free range chickens in the basement?

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 08:06:30 AM

OH going on inside? Parrots hanging around on their cages and on the "super highway" strung from the ceiling - they fly around the house. The cats are old and are only interested in the teeny birds, which they can't get to. It isn't house beautiful and there are a lot of nut shells and newspapers on the floor but whatever. The Shop Vac gets a lot of use. They also love meat and barbecue.

It would be great to have you along with the first smoke and even the seasoning. After the seasoning, a pork butt is going in for a 2-3 hour smoke, then pulled and finished in the oven and then FTC while I throw in a chicken for a smoke; Sunday want to do a couple racks of ribs. There will be MEAT one way or another this weekend!!!

Question - can I use apple juice instead of water in the little bowl that catches the burnt bisquettes? Or is that bad because of the sugar and acid in apple juice? Maybe better to just stick with splashing the ribs with apple juice when being wrapped in foil before going in the oven after the smoking, yes?

OU812 · April 30, 2010, 09:52:40 AM

You can put what ever you want in the drip bowl.

I've used red wine before, the apple juice I use when cookin is sugar free.

Heck you could even use the marinade you used to soak the meat in.

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 10:34:27 AM

That sounds good to me, then. Just as long as there is something in the bowl, it doesn't matter. Thank you!

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 11:13:07 AM

Yet another question - I ordered the Maverick ET7 dual probe. Should I have gotten the ET-73? Did I get the wrong one or again, does it really matter?

squirtthecat · April 30, 2010, 11:14:54 AM

Naw, you'll be fine. It's actually a little more flexible than the ET-73. You can use the 2nd probe as either a meat probe, or hang from one of the racks to monitor the cabinet temperature.

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 11:21:04 AM

Thank you, squirtthecat. From the dates of the reviews on Amazon, it appears that the ET7 is a newer model than the ET73 and is slightly higher in price. Just obsessing. Stuck at desk at work and would rather be tearing membranes off of ribs or messing with smoker or something.

classicrockgriller · April 30, 2010, 11:21:52 AM

Take some pics of some of them birds.

squirtthecat · April 30, 2010, 11:23:13 AM

Quote from: Parrot Person on April 30, 2010, 11:21:04 AM
Stuck at desk at work and would rather be tearing membranes off of ribs or messing with smoker or something.

I hear ya... I went out at lunch and snagged 3 roaster chickens (69 cents/lb) and a corned beef flat on sale.. Can't do anything with them until tonight.

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 02:39:32 PM

Quote from: classicrockgriller on April 30, 2010, 11:21:52 AM
Take some pics of some of them birds.

Let's see if this works - yah, worked. This is one of the African Greys eating a piece of pomegranate.

classicrockgriller · April 30, 2010, 02:43:43 PM

Nice! thanks

KevinG · April 30, 2010, 03:09:59 PM

Not a fan of the African Greys, I had a Timneh and that thing was mean as hell. He bit me so freekin hard, blood was squirting while I was flinging him around on what was left of my finger. Switched to an Umbrella Cockatoo, best bird I ever owned. Sucks that I had to get rid of him. Neighbors in the apartment complex complained about his screaming while I was gone.

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 03:17:47 PM

Quote from: KevinG on April 30, 2010, 03:09:59 PM
Not a fan of the African Greys, I had a Timneh and that thing was mean as hell. He bit me so freekin hard, blood was squirting while I was flinging him around on what was left of my finger. Switched to an Umbrella Cockatoo, best bird I ever owned. Sucks that I had to get rid of him. Neighbors in the apartment complex complained about his screaming while I was gone.

Neighbors will probably complain about smoking, too but you can't give THAT up, right?

KevinG · April 30, 2010, 03:25:05 PM

Don't have to worry about that now. Finally got enough money to move to a house. I went back to where I sold him, but he was long gone. :'(

Parrot Person · April 30, 2010, 03:52:57 PM

Kudos for trying to find him again. Hope he got a good home. At least now you have your own house, though. Preferable to apartment dwelling. No common walls and always a place to park and smoking at will.