[markaberrant]

My local cheese shop makes their own smoked stilton.  It's ok, not my favourite, I prefer unsmoked stilton.

[ryang]

I've been doing more cheese smoking, and it's generally turning out great.  The latest batch is a mix of cherry/hickory, and it's really nice.  I've been having trouble with the smokinlicious cherry dust, it just won't stay lit by itself.  I've been in touch with them and they are helping me trouble shoot, but it's still not going yet.

I bought some other dust from Maine Grilling Woods, but I haven't tried it yet.  I got a sampler pack, it comes with packages of 10 different woods.  Each package is about 185 grams give or take, although the cedar was only 63 grams.  The total was 1687 grams, including the weight of the little plastic bags.  It looks like the pieces are quite a bit larger than the stuff from smokinlicious, so I'm not confident it will work well with the ProQ smoker, but I'll give it a try and let you know.

Does anyone have a source of dust that has worked reliably with a ProQ smoker?

Have you tried smoking with pellets?  I've not had a single issue with that using the tin can/soldering iron method.
Also, if you've tried with pellets or other forms of wood, do you notice a difference using the dust?  Just curious.  I looked seriously at the ProQSmoker, but decided that $5 for a soldering iron was cheaper.

[nicneufeld]

Finally! Something moldy and smoky...

Sounds like you'd love licking the inside of my WSM a few weeks after I forget to scrub it down after a cook!

[bluesman]

I'm debating on what I want to BBQ and/or smoke over the holidays. I was thinking a Smoked Boston Butt might be in order or some Beef Tenderloin. Accompany that with some Smoked Salmon and my house IPA.

What's on your menu this holiday season folks?

[nicneufeld]

I've been thinking about a tenderloin en croute (Beef Wellington).  Seems rich, indulgent, and by God I might go so unspeakably far as to pair it with port.  Kind of costly, but ah well...

[euge]

I've been thinking about a tenderloin en croute (Beef Wellington).  Seems rich, indulgent, and by God I might go so unspeakably far as to pair it with port.  Kind of costly, but ah well...

Oh sounds so good. I know it may be heresy in a BBQ thread but I'd have Brussels sprouts with it.

[tschmidlin]

Have you tried smoking with pellets?  I've not had a single issue with that using the tin can/soldering iron method.
Also, if you've tried with pellets or other forms of wood, do you notice a difference using the dust?  Just curious.  I looked seriously at the ProQSmoker, but decided that $5 for a soldering iron was cheaper.

I haven't tried it, and since I just ordered a bunch of dust I might not get to it soon   I do have some dust that doesn't really work in the ProQ though, so maybe that would be a good use for it.  So it's a can with some dust in it and you shove a soldering iron in it?  How long will it smoke for, and what kind of temperature rise do you see?

I've been in touch with a guy in Yakima who sells wood, when I get the new order I'll test it and then send some to him for replicating.  I'd rather order it from closer to home instead of having it shipped here from the east coast.

[markaberrant]

So I started my pastrami yesterday.  Went with this recipe - http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/pastrami.html, but swapped the tenderquick out for salt and more sugar.

I'll smoke it with pecan wood on Wednesday.  Should be interesting.

Pulled this off the smoker after 4.5 hours when the internal hit 165F.  Wrapped in foil and towels, then tossed in a cooler for 2 hours.  Pulled it out, sliced some nice and thin, and slapped it on a slightly warmed piece of rye bread.  OH.  MY.  GOD.  So good!!!

Unbelievable how good this stuff is.  I ended up doing the dry cure for 4 days, but I think 3 as indicated in the recipe would be plenty (it is not over salted, but plenty salty enough for me).  I think I would also cut back the pepper in the 2nd rub to 2 tbsp; again, the pepper is not overdone, but I wouldn't want it any stronger, and I like spice.

I tossed the rest of it in the fridge to firm up.  I'm borrowing a meat slicer from a buddy tonight, so I'll shave it all up, split into portions, vacuum seal and freeze.

This was well worth it, I'll definitely be making this again.

[tschmidlin]

That sounds awesome, I'm glad it turned out well.   But where are the pictures?

[markaberrant]

That sounds awesome, I'm glad it turned out well.   But where are the pictures?

Ok, Ok, I'll take some pics tonight after slicing it up.  It isn't red, as I left out the nitrates.  I was reading about sausage making a few days ago, and supposedly you can add ascorbic acid (vitamin C), which will give it the same colour as using nitrates, but I really don't care.

[markaberrant]

First things, first.  A beer.  For tonight, a glass of dry hopped, 4.5% saison:



Here is my flat:



And here is the finished product:



After I got the meat split up and packaged, I made myself a "chef's sandwich" consisting of the all the end pieces that were full of peppery smoky goodness.  And then washed it down with another glass of saison. 

Twas a good night, indeed.

[tschmidlin]

That looks fantastic!

[bluesman]

Great looking brisket mark!  

[nicneufeld]

The non-nitrate cure keeps me doubletaking, as that doesn't "look" like cured meat, but its the salt that really does the job.  Looks great!

[redbeerman]

Very nice!  Gotta love a well cooked brisket.