Providing for the table

[FmGrowit]

Do you guys want a forum for this kind of stuff (Hunting, Fishing, Harvesting wild food stuff, The Pit (bbq) etc. ).

Let me know and if so, how do you want it broken down...maybe start a new thread for it.

 

[Steve2md]

i like that idea! A new thread would probably work
maybe "Self sustainability"?

 

[leverhead]

Or maybe "Other Eccentricity's"

 

[Boboro]

Or maybe "Other Eccentricity's"

We'd get lost in that one.

 

[johnlee1933]

Do you guys want a forum for this kind of stuff (Hunting, Fishing, Harvesting wild food stuff, The Pit (bbq) etc. ).

Let me know and if so, how do you want it broken down...maybe start a new thread for it.

Do you mean like "cigars" or "curing"? If so i say go for it. The original title "Providing for the Table" works for me and we'll develop subs as the content grows.

John

 

[Steve2md]

I agree with John on this one

 

[BarG]

You're right Tim but the problem seems to be the way the lid fits. It's not like the old Char Broil I once had. There is a big (planned?) air gap at the back where the lid joins the body. Sealing it gets tricky because it don't want to lose the "easy open" feature to feed and clean it. I haven't started brining yet so I'm under no time pressure. One way or another I'll get it solved.

John

John
Looking at your pics could you relocate the duct one block up to give you more rise on the smoke intake duct. Just a thought, It may be easier than lowering the pit. Or totally block the vent pipe on the pit. That will probably be where your heat and smoke is drawn to depending on the location of your duct at rear of pit, It should be above the heat source.

FmGrowit,
We love this tobacco growing site but we sometimes get sidetracked [some members] with other interests. You have been extremely tolerant and made this a great place to be for those of us less knoweledgable on the subject. A separate thread, forum connected may make it easier for members to express other interests without interfering with growers focused on specific tobacco related issues. In other words, COOL,
And thank you for your consideration.

Tim

 

[FmGrowit]

You are posting in the new forum. Look at the top of the page where it tells you where you are.

 

[BarG]

I'm in the right place. Thanks for the new forum.

 

[johnlee1933]

John
Looking at your pics could you relocate the duct one block up to give you more rise on the smoke intake duct. Just a thought, It may be easier than lowering the pit. Or totally block the vent pipe on the pit. That will probably be where your heat and smoke is drawn to depending on the location of your duct at rear of pit, It should be above the heat source.

Tim

I agree Tim. I have had a combination of problems with this phase of the project. My solution was to built a new smoke generator.
I scored a free 15 gallon solvent drum. I blew air thru it over night to get rid of residual vapor and started cutting this morning. I will dig it in a little deeper than the old grill and slope it up a bit to the back which will be lower than the inlet to the smoke house. The sheet metal is a little thin but HEY, it was free and will last a couple of years. This one should be much more smoke tight. The vent pipe you mention has a damper in it and is only used when I am starting a fire and don't want the paper smoke and such in the smokehouse.

I have to go visit my commercial baccy friend tomorrow to get lots of ootz. Don, I am seriously going to try your ideas. That'll take most of the day and I expect I'll be pooped when I get back. Soooo the smoke test has to wait till Thursday. If this works out I think I'll start a new thread "Smokehouse Log " to reduce clutter in this thread.

News and pics as soon as I have results.

John

 

[BarG]

When you get yours going good to your liking John, your going to get me real interested in slow smoking.

 

[indianjoe]

BarG,
we just might have to make a trip up Nawth to sample some of John's smoking once he gets it going.

 

[johnlee1933]

Indianjoe, In hunting you mentioned you raise peanuts. Commercially? If so I'd like to learn more about them.

John

 

[BarG]

BarG,
we just might have to make a trip up Nawth to sample some of John's smoking once he gets it going.

Aint that the truth! Theres no way we could take his word for it, we'd have to see for ourselves.

 

[johnlee1933]

Hey Joe, I am getting confused. Some of the stuff I've read says brine bacon for a week and cold smoke for a few hours but that doesn't give dry cured bacon. You have to refrigerate or freeze the end product. Others say hot smoking doesn't give a dry cured product either. I looking for bacon that can hang for months without refrigeration without spoiling. Other recipes say you must dry cure to get product that doesn't need refrigeration. Still others say you have to hot smoke to get that. You, or any of you guys got the straight skinny? Since I have to buy 40 lb. of belly anyway I was thinking for brining some for 8 days, some for 16 days and some for a month. All will be smoked, one fire per day for two weeks and then tried. Comments please. Oh Yeah, if I get a good dry cured product I might send you a sample for critique but only if it doesn't need refrigeration. I'd hate to kill you by accident. (On purpose is a different game.)

BarG, I'm willing to let you test too. (Same rules.)

John

 

[Rayshields]

John, I believe that if you want to hang without refrigeration, you will need to dry cure it ...think country ham. Morton Quick tender, brown sugar salt, black pepper...when I have done bacon, two or three days of constant cold smoking with hickory is plenty. Stay away from hot smoking unless you are wanting to eat it when finished...one day of smoking or less.

 

[johnlee1933]

John, I believe that if you want to hang without refrigeration, you will need to dry cure it ...think country ham. Morton Quick tender, brown sugar salt, black pepper...when I have done bacon, two or three days of constant cold smoking with hickory is plenty. Stay away from hot smoking unless you are wanting to eat it when finished...one day of smoking or less.

Thanks Ray, How long do you brine it? What do you think of adding a little maple syrup to the brine? I got some dark amber I don't really care for on pancakes. I like light amber so maybe it could help the bacon?

J

 

[Rayshields]

Rub in the dry cure, pack in dry cure, place in a box or big zipplock bag, keep in refrigerator...rub in ingredients for 5 days or more...smoke and hang in cool conditions. It may mold...this is okay even good. Scrape off mold wash and cook.

 

[johnlee1933]

Rub in the dry cure, pack in dry cure, place in a box or big zipplock bag, keep in refrigerator...rub in ingredients for 5 days or more...smoke and hang in cool conditions. It may mold...this is okay even good. Scrape off mold wash and cook.

OK WILCO That's for dry cure. How long for brining?

 

[Rayshields]

The only thing that I have brined is corned beef tongues. I left them in a giant ziplock bag for 3 weeks...that was too long...the tips of the tongues were shriveled ang tough. My guess is no longer than 10 days.

Ray