What's cooking?

My "Sweet Million" cherry tomatoes are peaking now, so we're pretty much having them with everything. 



We're starting to get "risk of frost" in the weather forecasts though. 

Looks amazing! Have to try that out!
Which of the seasoning packets have you used??

Smoked a pork butt. Tried a different technique. Not sure I like the absence of bark. 

I'd still take a serving, even though it looks roasted in a "broil in bag" or whatever they're called.

I'd still take a serving, even though it looks roasted in a "broil in bag" or whatever they're called.

The technique I used had it smoke at 250 for about 5 hours then wrapped in foil with some apple cider poured in for about 4 hours. I used a pellet smoker.  The tasty fatty stuff was pretty moist and soft but I still pulled most of it into the meat. I have to say, I love how nicely the bone slips out of a properly smoked pork butt. 

My traditional technique has been to use a Webber Smokey Mountain water smoker and usually 2 pork butts one above the other. 12-14 hour smoke over charcoal fire with only 5 chunks of smoking wood added at the start. 3 apple 2 hickory. No wrapping with any foil or butcher paper and regular misting or mopping with apple juice and bourbon blend. This gives a great bark that mixes throughout the pulled meat to give you the occasional super tasty bits. 

I gave in to the cult of Traeger last spring and got the portable Tailgater model. It does some things really well but I’m not sure it’s better than my SMC for pork butts. The Traeger requires a lot less fiddling than the SMC but then sometimes it’s fun to fiddle with fire. For a pork butt or brisket smoke in the Smoky Mountain I’m up lighting the fire around 5am. It’s ok as I’m up at that time anyway. There’s a lot of fiddling with dampers to maintain the right temperature. Keeping it cool enough when the charcoal is fresh and burning hot then hot enough as the fuel is consumed and adding more lit charcoal as required. My wife asked if I was going to sell the Smoky Mountain Cooker now that I have a pellet smoker. I don’t think I will.

When I was learning southern BBQ I thought it was important to know manual control, so that's what I did. I've never been sorry that I spent that time learning. Then I got automatic controls for it and just haven't looked back. But there are times that manual control must be used. When I would grill pizza was one of those times. The heat sensors and wires just couldn't take the heat. And for grilling a steak it's just not worth taking the time to set up the controls.

When the going gets tough, the tough make quiche 

I did some 28 day dry aged strip loin steaks Sous vide and finished on the sear station over the weekend. Very nice 

I vacuum sealed the pulled pork I smoked last week in 1/2 lb portions. Had some last night in pulled pork tacos 

Marko, please tell me more about the sear station. Is it part of an appliance or available freestanding?