May You Live in Interesting Times
That old curse comes to mind fairly often. May you live in interesting times.
The world situation is so surreal that I can't take it seriously, let alone worry about it. I mean including impending super volcanoes, perfect storms, sea levels rising, and contamination of the food and water supply. I'm only even half-assed prepping. Who's got the energy to dig a bunker?
Two of our grandsons have come to live with us. One nineteen, one sixteen. Right here at the holidays. We can't begin establishing any kind of routine while we're getting the smoker ready, thawing the turkey, buying all of the groceries and setting up a schedule chart for using the oven over the next two days.
The smoker is electric. I got it on a seasonal clearance last year and I'm just now setting it up. In my opinion, an electric smoker is essential for smoking a turkey. I do most of my outdoor cooking over an open fire, but I still use my smoker/grill for anything that needs to slow cook. Ribs, turkey legs, pork loins. Turkeys have to cook slowly because they take so long to cook all the way through.
There are important advantages to an electric grill. First of all is temperature control--for cooking poultry, especially big poultry, maintaining a consistent temperature prevents under-cooking and prevents spoilage. Second is controlling the amount of smoke. Smoking with cord wood gives continuous smoke along with the heat and some things may seem over-smoked. Third is convenience. I don't have to stay up all night tending a smoker. With an electric, I can put it in a safe place where it won't blow over or set fire to anything. I can load it with chips, water and a turkey and go to bed.
I invested in a digital meat thermometer a couple of years ago and it has made life simpler. I don't have to over-cook in order not to under-cook. I still go five to ten degrees hotter internal temperature on meats and poultry, just to be safe. One less thing to worry about.
This isn't the first electric smoker I've had, just the first I've had in over a decade. Obviously I'm enthusiastic about it. I'm also enthusiastic about the grandson's living here. Things are interesting.
Stephen P.
The world situation is so surreal that I can't take it seriously, let alone worry about it. I mean including impending super volcanoes, perfect storms, sea levels rising, and contamination of the food and water supply. I'm only even half-assed prepping. Who's got the energy to dig a bunker?
Two of our grandsons have come to live with us. One nineteen, one sixteen. Right here at the holidays. We can't begin establishing any kind of routine while we're getting the smoker ready, thawing the turkey, buying all of the groceries and setting up a schedule chart for using the oven over the next two days.
The smoker is electric. I got it on a seasonal clearance last year and I'm just now setting it up. In my opinion, an electric smoker is essential for smoking a turkey. I do most of my outdoor cooking over an open fire, but I still use my smoker/grill for anything that needs to slow cook. Ribs, turkey legs, pork loins. Turkeys have to cook slowly because they take so long to cook all the way through.
There are important advantages to an electric grill. First of all is temperature control--for cooking poultry, especially big poultry, maintaining a consistent temperature prevents under-cooking and prevents spoilage. Second is controlling the amount of smoke. Smoking with cord wood gives continuous smoke along with the heat and some things may seem over-smoked. Third is convenience. I don't have to stay up all night tending a smoker. With an electric, I can put it in a safe place where it won't blow over or set fire to anything. I can load it with chips, water and a turkey and go to bed.
I invested in a digital meat thermometer a couple of years ago and it has made life simpler. I don't have to over-cook in order not to under-cook. I still go five to ten degrees hotter internal temperature on meats and poultry, just to be safe. One less thing to worry about.
This isn't the first electric smoker I've had, just the first I've had in over a decade. Obviously I'm enthusiastic about it. I'm also enthusiastic about the grandson's living here. Things are interesting.
Stephen P.
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