Smoker (jim bodle)

1 servings

Ingredients

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Directions

I have a gas Brinkman smoker and it did take me awhile to get the heat adjusted correctly. I don't find it hard to keep clean at all. The waterpan sets in the bottom and catches most of the grease. The waterpan cleans up easy, but then I clean it as soon as I am done. I use Reynolds 720 foil sheets, that are 10¾" x 12" in size and there are 200 sheets in a box. I take 3 of the sheets and form a little pan with about 1" sides. I make two one for hickory chips and one for corn cobs. I set these on top of the lava rock. Next, I put in the waterpan which sets on the first bracket in in the smoker. and the first grate goes on top of that. I fill the pan to the brim with hot tap water. I put the meats in I want to smoke and put on the cover. The cover has a gauge that says Low, Ideal, and High. I used an oven thermometer the first time. I found that when the gauge hand is inside the first quarter of the Ideal range, then you have a tempurature of 225 to 250 degrees inside. I set the gas control to high and bring the heat up fast usually on the high side of Ideal on the gauge. When the smoke starts and is coming out steady, I turn the gas control down to medium or halfway between medium and low. This depends on the outside air tempturature. The water should be steaming, but not boiling and you should have a steady supply of smoke. Now grab a lawn chair and a few cold beers, set back and watch the smoke. When it dies out add more wood chips and fill the waterpan. set in your chair again and drink more beer. When you see two smokers the meat is ready. (wide grin) When the are done, I put them in the fridge to cool and when cool double wrap them like the butcher and freeze them. I usually do 4 hams at a time. I can only get two turkeys in at a time. When I take them out of the freezer I just roast them as normal, except roasting time is much shorter. See next message for hints. This is getting to be a long message and I may be over length now. Hints: If fire is too hot, then wood chips burn up fast and water boils. You aren't trying to cook, but smoking.

It took me awhile to learn this. I was at a place in the Amish area of PA named Bombergers and learned this. This folks have real smoke houses and was quite happy to explain the process to me.

Corn Cob: Farmers in this area leave some corn in the fields to dry before chopping. They are always happy to give me a few dozen. Of course I usually donate a ham. Husk the corn and leave the kernals on. Chop in pieces and soak overnight in water. I use corn cob and hickory chips for my hams. I also like maple chips, but they are hard to find. I usually go check out the trees when I hear a chainsaw running in town. If the guy cutting the tree has Texas plates on his truck, I don't stop. Suggestion: Send plane, train or bus tickets and I'll come smoke your ham. (chuckle) This is a hot job, so have plenty of beer. Give yourself plenty of time, don't rush it. Invite Linda over and tell her to bring the bread. Don't feed the neighbors or you will never get rid of them. If your not sure if it's done right, invite Stephen Ciedeburg over, he'll eat anything including the wood and corn chips. Jim

Submitted By PAT STOCKETT On 08-26-95

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