Since jerky was mentioned, do the folks that do jerky use a vacuum sealer? I really like making jerky, but I'm always torn between making enough to justify the time, and not wanting to make more than I can eat over a week or two.

I do. Still go through it too fast. The venison jerky, that is. Any time family comes over the men want some so it doesn't last long. I don't make beef jerky as much now.

wilmwolf80 said:

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Since jerky was mentioned, do the folks that do jerky use a vacuum sealer? I really like making jerky, but I'm always torn between making enough to justify the time, and not wanting to make more than I can eat over a week or two.

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Every time I've made it I've just put in the oven. It tasted good but not the best way to make it. Done it in a smoker as well.

I thought he meant for storing it after making it. I use a dehydrator for mine.

Yup, that's what I'm talking about. I use a dehydrator and the finish it on the oven to make sure it's cured. It's just a lot of work for a couple of weeks of jerky, outside of the satisfaction of it being perfect for my tastes. I've just never convinced myself that a sealer was worth it, so was wondering what everyone used.

wilmwolf80 said:

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Yup, that's what I'm talking about. I use a dehydrator and the finish it on the oven to make sure it's cured. It's just a lot of work for a couple of weeks of jerky, outside of the satisfaction of it being perfect for my tastes. I've just never convinced myself that a sealer was worth it, so was wondering what everyone used.

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Ah I seal for the raw meats obviously but haven't done it after making. Thought you were trying a vacuum sealed dehydration on the jerky

kbdavis33 said:

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wilmwolf80 said:

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Yup, that's what I'm talking about. I use a dehydrator and the finish it on the oven to make sure it's cured. It's just a lot of work for a couple of weeks of jerky, outside of the satisfaction of it being perfect for my tastes. I've just never convinced myself that a sealer was worth it, so was wondering what everyone used.

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Ah I seal for the raw meats obviously but haven't done it after making. Thought you were trying a vacuum sealed dehydration on the jerky

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I do not vacuum seal. I just place it in the refrigerator. Between my two boys and me, it doesn't hang around long enough to go bad.

Pot luck tonight, need to clean out the refrigerator. Picked up some 1.5 bone in ribeyes this afternoon at the butcher to grill tomorrow night..

wilmwolf80 said:

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Yup, that's what I'm talking about. I use a dehydrator and the finish it on the oven to make sure it's cured. It's just a lot of work for a couple of weeks of jerky, outside of the satisfaction of it being perfect for my tastes. I've just never convinced myself that a sealer was worth it, so was wondering what everyone used.

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. Vacuum sealer is great for freezing meat, especially fish. Dolphin fillets will last nearly a year and still taste great. Well worth the money

Happy Easter, everyone. Hope all are well. He is Risen!

Grilled the ribeyes last night. Fixed a brown butter sauce to top them with. Turned out very well.

Wife fixed slow cooker barbecued green beans, as a side, which were fantastic. Had never had them before, but will definitely put into the rotation. She found the recipe on the Spicy Southern Kitchen site. Having checked it out this morning, there are quite a few tempting things to try.

Not sure what we'll have tonight. I got up and fixed country ham and cat heads, and a pitcher of bloody marys Slow, easy morning so far..

We cooked some HT $12.99/# Filets last night. Mexican street corn and a salad accompanied it. Tonight is BBQ chicken, with corn again, and some sort of tbd green.

Did some baby backs and a whole quartered chicken yesterday on the kettle. Ribs on for 5 hours chicken on for 1 1/2. Caught the second half of the 83 natty tops A nice little stay at home Saturday.

Frying some flounder and haddock tonight and will enjoy my first potato now that Lent has passed.

pack95 said:

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Frying some flounder and haddock tonight and will enjoy my first potato now that Lent has passed.

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Oh and had some jalapeo poppers for appetizer.

Chicken is going to have to wait until tomorrow. My KJ doesn't cool off enough to wheel back in the garage. Not going to leave it out in the tornados tonight.

Those of you here with ceramic cookers, please share your pros and cons for your device. I'm looking at getting a Kamado Joe. Would like owners' opinions of that vs. a BGE or other model. Thanks in advance.

I have a KJ Big Joe. I'm very happy with it. Two best accessories I bought with it are the electric charcoal started and a cast iron griddle (flat on one side grill ridges on the other). Love cooking garlic, onions, and peppers on the flat top while I'm cooking a protein on the grates on the other side. Also love using the ridged griddle to do thin venison burgers, almost like sliders. Love the texture I can get on the outside with it.

Love the Big Joe as I can easily fit a big packer brisket on no problem. I smoked for years and years on a WSM, and still love using it. I feel like I get a better bark on the KJ. Or maybe it's just a different bark, as I did always use water in my WSM.

I love the versatility of the KJ. I've cooked pizzas, grilled whole chickens, steaks, fish, and other proteins. Grilled lots of veggies. And I've smoked chicken, turkey breast, brisket, baby backs, venison loin, and a butt.

The KJ comes with the stand, sides, and all sorts of accessories ata lower cost than the BGE. Does everything a BGE can. I was in the market for a ceramic cooker. KJ was a no brainer. Especially when you can get it at Costco road show.

BTG,

In a previous job I oversaw the sales of both BGE and KJ. As far as cooking they're virtually the same. I liked BGE's customer service better from a retail perspective but if I had to choose one I would get the KJ, the hinge system and assembly is better.

As packgrad said, the big thing with a ceramic cooker is the versatility. Both of these brands use charcoal very efficiently(side note, ONLY use natural lump coal, I recommend the FOGO brand if you can find it). There have been times that I have smoked a boston butt overnight in my BGE XL at 225 and had plenty of enough coal left to run it up to 600+ that night to sear a steak. Typical 400ish degree cooks you can get 3 or 4 at least in my experience(filling up the basket)

As far as lighting it, I had one of the bison lighters that you charge and has the fan built in. It was nice but the absolute way to go for lighting charcoal is the JJ George lighter. Get one of those and a six pack of the coleman tanks at Lowe's and you will thank me later. I can have my Egg/KJ going hot in no time. Plus it's really fun to use

Other accessories i use are the Kick Ash Basket and the Smokeware top cap. And my Grill Grates, of course.

Dizzy Pig makes a good red eye coffee rub. They call it Red Eye Express I think. All of the Dizzy Pig rubs are great. I get them on Amazon and get the big bottles.

Everyone should remember the Acre Station Meat Farm here. That is where Bam Adebayo's mom worked.

Oh, and be sure to try their cheese biscuits. I had one after turkey hunting this morning

packgrad said:

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I have a KJ Big Joe. I'm very happy with it. Two best accessories I bought with it are the electric charcoal started and a cast iron griddle (flat on one side grill ridges on the other). Love cooking garlic, onions, and peppers on the flat top while I'm cooking a protein on the grates on the other side. Also love using the ridged griddle to do thin venison burgers, almost like sliders. Love the texture I can get on the outside with it.

Love the Big Joe as I can easily fit a big packer brisket on no problem. I smoked for years and years on a WSM, and still love using it. I feel like I get a better bark on the KJ. Or maybe it's just a different bark, as I did always use water in my WSM.

I love the versatility of the KJ. I've cooked pizzas, grilled whole chickens, steaks, fish, and other proteins. Grilled lots of veggies. And I've smoked chicken, turkey breast, brisket, baby backs, venison loin, and a butt.

The KJ comes with the stand, sides, and all sorts of accessories ata lower cost than the BGE. Does everything a BGE can. I was in the market for a ceramic cooker. KJ was a no brainer. Especially when you can get it at Costco road show.

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I have a BGE, but I second all of this. Can't go wrong with either grill, but I'd go with the more reasonable KJ. Just do yourself a favor and get one, BTG

READ said:

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Everyone should remember the Acre Station Meat Farm here. That is where Bam Adebayo's mom worked.

Oh, and be sure to try their cheese biscuits. I had one after turkey hunting this morning

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Yes, their cheese biscuits are delicious!! As are their other breakfast biscuits And I used to talk with Bam's Mom, Miss Marilyn, almost every week for several years. First met Bam as an 8th grader. Already had a muscular build then. And now an NBA All Star.

Bought a rack of St Louis ribs (for me) and some chops (for the rest) at the butcher yesterday. Prepped the ribs then coated them with a heavy layer of black and red pepper, and brown sugar, then wrapped them in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Will take them out about an hour or so before putting them on the grill.

First time using that particular combo - went heavy on the brown sugar, hoping to give them some bacon effect. Grilling them on indirect charcoal heat initially; will put them over the coals the last few minutes to brown up a bit.

Maybe they turn out good...if not, won't the the first time an experiment has ended poorly.

I did some cracklins yesterday at the end of smoking a picnic. I tell you what, when you start doing the higher heat indirect smoke on the pig skins, you better stay nearby. All of that grease still drops down on the heat shield and can still get flare ups causing the temps to spike. Had some that were a little crispy, but they turned out well.

Also made a few bacon wrapped Scottish eggs. Love those things.

The main course, the picnic, was delicious.

I'm not the master griller that many of you folks are, but I did grill some fresh tuna night. I try to keep it simple ....coat my tin foil with olive oil, sprinkle lemon pepper on both sides of the tuna, sprinkle a little olive oil on the fish, and keep an eye on it. I have aHolland Grill. Not bad. We try to grill fresh fish a couple of times a month.

My wife loves to roast fresh veggies in the oven. She and my oldest daughter are pescatarians. Last night we had carrots , broccoli , and asparagus with the tuna. Now that is some good eating !!

Tootie4Pack said:

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I'm not the master griller that many of you folks are, but I did grill some fresh tuna night. I try to keep it simple ....coat my tin foil with olive oil, sprinkle lemon pepper on both sides of the tuna, sprinkle a little olive oil on the fish, and keep an eye on it. I have aHolland Grill. Not bad. We try to grill fresh fish a couple of times a month.

My wife loves to roast fresh veggies in the oven. She and my oldest daughter are pescatarians. Last night we had carrots , broccoli , and asparagus with the tuna. Now that is some good eating !!

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Sounds awesome Tootie! Man I've had a many of good meals from a Holland grill. You can't beat em. I used to have one that had a searing station on the side for steaks and whatnot. One of my favorite grills I've ever had.

Ribeye turned out great. Might head out today and see what I can find for tonight. I do believe that the rain will move out by dinner time.

I was pleased with the ribs. That brown sugar, red & black pepper rub was good but I need to tweak it a little. I used cracked black pepper, next time I think I'll use fine ground instead. For an experimental run though, I was pleased - it certainly could have been a lot worse.

Not sure what is on tap for tonight.

Halibut and shrimp tonight

Smoking some stuffed bell peppers tonight.

Forgot to mention I went to the Carolina Butcher Shop in Angier on Saturday. Bought several racks of St Louis ribs as well as two ~8lbs Boston butts, and some prime ribeyes. I wanted to get some A5 Wagyu ribeyes but they sold out in about 30min that morning. Probably a good thing. Don't know if my pallet can taste the difference in a $99.99/lb steak lol

JocoPack said:

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Smoking some stuffed bell peppers tonight.

Forgot to mention I went to the Carolina Butcher Shop in Angier on Saturday. Bought several racks of St Louis ribs as well as two ~8lbs Boston butts, and some prime ribeyes. I wanted to get some A5 Wagyu ribeyes but they sold out in about 30min that morning. Probably a good thing. Don't know if my pallet can taste the difference in a $99.99/lb steak lol

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Given that I'm a JoCo native, I can appreciate that sentiment.

lol I'm serious I've always wanted to try some A5 Wagyu but idk if I want to pay that much for it.


Also I now know it's palate.

JocoPack said:

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lol I'm serious I've always wanted to try some A5 Wagyu but idk if I want to pay that much for it.


Also I now know it's palate.

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I saw that and was hoping you'd catch it. As for paying that much for A5, nah. In the end, it's just steak.

Granted, it's probably great. In the end, in the toilet, I'm guessing it all looks the same regardless of where it comes from.

You're right. I bought some regular wagyu from them last time I went, along with some prime grade CAB. The CAB turned out better in my opinion. I like the allure of the A5 Wagyu but I'd probably end up burning it anyway lol

JocoPack said:

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lol I'm serious I've always wanted to try some A5 Wagyu but idk if I want to pay that much for it.


Also I now know it's palate.

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The Wegmans in Raleigh had it around Valentines day. I had a friend order wagyu ribs from Snake River Farms in the fall which was incredible, but so rich I couldnt eat that much of it. I do like wagyu a lot but its very filling.

Never cooked it myself, mainly due to fear of cooking it incorrectly. It would be an expensive mistake to make.