BBQ – The Yavapai County Fire Ban 2012 has been lifted.

On 7-17-12 Yavapai County and the USDA Forest Service have lifted the fire bans. We have had 5.36 inches of rain at our home, over the last two weeks, before the fire ban was lifted. The Monsoons did not bring rain to some areas of the county until three days ago. Yavapai County is barely smaller than Massachusetts and larger than New Jersey. Elevations above sea level are from 1900 feet to 7979 feet. We live at 4100 feet. Yavapai has 19 official Wilderness areas.

Boneless elk chops with Cajun seasoning and a small salmon fillet over mesquite coals on the BBQ.

Prop the lid on ‘Ol Reliable. The paint is faded and I made a handle with extension a few years. The trick is to get enough oxygen to keep the coals going but not enough for a flame. This BBQ grill replaced my Brinkman Smoker.

With results like this it is awesome. I have the best of outdoor culinary excellence, a good air control wood BBQ grill and a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker. Yes, I still have my ‘Ol potbelly Weber wood BBQ grill that I use when we have big parties.

Eleventh Electric Smoke – God Bless the USA:

Yavapai County, Arizona is still in another season of severe fire restriction July 4^th 2012. The Monsoons have not arrived. We have had a few sprinkles at our home, but it is still dry as a bone. There is absolutely no moisture in the ground. Not allowed to BBQ, no problem.

I started the pre-heat at 5:00 (17:00) at 275*F no water in the pan and the vent closed.

At 5:30 I started six ears of Corn with only 1 layer of husk left on.

17 medium Mushrooms and 14 Hebrew National Beef Franks.

I put 2 loads of Mesquite wood chips and left the temperature at 275*F.

I pulled everything after just one hour at 6:30 (18:30).

We served all this with Fresh Sauerkraut, Onions, Ketchup, Mustard, Homemade Pasta Salad and Buns. What a feast!!!!

Tenth Electric Smoke:

Yavapai County, Arizona is still in another season of severe fire restriction 7/1/12. There are no open flames allowed anywhere in Yavapai County. It is so dry that it is illegal to target practice. There is no smoking of cigarettes outside, but Electric Smoking of meat is legal. The Wood Smokers and BBQ grills are off limits also. This is our second smoking during the severe fire restrictions. The monsoon storms will start this week ending the restrictions.

One hour pre-heat, 2 cups water in pan, vent closed and smoker temperature set at 225*F. Time 8:30 am.

I worked this morning restoring electric power to Perkinsville, so Rhonda started this smoke with our son who is at home doing a PhD Rotation at the hospital. They kept the 225*F.

They started the smoke at 9:30 am.

3 @ Pork Ribs from COSTCO (Stubbs Original BBQ sauce)

Family Pack Chicken Thighs from Safeway Foods (Bill Johnson’s BBQ sauce)

Mesquite wood chips were added at the start 9:30 a.m., at 10:45, at 11:10 and at 12:00 noon. Only 2 cups of wood chips create a fabulous smoke flavor.

All the pictures were at 5 hours into the smoke when I pulled all the meat.

I like the looks of the Stubbs BBQ sauce on the ribs. The chicken has the Bill Johnson’s sauce and looks marbled. The taste is excellent with either sauce.

We served this feast for dinner with close friends today. Dan is an Iowa farm boy who is 69 years old. “Wow, Wow, Wow. Incredible, these are the best ribs I have even eaten. Wow, unbelievable.” “You should have John McCain try these ribs. I heard that he cooks COSTCO ribs also.”

Ninth Electric Smoke:

Yavapai County, Arizona is in another severe fire restriction 6/25/12. There are no open flames allowed. It is so dry that you cannot target practice. There is no smoking of cigarettes outside, but Electric Smoking of meat is legal. The Wood Smokers and BBQ grills are off limits also.

½ hour pre-heat, 2cups water in pan, vent closed and smoker temperature set at 200*F. Time 2:30 (14:30).

Yesterday afternoon the 2 Salmon fillets with skin on were salted to taste, put in a Zip-Lock meat-touching-meat and put back in the refrigerator to cure for 24 hours.

Today I put them on the counter to dry the surface to glazy-moist tacky (pellicle). It takes about an hour in Arizona with 8% humidity. It takes longer other places.

I have to cut about 1/3 off of the Pork Rib Racks to fit in the smoker. I mopped the Pork Ribs with Bill Johnson’s BBQ Sauce.

 

At 3:00 (15:00) I started all the meat at 200*F.

2 @ Salmon Fillets (light salt)

3 @ Pork Ribs Racks from COSTCO (Bill Johnson’s BBQ Sauce)

12 @ Italian Sausage from COSTCO

I added the first tray of dead/dry Mesquite wood chips.

I added more mesquite at 4:00, 5:00 and at 5:30.

I pulled the Salmon at 6:00 (18:00). It was done perfectly. I turned the fillets over onto a platter and pulled the skin right off clean. Three hours smoked.

I increased the temperature to 225*F at 6:00.

The salmon was tender and juicy. The mesquite smoke is awesome on salmon. Mesquite can have a strong flavor if too much is used. Four trays of wood chips is perfect (about 2 cups total). Green mesquite bark will add a bitter flavor.

 

 I pulled the rest of the meat at 8:00 (20:00) after 5 hours of smoking.

Notice how the ribs have shrunken. Not only is there some bone showing, but they were at the edge of the racks when raw. This is perfect. They are tender and juicy. The smoke flavor is fabulous.

 

Rhonda made 8 of the Italian sausage sliced up with tortellini and a cheesy Alfredo sauce.