Smoking One Week After Hospital Stay October 9th 2020

No, I did not get a facelift, have cancer or have the Covid like President Trump. God Bless America and God Bless Trump. I had an ablation to fix a genetic heart rhythm issue. The cardiologist said I had no plaque on my vessels anywhere he went. He was quite amazed at my physical condition and was wanting to know about my diet: Low fat, low sodium and low carbs. He liked that I am not diabetic, I do not drink and I do not smoke or chew tobacco. He was glad I have nothing to do with this whole marijuana health craze. He did tell me that he is seeing lots negative marijuana side effects in patients with cardiac issues. Number one for health is getting lots of exercise. 

Below is me a week ago October 1st 2020. 

The no bending over and 5 pound lift limit is over. I BBQ’d beef and elk steaks last night. Today it only made sense to get some of the meats in the freezer rotated. We put in the refrigerator to thaw: pork shoulder ribs, a pork loin and sweet Italian sausage. Fresh from the store: potatoes, mushrooms, a couple salmon filets and chicken thighs. We picked up Safeway Foods brand Organics Kansas City Style Smoky sauce.

We basted the top side of the pork ribs and loin, and the chicken with the sauce. We added no seasoning to anything else.

We started by putting all the filled racks in the smoker, putting 2½ trays of apple wood chips, set the temperature at 170*F and left the vent closed because of a fly. What is up with the fly on Pence’s hair and another trying to get into my smoker. What is up with the shit-eaters attacking real American’s. It is like BLM having riots, looting, destroying historical landmarks and burning down properties owned by real law-abiding tax paying American’s. They are idiots tearing down the Frederick Douglass monument. They obviously don’t care about civil rights and are against the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr..

After one hour into the smoke we added a mixed tray of Gambel oak and maple wood chips and opened the vent ½ way.

After four hours we opened up the vent and bumped the temperature up yo 180*F.

At seven and one half hours we raised the temperature to 200*F, pulled the salmon and mushrooms. We put the potatoes on another rack back into the smoker. The salmon was removed from the rack with a long spatula turned over on a plate and the skin easily lifted off.

The mushrooms were flavored all the way through and cooked to a perfect with a tender moist inner.

At nine and one half hours we pulled the ribs. I usually do ribs at higher temperatures which lets them be pulled sooner. A couple hours at 200*F had the outsides right and the centers moist. We put the pork loin back in. 

We pulled the final pork loin, chicken and potatoes at ten and one half hours.

The next day we made salmon and cream cheese spread for crackers or bagels. We also made some of the potatoes into refries. 

And all of this is good for your heart. Lean meats that the fats cooked off, low in sodium and most important there was no margarine or shortening used. My cardiologist was happy that I did not use anything hyper-processed like almond milk, vegan butter substitutes, High Fructose Corn Syrup, “light” or “heart healthy”. Canola oil A.K.A. rapeseed oil that contains toxic erucic acid and is really bad for you if it spoils like most of the bottles still in the grocery store shelves. My Cardiologist said my smartest thing I do is stay away from fast food. He was glad when I told him I would eat a 7.5 oz can of Deming's Red Sockeye with some low salt crackers.

Father’s Day 2020 Smoking

As the modern usual, we have a Fire Ban Issued for Yavapai County. We never needed bans until the hordes of city folks flooded in from the west fleeing oppression from bad politics. Now we have Covid, looting and Antifa that are causing the cities, towns and AZ Governor Ducey to mandate rules for dumb people. Not looting and wearing masks should be done because people are good and respectful. The idiots with Coexist or PETA bumper stickers are almost guaranteed to not wear a mask, try to intimidate old people or carry posters with the initials of Bureau of Land Management. I was asked to sign a de-fund the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department. I told the young thug that if the Sheriffs Dept were de-funded, it would be open season for bad cops to kill thugs. They threw their paperwork in the garbage.

  

Today’s smoke is starting with a tray and one half of Maple wood chips, ½ opened air vent, 200*F with no pre-heat.

9:00 AM We put in 8 pounds of pork spare ribs sprinkled with Pit Boss – Lone Star Brisket rub that took one rack.

9:05 We put in the chicken thighs with the Lone Star rub.

9:10 We put in a half rack with 10 Brats from Denmark Foods in Peoria, AZ. They use only fresh high quality ingredients. The gap will be used for the salmon ends and some mushrooms.

At 10:15 we put the 2 Salmon filets on the counter to “pellicle” (dry a little on the surface). This seals the surface just enough to hold in the moisture but still allow the smoke flavor to soak in perfectly. I have not been salting the salmon because it dries it out. If I needed to store the salmon I would use the salt as a preservative, but this meat will all be eaten this week.

Now to prep the Mushrooms – wash, trim the stems and they are ready to smoke.

11:10 We put in the 10 Mushrooms and the Salmon. Note – the Mushrooms were added wherever there was room.

We added 1½ more trays of Maple wood chips, opened the air vent on top all the way and raised temperature to 225*F. Raising the temperature will cause the electric element to get hot again and start the fresh wood chips to smoke. Opening the vent will allow the excess moisture to escape so the salmon will remain sealed.

 We chose Maple wood for today’s smoke because it was on top in the bin of wood chips bags. It has a sweet smooth flavor that is not over powering. Alder, apple and cherry are also good choices for fish and poultry. Mesquite is a bit strong when smoking fish or chicken. Mesquite works great on a BBQ because there is less time the meat is exposed to the smoke and less smoke because of the higher temperatures with hot coals. Pecan and oak are really good on pork, beef or game meat smoke. My local oak varieties are Gambel's, scrub, live white and live blackjack.

2:00 PM pulled everything and turned off the smoker.

Notice how easily the skin just peels off the Salmon. I just turned the tail end and laid it on the other, and lifted the skin right off. That’s how all the rest went too.

A Fathers Day Feast for a King. The other 2 mushrooms never made it to the photo. Oh well, they are so good.