daninpd

Academy Sports have a warning on their website that they can't ship anything to California. They haven't deciphered the requirements/regulations/laws/BS that the commie government of CA has put out there. I live in this mess, Academy Sports ain't a option.

It wasn't a bad deal, considering you know the source and feeding of the animal. Next time specify "I want my half hung 2 extra weeks" (you'll lose some weight, but gain flavor) and then have it butchered to your specifications. That may result in you not getting invited back, but that's OK, too. And I bet you'll put in some time studying just how you want it butchered.

I smoked some salmon this morning (at under 180 for 90 minutes) finishing off my current bag of Western using cherry wood. Burned off everything after getting the salmon out to make room for a test of a bag of FOGO Quebracho to see if spending 4 times as much for lump is worth if. We'll see.

Well, you...you ...I might just silently fold my tent and go home. Fantastic cook.

Welcome to the forum. I have been cooking for about 60 years (since I was a kid) and have tried to learn from my mistakes and build on and document my successes. My wife and I have created "The Book" and any particularly good cook gets documented with reference to the recipe and the occasion (as in "That's gotta go in the book"). Now that it has filled up about half of a journal it's nice to browse through if I'm not feeling inspired and am looking to retry a past success. Memory doesn't always cut it. First entry in the book was 7/10/94 Smoked Salmon Ravioli, ricotta and mascarpone and pine nuts made with my new pasta machine. I think I'll make that this weekend!

I won a Superbowl pool 30+ years ago and used the proceeds to buy a Cuisinart. Have replaced the workbowl twice, but it just keeps humming along. Sort of a lifetime investment.

Well....Yeah.

Good win with this cook, @Lydia, that was well done.

I did something on my non-Kamado Stok for the 4th. I wanted it to be the "All American" meal so I started by marinating some Filet Mignon (is that French?) in some Australian Shiraz overnight (according to a Turkish recipe). I did the filet in chunks in Shish Kebabs with red onions and red and green bell peppers. I skewered and grilled cherry tomatoes and mushrooms, coated in olive oil, S & P, to be served, Greek style, with Feta. In the house I made some Middle-Eastern Rice Pilaf made with Spanish saffron and toasted pine nuts. It was delicious and the Calera wine went very well.

Google "Kabob wheel for a rotisserie" and you will get a ton of options, mainly Napoleon or Winnerbe, from E-Bay or Amazon. They don't rotate like I would like, but what I would like would get quite complicated (translate: expensive).

I managed to wrestle mine together on the deck by myself. When I got done the bowl was over the little wheels and the cart is over the big wheels. According to pictures it's supposed to be the opposite. It doesn't have to travel much so it works just fine. I still haven't figured out how I got the thing together going butt-end first. Enjoy it when you get it smoking.

I bought a couple of beef tenderloins at a really good price 2 months ago. So for the 4th I'm making filet mignon shish kebabs with peppers, red onion, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, served on a bed of saffron rice pilaf.

Good Job! I took a cooking class with Jacques Pepin and he showed us how to debone a chicken and the process took about 6 minutes. And then he said "Of course, this is how I do it" and he deboned a chicken in about 45 seconds. A true master.

My doctor is able to track what I look at online. He wants a word with you. But, from my standpoint, that looks really good.

It's nice to have someone who is not just dipping his toe in the pool. Welcome to the forum and your go-for-it attitude with your cooks.