philpom

Welcome!

Wow, those look great and that is 1 large meaty rack of baby backs. Is that sauce super sweet or is there a bit of tang to it? Also, what is the salt content of the rub? I imagine it's pretty low.

Welcome to kamado guru

I just lose it in the back of the beer fridge.

I let the cheese set on the counter for a bit because I don't want moisture on the surface so it warms a bit. The smoke is cold and the temp inside the smoker is close to ambient so it doesn't really soften. That's what you want and why winter is a great time to do this. The seasoning will adhere very well to the cheese but some will come off when you cut it. I expect that the red pepper flakes where they heavily overlap one another to fall off (no contact with the cheese). I press it on as I apply it. I let it age at least 3 months although I might sample a new variety after 2 months. 6 mounts or more is better in my opinion but some folks will tell you that a few weeks is good enough. It really comes down to personal preference but if you sample it too soon it may resemble an ashtray. This is why I carefully select my wood and smoke it as described above. Heavy smoke for very long will make it extremely strong, the cheese takes up the smoke very well.

If they probe tender and look good then pull them.

The cool days of winter are perfect for cold smoking cheese. Every year at this time I smoke a big batch of cheddar. It will be well aged by the time I give them as gifts for next Christmas. I start a small pile of lump in a grill that is not used for the cheese. Once it's going well I place about 3 smaller pieces on HD foil and cover with a large handful of chips. Then wrap it up so it resembles a Hershey kiss with a small opening at the top. Lay that in the bottom of the grill for the cheese. Place the rack in, open the vents and place the cheese in. You should have a steady wisp of smoke but not massive billows. I usually leave the cheese in for 10 to 15 minutes. I found hickory to pair very well with sharp cheddar. I like to use herbs and spices on the cheese before I vaccum seal it for aging. This year I did 3 varieties and I can't wait to try them. Black pepper is a regular and this year I tried crushed red pepper and caraway seed as an experiment. This was 5 pounds of tillamook sharp cheddar. Finished caraway seed. Crushed red pepper. Black pepper. Don't miss the chance this winter and try it!

This is probably my favorite way to cook one if these roasts. Did this one for the family Christmas. 126°f in the water bath for about 8 hours. It's already a tender cut so we just need to get it to temp. It was vacuum sealed with a Montreal steak rub. After the bath it was put on a hot fire for 15 minutes to sear. I tossed on some mesquite chips. The grill was set up like this to provide high but indirect heat for the finish. Everyone enjoyed it!

Welcome!

Excellent topic for this time of year. I have a 4 pound roast in a water bath right now. It's set at 132°f and has been in the water for 4.5 hours. I seasoned it well with course salt, pepper, garlic and onion. Also included a sprig of rosemary. Getting ready to pull it and give a quick sear to it over some wood chunks.

Merry Christmas and a blessed new year!

Merry Christmas! Bread looks great.

Hi Randy, welcome to kamado guru. There is plenty of great information here to help you master your new kamdo, they are very versatile. Your chile products are great, we recently placed an order for Christmas gifts.

I use to find country style ribs at Piggly Wiggly and Albertsons all the time, the Pig is dead and I haven't seen them at Albertsons for some time. Looks good.

Do both, your mom can have ham and you can cook the beef! Ham makes wonderful leftovers and freezes very well after cooking it. Just portion it up and you have ham for New Years day black eyed peas, split pea soup, sandwiches, mac and cheese, breakfast and more! Sorry to hear about your step-dad, hope he gets better soon.