Something new-

Not that I have something new. Recently I did another pork shoulder roast, and it turned out very nice. Some of the family asked me to back off on the spices a bit, so I lightened up. With pre-seasoning the meat before cooking there is always the risk of going overboard.

I am thinking that I need to actually plan some more adventurous cooking. I love the standard cuts of meat, and I really like the way the Char-Broil Silver Smoker makes cooking relatively easy. However, I intended this barbecue adventure to be adventurous. So, I must explore some ideas and try some new things.

Tomorrow, provided the predicted rain in our area is not too bad, I will do some pork chops. I have done steaks and chops via indirect heat several times, and really like the infusion of the smoke flavor. I will probably drop the grill grate onto the fire box and do a little direct heat to finish.

I am still seeking sources of charcoal and wood that might be a bit less expensive. So far the bags from the local Safeway are as reasonable as I can find. Most of the specialty houses on the Internet are a bit pricey. Name brand apple wood? Hmmm.

My vacation starts in a few days. I will be away for about two weeks. Heading to Medford, Oregon. I will, of course, keep my eyes open with regard to all things barbecue. I might find something interesting to share.

Observations and plans for the future-

So far my experience with barbecue in an offset smoker have been positive. I found the digital thermometer to be a great tool for monitoring the internal temperature of the meat. The dial thermometer in the smoke chamber has been adequate, but is not particularly accurate. My simple rub has also proved adequate thus far.

I would like to try fish in the smoker. I need to study this one, since I haven't done much cooking of fish other than pan-fried or baked. This will require some research.

It will be interesting to play with the rubs a bit. What I have been doing has been a very simple seasoning. I want to become a bit bolder in this area, and see what the results might be.

I need to find a source of wood. I would like to try cooking with wood rather than charcoal.

Eventually I would like to try dutch oven cooking, but I see that as a "sometime next year" kind of thing. I still have a lot to learn just with the offset smoker.

The other day I had to spend some time at the mall, waiting on a car repair that just kept going longer. Having the time, I was able to explore the outdoor living area in Sears. They had an outdoor kitchen that was quite nice. Gas grill with lots of burners. Rotisserie. A side mounted griddle. A refridgerator. Preparation space.

There was a matching outdoor fireplace for fire-side dining! Also some very nice outdoor furniture. Dinettes with umbrellas. Coolers for drinks.

There was a rather inexpensive upright barbecue as well.

My vision expanded a long way beyond my wallet. It would be very nice to be able to live so much outdoors!

Perhaps one day these dreams will become plans. For now, I think I will plan on barbecuing some fish in the near future.