Another hello from North Dakota

[DivotMaker]

Love me some butt for a first smoke!  Gives you a really good feel for how your new friend handles a long smoke, really helps with the "next phase" seasoning, and (most importantly) is some good eats!! ;D

Ribs are always a great backup, though!

 

[Wik]

Welcome Gregg!

I'm from ND and continue to work on that side of the river, but live now live on the MN side of the river in Moorhead.  Sounds like your background in smoking is a lot like mine.  Dad is still the Breakfast sausage / Summer sausage guru, recipes I have but pulling out info on how to smoke them is all pretty much in his head.  Granted they turn out great, but he still uses the converted fridge / propane to accomplish back in Minot.  I finally pulled the trigger last fall on the #3 and later added and Auber and Jerky fan to it.  Granted I haven't used it yet to try sausage, but I have been having a blast making ribs, turkey, butts, and even a crown pork roast this Christmas.  When you get around to doing any sticks or sausage please let me know how it goes and if you ever have any questions about the Auber or want to see it in action just PM me.  I just threw in a butt as it seems to be the biggest fan for my young kids and love the hold option it gives me so I don't need to be right there at all times watching it.

Cheers,
Wik

 

[NDKoze]

Hi Chad,

Good to hear from a neighbor even though you went to the dark side and moved way across the river to MN

I have read pretty much every thread on this site, so have definitely read yours and I am sure learned some stuff.

We do way too much sausage to even try in the #3 or the #4 for that matter. But for the ribs, butts, poultry, etc, the #3 should be perfect.

It should also work really well for the snack stix too.

I will definitely be starting a thread for the stix when we do them. Planning on some time in March. I'll load the #3 up into the truck and head to Ellendale, ND where my folks live and my brother and Brother inlaw will be there to help too. With my smoker and my Dad's Masterbuilt XL we should be able to smoke 50 pounds of stix at a time (25 in each).

I am holding off on the Auber to see how my unit does without it. But I have a feeling that I will be getting one in the future. I will definitely let you know if I have questions. I would kind of like to do a mod like Polish Q where he can use the analog or the Auber with the flick of a button. But I am a little unclear as to how he wired that up. I was kind of holding out to see how the new prototype was going to work. But the more I looked at what it looks to offer, the Auber seemed like a better option. So I pulled the trigger instead of waiting for the digital Smokin-It.

I definitely see the James Jerky dryer and probably a set of screened trays in the future. But we ground everything up for venison stix from our 2013 deer, so probably won't be doing any muscle jerky until next fall.

I just got a message saying that my #3 was delivered. So I am heading home to unpack her. So damn windy here today. So, I am not sure if I will do the seasoning tonight or not. I am planning on a butt to put in Friday night. So need to get the seasoning done before then.

 

[DivotMaker]

Just like Christmas, Gregg! ;D  Hope you ate your Wheaties today...that #3 is heavy!

 

[DiggingDogFarm]

I never did hear back from Steve, but broke down and put my order in tonight for the #3, an extra shelf, and an extra pack of hickory and cherry wood. Since this smoker doesn't need a lot of wood, I should be set for quite a while.

I found that if I liked the Smoken-It Facebook page, I got an extra $25 off of my purchase. So couldn't resist that.

OK, enough razzing me about not pulling the trigger yet 

Now let's get on to smoken something!

Thanks for all the help!

Koze

How exactly does one get the $25 credit for the Facebook "Like"....I'm thinking about ordering a #1 for camp.


Thanks!

 

[NDKoze]

Well, I unpacked the #3 in my stairway landing. Man that thing was tough to wiggle out of there by myself. Then after cleaning all of the packing Styrofoam off of it, I slowly walked it up the 8 stair steps to my living room. Man that about wiped me out. I had to take a break and just admire her sitting in my living room for awhile. I probably should have waited until my kids got home to help me, but I was too excited.

DiggingDogFarm, to get the discount I clicked on the Facebook link on the Smokin-It website, liked the Facebook page, clicked on the Social Store, and then a site with the #1, #2, #3, #4, and carts for the 1/2 and the 3 popped up. You click Add to cart for the items that you want. Then click on the Cart button. This will take you to the cart on the Smokin-It website and your discounts will automatically be applied.

Hopefully this works for you.

 

[DivotMaker]

Hehe...you sound like me, Gregg!  Too excited to wait for help! ;D  Take some pics of it in your living room, as it probably won't see that room again!  Great day...  Seasoning is another great day, and the first smoke?  Well, that speaks for itself!

 

[NDKoze]

I thought about taking a picture. But the living room was kind of a mess. So didn't want to show off my clutter.

I'm just glad I didn't hurt myself hauling the beast up the stairs. That is one heavy well made piece of equipment.

 

[benjammn]

give us pics or it didn't happen, LOL

 

[NDKoze]

It happened. Wish I would have remembered to take one when that beautiful smoke was coming out of her.

 

[benjammn]

Perfect! love it

 

[DiggingDogFarm]

Thanks Gregg!

I just order a #1 to go along with the #4.

 

[NDKoze]

No problem Martin,

I have been thinking that it would be awesome to have an easily transportable #1 to take on camping trips in the summer. After lugging my #3 beast up the stairs last night, I don't planning on moving that sucker any more than I have to.   I don't think that will happen this year. But maybe next.

I do plan on taking some pre-smoked food in vacuum sealed packs camping this summer though. It should be super easy to quick heat up some pulled pork and have a sammich while kicking back in my gravity chair. This time of the year, I start getting the camping & fishing bug pretty bad. Still got a couple of months until my first trip hopefully in early May.

 

[benjammn]

a #1 and a #4....oh that is just too much for me to absorb in one sitting.

 

[DivotMaker]

Couldn't agree more, Ben!  He could pack his #1 inside his #4 and no one would know it was there!