My interest in smoking meats was first sparked by watching maybe a little too much Diner’s, Drive-Ins, and Dives and feeling like there wasn’t a really good BBQ place in Eau Claire. I guess my Dad figured he could get some delicious food out of the deal, so he bought me a decent beginner’s smoker for Christmas. Once it warmed up a bit in the spring, the mission to master this thing was on.

I started out simple with pulled pork. While it takes the most time to smoke, it’s also the easiest. After waiting patiently all day, my family and I were rewarded with a delicious meal. Now that I had my first success under my belt, it was time to explore. I began my “research” by checking out a bunch of books on smoking meat from the MORE catalog. One book in particular became my smoking bible: Smoking Meat: The Essential Guide to Real Barbecue by Jeff Phillips. I used this so much that I went and bought the book.

Some of my favorite things to smoke are ribs and beef brisket (when I can get a good deal on it). They’re a little harder to make, but the reward is so great. I don’t just smoke meats; I’ve smoked some other delicious things, too. An extremely popular appetizer I make (which is found in my favorite book), is cheese-stuffed, bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers. Another recipe from the book is delicious baked beans with a ton of great flavors. I’ve also made the best mac and cheese I’ve ever eaten following this recipe.

Now that the warm weather is here, I’m feeling inclined to smoke some more delicious food! I plan to attempt some smoked poultry over the summer, and if I’m feeling extra ambitious, I saw a tantalizing recipe for a smoked deep fried turkey!