LEGEND Food Porn

[Londoner]

I do! I loved me some fried chicken skin (and the chicken as well). Had some fried chicken and frog legs at a restaurant called Hodak's. They do an amazing job. Wish I could show pics, but I didn't really take any.

Love frogs’ legs. Never had them with fried chicken, though.

 

[Memento]

Love frogs’ legs. Never had them with fried chicken, though.

They're soooo good. Everyone I know freaks out about it, but frogs taste like a mixture of fish and chicken. Very good stuff. And then octopus and fried calamari are also delicious. Been wanting to try rabbit. Have had venison a long time ago and want to have it again. Elk burgers at Fudrucker's (I don't even know how many of them are open anymore), bison, just...I'm a fucking carnivore~

Only stuff made from animals I won't eat are veal and foie gras - and that's based on moral principle.

 

[Londoner]

Never had rabbit? It’s lovely.

I don’t get this “ethical dilemma” when it comes to veal (I assume you eat lamb) or foie gras.

You either eat animals or you don’t.

 

[Memento]

Never had rabbit? It’s lovely.

I don’t get this “ethical dilemma” when it comes to veal (I assume you eat lamb) or foie gras.

You either eat animals or you don’t.

Ethical dilemma about veal/foie gras is how it's prepared. I have no issues with eating animals, but quite simply, I want them to be humanely killed. Nothing about veal or foie gras - or shark fin soup, for that matter; I've eaten mako filets, but never fin soup, nor do I want to - is humane.

Veal is a baby animal that is starved, kept in a tiny cage that it outgrows, and is inhumanely killed.

Foie gras is a duck/goose being force-fed in a tiny cage that doesn't fit it until its liver grows too big for it. And then it's inhumanely killed.

I eat animals, but I always make sure I eat those that are treated humanely. That's the animal lover in me speaking out.

 

[Selassie I]

I not only eat animals; I eat their skin too.

Chicken skin is even better than the meat.

 

[Londoner]

Veal is a baby animal that is starved, kept in a tiny cage that it outgrows, and is inhumanely killed.

Foie gras is a duck/goose being force-fed in a tiny cage that doesn't fit it until its liver grows too big for it. And then it's inhumanely killed.

Only partially correct.

I have lived in France and one of my friends’ parents owned a foie gras farm. Their geese were free range.

And no reputable farmer starves calves to make veal. Not sure where you have seen that.

Just like anything else, it depends upon the farm. Some use cages/batteries; others don’t.

 

[dieterbrock]

Ethical dilemma about veal/foie gras is how it's prepared. I have no issues with eating animals, but quite simply, I want them to be humanely killed. Nothing about veal or foie gras - or shark fin soup, for that matter; I've eaten mako filets, but never fin soup, nor do I want to - is humane.

Veal is a baby animal that is starved, kept in a tiny cage that it outgrows, and is inhumanely killed.

Foie gras is a duck/goose being force-fed in a tiny cage that doesn't fit it until its liver grows too big for it. And then it's inhumanely killed.

I eat animals, but I always make sure I eat those that are treated humanely. That's the animal lover in me speaking out.

Do you eat chicken?

 

[Memento]

Do you eat chicken?

I do not eat inhumanely-killed chicken. It's part of who I am. I'm a huge animal lover. I love eating meat, but I try my hardest to make sure they're local and not inhumanely raised and slaughtered.

Only partially correct.

I have lived in France and one of my friends’ parents owned a foie gras farm. Their geese were free range.

And no reputable farmer starves calves to make veal. Not sure where you have seen that.

Just like anything else, it depends upon the farm. Some use cages/batteries; others don’t.

I'm sorry, but I've just seen too many horror stories. You watch the documentaries about things, and you never want to eat them again.

Again, I love meat. I just hate the fact that some farms here in the U.S. are so goddamned cruel to the animals they raise.

 

[RamFan503]

I’ve looked into those, but didn’t know anyone who had one.
I like the idea, because I use primarily charcoal.
Even in my offset.
I’ve rolled logs in my offset, but you have to add a new log every hour or so to keep the fire low.
A small fire is the way to go from my experience. Just throwing a bunch of logs in and trying to keep the fire down isn’t a good idea, imo.

It would be fun spending a weekend with you. I love picking up new ideas and tricks

You can totally pack the hopper on the Masterbuilt with no problem except that you sometimes have to poke the coals down after a few hours to prevent "bridging". I've used splits on a lot of cooks but generally use wood chunks mixed with charcoal (usually lump) on long cooks like this last one. I started the smoker a little before the brisket went in (4pm) and topped off the hopper when I went to bed around 11pm. About 7 hours in, it was about half burned. In the morning, I topped it up again and it burned to the finish with about a half hopper left. Unfortunately, I forgot to put in the slides so that got wasted. Normally, when you're done with your cook, you put in the little metal slides and it shuts down the coals so they can be used on the next cook. Those are the coals I generally use to start the next cook.

It's funny. If you look up reviews, you'll see all kinds of problems. With having one for over 3 years, I can see that most of the issues are user error. I've had a couple issues only to figure out it was me. If you end up getting one, I can probably guide you through most issues if you have any.

I've had several types of smokers. I really like how this one works. I've always been big on the simple Weber kettles. Now my poor kettle is resigned to burning off internal parts to my MB and storing my charcoal chimney.

 

[RamFan503]

Love frogs’ legs. Never had them with fried chicken, though.

Me too. Can't say I've had them together either.

 

[RamFan503]

Only partially correct.

I have lived in France and one of my friends’ parents owned a foie gras farm. Their geese were free range.

And no reputable farmer starves calves to make veal. Not sure where you have seen that.

Just like anything else, it depends upon the farm. Some use cages/batteries; others don’t.

More correct these days. It wasn't always that way and in some cases still isn't. My wife won't eat either one because she just can't get that info at a restaurant so she just doesn't order it. I will still eat veal because most is humanely raised and killed these days. But I can tell you, it is just not as soft and tender as it used to be. Foie gras just doesn't really appeal to me enough to order it - especially since I know I'll get the shit head stare from my wife. :evil:

 

[RamFan503]

I'm sorry, but I've just seen too many horror stories. You watch the documentaries about things, and you never want to eat them again.

You realize many of them are likely produced by Vegans - right?

 

[Memento]

You realize many of them are likely produced by Vegans - right?

I'm no vegan, honestly. But I care about the welfare of animals (obviously not to the extremes of PETA and others, but I'm a softie when it comes to animals that can feel pain). You're looking at a gal who's scared to fish because she doesn't want to hurt the fish that's hooked, someone who couldn't bring herself to kill a hornet that was being played with by my old cat and used a paper towel to get it safely outside (and the fucker bit me through it, and I still didn't kill it).

I love meat, I'm fine with animals being killed; that's just the circle of life, but it absolutely has to be humane and respectful to the animal. I watched that video from a Tyson farm that tortured pigs a while back (and I'm pretty sure it was on this forum), and I've never eaten any Tyson food ever since. Veal, foie gras, shark fin soup, there's not a chance in hell I can eat them because I've just seen too many horror stories.

 

[Dodgersrf]

You can totally pack the hopper on the Masterbuilt with no problem except that you sometimes have to poke the coals down after a few hours to prevent "bridging". I've used splits on a lot of cooks but generally use wood chunks mixed with charcoal (usually lump) on long cooks like this last one. I started the smoker a little before the brisket went in (4pm) and topped off the hopper when I went to bed around 11pm. About 7 hours in, it was about half burned. In the morning, I topped it up again and it burned to the finish with about a half hopper left. Unfortunately, I forgot to put in the slides so that got wasted. Normally, when you're done with your cook, you put in the little metal slides and it shuts down the coals so they can be used on the next cook. Those are the coals I generally use to start the next cook.

It's funny. If you look up reviews, you'll see all kinds of problems. With having one for over 3 years, I can see that most of the issues are user error. I've had a couple issues only to figure out it was me. If you end up getting one, I can probably guide you through most issues if you have any.

I've had several types of smokers. I really like how this one works. I've always been big on the simple Weber kettles. Now my poor kettle is resigned to burning off internal parts to my MB and storing my charcoal chimney.

When I’m ready for another toy, I’ll probably go this route.

As of right now, I have 4 cookers.

36” OK Joe. Runs smooth.
I sealed every seem when assembling it.

1st generation treager tailgater.
I used that in my old apartment because gas and charcoal weren’t allowed. It has pumped out some really good food, but now I use it mostly for fish, Queso and misc.
You can get 4 full racks of ribs on it if using a rack.

22” Weber Master touch.
It works great for smaller cooks without using much charcoal.
1 brisket or chicken
What I really love, is that the center of the grate comes out and I have a cast iron grate that sits in. With a fire directly under it, it makes excellent grill and sear marks.

I also picked up a 36” blackstone a few months back.
I really love this thing and use it a ton.

 

[Selassie I]

When I’m ready for another toy, I’ll probably go this route.

As of right now, I have 4 cookers.

36” OK Joe. Runs smooth.
I sealed every seem when assembling it.

1st generation treager tailgater.
I used that in my old apartment because gas and charcoal weren’t allowed. It has pumped out some really good food, but now I use it mostly for fish, Queso and misc.
You can get 4 full racks of ribs on it if using a rack.

22” Weber Master touch.
It works great for smaller cooks without using much charcoal.
1 brisket or chicken
What I really love, is that the center of the grate comes out and I have a cast iron grate that sits in. With a fire directly under it, it makes excellent grill and sear marks.

I also picked up a 36” blackstone a few months back.
I really love this thing and use it a ton.

Get your ass a Big Green Egg.

I've had mine for over 15 years now. Lifetime warranty on everything. After all these years some of the inside thick ceramic ring things that actually hold your charcoal cracked and broke. Showed em a pic at the place I bought it and they had the replacement parts for me in like 2 days... free.

It can do so much more than smoke. But for real long slow and low cooks... you can't beat em. I regularly do 13+ hour long cooks and never have to reload any coals or do anything other than make sure the temp is right. The super thick ceramic holds the heat forever even at really low temps.

Plus... you can grill at temps as high as you want too.

 

[Dodgersrf]

Get your ass a Big Green Egg.

I've had mine for over 15 years now. Lifetime warranty on everything. After all these years some of the inside thick ceramic ring things that actually hold your charcoal cracked and broke. Showed em a pic at the place I bought it and they had the replacement parts for me in like 2 days... free.

It can do so much more than smoke. But for real long slow and low cooks... you can't beat em. I regularly do 13+ hour long cooks and never have to reload any coals or do anything other than make sure the temp is right. The super thick ceramic holds the heat forever even at really low temps.

Plus... you can grill at temps as high as you want too.

I’ve thought about one of those as well.

The smoke times are incredible off a small amount of fuel.
One of the reasons I grabbed a Weber kettle, is to play with it for a while and see how much I like it.

They actually make ceramic inserts that come with heat defusers and raise the cooking grate for the webers.
I’m sure it’s no where near the insulation that an egg has, though. But I might pick one up to play with it.

I’m sure I will get an Egg some day to replace the Weber.

It’s the price tag that has kept me from pulling the trigger so far.

 

[RamFan503]

Get your ass a Big Green Egg.

I've had mine for over 15 years now. Lifetime warranty on everything. After all these years some of the inside thick ceramic ring things that actually hold your charcoal cracked and broke. Showed em a pic at the place I bought it and they had the replacement parts for me in like 2 days... free.

It can do so much more than smoke. But for real long slow and low cooks... you can't beat em. I regularly do 13+ hour long cooks and never have to reload any coals or do anything other than make sure the temp is right. The super thick ceramic holds the heat forever even at really low temps.

Plus... you can grill at temps as high as you want too.

I almost did that but I was too cheap. There are other reasons but I will probably buy one of them some day.

 

[Selassie I]

I’ve thought about one of those as well.

The smoke times are incredible off a small amount of fuel.
One of the reasons I grabbed a Weber kettle, is to play with it for a while and see how much I like it.

They actually make ceramic inserts that come with heat defusers and raise the cooking grate for the webers.
I’m sure it’s no where near the insulation that an egg has, though. But I might pick one up to play with it.

I’m sure I will get an Egg some day to replace the Weber.

It’s the price tag that has kept me from pulling the trigger so far.

We were hesitant about it too because of the price... but I can honestly say that it is one of the best purchases we've ever made. Wish I would have pulled the trigger much sooner.

I do not work for BGE btw. LOL

 

[RamFan503]

I do not work for BGE btw. LOL

Yeah... SURE you don't. :evil:

 

[dieterbrock]

Love my Blackstone. Home alone, craving Chinese food, so why not whip up a little kitchen sink fried rice?