# smoking.....



## tgraypots (Aug 21, 2011)

A couple in my neighborhood hosted a birthday party last Friday night for a 75 year old woman in our church. I arrived just in time to help them break down the chickens. He had "the pit" incorporated into a little outbuilding in his backyard, and fires it up 3-4 times a year. He smokes with oak and hickory, low and slow. Many of my friends here have smokers of some sort, but this one is particularly sweet.


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## 99Limited (Aug 21, 2011)

Is the fire built inside the building or in an external fire pit with the smoke routed into the outbuilding? I've wanted a smokehouse for years to smoke bacon, homemade sausage and hams. Kind of a cold smoke setup you'd use in the winter so you could smoke the meat for a couple of days but at a temperature low enough to barely cook the meat.


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 21, 2011)

hmmm pics aren't showing up for me.


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## tgraypots (Aug 21, 2011)

That's odd. They showed up when I first posted. Will check in to it.


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## tgraypots (Aug 21, 2011)




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## tgraypots (Aug 21, 2011)

The wood is burned down to chunks and coals in the fireplace to the right of the pit, then the metal door in the front of the pit is opened and they are shoveled in there. This is kind of a traditional way of doing it here in North Carolina, especially in the piedmont. He aims for 230 F throughout the smoking, so that is considered a "hot" smoke. This time he smoked chickens and pork loins, but has done ribs and shoulders too. Hmmmmmhhhh, I think maybe I'll fire up my Brinkmann smoker this afternoon and smoke some fish  There's still some good, sweet corn available, and along with some vinegar-based slaw that sounds like a meal to me. Let me know if the pics don't show up.


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## Jim (Aug 21, 2011)

Looks like BBQ to me- And some fine BBQ at that!


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## Eamon Burke (Aug 21, 2011)

Oh my GOSH that is amazing. He should put a door on that wood burning area and bake in it after shoveling the coals out.


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## tgraypots (Aug 21, 2011)

Eamon, that's a great idea! I'll pass it along to my neighbor. They always enjoy the homemade breads I bring over.


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## ThEoRy (Aug 21, 2011)

[video=youtube;ACKWK55Ic9M]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACKWK55Ic9M[/video]


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## jmforge (Aug 22, 2011)

Do you live in "whole hog" country or is that another part of the Carolinas? That pit looks like it would fit one.


tgraypots said:


> The wood is burned down to chunks and coals in the fireplace to the right of the pit, then the metal door in the front of the pit is opened and they are shoveled in there. This is kind of a traditional way of doing it here in North Carolina, especially in the piedmont. He aims for 230 F throughout the smoking, so that is considered a "hot" smoke. This time he smoked chickens and pork loins, but has done ribs and shoulders too. Hmmmmmhhhh, I think maybe I'll fire up my Brinkmann smoker this afternoon and smoke some fish  There's still some good, sweet corn available, and along with some vinegar-based slaw that sounds like a meal to me. Let me know if the pics don't show up.


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## tgraypots (Aug 22, 2011)

JM, I'm originally from eastern NC, "whole hog" country, but now live pretty much smack dab in the middle, where shoulders are all that is smoked. Although my friend just smoked chickens and loins last Friday, he could easily lay a whole pig in there. Big difference (and rivalry) in bbq between here and eastern NC. When I fist moved here 21 years ago, I bitched about the pork here. I've since learned the best bbq is what's on my plate  Here's an old pic from *Lexington BBQ* . It was my son's 14th birthday, and the man running the pit invited us in there. They lay cardboard across the shoulders so no ash flies up and falls back down on them. That gives you an idea of the temperature used. As you can see, it was pretty smoky in there!


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## jmforge (Aug 22, 2011)

I agree. The quality of BBQ is not about where it is from but how well it is done. I happen to be partial to Memphis style when it comes to ribs, but I like all of them.


tgraypots said:


> JM, I'm originally from eastern NC, "whole hog" country, but now live pretty much smack dab in the middle, where shoulders are all that is smoked. Although my friend just smoked chickens and loins last Friday, he could easily lay a whole pig in there. Big difference (and rivalry) in bbq between here and eastern NC. When I fist moved here 21 years ago, I bitched about the pork here. I've since learned the best bbq is what's on my plate  Here's an old pic from *Lexington BBQ* . It was my son's 14th birthday, and the man running the pit invited us in there. They lay cardboard across the shoulders so no ash flies up and falls back down on them. That gives you an idea of the temperature used. As you can see, it was pretty smoky in there!


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## tgraypots (Aug 22, 2011)

JM, it's hard to beat the *Rendezvous* for ribs, although my customers from there swear by *The Commissary*. My son would rather have ribs than anything else.


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## rahimlee54 (Aug 22, 2011)

Tom I am jealous, looks great. Lexington BBQ is ALWAYS packed, I have driven by it at 9pm to grab something on the way home and there were at least 20 cars in the lot. Pretty good food there.


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## tgraypots (Aug 22, 2011)

Jared, don't forget they do have curb service. Quite a few Q joints around here still do.


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## Miles (Aug 24, 2011)

Incredible setup. I don't doubt some very fine food has come off that smoker.


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## sw2geeks (Aug 24, 2011)

Wow, now that is a pit!


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## El Pescador (Aug 24, 2011)

Used to eat at Stameys...that's good pork.


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## rahimlee54 (Aug 24, 2011)

El Pescador said:


> Used to eat at Stameys...that's good pork.


 
I drive right by there weekly and have for the past 3 years I need to actually stop in and try it.


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## El Pescador (Aug 24, 2011)

There used to be a place on 220 that made the best bbq'd sandies. Cement bunker. Lexington bbq still is my favorite.


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## DWSmith (Aug 24, 2011)

I just finished supper, grilled pork tenderloin chop, apples and black eyed peas and corn. Then I read this thread and became quite hungry for some Lexington BBQ. Some days I will make the 15 mile drive just to have a sandwich at lunch. My dog looks at me like I am crazy but the trip is well worth the time. 

I prefer Lexington style posk BBQ over the easter style. I guess it is what I grew up with but it is terrific. Of course, I do love Memphis style ribs and one day I will try some Kansas City BBQ. What wonderful food!


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## tgraypots (Aug 24, 2011)

Pesky, do you remember where on 220? I can't place a bbq joint on that road, except north of Randleman. David, I was born and raised in eastern NC, bbq was delivered to our door by an elderly African-American gentleman every Saturday morning. He cooked his pigs in his back yard, and made the best brunswick stew in the world, slaw and hushpuppies. Whenever my parents would call and ask him to reserve ribs for me, I was in my early 20's and living in Va Beach at the time, he would set them aside for me. Needless to say, downeast, for me, is where it's at. Nevertheless, Lexington BBQ, Monk's place, is pretty high on my list.


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## jmforge (Aug 24, 2011)

Getting hungry. Every region has their thang. I was never really a brisket fan until I had some at Sonny Bryans in Dallas. My sister in law tells me that you haven't really had brisket until you have been to Kreuz Market in Lockhart.


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## apicius9 (Aug 25, 2011)

Dang, I can get kalua pig, roasted under ground in taro leafs etc, but I wish I had one good BBQ joint out here. Whenever I visit friends in Phila, I insist we get ribs from this one joint in Germantown, PA. But I have to say, that I take any piece of pork if it is done well and with love, be it Memphis style, NC style, or anything else. I like a good brisket, but pork rules.

Stefan


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## El Pescador (Aug 25, 2011)

Tom, it was about 20yrs ago! It was a cement shack with BBQ painted on the side around the Virginia line.


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