Let's Talk BBQ

Outdoor Cooking Equipment => Grills & Smokers => Pellet Grills and Smokers => Topic started by: ACW3 on March 04, 2012, 09:22:52 PM

Title: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: ACW3 on March 04, 2012, 09:22:52 PM
Well, I decided it was time to try to cook a full meal now that my arm is out of the sling.  I wanted to do something a bit different.  With one arm in a sling, I had lots of web time to look for ideas.  Here is what I came up with.

First off, I wanted to make some shrimp and pork meatballs with an Asian flair, but smoked.  I remember my wife taking a Chinese cooking class when I was stationed in Hawaii.  She made shrimp meatballs that I still remember.  I thought I would give it a try.

First off, here are the raw shrimp ready to be thrown into the food processor.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7245.jpg)

Next is two more of the ingredients to go into the processor—lime zest and chopped green onion.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7246.jpg)

You can’t make meatballs without some “poke”.
 
(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7247.jpg)

Here’s what it looks like after a whirl through the food processor.  The mixture is ready to form the meatballs and then be put into the smoker.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7248.jpg)

I wanted to do something different when smoking them.  My sister gave me a stove top smoker a few years back as a Christmas present.   It uses saw dust as its source of smoke.  I used a little cherry saw dust and added some apple pellets.     

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7256.jpg)

Here are the shrimp meatballs ready to be hit with some smoke.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7258.jpg)

This is what the stove top smoker looks like on the, wait for it, stove top!

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7259.jpg)

The smoked shrimp meatballs nearing the end of their journey.
(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7262.jpg)

The plated shrimp meatballs served with some Thai chili sauce.  They were even better than I remembered.

(http://[IMG]http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7255.jpg)
 
Now that the appetizer is out of the way, it’s time to get the rest of the meal together and get the chicken into the Asian marinade.  The marinade was a nice touch to the chicken.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7264.jpg)

I wanted some Chinese green beans, but didn’t want to steam them.  I took fresh green beans, and cut them into large bite-size pieces to cook on my Frogmats.  I also cut up some spring onions to add to the green beans and use for garnish when the meal was plated.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7267.jpg)

Here is everyone on the MAK (using BD apple pellets) at 350.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7269.jpg)

Here is my plate ready to eat.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7271.jpg)

I ate too many shrimp meatballs.  Instead of serving up some of my homemade coffee creamer ice cream for dessert, I poured myself a snifter of Courvoisier.  That’s all I had room for.  Hope you enjoyed the meal as much as I did.

(http://i1034.photobucket.com/albums/a429/acwiesemann/IMG_7273.jpg)

Art   
 
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: teesquare on March 04, 2012, 09:30:47 PM
Looks fantastic Art! - I will bet that if you had some Lo Mein noodles and a nice sauce ( something with 5 spice, fish sauce, teriaki....)- it would make a great "Chinese Spaghetti" ;D

T
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: ACW3 on March 04, 2012, 09:33:26 PM
Interesting thought!  Chinese spaghetti!  I like it.  I just happen to have enough meatballs to try something like that.  I like the way you think outside the box.

Art
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: squirtthecat on March 04, 2012, 09:34:44 PM

Killer cook!
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: Greg Stoudenmire on March 04, 2012, 09:36:39 PM
Looks real good!
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: muebe on March 04, 2012, 11:44:13 PM
Nice!!!

Stove top smoker. You must have a really good exhaust fan above your cooktop :o
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: Hub on March 05, 2012, 07:36:52 AM
Art, that's seriously fine looking chow but you have inadvertently violated North Carolina law.  Here, it is a serious infraction to undercook green beans (or even harricots verts).  The allowable standard is a minimum of two weeks' boil with onions and bacon grease until they  no longer taste "green".  I shall be lenient this time and not allert the food gendarmes in Raleigh concerning your oversight  :-X

Hub
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: Pam Gould on March 05, 2012, 08:17:49 AM
Glad your cooking again..the meatballs look great..I like your stovetop smoker too..I have a reastaurant pan that could do the same thing..I think..but the chicken looks real good to and might try the meatballs on the frogmat instead. How long did it take for the meatballs? Pam     .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: smokeasaurus on March 05, 2012, 09:00:24 AM
I would hit that hard!! Outrageous!!
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: teesquare on March 05, 2012, 09:14:01 AM
Interesting thought!  Chinese spaghetti!  I like it.  I just happen to have enough meatballs to try something like that.  I like the way you think outside the box.

Art


Hell - Art I only think outside the box because I lost it...and cant find it! ;D
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: TentHunteR on March 05, 2012, 10:34:16 AM
What a way to make your comeback!  Welcome back Art!
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: ACW3 on March 05, 2012, 01:43:00 PM
Pam,
I only smoked the meatballs for about 15 minutes before finishing them in the oven at 350.  I checked them with my thermopen and when they hit 165, I pulled them.

Hub,
I appreciate your leniency.  I'll refrain from making this transgression again (until next time).

Art
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: Tenpoint5 on March 05, 2012, 03:29:20 PM
Looks good Art Hang in there the fun is just starting with that wing of yours. Mine is still clipped
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: nepas on March 07, 2012, 10:08:27 AM
Looks good Art

Glad your back to it.
Title: Re: I'm Back and Smokin'
Post by: TMB on March 07, 2012, 03:53:42 PM
Looking good!