Life off the grid in the SW Texas desert. An experiment in sustainable living. NUMBERS AT THE END OF EACH BLOG POST: temp at 8PM,high temp,low temp,rainfall,wind conditions(CalmBreezyWindyGusty). YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFieldLab
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Not much of immediate family left, we opted for long overdue meal, scalloped Yukon potatoes, beef Wellington ( thanks to Mom) broccoli, asparagus.. No dessert even though Bob makes thes best pies, we ate very well and little clean up. I wish these folks on the blog the best and many more family get together soon. I'm just thankful I am not going out for today, through Sunday. Nice just yo be home, quiet, music of choice and safe, warm cozy.
Everything sounds good. I debated just doing laundry, but then I thought-no, just show up. So I drove on the mostly empty roads to San Antonio about 11a.m. and had a delicious traditional dinner at Club 12 for aa and alanon. Mostly all new people and a few oldies and a good crowd of people as usual and some homeless people working on sobriety. Then I started home and stopped for an aa meeting and food. Only about 5 somewhat Morose male friends. So I went to an aa club 20 miles near my house in the country in an old German community. Omg quite a few people and knock yourself out good food. Then some of us sat around and laughed our heads off at life situations, hugged each other and had a good time. I was home by 3p.m.
We live in Spokane Washington Eleven days ago we had a wind storm with sustained winds of 70 miles an our and gusts to 76. Destroyed the infrastructure of our electrical system. We have lots of large trees which blew into power lines and poles. Took out over half the populations power in the entire County of Spokane. Took crews from a number of States working 24/7 but we got out power back today at 3:00 pm. It appears that there are still about 1000 customers with no power. I just bought a take out already cooked turkey dinner for the 2 of us. We had already decided that the family would get together next weekend. We have been OFF THE GRID for 11 days and with 11 degree temps it has been a struggle for lots of people. We have generators and had hooked our furnace up so we had heat and TV. What else do you need. I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving day. Lots to be thankful for.
Hi there nieghbor, I live in the hills out of Springdale, WA. Still no home phone. Cut up downed trees for more porch wood. All is well and thankfully for so much. Hope you all had a nice thanksgiving day too.
Wife and I had wonderful Thanksgiving with my daughter, her new husband, and our granddaughter - Elly, and her current boyfriend. Our grandson, Josh, is over in the Middle East - aboard a Navy Fast Attack Nuclear Sub. - protecting American interests. I cooked a Turkey (smoking it 8 hours), cornbread, and a pie - with sweet potato, apple, and pecans in it -and the ladies cooked the other delicious trimmings.-------- God has been good to us, and we thanked him!
Today is good so far. A month ago my new rescue chihuahua from a kill shelter was shaken evidently by one of my bigger dogs. He was in shock so he went to a country vet. They told me to get the dog out or euthanise it. So I got a referral to V-REC at Stone Oak in N. San Antonio. That's where the miracle special trained people are. The dog was a limp wet noodle with bright eyes. They put him in a neck brace. Today and for a few days he has been walking a few yards around the room. Amazing. The doctor in critical care says he has a will to live. The medical person says it is nice when he wraps the neck brace because the dog can stand up now. When I first went there they asked me to feed the dog who would not eat. They asked me what I fed him. They apologized for only having chicken. Well he eats well and is mostly back on dog food (Science Diet). I thought he was around 2 but from the tarter on his teeth I think he is around 5. He is so smart and gentle. He is in an open metal cage inside a big metal cage. No one reaches him. One day at a time. He has a vertebrae dislocation and they hope it heels around it. It is in Gods hands. It was in a hard to reach place between the shoulders and he had 50-50 chance either way and he could have died in surgery. So he and I pray.
Ronald Mahan. I have a question for you. I have been trying to smoke a turkey for a couple of years. I can't get one to come out that isn't too dry. Do you have a secret. We have a really good smoker, but just can't seem to master it. Thanks for any tips.
Rondeb -- I certainly am not a turkey smoking expert - however our last bird was moist, juicy, and delicious! Tips for preventing over dryness: -------------------- Water boils at 212 *F - so keep the smoker temperature down - suggest heat at 200 to 250 *F. Place a container of liquid in the smoker oven with the bird. I use orange juice and Riesling wine in my liquid container. Also helps to place any kind of stuffing in the bird cavity - to provide internal moisture. I used sweet potatoes and apple chunks to do this. I baste the bird with Old Smokey Sauce - about every two hours. Our 12 pound turkey took 8 hours to smoke - using above procedures. Enjoy!
P.S. Those steamed cooked Sweet potatoes & Apples (from the bird cavity) were then used to make a pie for desert. Added toasted pecans, honey, eggs for additional flavor.
Ronald Mahan - Do you wrap the turkey in foil or anything? Do you suggest a smaller turkey rather than a larger one. I see that you did a 12 pounder. I usually cook a 20+ do to our kids and grandkids that come. Lot of teenage boys LOL. I could always cook 2. Would cooking 2 at the same time take longer? It may be the heat. The smoker instructions have it much hotter that you suggest. Probably the answer and stuffing it. Could you use regular stuffing mix to fill it or should it be something more loosely packed? Can't wait to try your suggestions. Thanks for answering. Might post your pie recipe also LOL Sounds scrumptious.
----- I do not wrap the turkey in foil. A larger turkey would require significantly more time to smoke. But two smaller birds would reduce this time - due to the reduced mass of a one very large bird compared - to two smaller birds. I.E. heat has a shorter distance to travel in reducing moisture content - in smaller birds. I think a regular stuffing mix would work well - in preventing dryness. I also believe in using a moisture container in the smoker oven - because it keeps the smoker humidity at higher level - and the cooking temperature moderated. If using charcoal for fuel, I would also suggest using a charcoal chimney - to get the coals well lit - before placing them in the smoker. This will help to minimize periods of overheating. Based on your comments about smoker instructions suggesting a "much hotter" temperature - than I suggested (200 to 250 *F) - I believe that is a major contributing factor -with respect overly dry turkey meat. Also check the accuracy of your smoker thermometer - just in case - it is providing misleading information.
simple is good.
ReplyDeleteI understand. My husband and I had homemade cabbage soup with cornbread. Family is too scattered to visit. The soup was delicious!
ReplyDeleteNot much of immediate family left, we opted for long overdue meal, scalloped Yukon potatoes, beef Wellington ( thanks to Mom) broccoli, asparagus.. No dessert even though Bob makes thes best pies, we ate very well and little clean up. I wish these folks on the blog the best and many more family get together soon. I'm just thankful I am not going out for today, through Sunday. Nice just yo be home, quiet, music of choice and safe, warm cozy.
ReplyDeleteEverything sounds good. I debated just doing laundry, but then I thought-no, just show up. So I drove on the mostly empty roads to San Antonio about 11a.m. and had a delicious traditional dinner at Club 12 for aa and alanon. Mostly all new people and a few oldies and a good crowd of people as usual and some homeless people working on sobriety. Then I started home and stopped for an aa meeting and food. Only about 5 somewhat Morose male friends. So I went to an aa club 20 miles near my house in the country in an old German community. Omg quite a few people and knock yourself out good food. Then some of us sat around and laughed our heads off at life situations, hugged each other and had a good time. I was home by 3p.m.
ReplyDeleteMargery Bills... Sounds quite wonderful folks you shared yourself with!
ReplyDeleteWe live in Spokane Washington Eleven days ago we had a wind storm with sustained winds of 70 miles an our and gusts to 76. Destroyed the infrastructure of our electrical system. We have lots of large trees which blew into power lines and poles. Took out over half the populations power in the entire County of Spokane. Took crews from a number of States working 24/7 but we got out power back today at 3:00 pm. It appears that there are still about 1000 customers with no power. I just bought a take out already cooked turkey dinner for the 2 of us. We had already decided that the family would get together next weekend. We have been OFF THE GRID for 11 days and with 11 degree temps it has been a struggle for lots of people. We have generators and had hooked our furnace up so we had heat and TV. What else do you need. I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving day. Lots to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteHi there nieghbor, I live in the hills out of Springdale, WA. Still no home phone. Cut up downed trees for more porch wood. All is well and thankfully for so much. Hope you all had a nice thanksgiving day too.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThe power outage was on national news.
ReplyDelete(When I was at Club 12, the attractive, middle aged lady serving looked at me and kept saying, you look classy). :-)
ReplyDeleteIt was Bologna sammiches here. Hoping my mechanic is having a Black Friday sale on automotive work today. Off and running. Belated Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteWife and I had wonderful Thanksgiving with my daughter, her new husband, and our granddaughter - Elly, and her current boyfriend. Our grandson, Josh, is over in the Middle East - aboard a Navy Fast Attack Nuclear Sub. - protecting American interests. I cooked a Turkey (smoking it 8 hours), cornbread, and a pie - with sweet potato, apple, and pecans in it -and the ladies cooked the other delicious trimmings.-------- God has been good to us, and we thanked him!
ReplyDeleteToday is good so far. A month ago my new rescue chihuahua from a kill shelter was shaken evidently by one of my bigger dogs. He was in shock so he went to a country vet. They told me to get the dog out or euthanise it. So I got a referral to V-REC at Stone Oak in N. San Antonio. That's where the miracle special trained people are. The dog was a limp wet noodle with bright eyes. They put him in a neck brace. Today and for a few days he has been walking a few yards around the room. Amazing. The doctor in critical care says he has a will to live. The medical person says it is nice when he wraps the neck brace because the dog can stand up now. When I first went there they asked me to feed the dog who would not eat. They asked me what I fed him. They apologized for only having chicken. Well he eats well and is mostly back on dog food (Science Diet). I thought he was around 2 but from the tarter on his teeth I think he is around 5. He is so smart and gentle. He is in an open metal cage inside a big metal cage. No one reaches him. One day at a time. He has a vertebrae dislocation and they hope it heels around it. It is in Gods hands. It was in a hard to reach place between the shoulders and he had 50-50 chance either way and he could have died in surgery. So he and I pray.
ReplyDeleteRonald Mahan. I have a question for you. I have been trying to smoke a turkey for a couple of years. I can't get one to come out that isn't too dry. Do you have a secret. We have a really good smoker, but just can't seem to master it. Thanks for any tips.
ReplyDeleteDeborah Hall Glad to see another from this area following TFL. Were you without power also? It was a long 10 days for us.
ReplyDeleteMargery Bills Hope your fury friend makes a complete recovery.
ReplyDeleteRondeb -- I certainly am not a turkey smoking expert - however our last bird was moist, juicy, and delicious! Tips for preventing over dryness: -------------------- Water boils at 212 *F - so keep the smoker temperature down - suggest heat at 200 to 250 *F. Place a container of liquid in the smoker oven with the bird. I use orange juice and Riesling wine in my liquid container. Also helps to place any kind of stuffing in the bird cavity - to provide internal moisture. I used sweet potatoes and apple chunks to do this. I baste the bird with Old Smokey Sauce - about every two hours. Our 12 pound turkey took 8 hours to smoke - using above procedures. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Those steamed cooked Sweet potatoes & Apples (from the bird cavity) were then used to make a pie for desert. Added toasted pecans, honey, eggs for additional flavor.
ReplyDeleteRonald Mahan - Do you wrap the turkey in foil or anything? Do you suggest a smaller turkey rather than a larger one. I see that you did a 12 pounder. I usually cook a 20+ do to our kids and grandkids that come. Lot of teenage boys LOL. I could always cook 2. Would cooking 2 at the same time take longer? It may be the heat. The smoker instructions have it much hotter that you suggest. Probably the answer and stuffing it. Could you use regular stuffing mix to fill it or should it be something more loosely packed? Can't wait to try your suggestions. Thanks for answering. Might post your pie recipe also LOL Sounds scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteJohn, not trying to take over your blog as a cooking blog LOL
ReplyDelete----- I do not wrap the turkey in foil. A larger turkey would require significantly more time to smoke. But two smaller birds would reduce this time - due to the reduced mass of a one very large bird compared - to two smaller birds. I.E. heat has a shorter distance to travel in reducing moisture content - in smaller birds. I think a regular stuffing mix would work well - in preventing dryness. I also believe in using a moisture container in the smoker oven - because it keeps the smoker humidity at higher level - and the cooking temperature moderated. If using charcoal for fuel, I would also suggest using a charcoal chimney - to get the coals well lit - before placing them in the smoker. This will help to minimize periods of overheating. Based on your comments about smoker instructions suggesting a "much hotter" temperature - than I suggested (200 to 250 *F) - I believe that is a major contributing factor -with respect overly dry turkey meat. Also check the accuracy of your smoker thermometer - just in case - it is providing misleading information.
ReplyDeleteRonald Mahan. Thanks for your culinary advice. I am going to try all of this soon. Thanks again
ReplyDelete