Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Masterbuilt Vs Bradley BBQ Smoker: Which Is Better for Cooking?

Masterbuilt Vs Bradley BBQ Smoker: Which Is Better for Cooking?


You can always give your family and friends a sweet treat by cooking some pulled pork or smoked ribs for them.All you need is a Bradley BBQ smoker to prepare restaurant-style meals.It presents a new world of cooking as well as an opportunity to organize reunions and other social events with your loved ones.Whether you want to explore exotic recipes or other styles of cooking, a barbecue smoker is exactly what you need.Choosing the best barbecue smoker may seem daunting at first glance.You have to purchase a product with a sturdy construction that is great for your long-term use.As long as the product you have purchased a unit that can encourage you to explore beautiful culinary treasures, you will surely get the best value for your money.Bradley BT1S1 fully-automatic food smoker.Bradley BBQ smoker can slowly roast your favorite food items.It can bring out the flavor of meats and fruits through its powerful 125-watt smoking element.Its steel exterior and 2288 cubic inch interior can accommodate most of the items you want to roast.It also has a door-mounted thermometer for measuring interior temperatures and helping you estimate the required cooking time.With this device, you can cook up to eight hours without worrying about the need to refuel it.This clean-burning smoker also requires little or no maintenance.With its smoke without fire technology, you can avoid resins and high-temperature gas from affecting the taste of your food.It also comes with essential accessories such as drip bowls and trays that can assist you while you are roasting your favorite meals.Bradley BBQ smoker is guaranteed to roast all your meals to perfection.Masterbuilt electric smokehouse smoker.Masterbuilt BBQ smoker is the perfect alternative to traditional charcoal grilling sets.It has a powder-coated exterior, a spacious two-cubic foot interior, and a set of four smoking racks.Its user-friendly operation makes it perfect for cooking vegetables, meat, fruits, and other delectable food items.With its digital control panel, you can adjust the temperature and time you need to cook a new recipe you have always wanted to try.Unlike other BBQ smokers, its precise thermostat controls for electric temperature can evenly roast and heat your food.It even has a 24-hour digital timer for automatically shutting the machine off within specified amounts of time.You can also take advantage of its insulated construction because of its capacity to ensure energy-efficient cooking.Bradley vs.Masterbuilt a brief comparison.Although both of these BBQ smokers can take your grilling experience to the next level, only one of them will serve your interests best.Once you have finished comparing their pros and cons, you can easily determine which of them can satisfy all your needs without any hassle.Masterbuilt BBQ smoker is known for its high-quality construction and innovative heating technology.If you want to experience the convenient and easiest way to grill and roast food, Masterbuilt is your best choice.On the other hand, a Bradley digital smoker will give you full control over the temperature, time, and amount of smoke you need to cook all your meals.It is also great for indoor and outdoor use because of its sturdy steel construction.Now that you know more about the top two barbecue smokers in the market, it will be easier for you to make a decision that you will never regret.Whether you wish to buy a Masterbuilt or Bradley BBQ smoker, they will always satisfy your craving for exciting culinary adventures.

Masterbuilt Vs Bradley BBQ Smoker: Which Is Better for Cooking?



Bradley Smoker Price Comparisons Of Camp Chef 18-Inch Smoke Vault Propane Box HD Steel And Stainless Door Smoker, Black


bradley smoker See Camp Chef 18-Inch Smoke Vault Propane Box HD Steel and Stainless Door Smoker, Black Details



List Price : $385.00 Price : $175.00
as of 2012-09-26 11:00 AM
Camp Chef 18-Inch Smoke Vault Propane Box HD Steel and Stainless Door Smoker, Black

Product Description

While many smokers have just enough power to dry jerky, the Smoke Vault 18-inch and 24-inch creates a wide range of usable heat that can be used for smoking ribs, fish and turkeys as well as baking pies and breads. It is roomy enough for Dutch ovens or your favorite cookware. The convenient snap ignition is coupled with a finesse style propane gas valve that translates into 20,000 maximum BTU's of usable heat. Two standard smoking racks. One jerky smoking rack. Water pan. Cast iron wood chip plate.


  • Two standard shelves and one jerky rack
  • Comes with water pan
  • Very stable design for outdoor cooking and smoking
  • Stainless door
  • Camp Chef quality built for long term use




Tile Shower Pans Have a Hidden Secret

Tile Shower Pans Have a Hidden Secret


Tile shower pans either work or showers leak.And believe me a leaky shower creates an expensive mess.Maybe you don't know that shower floors naturally leak.They do.But there are three key features of a tile shower that makes a naturally leaky shower waterproof.The real mystery is all three features are hidden.You see a tile shower floor leaks.That's because neither ceramic tile or the grout in the tile joints is waterproof.Water seeps through the floor.Now you can apply sealer to slow the leaking.But you can't stop it.Water just goes down into the floor and through it.So there is more to a waterproof shower than you can see.That part that you can't see is the shower pan.You can't see it from the top of the floor and you can't even see it from underneath the shower.Now shower pans come in several types but they all perform the same function.The most common type of tile shower pan is built from masonry which surely isn't waterproof.So here's the first trick.A shower drain is more than meets the eye.The drain isn't like a sink drain.It actually has drain holes on two levels.The level you see in the floor is just one of the levels.The other drain level is in the floor.It's down below the surface, and kept open in a traditional shower by a layer of small gravel.How does having a drain below the surface help?That drain is where the water that seeps through the floor ends up.You see the shower floor has a waterproof layer built into it.Usually that layer is a special vinyl sheet that absolutely will not leak.So the water that makes it through the floor reaches the vinyl membrane and then heads toward the lower drain.That's the second secret ingredient to most shower pans.Then the final trick is the vinyl membrane is glued to a flange on the drain to form a waterproof joint.So in effect you have a waterproof pool built into the shower floor and thus no water gets through the shower pan.That's how you get a leak proof shower pan that will work for a long time and look good the whole time.So a shower naturally leaks.But that's not a problem because of what you can't see.The built in shower pan keeps a shower working right and looking right for a long, long time.

Tile Shower Pans Have a Hidden Secret



Tips And Tricks For The Turkey Fryer

Tips And Tricks For The Turkey Fryer


There is always a learning curve with any new appliance or gadget.The turkey fryer is no different.There are some simple tips that can get you started quicker and with greater confidence.One of the first questions is usually, "How do I know how much oil to put in the pot?" This is an important question because if too much oil is in the pot and heated then it will most likely overflow the pot or boil over the edge when the turkey is placed in the pot.A good method to use to determine the exact amount of oil needed with the bird you are going to fry is to place the bird on the stand in the pot and then fill the pot with water to about 2 inches over the bird.Now remove the bird and note the water level.Make a measurement from the top of the pot to the top of the water level.Now all that is needed is to dry the pot and the turkey.Fill the pot with oil to the same level that the water had reached without the turkey.When the oil is heated you can now safely insert the bird with confidence that the level is proper.Even though some pots have an etched or stamped mark indicating the top oil level it might always be a good idea to run your own test with the turkeys you are going to be using in order to save oil and also for added safety.Oil can be used for times as long as 4 or 5 hours to cook additional turkeys as long as the temperature remains at the recommended 350 degrees.Be sure not to let the oil rise higher than 375 degrees or it will began to smoke and break down and become rancid.Oil is reuseable if it is properly drained, filtered and properly stored.Keep in mind that the more the oil is used the greater the chance it can retain minute amounts of sediment which could affect the flavor of the finished bird.Experience would be the best teacher as you get more and more use from your turkey fryer.If your oil has been used a lot and you are not sure of its quality run a simple test by frying a few potato wedges in a sample of the oil.Tasting these will quickly tell you if the oil has gone rancid.You should use a funnel equipped with a filter to strain the oil when removing it from the pot and placing in back in the storage container.Of course it goes without saying that the oil needs to be completely cooled before draining.Handling hot cooking oil is a sure path to injury or at the least a terrible mess.In a very short period of time I am sure you will become rather fond of your turkey fryer as you receive more and more compliments about your new cooking skills and you are not a slave to an oven for 4 or more hours to roast a turkey.

Tips And Tricks For The Turkey Fryer



Tuesday, September 25, 2012

BBQ Smoking Basics Part 2 - Feed Your BBQ Smoker the Good Wood

BBQ Smoking Basics Part 2 - Feed Your BBQ Smoker the Good Wood


Contrary to what most beginning barbecue grill masters might think, it's not the charcoal used in their BBQ smokers that creates the smoke.The charcoal provides the heat, but its the wood that gives up that smokey goodness!When you smoke meats, you're bathing them in a constant and strong stream of wood smoke.  This smoke is created by limiting the amount of oxygen available to the wood as it burns.  Doing this causes the wood to smoke rather than burn.  You also want to help the smoking process along by pre-soaking your wood chips or chunks in water for about 30 minutes before adding them to the fire.  The more we can slow down that burn the better. .Choose and experiment with all types of wood for your BBQ smoker - including apple, hickory, mesquite, cherry, and oak.  Wood chunks and chips are available in bags at the grocery store or via the Internet from specialty sites as well.If you're feeling experimental, some interesting woods you can use in your BBQ smoker include apricot, peach, pear, orange, and grapefruit.  Each of these types of wood will give your barbecue a different taste.  For instance, apricot wood provides a mild, fruity sweetness that goes great with meats like chicken, turkey, pork and fish.  Orange wood provides a medium smoke flavor with just a small hit of fruit flavor.If you want a real treat, and something that your friends will be talking about for years to come, fill your barbecue smoker with wood from the barrels used to house Cabernet wine!  A rich, deep, dark purple color is the first thing you'll notice, followed by - of course - the remarkable taste! .

BBQ Smoking Basics Part 2 - Feed Your BBQ Smoker the Good Wood



One Bird the President Didn't Pardon

One Bird the President Didn


Talking turkey.The talk around town in November was mostly politics, but after the election, people started talking turkey.The thought of using a self basting or kosher turkey did not appeal to me, I've never liked taking too many short cuts, I find it ruins the fun.But I had heard a lot of talk about brining and how it cut cooking time down and made the turkey universally moist.I did a bit of research, reading magazines and online articles and finally I got the basic formula. one cup of salt per one gallon of water.Salt and water seemed pretty boring so I researched further.Recipes for brine were a dime a dozen, some made sense while others were downright bizarre.Finally, I decided I wanted my brine to give my turkey a little more than a salt bath and came up with my own recipe based on that one cup - one gallon ratio.I started out with a half gallon of water in a large pot.I added two cups of salt and one cup of brown sugar.I brought it to a boil and kept it on just long enough to dissolve the salt and sugar.Next, I dropped in some peppercorns, a couple of bay leaves, and some thyme.Finding a container big enough to hold a fourteen pound turkey and enough brine to cover it wasn't much of a task.I just so happened to have a five-gallon bucket that I used for home brewing.I poured the slightly cooled liquid into the bucket, topped it off with another half gallon of water, and added a couple trays of ice cubes to hasten cooling.I then added one gallon of apple cider and one cup apple cider vinegar.I placed my turkey into the liquid, completely covered and let it brine away in the fridge for eighteen hours.The Big Day.On Thanksgiving morning I preheated my oven, pulled the bird out of its salt soaked slumber, rinsed it off, and patted it dry.I stuffed the bird with stuffing that I had pre-cooked that morning and found a suitable roasting pan.Twenty minutes per pound was what I had heard for roasting a brined turkey and I factored in an additional twenty minutes for the stuffing.I roasted the foil-covered turkey at 400F for the first three and a half hours, basting it every half hour.In its last hour, I removed the foil, turned the heat down to 375F degrees and brushed a honey mustard glaze on it.I let it rest about thirty minutes so that the juices could settle and then it was carving time.My first reaction was "Wow it slices like butter!" The reaction of my dinner guests said it all--this turkey was different from its grainy, bone dry predecessors--this bird had taste! Safe to say I'm sold on brining.

One Bird the President Didn



What Is A Granton Edge Santoku Knife?

What Is A Granton Edge Santoku Knife?


If you have ever used Asian knives than you have probably heard about Santoku knives before.The design is similar to a Chef's knife; however, there are a few key differences that in my opinion make them much better than a Chef's knife.If you don't know, a Chef's knife is a general purpose knife that is used in the kitchen.It's usually around 8 inches long and has a slightly curved blade which helps promote the 'chopping' motion.A Santoku knife on the other hand, can be anywhere from five to eight inches long and while a Chef's knife has a pointed end the Santoku version has what's called a sheeps foot tip.Basically, the spine (top) of the knife curves downwards at the front.This gives you a flat straight edge that has limited 'rocking'.Where Santoku knives really differ is in the actual blade design.There are little slits cut vertically into the blade which are knivwn as Granton edges.These little scallops that are cut into the blade help prevent food from sticking to the blade while cutting.For example.A Victorinox Fibrox 7-Inch Granton Edge Santoku Knife is a Santoku knife that has Granton edges and is extremely popular in food preparation.While you would use a rocking motion to cut stuff with a standard Chef's knife with a Granton edge Santoku knife it's a little different.Some of them have curved blades (which is the best of both worlds), but in most cases Santoku knives are used for slicing, dicing and mincing.In fact, Santoku literally means 'three virtues' or 'three uses' which references the tasks that it's been designed for.If you find one with a curved blade that is a blended design you get the added benefit of being able to perform the rocking action without food sticking to the blade.If you have been searching around for a new Chef's knife to add to your collection I highly recommend that you also check out Japanese Santoku style knvies.The blended version of a Chef's knife and classical Santoku knife is one of the best combinations that you can find.As for what these knives are usually made out of? Generally, it's high carbon steel which means no dish washer as they'll rust.High carbon steel is preferable for knives simply because they take an edge and retain it longer than any other type of metal.

What Is A Granton Edge Santoku Knife?