I additionally wished to name out one oddity I seen in testing, which is that canines appear very interested in the massive knob on the Woodridge’s management panel. Three completely different canines who came visiting to my home throughout smoking periods pressed it with their noses, in all probability as a result of mixture of meat odor and seeing different folks touching it. They would not be capable to activate the grill, however they will mess with you when you’re setting the temperature in the event that they’re mischievous or curious like mine.
The Smoke
Coming from the world of propane grills, the scale of the Woodridge Professional actually struck me. You may simply smoke two full-sized pork bellies on the identical time, and I hope to very quickly. Because it was, my traditional Costco pork stomach hundreds up half the smoker, which is greater than sufficient to feed some associates and have leftovers for myself.
It couldn’t be simpler. Set the temperature, preserve the hopper stuffed, and all the pieces else is managed mechanically. As a substitute of worrying about vents or fan speeds or gasoline, I usually simply hand around in the yard, get some work finished, play with the canine, and deal with the meat.
{Photograph}: Brad Bourque
I’ve discovered myself extra keen to do all the additional steps that basically make a meal nice. I’m marinating and brining forward of time, getting rub recipes from associates, making pickled onions as an alternative of shopping for them. Stuff that sounds easy however may be straightforward to skip in case you’re feeling lazy. Figuring out I’ve a scrumptious chunk of meat on the smoker motivates me to go the additional mile.
In consequence, I’ve made or contributed to a few of my greatest meals ever over the past couple of months, and introduced my associates collectively to take pleasure in them. We have eaten tender pork stomach tacos coated in a savory and spiced rub rigorously refined by my neighbor, juicy pork chops with a crusty exterior, coppa sandwiches on a buddy’s home made focaccia. In between, I’ve loved luxurious leftovers like fried rice, smoked egg salad, and easy sandwiches. Greater than only a grill, the Woodridge has change into part of my kitchen and cooking routine extra shortly and seamlessly than I’d’ve imagined.