I additionally wished to name out one oddity I seen in testing, which is that canines appear very drawn to the massive knob on the Woodridge’s management panel. Three completely different canines who came to visit to my home throughout smoking classes pressed it with their noses, most likely as a result of mixture of meat scent and seeing different folks touching it. They would not be capable to activate the grill, however they will mess with you whilst 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 dimensions of the Woodridge Professional actually struck me. You would simply smoke two full-sized pork bellies on the identical time, and I hope to very quickly. Because it was, my regular Costco pork stomach hundreds up half the smoker, which is greater than sufficient to feed some pals and have leftovers for myself.
It couldn’t be simpler. Set the temperature, hold the hopper stuffed, and every part else is managed mechanically. As a substitute of worrying about vents or fan speeds or gasoline, I sometimes simply hand around in the yard, get some work completed, play with the canine, and concentrate on the meat.
{Photograph}: Brad Bourque
I’ve discovered myself extra prepared to do all the additional steps that actually make a meal nice. I’m marinating and brining forward of time, getting rub recipes from pals, making pickled onions as an alternative of shopping for them. Stuff that sounds easy however will be straightforward to skip when you’re feeling lazy. Realizing 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 finest meals ever during the last couple of months, and introduced my pals collectively to take pleasure in them. We have eaten tender pork stomach tacos coated in a savory and spiced rub fastidiously refined by my neighbor, juicy pork chops with a crusty exterior, coppa sandwiches on a buddy’s selfmade 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.
