MikeUSMC: "Bury Me in Smoke"

Ok, I started with a Jim Beam barrel on Craigslist for $100



Sanded it down with a wire wheel on an angle grinder on the bands.
80 grit, then 120 grit, then 150 grit sandpaper "flapper" wheel on the oak
Cleaned it up nice


5/8" self tapping stainless screws (predrilled pilot holes) in every stave to hold the bands up, and to stop the barrel from falling apart when I cut the top off. This took FOREVER


Off comes the top, out comes the loose char. Smelled like smoky bourbony awesomeness


Little 14" Weber "Smokey Joe" for the bottom. I drilled a ton more holes in this for better airflow, and altered the legs a little so it would sit lower




Access door to refill water pan/charcoal




Four 3/4" threaded pipe air vents w/ caps to control the airflow. High-temp, food grade caulk in each stave joint



Somewhere along the way, after all the hardware was on (holes drilled), I was ready for paint. I love the textured look of this stuff. (Spray paint) "Forged Hammered Antique Pewter"



A coat of stain, and BOOM!

'MERICA.









Boss, let me know if you want me to delete any of the double posted pics. I'm not looking to get in trouble here

 

[Downriver]

Damn Mike, you got that rib thing down. Don't matter what cooker you're using!
 
Nicely done buddy.
 
Told ya Malcom makes some good stuff lol. I'm researching another guy that shows a lot of potential. He's from up your way too. I'll keep ya posted.

 

[PtMD989]

Might it be Messy Mikes BBQ from NH ?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Walchit]

I dont even know what to type right now!



I also was surprised when I went to the store and actually saw one too, they are monsters. You should get an 18 too, they pack right up in the trunk of the car no problem. I had to put a couple pieces of the 22 in the back seat when I bought it.

Oh and we have a ton of mulberry here, I bet I actually missed the harvest on the berries, I wanna make a mulberry sauce too

 

[MikeUSMC]

I'm researching another guy that shows a lot of potential. He's from up your way too. I'll keep ya posted.

Please do!

Damn Mike, you got that rib thing down. Don't matter what cooker you're using!

 

[MikeUSMC]

Fired up the WSM the other night for a 20lb brisket

Everybody who ate this says it was the best one Ive ever made, by far. Not sure if it was my absolute best, but Id definitely put it in my top 3, without a doubt

The burnt ends were OFF. THE. FREAKIN. HOOK.

Doing another one next weekend
Cheers!

Ooooh... I almost forgot! I made a few Fireball soaked smoked pineapples a couple weeks ago too
Smoked at 275* for about 4.5 hours, over chunks of cherry and apple wood

https://youtu.be/j53Yq4_e-cA

 

[stettoman]

Oh man....I mean--Oh man!!
 
I have a big brisket from my Wagyu/Angus side purchase this summer still waiting for that result...
 
Effkin' DROOOL, baby!

 

[Ashen]

Looks amazing as always Mike

 

[MikeUSMC]

Thanks guys!

I’m pumped to do another one this coming weekend too!

 

[Shorerider]

Farrrrk....... ....... ........me, looks bloody tasty, Mike. I may have to ban you if you keep posting pics like this, you know, for the greater good of THP members  . 

 

[Downriver]

NICE! Love me some burnt ends. There's a guy in NC who makes the best I've had.
 
What do you think of Malcom's TX Brisket Rub? I haven't tried it yet.
 
How about that B&B? What kinda burn rate did you get out of it? Big Moe Cason swears by it. Of course they're one of his biggest sponsors lol.
 
EDIT: Nevermind about the B&B. Just read your charcoal thread lol.

 

[MikeUSMC]

What do you think of Malcom's TX Brisket Rub? I haven't tried it yet.

Its absolutely amazing, Rick. Ive recently been steering myself toward the Dalmatian style rubs for brisket lately, and Malcoms is the best Ive tried yet. Let me put it this way: before Id even finished my (first ) plate the other day, I put 3 more shakers in my Amazon cart

How about that B&B? What kinda burn rate did you get out of it?

Hot and clean, bud, with very little ash at the end. Easily my favorite charcoal, by a mile. For this particular cook (full charcoal basket in the 22.5 WSM), I got almost 15 hours of burn time out of it, running it around 260-275*

 

[MikeUSMC]

18 pounder, for a family picnic the other day.
This one cooked QUICKLY! Only took about 9.5 hours at 275*. Usually, a brisket this size would take me 14-15 hours at that temp. Briskets are like fingerprints, lol. Every single one is different

I didn*t get a chance to get a pic of the burnt ends

 

[MikeUSMC]

Those of you who have followed this thread for a while know just how happy I was when I finished building my shed earlier this Spring...

(cut to about 2 months ago) Then, Tropical Storm *Isais* tore up the entire East coast of the country, wrecking a ton of shit in its path. My neighborhood had trees coming down left and right, like there was no tomorrow. Not gonna lie, it was pretty tough to keep calm and not look nervous in front of my kids. The sound of 2 foot diameter oak trees snapping in half like toothpicks and crashing to the ground making houses and windows shake was enough to make anybody*s hair on the back of their neck stand up...

Although I am complaining a little bit, I definitely understand that many other people got hit MUCH harder than I did, and my family and I are extremely grateful that we made it through the storm, relatively unscathed, and were very happy that everybody we know is/was safe.

Later reports indicated that *Isais* had the strength equivalent to *Superstorm Sandy* from a few years ago. During *Isais*, we lost power for about 5 or 6 days, and one of the loudest *crashes* that I heard was right in my own backyard...

You*ve gotta be fucking kidding me...
(from my bedroom window)

Oak tree, probably about 24 inches in diameter at the base

Snapped the 2x8 ridge in half

Couple of OSHA planks landed right on the trailer smoker
Thank God it*s made of 1/4 inch rolled steel! It*s a tank!
Only things that were damaged were the temp gauge and the exhaust damper. Could have been a LOT worse!

Got the tree cleaned up, had to rip the entire roof off the shed (even the rafters), and got it all put back together:

I finally got around to splitting all the logs yesterday, and if there*s a silver lining in any of this, it*s that I*ll have a shitload of oak splits for next year, lol
(some maple too, from a tree that came down in my neighbor*s yard )

My back is freakin killing me

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Awwww man! 

 

[Downriver]

Mike, I'm really sorry, but out of the previous 14 pictures you posted, I could not find one thing to "like".
 
That like suxs, BIG TIME!
 
Maybe you shoulda used STEEL!         jk

 

[Duke]

Dude, that bourbon barrel smoker is KICK AZZ!

 

[Rajun Gardener]

Mike, I finally used Kosmos stuff and everyone said it was the best brisket they ever had. 
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTvNJWy_mOA&feature=youtu.be

 

[MikeUSMC]

Good to be back

Now, I’m gonna bombard this thread with pics, lol. Gonna be multiple posts, I’m sure. In no particular order, here we go

Prime rib roast a few months back (22 pounder, cut in half). Hit it with Jess Pryles’ “Hardcore Carnivore Black” rub

 

[MikeUSMC]

Miscellaneous spare ribs pics:

 

[MikeUSMC]

Brisket pics:

@Ashen, where you at, buddy?
Burnt ends: