Well I don't know about being a good boy this year but I must have been a decent dad and husband.

The boy and the wife went in together to buy me a new offset smoker. One of the real nice New Braunfels ones they have at Academy.

Yesterday the boy and I put it together and today it is on its' first cooking mission. Fired up with lump charcoal and mesquite here she is.




Of course what is inside is even better. Traditional after Christmas day family food here at our house.

First a nice smoked duck, stage one just put on the smoker,




Second a Turkey Roast, the wife is not big on duck so these are cool they have no bones are about half dark and half white meat, tied with a roast net.




Tune in a few hours from now to see the final results. Now that I have a new smoker those catfish better hide! MMMMMMM smooooked catfiiiish, ahhhh.

Make sure you season the grill with some vegitable oil. I oiled the entire inside of mine when I got it. It will halp to preserve it for many more awesome meals like that to come again! Nice lookin grill. My christmas dinner consisted of 2 taquitos from 7-11. Had to work the 7am-7pm on christmas.

Working on Christmas should never be required of anyone. We won't even go to a store or business on Christmas just because we think of all holidays in America be your view of it be secular or religious or even both no one should be required to work on Christmas.

I guess except for emergency responders and such. Sorry you had to work.

On seasoning your bet. Last night I oiled all the cooking surfaces with oil, then I built a fire and got the whole thing established and seasoned. I will keep doing it too. My gas grill is so well seasoned nothing will stick to it now.

The smell is getting REALLY GOOD, I will need to cover the turkey roast about 30 minutes. I think this is the best present they ever gave me, I feel like a kid with a new toy. The old thin walled one has been donated to a family friend who can probably milk a few more years out of it,

You did it right then sir! Yeah...I didnt really WANT to work on christmas... It was kind of my gift to my group. Everyone has families here locally and wanted to spend time with em. My family is in MN...so I figuered I would take the [censored] shift so they could spend time with the ones they love.... My dad said it best... "when santa statrs paying your bills, take the day of" LOL

That is real nice of you skyshark! I have always tried to be that kind of boss for my people. Take the s--t so they don't have to. I guess it was the years in the Army that put that into me.

I hope you get to be with your family soon brother,

I have the same smoker and have had it for almost 2 years. The ONLY problem I have had is the gray paint coming of the smoke box. But the darn thing cooks well!

I have the same grill too. Season it well. I ran smoke through mine 10 time or so it get it started.

LOOKS GOOD Jack!

Yea the paint came off the fire box with the first fire! I expected that though. The duck and turkey roast are resting but have already been "sampled". Duck is minus a drumstick!

I'll post a shot of the finished product later. If you have never smoked a duck you owe it to yourself to try it,

I know you said you were going to post a picture of the finished product, but come one. We don't want to see the product at "that" finished stage. Sorry for that I just couldn't resist. Nice looking start you got going there Jack, I'm hoping I'll be getting one of those pretty soon.

Me too. 4 years at FT. Bragg. Let me know if you are ever in lockhart....I got somewhere we can go fishing (my backyard).

Shyshark, When were you at Bragg? I was there from 1983-1986, 3/504 PIR 82nd Airborne. We were 2/508 untill we went Regamental in 85 I think it was.

Skyshark, I will fish with you any day and if you get up toward DFW let me know, we can tear up the sand bass and cats.

Emmett, Good to meet another Airborne Solider. I spent most of my permanent party time in Panama, some with Combat Engineers deployed across Central America the majority with the 617th SOAD,

On the orginal subject, here is my duck and turkey roast finished. As you can see I sort of forgot to take the pic before we "sampled them". Can you blame me though, tonight, Brisket!



I just don't know if there is a better bird for smoking then a duck!

Man that looks good! Emmett - I was there 95'-98' a company 327 sig bat (old barracks on ardennes). Jack you were a paratrooper too? NICE! Now everyone in the army gets a beret Check this out guys


http://www.dot.state.tx.us/services/vehi...153&type=MC

ps. Just shot my first duck yesterday....Think I may try to cook it "jack" style on my bbq pit!

Jack, that sure looks good. You are braking that grill in right, thats for sure.
Shyshark, thanks for the link. Might need to get one of those plates. I like them.