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22Feb
Tags: beck, conservative, cpac, democrat, future, glenn, glenn beck, hangover, hope, keynote, liberty, progressive, republican
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25Jan
Safe to do and easy to learn:
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12Nov
I think I may do this for Thanksgiving this year…
Compliments of the folks at Smoking-Meat
How to Smoke a Ham
November 12, 2009 Smoking Meat Newsletter
Hello friends.. what an exciting month! We have split the November edition of the newsletter up into two mega letters containing everything you ever wanted to know about smoking a turkey and smoking a ham.
Last week we talked about turkey and this week.. you guessed it! We are going to discuss the smoking of ham in great detail and how to create this amazing morsel of meat that you will not be able to believe.
I don’t want to keep you waiting so let’s get started!
Oh, by the way, if you missed last months newsletter you can read it here.
How to Smoke a Ham
Purchasing the Ham
When I went to my local market to find a ham I noticed that there was a lot of variety to pick from. I opted to walk on by the water and ham product and pay just a tad more for a real ham that was not 1/3 water weight.
Just a note: anytime a meat has the word “product” after it, be very aware that you do NOT know what you are buying.
I selected an already cooked bone-in, spiral sliced ham of about 10 pounds in weight.
Keeping the Ham Fresh
To keep a ham fresh just place it in the fridge until you are ready to smoke it. Take note of the “use by” date which is usually a good while off and be sure to use it way before then.
Preparing the Ham for Smoking
Unfortunately, there is no complexity to this, you simply remove it from the package and set it aside.
Adding some Extra Flavor
You have to try this.. squeeze some prepared yellow mustard (ballpark mustard) all over the ham. Be generous with it.
Pour about 3/4 cup of my rib rub on the top of the ham and use your bare hands to massage the rub/mustard paste onto the ham.
If you need more mustard or rub feel free to use more..
Be sure to coat the flat side of the ham as well.
Getting the Smoker Ready
In my video I used the Brinkmann Smoke n’ Pro horizontal smoker with a side firebox but you can easily use a vertical water smoker or even a gas or electric smoker.
My smoker will work great with straight wood or with a mixture of charcoal and wood. I opted to use 2 Weber chimneys of lump charcoal and a 3″ x 6″ piece of oak on the top for some good smoking action.
This combination brought the temperature up to about 230 degrees which was what I wanted to maintain.
Smoking the Ham
Place the ham directly on the grate with the flat side down. I recommend placing it about 2/3 of the way away from the firebox end to prevent any risk of the sugar in the rub burning from direct blasts of heat coming in from the firebox.
This is a problem with these type of smokers and it requires modifications to prevent this.
My heat lasted for about 1.5 hours at which time I had to add 3/4 chimney of lump charcoal to the firebox to maintain my target temperature.
I added another 3″ x 6″ piece of oak when the smoke stopped throughout the entire process. I ended up using 3 pieces during the 3 hour session.
Adding some Extra Zest
At the 2-1/2 hour mark, mix up a batch of my barbecue sauce and brush it on the ham liberally. For the next 30 minutes the sauce will carmelize a little on the outside of the ham and add even more flavor to an already deliciously smoked piece of meat.
If you want something really special you can make the outside look absolutely divine by adding about 1/4 cup of honey to 1/3 cup of the sauce. This will give the ham great flavor and make it super shiny on the outside i.e. it will look like it belongs on a magazine cover.
What if the Rub Tries to Burn?
This means the temperature of the smoker is too high.. try to lower the temperature of the smoker or move the ham even further from the firebox.
When is it Done?
The ham is already cooked so you do not have to reach a particular “done” temperature. In reality you only have to reach a good eating temperature. This is why it is best to keep the smoker temperature low so that the ham can get at least 3 hours of smoke without raising the internal temperature beyond about 160 degrees.
I normally do not monitor the temperature. I have found that 3 hours at 225-230 creates a great ham and I don’t mess with what works.
How to Serve it?
This is entirely up to you however, I like to place the finished ham right on the table sitting on it’s side. this allows everyone to tear off a slice for themselves and looks really cool sitting there whole rather than in slices on a platter.
My Famous Rib Rub Recipe and BBQ Sauce Recipe
Folks.. I never stop amazing myself at how good my rib rub is on various kinds of meat.
In preparing for this newsletter, I purchased a spiral sliced ham and rubbed it real good with mustard and generous portions of my very own rib rub. The only think I could say when I took that first bite was Oh my GOD! I probably said that about 5 times before I could regain enough composure to say something halfway intelligent;-)
I was blown away by the flavor AGAIN! I thought to myself, “I sure hope everyone can try this.. it is too good to go through life never having experienced this!”
I am not being dramatic.. just try it and you will join the ranks of those who know if I’m lying then I’m dying! This stuff is Fan-flavor-tastic and you need it in a bad-bad way;-)
Here is a few testimonies from other folks who took the plunge and are proud of it. Be sure to send my your testimony once you try it and realize that you have just tasted of HEAVEN.
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11Nov
The 11th Hour: The Date Behind Veterans Day
by Claudine Zap
While most know that Veterans Day honors those who have served in the military, the meaning behind its exact date (November 11) may not be so familiar. Here’s the backstory:
Back in 1918, in the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, a stop to hostilities was declared, ending World War I. An armistice to cease the fighting on the Western Front was signed by the Allied powers and Germany.
President Woodrow Wilson immediately proclaimed the day “Armistice Day,” kicking off the annual commemoration on November 11. But over the years, with veterans returning from World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day — a day reserved to honor veterans returning from all wars. But 11/11 still represented the end of the Great War in the public’s mind, and the date stuck.
In 1921, unidentified dead from the war were buried in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., Westminster Abbey in London, and the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The tradition to honor those killed in the war but never identified continues every year in the U.S. The ceremony is held at 11 a.m. at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Congress designated Veterans Day as a legal holiday in 1938, and since then, most Americans have come to know it as a day for store sales and parades. Yahoo! Searches on the holiday have already surged on the Web. People want to know “veterans day history,” “veterans day closings,” veterans day sales,” and “veterans day free meals.”
via The Buzz Log – The 11th Hour: The Date Behind Veterans Day – Yahoo! Buzz.
Tags: 11 11, armistice day, november 11, origin, veteran, veterans day
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28Aug
8 Steps to a great smoking experiences.
STEP1: The first thing you should do is sign up to http://smoking-meat.com/ . This site has tons of great information from regular guys and gals that smoke on a regular basis. Plenty of newbies also, since all great smokers were once newbies.
STEP2: Buy all sorts of meat. Pork, beef, fish, turkey, chicken. Start “burning” it as we call it. Since likely you will burn it, and it will not be what you hoped for, but it is like tuition to school. It costs something for the lesson.
STEP3: Seek sweet wood. Their are obvious standards, and they are awesome! Like Hickory, Oak and Mesquite are all well known. Look for good fruit tree wood also; Apple, Cherry are good examples. Walnut and Maple are excellent as well. More info at Smoking-Meat.com.
STEP4: After burning some well intentioned purchases, consider what you learned.. Most likely a couple things; need moisture in the smoker, and too much heat.. You will need to learn how to love your thermometer. The keys to smoking success is “LOW and SLOW” and plenty of moisture to humidify the air inside. The reason your ribs are so good from the oven is because you wrap them in foil with some water in the bottom of the foil. This keeps them from drying out. The other key is perhaps the most important! LOW and SLOW. Make up a blues hymn or some sort of song to sing along while you are enduring it. That will accomplish two things; reminder that LOW and SLOW is important, and it entertains you while you are spending quality time with your smoker.
STEP5: “You will know them by their fruit” it says in the bible, so if we were to apply that scripture to smoking, your growth in smoking would yield tasty smoked stuff. Remember you will stumble along the way, but you are becoming the smoker that God wants you to be! Honestly, if you use it for fellowship and things like that, I trust He will bless it and you guys for that!
STEP6: DO NOT LIMIT EXPERIENCE! Just about ANYTHING you can heat can be smoked! Last week I made a blueberry crumble that was to be smoked for 45 minutes, oh how sweet that would have been, if I had the smoker running that day. I cooked it in the oven, but the recipe called for smoking. Fish (obviously), beef, ribs, pork loin, open breast chicken, turkey, upright beer chicken, clams, cheese, so many types of desserts. Open your mind to the possibilities and just try it!
STEP7: Seek great smoking leaders. The cooking channel has plenty of good smokers from time to time. WATCH THEM! Also this guy, Steve Raichlin has a show that is excellent, but I have his book, many many recipes from across the USA with great tips and secrets.. It may be considered the smokers bible (not holy, just filled with truth!). These books should be well used during your experience: BBQ USA: 425 Fiery Recipes from All Across America
or The Barbecue! Bible
.
FINAL STEP: Have folks that offer you good tips, try out your makings.. Not only will it encourage more tips, but it will give them a good reason to visit! My first smoking experience I invited a bunch of people over, not a whole lot of stuff turned out, but I learned so much from the feedback..
Enjoy your new endeavour, as it will change the way you look at food. MMM MMMM MMMMMMMMmmmmmm….
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20Aug
One detail that is never mentioned is that in Washington , D.C. there can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument . With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this amazing historical information.
On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. , are displayed two words: Laus Deo.
No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn’t care less.
Once you know Laus Deo’s history , you will want to share this with everyone you know. These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.
Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.
So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply,
they say ” Praise be to God!”
Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States , it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo. “Praise be to God!”
From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l’Enfant…a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.
A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.
Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message.
On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore;
on the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians;
on the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6. Praise be to God!
When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy “One Nation, Under God.”
I am awed by Washington ’s prayer for America Have you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!
“Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”
Laus Deo!
When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation’s capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of “Laus Deo “, its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: “Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.” (Psalm 127: 1)
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26Jun
I don't think so, scooter
Not going to do it!
This is one of those pictures that you must stop and snap. This is probably in Florida, considering the irony, but it could be anywhere in the southern region of the US.
Thank you for the submission, Johnathan..
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08Apr
Apr 8, 2009
First day of testing started slow, but ended well.
The capsule was moved from Hangar AF to the Trident Turning Basin by 6am this morning. We then had to wait for the test team and crane to arrive for us to begin our first bit of data gathering, namely the calibration of the ship’s water pumps that will be used to fill and drain the capsule to achieve our desired ballast when at sea. The plan was to perform a crane lift with a load cell in place to get the capsule’s dry weight, then fill the capsule’s plenum with a predetermined amount using a water pump provided by USA. The pump provides water at a given flow rate, we fill for a set time and then we calculate how many pounds of water we should have on board. We then verify this by performing a second crane lift. Once we know how many pounds of water were actually loaded we know what the actual flow rate of the pump is and we can perform future fills and drains with confidence that we know how heavy we are making the capsule.
We started off with a (nearly) dry capsule weight of 17,700 lbs. We calculated that we increased the capsule to a weight of 27,000 pounds and found our actual weight to be 26,900 pounds. That produced our first set of smiles today. The first delay came when the fill and drain actually took about twice as long as anticipated. As a result, our operation that was scheduled to begin at 0930 was ready to begin at 1120 when the capsule was FINALLY relocated from its shipping cradle on the pier into the water of the turning basin. Lesson learned for future operations.
We broke for lunch after the capsule was tied off to LIBERTY STAR’s fan tail and then held our pre task briefing for water operations. PAO arrived as promised at 1200 with the media and had them set up on the pier to record our activities. Our first set of evolutions of data gathering by the Naval Surface Warfare Center and PJs applying a stabilization collars began at about 1230 and completed at about 1300. We took about a 90 minute break to reload the stabilization collars into their deployment bags and practice filling and draining the capsule with it in the water beside the ship. This also gave us the opportunity to answer PAO’s request to talk to some of the test’s key players (including HSFS’s CDR Quiett and a certain very happy test director from KSC).
Our second set of evolutions started at about 1440 and completed at 1540. Again good data was gathered all around. The twist for the second set was that we used one of the LIBERTY STAR’s AMVER (rigid hull inflatable) boats to circle the capsule and PJs at high speed to generate waves while the collars were being applied. This gave the PJs their first taste of what working in open water will be like. This also gave us the ability to modulate the waves to keep the PJs safe. It was a great way to make the transition from “crawling” to “walking” per our test plan.
The only goal that didn’t get achieved was deploying the aerostat. Winds were EXTREMELY variable in direction today and the risk of the aerostat getting blown back into the ship’s superstructure was deemed too great.
We ended the day with our post test briefing where we reviewed the day’s activities and laid out our plans for Thursday.
Our plans for Thursday are for the American Bureau of Shipping to do the inspection of the PORT crane at about 1100. When complete we will place the capsule in the water around 1230 or so (either with the PORT crane or with a mobile crane like we did today) and tow it out of the inlet to a point about 2 to 3 miles off shore. We will be looking for 1 – 2 foot seas for the PJ’s to get more practice applying the collars in a fairly benign environment. Since we will be able to keep the bow of the ship pointed into the wind we should also be able to deploy the aerostat. We will return shore at the POSEIDEON Wharf no later than 2000 due to personnel constraints.
Tags: moon, nasa, orion, Space, water test
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02Apr
Larry The Cable Guy
1. A day without sunshine is night.
2. On the other hand, you have different fingers..
3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
9. Support bacteria. They’re the only culture some people have.
10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
13. OK, so what’s the speed of dark?
14.. When everything is coming your way, you’re in the wrong lane.
15. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
16. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
17. Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.
18. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice? Do We Die?
19. Why do psychics have to ask you your name?
20. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, ‘What the heck happened?’
21. Just remember — if the world didn’t suck, we would all fall off.
22. Light travels faster than sound. That’s why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
23. Life isn’t like a box of chocolates. It’s more like a jar of jalapenos. What you do today, might burn your butt tomorrow.
I know it is recycled, but I enjoyed this today…
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31Mar
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13Jan
I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for tonight to start watching American Idol again. I am addicted somehow to this show. I say I won’t go so crazy and insist on watching all the shows, but somehow I do.
AMERICAN IDOL is set to return with a two-night, four-hour premiere event featuring extraordinary talent and outrageous new auditions Tuesday, Jan. 13 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) and Wednesday, Jan. 14 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.
This year there is a Wild Card episode as well where featuring the judges favorite remaining contestants. After each of the contestants perform, the judges will select the three final contestants who will round out the Top 12.
The competition heats up as those Top 12 finalists take the stage for the first time together Tuesday, March 10 . Immediately following, America has another chance to share its voice and vote for their favorite finalists.
So bring it on, I’m ready for another season.
Tags: american idol
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16Dec
t has been reported that cancer will overtake heart disease as the worlds top killer by 2010. This would more then double global cases and deaths in the years to follow. Rising tobacco use in developing countries is believed to be a huge reason for the change.
Also better diagnosing of cancer, along with the downward trend in infectious diseases that used to be the world’s leading killers.
Cancer diagnoses around the world have been rising and are expected to hit 12 million this year. Global cancer deaths are expected to reach 7 million, according to the new report by the World Health Organization.
By 2030, there could be 75 million people living with cancer around the world, a number that many health care systems are not equipped to handle.
“This is going to present an amazing problem at every level in every society worldwide,” said Peter Boyle, director of the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Boyle spoke at a news conference with officials from the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Cancer Institute of Mexico.
“Cancer is one of the greatest untold health crises of the developing world,” said Dr. Douglas Blayney, president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
“Few are aware that cancer already kills more people in poor countries than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined. And if current smoking trends continue, the problem will get significantly worse,” he said in a written statement
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12Nov
One way we have found to decrease the time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving and other holidays is to use an alternate source for cooking the main course – turkey, ham, etc.
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12Nov
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease shallow 1 1/2 qt. casserole. In bowl, mash sweet potatoes; stir in granulated sugar, margarine, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and eggs.
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12Nov
Mix all ingredients together & form a ball. Place on serving dish. Use fingers or a knife to score down the sides like a pumpkin. Place in refrigerator overnight so that all the flavors can come together.
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