How far have you come as a cook?

[Big Poppa]

I look several times a day at this place and am so happy that it is a cooks site. It's about creating and executing new ideas and great old standards. Many forums people talk the culture and sort of posture and this one really delivers the food goods. Thanks!

Now...seriously How far have you come since you got your pelletcooker? Are you cooking things you never thought you would? Have your friends here helped you? lets reflect...

 

[HoDeDo]

Whenever I need a charge on the old creative juices, I look no further than right here. I love looking at the contest pics, and allthe food threads. Killer stuff goin on here. Keeps the old brain churning!!! Thanks Everyone!

 

[TentHunter]

I am definitely cooking more types of things than I was before and in different ways. A lot of that is due to you guys constantly challenging me with new ideas and ways of cooking.

Even though my pellet cooker is low tech, the convenience of pellet cooking allows me to cook more often during the week when things are busier and you've got to love that!

 

[Smalls]

Not exaggerating, the cooking I've been doing since I started hanging out around here is leaps and bounds beyond what I was doing before. I finally remembered that I LOVE to cook! I've even started thinking about going to culinary school (which was my plan 7 yrs ago until life got in the way) We'll see what happens with that, but in the meantime I'm cooking a BBQ chicken pizza on my grill tomorrow night. Believe it or not, I didn't even know I could do that until recently!

 

[bjriddle]

We'll see what happens with that, but in the meantime I'm cooking a BBQ chicken pizza on my grill tomorrow night. Believe it or not, I didn't even know I could do that until recently!

I did a BBQ Chicken Pizza this past Friday and it turned out great! I went to a market that sells fresh pizza dough, rolled it out, placed the toppings on the dough, placed on a pre-heated MP at 450 degrees with pizza stone. Baked for 10 min and removed. Easy and really good!
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[FLBentRider]

I think I have come a LONG way as a cook, since I got into smoking. I started with a Bradley and then the MAK. The pellet grill was just a (great) step along the way.

 

[So Cal Smoker]

I started with a Masterbuilt Electric Smoker than a Traeger elite and now a MAK 2 Star. With each step I have gotten better and better. Much of my success, along with the equipment, is due to this forum and it's members.

Thank you all
Bill

 

[bflodan]

I started out like most I think doing the normal BBQ cooks on my MAK, which I do still love, but it didn't take long to realize there isn't much that you can't do on a pellet grill. We like watching some of the cooking shows like Master Chef, Chopped, etc... , and get new ideas to try on MAK. I can honestly I've come a far way from what I used to call bbqing!

 

[sparky]

everything i cook now on my maks i still cooked on my weber. its just different. its alot easier on the maks. myself i am asking for a bradley smoker for xmas. another form of smoke. it's all good.

PS: i love my grill grates

 

[BBQ Joe]

The main difference is the consistancy of the food that comes off of the MAK. I do alot of the same cooks as before, now they just taste a whole lot better. I have also added butts and whole chickens "spatchcocked" to my arsenal. I think my frinds are actually coming over for the food now, before it was more for the beer!

 

[Rip]

A long, long, way. Thanks BP and everyone else who contributes on this forum!

 

[ACW3]

Before I got my MAK, I was pretty much "colored inside the lines". Now, "forget about it"! I am so outside the box when it comes to cooking. That is a really good thing! I am trying to be more creative about adapting my "in-the-box" recipes to the MAK. Cooking has become so much more fun, and challenging, too.

Art

 

[NorCal Smoker]

I am still new at this, so I have not grown as much as others. My cooking is improved (impossible not to with the MAK), my arsenal has increased a bit (Pork Butt, Spatchcock Chicken, Carter's Cobbler, grilled peaches), but I have only followed what others have done. I still have a couple of other items that I want to try following other members recommendations, but then I will be ready to experiment. I have lots of ideas and getting close to setting out on my own!

 

[Big Poppa]

Great answers. Very rewarding for me to see

 

[Patrick_CT]

I have to say that I really lost my interest in cooking for a long time ("life got in the way" is a good statement. I traveled for many years and lived in different countries so I never really settled. Along the way I have gotten married and have a 3yo boy. We have settled down in the last year or so and since I got the MAK, I have found the passion again. This site has been an important part of that found passion. I would have never dreamed up some of the ideas that I read here and I strive to make them with my own spin.
This is almost a stepping stone for a culinary school as you learn so many techniques and recipes that many people would never share. I also love the fact that people from all over the country are participating and that brings ideas from other sub-cultures into our every day life, even if it is hard to find the ingredients.

Thanks BP and all you senior guys/gals out there that help us all get better!

 

[SisInLaw]

As a kitchen cook who always handed the meat platter off to whatever man happened to be standing around saying, "Can you barbeque this, please?" then batting my eyes, I've come a long way. During our block party on July 4th guys observed me messing with my Memphis and came over asking ME grilling instructions. And I knew the answers! Thanks Bro-In-Law!

 

[bsotoy]

I am still a novice at this but am stretching with some of the great ideas on this site. But the best part is, my 28 year old son has taken a sever liking to the pellet smoker. He is burning some serious pellets.. which reminds me... need to order some more from BP. Thanks to all for sharing!

 

[Magnus]

Well, I have to say that I just recently got into the "smoking" scene with my new Mak 2 Star. The food is definitely better and I am enjoying trying new things that I have found on this site as well as BP's Videos. At this point, I have had a few firsts, a Reverse Sear on some NY Strips, a Briskit that I just did and some salmon that I did last week. Every day I look for something new and different to try. Having alot of fun, thanks for all the great info on here!

 

[cbuman74]

I know I'm just a junior member but I love reading the things that all of you do, it inspires me to try other things. I didn't realize I could do so much on the pellet smoker. Am I a better cook, I think yes and the family seems to think so also because they want me to do more and more

 

[Big Poppa]

Great job keep it up Cbuman!