Another one ticked off my list...

[Chris__M]

Today I had a houseful (ok a dozen) of board gamers coming to play games, and hoping to be fed. Not a time to experiment, eh?

I had planned to cook just burgers and bangers - but do them slow, on smoke. This would allow me to set up the cooker, and get the food on it mid-morning, as folk arrived, and then spend the morning with them, rather than outside cooking.

This worked a treat, and everyone enjoyed the burgers and sausages cooked this way. It is also the first time anyone can remember that I served up BBQ at the time I said it would be ready.

Anyway, about the experiment. When I was buying the food, yesterday lunchtime, Tesco had pork shoulder on at half-price. Not a proper butt, sure, but still a decent hunk of pig - I couldn't resist putting a couple in my cart. When I got home, I quickly prepared them with a rub, didn't have time to play with injecting (I only had an hour's break), and set them smoking. I didn't have any applejuice to spritz them with, so diluted some cider vinegar instead.

It hit temperature at 11:00pm, and I stuck it in a cooler to rest. At sometime just before midnight, I found myself pulling pork. Some of it pulled fine, but some of it was a little firmer, so I roughly chopped it. I then mixed in the meat juices, and some shop-bought BBQ sauce. I put it in the fridge, and went to bed.

Not knowing what it would be like, I stuck to my plan with the burgers and sausages, while planning to reheat the pork in my oven. I did't even tell people it was there, in case it was rubbish. Eventually the smell coming from the kitchen gave me away.

Well.... people ended up stuffed. They ate the sausages, and the burgers, and they also ate most of the pulled pork. After reheating, it was sweet and sticky and surpassed all my expectations.

This was my first time I had actually got pork to pull, and I am delighted.

Didn't take any photos at the time, but I may take a shot of the leftovers tomorrow, if I don't eat them first.

So brisket, check; pulled pork, check. What's next?

[Chris__M]

Chuck roast - cook more or less the same as a pork shoulder? That sounds fun, as I am more of a beef person than a pork person (although you'd find that hard to believed today!

[Chris__M]

No worries, I understood what you meant.

As I think I have posted here (I sometimes confuse what I post here, what I post on PelletHeads, and what I post on my regular blog!), I have tried cooking the simplest of fatties, with good effect, just out of curiousity.

Although I like the concept of the "Full English" fatty, and will no doubt try that sometime when I have a crowd around, it isn't something I would normally cook for myself. Some of you may find this hilarious, posted to a BBQ forum, but I am supposed to be watching my weight!

I don't see this totally in contradiction to having a BBQ hobby, as I think that sensible portions of well cooked beef or pork, served with veg or salad, is probably healthier than the local supermarket ready-meal. Beef more so than pork, I think.

More importantly for me, I think what I eat has a smaller effect on my weight as my recent inactivity. Having banged my leg up just before I came home from holiday, I then spent over 3 weeks having to rest it. I've been up and about again for a couple of weeks, but haven't done any serious walking yet - once I start that again, the pounds should start coming off.

[Burntwood boy]

Some of you may find this hilarious, posted to a BBQ forum, but I am supposed to be watching my weight!

I don't see this totally in contradiction to having a BBQ hobby, as I think that sensible portions of well cooked beef or pork, served with veg or salad, is probably healthier than the local supermarket ready-meal. Beef more so than pork, I think.

I think you are absolutely right there..... I too am trying to lose a few pounds , ok stone, but it's true what you say well cooked unprocessed meat that's not too fatty and plenty of salad and or roasted veg will always be a better choice than normal ready meals. Don't think I have touched a ready meal in twelve months.

The problem comes when you start to get your mates over and maybe open a couple of beers, then you start on the nachos and dips whilst waiting for your healthy meat, and you have to do a dessert for the ladies which it would then be rude not to have some yourself....and so the waistline continues it's outward bounds holiday.

[Chris__M]

The worst thing for me is when I host a board game session. I normally don't keep biscuits and cakes in the house (as I'd find it too easy to go through them). When I have people round, I feel obliged to get some snacks in, and when people go at the end of the day, I try to get people to take anything left with them.

However, quite often people decide to bring something as well, and if I am not careful, I end up with more junk food than I originally bought.

On Sunday night, I ended up throwing away half a dozen doughnuts and the best part of a pack of sausage rolls. I felt awful doing it, but it's better in the bin than on my waistline.

[All Weather Griller]

Guys I'm right with you on the weight thing. I have been doing (don't laugh) the Special K thing, I'm not so fussed about dropping a dress size, but I kid you not I have lost 2 stone in 5 weeks!

[Curlie028]

Get in there Adie.
Was it difficult?

[Burntwood boy]

Guys I'm right with you on the weight thing. I have been doing (don't laugh) the Special K thing, I'm not so fussed about dropping a dress size, but I kid you not I have lost 2 stone in 5 weeks!

Good going...Last time I lost that much weight was on the Cambridge diet, 3 milkshakes a day no food for three weeks, that was tough and have put it all back on since. At the moment it's slimming world and cycling three times a week for me but it is not coming off quickly

[Chris__M]

Guys I'm right with you on the weight thing. I have been doing (don't laugh) the Special K thing, I'm not so fussed about dropping a dress size, but I kid you not I have lost 2 stone in 5 weeks!

Excellent stuff.

As it happens, I am in my second week of having just a small bowl of porridge oats for lunch, made with skimmed milk. Not finding it too difficult at the moment - oats are quick to prepare and fairly satisfying, and I am getting through to my evening meal without problems. Eating normally otherwise, but I reckon I am probably dropping 3-400 calories on my normal diet.

What I find strange is that my normal lunch is something like 2 rolls, or 2 rounds of sandwiches. Many times I have intended to cut down to just 1 sandwich at lunchtime, but it always leaves me peckish in the afternoon. And yet a little bowl of oats doesn't.

[Burntwood boy]

Guys I'm right with you on the weight thing. I have been doing (don't laugh) the Special K thing, I'm not so fussed about dropping a dress size, but I kid you not I have lost 2 stone in 5 weeks!

Excellent stuff.

As it happens, I am in my second week of having just a small bowl of porridge oats for lunch, made with skimmed milk. Not finding it too difficult at the moment - oats are quick to prepare and fairly satisfying, and I am getting through to my evening meal without problems. Eating normally otherwise, but I reckon I am probably dropping 3-400 calories on my normal diet.

What I find strange is that my normal lunch is something like 2 rolls, or 2 rounds of sandwiches. Many times I have intended to cut down to just 1 sandwich at lunchtime, but it always leaves me peckish in the afternoon. And yet a little bowl of oats doesn't.

I get sushi from telcos for lunch, it seems to keep me full for quite a while and is only 230 Cal if I get peckish about 4 then I grab fruit