Traeger!

We have a new addition to the house: one super fantastic Traeger smoker. Behold the majesty!

The above Traeger has had quite the journey to get to my backyard. My friend Levi, the actual owner, used this Traeger to cook a couple of the Accounting Thanksgiving turkeys in past years. He didn't have room for the smoker in his apartment, so it was left at the house of our friend Jason for safekeeping and regular use. Levi left for China to pursue fame and fortune as an English teacher, then golf instructor, then CFO of a multimillion dollar worldwide pearl jewelry distributor. The plan was for the Traeger to exchange hands once a year during Accounting Thanksgiving. After two years, that finally happened, and now I am just waiting for concerned neighbors to ask why there is always smoke billowing from my backyard.

Be sure to check out all the epic Traeger creations here and on Instagram/Twitter by following @baconvpie all throughout the upcoming new year!

--Isaac.

2012 Holiday Season Part 1: Thanksgivings

I think my oven has gone on strike. After three Thanksgivings within an eight day span, it is ready to throw in the towel.

Thanksgiving One: Accounting Thanksgiving

In college, my audit class didn't want to "do anything" for our last class before the Thanksgiving break, so we convinced our professor to let us host an Accounting Thanksgiving during out class time. We've kept it going every year since then (Fall 2006 was the first year), and this year I got the opportunity to host.

Best looking hand turkey ever

The main event was the beer-brined turkey, smoked on the Traeger grill. Without a doubt, one of the best turkeys I've ever had. I had the oven working overtime all morning and afternoon between my pumpkin and apple pies, dinner rolls, and a friends green bean casserole and dressing. The natural gas company owes me a thank you card this year.

Apple pie

Pumpkin pie

We had ten total guests, nine on this continent, and one Skyping in from China. Our little event has gone global.


Thanksgiving Two: Thanksgiving Prime

Five days later, Mary and I went over to my parents for Thanksgiving proper. I'm pretty sure I was still recovering from the previous festivities. I smoked a chuck of salmon on the Traeger (more of that to come!) and almost ate the whole thing before we left the house.

I made another apple pie too, accented with a touch of cardamon this time. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture as I was too busy eating brains and trying not to get shotgunned.


Thanksgiving Three: Bonus Thanksgiving

We capped the week off by hosting Mary's immediate family at our house. After running the Traeger through the first test with the smoked salmon, I went for it all with a full 17 pound turkey.

I tried to brine the turkey overnight in a plastic oven bag and since I didn't have a bucket large enough, I used a giant camping cooler. When I went to check on the brine in the morning, I found the brine in the cooler and the oven bag doing a great job of making sure that the turkey stayed dry.  Wonderful. I glared at the hole in the corner of the bag, and hoped that it at least drained slowly enough to do some good overnight. Fortunatley, four hours of smoking in the Traeger will fix anything.

And pie.

I did not Traeger the pumpkin pie, but I can only infer that it would have tasted very acceptable.

--Isaac.