Running the smoker is not happening today. I was in line at the grocery store with spices and sauces when the electric flickered and brought their registers down. After 15 minutes, I and everyone else gave up and left. That and there's a bunch of stuff to do to be truly ready and not rushed. I got the smoker cleaned up and put the carriage bolts in to set round grates on. Salmon is thawed.
Salmon needs to brine. Ribs and Tri Tip need time to soak up the rub. Even though I got the grates installed. I don't have a dutch oven plan for what to make that I want to simmer in the smoker. Haven't fired the smoker up and run it hot to sterilize it either so I'll do that today.
I didn't buy enough nuts so I'll have to get more to prevent the grate from sliding around and falling when I'm putting something in or taking it out. Pic shows one per bolt but those were used for installing the second set of bolts. Really need two more for each bolt so I can lock them together. The creosote would lock them in place eventually but double nutting is immediate and permanent.
I did cut up the dead dry hickory out here into 6-8" lengths and have been grabbed pieces as I go by and splitting them. When I was getting the bolts from Ace, I also grabbed a new toy that I've been wanting for years, Fiskars hatchet, which is working great on the hickory.
Postponing the smoke session doesn't bother me at all and I think in the back of my mind, I knew would happen. Grocery store malfunction gave me the excuse. Now; chili, beans or soup in the dutch oven? Yeah, I'll shoot for Wednesday. Gonna be cloudy and slight chance of rain tomorrow. That'll give me tomorrow to get something figured out and going for the dutch oven.
For now, it's nice outside so I'm going to go finish up that part of prep work.