One Nation, Under God

Cold? It is 'smoking season'

It’s like I blinked and then all of a sudden winter happened.

I found out very quickly upon moving here in 2012 that Montana Weather doesn’t play by the same rules as other states that I have lived in.

I look outside today and think, there is no way winter starts on Thursday, December 21, when it is already here.

When the second snow this fall hit last week and I had to uncover my car, I went from sneakers and a t-shirt to Muck Boots and an insulated hoodie.

The roads at times can be treacherous, so rather than gunning it down the highway like I did last week, I found that I needed to drive a little more conservatively.

The winter seems to slow everything down. It also makes you more appreciative of the little things, like heat, family and my Weber grill.

For me, this is smoking season. I have fond memories of grilling and smoking meat over or beside hot coals during the winter time.

Last year the coldest that I smoked anything was under 20 below zero. There is just something soothing to me about the whole process. I love the smell of hickory smoke slow cooking a couple of racks of ribs and the smell of pecan wood infusing extra smoky flavor into a prime rib roast.

I think part of the cooking experience has a lot to do with the lack of flies, mosquitoes, yellow jackets and box elder bugs. The atmosphere also seems quieter during this time of the year and there is a peace that comes with that.

There is nothing like the look in my wife’s eyes after I grill or smoke something. The looks that says, “Pierre. You da man.” And I look back at her and my look says, “There is no I in team, but there is one in Pierre.”

I’m mostly kidding about that last part, but seriously, Susan’s side dish game is on point and teamwork does make the dream work.

I know that the winter season here is long and treacherous but I kind of look forward to it, as long as I have some charcoal to burn.

 

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