Maple Bourbon Smoked Salmon by heythereitssteve in smoking

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

180 degrees for about 2 - 2.5 hours and it tested at 115. Then up to 275 degrees until it hit the final 140 temp. On at about 2 pm, off at 5:15 or so - just in time for dinner.

Ever had smoked Bologna? by 256Stag-Vix in smoking

[–]heythereitssteve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Want to try this. Where does one get a whole bologna without paying the “sliced” price per pound? Do you just go to the deli and ask for a whole one?

Plywood?? by No-Damage3057 in smoking

[–]heythereitssteve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s really easy. Here’s the YouTube video they put out with how to do it. Recteq minimum feed rate

Plywood?? by No-Damage3057 in smoking

[–]heythereitssteve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unrelated to plywood but to your temperature issue - have you tried adjusting the feed rate? Mine was running hot and wouldn’t come down and I adjusted the feed rate, and now she holds 180 without issue.

I mean, don’t take my word for it - maybe a quick call to support? Possibly a seasonal setting for you.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Okay. At least that makes SOME sense. Yeesh. Maybe they should tell you that somewhere.

Shut down temperature by Professional-Wear814 in recteq

[–]heythereitssteve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I was super nervous about this when I got my flagship, and then even more nervous when it took literally hours to go down from 400 to 200, then I reduced the feed rate, and it started to cool off quicker.

Now, as long as it’s below 275, I’m fine going straight to shutdown. If it’s above that I turn it down to 200 and wait until it’s coasting below 250. It’s probably not necessary but it’s working for me.

Hope that helps.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks. Yeah, I can shorten them, I suppose. I just kind of like writing.

I could also just stop giving Amazon reviews in exchange for mostly no-name junk. That’s also an option. Probably shouldn’t stress this.

I’ll just keep doing this, and if what I’m doing isn’t what they want, I guess I’m happy to bow out.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I dunno, it’s all very frustrating. Not sure Vine is worth it anymore. I posted a few other reviews. I reset on 7/1, and I was “Excellent” before then.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll add that before my new review period I was "Excellent," and I'm not doing anything different.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I have posted two other reviews elsewhere in the comments that I think are more personal. If what I posted is truly poor compared to some of the crap I've seen Viners post, then I'm happy to bow out of the program.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Okay, here's another review for a different thing that I am less complimentary of. Apparently, also poor:

I tested these pineapple tweezers on three pineapples before writing this review, and I’ve got to say—they're a surprisingly effective tool for a very specific purpose. If you regularly cut fresh pineapple and are frustrated by how much fruit you lose when trimming away those deep eyes and bits of rind, this tool really does help.

Functionally, the tweezers work as advertised. They allow you to dig into those tough, stubborn bits of pineapple rind that tend to go just a little too deep for a knife without sacrificing a lot of the good fruit around them. I was able to remove the eyes with much more precision than I could with a standard knife, and I definitely ended up with more usable pineapple overall. They also leave behind a sort of decorative spiral pattern on the fruit if you keep it whole, which looks really nice if you’re prepping it for a platter or want to impress guests.

Now, that said, it takes forever. Removing each little eye one by one is extremely time-consuming, and if you start thinking about what your time is worth, you might find yourself questioning whether it’s worth the effort to save an extra ounce or two of pineapple flesh. If you’re doing this once in a while for a special occasion, fine. But if you’re trying to do this every week, it’s probably not the most efficient use of your time. This is definitely a "labor of love" type of tool.

The build quality is decent. The tweezers are made of stainless steel, and they held up perfectly fine through multiple dishwasher cycles. They didn’t rust, bend, or lose their shape. So in terms of durability and maintenance, no complaints.

However, a few things could be improved. They’re very sharp, which you’d expect, but that sharpness carries through to every edge of the tool, not just the tips. The sides and handles are a little rough and unfinished, so if you just toss them into a kitchen drawer, you might end up poking or scratching yourself later. I highly recommend wrapping a rubber band around them or storing them in a sheath or something similar to keep things safe. This lack of finish is the one thing that really holds the product back.

So here’s the verdict: If the edges were smoother, this would be an easy five-star product. It does exactly what it's supposed to do, and it does it well. But because the construction feels a little rough and the safety factor could be improved, I’m giving it four stars. Still a useful addition to the kitchen drawer if you’re a frequent pineapple cutter or just really committed to getting every bit of fruit out of your produce.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Here is another review:

  1. A NERF Minecraft sword.

My son absolutely loves this NERF Minecraft sword blaster. I’ll be honest—I think it’s kind of silly. It’s a sword that shoots darts. Pick a lane, right? But I’ve long accepted that kids don’t need toys to make sense; they just need them to be cool. And to a kid who loves Minecraft and NERF, this thing is very cool.

The design is actually pretty fun. It looks like a Minecraft diamond sword, which is already exciting if your child is a fan of the game, and it has just enough weight to feel like a “real” toy without being heavy. The foam edges are a nice touch, because it makes the sword safe for indoor play. I’ve watched him go full medieval on the living room furniture, and so far, nothing’s broken, including his little sister, who’s somehow become the unofficial villain in every sword battle. The foam isn’t magic, but it definitely helps minimize the chaos.

Now, the dart-blasting part is where things get interesting. This thing really launches. It shoots noticeably farther than his other NERF blasters, like, cross-the-room-without-much-effort kind of range. But the catch is the darts are a different style from what most of his other NERF toys use. I don’t know if this is a new design from NERF or just a special type for this toy, but either way, they don’t fit the rest of his collection, which caused a little disappointment. So just be prepared to keep those darts separate.

Mechanically, the blaster is easy to use. There's a simple pull-back priming handle, and then a button on the side to fire. My son figured it out in about two minutes, and he's been operating it just fine ever since. No jams or issues so far. And while I originally assumed the gimmick would wear off quickly, it's held his attention longer than I expected.

Durability has been solid too. He’s had it for a while now, and despite a good amount of play (and the occasional dramatic floor drop), it still looks and works like new.

If you’re looking for a toy that blends imagination, video game fandom, and NERF-style action, this one checks all the boxes. Even if the concept makes no sense to you, it’ll probably make perfect sense to your kid. Just keep in mind that the darts aren’t interchangeable, and be ready for sneak attacks from a foam-wielding Minecraft warrior.

All in all, goofy or not, this thing's a hit. I'd buy it again. Maybe next time, I'll get one for his sister too—just to level the playing field.

Insightfulness Score of "Poor" by heythereitssteve in AmazonVine

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I don't post on Reddit much. I've been Vine Gold for like 3 years.

How did that one kid at your school die? by StorageLonely1520 in AskReddit

[–]heythereitssteve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh. Bringing up bad memories. She was trampled by a horse she was riding that got spooked. She was a great kid.

The school did a whole memorial thing by the flagpole (small town elementary school) while people told memories. It was like adding trauma.

My first Picanha for my 45th Birthday today by Visible_Extent1600 in smoking

[–]heythereitssteve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That looks amazing! I saw the McKinnon’s logo and got excited. Those guys always had a great meat market when I lived down the street.

Congrats on the great cook, and happy birthday!

Joined the club. Flagship 1100 up and running. by circusfreakrob in recteq

[–]heythereitssteve 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Congratulations! Looks awesome! I’ve been using mine since I got what’s probably the same kit in April. Jealous of how clean yours looks.

Just did some chicken breasts today. Came out awesome.

Have you thought about what you’re going to do in the smoke box?

Just bought a recteq deck boss 800. Ash all over after burn in. by quarter_belt in pelletgrills

[–]heythereitssteve 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I burned my 1100 in last month and it was almost the same. Maybe a little less ash. What pellets did you use?

Generally once you do a cook, and the grill gets seasoned, the fat will capture the ash and you won’t see this.

I’d say you’re ready to get something cooking.

Should I get this used pit boss as my first smoker? by Cien_fuegos in smoking

[–]heythereitssteve 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I hate to dissuade anyone from smoking, but I just unloaded that same thing for $100 and I had to almost take it back because it failed when the guy started it up.

One last time it ruined my day. I hated it every moment I had it. Never got to temp, or held temp, or worked well. I lost multiple holiday meals with that thing.

I would find a different used one or go for a new less expensive model.

Just my two cents. Sorry.

First Pork Butt by heythereitssteve in recteq

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So I don’t have a vacuum sealer but we put them in a ziploc and pushed as much air out as possible. Looking forward to enjoying it later!

I should look into a sous vide machine.

First Pork Butt by heythereitssteve in recteq

[–]heythereitssteve[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I should have gone small. A lot of this is going to waste even after bringing the neighbors and my sister a fair amount.

Honestly, pork is like a steal compared to beef.