Monday, May 25, 2015
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Trik Memilih Nama Domain
Apa arti sebuah nama? Kita sering dengar pertanyaan ini. Sepertinya nama tidak begitu penting. Tapi, ada juga yang bilang, nama adalah doa.
Apa anda juga berpendapat demikian?
Jika anda seorang affiliate marketer, nama itu sangat penting. Nama berarti nama domain untuk situs web anda. Dan, nama domain ini berfungsi mempromosikan produk merchant.
Nah, apa anda masih blank dan bingung mau mendaftarkan domain anda di mana?
Anda bisa mendaftarkan domain anda di domain registrar. Ada ratusan registrar yang menawarkan layanan registrasi domain, diantaranya Yahoo Domains (domains.yahoo.com) dan GoDaddy (www.godaddy.com).
Ingat! nama domain memegang peranan cukup penting dalam keberhasilan situs web anda. Jadi, anda tidak boleh semau anda memilih domain.
Bagaimana memilih nama domain yang bisa membawa keberhasilan?
Anda boleh menyontek tips-tips di bawah ini…
Anda boleh menyontek tips-tips di bawah ini…
- Nama domain menggambarkan situs web anda.
Pilih nama domain yang menggambarkan situs web anda. Maksudnya, pilih nama domain yang mengandung keyword situs web anda. Apa tujuannya? Agar, situs web anda bisa ikut muncul dalam search listing kapanpun pengunjung meng-klik keyword yang berhubungan dengan situs web anda.
Selain itu, masukkan keyword dalam nama domain juga memudahkan kerja search engine mengurutkan daftar keyword.
- Pilihlah nama domain yang pendek dan mudah dilafalkan.
Saat memilih nama domain, anda mesti ingat banyak pengunjung yang akan langsung mengetik nama domain anda tiap kali perlu mengunjungi situs anda.
Jika anda memilih domain yang terlalu panjang, pengunjung bisa sulit mengingatnya. Bahkan bisa saja pengunjung malah salah mengetik domain. Yang akhirnya kesasar ke situs web lain dan sangat mungkin situs web anda terlupakan.
“Ah! Apa sih nama website-nya?? Seingatku kemarin ini. Kok ini nggak bisa ya?” Kalimat seperti ini yang mungkin mereka lontarkan.
Jadi, sebaiknya jangan gunakan domain yang terdiri lebih dari tiga kata. Atau, jikapun terpaksa terlalu panjang, berikan tanda strip (-) untuk memisahkan kata per kata.
Salah satu cara agar nama domain anda mudah diingat pengunjung, gunakan kata-kata sederhana yang mudah dilafalkan.
Anda juga bisa mencoba kunjungi klikdisini.com. Situs web ini akan membantu anda mempersingkat domain anda. Layanan gratis ini akan membuat alamat jadi lebih singkat sehingga lebih mudah diingat.
- Pilih domain berakhiran “.com”
Bagi masyarakat awam, yang namanya internet itu pasti diidentikkan dengan “.com”. Apapun yang berbau internet pasti berembel-embel “.com” di belakangnya, begitu kata orang-orang.
That’s right!! Domain berakhiran “.com” seperti sudah melekat di benak semua orang. Meski sebenarnya masih ada akhiran/ekstensi domain lainnya seperti “.edu”, “.net”, “.org”. Sayangnya, domain-domain ini tidak sepopuler .com.
Nah, agar situs web anda lebih mudah populer dan mudah diingat masyarakat luas, lebih baik gunakan ekstensi “.com”.
- Amankan domain anda dari pesaing.
Jika anda sudah mendaftarkan satu nama domain, anda boleh mengembangkan nama domain itu dengan variasi lain. Misal, anda sudah mendaftar menggunakan nama mydress.com, anda bisa lakukan variasi dengan mendaftarkan my-dress.com.
Atau, daftarkan pada domain lain seperti .net atau .org. menjadi mydress.net dan mydress.org.
Mengapa repot-repot meluaskan variasi domain?
Tujuannya, agar pesaing anda tidak bisa menyempitkan traffic anda.
- Perbarui domain.
Saat anda sudah terlalu sibuk dengan usaha online, anda bisa meminta layanan auto-renew-domain pada registrar anda. Agar saat anda lupa atau tidak punya waktu untuk mengurusi perpanjangan domain ini, registrar akan memperbarui domain anda secara otomatis. Jadi, domain anda tidak akan dihapus oleh registrar.
- Kunci domain anda.
Registrar biasanya mengunci domain anda untuk mencegah pihak lain mencuri atau memindah domain anda.
- Jangan cantumkan identitas anda.
Saat mendaftarkan domain, jadilah anonim. Maksudnya, mendaftarlah tanpa identitas. Agar, identitas anda tidak bisa terdeteksi WHOIS.
WHOIS adalah database yang bisa mengungkap informasi semua pemilik domain. Nah, melalui sistem database ini pula, pesaing anda bisa tahu semua hal tentang situs web anda.
Ok… sekarang renungkan baik-baik nama domain yang paling tepat untuk situs web anda. Atau anda sudah menemukan nama terbaik?
Ah! Nama domain tidak hanya berarti doa tapi juga strategi promosi…
Langkah - Langkah Merencanakan Situs Web
Apabila kita akan membuat website, kita perlu merencanaka Situs Web yang akan kita buat, agar kita tidak kesulitan untuk merencanakan web kita, disini saya akan bahas beberapa langkah untuk merencanakan Situs web kita antara lain :
1. Kembangkan situs web anda dengan satu temaDalam membangun website, Pengunjung harus langsung menangkap tema situs web anda dalam hitungan detik setelah melihat halaman depan situs anda. Tema ini akan berbicara pada pengunjung anda, " Tentang apakah situs web yang anda bangun "
Jika anda ingin membuat situs tentang tentang sesuatu contoh " Ebook ", jangan sampai pengunjung anda bingung. lalu , menyangka situs web anda bukan tentang Ebook tapi justru tentang buku cetak, Bisa salah persepsi pengunjung anda.Baik.. Langkah selanjutnya, untuk mengembangkan situs web, anda bisa memasukan keyword dan daftar penawaran dari merchant.
Yang perlukan diperhatikan lagi dalam membangun website ! anda harus jeli dalam menentukan tema situs web anda. apa yang dimaksud jeli ?
Misalnya : anda anda akan mempromosikan produk alat mandi. anda bisa membuat situs web yang mengulas peralatan mandi secara umum. ini biasanya di sebut macrosite alias situs web yang membahas sebuah halaman secara umum. Atau anda buat situs web yang lebih kusus, misalnya tentang isi jenis-jenis sikat gigi ( ini disebut microsite ).
2. Membuat bagian bagian situs web
3. Membuat rencana halaman situs web
4. Kerjakan dan praktekan dengan sabar dan teliti
1. Kembangkan situs web anda dengan satu temaDalam membangun website, Pengunjung harus langsung menangkap tema situs web anda dalam hitungan detik setelah melihat halaman depan situs anda. Tema ini akan berbicara pada pengunjung anda, " Tentang apakah situs web yang anda bangun "
Jika anda ingin membuat situs tentang tentang sesuatu contoh " Ebook ", jangan sampai pengunjung anda bingung. lalu , menyangka situs web anda bukan tentang Ebook tapi justru tentang buku cetak, Bisa salah persepsi pengunjung anda.Baik.. Langkah selanjutnya, untuk mengembangkan situs web, anda bisa memasukan keyword dan daftar penawaran dari merchant.
Yang perlukan diperhatikan lagi dalam membangun website ! anda harus jeli dalam menentukan tema situs web anda. apa yang dimaksud jeli ?
Misalnya : anda anda akan mempromosikan produk alat mandi. anda bisa membuat situs web yang mengulas peralatan mandi secara umum. ini biasanya di sebut macrosite alias situs web yang membahas sebuah halaman secara umum. Atau anda buat situs web yang lebih kusus, misalnya tentang isi jenis-jenis sikat gigi ( ini disebut microsite ).
Tapi, walau anda memilih microsite, sebaiknya jangan memilih yang fokusnya terlalu sempit. Contoh membuat situs web tentang sikat gigi anak-anak (disebut microscophic site). Situs web seperti ini biasanya tidak banyak menarik perhatian pengunjung. Jadi, percuma jika anda susah payah membuat situs web dan tidak ada pengunjung yang tertarik. Eman-eman…
2. Membuat bagian bagian situs web
3. Membuat rencana halaman situs web
4. Kerjakan dan praktekan dengan sabar dan teliti
Melakukan Riset Pasar
Setelah berniat menjadi Affiliate marketer untuk katagori produk tertentu, anda perlu melakukan riset pasar.
Mengapa ? Apa ini penting ? Tidakkah ini merepotkan ?
Anda boleh bertanya demikian dan berfikir bahwa menjadi Affiliate marketer tidak perlu lakukan apa-apa lagi. Pendapat itu salah. Ibarat orang memancing, Affiliate marketer itu perlu Umpan.
Jika Memancing tanpa umpan, jangan harap akan dapat ikan banyak. Seekor ikan pun tidak akan kita dapat. Lalu, bagaimana seharusnya ? Bagaimana kita bisa memberi Umpan ?
Sabar dulu...... Memberi umpan itu adalah berpromosi. Nah, sebelum melakukan promosi, anda perlu melakukan Riset pasar. Riset pasar bisa membantu anda mengetahui seberapa banyak/ seberapa besar tingkat peminat pengunjung terhadap produk yang akan anda pasarkan. Dan, seberapa ketat persaingan yang mungkin anda hadapi !!
So, bagaimana caranya meriset pasar?
1. Amati situasi pasar.
Ikuti informasi-informasi terbaru tentang situasi pasar berkaitan dengan produk yang anda promosikan. Pelajari merchant-merchant yang memiliki angka penjualan terbaik. Pelajari juga komentar para ahli tentang produk-produk unggulan itu. Untuk mencari tahu informasi ini anda bisa manfaatkan mesin pencari (search engine).
2. Ukur permintaan terhadap produk.
Dalam mengukur permintaan produk, silakan anda buat daftar kata kunci ( keyword ) yang berkaitan dengan produk anda. Misal anda menjadi Affiliate produk Elektronik. Carilah brand-brand Elektronik yang terkenal. Tuliskan beberapa brand saja. Gunakan mesin pencari dan masukkan brand-brand tersebut dalam Keyword Selector Tool. Setelah anda menekan enter, anda bisa melihat urutan brand dari yang paling banyak di cari sampai yang paling sedikit. Jadi, pada tahap ini anda bisa tahu seberapa besar tingkat permintaan pengunjung terhadap produk anda. Jika dalam satu bulan ada 100 pengunjung mencari produk anda, bisa dikatakan produk anda salah satu yang laris.
3. Cek persaingan antar penjual.
Setelah anda tahu produk anda cukup diminati, lanjutkan riset anda dengan melihat persaingan antar penjual. Ada dua cara yang bisa anda lakukan untuk mengetahui tingkat persaingan ini.
- Gunakan Paid Search Listings. Paid search Listing kita gunakan untuk mencari daftar Affiliate pesaing anda. Anda bisa gunakan Search engine terpopuler seperti google, yahoo, atau MSN untuk Paid Search Listing. Biasanya menu ini terletak di pojok kanan atas dan bertanda ”Sponsored Results”. Selanjutnya, anda bisa memasukkan keyword yang sudah anda buat. Jika menggunakan yahoo, anda bisa mengklik View Bids Tool (http://uv.overture.com/d/search/tools/bidtool/). Di sana anda bisa lihat berapa pesaing anda yang sudah beriklan dan melakukan penawaran. Akan lebih baik lagi jika anda memasukkan keyword yang spesifik. jadi anda bisa tahu persis berapa jumlah pesaing anda.
- Gunakan Search Listings Biasa. Cara ini sama seperti saat anda menggunakan mesin pencari. Misal anda menggunakan google, masukkan saja keyword anda dan tekan enter. Jika keyword anda terdiri lebih dari satu kata, tambahkan tanda petik (””). Lakukan semua langkah-langkah di atas. Sebab semuanya saling terkait. Jika anda tidak melakukan tahap-tahap di atas, ada kerugian yang akan anda tanggung. Apa itu ?
- Jika tidak melihat situasi pasar. Tanpa melihat situasi pasar, anda tidak akan tahu kalau produk anda ternyata sudah kuno. Trend dan model selalu berganti. orang biasanya lebih suka produk-produk baru. Maka anda perlu anda meng-up date informasi tentang produk apa yang paling digemari sekarang.
- Jika tidak mengukur permintaan produk. Jika tidak melakukan pengukuran terhadap permintaan pasar, anda tidak akan tahu kalau produk anda tidak memiliki peminat.
- Jika tidak mengecek persaingan. Tanpa mengecek tingkat persaingan, anda tidak akan tahu persaingan yang anda hadapi sangat kompetitif. Dan, mungkin saja harga produk yang anda jual terlalu mahal dibanding produk lain. Dalam situasi seperti ini dapat dipastikan produk anda tidak akan laku.
Just do it!!!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Cooking classes
When you sign up to take a cooking class, you should be prepared for hands on culinary experience. While some cooking classes are mere demonstrations, many cooking classes will expect the students to prepare the dishes themselves. You will follow the instructor's lead and the recipe instructions. Most cooking classes prepare relatively simple dishes, but some may be quite involved. You want to be certain you know what you are getting yourself into, as you want to learn as much as possible in the short period of time allotted, but you also want to have fun. Some cooking classes will break a larger group into smaller groups and the group will prepare the dishes together. It is less formal, gives the student a chance to get hands on kitchen training, and also bond with other students.
Classes usually begin with a demonstration session, where the instructor showcases the cooking techniques involved and prepares one or more dishes. After the demonstration, students may also be expected to prepare these dishes. Once these dishes are complete, everyone will be allowed to taste them all. Students will also get instruction packages, and they will also get detailed recipes.
Cooking class expectation and participation will also vary according to the level of instruction. Even if you don't know how to cook, you can join such classes and learn. It's a good idea to let the school know your level of cooking experience, or ask if your level of experience may have any bearing on taking or enjoying the class. Instructors at cooking classes and schools are very often chefs at local restaurants and/or graduates of good culinary schools, and they have a great deal of passion in their work. It should show in their approach and the way they communicate to the students.
You should expect that the cost of the class would include the cost of all ingredients and any take home materials. Cooking classes featuring that are longer in length, have more involved culinary techniques, require more than one instructor, feature exotic dishes or ingredients, or that package you with all the ingredients to take home and prepare, generally cost more to participate in.
Depending on the type of classes of chosen, you can also reschedule or make up for classes, if you have missed one of them. Overall most cooking classes are likely to be of a flexible sort, but again it depends on the institute chosen. Sessions will cover various aspects of cooking as well. Once the training is complete, you may also get certificates depending on the courses chosen.
Cooking classes are a great way to learn new culinary skills, and meet new friends who share your passion for creating in the kitchen. Check out our cooking school directory and find a cooking class near you.
Classes usually begin with a demonstration session, where the instructor showcases the cooking techniques involved and prepares one or more dishes. After the demonstration, students may also be expected to prepare these dishes. Once these dishes are complete, everyone will be allowed to taste them all. Students will also get instruction packages, and they will also get detailed recipes.
Cooking class expectation and participation will also vary according to the level of instruction. Even if you don't know how to cook, you can join such classes and learn. It's a good idea to let the school know your level of cooking experience, or ask if your level of experience may have any bearing on taking or enjoying the class. Instructors at cooking classes and schools are very often chefs at local restaurants and/or graduates of good culinary schools, and they have a great deal of passion in their work. It should show in their approach and the way they communicate to the students.
You should expect that the cost of the class would include the cost of all ingredients and any take home materials. Cooking classes featuring that are longer in length, have more involved culinary techniques, require more than one instructor, feature exotic dishes or ingredients, or that package you with all the ingredients to take home and prepare, generally cost more to participate in.
Depending on the type of classes of chosen, you can also reschedule or make up for classes, if you have missed one of them. Overall most cooking classes are likely to be of a flexible sort, but again it depends on the institute chosen. Sessions will cover various aspects of cooking as well. Once the training is complete, you may also get certificates depending on the courses chosen.
Cooking classes are a great way to learn new culinary skills, and meet new friends who share your passion for creating in the kitchen. Check out our cooking school directory and find a cooking class near you.
profession from cook
From Home Cook to Personal Chef - Choosing the Right Cooking Classes
If you are planning on upgrading your profession from cook to personal chef, it will take lots of preparation before taking an advanced cooking class. To prepare yourself, get to know what it takes to be a personal chef and what a personal chef cooking class can offer you.
The difference between a cook and chef is their positions in the kitchen hierarchy. Chefs are often on top of the ladder, and this is probably where you want to go if you are planning on becoming a personal chef. As a personal chef, you will be deciding on the menu, the style of cooking and the type of food. A personal chef should also be prepared to do extra work such as cleaning the kitchen and storing food.
A personal chef caters to residents who are too busy to find time to make their own meals. A cooking class especially designed for potential personal chefs will teach you how to shop for ingredients, how to deal with potential employers, what to prepare for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and what to include in a plan and menu.
As a personal chef, you will need to brief your employer about meals. For example, your employer may want low-calorie food, and may have certain specifications with regards to the menu and how the food will be prepared. Furthermore, a certain cuisine might be preferred over others. Italian food may be preferred for dinner and an American breakfast in the mornings. A personal chef cooking class will teach you how to ask the right questions and speak with your employers about their preferences.
There are certain requirements for you to become a personal chef. First, you need to be creative and willing to learn new tricks. Good presentation is like promoting your unique service--you'll have the chance to create a brand for yourself. Also, there will be times when you'll lack some ingredients and need to be creative and resourceful with what's available. A good cooking class can definitely teach you what to do in this sort of situation.
Before searching for a cooking class, find out if you want to focus on getting a personal chef certificate, putting up a catering business or just want to improve your skills. There are many cooking institutions that can offer you great training.
Cooking classes are a great way to learn new culinary skills, and meet new friends who share your passion for creating in the kitchen. Check out our cooking school directory and find a cooking class near you.
If you are planning on upgrading your profession from cook to personal chef, it will take lots of preparation before taking an advanced cooking class. To prepare yourself, get to know what it takes to be a personal chef and what a personal chef cooking class can offer you.
The difference between a cook and chef is their positions in the kitchen hierarchy. Chefs are often on top of the ladder, and this is probably where you want to go if you are planning on becoming a personal chef. As a personal chef, you will be deciding on the menu, the style of cooking and the type of food. A personal chef should also be prepared to do extra work such as cleaning the kitchen and storing food.
A personal chef caters to residents who are too busy to find time to make their own meals. A cooking class especially designed for potential personal chefs will teach you how to shop for ingredients, how to deal with potential employers, what to prepare for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and what to include in a plan and menu.
As a personal chef, you will need to brief your employer about meals. For example, your employer may want low-calorie food, and may have certain specifications with regards to the menu and how the food will be prepared. Furthermore, a certain cuisine might be preferred over others. Italian food may be preferred for dinner and an American breakfast in the mornings. A personal chef cooking class will teach you how to ask the right questions and speak with your employers about their preferences.
There are certain requirements for you to become a personal chef. First, you need to be creative and willing to learn new tricks. Good presentation is like promoting your unique service--you'll have the chance to create a brand for yourself. Also, there will be times when you'll lack some ingredients and need to be creative and resourceful with what's available. A good cooking class can definitely teach you what to do in this sort of situation.
Before searching for a cooking class, find out if you want to focus on getting a personal chef certificate, putting up a catering business or just want to improve your skills. There are many cooking institutions that can offer you great training.
Cooking classes are a great way to learn new culinary skills, and meet new friends who share your passion for creating in the kitchen. Check out our cooking school directory and find a cooking class near you.
Cooking barbeque
In the backyard barbeque cooker's Bible, it's almost blasphemous to give an electric smoker even an honorable mention in the "Best Smoker Category". To many of us, a smoker or grill that's attached to an electric cord is an insult to all of us who've smelled of wood smoke for a week because we stuck our head too close to the fire while adding charcoal!
Recently though, I've become an advocate of the electric smoker even if it does seem to be a sissy way of cooking a turkey, pork shoulder or beef brisket. Electricity was invented for making light bulbs work, running appliances, turning on the TV and drying your hair, not for cooking meat outside on the patio.
Cooking barbeque was always a chore given to the most virile of men, those who could lift a 20 pound bag of charcoal without injuring himself, then dump it in the container in the bottom of the smoker. Only the toughest of men could withstand the fumes from smoldering charcoal lighter without getting dizzy and sick to their stomach. Only a real man could live up to these criteria!
I didn't start using the electric grill voluntarily, but out of necessity. My daughter -in- law had a barely used electric smoker sitting in their garage that was getting in the way of more important things, like last year's Christmas decorations. When she offered it to me I initially refused, but then gave in when she said she would put it in the trash if I didn't take it off her hands.
The second Saturday in May of last year was supposed to be a beautiful day; for that was the day I had planned for our first neighbor barbeque of the spring! I awoke to find rain pouring off the roof in bucketfuls. My attentions had been to fire up the charcoal smoker and cook a few Boston Butts for about 10 hours, but this didn't seem possible now with all the rain. I was about to cancel the barbeque when I remembered the electric grill that I had stashed in a forgotten corner of the garage.
All men, at defining moments in their lives, have tough decisions to make. Mine was upon me. If I tried to use my old faithful charcoal smokers, the coals would soon be drowned due to the heavy downpour that was threatening to wash away my boat that was on its trailer. I couldn't put the smoker on the porch because the chance of fire with burning charcoal is a possibility anywhere you're cooking!
The electric smoker would have to do. What was the worst that could happen? I could cook the meat and if it didn't taste the way it should, I could finish it off in the kitchen oven. The barbeque would probably be something that tasted like wet cardboard, but I could blame that on my wife, saving my barbeque reputation.
With a sense of trepidation, I dusted off the electric smoker and carried it to the covered back porch. I stuffed a coffee can with hickory chips and water and set it in between the heating elements wands. Rain was pouring off the roof in torrents as I plugged grill's electric cord into the outside socket. In only a few minutes the element in the bottom of the smoker was red, illuminating the bed of lava rocks it was resting on. It would have taken much longer to get this kind of heat from a charcoal smoker.
By the time I had salted and peppered two large Boston Butt roasts and placed them on the broiler plate, smoke from the wood chips was beginning to flow from the bottom to the top of the smoker. Setting the lid of the smoker in place, I marveled at how much this grill was acting like a real charcoal smoker. If I was blind and at walked within smelling distance of the electric smoker, I wouldn't know the difference between that one and a real one.
The barbeque was delicious! I added more wood chips only once in the seven hours the meat was cooking. The rest of the time I watched a baseball game on TV and oiled and greased my fishing gear. I didn't have to add charcoal three or four times the way I normally do. When I lifted the top of the grill, the meat was juicy and fell completely off the bone. Fantastic!
Though I'm sold on the ease and time savings of electric smokers, it still doesn't seem like something John Wayne would do while camping out on the prairie!
Recently though, I've become an advocate of the electric smoker even if it does seem to be a sissy way of cooking a turkey, pork shoulder or beef brisket. Electricity was invented for making light bulbs work, running appliances, turning on the TV and drying your hair, not for cooking meat outside on the patio.
Cooking barbeque was always a chore given to the most virile of men, those who could lift a 20 pound bag of charcoal without injuring himself, then dump it in the container in the bottom of the smoker. Only the toughest of men could withstand the fumes from smoldering charcoal lighter without getting dizzy and sick to their stomach. Only a real man could live up to these criteria!
I didn't start using the electric grill voluntarily, but out of necessity. My daughter -in- law had a barely used electric smoker sitting in their garage that was getting in the way of more important things, like last year's Christmas decorations. When she offered it to me I initially refused, but then gave in when she said she would put it in the trash if I didn't take it off her hands.
The second Saturday in May of last year was supposed to be a beautiful day; for that was the day I had planned for our first neighbor barbeque of the spring! I awoke to find rain pouring off the roof in bucketfuls. My attentions had been to fire up the charcoal smoker and cook a few Boston Butts for about 10 hours, but this didn't seem possible now with all the rain. I was about to cancel the barbeque when I remembered the electric grill that I had stashed in a forgotten corner of the garage.
All men, at defining moments in their lives, have tough decisions to make. Mine was upon me. If I tried to use my old faithful charcoal smokers, the coals would soon be drowned due to the heavy downpour that was threatening to wash away my boat that was on its trailer. I couldn't put the smoker on the porch because the chance of fire with burning charcoal is a possibility anywhere you're cooking!
The electric smoker would have to do. What was the worst that could happen? I could cook the meat and if it didn't taste the way it should, I could finish it off in the kitchen oven. The barbeque would probably be something that tasted like wet cardboard, but I could blame that on my wife, saving my barbeque reputation.
With a sense of trepidation, I dusted off the electric smoker and carried it to the covered back porch. I stuffed a coffee can with hickory chips and water and set it in between the heating elements wands. Rain was pouring off the roof in torrents as I plugged grill's electric cord into the outside socket. In only a few minutes the element in the bottom of the smoker was red, illuminating the bed of lava rocks it was resting on. It would have taken much longer to get this kind of heat from a charcoal smoker.
By the time I had salted and peppered two large Boston Butt roasts and placed them on the broiler plate, smoke from the wood chips was beginning to flow from the bottom to the top of the smoker. Setting the lid of the smoker in place, I marveled at how much this grill was acting like a real charcoal smoker. If I was blind and at walked within smelling distance of the electric smoker, I wouldn't know the difference between that one and a real one.
The barbeque was delicious! I added more wood chips only once in the seven hours the meat was cooking. The rest of the time I watched a baseball game on TV and oiled and greased my fishing gear. I didn't have to add charcoal three or four times the way I normally do. When I lifted the top of the grill, the meat was juicy and fell completely off the bone. Fantastic!
Though I'm sold on the ease and time savings of electric smokers, it still doesn't seem like something John Wayne would do while camping out on the prairie!
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