Reddit reviews GEEKHOM Grilling Gloves, Heat Resistant Gloves BBQ Kitchen Silicone Oven Mitts, Long Waterproof Non-Slip Potholder for Barbecue, Cooking, Baking (Black)

I have the 680 (same size as the 700) It is just my wife and I and I still wish I had bigger sometimes. That is the beauty of smoking. Don't make just one meal for 3 people. Make several meals at one time for 3 people. I will do 40+ pounds of pulled pork at a time for two of us. Vacuum seal it in one pound bags and freeze it. Then we toss a bag in the sous vide cooker for an easy dinner when we want BBQ. Oh yeah get a sous vide cooker. Best way I have found to reheat BBQ.

Accessories I am a big believer in and none of my links are affiliates or anything.

1. Rectec front shelf. Very handy for setting things even with a table
   
2. Sous Vide Cooker. I have an annova and joule but any inexpensive pot mount style with good reviews is fine. BF coming up these should be cheap all over the place.
   
3. Good Silicone gloves. I have gone through several different ones. I like these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KZBY806/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 they have fabric lining and make them easier to get on and off. Plain silicone ones tend to form a vacuum around your hand and are tough to get off when they are greasy and slick.
   
4. Downdraft hood. Before people start a war on this I will say it is very personal preference and I feel environment matters. I live at a higher altitude in Colorado and like to smoke in the winter. Adding this kept the temps across my grate more even and my pellet consumption dropped dramatically. https://dongodkesdowndraft.com/rectec-rt-680-rt-700-stainless-steel/
   
5. on to winter smoking if it applies to you. https://www.rectecgrills.com/Insulated-Cold-Weather-Cover-RT-700 makes a big difference in low temps also. Smoker doesn't have to work as hard to keep temps. You can also just get a welding blanked from Harbor Freight but the rectec one looks nice.
   
6. Pellets I use Lumberjack or Pitboss. Both are very affordable. LJ does group buys in locations around the country. I have gotten 40# bags as low as $11 and with the downdraft 40# lasts me quite awhile. Pitboss goes on clearance for $6-$11 a bag at walmart every fall around here. Don't obsess over lots of flavors. A good competition blend to start will be plenty. I run Cherry for prime rib. Hickory for easter ham, competition blend for most everything else. Play around and see what you like. I don't care for mesquite much and find most of the others taste about the same to me.
   
7. Don't waste your money on the interior second shelf. It doesn't fit well and is a pain to use. I am sure there are much easier ways to use a second shelf if needed. Plus unless you are doing thinner flat stuff nothing fits up there or under it anyways.
   
8. Cold smoker box is a huge misnaming. Search you tube. A guy tried to do cheese in it and melted it everywhere. I would call it a smoked warming box and good for things like Mac and Cheese and beans and jerky. Nice thing is it can be added later if you need more space.
   
9. Don't feel like you are getting enough smoke flavor? (pellets grills get accused of this on occasion) or want to do some actual cold smoking of butter and cheese and stuff? https://amazenproducts.com/ The tube smokers work great and use your current pellet supply. No separate stuff to buy. I hear good thing about their trays also but the tubes work much better at altitude.
   
10. Set it and forget it. Yes the 700 comes with two probe ports and a wifi app. I have the older board and toss in as many as 6 picnic butts. My smoker is at the back of the yard and bluetooth doesn't work but wifi does. So I have one of these https://www.fireboard.com/shop/fireboard-extreme-bbq-edition/ . Has not missed a beat for me
    
11. A good light for keeping an eye on things at night. The little one in the back of it is pretty much worthless as it gets coated with seasoning and doesn't seem to help much. I use a led stand light at night to see what I am doing.
    
12. Your typical tongs, grate scrapers, basting brushes, and the like. (I only use non wire brush scrapers and silicone basting brushes. get a brush hair or wire strand stuck in your mouth or throat and you will understand)
    
    Well that went on much longer than it should have. Hope it helps and sorry for the wall of text.

Get a "Brew in a bag" bag, if you want to do BIAB. They're resilient and worth the extra money. You won't find them on Amazon.

If you want to start going to all grain you can buy a large Coleman / Igloo cooler (60 quart is what I use, can do up to 10 gallon batches). Ball valve and fittings, some pipe tape too. Don't forget a pulley to help get the bag out of the cooler!

You can get a flask, stir bar, and everything else you need to start making yeast starters.

Grab a large spoon and/or a flask wisk to help mashing.

Amazon also sells immersion chillers to help with the post boil. I bought mine for $50 and I think it's the 25' one. Works like a charm for 5 gallon batches.

Get a good pair of insulated gloves for your brew day!

Amazon also sells thermometers to help track mash temperatures. I have this one and this one. They're both great. An IR thermometer is great to have for yeast starters too...but definitely not needed. Would put that at the bottom of my purchase list.

Oh! A sterile siphon is also awesome. Bought that from Amazon too.

And so I don't keep rambling, Homebrewfinds as a good list of filler stuff from Amazon. Things like campden tablets, hop bags, pieces to make hop spiders....etc. http://www.homebrewfinds.com/homebrewing-related-amazon-fillers

To anyone following - I decided to go with coconut oil; I didn’t take many pictures but what i did roughly was:

1. Heat oil in crockpot to 200degrees F+
   
2. In a separate container (i used a 4 cup Pyrex) combine 16oz pure organic coconut oil, with 2oz water cured avb
   
3. Stirring frequently bring mixture to 180F and hold (remove mixture when too hot, and stir; I used a ceramic plate to catch run off from the Pyrex holding the mixture)
   
4. Hold for 2 - 3 hours; I did two batches, one at 2:15 and another at 2:45.
   
5. Remove from heat, pour mixture over cheese cloth, into separate container (I used another Pyrex; to make easier for the next step)
   
6. Using gloves posted WRING THE FUCK out of the homemade teabag
   
7. When you have no more yield, discard the gunky poo
   
8. Separate into mason jars (I’m using 8oz masons; to test a couple different things) and store in fridge.
   
   final product
   gloves