Taste Florida History: The Innovations of Science Bringing Extinct Animals to Your Table

Get ready Florida foodies, it looks like we may have a new protein source to sink our teeth into – extinct animals! Yes, you read that right.  Mammoths that once roamed the lands here in Florida, may soon grace our plates. Thanks to the wonders of science, we may soon be able to savor the flavor of these majestic creatures once again.

According to the New York Post, an Australian company has just unveiled the first-ever lab-grown woolly mammoth meatball. Just like a Jurassic Park for munchies. Scientists took mammoth DNA, mixed it with some elephant DNA in a lab until.... BAM!  Mammoth Meatball . This thing is huge! Sound good right? Well not so fast. The company is not planning to sell woolly mammoth meat just yet. Pretty creative publicity stunt.  The goal is to make lab-grown meat mainstream of course.

Now, the million-dollar question... How does it taste? Well, nobody has been able to try this stuff yet.  It's been thousands of years since we've eaten a mammoth, so the company is worried about how our bodies might react. Hey! This could be the origin story to Captain Cave Man!

Anyway, just because you can't eat it doesn't mean you cant look at it. It's like watching the food network.  For now, the mammoth meatball will be going on display at a science museum in Amsterdam, so pack your bags folks.

But hold on to your hats, because the company says they can also make meat from other extinct animals – yes, even dinosaurs! They've specifically said Tyrannosaurus-rex meat. Kids will love that. One day we'll be able to sink our teeth into some ACTUAL Dino nuggets!

But let's not forget about the environmental benefits of this new food source. With the world's population growing at an alarming rate, we need to find sustainable ways to feed ourselves. Eating extinct animals could be the answer we've been looking for. After all, they're not going to go extinct again, right?

As I was walking my dog last night, I saw a neighbor with his smoker in the driveway. He had some classic rock coming through the bluetooth, beer in hand, and some amazing smells coming from that smoker. And I wondered. What's the best meat to cook in your home smoker? A few tips from Rocco Smith got me started on this quest that I'm going to share with you. Let's call this list incomplete. It's actually already at 11 before I finished it. If I missed your fav, let me know. Send Email

If you've got a home smoker, send me your best, I'll update it with your ideas. The cooking times posted here are approximations, not gospel. There's too many variables. For some amazing pictures, one local legend to follow on Instagram is Hangy Hopkins.

You'll  need about 5 hours smoking them at 210 degrees. It's what is says, the cheeks of the cow, so it's very tough meat. Low and slow to make it tender. Do it right and it's almost like pulled pork.

A little more effort on this one. Generally 12-16 hours at 225 degrees. Be patient with it, and you'll have some amazing pulled pork. And when someone asks for bbq sauce, ask them to leave. You don't need that kind of negativity.

I mean, it's Easter. Do it up. 8 hours at around 225. Hickory, Apple Wood, or Mesquite should get you the flavor you want.

An hour or so at 275. With food prices skyrocketing, it's good to know you can smoke something delicious out of a 'less than desirable' choice of meat.

Around 8 hours at 225. Remember to let it rest after you pull it out. Helps make it moist.

4 hours or so at 250. I prefer the leg if you're going with lamb, but do this right and you'll not regret it.

3 hours at 225. IMO pork ribs are too tough cooked any other way. Gotta go slow and low to get them right.

Depending on the size, up to 5 hours at 250. Make two and use the extra smoked meat for enchiladas the next day.

3 to 4 hours at 250 or try the 3 2 1 method. The 3 2 1 method is a technique where you smoke the ribs for 3 hours, then wrap and smoke for another 2 hours, and finally smoke for an additional 1 hour with sauce on the ribs.

4 to 6 hours at 250. My in laws up north do this for Thanksgiving. They live in the woods, there's usually snow on the ground, it's just perfect.

4 to 6 hours at 250. Considered the "Holy Grail" of smoked meats. You've tasted many good briskets, but how many great briskets.