Prize Winning Beef Brisket

Here's a "before" picture of a prize winning beef brisket taken during my recent visit to the Florida State Fair a couple weeks ago.

While there I also sample some "deep fried Pepsi" for the first time. It was interesting, but I'm not sure it was worth $4. They also had deep fried Snickers, Twix, Oreo's and others.

Top Of The Lake BBQ Affair Okeechobee, FL (FBA)

Well we made it.

Linda and I are now living in Florida and today we found a home in Riverview, FL.

We're already making plans to attend the FBA event in Okeechobee, which was where TheBBQGuy.com Cooking Team made it's debut four years ago. We won't be competing, but we'll definitely drop by the contest to see our old friends in the FBA.

I don't have internet access in temporary housing so the bbq posts have slowed down, but once we're in our permanent location expect things to return to normal here on the bbq blog.

BBQ Grill Project for College Credit

The BBQ Guy received an email from a student at Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. He is doing a grill project for his metal working class. Check out his progress as he goes from the blue print stage until the finished project. http://theultimatecookingmachine.blogspot.com

I think there are a lot of seasoned BBQers that would have loved to get obtain college credit and create a new BBQ toy at the same time.

Thanks James for sharing your project with other Grilling Fans.

Good Bye To Michigan

It's the BBQ wife again. Although this has nothing to do with BBQ I just wanted to say that I made it out of Michigan just before the big snow storm. Thanks to a truck driver and packers that worked until 9:30pm Monday night I was able to leave town around 6:00am Tuesday Morning. Although Southern Michigan and Northern Ohio were a bit dicey all the rest was pretty calm besides rain. I arrived in Tennessee to visit with family to 50 degree weather. Unfortunately I brought some cold with me because we awoke to a chilly 15!! You Quers in Michigan stay save and warm.

My stress when we move is The BBQ Guy's cookers and his motorcycle. They were the last things on the truck and are wrapped all snug for the trip to Florida. Now they have to sit in storage until we find that perfect home for them. Although Brian is already in Florida waiting for my arrival I already sense that BBQ withdrawal is hitting him. I am sure it won't be long until he at least makes it to the contest so he can smell that smoke.

He will be back soon with more entries to help everyone get ready for the Spring Grill Season. I just have to get the computer to him. No personal computing on company time or machines you know.

To our Michigan Friends we Thank you for your hospitality. We enjoyed our time there and hope to stay in touch. To the BBQers out there when it is cold and snowy next year feel free to find a contest in Florida and come for a visit. I'd invite you this year but since we have no home as of now it would be a bit difficult to entertain.

Detroit Grill King's Pepsi Baby Back Ribs

Hello All you BBQ Fans from The BBQ Guy's Wife.

With the planning for the move and work The BBQ Guy has been busy this week so he has neglected the blog. As a good BBQ Wife I decided to say HI and make a post.

This morning on WXYZ Channel 7 here in Detroit they had a guest chef on the show giving ideas for the Super Bowl. The Detroit Grill King was his name and he had apparently been out with his grill this weekend in Detroit's subzero windchill weather making ribs, turkey legs, and chicken wings on a stick. I have to say even The BBQ Guy stays in the house when it feels like negative 5. All you Quers experiencing the chill of winter let me know if you have been cooking in the subzero weather and how it went. I dont' want to hear any whining from you Southern Boys because it is 40!!

Well if you are like my husband and it is a bit nippy to be out cooking your ribs or your spouse asks what you want to munch on for the Super Bowl. I found a recipe for you Pepsi Babyback Ribs on The Grill King's site. Take a look you still have time to make it to the grocery and get the ribs done before kickoff. I sent this one to my mother in law because she is a lover of Pepsi who is trying to cut back on the Pepsi habit. I thought this way she might get her Pepsi and her protein at the same time.

GO COLTS!!!

Pork Loin Rub

Linda cooked a pork loin this weekend and we just had some leftovers tonight. I especially liked the rub she used and thought I'd share it here.

(As tested by Susan Selasky and published by the Free Press)

1 tsp cumin
2 tsp ancho chili powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Lakeland Pig Festival

Congratulations to the top ten teams at the KCBS sanctioned event held today at Tiger Town in Lakeland, FL.

1. Cool Smoke
2. Smok'in Cracker
3. Bar B Quau
4. Buttrub.com
5. Smoke-N-Suds
6. Homebbq.com
7. The ABS Cooking Team
8. Bill and the Dixie Chicks
9. Firehouse BBQ
10. Fast Eddy's BBQ
11. Swamp Boy's BBQ
12. Parrothead Smokers

Promoting BBQ Contests

I'm in favor of anything, anyone, and any idea(s) that will have a positive effect on the sport of bbq.

I enjoy the challenge of competing against others to prepare bbq samples that are judged the "best" at any given event. I enjoy traveling to new places and meeting new people. BBQ has been good to me. However, I am not in favor of policies, agendas, or people that create a windfall for one group of competitors and a disadvantage or difficulty for another group of competitors. I would like more and more people that see media coverage of bbq contests on Internet websites, on television programs like those on Food Network or Travel Channel, or in magazines/newspapers to become involved in the sport.

I've been reading some of the discussions over at The BBQ Forum with great interest this week. There have been many threads about the rumored and proposed "changing trends" in the professional sport of competing in KCBS sanctioned bbq contests.

I can see the pro's and con's of almost all the discussions and feel that discussions to generate new ideas are good. As anyone that has ever worked with or as a part of a large group or corporation knows, some of the best ideas come during informal casual conversation.

So....along those lines, I'd like to offer yet another idea for consideration.

Why not create a separate parking lot for RV's at bbq contests? I'm not referring to small trailers that serve as kitchens and commisaries, but rather to the large 35 and 40-plus foot rollling mega-mansions that are gaining popularity at contests. Some of the rigs are priced upwards of $750,000.

In my personal opinion, if I were a spectator attending a bbq contest with thoughts of future competion in the sport and I saw a row of luxury RV's at an event, I'd begin to question whether I could really afford the sport.

And if we want to promote the sport of bbq to spectators and potential sponsors at the bbq events, what better way to promote to free exchange of bbq information than to remove the RV's from the cooking area so competitors are more accessible for spectators who want to ask questions about our wonderful sport?

At the American Royal a few years ago I actually witnessed three RV's parked in a sort of triangle, which I'm sure was aimed at preventing passers-by from bothering the competitors. These were some of the "big" names of the sport who I looked up too at the time. It made me question how "approachable" we as contest competitors actually are. In this particular example at the American Royal it was the opposite; they were anything but approachable. They had made themselves "unapproachable" on purpose.

Oh well, I'll put my soap box away for today. Just some food for thought.

What do you think?

Links to BBQ Assocations

If you're like me, you probably get the bbq blues sometimes during the winter. A little cold weather doesn't stop me from cooking some 'que, but at this time of year the competition season seems pretty far away. I know it will be here soon enough and in some areas of the country has already started, but for the rest of us.....here's a collection of links to various bbq associations and societies on the World Wide Web to help you plan out your upcoming contests in 2007.

If I've missed any, please let me know.

• Arizona BBQ Association
• California Barbecue Association
• Central Texas BBQ Association
• Florida BBQ Association
• Greater Omaha Barbecue Society
• Illinois BBQ Society
• International Barbeque Cookers Association
• Iowa BBQ Society
• Kansas City Barbecue Society
• Lone Star Barbecue Society
• Mid-Atlantic BBQ Association
• NBBQA - National Barbecue Association
• New England BBQ Society
• Pacific Northwest BBQ Association
• Texas Gulf Coast BBQ Cookers Association

Weber Charcoal Chimney Fire Starter

Whether you cook on a kettle grill, a park grill, a water smoker, or a custom rotisserie, the Weber Chimney Starter is a safe and effective way to start a fire.

Say no to lighter fluid and say yes to wax fire starter sticks. Lighter fluid can add an additional flavor to food that you didn't count on.

The aluminized construction of the Weber charcoal chimney not only looks good, but it lasts longer than some of the "cheaper" bargain store styles. It's high capacity will heat a 22 1/2 inch kettle grill to cooking temperature in no time flat.

Southern Illinois Bluegrass & BBQ Festival

We received our first contest announcement for the upcoming 2007 competition season today here on the bbq blog.

Jim 'Rhino' Reincke, Co-Chair of the Southern Illinois Bluegrass & BBQ Festival sent me a quick note regarding the Southern Illinois Bluegrass & BBQ Festival this evening. The organizers have been in 'gear-up' mode for a couple of months now for the 2007 event.

In only it's second year of KCBS sanctioning, the event has been designated as a State Championship.

The 2007 prize pool:

• $1,500 for Grand Champion (and a winner's banner)
• $800 for Reserve Grand (and a winner's banner)
• Top 5 places in each category receive cash
• Top 3 in each category receive banners
• Top 10 receive plaques

Jim invites all the BBQ Blog readers to "come on down to Salem, Illinois (4 hours south of Chicago) the weekend after Labor Day (September 7th & 8th) to discover the hospitality experienced by Dr. Chuckie, Shig's-N-Pit, Bar-B-Quau, Ulcer Acres, Dr. Porkenstein, and others!"

If you'd like additional information regarding the contest, please visit the contest web site for all the details and an online application.

2007 Detroit International Auto Show

Borrowing a few styling queues from last year's popular Ford Super Chief, the new F-450 is one tough looking truck. Want to learn the "Truth About Trucks"? Click the link to see it for yourself.

The perfect bbq tow vehicle--2007 Ford F-250 Extended Cab Four-Wheel Drive, blue over silver two-tone paint scheme.

Some bbq teams are known for using golf carts to transport their entries. How about a Polaris four-wheeler? I'll bet you'd never be late to turn-ins with this baby.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

In honor of the first substantial snow fall and coldest day of the year, I took the opportunity to prepare one of my favorite summertime treats--pulled pork sandwiches!

The sandwiches were served on whole wheat buns with Fat Johnny's Bastardized Piedmont BBQ Sauce on the side accompanied by a summertime salad combination of black beans, corn, and chunks of tomatoes.

Ummmm! Good.

Insulated BBQ Smoker

I'm cooking four pork butts today for a friend at work. It's kind of my last bbq hurrah here in this Michigan weather.

When I fired up the smoker at 8 a.m. the outside temperature was 21 degrees. By 9 a.m. my cooker was holding steady temps near the 210 range. That's a testimony to the flexibility insulated bbq cookers provide that the "tank style" offset cookers don't offer.

The picture above was taken in April a couple of years ago with 80 degree temps, but this is the best photograph I have of my insultated smokers.

Taste of Grand Rapids KCBS BBQ Contest

I received an invitation for the 2007 Taste of Grand Rapids in the mail today.

The flyer listed some upgrades the organizer is planning for the 2007 event, which include the proximity of restrooms, location of the ice supplier, and more time between turn-ins for the main contest categories. I applaud the upgrades. It looks like they are arriving two years too late for us though. We competed at the event in 2005 and 2006, but we're going to miss it this year.

We're heading back to the Sunshine State soon where it almost never snows, where folks worry more about mosquitoes than potholes, and where the bbq events provide access to electricity and a ready availability of water for bbq contest competitors.

BBQ Reality Show

There appears to be a reality show for just about everything these days. People living in remote areas trying to survive, strangers living together in houses under a watchful eye, people competing for jobs, competing for modeling contracts, etc. I'm waiting for someone to host one for bbq contests.

It could work like this....

1. Get together a group of 50 people who have never cooked bbq before.
2. Organize them into 10 teams of 5 people each.
3. Take them to a bbq cook-off.
4. Assign each team a bbq "consultant" at the event.
5. Teams would be give tokens (aka lifelines) that allows the teams to ask three questions of the "consultant" at pivotal points during the event.
6. Consultants could spend a maximum of 10 minutes explaining or demonstrating the method to use.
7. The teams' entries could be judged right along with the other contest entries and the highest score wins. Or, there could be a separate "amateur" category like the backyard division seen at some events.

The organizer would need to provide a few basics for each of the teams such as a cooker, basic utensils, a prep table, cutting board, hand washing station and some type of shelter. To keep it as fair as possible, the cookers would need to be the same type or brand, such as all WSM's, or all offsets, all pellet cookers...you get the idea.

As I think back to the first couple of events we entered and how confused we were about how to approach some of the basic bbq tasks, I think this would make some very entertaining television for food enthusiasts. I know we "entertained" some of the contest regulars at our first event and we're probably still providing occasional amusement to on-lookers for some of our un-orthodox approaches.

Cooking Up a Story: 2 Fat Larry's

There's a new episode featuring bbq posted on the Cooking Up a Story website, hosted by Rebecca Gerendasy

This episode features Larry Mayes, of 2 Fat Larry's competition team. Larry's rib rub is also posted on the site.

You can learn more about Larry on NOW YOU'RE COOKIN: Inside The World of Championship Barbecue, a barbecue documentary featuring Larry Mayes. Click here to purchase the bbq documentary.

Government Subsidies Cause Beef and Pork Prices to Rise for Barbecue Enthusiasts

Brace yourselves barbecuers, because the prices of pork butts and beef briskets are likely to continue rising.

The popularity of ethanol for fuel programs initiated by the government to combat rising gasoline prices are contributing to rising demand for corn. Cattle and pork producers will demand higher prices for their products, or be forced out of the industry.

According to an article posted at PigProgress.net,

"The ethanol industry receives government subsidies of $1.53 per bushel of maize and a blender’s tax credit of $0.51 per gallon of ethanol and there’s a federal mandate on ethanol production." These incentives have the ethanol industry growing at an almost unbelievable pace," said Gene Gourley, a pork producer and swine nutritionist from Webster City, Iowa, testifying on behalf of NPPC and IPPA. "New plants are springing up everywhere, and they’re using a lot of corn."

These government subsidy programs are robbing from Peter to pay Paul, it appears. Subsidizing one agricutural industry (corn production) in spite others (beef and pork production) will likely lead to higher costs for barbecuing meat.

Basic economic forces of supply and demand will put dual upward pressures on prices for meat. As costs of production increase, one of two things will happen: 1) the smaller beef and pork producers will leave the industry, or 2) the costs will increase for producers still in the industry. Neither scenario looks postive for barbecuers.

BBQ Blog

If you're searching for bbq blogs to read this winter, be sure to check out Paddlin Pigs BBQ blog. I ran across a post about it over at BBQ Brethern and surfed on by to check it out.

I haven't read a lot of the articles yet, but as I skimmed the site this evening I noticed some interesting bbq pictures. There are several "non-traditional" bbq posts and pictures as well that discuss ways to use bbq meat on pizza, for sandwiches, in black-eyed peas and for submarine sandwiches.

And if you want to join in the fun and write your own bbq blog, you can start one for free at Blogger or Word Press.

Grades of Beef

According to the USDA's Agriculture Marketing web site there are 2 types of beef carcass:

1) heifers, steers, cows
2) bulls

Prime, Choice, Select, Standard and Utility quality grades apply to #1; and Prime, Choice, Select, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner quality grades apply to #2.

The "grades" of quality are based on marbling, color and firmness of the carcass.

Click here for more specific details from the USDA.