BBQ Contest Observation

I've been following a discussion over over on The BBQ Forum with quite a bit of interest. There were accusations made about the fairness and consistency of the selection of teams for an upcoming invitational bbq contest. The issue has been rectified, but it brings a few things to my mind that I have to get off my chest.

The internet has become such a large part of daily life that rather than pick up the telephone and call someone directly, or even communicate one-on-one via e-mail with direct questions people sometimes choose to post their grievances on a public discussion board.

I'm not against the internet or discussion boards, but I think the parties being accused should have been approached "off line" first and given a chance to provide a solution before accusations were made about a conspiracy and stirring the pot. In the future I hope that before complaints about bbq sanctioning organizations are posted on discussion boards, that those with authority to make changes are contacted first and given a chance to correct the issue(s). If a satisfactory answer is not given or an alternative provided, perhaps it's o.k. to air the issue publicly. Maybe it's just me, but I suspect there are others who feel the same way.

The same logic goes for product purchases. If I purchase a defective product from a retailer or directly from the manufacturer, I try to contact the manager or owner for a resolution. In 99% of the cases, a solution is given.

These types of petty squables only hurt (not help) the sport in the long run. I'm a pretty big NASCAR fan and I can't really imagine Jimmy Johnson or Dale Earnhardt, Jr. making their complaints known to NASCAR through an internet website. I'll bet they pick up the phone and go straight the source - someone who can actually address issues and solve problems.

Deep Fried Turkey

During the past five or so years, I've been using Shake's Honey Brine for deep fried turkey and don't think I'll ever cook a turkey in the oven again. If you don't have a spare refrigerator or room in your current refrigerator to brine the whole bird, you can also inject the honey brine the night before and obtain similar results.

Advantages of Deep Frying

• cook your turkey in less than an hour (3 1/2 minutes per pound)
• nice crisp bark on the outside and juicy meat on the inside
• you don't have to spend all day in the kitchen
• more time to visit with friends and family

Once you've had a deep fried turkey, you'll never want to eat an old fashioned roasted turkey again, especially if you're doing the cooking. However, there are some pre-cautions you should take when using this cooking method.

Safety Pre-Cautions

• keep small children and pets away from the fryer
• set up on a firm surface to prevent tipping
• don't leave the fryer unattended
• don't allow the grease to boil over, it will ignite
• keep a fire extinguisher close by
• wear gloves and long sleeves to prevent grease burns
• pre-measure the fill point with water before putting in the oil
• follow the manufacturer's instsructions for use

This article from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) outlines some additional safety considerations.
If you're thinking of purchasing a turkey fryer, Bayou Classic makes a nice 30-quart unit.

You can use your turkey fryer all-year round for fried fish, low country boils, making gumbo, cooking corn on the cob, chili, etc. The possibilities are only limited by by your own imagination. When cooking for large groups of guests, you can take the cooking outside and leave more room in the house to entertain.

Orion BBQ Cooker

I had a close up look at the Orion cookers a few years ago. They looked interesting, but weren't really my cup of tea so to speak. My opinion might be changing.

I was checking out Old Dave's bbq blog and things on the Po Farm are getting interesting. Check out Old Dave's review of the 70 minute spare ribs cooked on the Orion cooker. Nope...that's not a mis-print. He really did cook some pretty good looking spare ribs in 70 minutes. I'm sure the Blues Hog and honey helped things along pretty well, but Dave posted some very nice looking pictures.

I've already got 3 smokers...why not four? The more the merrier right?

Turkey Fryer Fire

Please don't let this happen to you. If you choose to use a turkey fryer, please be careful. I've fried two turkeys this year so far and I will be frying another one on Thanksgiving. This video is a good example of what can happen if you are not careful.

HomeSafetyCouncil.org provides some turkey fryer safety tips on their website to help reduce the chance of a turkey fryer fire.

My biggest tips include:

1. pick a location away from the house or garage

2. concrete is preferred versus a wooden deck

3. don't leave the turkey fryer unattended

4. use a thermometer to measure the oil temperature

5. turn off the fire before adding oil and before s-l-o-w-l-y adding the turkey

6. wear protective gloves

7. wear long sleeves and pants

The Good One on Facebook

O.k., I'll admit it...I'm not a Facebook user. I say that with a certain amount of shame because these days it seems like everyone I meet is on Facebook. I was surfing the web today looking at several bbq smoker sites (Stumps, Superior, and The Good One as examples). And low and behold I discovered that The Good One Smokers has a Facebook page.

Coleman Natural Foods

Is Coleman Natural meat the secret to the success of the Mr. Bobo's Traveling BBQ All-Stars? It could be a contributing factor for sure, but I'm sure they have a lot of other secrets that didn't make it into their bbq blog. Congratulations to Mr. Bobo's for 1st place in the Brisket category at the Jack Daniels World Championship BBQ contest. What a wonderful accomplishment!

Here's a description of the Coleman Natural products from their website:

Coleman is committed to providing premium products that nourish the health
and well-being of your family. We never add anything to our products that nature
did not create: no nitrates/nitrites or other chemical preservatives and no MSG.
We never use fillers. Coleman’s passion for natural and organic extends to the
ecosystem, focusing on sustainable land, water, and soil conservation for future
generations.

Jack Daniels World Championship BBQ Contest

Shigs in Pit competition bbq team broadcasted the awards ceremony live via Stickcam.com. Way to go guys! I had the opportunity to attend a few years ago, but couldn't make it back this year. The Stickcam made it "the next best thing to being there". I hope this can be done more in the future. Isn't technology amazing?

You can read more about the Jack Daniels Invitational here.

2009 Results

Grand Champion - I Que

Reserve Grand Champion - Jack's Old South

Chicken:

1st place - The Heat is On

Ribs:

1st place - Four Men and a Pig

Pork:

1st place - Swamp Boys

Brisket:

1st place - Mr. Bobo's Traveling BBQ

For a listing of the complete Jack Daniel's results, click here

Community Supported Agriculture

I was invited to attend a new member orientation at Gamble Creek Farm in Parrish, Florida this morning. We joined the farm membership program to ensure that we have a reliable source of locally grown vegetables.

The farm has a large variety of hydroponically grown vegetables with weekly harvests beginning within the next couple of weeks. It was eye opening to see the large quantity of strawberries, egg plant, lettuce, okra, squash, and so many others that are available.

There is also a sister farm - Geraldson Community Farm - located closer to Bradenton, Florida.

If you are concerned about the way your food is grown, then check out your local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms. Local Harvest.org provides a search function to help you locate a farm nearby your home.

Superior Smokers

I recently discovered a new bbq smoker manufacturer - Superior Smokers. I don't own one and haven't seen one up close, but based on research conducted via their website here's a run down of the basics:

• insulated
• vertical design
• gravity feed charcoal chute
• grease pan collector
• heat deflector
• D-ring tie downs

I believe Munchees Smokehouse uses one and is currently performing pretty well in FBA competitions.

BBQ Pork with Bad Byron's Butt Rub

Sunday I cooked some pork for sandwiches later in the week. I forgot to take a picture after we pulled these, but here is a picture from early in the cooking process.

I injected these the night prior to cooking with a mixture of apple juice (4 cups), bbq rub (4 tblsp), and 3/4 cup of honey. I applied a liberal coating of rub and refrigerated overnight.

BBQ Sauce and Rub

I usually don't like Mesquite flavored bbq sauce (middle), but this Pendleton sauce is pretty good. Papa Jake's (right) is good on steaks and I had some yesterday on some buffalo burgers. The mesquite flavor complimented the steaks well.

I haven't tried the other Pendleton sauce in this picture (left), but I cooked 12 lbs of pork butts and have at least 9 lbs of pulled pork vacuum sealed in the freezer for sandwiches later this week.

Hot Rod BBQ Grill

The photograph of this "grill" was taken at the NHRA O'Reilly Auto Parts Nationals in Madison, IL a few years ago.

BBQ and drag racing....what a great country we live in.

Grilled Steak

Tonight I grilled a New York strip steak and a rib-eye from Carlton Farms.

The steaks arrived via UPS delivery last Saturday. They spent the week in the freezer and thawed in the refrigerator yesterday. Today I rubbed them with Papa Jake's Best in the Northeast Gourmet BBQ Spice (also from Carlton Farms).

A good rule of thumb for applying rubs to steaks is to marinate them 1 - 1 1/2 hours per pound, depending on the rub you're using. If your rub is hot, then the longer you marinate the hotter things will probably get. If you have a salty rub, then the salty flavor will probably be stronger the longer you marinate. Papa Jake's ingredients include salt, cracked black pepper, dried garlic, allspice, and mace.

The Carlton rib-eye was perfectly marbled, which made it extremely easy to grill. The New York strip was loaded with flavor. The rib-eye I received was a little larger, but according to their website the steaks are approximately 16 ounces.

I mean it when I say this....these were the best steaks I've ever eaten!

Allegro Vintage Marinade, Raspberry Chipotle

I grilled some pork chops tonight using Raspberry Chipotle Marinade from Allegro. Linda picked it up at Winn Dixie earlier this summer.

It's no longer available on the manufacturer's website - perhaps it's a seasonal item - but I'd buy some more if I could. It gives pork chops a hint of heat accompanied by a hint of fruit for a wonderful combination.

I marinaded the pork chops for 4 hours and grilled them for 20 minutes to an internal temperature of 163-164 degrees.

Barbecue Brisket Weekend

Finished product. I cooked a 13 lb brisket for 8 hours with apple wood and sauced lightly with Blues Hog BBQ Sauce.

Weber Smokey Mountain cooking at 225 degrees.

Stem thermometer through the lid to monitor the temperatures.

Oregon Bounty Contest

TravelOregon.com is hosting a contest. You can check their website beginning 8/24/09 for all the details.

-Entries are open 8/24 – 9/18
-Judging will take place the week of 9/21

-Winners will be notified the week of 9/28

Best of the Butts

The town of Bell Buckle in Tennessee is hosting the Best of the Butts bbq competition on Saturday, September 5. The contest is sponsored by George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey. Awards start at 2 p.m.

What a wonderful excuse to visit Bell Buckle, a historic community a few miles north of Manchester, Tennessee and conveniently located off Interstate 24.


From the press release:

Contestants check in on Friday, September 4th from Noon until 6 PM. A mandatory cook.s meeting will follow at 6:30 PM. The Cook-off grounds will be open to the public at no charge beginning Saturday, September 5th at 9:00 a.m. We will have official judging on the BBQ determining tenderness/texture, taste, and appearance. Winners will be announced on the
stage at 2:00 PM and $600 in cash prizes will be awarded. A People.s Choice Award will be given to the contestant deemed best by taste testers that would like to try their culinary skills on the pork butt competition.

Win a Free WSM

Instructables.com is hosting a Low and Slow BBQ Contest with the chance to win a Weber Smokey Mountain cooker. Runners-up (maximum of 10) will win a signed copy of Low and Slow by Gary Wiviott.

From the contest rules on the website:

"We're looking for recipes, techniques, and even ways to build your own BBQ. Just make sure to take plenty of mouth-watering photos and provide helpful text so others can follow in your footsteps. Impress us and you'll win a Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker and a signed copy of Low & Slow BBQ to ensure that your BBQ reign continues."

Visit the website to submit your entry today.

Food Inc Movie

I've posted about it before, but Linda and I drove down to Lakewood Ranch today and watched Food Inc. at the theatre. Three things in the movie impacted us greatly:

1. Barbara Kowalcyk's story about her son Kevin and her attempts to get Kevin's Law through congress
2. The plight of soybean farmers that want to save back soybeans for seed
3. Working conditions at packing plants and the plight of the labor force that works in them

Here are some links for your further exploration:

• Genetically engineered food
• United Farm Workers
• Kevin's Law

If you make the effort to watch the movie (it's in limited release), I predict that you'll never look at America's food system the same way again.

Big Texan Steak Ranch - 72 ounce steak

We were in Amarillo in June and stopped by the Big Texan for supper. I find it hard to believe, but our waitress said 1 out every 6 people that attempt to eat the 72 ounce free steak actually succeed. The day before we were there, several people accomplished it including one from Kissimme, FL.

The steak was better than I expected. Not as good as my own personal "budget" steak restaurant favorite - Demo's in Murfreesboro, TN, but still good. They really know how to feed large numbers of people. However, I feel for the waiters and waitress that have to take care of the guests seated upstairs.

Here's a view from our grill side table.

Besides The Cadillac Ranch, this restaurant has got to be the most popular tourist attraction in the area. (Palo Duro Canyon was my favorite.)