The BBQ Blog

Brisket Might Be Good For You

2008-07-13T12:28:00.003-04:00

This article details how brisket has higher amounts of monounsaturated fatty acids than other parts of the cow - especially in corn fed beef. The article does mention Wagyu beef but does not state the results of any tests on grass fed beef. It does seem to imply that this information could allow butchers to start charging a higher price for brisket, promoting it as some sort of health food. We'll see.

Study: Healthy 'Depots' Discovered in Beef Brisket

Fourth of July Menu: SmoFried Turkey Breast

2008-07-08T09:12:00.006-04:00

Since I was making smofried chicken wings, I decided to apply the same process to a turkey breast. The results were okay, but not quite as tasty as the wings.

First I rubbed and then smoked the turkey breast.

I smoked it until it reached about 155° internal. Then I dropped it into the fryer:

After a couple minutes, I pulled it, temped it, and let it rest.

Next time I will inject it for a stronger impact.

Fourth of July Menu: SmoFried Chicken Wings

2008-07-07T10:39:00.012-04:00

After the fatty, it was on to SmoFried Chicken Wings. I am a big fan of hybrid cooking methods, and this one combines two of my favorite methods - smoking and deep frying. I have my own variation of how to do this, but you can find a great primer on smoked and deep fried wings on the TVWB.

First I salted and then smoked the wings - I only smoked them for about an hour and then fried them. I used to use a full dry rub them, but most of the rub would burn by the time it got to the fryer afterwards. I think the skin holds up better this way but you still get the tenderizing effect of slow cooking the meat and I add the dry rub to the sauce. Here are the wings about 45 minutes into the smoke:

As I am smoking the wings I prepare my buffalo sauce. I added some dry rub, ground rainbow pepper corns, and Franks' Hot Sauce to a reduction of blood orange juice. I bring it to a boil, remove it from the heat and then add butter. I keep stirring and let the butter slowly emulsify until it forms a nice sauce.

I fried the wings in peanut oil at 350° for about 3 minutes or so.

When finished I pulled them out of the oil and let them air for about 30 seconds, then I toss them in the sauce. When finished this is what they looked like:

These take more time than your regular wings, but the flavor is so good you should give it a shot. Since the oil was hot, I went on to cook up a SmoFried Turkey Breast as well.

Fourth of July Menu: Fatty First

2008-07-06T14:40:00.012-04:00

How was your Fourth of July weekend? It was rainy here - I went to the baseball game and got soaked. I am going to break up the food I cooked for the weekend into separate posts.

First off, to get started I smoked a non stuffed fatty.

Then I sliced it,

covered it with aged cheddar and

then popped it under the broiler for a couple seconds to bubble the cheese.

Yummy.

Next up were Smo-Fried Buffalo Chicken Wings.

Grilling Spot: Pelton Pond Picnic Area

2008-06-30T14:10:00.005-04:00

I found a great spot for grilling at Fahnestock State Park: Pelton Pond Picnic Area. There are some great grills built into this area next to picnic tables and a beautiful pond.

There are also great fire pits all around this spot.

BBQ Spot: Jackalope BBQ in Fishkill, NY

2008-06-30T13:37:00.005-04:00

I was wandering around upstate NY the other day and, thanks to my GPS, I came across a place named Jackalope BBQ. I don't do reviews - you should check out pigtrip.net for that - but I was pleasantly surprised with this place. From the outside I thought it was going to be a psuedo-que place, but as soon as I walked in there was a pleasant smoke wood smell gently perfuming the inside. Overall, the service was really great and I was glad I found that spot. Its comforting to know that you can always find decent BBQ somewhere if you just use the force!

Tim Russert has died.

2008-06-13T16:19:00.002-04:00

This is obviously off-topic, but those of you who know me know that one of my biggest passions is following politics and one my grandest traditions was every Sunday sitting down with a cup of coffee and watching 'Meet the Press' with Tim Russert. Apparently he has died of a heart attack.

In my opinion, Tim Russert was a one of the greatest political interviewers of our time. I will miss him. Sundays will never be the same.

Reserve Champion, and 3 Other Trophies at Grillin' on the Bay

2008-06-08T13:06:00.011-04:00

Despite the temperature and a couple of other issues yesterday at Grillin' on the Bay (New York City's only Grilling competition), we won 4 trophies and a ribbon including Reserve Champion!

We were less than one point away from winning Grand Champion. Congrats to SmokeInDaEye BBQ team. Not only did he win Grand Champion, it was his birthday.

Here are the Grillin' On The Bay results.

We hit the cycle with a 4th in fish, a 3rd in Chef's Choice (we did Jerk Ribeye), a 2nd in Pork (we did Ribs), and 1st in Chicken. This was by far our best chicken turn-in as far as scores go, including one 9-9-9 and one 9-8-9.

Woot! We were happy with the results, and super-psyched that Robert pulled of the competition despite many set backs. He did a really great job, and every time I see him at one of these comps I realize what a truly nice guy he is and what a big role he is playing in bringing BBQ to NYC. Thanks Robert and thanks St. Mark's for hosting us.

We are not doing anymore comps until October because of scheduling conflicts, so we are happy to let these trophies get us through the summer.

Grillin' on the Bay Still Has Some Space!

2008-06-03T13:52:00.002-04:00

Grillin' on the Bay, taking place this weekend June 7th, 2008, in Brooklyn, NY still has some slots left for teams to compete. They had to reschedule and change the venue for it this year so maybe people don't know they still can enter. Please email them right away and let them know you are interested and get your cooking application here.

WSM Smoke Day IV

2008-05-31T15:45:00.004-04:00

This past weekend was WSM Smoke Day IV and so in the spirit of the event I smoked 4 pork butts on one of my WSMs running with a BBQ Guru DigiQ II.

Here are the pork butts at the start of the 16 hour smoke. I had bbq sandwiches that night and then for memorial day I used the pork for pork tacos which all my guests seemed to enjoy.

Happy Memorial Day

2008-05-26T10:51:00.003-04:00

While I am not a big supporter of the decisions that the civilians in charge have made lately, I am a big supporter of the military - especially the families of those serving. I guess I am bit biased, as I grew up in one of those families. I am an Air Force brat - moving around a bunch when I was kid and living in the military structure and culture for the better part of my early development.

Some of my favorite memories are Memorial Day celebrations cooking food and spending time outdoors with family and friends both on base and off of base.

Get outside, cook some food, and enjoy the day. If you see someone in uniform thank them for their service, and if they are with their families thank them for their service as well.

KCBS Certified Judges Must have KCBS Membership Card

2008-05-24T14:01:00.002-04:00

The title kind of says it all but Merl Whitebook posted some new info about Kansas City Barbecue Society rules for certified judges over at the The Virtual Weber Bullet forum. The gist is that you must have your KCBS membership card with you in order to prove that you have a current membership (and, I gather, current dues have been paid.)

Grillin' on the Bay RESCHEDULED

2008-05-09T10:31:00.003-04:00

Grillin' on the Bay has been rescheduled and restored to last year's format. They competition will be only a NEBS-sanctioned grilling comp and will NOT have a KCBS-sanctioned BBQ component.

I wanted to be NYC's first KCBS grand-champion, but I'll have to wait until next year. Hah.

If you can not cook that day, I'll bet they will be looking for judges, so get in touch with them.

Updates Coming Soon

2008-05-09T10:24:00.003-04:00

I have a lot of updates to get to, but don't have time at the moment: they include the story of my BBQ tour to Charleston, SC and back again, my review of Wildwood BBQ that opened last week (go get some pulled pork if you are in the neighborhood), and my updates on the BBQ competition this season.

I will get to them A.S.A.P. so check back later today or tomorrow.

Grillin' on the Bay Postponed

2008-04-03T13:38:00.003-04:00

Kind of old news, but I have been off the bbq forums for the last couple months so I just found out: Grillin' on the Bay has been postponed.

To me this is a HUGE bummer. I was planning on being NYC's first Grand Champion. Heh. Heh.

Seriously, maybe Robert and Matt should look for a spot here in Queens - the lot under the Triboro Bridge next to Astoria Park would work and so would Randall's Island. I will help if you give a shout out.

Arthur C. Clarke has died.

2008-03-18T20:43:00.004-04:00

I know this is off-topic, but it deserves mention - Arthur C. Clarke has died. Not only one of the greatest science fiction writers that ever wrote, he was true visionary. If you don't know anything about him at least take a moment and read the wikipedia entry. When I was in college, I was exposed to a lot of public television interview footage of Arthur C. Clarke and it really was amazing.

Anyway, his passing deserves a mention and a moment.

It's My Birthday!

2008-03-13T11:26:00.002-04:00

Today is my birthday. I am going to be making some mexican-style pork tenderloin and all the fixin's. Drop me a line and say hi.

KCBS Certified Judging Class - Hudson Valley

2008-02-26T14:19:00.006-05:00

KCBS Certified Judging Class!

If you're interested in being a judge for the 2008 Hudson Valley Ribfest KCBS sanctioned BBQ contest and are not yet certified, you'll need to take a certification class on March 29, 2008. Please download, fill out and send in the application below:

KCBS Judging Class Application(112k)

KCBS Judging Class Directions(34k)

GRILL IT! WITH BOBBY FLAY ON THE FOOD NETWORK!

2008-02-20T15:06:00.015-05:00

I got the following info from Lisa LeeKing at Food Network that she asked me to pass along. Seeing how this is going to go down in my own backyard (NYC), so to speak, I think I'm going to get together a Three-Minute video and make a submission myself. I think my pork tenderloin will do well - just like we cooked out at Burning Man this past summer.

What they should do is produce a show about our cooking at Burning Man. That would give them some ratings.

GRILL IT! WITH BOBBY FLAY ON THE FOOD NETWORK!

Are you a Master Griller? Are all barbeques held at your house? If you're a serious griller (charcoal or gas) and have the skills to prove it, then live out your culinary fantasy on Bobby Flay's new half hour GRILL IT! series on the Food Network.

To apply, please create a 3-minute VHS Tape or DVD in which you cook us your favorite dish. Tell us how you created the recipe and the ingredients you use. All applicants must have a terrific personality and must illustrate why you'd make a fantastic candidate for GRILL IT! with Bobby Flay! Unlike "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" there's no winners or losers, instead GRILL IT! shows people how to grill with a well-stocked kitchen.

All applicants must live in the U.S and be 18 and over (although quick-witted teenagers with parents' permission can apply).

To be considered, please mail your submission tape, original recipe and photo of yourself to the address below no later than March 15th.

ATT: GRILL IT!
110 Leroy Street
New York City, NY 10014

Questions? Email us at grillitwithbobby@gmail.com

Let me know if you are going to enter, and let them know you heard it here when you do - good luck to all. Maybe a new grilling star will be born.

Hudson Valley Ribfest - Two New Trophies and a bit more!

2007-08-21T00:52:00.000-04:00

Wow. What can I say. We came home from the Hudson Valley Ribfest with two new trophies - one from the NEBS Grilling competition and one from the KCBS BBQ competition and we finished with our best overall ranking ever.

In the NEBS Grilling Comp, 40 teams competed. Our lamb only did average, which I was bummed about because I really liked it - maybe the Moroccan flavoring was not the way to go. We placed tenth with our fish - it was decent, but was lacking any real 'hook' to it. I think I need to really focus my recipe for next time. Most likely next year's Grillin' on the Bay in Brooklyn (we are not grilling at Oinktoberfest this year). My mood was lifted considerably when we were called up for a Third Place Trophy in the Beef Steak category for the Jerk Rib Steak we submitted.

I always look at the grilling competition as warm up to the BBQ comp, and I don't usually get too worked up about it. I basically felt the same way about this one, but I must admit that thought it is easier to express with a trophy in hand. Plus, the last two times I entered a steak category - for various reasons - I over cooked them and we never got very good results. I feel vindicated that I finally came closer to cooking at the comp as the same way I was grilling steaks at home. It also helped that Josh had just taken a cooking class where they cooked steaks and he a great assistance in The Poke Test. We thought it might have been a few degrees under what we wanted, and there is always room for improvement. But the recipe was a success.

I felt it was a good omen as well, because last year we got a trophy in the Grilling comp, and we went on to pick up the first place in Ribs the next day. I guess I was right.

Because this competition was so large they called out the top ten spots for recognition and this was cool because we got to hear our name out loud three times.

Out of 57 teams, we placed 10th in Chicken, 16th in Pork, 10th in Brisket, and -drum roll please - we got a trophy for Third in Ribs. Now most people might be bummed to have a first last year and a third this year, but I assure you that I am not. I am very happy about it. We had some huge problems with how the ribs we got were butchered (all but two had shiners), and I wound up only have two racks of ribs to cook even worth trying to cook! Luckily they were tasty. Plus with this competition, almost double what they had last year and triple points being handed out, our Third in Ribs is just as good in terms of score as the first last year.

And now for the best part - our overall rank. Up until now, we have never been too concerned with our overall rank because we were just happy to do one category well enough to get a call. Well - that will never change because I will always be psyched about any accomplishment because it means I am learning and growing. As we heard our name called out and held a trophy in our hands, Josh, Adam, and I started to realize that we might have done pretty well in our overall ranking - we knew we couldn't be at the very top because Dirty Dick's had already done very well as had I-Que and I Smell Smoke, but still it seemed our name was called more times than most of the others and after we got our score sheets we were blown away.

Out of 57 teams we came in Fouth Place! Woo hoo. I finally feel like last year wasn't a fluke and that I might actually be able to make some pretty good BBQ. I still can't believe how well we did. It was a great feeling.

The only bummer of the awards was that Jerry did not attend. It is fun to see him and Linda standing in the background with smiles on their faces knowing who was about to get a call.

After a long clean up (we have to get better about how we strike camp) we had semi-slow ride home, but all Adam and I could really say was "I can't believe we got Fourth!" and "I can't believe we got another trophy in Ribs." Well, obviously the Hudson Valley Ribfest is going to always hold a special place of honor to us and I already told Stephanie and Mike to sign us up for next year.

We got nailed by a storm on Friday night (which crushed I-Que's camp but apparently brought them good luck because they were Grand Champion) but the weather was nice the rest of the time. Overall, the event was nicely run from our perspective, and I got to hang out with and meet some new people. One of the coolest things was that I was set up right behind one of my favorite BBQ bloggers and grilling comp organizers WhiteTrashBBQ (Robert Fernandez). It was fun to see how everyone does their thing.

To all the organizers, volunteers, vendors, judges, reps, and my fellow competitors I just want to say thank-you very much.

And to Josh and Adam - your hard work, support, and creativity was more than I could have asked for but not less than I expected. You guys rule.

Congrats to I-Que and Dirty Dick! I am nipping at your heels - one of these days...one of these days.... Heh heh.

I will post some video and pics later, but for now I have to get ready to leave for Burning Man this week. The day after tomorrow as a matter of fact! How about that?

Here are the KCBS results.

Defending a Trophy

2007-08-07T21:06:00.000-04:00

I am not nervous but I am a little anxious. Almost a year ago, I returned from the Hudson Valley Ribfest with a first place trophy in ribs. It was only my second competition and I didn't even realize how monumental of an achievement that was, because I did not understand how good the other teams we place ahead of were. We beat out Purple Turtle, Hill Country, Dirty Dick's, Daisy May's, and I Smell Smoke just to name a few. I didn't understand. Now I do. How much nicer it was to be ignorant.

I am realistic. This year there are at least 54 teams. That means to get in the top ten, it will be quite an achievement. (Let alone winning anything.) With that many teams, there is no way the judging is going to be totally consistent. What that means is that you need to just do your best, and hope your table of judges likes to score higher than everyone else's table.

We will be cooking whole pork shoulder this time for competition that is being supplied by a local and humane heritage pork producer Flying Pig Farms. I can't wait to see how it turns out.

So can we repeat? Beat out all those other teams that have already competed 7 or 8 times since then? Will we be sunk by the Anchormen or my fellow blogger of BBQ WhiteTrashBBQ? Will Dirty Dick's kick our butts sans Legs or will Lunchmeat surface like a submarine and torpedo everyone?

I just hope we can make our turn-in times and the we cook the best that we can possibly cook. Let the dice roll. Bring on the carnival!

Thrity Days of Pork

2007-07-17T00:27:00.000-04:00

In 2006, this woman left her veggie lifestyle behind for Thirty Days of Pork.

Robbie Richter and Lou Elrose shepherd brisket to perfection...

2007-07-12T13:19:00.000-04:00

Via The Hampton Smoker:

Robbie Richter and Lou Elrose shepherd brisket to perfection.

Yum.

Party With Pig

2007-07-04T10:42:00.000-04:00

In Puerto Rico, the pig on a spit remains the center of the celebration feast. Here is a great article on Puerto Rican BBQ.

Inside a dry-aging room.

2007-06-23T00:25:00.000-04:00

Inside a dry-aging room in NYC.