TXBBQ

[bbqsmokeaholic]

Working on the jerky game today....

[bbqsmokeaholic]

[bbqsmokeaholic]

[bbqsmokeaholic]

Seasons Greetings

One of the most fun and individualized part of bbq is creating the flavor profile. There are many ways to go about this and to some it is more important than it is to others. So flavors are regional and others atand the tests o time, geography, and style of meat. I prefer to make my own seasoning, or “rub” which allows me the option of adding or intensifying a specific flavor. My Flavor Profile Assistsnt (FPA) is second to none and works for free....sorta, everything has a cost. We own things together and raise kids together, share life together.....my FPA is my wife!! She has a keen knack for being able to identify a specific flavor that is overbearing orbhat needs to be inhanced. I make a rub, takebir to her to taste....and she may say...is that Thyme...or it needs more garlic salt. Whatever the case may be, she does a great job and has allowed me to create and perfect 3 rubs that I use. One for beef (Yella Bone) one for pork (Red Bone) , and one for chicken (Black Bird). Without specifics these were developed out of necessity after not being able to find a store bought rub that would blend the flavors we were looking for. I’ve been told that bbq is an art and I’m not sure I buy that, however I will buy that homemade rubs are an art.....oops did I say “buy”? I think I’d probably prefer to make it!!

Can you guess which rub this is???

[bbqsmokeaholic]

One of the favorite “award” stories that I’ve experience makes me laugh to this day. At most cookoff, there is a competition category that is classified as “open” or “chef’s choice”, which means that the food turned in can be anything other than brisket, ribs, chicken, or dessert. As you can imagine, this category lends itself to a wide array of things turned in. Typically you’ll see steaks, maybe some seafood, and definitely something wrapped in bacon!! My team often uses this opportunity to experiment with something that we have heard about, seen, tasted, or read about. Our “staple” is typically a boudin stuffed pork loin wrapped in bacon and smoked, however we have toyed with pork belly bites, fried rib bites, and some other interesting dishes. At the competition in mind, we decided to go “all out”.....but not really😜. We had talked about fried deviled eggs, and read about smoked deviled eggs...so I decided we would prepare and turn in fried and smoked deviled eggs. Our team memebers loved the turn out and that’s what we turned in....as I said, usually you come across steak and seafood and bacon bacon bacon, so we did our eggs and topped them with bacon bits. As award time came, we were surprised that our number was called, 8th Place in Open. I walked up, accepted the certificate and stood at the front as the top 7 were called. As 7th place came up and stood next to me, I asked what they turned in. She took great pride in describing the ribeye topped with scallops and a seafood sauce. I took great pride in the fact that I didn’t spend more than $8 and her dish sounded like it was quite expensive. As the 6th place finisher walked up, 7th place asked what he turned in.....again, a prideful description of the bacon wrapped filet with grilled shrimp etc. again, sounds very expensive. They then looked at me, and I was equally proud of my team and what we turned in....but laughed when I answered “deviled eggs” after their descriptions of such high end dishes. We learned that day, and still laugh about it, that it doesn’t matter how much you spend....everyone has a shot on game day, and these eggs below gave us a shot!

[bbqsmokeaholic]

Oak and Smoke

I just ordered a pallet of oak for the upcoming cook season. 2 cooks are already booked...80 lbs of pork butts next week and 2 weeks later 60 lbs of brisket. #canyousmellwhatthesmokeaholiciscooking

[bbqsmokeaholic]

2019 Readers’ Choice BBQ Bracket: Vote in the Semifinals!

Three old favorites and one upstart newcomer have advanced to the final four.

[bbqsmokeaholic]

Which logo do you prefer?? This is a group of fun loving guys that like to cook....

[bbqsmokeaholic]

There is a difference...

There are two different things: there's grilling, and there's barbecue. Grilling is when people say, 'We're going to turn up the heat, make it really hot and sear a steak, sear a burger, cook a chicken.' Barbecue is going low and slow.

Guy Fieri

Thank you Mr. Fieri!!

[bbqsmokeaholic]

Happy 4th!!!

[bbqsmokeaholic]

BBQ platter at The Shed in Oceans Springs, MS

[bbqsmokeaholic]

Smoke it if you got it

The end result of quality TxBBQ is really determined by the sum of its parts. Let’s start with the source of heat and smoke....the wood. Some may maintain that wood is wood, I would not be of that camp...so what camp am I from??? The answer to this question isn’t really cut and dried, and like I’ve mentioned before, your wood is determined by what you learn and what you like. There are indigenous trees that are more readily available in certain regions of the state but are more difficult to obtain in other areas. For this reason, I tend to cook with Oak because it is everywhere in my region. Now “oak” is by just that simple.....post oak, red oak, white oak, water oak, pin oak.... this topic kind of reminds me of the “shrimp” scene in Forrest Gump. So in the fairness of full disclosure, I tend to cook with Post Oak and/or Red Oak....some people will only use Pecan or Hickory or Mesquite....none of this is “wrong” it just becomes a factor of personal preference. Some cooks will use a combination of wood, and I have done that too....oak for smoke and heat, pecan for heat and taste....but know that some consider pecan a little too strong and sometimes bitter if used alone....but if that is your preference, go light that fire with pecan and smoke away!! We will work toward temperature and cuts of meat as we continue our discussion, but for now... What wood or combination do you use and what has your experience been??

[bbqsmokeaholic]

BrisketRibsandChicken

Some consider bbq a way of life.......everyone has their favorite place, their favorite cut, or their favorite way of doing it. I’ve always said that there is no “wrong” way to bbq, it is all about what you like, what you learn, and making it all your own. Now this theory doesn’t mean that everyone agrees with or likes “your way”.....but at least it isn’t wrong. With that in mind, you may have a different method or theory than I do, but that doesn’t make me wrong.....let’s utilize this platform as a way to learn and formulate ideas on how we work around a pit.  Speaking of pit....this term is referring to something that burns wood,  cooks slow, (time) and low (temps). Not something that runs off of gas....unless it is identified as such (”propane smoker”). Some would argue that those 2 words shouldn’t even go together, however, as previously stated....there is no wrong way, it is all what you like and what you learn. Remember that!