BBQ

Time to Q also means time to brew. I am putting together a bunch of brews for KCBS BBQ Competition teams and if they are going to be ready by summer now is the time to get started.

Here’s a pound of hops – these are the additions I used in the Big T’s Tongue Splitter:

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The Snowshoe
GC I smell smoke
RGC q-haven
3rd lakeside smokers

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This Saturday Kris and I will be competing in Abington, MA at the Snowshoe Grilling Challenge. This event is in it’s 17th year! This will be Lakeside Smokers’ 4th year competing there. Typically, we don’t do very well in grilling comps, and the Snowshoe is no exception. We have got a couple of calls over the years, but I don’t think we’ve ever managed to get in the top half overall. But that’s okay, it’s a real fun event. A great chance to see everyone again, shake off the rust, and start cooking. Don’t get me wrong, I cook outside over flame all year long. But, packing up all your gear and cooking in a parking lot is a whole different ball game. It’s great practice for the upcoming BBQ season. Here are some pics of failed attempts from previous years:

Grilled Beef Tenderloin

Spicy Breakfast Fatty

Cedar Planked Salmon

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These simple, perfectly deep fried wings were some of the best I’ve ever had. We got them at Viet-Thai Restaurant on Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA. Kris and I go there all the time for (you guessed it) pho. One day we were happily slurping our noodles and from the kitchen an oder of these wings passed by our table. We were both full and content, but we knew that we needed to at least try these wings. They were unbelievably crispy and tender and juicy right to the bone. The skin had a very subtle spice to it, but nothing that lingered. The meat tasted just like chicken. Nothing fancy, no marinades, no injections, no brines, just chicken. Simple food, perfectly cooked. Good stuff.

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These simple, perfectly deep fried wings were some of the best I’ve ever had. We got them at Viet-Thai Restaurant on Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA. Kris and I go there all the time for (you guessed it) pho. One day we were happily slurping our noodles and from the kitchen an oder of these wings passed by our table. We were both full and content, but we knew that we needed to at least try these wings. They were unbelievably crispy and tender and juicy right to the bone. The skin had a very subtle spice to it, but nothing that lingered. The meat tasted just like chicken. Nothing fancy, no marinades, no injections, no brines, just chicken. Simple food, perfectly cooked. Good stuff.

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Time flies when you are having fun!

I was doing a little research last week and realized I have been blogging here for over 2 years this past December 11th. Two years, it doesn’t seem like it has been that long. A lot of water has passed under the bridge in that short period of time. Our team has come a long way; we got a few calls and even won our first Grand this past October.

We are about to enter into our 4th year on the competition circuit. As I look over the contest possibilities for the up coming season, I notice there are an increasing number of events to pick from. For a team in our section of the mid atlantic region, you have 20+ contests to pick from with-in a reasonable driving distance. That is not counting events that are a little further away.

The WATG? gang again figures on cooking 6-7 contests for the 2010 season. This is about all that we can handle considering work, family and other obligations that seem to pop up every weekend during the summer months. We like the fact that there are more contests in which to choose from and wish that we could find the time to cook a few more. We also appreciate the fact that there are more events that require less driving, a sorter drive home, in my opinion, is a good thing.

We have posted our tentative schedule on the website, www.watgbbq.com and will post here as soon as a few more dates are confirmed. If you are out and about and decide to visit a contest in which we are cooking, please drop by and say hello. We would like to meet you. This brings me to my next and most important point, saying thank you to my readers.

Throughout the two years this blog has been posted, I have received numerous e mails, comments, personal visits, phone calls and other communications from folks that have been reading my written words. I even had one reader tell me, “You ought to write a book!” Well, this past year, as many of you know, I did just that. As I journey through this process of being a fledging author, I take all of your comments and words of encouragement with me. I am not sure where this road will lead, (if anywhere), but I am sure that it will be an experience I won’t soon forget.

I hope that my book is a help to those that would like to become involved in the sport/lifestyle called competition BBQ cooking. In a way, I am passing along some of what I have learned from so many others on the BBQ trail, to folks just starting their journey. As I have said many times in the past, it is a trip that you won’t regret.

I know that I kid around that I have only two readers, and one is my mother, but you and I know there are at least 8 of you out there in cyberspace, and for that I say thanks. Thank you for reading this blog and thanks for your encouraging words over the years.

I would also ask that if you like the blog, that you click below and become a follower, it doesn’t cost anything, and is very helpful in showing sponsors and others how many people are stopping by to take a look. Likewise, I ask if you are on Facebook, that you add me, who are those guys? BBQ team, and Startin the Fire to your friends and fans list. I am hoping to use the Startin the Fire page as a forum to answer questions and help folks interested in starting their own BBQ team.

It is mid February already; the contest season is just around the corner. I have begun ordering supplies and I continue to practice and refine my technique. Our first event will be Salisbury, MD in mid April. It will be here before I know it.

I have a couple of events associated with the book scheduled in the month of March, which will make things go by even quicker. As you probably know, I will keep you informed as to my trials, tribulations and experiences as a beginning book author. I am sure, as is anyone that knows me, that there will be a funny story or two to come out of all of this……stay tuned!

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This is one of my favorite places to get pho. It’s in the belly of Lawrence, MA; a little gritty, a little rough, and uncompromising. Perfect. This place has been open for as far back as I can remember. But it’s only been recently that I have discovered just how good it is…or was? For the past two weeks the big steel doors have been shut tight. No activity, no notes on the door, and no ones answering the phones. It’s a little baffling to me because every time I’ve gone there, it’s been real busy. People slurping, smiling, and enjoying great food. Fast service, so it was perfect for lunch. And as with most Vietnamese noodle restaurants, the prices are astoundingly cheap. So, I’m optimistically hoping that the next time I drive by, those big steel doors will be open, I’ll sit at my table by the window, and I’ll cherish that bowl of noodles just a little more…

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Brisket with burnt ends. Maybe someone who knows something about photography can explain why my camera makes this brisket look like it’s slathered in mustard (it’s not, really!!).

A good day overall. We had ribs as well, but my sons destroyed those slabs – they hit them like rats on a cheeto!

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We arrived at Cane Garden Bay, Tortola by 8AM. The beach was virtually empty of visitors. There were workers setting up chairs and umbrellas, bartenders stocking up coolers, and a few locals taking their morning walk. We set up our camp by the shoreline, the small waves hitting our feet, and the bright sun on our face. We all settled in and started to enjoy the hot Caribbean morning. The first thing I like to do is walk the beach. I like to see if someone is cooking up something different or something local. I walked by small cantinas, big outdoor bars, and a few beach cabanas. As I stroll by I glance at the menus. Most offer the typical fare of burgers, fries, and sandwiches. Some have grilled fish, and conch. As I run out of beach I noticed my lunch options are getting sparse. I turn around and start walking back, and then it hits me. A unique and wonderful smell. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I was sure that I would be eating some of it. So, I followed my nose. It led me to a busy section of the beach. It had a lot of little shops where locals were selling t-shirts, carved coconuts, trinkets, and the such. There was a taxi stand and a large outdoor bar that was starting to get very crowded. Typically, these are the places I try to avoid when I’m looking for something unique. But, that smell was coming from this area, I just needed to find it. I walked over to the bar and looked at the menu: it was all drinks, no food. I walked through the little shops: nothing. Then, I noticed something. A makeshift tent over by the taxi stand. Under that tent were a few tables with a coffee maker, and two chafing dishes. Taxi drivers and beach workers were gathered around, talking, laughing, and eating. I stared for a few, and then slowly started to walk over.

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