HOME OF BBQ

Trigger's BBQ Sauce

2009-11-13T19:16:00.003-05:00

BBQ Sauce of the Month Club
www.amazingclubs.com/bbq.html
1-800-507-4660

Trigger’s BBQ Sauce

Manufacturer Trigger Beeler
Website http://triggerbeeler.com/

Quality *** (3 out of 5)
Viscosity *** (3 out of 5) This is a measure of thickness, not quality
Aroma *** (3 out of 5)
Appearance ** (2.5 out of 5)
Packaging ** (2 out of 5)

Trigger’s BBQ sauce is a product of Texas, an area reputed to have a love/hate relationship with BBQ sauce. According to their website, the sauce is the end result of years of research and testing, conducted in a small diner founded and run by Trigger himself. Trigger was a diabetic and his influence led to a sauce that is (as claimed on their site) low in sugar and salt.

In spite of the claims to be sugar conscious, sugar is the second ingredient in the sauce and part of the fourth. That isn’t always the best barometer to judge the total content, as the ingredient listing will give you the order of ingredients from most to least, but it doesn’t give you a ratio. Trigger’s is definitely not as sweet as the majority of the KC style sauces out there.

The sauce comes in a standard glass bottle. It’s serviceable, sturdy and has a lip that is wide enough to allow for easy pouring. Unfortunately, it has a dark and muddled label wrapped around it. In an effort to capture the feel of an old time ‘wanted’ poster, they darkened the already muted tan label. In this area they included a black and white picture of (I believe) Trigger that is further muddled.

If they expect their product to ‘pop’ when on the shelf, they have made some serious marketing errors. Thankfully, I care about the contents of the bottle much more than the labels.

The sauce has a strong and pleasing aroma that avoids the overly sweet notes that most store bought sauces offer. Hints of spice emanate from a deep tomato base.

The sauce pours easily, but avoids pooling. Neither a thick sauce like the worst of the KC styles, nor a thin sauce such as the Carolina specimens, Trigger’s walks a middle road and doesn’t suffer for it. The sauce is a bit darker than normal, but not much. There is no visual contrast whatsoever. There are no visible spices of small chunks of onion.

The sauce has a surprising amount of heat that hits after the other traits have dissipated. In spite of this, there is little vibrancy to the sauce. No individual flavors stand out and, like the labeling, the sauce is just a bit muddled. I appreciated the level of ‘sweet’ found in the sauce and I also like that the sauce won’t detract from or overwhelm the meat.

I enjoyed the sauce and would not be disappointed to have it used on my ‘Q, but lacks anything that makes it truly distinctive. This is a good sauce that is struggling to make it to excellent.

Repeated from the first BBQ Sauce of the Month review:

The BBQ Sauce of the Month Club sends its constituents 2 sauces every month. The cost for a one year membership comes out to roughly $9.00 a bottle and that includes shipping. For quality sauces that are difficult to find elsewhere, it seems like a bargain. In early July I will have had enough of a sample to comment knowledgeably on their shipping.

Along with the sauce there is a brief newsletter that talks about the current months selections. The sauces arrive well packed in a cardboard box. Their site (see above for link) claims that they test dozens of sauces a month (at a minimum). This volume would seem to allow them room for selectivity.

Aside from delivery to your door and the screening by their tasters, you also have the benefit of receiving a discount on purchases of sauces that you particularly like and would enjoy more of. It seems that the discount varies, but the courteous salesperson I spoke with when enquiring said that they would be happy to let a member know what the discount would be if they gave them a call (see above for phone number).

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Review: Frank's Red Hot Steak Strips

2009-08-10T23:26:00.003-04:00

Frank's Red Hot Chile 'n Lime Steak Strips

Manufacturer: Thanasi Foods LLC

Flavor: Chile 'n Lime

Weight: 3.15 oz.

Website: http://www.franksredhotsnacks.com

Flavor: ***** 5

Aroma: *** 3.5

Texture: **** 4.0

Appearance: ***3

Packaging: **** 4.0

Ratings range from 1 to 5

Let me tell you a brief story. I had spent the weekend at some friends house. I arrived a day early for a party and helped prepare the food and left a day after the party. As these things go, we prepared way too much food. A bacchanalian feast was had by all and upon our satiation we lay about, limbs akimbo. The next day we indulged upon leftovers. Way too many leftovers. I returned home with a friend and en route to his home I offered him a piece of these Chile 'n Lime Steak Strips. Although we were already suffering the soporific effects of having all of our blood pooled to the stomach to digest much BBQ, we couldn't stop eating this jerky (or 'steak strips'). This stuff is so good it should come with a warning label.

Thanasi is the same company that makes the Bigs sunflower seeds we recently reviewed. It's nice to see that they are maintaining the level of quality across product lines.

The 'steak strips' are moist and chewy while still being malleable enough to eat without difficulty. They come in a sizeable, very attractive bag that is printed in full four color. The bag is resealable, but that is hardly needed. If you are eating these with anyone else they will be gone soon after the bag is opened.

The size of the strips vary in width, length and depth. They have a very rich, red coloring that is common in jerky. The aroma is fairly mild, with hints of the lime, but not much of the chile.

The first thing that you notice when you take a bite is the lime. It is a strong presence that pops immediately. As someone that enjoys heat in my food, I was initially disappointed, wondering where the chile was. And then it hit. Long after the other flavors dissipate, the heat and flavor of the chile dance along the taste buds. On a scale of one to ten for heat, I would give it a three, but what a three it is. Durable with excellent flavor, the steak strips have a separation of flavors that offers both variation and surprise.

I very rarely award a five for flavor, but this was well deserved.

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Recipe: Pomegranate Chicken Sauce

2009-07-31T12:13:00.000-04:00

Pomegranate Chicken Sauce

The nice people at PAMA sent me some of their Pomegranate Liqueur to check out. Using one of their recipes as a base, I made a thick dipping sauce for chicken. It took me a few minutes to decide whether I liked it or not. Pomegranate is so out of my normal palette range that I had to ruminate a bit. I guess what clinched it is that I kept going back for more.

RECIPE

½ cup PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

¼ cup cider vinegar

Zest of one lemon

Juice of one lemon

8 oz Apricot preserves

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp minced jalapeno

½ tsp chipotle or aleppo (use aleppo if you prefer less heat)

3 tbsp chopped ginger

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp chopped scallions

Sautee the jalapeno and ginger in a medium sauce pan. When the jalapenos are tender, add all other ingredients and turn up the heat. Bring the sauce to a roiling boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Click HERE to check out some more PAMA recipes (for both food and drinks).

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Review: Red Eye Wilson's BBQ Sauce

2009-07-29T12:02:00.000-04:00

BBQ Sauce of the Month Club
www.amazingclubs.com/bbq.html

1-800-507-4660

Red Eye Wilson’s BBQ Sauce

Manufacturer Lovera’s Grocery
Website http://www.iloveitalian.com/

Quality **** (4 out of 5)
Viscosity ** (2.5 out of 5) This is a measure of thickness, not quality
Aroma *** (3 out of 5)

Appearance *** (3 out of 5)

Packaging ** (2 out of 5)

Red Eye Wilson’s is produced by a manufacturer that specializes in Italian inspired foods. As a matter of fact, the BBQ sauce seems to be the only item that they sell that is outside that genre. Lovera’s Grocery is a family owned and run business and I’m hoping that indicates that they take pride in their products.

I’d say that about fifty percent of manufacturers use the same style of bottle for their sauces. Lovera’s is one of them. The glass is thick enough to qualify as ‘sturdy’ with an opening that is wide enough to ensure an easy pour.

Where a caricature or logo usually adorns the packaging, Red Eye Wilson’s has a photo of a man in the center of the package. Is he Red Eye Wilson himself? I have no idea. The visuals on the label are a bit boring and don’t really capture your attention.

On the label for the sauce it is listed as ‘original’. On the website it is termed ‘mild’. I’m assuming that in this case the term is synonymous as they have a ‘hot’ version of Red Eye Wilson’s.

The aroma of the sauce is pretty much tomato and sweetener. The brown sugar is a nice addition and does it’s job well, both in aroma and flavor.

The sauce offers the same opacity and coloring as ketchup, but has other ingredients that are visible. Looser than a standard KC sauce, it is still thick enough to adhere to the meat without a problem. You can feel the other ingredients in your mouth if you try the sauce without the meat (I usually try a sauce on a meat and straight from the bottle), but the feel of them gets lost when eating sauced meat.

The sauce is sweet without being overpowering and is, indeed, mild. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t offer a layered experience. There is a slight kick that hits a few seconds after the other flavors. The kick lingers for a while and is a nice addition. The sweetness falls short of that found in ketchup, which is rare in tomato based sauces but is very welcome. Using brown sugar, the manufacturer avoids the myriad problems found when using corn syrup and it is appreciated.

This is a good sauce that can be heartily recommended. For my palette I think that I would prefer the hot version, but if you enjoy a mostly mild sauce, give this a try.

Repeated from the first BBQ Sauce of the Month review:

The BBQ Sauce of the Month Club sends its constituents 2 sauces every month. The cost for a one year membership comes out to roughly $9.00 a bottle and that includes shipping. For quality sauces that are difficult to find elsewhere, it seems like a bargain. In early July I will have had enough of a sample to comment knowledgeably on their shipping.

Along with the sauce there is a brief newsletter that talks about the current months selections. The sauces arrive well packed in a cardboard box. Their site (see above for link) claims that they test dozens of sauces a month (at a minimum). This volume would seem to allow them room for selectivity.

Aside from delivery to your door and the screening by their tasters, you also have the benefit of receiving a discount on purchases of sauces that you particularly like and would enjoy more of. It seems that the discount varies, but the courteous salesperson I spoke with when enquiring said that they would be happy to let a member know what the discount would be if they gave them a call (see above for phone number).

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Reviews: Mountain Man Chipotle BBQ Sauce

2009-07-27T19:31:00.003-04:00

BBQ Sauce of the Month Club
www.amazingclubs.com/bbq.html
1-800-507-4660

Mountain Man Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Manufacturer Sauce Crafters
Website http://www.saucecrafters.com/

Quality *** (3 out of 5)
Viscosity **** (4 out of 5) This is a measure of thickness, not quality
Aroma *** (3 out of 5)
Appearance *** (3 out of 5)
Packaging **** (4 out of 5)

Made by the same company as Charley’s Hard Times Honey Mustard Sauce and the Fork and Halo series of sauces, this product falls rather naturally into their purview. It has a low entry barrier when it comes to price (as does the ‘Hard Times’ sauce) and basic flavor, while it has the heat that Sauce Crafters is known for.

The sauce comes in a standard, but sturdy glass bottle. Although the sauce is thick, it pours fairly easily. A rich red in coloring, the sauce is fairly opaque. Specks of pepper can be seen, offering a bit of visual differentiation.

The aroma is mostly ketchup with hints of the vinegar and heat to come. It’s a good indicator of the flavor, highlighting the three main components; heat, tomato and sweet.

Better than average, but not by much; this sauce would have a quotidian blandness if it wasn’t for the addition of the heat. Oddly, there is no inclusion of chipotle in the list of ingredients.

There is really no nuance here. The sweetness has no fruit base, the heat has no tartness. No surprises await you here. Unfortunately, that comes across as a criticism. It’s not intended to criticize, but to highlight where the sauce could have been better.

Taken in and of itself, this is a solid effort by a company that has earned my respect. I enjoyed the sauce and wouldn’t have a problem using it on anything but poultry. The flavors are fairly bold and would probably be best on beef or pork.

Would I go out and buy more when this bottle is empty? No. Will I continue to look forward to releases by Sauce Crafters? Absolutely.

Repeated from our first BBQ Sauce of the Month review:

The BBQ Sauce of the Month Club sends its constituents 2 sauces every month. The cost for a one year membership comes out to roughly $9.00 a bottle and that includes shipping. For quality sauces that are difficult to find elsewhere, it seems like a bargain. In early July I will have had enough of a sample to comment knowledgeably on their shipping.

Along with the sauce there is a brief newsletter that talks about the current months selections. The sauces arrive well packed in a cardboard box. Their site (see above for link) claims that they test dozens of sauces a month (at a minimum). This volume would seem to allow them room for selectivity.

Aside from delivery to your door and the screening by their tasters, you also have the benefit of receiving a discount on purchases of sauces that you particularly like and would enjoy more of. It seems that the discount varies, but the courteous salesperson I spoke with when enquiring said that they would be happy to let a member know what the discount would be if they gave them a call (see above for phone number).

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Recipe: Cocoa Lamb Kabobs

2009-07-24T00:25:00.003-04:00

I’ve been thinking about rub lately. I’ve been getting a bit bored with the standards and was looking for something a bit unusual. Here is a recipe from Scharffen Berger for a cocoa based rub.

The recipe is from their site (http://www.scharffenberger.com/allrecipes.asp), which is chock full of interesting chocolate based recipes.

Enjoy.

SCHARFFEN BERGER SPICED COCOA DRY RUB ON LAMB KABOBS

This cocoa spice rub works especially well with lamb. Although the smell of this rub is quite chocolate-y, the flavor on the grilled meat is very subtle. We used the rub on cubed lamb shoulder and leg for easy-to-prepare kabobs, but a whole butterflied leg of lamb can be used.

Makes 1 1/2 cups, enough for 5 pounds of lamb.

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup Scharffen Berger Natural Cocoa Powder (unsweetened)

* 1/4 cup Kosher salt

* 2 teaspoons dried red pepper flakes, chopped fine

* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

* 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

* 4 pounds lamb shoulder and/or leg, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes

* 2 red onions

PREPARATION

1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle. Grind until the pepper flakes are crushed into a fine powder. Store leftovers in a tightly covered jar for up to one month.

2. Generously coat the lamb cubes with the dry rub. Using metal skewers, alter the lamb cubes with pieces of red onion. Let the lamb marinate for up to 12 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

3. Light the grill. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before grilling. Grill over direct coals, turning once after 5 minutes. If grill has a lid, cover the meat while it is grilling. Using an instant read thermometer, check the internal temperature of the lamb cubes and remove when the temperature reaches 125 degrees F for medium-rare meat.

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Review: Gold Rush Jerky - Mild

2009-07-17T15:02:00.002-04:00

Gold Rush Beef Jerky – Mild

Manufacturer: Toxic Tommy

Flavor: Mild

Weight: 3.5 oz.

Website: http://www.toxictommy.com

Flavor: **** 4

Aroma: *** 3.5

Texture: *** 3.5

Appearance: **** 4

Packaging: *** 3.5

Ratings range from 1 to 5

Gold Rush Mild jerky comes in a transparent, wide plastic package that allows clear visibility of the product. The label is black with white lettering and has a logo depicting a gold miner. The packaging is professional in appearance but not overly distinctive.

Like the taste, the aroma of Gold Rush Mild Jerky does justice to the title. Although the aroma isn’t strong, you pick up the meat and spices. Unlike some teriyaki jerky products, you don’t pick up a sweet aroma, even though sugar is the third ingredient.

The texture of the jerky is excellent. Unlike some of its competitors, Gold Rush Jerky doesn’t seem designed to rip your molars from your mouth as you are eating. While malleable, the jerky offers enough texture to require strong chewing without becoming overbearing.

As with the other Gold Rush jerky products, the mild version had a wide variety in the width, thickness and lengths of the meat in the package. I’m not sure why this is, but it offers the jerky a more rustic and less processed feel than many of its competitors.

Mild should not be confused with bland. The jerky has a great taste and its lack of a dominant flavor profile allows for the enjoyment of subtlety, something that is often missing in spicier jerkies. I’m not a fan of MSG (the fourth ingredient), but it’s hard to argue with its success here.

If you have someone in your family that shies away from heat, this is the product for them. While maintaining the same quality as the other Gold Rush products, the mild variety appeals strongly to those that prefer nuance to strength.

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Review: Chicken Grillables

2009-07-16T10:40:00.000-04:00

Chicken Grillables

Barber Foods

www.barberfoods.com

140 calories

5 grams fat

I recently received some Chicken Grillables to take out for a test drive. Chicken Grillables are seasoned patties of chicken (mostly breast) that seem to be designed to be a healthy alternative to hamburgers. I’m not a big proponent of processed meats, so I was a bit hesitant going into this review.

I decided to approach this review preparing the food as it seems to be intended and then prepare a second Chicken Grillable completely plain. The first strong point is that the preparation and cooking couldn’t be simpler. On a propane grill you wipe the grill with some oil, preheat the grill for a few minutes on medium and slap on the still frozen chicken. After 6 minutes you flip the chicken over. In 6 more minutes you take the chicken off the grill and get ready to eat.

I had one piece of chicken on a toasted English Muffin with a quick aioli I whipped up and a few tomato slices. The flavor was mild but enjoyable. The chicken retained its inherent taste while offering slight but noticeable hints of the additions to the chicken. Garlic, lemon, onion and vinegar all make an appearance. With the addition of the tomato and aioli, the chicken seemed to work best as a medium for the other flavors.

The texture was relatively firm and the exterior developed a nice crust. As this is obviously not an intact chicken breast, the texture took a bit of getting used to. I’m conditioned to expect a specific ‘mouth feel’ from chicken and this was different. Not bad, just not what I was expecting.

The second patty was eaten naked. No bun, no toppings, just straight Chicken Grillable. Without the impact of the competing flavors, the nuances of the Grillables were more pronounced. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality and flavor. I could easily see cutting these up and throwing them in a salad.

As I was informed, ‘WebMD recently named Chicken Grillables™ its best bulk food buy for the grill, in terms of both cost and health’. When you add that to the ease of preparation you would anticipate that taste would almost have to be lacking. When a company touts the health benefits or how ‘quick and easy’ it is to make their product, you start to wonder why they aren’t mentioning flavor.

The health conscious consumer is the lucky beneficiary of a product that succeeds on three levels.

Will the advent of Chicken Grillables entice me to stop marinating, seasoning and grilling or BBQ’ing my own chicken? No. Is it a nice alternative when I’m looking to save time and energy or when I would otherwise be preparing burgers? Absolutely.

You can find Chicken Grillables at many supermarkets and club stores.

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Ramblings: Creating a Smoke Ring

2009-07-12T14:09:00.005-04:00

I found this article interesting and informative. It was nice to find an authoritative explanation of the creation of smoke rings. The process is demystified a bit, but the specific nomenclature may be a little off-putting.

I contacted the author and he kindly agreed to the article being reprinted here.

Smoke Ring in Barbeque Meats

How to Get That Coveted Pink Ring With Your Cooking

by Joe Cordray

Slow cooked barbecue meats often exhibit a pink ring around the outside edge of the product. This pink ring may range from 1/8 inch to 1/2 inch thick. In beef the ring is a reddish-pink and in pork, chicken and turkey it is bright pink. This pink ring is often referred to as a "smoke ring" and is considered a prized attribute in many barbecue meats, especially barbecue beef briskets. Barbecue connoiseurs feel the presence of a smoke ring indicates the item was slow smoked for a long period of time. Occasionally consumers have mistakenly felt that the pink color of the smoke ring meant the meat was undercooked. To understand smoke ring formation you must first understand muscle pigment.

Myoglobin is the pigment that gives muscle its color. Beef muscle has more pigment than pork muscle thus beef has a darker color than pork. Chicken thighs have a darker color than chicken breast thus chicken thigh muscle has more muscle pigment (myoglobin) than chicken breast tissue. A greater myoglobin concentration yields a more intense color. When you first cut into a muscle you expose the muscle pigment in its native state, myoglobin. In the case of beef, myoglobin has a purplish-red color. After the myoglobin has been exposed to oxygen for a short time, it becomes oxygenated and oxymyoglobin is formed. Oxymyoglobin is the color we associate with fresh meat. The optimum fresh meat color in beef is bright cherry red and in pork bright grayish pink. If a cut of meat is held under refrigeration for several days, the myoglobin on the surface becomes oxidized.

When oxymyoglobin is oxidized it becomes metmyoglobin. Metmyoglobin has a brown color and is associated with a piece of meat that has been cut for several days. When we produce cured products we also alter the state of the pigment myoglobin. Cured products are defined as products to which we add sodium nitrate and/or sodium nitrite during processing. Examples of cured products are ham, bacon, bologna and hotdogs. All of these products have a pink color, which is typical of cured products. When sodium nitrite is combined with meat the pigment myoglobin is converted to nitric oxide myoglobin which is a very dark red color. This state of the pigment myoglobin is not very stable. Upon heating, nitric oxide myoglobin is converted to nitrosylhemochrome, which is the typical pink color of cured meats.

When a smoke ring develops in barbecue meats it is not because smoke has penetrated and colored the muscle, but rather because gases in the smoke interact with the pigment myoglobin. Two phenomenon provide evidence that it is not the smoke itself that causes the smoke ring. First, it is possible to have a smoke ring develop in a product that has not been smoked and second, it is also possible to heavily smoke a product without smoke ring development.

Most barbecuers use either wood chips or logs to generate smoke when cooking. Wood contains large amounts of nitrogen (N). During burning the nitrogen in the logs combines with oxygen (O) in the air to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen dioxide is highly water-soluble. The pink ring is created when NO2 is absorbed into the moist meat surface and reacts to form nitrous acid. The nitrous acid then diffuses inward creating a pink ring via the classic meat curing reaction of sodium nitrite. The end result is a "smoke ring" that has the pink color of cured meat. Smoke ring also frequently develops in smokehouses and cookers that are gas-fired because NO2 is a combustion by-product when natural gas or propane is burned.

Let’s review the conditions that would help to contribute to the development of a smoke ring. Slow cooking and smoking over several hours. This allows time for the NO2 to be absorbed into and interact with the meat pigment.

Maintain the surface of the meat moist during smoking. NO2 is water-soluble so it absorbs more readily into a piece of meat that has a moist surface than one which has a dry surface. Meats that have been marinated tend to have a moister surface than non-marinated meats. There are also a couple of ways that you can help to maintain a higher humidity level in your cooker; 1. Do not open and close the cooker frequently. Each time you open it you allow moisture inside to escape. 2. Put a pan of water on your grill. Evaporation from the water will help increase humidity inside the cooker.

Generate smoke from the burning of wood chips or wood logs. Since NO2 is a by-product of incomplete combustion, green wood or wetted wood seems to enhance smoke ring development. Burning green wood or wetted wood also helps to increase the humidity level inside the cooker.

A high temperature flame is needed to create NO2 from nitrogen and oxygen. A smoldering fire without a flame does not produce as much NO2. Consequently, a cooker that uses indirect heat generated from the burning of wood typically will develop a pronounced smoke ring. Have fun cooking. A nice smoke ring can sure make a piece of barbecued meat look attractive.

About the Author:

Joe Cordray is the Meat Extension Specialist at Iowa State University’s nationally renowned Meat Lab, located in Ames, IA. He has been writing for The BBQer since Fall of 2001

(used with permission)

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Review: Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book

2009-07-09T19:20:00.004-04:00

Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book

By: Chris Lilly

Publisher: Clarkson Potter

255 pages

Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book is a strange but wonderful amalgamation of styles. A highly effective mash-up of the anecdotal styles of books such as ‘Smokestack Lightning’ and ‘Searching for the Dixie Barbecue’ and of excellent BBQ cookbooks, such as Ray ‘Dr. BBQ’ Lampe’s ‘Big Time’ books; this is a surprising and rewarding read. Writing any book is daunting for a novice. Writing a book using dual styles and expecting it to succeed on both levels would be foolhardy. It’s a good thing that no one told Mr. Lilly that.

Interspersed with the recipes are stories and biographical information on Bob Gibson, his family and the restaurant. Chris is clearly telling a very personal story here, warts and all. Although Big Bob Gibson is a larger than life character (almost literally), he isn’t dehumanized in the book by ignoring and glossing over his faults. All of the various characters here come to life as their personal stories intertwine with that of the restaurant.

Photographs that document the history of the restaurant and the family help to personalize the anecdotes and provide a warm contrast to the beautiful, lush photos of the food. Although I’m a sucker for anything that will enhance the personal narrative, my favorite two photos are of food and are found on pages 74 and 75. The pictures accompany a recipe for Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin Pinwheels. Page 74 showed a complete progression of each step in the preparation of the dish. Page 75 has a mouthwatering full page photo of the dish being cooked on a grill.

Like most BBQ cookbooks, Mr. Lilly begins with the basics. Covering types of grills and smokers, fuels, spices and woods, Chris offers a strong introduction for the beginner. What surprised me in this section was the in depth look at various methods of effective charcoal use for various smokers and grills. I’ve never seen another book go into such detail and the methods were accompanied by photos for easily visualization.

In keeping with theme of assisting the novice, the book is replete with ‘pitmaster’s tips’. These range from the basic to the fairly arcane and usually are no more than a few sentences in length. I’m not sure where they came from (were they submitted to the authors website?), but another regular feature are questions about grilling and BBQ (such as how to keep meat moist or how to properly cook a turkey) that Chris answers. Combined with the segments (broken down into specific decades) that cover the history of the restaurant, it seems as though there was a concerted effort to not allow any wasted space. If that’s the case, I applaud the effort. Nothing seemed superfluous.

The recipes are plentiful and varied. They range from the simple (such as the 4 ingredient coleslaw) to the more sophisticated Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Basil Stuffing. Not only are the recipes all solid, but Chris includes many of the recipes that he and his team use on the competition circuit. Big Bob Gibson may arguably be best known for their white sauce and I realize that the temptation is to go directly to that recipe (page 218), but spending some time going over the rest of the recipes will be richly rewarded.

If this were any other book, I would be most impressed with the recipes and the generosity of the author in sharing his ‘secrets’. In this case, I have to note again how well each theme of the book succeeds. The photos would feel at home in any pictorial, the anecdotes pull you into the story, the introduction to the hobby is detailed and innovative and the recipes make you want to go out and start ‘Qing.

In the hierarchy of my bookshelf, Big Bob Gibson’s BBQ Book is going to sit on the top shelf.

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Ramblings: Chris Lilly 2 Minute Chicken

2009-07-06T11:38:00.000-04:00

It seems that we are on a Chris Lilly kick lately. Later this week we will be posting a review of Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book. To tide you over, here is a video of Chris on the Today Show competing on a Fourth of July special against Elizabeth Karmel from Hill Country.

Chris and Elizabeth each prepare a chicken dish in 2 minutes for a crowd to 'ooooh' and 'ahhhh' over and judges to render a verdict on. Enjoy the frenetic poultry presentation.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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Ramblings: Happy Fourth of July

2009-07-04T14:40:00.003-04:00

Happy Fourth of July

I hope that you get to spend today celebrating with friends and family.

Review: BIGS Sunflower Seeds

2009-07-03T17:27:00.007-04:00

BIGS Sunflower Seeds

Regular readers will note that we periodically feature a ‘non-BBQ roundup’. Today we are concentrating on a bacon theme, starting with BIGS Bacon Salt flavored sunflower seeds.

These are sunflower seeds that are in the shell and have the exact same flavor as found in Bacon Salt (click here for our review of Bacon Salt). Let’s start with the basics. They are delicious. The flavor of bacon mixed with the nutty earthiness of the sunflower seeds quickly becomes addictive.

If marketed properly, I can easily see these becoming as ubiquitous on the competition BBQ circuit as beer and ABT’s. Sitting around a smoker watching temps at 2:00 am and spitting the shells into an ash bucket somehow feels right. It has that rustic, timeless appeal that matches a cooking method that takes up to 14 hours to cook a piece of meat.

Here’s the kicker. For those of us that are fighting the battle of the bulge, you can sit down and eat these for an hour and consume a couple of ounces. I wouldn’t be surprised if you burn more calories in the eating then you consume. That’s important to note, as once you start eating them you can’t stop.

There are currently 5 flavors available. The plain is what you would expect, slightly salty, with the traditional flavor of unadulterated sunflower seeds. The Bacon Salt flavor mirrors the Bacon Salt seasoning. The Dill Vlasic Pickle is an odd flavor. Not bad, just a different. I haven’t wrapped my head around it enough to render an opinion yet. The Zesty Ranch seeds have a milder flavor than the Bacon Salt, but are no less addicting. The Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing style is designed to give the seeds a kick without overpowering the flavor.

The seeds come in a 5.35 oz. bag and let me assure you, that is plenty. It’s impossible to consume the bag in one or two sittings. The seeds themselves are huge. Chernobyl huge. As such, they are a great medium for the various flavors. The bag comes with a convenient resealable top.

I have to confess that until trying BIGS I had never even conceived of flavored sunflower seeds. I’ve clearly been missing out. I was sort of hoping that the BIGS website had an ‘under development’ section, but alas, it was not to be. I would have liked to peak behind the curtain to see what flavors they were working on. Sour cream and onion? Maybe a malt vinegar to mimic fish and chips? Whatever they produce next, I’ll be buying. The quality of the first five has guaranteed my trying the next five.

Looking for other bacon oriented novelties? How about Bacon Mints? They taste exactly like they sound and no pigs were hurt in the making of this product. They come in a tin, similar to an undersized altoid box, that is redolent with the aroma of smoke. If you are looking for something to finish off your guests meal after your next BBQ, give these a try.

Have a lot of kids attending your next pig roast? Why not offer up some gummy bacon? They lack the flavor of raw bacon, but make up for that with the taste of strawberry. Close enough in appearance to disgust friends as you seem to enjoy uncooked bacon, this product is tasty enough to enjoy while gross enough to have the kids asking for more.

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Review: JD's Barbecue Shoppe - Perfect Sweet

2009-07-01T07:38:00.000-04:00

JD’s Barbecue Sauce – The Perfect Sweet

Manufacturer JD’s Barbecue Shoppe
Website www.bbqshoppe.com

Quality **** (4 out of 5)
Viscosity ** (2 out of 5) (this is an indicator of thickness, not quality)
Aroma *** (3.5 out of 5)

Appearance *** (3.5 out of 5)

Packaging *** (3 out of 5)

It’s unfair, but this sauce enters the review process with a strike against it. I’m not a fan of sauces whose main flavor profile is sweetness. Will JD’s ‘The Perfect Sweet’ overcome that inherited and purely subjective deficit? Read on.

The sauce comes in a mason jar. Not a mason jar style bottle, but an actual mason jar. It’s not the most convenient vessel, but I like it. Along with the two tone label, the mason jar gives the sauce a rustic and ‘country’ feel. The tan label has a logo with a man in western regalia leaning against the company name. The labeling is understated and simple enough to be distinctive.

This is a strange and malleable sauce. Smelling very different than it tastes, the aroma is full of the sweetness promised by the name, but also has hints of spice that are missing on the tongue. The color is a deep, almost muddled brown in the jar, but is much lighter on the food and gains a reddish hue.

Barely thicker than a vinegar sauce, this is very loose. Repeated application may be necessary. A significant amount of the sauce slipped off the meat.

Let’s get one thing clear about the taste right away. It lives up to the label (well, ok, it might fall short of ‘perfect’). This is a SWEET sauce. As such, you may want to be overly careful of how you pair it with your protein. While fine for ribs or poultry, it might not stand up well to brisket.

Going back to the earlier point of how this sauce changes, the taste differs dramatically when tasted straight from the bottle to when it is cooked on the meat. Most sauces do, but this is significantly more dramatic. The sweetness mellows and isn’t as overpowering.

I’m not usually fond of ketchup (the first ingredient) in sauces as it’s always an indicator of corn syrup. Thankfully, this sauce sugar and brown sugar as its primary sweeteners, avoiding that heavy feel that corn syrup is noted for. For a sauce that has sweetness as its calling card, that was a great decision on the part of JD’s.

So, where do I stand on this sauce? The quality is very good. I’m not its target audience, but I can respect the craftsmanship. It’s not receiving a 5 or even a 4.5 on taste as I would have preferred more nuance to the taste (a more pronounced cider vinegar presence would have been enjoyed), but it’s a solid 4.

When ‘Qing you often have to target your outcome to your audience. For example, my sister can’t take heat of any kind. The next time that I need a sweet sauce for a meal, I’m reaching for this.

General Notes:

I do the majority of the sauce analysis on this site. I have often been assisted by Will Breakstone of Willie B’s Award Winning BBQ (pitmaster, competitor and caterer). The foods used with the sauces are usually brisket, pulled pork and chicken. On occasion, other foods will be used if recommended by the manufacturer (ex. burgers, fries, meatloaf, etc.).

Most of the food used for the reviews is cooked on a Weber Smoky Mountain or a Lang 84. The basic BBQ accoutrements (such as tool sets, chimney starters, etc.) are by Weber. Knives are by Mercer Cutlery. Fuel is either a cherry/oak mix or whatever charcoal I’m in the mood for.

www.weber.com

www.pigroast.com

www.mercercutlery.com

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Reviews: Gold Rush Jerky - Black Peppered

2009-06-29T06:52:00.001-04:00

Gold Rush Beef Jerky – Black Peppered

Manufacturer: Toxic Tommy

Flavor: Black Peppered

Weight: 1.75 oz.

Website: http://www.toxictommy.com/

Flavor: **** 4.5

Aroma: *** 3.5

Texture: *** 3.5

Appearance: **** 4

Packaging: *** 3.5

Ratings range from 1 to 5

Gold Rush Black Peppered jerky comes in a transparent, narrow plastic package that allows clear visibility of the product. The label is black with white lettering and has a logo depicting a gold miner. The packaging is professional in appearance but not overly distinctive.

Unlike many reviews that we have done in the past, the aroma of this jerky is a direct parallel to the taste. The meat is redolent with the aroma of pepper, and that is a wonderful thing. I enjoy exotic and arcane aspects to sauces and jerky’s but sometimes you are most satisfied with the basics. Before you take your first bite you know that you are getting something primal but well crafted.

There is a lack of uniformity in the jerky when it comes to size and shape. I’m not really sure how much time to spend discussing this as it doesn’t bother me in the least. The variation is neither a positive nor a negative in my opinion. I could easily be persuaded that it lends a more rustic feel to the jerky, but as long as the variation

doesn’t impact the texture and taste, I don’t care.

The three most prominent bits of information gathered from the label are:

1) 97% fat free. Good to know and nice, but not surprising.

2) Moist and tender. Right on the nose (not literally). This jerky is surprisingly moist. Some jerky’s are brittle and some are overly chewy. This finds a nice middle road between the two.

3) The jerky is black peppered. Rarely has a description seemed so accurate.

It was bit surprising that the black pepper isn’t even listed in the ingredients. The sixth ingredient is ‘spices’, which I guess would include the pepper. Regardless of how they pull off this bit of gastronomical alchemy, the result is an excellent jerky with strong overtones of black pepper. The strongest profiles found here are meat, salt and pepper; offering a simple yet satisfying eating experience.

I was concerned about the msg that is the fourth ingredient, but it was nearly undetectable.

An tasty, low carb snack; Gold Rush Black Peppered Jerky would have an honored place in my pantry if I hadn't eaten the entire package. Time to order more.

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Ramblings: Custom BBQ Items

2009-06-27T17:54:00.006-04:00

Huntingdon County Customs

Looking for a novel gift for that BBQ fanatic in your life? How about a unique prize for a competition you are running?

Brian Nevel of Huntingdon County Customs is the man to see.

Although they craft an array of custom metal products, Brian’s passion is BBQ. Whether it’s a tiny (and I do mean tiny) but fully working offset smoker or a new grates for your smoker or grill personalized with your name or logo, Brian breathes his love of BBQ into everything he makes.

Among their wide selection of custom products, Huntingdon County Customs also manufactures smokers made from Kegs. A small and portable unit, they are great for tailgating or any casual event.

Want everyone to know who cooked that delicious steak? Check out their custom branding irons.

Although you’ll find enough cool stuff here to satisfy any BBQ fan, the best option may be to come up with your own concepts and have Huntingdon fabricate them. Give them a yell.

You can visit their site by clicking here.

You can reach them by calling

1-(814)-506-1328

1-(877)-272-0527 (between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. eastern)

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Interview: Chris Lilly -Video II

2009-06-26T17:10:00.002-04:00

Here is part two of our interview with Chris Lilly regarding Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book from the Snapple Big Apple BBQ Block Party.

We greatly appreciate Mr. Lilly's time.

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Interview: Chris Lilly -Video

2009-06-24T15:11:00.001-04:00

Chris Lilly video interview

This is part one of our interview with Chris Lilly at the Snapple Big Apple BBQ Block Party. Chris was extremely generous with his time. We had the pleasure of speaking with Chris minutes before the start of the event and I'm sure that he could have been doing a hundred other things, but instead he took time from his busy day to talk to us.

You can read the review of Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book in the July issue of the KCBS Bullsheet.

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Ramblings: Snapple Big Apple BBQ - Video

2009-06-23T15:00:00.002-04:00

Snapple Big Apple BBQ Block Party Intro

As an introduction to our interview with Chris Lilly at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party (check back tomorrow for part one), we are presenting an ode to New York City with an emphasis on the event.

Enjoy.

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Review: Gold Rush Jerky - Teriyaki

2009-06-22T14:38:00.001-04:00

Gold Rush Beef Jerky – Honey Glazed Teriyaki

Manufacturer: Toxic Tommy

Flavor: Honey Glazed Teriyaki

Weight: 3.5 oz.

Website: http://www.toxictommy.com/

Flavor: 4

Aroma: 5

Texture: 3.5

Appearance: 4

Packaging: 3

Ratings range from 1 to 5

Gold Rush Teriyaki comes in a sizeable transparent plastic package allowing you to see what you are purchasing. The label is a pale yellow and has an image of a miner as the logo.

Although the flavor is great, the standout here is the aroma. It’s not strong, but it is excellent. Prominent hints of sweetness and soy come through and get the mouth watering. The aroma is on a parallel line to the taste, but is deeper and richer.

The jerky itself varies in length, width and depth. If that doesn’t have a negative affect on the texture and taste, I’ll all for it. A deep, reddish brown in color, the jerky is appealing to the eye.

As advertised on the label, the jerky is surprisingly moist. While still offering plenty of ‘chew’, Gold Rush jerky is still malleable and won’t pull your molars from your mouth. A small failing is that the jerky has a slight oily feel. I’m not sure if that is a function of the honey or the drying process, but it’s a minor complaint at worst.

This is a sweet jerky that maintains the flavor of the beef while adding an oriental tinge and is overlaid with honey. Reminiscent of a mild version of the flavor found in local Chinese restaurants on the spareribs and boneless ribs, this is a very pleasant flavor and completely addicting. A bit of heat would have been a nice compliment, but that wasn’t there goal. Everything promised on the label is delivered and delivered well.

I look forward to trying the rest of their products.

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Interview: Ct. State Champion

2009-06-18T16:49:00.001-04:00

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Review: Crazy Charley Cajun Bar-B-Cue Sauce

2009-06-17T01:08:00.002-04:00

Crazy Charley Cajun Bar-B-Cue Sauce

Manufacturer Ford’s Crazy Cajun Enterprises
Website www.Crazy-Charley.com

Quality **** (4 out of 5)
Viscosity *** (3.5 out of 5) This is a measure of thickness, not quality
Aroma *** (3.5 out of 5)

Appearance **** (4 out of 5)

Packaging *** (3 out of 5)

Like coffee with your BBQ? Good news! Following the example of those brilliant visionaries who matched up Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut Butter and Chocolate and Cherry and Coke; Crazy Charley has made brewed coffee the prime ingredient in his Cajun Bar-B-Cue Sauce.

I’m familiar with coffee in rubs and in chili, but have never had it in a sauce. My initial impression is that it would round out the flavors and offer an earthy base for the other elements to play on. When I realized that the coffee was the first ingredient I was completely surprised. My opinion quickly shifted and I now thought the sauce would be very strong, maybe slightly acrid and a bit bitter with a predominant coffee flavor. I was very wrong.

The sauce comes in a mason jar type of container and holds 16oz of sauce. Due to the wide mouth, the sauce pours very easily. The label has a fading color scheme that moves from a light orange to a light red. The text is in black and the ‘Crazy Charley’ text is in an iconic font designed to give an off-kilter impression. There is a photo of (I have to assume) Charley himself in the center of the label.

Was coffee the first aroma to make itself known? Nope. That honor went to the ketchup that is the second ingredient in the sauce. As a matter of fact, the essence of coffee was nowhere to be found. Odd.

This is a rich, dark red sauce and is pretty much what you would expect a BBQ sauce to look like when it features coffee. As a matter of fact, the appearance of the sauce is much closer to what you would expect than the aroma or taste. There are lots of ingredients swimming around in there, but they are a bit hard to see due to the hue of the sauce. Seeds and pepper flecks show up and are a nice visual.

Don’t be concerned about pooling or slippage, this is a thick sauce. You will definitely need to use a brush to spread the sauce over the chicken or ribs when applying it.

The taste of the sauce is unusual. At first it comes off as a standard KC style sauce but after a second or two you realize that there is a depth and nuance to the flavor is just now becoming apparent. The taste of the coffee is hidden behind everything else and is hard to detect. I assume that it helps to unify all of the other flavors, and if that is the case it does its job well.

As you would expect from a Cajun sauce, there is a smooth, lingering heat that permeates the sauce. It doesn’t overpower the flavors and instead adds a new dimension to the experience.

Akin to the flavor, the feel of the sauce is also nuanced and varied. Along with the seeds mentioned earlier, there are bits of minced onions in the sauce.

I would recommend this sauce for pork and brisket, but it might be a bit too strong for poultry.

General Notes:

Most of the food used for the reviews is cooked on a Weber Smoky Mountain or a Lang 84. The basic BBQ accouterments (such as tool sets, chimney starters, etc.) are by Weber. Knives are by Mercer Cutlery. Fuel is either a cherry/oak mix or whatever charcoal I’m in the mood for.

www.weber.com

www.pigroast.com

www.mercercutlery.com

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Review: Charlie's Hard Times Honey Mustard

2009-06-16T00:27:00.002-04:00

BBQ Sauce of the Month Club
www.amazingclubs.com/bbq.html
1-800-507-4660

Charlie’s Hard Times Honey Mustard

Manufacturer Sauce Crafters
Website http://www.saucecrafters.com/

Quality **** (4 out of 5)
Viscosity *** (3 out of 5) This is a measure of thickness, not quality
Aroma *** (3 out of 5)
Appearance *** (3 out of 5)
Packaging *** (3.5 out of 5)

Charlie’s Hard Times uses their reasonable price point to link into the angst of the current economic climate. Everyone has an image of what the quintessential BBQ meal is. For me, the epitome of BBQ is a pulled pork sandwich on a soft roll, with coleslaw on top and a mustard and vinegar sauce. With my natural predilection for mustard sauces I have high hopes for this product.

The sauce comes in a relatively narrow glass bottle which still allows for easy pouring. The label has a light tan base that blends nicely into the thick yellow of the sauce. A caricature of a destitute broker is featured on the label and gives the packaging an ‘old timey’ feel. The labeling is distinct and yet still remains fairly restrained.

When you take a whiff of the sauce you immediately pick up the mustard and quickly after, the natural sweetness of honey comes into play. Although pleasant, the aroma lacks nuance. I would have enjoyed hints of the red wine vinegar that is a prominent ingredient.

The sauce is a rich, deep and somewhat dark yellow color. There are very, very slight variations in this opaque sauce. Some red and some brown specks provide a contrast to the yellow base, but these specks are so hard to differentiate that they might as well not be there.

Offering the basic taste that I was expecting, the sauce was a nice treat. As I’m sure that you are aware, the BBQ sauce field is dominated by products that offer slight variations on the KC style. Much the same as with the aroma, I would have preferred a stronger presence from the vinegar. The mustard and honey both offer very strong flavor profiles that would have benefited from the acidic tang of the vinegar.

There is a wonderful lingering heat that was completely unexpected. The manufacturer specializes in hot sauces, so I shouldn't be surprised at neither the presence of the heat or the quality. It's mild enough to not detract from the mustard or honey flavors, but strong enough to have a pleasant ongoing affect.

So, how can I best distill down this review? I’ve used the sauce three times in two days.

Repeated from 1st BBQ Sauce of the Month review:

The BBQ Sauce of the Month Club sends its constituents 2 sauces every month. The cost for a one year membership comes out to roughly $9.00 a bottle and that includes shipping. For quality sauces that are difficult to find elsewhere, it seems like a bargain. In early July I will have had enough of a sample to comment knowledgeably on their shipping.

Along with the sauce there is a brief newsletter that talks about the current months selections. The sauces arrive well packed in a cardboard box. Their site (see above for link) claims that they test dozens of sauces a month (at a minimum). This volume would seem to allow them room for selectivity.

Aside from delivery to your door and the screening by their tasters, you also have the benefit of receiving a discount on purchases of sauces that you particularly like and would enjoy more of. It seems that the discount varies, but the courteous salesperson I spoke with when enquiring said that they would be happy to let a member know what the discount would be if they gave them a call (see above for phone number).

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Ramblings: Snapple Big Apple BBQ

2009-06-10T11:09:00.000-04:00

2009 Snapple Big Apple BBQ Block Party

This weekend New York City will welcome pitmasters from across the country as the city that never sleeps hosts the Snapple Big Apple BBQ Block Party. The only local event that I can cover for the Home of BBQ, this event has premier artisans representing every style of BBQ.

Luminaries such as Mike Mills, Chris Lilly and Ray ‘Dr. BBQ’ Lampe will be brushing shoulders with hundreds of thousands of crazy New Yorkers as Madison Square Park becomes BBQ central. Smokers and rigs will be lining two of the four sides of the park as hungry locals clamor for authentic ‘Q.

In addition to the great food, there will be continuous live music in the park and seminars, book signings and demonstrations going on in the tents on a side street. As always, admission is free for the event, the seminars and the music. The BBQ is $8.00 a plate.

As we did last year, the Home of BBQ will be present to take in the event. We hope to get there a bit early and get a behind the scenes look at the event, the pitmasters and the experience as a whole.

Check back next Wednesday for the first recap.

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Review: The BBQ Shack Sauce

2009-06-07T21:17:00.004-04:00

BBQ Sauce of the Month Club
www.amazingclubs.com/bbq.html

1-800-507-4660

The BBQ Shack Southern Flavored

Manufacturer The BBQ Shack
Website http://www.thebbqshack.com/

Quality *** (3.5 out of 5)
Viscosity ** (2.5 out of 5) This is a measure of thickness, not quality
Aroma ** (2 out of 5)

Appearance ** (2.5 out of 5)

Packaging *** (3.5 out of 5)

The BBQ Shack

If you are a fan of the Food Network, there is a good chance that you have seen The BBQ Shack. Featured on ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ with Guy Fieri, The BBQ Shack is located right outside of Kansas City. The location gives us hope for a quality sauce. Let’s see if they live up to that promise.

The sauce comes in a thick, glass bottle and pours out easily. Fairly loose for a KC style sauce, it’s still thick enough to avoid pooling. The bottle holds 16 oz of sauce, which is a generous amount and is on the upper end of most sauces. The labeling is a standout, with a folksy image of a shack and a wrap around label that stands out amongst other sauces.

When you smell the sauce, the first thing that hits is the ketchup. Following quickly is the ‘tang’ of vinegar, which makes sense as those are the first two ingredients. The aroma is fairly standard and aside from those two initial components, nothing really stands out.

A rich red color, the sauce has flecks of black pepper that are speckled throughout. There is not textural variance to speak of and the pepper is the only ingredient offer visual variance.

With a rich, earthy base; the sauce differentiates itself in taste much more than it does in aroma. Belying its rather mundane ingredient list, the sauce is a surprisingly good representation of the standard KC style. Not as sweet as most sauces of its ilk, The BBQ Shack’s sauce offers a mild spice and a deepness (possibly from the molasses) that is appreciated. As the sweetness is toned down, there is a lack of the treacle mouth feel often associated with glucose syrup (the fourth ingredient).

With a flavor that is strong enough to stand up to any meat, The BBQ Shack Southern Flavored would be a worthy addition to your cupboard.

Repeated from 1^st BBQ Sauce of the Month review:

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