To garnish or not to garnish, that is the question

I wished I could hav gotten the picture with Ruth Ann biting into one of my ribs!

It was MONEY!

Thanks GUYS1

Written by Ruthann Carr, Correspondent | 21 March 2012

Smoke wafted through the air on Conestoga Way.
There was barbequing going on.
Barbeque enthusiasts crowded into Crossroads Auto Repair Saturday (March 17) to learn how to become certified Kansas City Barbeque Society judges.
They hope to be chosen to judge Fluvanna’s first KCBS sanctioned barbeque competition June 23 at Pleasant Grove – BB, Bands and Brews - sponsored by the Fluvanna County Chamber of Commerce.
The wannabe judges came from all over: Virginia, Maryland – even Georgia –for the opportunity to eat smoked, grilled chicken, pork butt, ribs and beef brisket.
Don Hartwell, from North Carolina, taught the 37 students the finer points of judging. He covered things like:

• Appearance, taste and tenderness;
• Scoring on a two to nine-point scale (two stands for inedible);
• Judges may not cut, slice or shake (the meat) to separate pieces;
• Sauce is optional but it must be on the meat only, no cups or pooling in the container;
• Chunks in the sauce must be no larger than an 1/8 inch cube;
• Garnishing is allowed, but only fresh, green lettuce, flat or curly parsley and cilantro are legal garnishes – kale, red leaf lettuce, endive, cabbage and lettuce hearts are prohibited.

Hartwell acknowledged that the judging process has unwittingly weeded out sauces and styles peculiar to different parts of the country.
“We’re not telling you to change your tastes, your preferred flavors,” Hartwell said. “Judge based on your taste. Just be consistent. I tell people that if they cook eastern North Carolina barbeque, they’re probably not going to win because most people don’t like that style. Not a lot of people like mustard or mayonnaise based sauces. They’re looking for tomato-based sauces. It has taken the regional element out of cooking, but that’s just the way it is.”
While the students were inside learning, John Atkins, owner of The BBQ Connection, was outside barbequing. Just like in a regular competition, the students would receive a white Styrofoam box filled with each of the four cuts of falling off the bone, smoked and seasoned meat.
Timothy Williamson of Reston was one of those paying $90 to learn how to judge competitions. He wants to become certified to judge the annual Safeway BBQ competition in Northern Virginia.
“I was born and raised in the South – barbeque is my life,” Williamson said. “I smoke (meat) at home. I love the culture of it. Friends and family. Good times and good eats. I’m also an engineer so I enjoy the science of it. Taking a tough cut of meat – something most cooks wouldn’t bother with and turning it into something everyone wants to get their hands on.”
Closer to home were Bob McDermott, Roger Koltz, Dennis Kidd and Dan Nunziato, all from Fluvanna.
Nunziato took the class because he likes to eat and he’s curious, he said.
Ditto for McDermott.
“I’ve traveled the country and everywhere I’ve gone to I seek out barbeque,” he said. “I want to be more educated about what I’m eating.”
Kidd said he started cooking at 12 “on the dairy farm.” He wants to enter a few contests and is taking the judging class to get clued in on preferences and patterns.
“I want to see what they (judges) are looking for,” Kidd said.
Koltz is another competitive cook.
“I’m a competition chili cook,” he said. “I’ve done some barbeque contests in Kansas City, D.C. and Memphis. I want to get back into it. I’m originally from Texas so I know a lot about brisket.”
While going over the sanctioned garnishes, Hartwell waxed eloquent about the pros and cons of a new trend: parsley boxes.
A few years ago competitors started cutting up fresh parsley and covering the bottom of the box with the garnish, then layering the meats to be judged on top.
“It looks real pretty,” Hartwell said. “But when you pick up the meat it has all these little bits of parsley stuck to it that you have to peel off. It’s kind of a hassle.”
Brenda Rigsby, of the Chamber of Commerce, sat in the back of the room soaking it all in, excited about the upcoming event.
There will be 31 KCBS certified teams taking part in BBQ, Blues and Brews, including 15 from the area, she said.
Blue Mountain Brewery will bring in 20 craft brews. There will be seven food vendors and as many as 70 craft vendors, she said. Two bands, including the Rondelles from Virginia Beach will play from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Rigsby said she hopes it will bring people from far and wide into Fluvanna.
“The governor has recognized this as a state event,” Rigsby said. “He’s promoting it. He’s put his stamp of approval on it.”

Barbecue feast coming to Fluvanna

Great article. The people from the Review are awesome!

Written by Kristin Sancken, Correspondent | 14 March 2012

Fluvanna foodies will feast on barbecue this summer thanks to local entrepreneur John Atkins.
Atkins himself has travelled the country and participated in Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS) competitions for the last ten years, and won over 100 trophies. Atkins, a Scottsville native, runs Pigs on the Run competition barbecue team and owns the catering company Barbecue Connection.
“It’s been a dream of mine to bring a Kansas City Barbecue Society national championship here,” said Atkins.
For years he’s been trying to get a KCBS competition in Fluvanna, but couldn’t find a large enough sponsor to agree to host it – until now. With the organizational help and backing of the Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce, the event will be called “BBQ, Bands & Brews” and will be held at Pleasant Grove on June 23.
“The Chamber wanted to do something at Pleasant Grove in the summer with live music and beer, of course that was contingent on the Board of Supervisors approving alcohol use on county property, which they did,” said Scott Valentine, of the Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “We’re hoping to make this an annual event.”
Typically, Kansas City style barbecue is slow cooked over a variety of woods and then covered with a thick tomato and molasses based sauce. According to its website, KCBS is the world’s largest organization of barbecue and grilling enthusiasts, with over 14,000 members worldwide. The KCBS has gained more public attention since the success of the TLC show Pitmasters, which follows several KCBS teams around the country as they compete in events like that which will be hosted in Fluvanna this summer.
“At the actual event will be having approximately 30 national teams,” said Valentine. “They come in with their mobile homes and smokers. Some come in with big rigs, some have much more modest set ups.”
The Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce will need over 50 judges to assess the quality of barbecue for both the main KCBS competition and the local backyard competition, which will still be judged by KCBS standards.
“We’d like to attract some local people to be judges,” said Valentine. “We’ve talked to certified judges from Richmond and eastern shore of Maryland, but we also want to make this a community event. We’re also doing a backyard barbecue division where we hope to get around 15 local barbecuers. ”
In order to provide local judges that will assess barbecue on Kansas City Barbecue Society standards, the Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce will be holding a judges certification class on March 17.
“Kansas City Barbecue Society representatives will be coming up from North Carolina to run the class,” said Valentine. The class is free, four hours long and instructs judges on the criteria for judging.
“Our criteria for judging is appearance, tenderness and taste,” said Carolyn Wells, executive director of the Kansas City Barbecue Society. “The scoring system is from nine – excellent – to two – inedible.”
In addition to the barbecue portion of the event, the Chamber hopes to attract 70 local vendors and 5,000 attendees. Two stages will feature bands and 20 different micro brews from Blue Mountain Brewery to Belgium will be available for tasting. Thistlegate, Fluvanna’s only vineyard, will also be in attendance with wine for tasting.
For the $10 adult entrance fee, participants get a commemorative beer stein.
Ten percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Fluvanna County Food Bank. The other 90 percent will go back to the Chamber’s normal fund to cover expenses – scholarships, a full-time staff member, and promotion of Fluvanna businesses.
“We know that the economic impact of events we sanction is significant,” said Wells, of KCBS.
For more information visit http://www.fluvannachamber.org.

Pigs on the Run BBQ Competition Cooking Class

Competition Brisket

Competition BBQ CLASS

May 12th 2012

Very thorough, very detailed, passionate expression of love for barbeque.  Hold nothing back !
Basic BBQ competition Class

Championship BBQ Competition Class.
Get the BEST Bang with your Buck,
by Award-Winning BBQ Grand Champion John Atkins.

John has competed  all over our great country.
Pigs on the Run BBQ  team has walked in  over 75% of contest competed.
 As a part time recreational team, Pigs on the Run has been very competitive.

They have been invited to :

The American Royal three time !
The Jack Daniels invitational Draw x Three!
The Sam’s Club  National BBQ Championship Series !

They Finish top Five in pork at the American Royal out of about 500 teams
Over 100 to ten trophies.
4 Grand Championships
 Certified BBQ Judge
BBQ , Bands and Brews contest Organizer
Top 50th BBQ team in the country 2011 from Sam's Club National BBQ Series


Avoid the the high paying BBQ Classes and
learn how to BBQ like a  real Champion

Location: Pleasant Grove , Palmyra Va
Times and Dates: 11 am to 5 pm (approximately)
Class Description: This class is geared towards applying competition BBQ techniques to your bbq cooking including food safety, meat selection, trimming, rubs, injections, mops, sprays, sauces, meat placement, temperature, chemistry of BBQ, foiling, meat target temp, bark development, smokers, wood, and fire control.
In this six-hour class, you will work side-by-side with John to smoke and prepare the  4  KCBS types of meats. Sauces and rubs are all prepared from regular pantry ingredients.




Discussion / Demonstration /  Hands-On
How to light a fire
How to make your own rubs and sauces
How to prepare chicken, ribs, pork, and brisket,
How to prepare injections and marinades
Detailed instructions on cooking methods
Equipment and Accessories
Overview of BBQ contests and judging
Cooking Brisket
Cooking spareribs, St. Louis Ribs,
Discuss presentation tips
Cooking Chicken
Cooking and Pork Butt
Answering your grilling and BBQ problems and questions
Certificates and Conclusion

BBQ Bands and Brews BBQ Contest Palmyra Va 223 June 2012

I am very excited about this contest! This my first contest I get tio help put together. The Fluvanna Chamber of Commerce has asked me to help put this on!. It will be and grand event. We will have 30 national bbq teams competing for the the state championship.

 

www.bbqbandsandbrews.com

 

The Fluvanna County Chamber of Commerce is proud to present its Inaugural BBQ, Bands & Brews, located at Pleasant Grove, Palmyra, VA on June 23, 2012 from 10:00 a.m until 6:00 p.m. This is an event for the entire family featuring a variety of activities including barbeque competitions, entertainment, and local vendors offering varied products and services.

BBQ, Bands & Brews will include a newly sanctioned Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) event in Virginia and as such will draw contestants from across the Commonwealth and beyond in the categories of pork, ribs, chicken and brisket. The Grand Champion of the 2012 BBQ, Bands & Brews will be invited to the largest barbeque contest in the world - the American Royal Invitational (Kansas City, MO) - and entered into the lottery for the Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational (Lynchburg, TN). All top finishers in the BBQ competition will receive invitations to compete in other sanctioned contests. As an official State Barbeque Championship of Virginia, this event offers local residents and visitors to central Virginia a unique opportunity to experience all the fun of this family-event in the beautiful setting of Pleasant Grove in Fluvanna County.

Smoke Standing rib roast for Christmas!

What Is Prime Rib?



A succulent, tender and flavorful Prime Rib Roast will make your dinner guests feel extra special. There's nothing better than a slow-roasted Prime Rib that is beautifully marbled, hand-trimmed and perfectly aged. Particularly if the Prime Rib Roast is certified USDA Prime.




Choosing The Right Prime Rib.

Most people think that the word "Prime" in Prime Rib means it is USDA Prime Grade. But unless the USDA preceeds the designation, it is not certified USDA Prime. The word "Prime" by itself only describes the most desirable part of the "rib section" of the beef regardless of the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) Grade.

The top grades of beef are USDA Prime, USDA Choice and USDA Select with Prime being the most superior. Click here to see how the USDA grades beef.

There is only a limited supply of USDA Prime Beef on the market and it is generally reserved for the finest upscale restaurants or sold directly to consumers via express shipping. Generally you will not find USDA Prime cuts of beef in typical supermarkets.

If you really want to impress your quests with mouth-watering Prime Rib, visit the Stock Yards of Chicago and consider purchasing the best USDA Prime, Prime Rib Roast available. Just as you'll find in the finest restaurants in America, Stock Yards USDA Prime Rib is beautifully marbled, hand-trimmed and perfectly aged.

Stock Yards USDA Prime Rib is extremely tender and is presented with the very best center-cut five rib bones that has the richest, beefy flavor. Once you taste the Stock Yards delicious and juicy rib roast, you will fully understand there is a difference between just Prime Rib and USDA Prime, Prime Rib.


The whole prime rib includes ribs 6 through 12, and can be divided into smaller sections depending on the needs of the customer. A prime rib has a "small" end and a "large" end. The large end, nearest the shoulder, is less fatty and a bit less tender than the small end but has good flavor.


Preparing a Prime Rib Roast For the Smoker


A prime rib can be seasoned with a complex mix of spices, or with only salt and pepper as this one was. I used kosher salt, and opted to use white pepper instead of black, only for the reason that it wouldn't be visible on the finished roast. Be generous with seasonings on a prime rib. When served, it's only the seasoned outer edge of the slice that flavors the entire piece.


To get more flavor into the meat, the ribs can be partially cut away from the roast, which allows the meat to be seasoned under the rib bones. After seasoning, the bones need to be tied back snugly against the meat with butcher's twine. The bones add great flavor to the prime rib, and prevent it from drying as it cooks.


After the prime rib roast is seasoned, cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature to warm up for about an hour. By doing this, the meat will cook much more evenly that it would if it went into the smoker cold. Now is a good time to start up the smoker.


Smoking Prime Rib- Set Up the Smoker

Choose An Appropriate Smoke Wood


Given the cost of this meat, the last thing you want to do is ruin it by using a smoke wood that's too strong or by applying too much smoke. I recommend that you use a mild fruit wood, and that you use it sparingly.

 Chose modest-sized chunks of apple and cherry, two each, which I did not soak in water before use. The dry wood provided a quick but effective burst of smoke during the relatively short cooking time of this roast.

Fire The Cooker

Fire-up the cooker using the Standard Method--one full chimney of hot Kingsford charcoal briquettes in the charcoal bowl, followed by another full chimney of unlit Kingsford, allowing all coals to become fully lit before cooking.

If you have two chimneys, you can fill and fire both simultaneously.

Foil The Water Pan

Cover the inside and outside of the water pan with wide, heavy duty aluminum foil. Place the pan inside the cooker, but leave it empty.

Smoke The Prime Rib

When all the coals are covered with gray ash, assemble the cooker and place the roast bone-side down on the top grate. Insert a probe thermometer in the center of the roast to monitor the internal meat temperature during cooking.



Set the three bottom vents to 100% open. Open the top vent fully and leave it that way throughout the entire cook. Add the smoke wood to the hot coals.



The cooker temperature will start out at 400-450°F, but should ramp down to 350-360°F after the addition of the meat. If it's a cool, breezy day, you may need to keep the bottom vents wide open to achieve 350°F measured at the lid. If it's a calm, warm day, you may need to partially close the bottom vents to bring the cooker down to about 350°F.

Cook at 350°F to 5-10° below the final internal temperature you want to achieve. Residual heat in the meat will cause the internal temp to rise 5-10°F during a 30 minute rest after cooking.

I like my prime rib somewhere between medium-rare and medium--pink, but not bloody--so I picked 125°F as the internal temperature at which I would remove the roast from the cooker. After a 30 minute rest, I would expect it to reach a final internal temperature of 130-135°F. Going much beyond 135°F risks overcooking the roast, so be careful if you do.

If you want rare prime rib with some medium-rare and medium meat on the ends, remove the roast from the cooker at 115°F so it will reach a final temperature of 120-125°F after that 30 minute rest.

Estimated cooking time is 20-28 minutes per pound, depending on factors such as the size of the roast, how hot the cooker is running, what type of fuel is used, and weather conditions, but my experience has been 19-23 minutes per pound with roasts like this one.

There's no need to turn or baste the roast during the cooking process.

Rest The Meat

Place the roast on a rimmed baking pan, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 30 minutes before slicing. This allows the meat to finish cooking and for the juices to redistribute and stabilized within the roast.

Alternatively, you can hold the roast at serving temperature for up to an hour by wrapping it tightly with two layers of foil and placing it in an empty ice chest.

Carve And Serve


Smoking Prime Rib- When Is It Done?

Prime rib is done when the internal temperature tells you it's done. Use a remote thermometer so you don't have to open up the smoker to check the temp. Each time the smoker is opened, the cooking time is extended by 10 to 20 minutes.



Remove the rib bones* and cut the roast into half-inch thick slices. Serve with a salad, baked potatoes, and a variety of grilled veggies. Make sure there's crusty bread for soaking up the meat juices left in the bottom of the plate.

*Some would say that munching on the rib bones is the best part of smoking prime rib!

One last thing, as the smoking prime rib nears completion in the smoker, put together some horseradish sauce for dipping. It's easy to make. Simply combine 1/4 mayonnaise with 2 to 3 teaspoons of spicy horseradish and squeeze of lemon juice. Make the sauce at least 30 minutes beforehand so the flavors have time to meld together.

BBQ Connection LLC Dressing

BBQ Connection LLC Dressing

2 pounds breakfast sausage
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
3 cups finely diced celery
1-1/2 cups margarine, melted 16 cups stale hamburger bun cubes
2 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon your favorite bbq rub
2 medium eggs
1/4 cup water

Directions
This recipe's Ingredients were scaled to yield a new amount. The directions below still refer to the original recipe yield of 8 cups.

Cook sausage. Drain.
Melt margarine. Add enough to sausage drippings to make 1 cup.
Saute; onions and celery in margarine/dripping mixture until onion is tender. DO NOT BROWN. Stir in about 1/3 bread cubes. Put in big bowl and add remaining bread cubes, poultry seasoning, eggs and pepper. Watch your hands, it's hot. Mix well.
Pour broth and butter over the top and toss to combine. Spoon mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish; cover. Cook  at 250 degrees F for 90 minutes.
Enjoy!

BROCCOLI SALAD

BROCCOLI SALAD

---

1 c. celery
3 c. raw broccoli, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/2 c. raisins

1/2 teaspoon of your favorite bbq rub!

Dressing:

1 c. Vinegerette
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. vinegar

Combine all the salad ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then make the dressing pour over the salad mixture and stir.*Best if you let set 1 hour after putting on the salad.

BBQ Pecan Pie

 BBQ Pecan Pie

  6 tablespoons butter, softened
  1 cup  sugar
  3 eggs, slightly beaten
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  3/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
  1 tablespoon Corn Starch 
   2 cups pecans
  1 (9-inch) baked or frozen deep-dish pie crust

 
1. Preheat cooker  to 350F.
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar in medium bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, Corn Syrup, Corn Starch . Blend well.
3. Place 1 cup pecans in bottom of pie crust. Pour pie mixture over the pecans, and then top with remaining 1 cup pecans.
4. Place on cooker,
5. Bake in the grill at 350F for 55 to 60 minutes or until center appears barely set. Cool to room temperature on wire rack.
_________________http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2232

BBQ Turkey

To brine a whole turkey, you need to:

Brining is the process of soaking meat in a mixture of water, salt, sugar and seasonings for several hours to several days, depending on the type and size of meat. Brining adds flavor and moisture to turkey and works well with other types of meat, too.

Find a non-reactive container large enough to hold the turkey make sure the container will fit in your refrigerator determine how much brine you need to prepare to completely submerge the turkey in the container
 Keep in mind that the bigger the container you use, the more brine you'll have to make, so try to match the size of the container to the turkey.
To determine how much brine you'll need to prepare, place the turkey into the container and cover with cold water. Remove the turkey from the container and measure the water—that's the amount of brine you'll need.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/turkey3.html

Shake's Honey Brine

1 gallon water
1 cup pickling salt
2 Tablespoons Morton Tender Quick
1 cup honey 4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon pickling spice
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves



Combine all ingredients except the honey in a large pot and heat to 160°F, stirring to dissolve the salt and extract flavor from the bay leaves and pickling spice. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the honey until combined. It is said that temperatures above 160°F harm the flavor of honey, so that's why the mixture is not heated above that temperature. Finally, force-cool the mixture to room temperature using an ice bath before adding to the meat.

You will need 2 gallons of brine.The  concentrated version of the brine by dissolving two recipes worth of ingredients in just 3 quarts of water , force-cooling the mixture to room temperature in an ice bath in the kitchen sink , then placing the turkey into a 2 1/2 gallon baggy  inside a medium-sized cooler and pouring in the 3 quarts of concentrated brine solution plus 5 more quarts of cold water to achieve 2 gallons of brine solution .

Allow the turkey to soak in the brine mixture in the refrigerator for 48 hours . Since brining does not preserve meat, the turkey must be kept below 40°F throughout the entire brining process. That's why you've got to make sure you've got room in your fridge for the container before you start this process.
Air Dry The Turkey


Remove the turkey from the brine solution and pat dry inside and out with paper towels. There is no need to rinse the turkey after brining.

Let turkey  to air-dry . Place on a platter or rimmed baking sheet and allow to air-dry for 24 hours in the refrigerator . This helps create crispy skin during cooking.

Let the turkey sit at room temperature for about 1 hour before cooking. Brush the skin with a few Tablespoons of melted butter and sprinkle with just a bit of kosher salt and ground black pepper for looks .

 Spatchcocking:
Now it's time to spatchcock the turkey. Most sources recommend spatchcocking a 12- to 14-pound turkey

After brining the turkey, rinse it off so the residual brine doesn't stay on the turkey and set it on your counter.  Find the backbone of the turkey and with very sharp kitchen scissors or poultry shears, start cutting along one side. Then cut along the other.
At this point, the backbone's almost removed. If you need help and the scissors aren't cutting it (ha!) try a chef's knife.
Save the backbone for flavoring stews, broths, or other soups. Freeze it to use later. After the backbone has been removed, spread out the turkey.
After spreading out the turkey, flip it so the breasts are facing the ceiling and break the breastbones. (
 Before placing the turkey in the cooker rub with garlic salt and olive oil


Barbecue The Turkey

Fire-up the Weber Bullet using the Minion Method—fill the charcoal chamber about 1/2 full with unlit Kingsford charcoal briquettes and then spread about 30 hot coals over the unlit ones.

Place a few small chunks of your favorite smoke wood on the hot coals. I used 2 chunks of apple and 2 chunks of hickory .

Assemble the cooker with the water pan in place and fill it with cool water.


Place the turkey breast-side up on the top cooking grate . Set the top vent to 100% open and leave it that way throughout the entire cooking process. Start with all 3 bottom vents 100% open. As the cooker approaches 250°F, begin to partially close all 3 bottom vents to maintain 225-275°F. Adjust the bottom vents as needed to maintain this temperature range throughout the cooking process.


Cook the turkey until it measures 160-165°F in the breast, 170-175°F in the thigh, approximately 3-1/2 to 4 hours. My turkey took 3-1/2 hours to reach 167°F in the breast.


There's no need to baste or rotate the turkey during the cooking process.
Here's how the cooker temperatures and vent settings went during my cook:

Time Lid Temp Vent 1 % Vent 2 % Vent 3 %

5:15pm -       100              100          100
5:45pm 217  100              100          100
6:00pm 235  100              100          100
6:15pm 245  100              100          100
6:30pm 250  100              100          100
6:45pm 250  100              100          100
7:15pm 255 100               100          50
7:45pm 262 100               100          0
8:45pm 275 100               100          0


Rest Then Carve The Turkey


Remove the turkey from the cooker and let rest for 20-30 minutes before carving . Do not cover with foil, as this will cause the skin to go soft.
Alternatively, wrap the turkey tightly in several layers of wide, heavy duty aluminum foil, place breast-side down in a dry cooler, and hold for 90 minutes before carving


Assuming you don't over smoke the turkey, the drippings will be perfect for making gravy—in fact, they're already seasoned by the salt applied to the turkey.

As you remove the turkey from the cooker, pour any accumulated juices inside the body cavity into the pan. You can also use the juices left in the bottom of a rimmed baking pan after letting the turkey rest before carving.


It's not uncommon to end up with about 1-1/2 cups of drippings .

White Smoke Bad!: Fire control !

Creosote BBQ : Have you ever tasted BBQ that tasted like an ash trash? Well here is the reason why!        Have you ever seen Thin Blue Smoke - The highly desired color and amount of smoke coming out of the exhaust of a smoker. The thin blue smoke denotes a clean burn. A clean burn denotes great BBQ! No impurities! Here is my explanation of what i am trying to convey: Wood does not burn directly. Rather, when heat is applied it first undergoes a process of thermal degradation called pyrolysis in which the wood breaks down into a mixture of volatiles and solid carbonaceous char. The cellulose and hemicellulose form mainly volatiles while the lignin mainly forms the char. Exactly what products are formed by each depends upon the temperature, heating rate, particle size, and any catalysts that might be present. The solid char remains in place. What goes up with the volatiles are a gas fraction (carbon monoxide and dioxide, some hydrocarbons, and elemental hydrogen), a condensed fraction (water, aldehydes, acids, ketones, and alcohols), and -- here we go! -- a tar fraction (sugar residues from the breakdown of cellulose, furan derivatives, phenolic compounds, and -- pay attention here -- airborne particles of tar and charred material which form the smoke. If oxygen is present and the temperature is sufficiently high, burning of the volatiles occurs. When temperatures are too low or when there is insufficient oxygen for complete combustion of the volatiles, smoldering occurs. This is characterized by smoking, the emission of unoxidized pyrolysis products. (This is the awful tasting stuff, creosote, that will give barbecue a bitter taste. (IE BBQ Exchange! ) If the temperature is high enough and sufficient oxygen is present, then flaming combustion occurs with less smoking and more complete oxidation of the pyrolysis products. Further pyrolysis of volatiles during flaming combustion may cause char particles (soot) to form. The remaining lignin char burns in the presence of oxygen in glowing combustion. These are my beloved coals that yield the thin blue smoke that makes great barbecue! And, that's why it is so important to preburn the wood to coals."  Conclusion:Thin Blue Smoke good , White smoke Bad! Sincerely the BBQ Snob! Carcinogenic BBQ by BBQ Snob (3 reviews) January 13, 2011 - Doesn't like it I truly enjoyed the atmosphere and all the side were great. The thing that scares me is all that meat has an ashtray aftertaste ! I notice that they are cooking on a homemade Southern Yankee copy cat cooker. This is what is called an offset cooker. An offset is where the fire is away from the cooking chamber. When a car has white smoke coming out of it , something is truly wrong . The same with an offset cooker it needs oxygen to burn a clean fire. In National competition circles it is called "Blue" smoke!I do respect all the skills that the chef has , BUT it takes more that cooking at a fancy place to make great Championship BBQ! 1 / 2 people recommend this review Recommend | Not helpful

BBQ Snob review of King's BBQ in Petersburg Va

King's BBQ Has been around since 1946. The only good memories I have about Petersburg Va is King's. It has been over 30 years since I visit King's. I now know why , I start cooking BBQ the traditional way. As I enter the place at 2 pm it was somewhat busy. I found  a booth and sat down!. I could smell the sweet wisp of smoke traveling from the kitchen.
 Shortly after I sat down , a waitress right out of "Mels Dinner" called me hun! You gotta love that!
I order the large plate of "Q" chopped with fries , slaw and micro bisquits!
I also ordered  Sweet Tea! I drove the waitress  crazy because I went through about 10 glasses! I only waited about 10 minutes. In the background you can hear some one chopping pork. I saw my waitress come out of the kitchen  and went to the chopping place. The guy scooped up a large portion of pork and placed it on my plate! "from the cooker to chopping board to my plate!" Yum!
 The meal was a great trip down memory row. My Grandfather was a great influence in my life , especially in food.I remember him taking me here!
The food was awesome, sauce was good! I love the rolls and slaw. the apple pie was the bomb!It was great to come back! I will make sure it not 30 years before my next visit.
Take out menu below!
http://www.kingsfamousbarbecue.com/menu.htm!

Que and Cruz BBQ Festival

Que and Cruz BBQ Festival
Contest of the past. Que and Cruz is coming soon! Great contest!

Silk purse

BBQ Wedding

We cooked  a 100 lb pig in 9 hours!

Chuckie for lunch

I am blessed to have Rick Hollian as a friend ! He will cook just about anything on a smoker. Here is latest adventure with Chuckie the chuck roast. Here is  our conversation.

3 1/2 # chuck roast.


Rick
i just don't see the fascination with chuck roasts. to me they are greasier and stickier than a pork butt.
OK

John
How did it taste?

Rick
I'd rather save up for a strip or fillet like you make and enjoy it

John
Give me a quick write up the chuck . good or bad.

Rick
The seasoning was all Dr bbq big time bbq rub. I didnt inject (no beef broth in the house, but it did jaccard the crap out of it
was still a fun day with the wsm.

John
great.

Rick
The chuckie may have been better with an injection but it was only 2.89 lbs. most of it would have run out. I did smear some worchester sauce on it after the rub and let it sit for 30 mins
it tastes good, just sticky. I guess im hooked on pork

He cooked for 6 1/2 hours .at 275 degrees. He  wrapped in foil for 45 minutes. internal temp at  175 to 196 and unwrapped.
He cooked it on the WSM.

Comfort Zone Camp Richmond

Hey friends and family.  As you guys know, I suffer from a BBQ problem.  Mostly, I can't get enough, be it fixing it, eating it, or sharing the experience with others.  Yesterday, my partner Mark Agee and I were blessed to help out at Comfort Zone Camp in Goochland Va doing a full dinner for the over 200 campers and guidance personnel.  Our friend and mentor,  John Atkins, along with Eric Blum have been involved with cooking for this wonderful organization for 3 years now. This was the first year Mark and I have helped, and what a great feeling and humbling experience it was. This is a camp of kids that have lost a parent, a sibling or a caretaker. Please check out there web link at the end of this email. What a great organization, first class, and the kids are fantastic! We prepared a whole pig (named Pete the Pig), potato salad, homemade slaw, homemade meatless lasagna, pulled pork, brisket and hot-dogs.  We were treated like heroes, but in the end its the counselors, and support staff along with the kids that are the heroes. I can't wait for the next opportunity to help out with this organization.

By Rick Holian

SAM'S CLUB BBQ SERIES

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2011 Sam's Club BBQ Series & National Championship

KCBS and Sam's Club are excited to announce the Sam's Club BBQ Series! With over $400,000 in prize money and major bragging rights, this is one series you won't want to miss!
The 2011 Sam's Club BBQ Series will feature 20 local events, five Regional events and one National Championship in Bentonville, Ark.
The first registration period for the Sam's Club BBQ Series has officially closed.
From all of us at KCBS and Sam's Club, good luck to all teams!!

We signed up for the Sam's club contest in Chesapeake. 9/16/11 - 9/17/11 Sam's Club 4710 2444 Chesapeake SQ Ring Rd. Chesapeake VA
2011 Sam's Club BBQ Series & National Championship

2011 Sam's Club BBQ Series & National Championship
Region 5 Local Event: Chesapeake, VA
Date: September 16 - September 17, 2011
Location: 2444 Chesapeake SQ Ring Rd., Chesapeake, VA

Confirmed Teams:
Lazy Ass BBQ Crew
R2-BQ
Porkers in Paradise
Degüello BBQ
Old Dominion Smokehouse
Hambones by the Fire
Black Cat BBQ
JD's Smokin' Misfits
Pigheaded BBQ
Smok'n Fire BBQ
Grog N Hogs
Jacked Up BBQ
Mr.Bobo's Traveling BBQ Allstars
who are those guys?
WOOD CHICKS BBQ
Checkered Pig
Nomad BBQ
Lyin Pigs
Two State BBQ
pigs on the run
widespread barbecue
Whiskey Hill BBQ
Big and Twig BBQ
Diamond State Smokers
Swing Dings BBQ
Awaiting Confirmation:
Donnies Smokehouse

George Robert Pulley farewell our good friend!

 I met George Robert Pulley of 3 P's BBQ team in our first BBQ contest in Richmond Va. Sept. 2002
It was our first contest and we were very overwhelmed. I was surprised to see a team from near to my home town of Zuni Va. I found out he went to school with my father and uncles. I thought we were almost family. It was very encouraging to meet him and his wife. They came in second over all in  that contest. Since then our past have crossed many times. He and his wife have always been the example of a great and humble competitor!
We had the great pleasure to compete in our home town and guess who was there: our good friends 3 P's cooking team. We were short one shoulder because of a mix up and guess who can to the rescue? George gave us one of his shoulder and loaned us a chair so we could get into the rib finals!
Thanks!

George Pulley Sr.

  

George R. Pulley Sr. WINDSOR - George Robert Pulley Sr., 67, beloved son, husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away Saturday, Dec. 11, 2010. He was the son of the late Marvin M. Sr. and Emma Lee Hall Pulley and was a lifelong resident of Isle of Wight County. George Robert lived a full life. He lived on the family farm and maintained the farm most of his life. He was employed with Gwaltney Foods for some 13 years before enjoying his happy retirement. Later in life he was passionate about cooking and catering parties, and social gatherings with 3 P's Cooking Team. He traveled nationally and won 45 cook-off trophies. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, trapping game and gardening. He was a member of the Isle of Wight Hunt Club and Isle of Wight Ruritan Club. He served on the Isle of Wight Fair Committee and the 4-H Committee and was a Little League coach. He was an avid Washington Redskins fan and was a member of Central Hill Baptist Church and the church choir and was a deacon. In addition to his parents, George Robert is preceded in death by his son, George Robert Pulley Jr. He leaves to cherish his memories, his wife of 44 years, Linda Sexton Pulley; his son, Henry L. Pulley and his wife Jinny of Windsor; three grandchildren, Madison, Kendall and H. Leighton Pulley II; and a host of friends and extended family. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 15, in Colonial Funeral Home with the Rev. Roger Johnson officiating. Burial will follow in Central Hill Baptist Church Cemetery. The family and friends will gather 5:30 to 8 p.m. today in the funeral home for visitation and at other times in the home of his son, Henry (Jinny) Pulley, 17418 Pope Swamp Trail, Windsor. The family suggests memorial contributions to Central Hill Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 10270 Central Hill Road, Windsor, VA 23487.

Georges last BBQ contest.

WINDSOR—Four-year-old Henry Pulley II stayed up until 1:30 a.m. Saturday. His father, Henry, pulled an all-nighter.

George Pulley of Windsor pulls apart barbecued baby back ribs for judging during the Hamtown Pork and Fork Fest at Isle of Wight Fairgrounds on Saturday. Pulley has won 45 national awards for his barbecue. -- Gwen Albers | Tidewater News

The elder Pulley was competing in the Hamtown Pork and Fork Fest at Isle of Wight Fairgrounds, where other professional competitors stayed up all night cooking for the next day’s judging. His son got to spend the night.
“We pitched a tent,” Henry Pulley said.
Henry Pulley and his parents, George and Linda Sue Pulley, as a part of the 3Ps Cooking Team of Windsor, competed against 15 of the nation’s top barbecue cooks sanctioned by the Memphis BBQ Network.
Competitors start with a whole pig, which is cooked throughout the night. The Pulleys use a combination of oak and hickory to cook their pig.
“You have to make sure the temperature stays at 200 to 220 and that (the fire) is vented,” Henry Pulley said.
George Pulley began competing in 1993 and has won 45 national titles while traveling throughout the country. His wife appreciated having a competition in their own backyard.
“I think it’s wonderful that we don’t have to travel to Memphis or Florida,” Linda Sue Pulley said.
The Pulleys did not make the finals.
Connie Caruso and her husband, Rich Militano, traveled from Yardville, N.J. For the money they spent to compete, Caruso joked they could’ve spent a week in Bermuda.
Preparing for a competition involves preparing the sauces and rubs, equipping the trailer for hauling the cooker and preparing the meat. It’s all worth it, Caruso said.
“We both like to cook and it’s something we can do together,” she said.
To make it even better, they took third place in the pork shoulder division
Terry Rhinier, special events coordinator for Smithfield and Isle of Wight Tourism Bureau, was pleased with the two-day event sponsored by her agency and Smithfield Foods.
“The contestants were happy, and we had some great bands there,” Rhinier said.
For a donation to the ASPCA, visitors could try the barbecue and choose their favorite.
“For the People’s Choice contest, people had mounds of food on their plates,” Rhinier said.
Country Boys from Suffolk won the award. The team plans to open a restaurant in Smithfield.

Hamtown Pork & Fork-2010 Smithfield, Va.

 Congrats To Whiskey Hill BBQ - 1st Place in "Anything Butt Contest Drink" - Hamtown Pork & Fork-2010 Smithfield, Va.

2010 Winners

                                   Anything Butt Contest -   Drink                                    
1st place - Whiskey Hill BBQ
2nd place - Checkered Pig
3rd place -  3 P's

Anything Butt Contest - Entree1st place - Checkered Pig
2nd place - Steffy BBQ
3rd place - Hog Wild Hokies

People's Choice winner was Country Boys BBQ
Pro Team winner as follows:
Whole Hog1st place - Yazoo's Delta Q
2nd place - Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ
3rd place - JD's Smokin Misfits
4th place - Three Eyz BBQ

Shoulder1st place - Yazoo's Delta Q
2nd place - Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ
3rd place - Pig Pen BBQ
4th place - Checkered Pig

Rib1st place - Checkered Pig
2nd place - Ranucci's Big Butt BBQ
3rd place - Three Eyz BBQ
4th place - Yazoo's Delta Q

Grand Champion - Checkered Pig

November 5 and 6, 2010

BBQ Snobs review of Two J's Smokehouse

 Great BBQ place!  The basic idea of true BBQ is smoke. One must know how to manage a fire to accomplish this feat. Too much smoke and  the food becomes acrid and bitter , not enough smoke and you might as will cook in a "crock pot"! I advise when one is visiting a BBQ place: Look , Listen and Smell. Look for wood and something called blue smoke ( very clear in appearance with a blue tinge ) coming out of the smoker. Listen for quietness( customers are too busy to talk) . Last , smell: it should be a very pleasant and memorable aroma, bringing back very pleasant memories of ones past!
Two J's has all three. They do cheat : they use a pellet cooker. Oh well nobody is perfect!