Competition BBQ Secrets

Archive for November, 2009

Our annual Chili Cook Off to benefit CrimeLine is January 9th in case anyone might be interested in attending/participating. Its open to anyone and is a lot of fun…entry is $25. (going to CrimeLine) the location is 620 Hickman Circle, Sanford, Florida 32773 at Seminole Harley Davidson. One large pot of chili for contestants to taste is required….prizes are good. Many categories to include white, traditional, most unusual, hottest etc.

Sandy

Bill,
In one of your e-mails you highlighted these smokers.
I believe they are run by electricity.
They are about 4ft. tall and maybe 2.5 ft wide.
I’m still using my Brinkman grill smoking three ribs at a time. As long as I smoke by your book, the comments are always the same, Best Ribs I’ve ever eaten.
So maybe if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Regards
Ray

HEY GUYS…THANKS LOADS. FILMS ARE GREAT AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT SET. THANKSGIVING HAS PASSED US FOR ANOTHER YEAR SO I WILL SAY, “MERRY CHRISTMAS” TO YOU AND THE STAFF AND BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR!!!!!!!! FRED!

In reference to this month’s newsletter at…
http://www.bbqsuccess.com/jack-daniels-bbq-contest/

I’m near 70 & just starting to learn how to smoke in a 3 x 3 smoke house we built & want to learn how to bar-b-que. Would your book be good for me??? I’m not in competition bar-b-q’ing. My husband doesn’t like to bar-b-q & I love it so I’m going to learn. Can your book help me in this situation???

Thanks
Penny

hey there,
i’d love to order this but just a quick question…
we’re not likely going to be doing competition smoking, although, hello! i definitely want to make that quality and will definitely enjoy learning from and trying the recipes. thing is, i want to make sure i’m going to be able to apply all these recipes to our small (50 lb meat recommended max) vertical smoker. we’re pretty crafty and cooking savvy so i kind of don’t doubt i’ll be able to apply the recipes to our smoker but can you provide some insurance that we’ll be able to use the majority of this info and/or recipes?

Bill:

Good Morning!! Hope this email finds you in good health. I am
planning on smoking a turkey on the taeger. I was wondering what
pellets did you use. I was thinking hickory but I was wondering what
you perfer.

Thanks and happy smoking,
Nate

Hi Bill,

It was a pleasure to meet you and your family and visit for a while when we were at the American Royal. You and your family certainly were hospitable and you gave me many tips for which I thank you.

I have been doing fairly well in ribs at recent contests. I am using the rub recipe from the book with a simple modification. Instead of the garlic I am using Durkees Roasted Pepper and Garlic. I grind it fairly fine and it gives a nice bite to the ribs. When I was doing Backyard a year ago I consistently took first place in ribs. I use my own sauce as my wife cannot have tomato based stuff.

I have problems in other areas. In reading and re-reading your book I concentrated on chicken at Bluegrass and Barbeque in Bartow this weekend. I decided to try the Raspberry Vinagerette glaze from the book and just missed a top ten call, finishing 12th out of 26 teams. For an old guy like we I was almost happy!!

I don’t know what the proportions are supposed to be. If it isn’t a top secret could you give me some suggestions? It would be appreciated.

I never did much with pork, always finishing in the bottom quarter. A friend tasted the rub I was using and suggested I use something with some bite to it so I made some Chris Lilly Pork rub: wow!! It has a very nice taste and for the first time ever I finished 12th, just out of the top ten!! It shows what suggestions from you and others can do to help.

I won’t be cooking again until Smoke on the Water in Winter Haven, FL in February because I am having my foot operated on this Wednesday. Hope to see you at a contest sometime in the Spring.

Thanks again and best regards to your family.

Pop

Have you ever used a pellet grill? Such as http://www.hearthlandproducts.com/products/memphis_pro/index.html

Tim C.

Hey Bill

I think you’ve found my wife what she can give me for Xmas; the WSM. I’ve been considering for sometime now about getting a smaller cooker for doing some smoking when I didn’t want or need to load up my big cooker. The WSM sounds like it will do the job. Does it have 2 racks?

How accurate is the thermometer on the unit? I saw on some reviews it’s accuracy was questioned. Can it be changed out for a better external thermometer such as those you have been recommending?

CHEERS
DAN

We were excited to even know someone that was a grand champion and
received an invitation to the world championship competition . What an HONOR!!!!
We are sure that you thought you should have (done )better
It’s a shame that they don’t use real certified judges there. Most of
the judges were trained the night before and had no experience . We had a lady siting
with us that was one of these that holds her little finger out
when she eats . She picked the meat up with a napkin and took a little
bite acting like she was to good to eat BBQ. The first 3 pcs. of chicken that I had You
could not PULL the meat FROM the bone. with both hands there was no way that she could
have known if it was good or bad.. We know that you would have liked to have placed
higher. But look at all of the grand champions that you left behind
YOU !! WE THINK THAT YOU (DONE )GREAT I can not even think what it
would be like competing in the Jack.