Has The Economy Effected Your BBQ Decisions?

bredbaker · Jan 20, 2013

I sit here on a wonderful, cold Sunday afternoon with playoff football heading my way and absolutely nothing on my grill, no smoke wafting into the air making the neighbors jealous. This is depressing. Four days before payday and I simply cannot justify the extra money right now to smoke up some pig or cow.

Right now I'm down in my supplies and need to reload, and some aspects of BBQ are somewhat expense over and above the meat. I prefer to use Cowboy Brand Lump Charcoal, I prefer to use wood chunks instead of chips and I'm about out of extra heavy duty aluminum foil, the big stuff. I feel lucky to have discovered doing proper barbecue and if I could I would do it everyday, but the reality of today's world is that I find I have to make smarter decisions for my family.

On a day when Obama has been sworn in for a second term and we teeter on the edge of a fiscal cliff the questions has to be asked, "Has the current economy had an effect on your BBQ hobby?"

jarjarchef · Jan 20, 2013

Most deffinately has..... I had the money to start my comp trailer rig, but due to people loosing hours at work. It in turn has effected my wife's bussiness and in turn has effected our house. So the smoker is on hold until things turn around. Not as many ribs hitting the smoker as in the past. Using a lot of whole chicken just to smoke something.......

Now on a positive side......with the delay on the smoker I have been able to slightly redesign it to save several hundred dollars....so there is a plan for us, we just need to be wise enough to allow it to happen......

chef jimmyj · Jan 20, 2013

Same Boat! No meat, No money, Not Happy!...I however, blame the greed of Wall Street for the economic situation...JJ

diggingdogfarm · Jan 20, 2013

I pledged a long time ago to become as independent and self-sufficient as possible so we can better deal with a poor economy or any other form of "tough times".
It's worked real good for the most part.
I know a lot of folks are struggling, I hope they'll take the same path.

~Martin

linguica · Jan 20, 2013

Being that smoking and BBQing favor the less expensive cuts of meat one might think the effect would be minimal, but, those cuts of meat have increased in price 10 fold. I have to check my wallet first before inviting a few friends over for beer and wings. When I see a chef on the food channel throw a 3 inch thick porterhouse on the grill i try to remember the last time but can't. like the prayer says:

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. [/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][size=-1]--Reinhold Niebuhr[/size][/font]

[font=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][size=-1]PS[size=-1], then there is the other side of the same coin.......[size=-1]two vultures [/size][/size][/size][/font]sitting in a leafless tree, looking down on a herd of wilderbeasts.

One turns to the other and says"patience my ass, I wanna kill something"

BGKYSmoker · Jan 20, 2013

The economy has not but moving to GA and away from all my family, friends and hunting buddies it has, From sausage making to BBQ.

Then from a house to an RV has meant downsizing further in both areas.

damon555 · Jan 20, 2013

I've been very fortunate....I've got a freezer full of meat, a shed with a bunch of charcoal and plenty of wood for smoke. BUT, I'm like Martin, self sufficiency is the order of the day. The key is to stock up when things are on sale so when the lean times roll around I still have something to do!

Canning and other various forms of preservation also help out a lot.

smoke happens · Jan 20, 2013

I am trying to make the transition to become more self sufficient, make more of my own food I would normally buy (bacon, sausage, etc), and learn as much as I can along the way. I have found the transition to be rather pricey though. New smoker, grinder, et-732, AMNPS, pellets, etc sure starts to add up. Costs $ to learn this art and set yourself up. I know in the long run it will pay off, but like any new hobby it does require an upfront investment. That has been the hardest for me, so far anyway. I'm fortunate to be somewhat insulated from the economy, which is good in a down economy but I don't see the ups in a good economy either.

goinforbroke · Jan 20, 2013

"has the economy affected your bbq decisions"

Yup! Less $2.99 butts and more $1.69 picnics and chicken. I don't have any 'on sale' meat around here. Occasionally I still treat myself to steak, but it's chuck eye which isn't bad in its own right.

diggingdogfarm · Jan 20, 2013

GoinForBroke said:
Occasionally I still treat myself to steak, but it's chuck eye which isn't bad in its own right.

Yep, nothing wrong with chuck eye.
They're usually a great deal.

~Martin

tamarockstar88 · Jan 21, 2013

The kitchen I work in gets regular reports on food cost and projected prices for produce, dairy and livestock. The cost of meats has a lot of different factors in play. Weather conditions are the biggest factor, a drought from two years ago is going to cause the prices in beef and pork to go up. I've already noticed the inflation, but it's crazy that something from years before is now coming into play. Then other factors are simply just inflation of everything going up like it has been for years now. The fuel prices in particular for producing the product and shipping the product, surcharges on deliveries, even the cost of gas that you use to grill. Everyone has to make up the lost profit when these costs go up

moikel · Jan 21, 2013

It affects my cooking decisions generally. Do a lot of braises of cheaper cuts that stretch over a few days in the winter. I don't order take away or take out as you guys call it, bad value all round. I travel to the cheaper suburbs if I can justify a bigger order.All my pork belly is bought off chinese butchers$ 2-3 a kg difference for a ten minute drive.Lamb has been stupid $ so I eat goat.

I buy chinese greens on the way to the bus stop after work for that nights dinner. I stay away from expensive bottled sauces to many chemicals anyway.

I have never bought salad dressing in my life!

I do eat nose to tail but for reasons other than just $. I think if you are raising & killing an animal you should eat as much of it you can.

Our economy has had its struggles but I have always been a bit judicious with $( a tight arse)

missed-em · Jan 21, 2013

"Then from a house to an RV has meant downsizing further in both areas.Then from a house to an RV has meant downsizing further in both areas."

Been the RV route, great life, take the time to stop at the roadside BBQ shacks - found that others do know how to 'smoke'.

bama bbq · Jan 21, 2013

Bredbaker said:
"Has the current economy had an effect on your BBQ hobby?"

Bottom Line: Yes. No pay raise in 3 yrs + payroll taxes increase = net loss in take home pay. Less take home pay = reduction in all areas of the home budget (including food). The plans for the garden this year have expanded to become more self sufficient. When I do cook, I use more neutral rubs (salt, pepper, onion, garlic) so I can use the meat as an ingredient in other dishes. I also ensure the whole family gets a portion to take with them. I worry the most about my kids and grandkids.

Edit: Talked with SWMBO and she added this comment: We started taking the Sunday paper for the coupons. As long as we clip more that a cpl bucks we pay for the paper. Our avg is five bucks. I use the paper to light the chimney.

Also, she sells tuperware for a cpl extra bucks and to keep the leftovers in. That's what we send leftovers home with the kids in as well. They come back clean and we refill them.

kryinggame · Jan 21, 2013

ive run out of charcoal; therefore, I will not be using my WSM until Home Depot has another one of their $5.00 sale. I bought the 18.5 inch smoker adn have gone through the 10 bags of charcoal that was sitting in garage. I went to Home Depot a week ago and a double pack of charcoal is listed at $17.99. That's pretty steep.

Although I often complain about it's reliabilty, I'm going to start using the MES again--that is, until charcoal goes back on sale.

bbqbrett · Jan 21, 2013

Not so far. I expect it will some in the near future though. Probably when the spring and summer hit and the demand for charcoal, wood, bbq meats go up and the prices go up it will affect me some more.

bredbaker · Jan 21, 2013

I'm in a situation where I have recently changed careers, and while pay wise the move has been mostly lateral we've fallen into a hole financially. We'll get out in about 60 more days when my probationary period is up and I can get my management position, but you forgot how long 90 days can feel.

Luckily, BBQ can take some real iffy cuts of meat from the local discount grocer (Winco) and make them quite savory. This, I know, was the genesis of BBQ in the first place, making cheap meat taste better. So I sit and look forward to this weekend so I can do it again, if the stage 2 air stagnation warning goes away, "No fires unless it is for a primary source of heat". Have to love inversion layers (mostly found within 100 miles of a coast).

I have really enjoyed reading everyone's responses and I don't feel so alone as I did while I was writing the original post. I've been on and belong to a lot of forums, mostly for my racing and political ends of my life, but none of them are as friendly or as helpful as this one.

black05tj · Jan 21, 2013

I guess it has affected my BBQ, but in a good way. You see, the wife and I used to eat out a lot. There are a ton of places here, a lot of them good (or sound good), and we like to try new things... so eating out was getting to be quite expensive. Thus, I have started BBQ'ing more. We can throw enough meat in the smoker (or on the grill) and eat for 2 or 3 meals on the same money we'd have spent on ONE meal at a restaurant - cost of charcoal included. Even though I'm spending double at the grocery store what we used to spend, our total food bill is easily half what it was - and we do still allow one day per week to eat out.

Truth be told, I don't really miss it. I'm getting better with the smoker, and when not smoking/grilling the wife is a great cook too. We eat so much better at home, and have fun trying our own new recipes. Plus, I don't really need to eat as big a portions as they give at the restaurant, so I hope after a few weeks my pants might fit a little better again!

backwoods bbq · Jan 21, 2013

the economy has made me more self sufficient... When Top round roasts go on sale BOGO Free at 4.79 pound I jump and buy 5 to get 5 free. I gring them for hamburger, slice into thin strips for beef dip, and philly cheese steak, and slice even thinner for Jerky which i sell to co-workers, friends. hunters. I can also use grind for beef sticks, sausage etc. I have all the equipment i need (for now haha) and build my smokers instead of buying which i can ocassionaly sell for a profit. Since I live in west Texas and GOOD wood is scarce I will sell off my extra (red oak) (pecan) (hickory) and use more of the mesquite. I buy in bulk including FOIL (sams) and try to buy bulk meat at markets and freeze. If i run out of charcoal I just start my fire earlier and get a good bed of coals going. Of course I miss the Robust Clinton Economy days but no sense in letting it slow down my passion~!

dirtsailor2003 · Jan 21, 2013

We're pretty frugal in our lifestyle. So like others have posted, we shop the pricing of our groceries hard and take advantage of the good deals when they are available. Lots of bogo, and loss leader meats.

We were fortunate to acquire a new full size freezer (from a friend in less than fortunate financial and housing circumstances) this year, so we can really stockpile the supplies. Still every month I can only justify about $50 tops to my smoking habit. With that I have been looking at cheaper cuts than I used to, lots of chicken and pork this year. Buckboard bacon instead of belly. I actually like BBB better!

I was taught to use the meat to it's fullest. When I smoke a whole chicken that's at least 5 meals for us, when you take into account the left overs and the stock made from boiling down the carcass. Same with roasts, and other cuts. All and all yes it's hurt a bit, but overall we're not complaining!

Has The Economy Effected Your BBQ Decisions?

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