How to introduce myself? Well I grew up in West Texas, near Lubbock to be exact, home of some awesome BBQ. More on that in a bit. Before he died, I had the pleasure of spending some time with a cousin, Mr. Richard Bolt (Google him for more info than I give here) Richard was a true authentic Chuck Wagon cook, working for some of the biggest ranches in the state, and even playing a part in Roy Rogers last movie. I was young enough that I didn’t pay attention to his methods, I just knew he made some awesome grub. I do have all his recipes though, and the sour dough started just cant be beat. I did take an interest in cooking early, mostly specializing in deserts at the time. As I got older I discovered the joy of eating BBQ brisket. This presented the opportunity to eventually get to hang out in the kitchen with 2 gentlemen that sparked my taste for BBQ, Jugg Little and C.B (Stubb) Stubblefield. I learned a little about cookin’, a little about treating the ladies right, and a lot about makin’ a short story long. The other things I learned from Stubb don’t really relate to BBQ so no need including them here.
I was quite happy just eating Q at Stubbs, and later Bighams Smokehouse with Don Bigham. Now I never put a thought into cooking a brisket myself until my ex-wife’s Uncle Speck invited us over for dinner one night. His wife (can’t remember her name right off, but I am sure I will wake up at 3 tomorrow morning and say her name, making my current wife wonder just why the heck I called out another womans name) had cooked a brisket marinated In Caude’s Marinating sauce. That was some good eatin’ but not BBQ. Years later, I moved to California and tried my hand at brisket like whats-her-name. I adapted her method, threw in a little of my own style and heres what I came up with. Line a big roasting pan with foil, put in a packer cut that I trimmed a little fat off, pour in a bottle of Claudes , wrap and marinate for 24 hours. In the oven for 20 hours @170, the pump up to 350 for 4 hours to kill any critters that might have been born. It was good, it was juicy, and it was tender. (So tender I could pull my dentures out and it would melt between my gums. No I am not Methuselah, I was only 34 at the time) But I knew it wasn’t BBQ, even though these Californians thought it was. Had to be because I was from Texas, and Texans bring BBQ.
One morning I woke up to find a BGE in my back yard. Didn’t know what it was, all I knew was my step son drug home some old grill, and best I have figured out it was an early model. After some research I found out it was more than just a grill, IT WAS FOR BBQ. After a little reading I said I got this! I should of done more reading. I wound up with a 15lb chunk of charcoal that used to be a brisket. Hanging my head in shame I started researching again. I wound up here at SMF and lurked. Don’t know why it took so long for me to join and speak up, but I finally did last week. Sorry Guys!! Anyway, but the time I learned what we really had in the BGE it was too late. ( Take off yer hat and Cue TAPS with a lone bugler here) My step son had graduated high school and had a party here. Somewhere along the line, even though it is pretty warm in June here, him and his buddies decided they wanted a fire a 2am and used the BGE to build it in. Not only did they get it hot enough to crack the ceramic, it cracked the cast also. I am sure there was alcohol involved (judging by my empty beer refrigerator) but at least the BGE went out helping a fine young man and his friends happy.
About a year later the TV show BBQ Pitmasters came out and I was hooked. I read more, I studied more, I found harry Soo’s rub recipe. I found a Chargriler SFB at a garage sale!!! After my first successful attempt at turning a brisket into charcoal, my wife was a little leery about me doing another brisket not from the oven. It was a SUCCESS!! Here we are 3 years later. Smokey (the Chargriller) got killed Dec. 1, 2011 by a 50+ year old fruitless mulberry that blew down in the middle of the night (Cue TAPS again, but by now it’s probably late enough your hat is already off for the night anyway). My father in law got so hungry for my ribs that he bought me a Brinkman Smokin Pro (couldn’t get him talked into a Jambo), and I am getting ready to smoke my first Turkey this Christmas on Bandit, my Brinkman. (My 06 GMC truck is white, and of course named Snowman)
I am proud to say I am a dedicated stick burner. I burn nothing but Orange wood, and since I got Bandit I have catered a few parties for friends and family. I have developed my own style of rubs, sauces, and cookin. I am told I have mastered Chicken. I have never ate my chicken (years ago my local Sherriff had me stay at his hotel for a few months to learn me drinking and driving wasn’t always a good idea and he served chicken at least 7 days a week, so I kinda got burnt out on it) but it is so juicy it’s a crime to stick a temp probe in it, and the skin is bite through tender. Brisket is second nature. Ribs are to die for. And pork butt. Well, pigs now come to me begging to be put on the grate.
I am getting ready to pull the trigger on going into competitions, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the many hours spent lurking here on SMF. Thanks guys and gals for sharing your successes and failures, for without you, I would still be making charcoaled brisket. I could of made my intro short and sweet (Hi Folks, I like to cook BBQ and eat it too) but I had to make ol’ Stubb proud and turn a short story into a long one :)
I was quite happy just eating Q at Stubbs, and later Bighams Smokehouse with Don Bigham. Now I never put a thought into cooking a brisket myself until my ex-wife’s Uncle Speck invited us over for dinner one night. His wife (can’t remember her name right off, but I am sure I will wake up at 3 tomorrow morning and say her name, making my current wife wonder just why the heck I called out another womans name) had cooked a brisket marinated In Caude’s Marinating sauce. That was some good eatin’ but not BBQ. Years later, I moved to California and tried my hand at brisket like whats-her-name. I adapted her method, threw in a little of my own style and heres what I came up with. Line a big roasting pan with foil, put in a packer cut that I trimmed a little fat off, pour in a bottle of Claudes , wrap and marinate for 24 hours. In the oven for 20 hours @170, the pump up to 350 for 4 hours to kill any critters that might have been born. It was good, it was juicy, and it was tender. (So tender I could pull my dentures out and it would melt between my gums. No I am not Methuselah, I was only 34 at the time) But I knew it wasn’t BBQ, even though these Californians thought it was. Had to be because I was from Texas, and Texans bring BBQ.
One morning I woke up to find a BGE in my back yard. Didn’t know what it was, all I knew was my step son drug home some old grill, and best I have figured out it was an early model. After some research I found out it was more than just a grill, IT WAS FOR BBQ. After a little reading I said I got this! I should of done more reading. I wound up with a 15lb chunk of charcoal that used to be a brisket. Hanging my head in shame I started researching again. I wound up here at SMF and lurked. Don’t know why it took so long for me to join and speak up, but I finally did last week. Sorry Guys!! Anyway, but the time I learned what we really had in the BGE it was too late. ( Take off yer hat and Cue TAPS with a lone bugler here) My step son had graduated high school and had a party here. Somewhere along the line, even though it is pretty warm in June here, him and his buddies decided they wanted a fire a 2am and used the BGE to build it in. Not only did they get it hot enough to crack the ceramic, it cracked the cast also. I am sure there was alcohol involved (judging by my empty beer refrigerator) but at least the BGE went out helping a fine young man and his friends happy.
About a year later the TV show BBQ Pitmasters came out and I was hooked. I read more, I studied more, I found harry Soo’s rub recipe. I found a Chargriler SFB at a garage sale!!! After my first successful attempt at turning a brisket into charcoal, my wife was a little leery about me doing another brisket not from the oven. It was a SUCCESS!! Here we are 3 years later. Smokey (the Chargriller) got killed Dec. 1, 2011 by a 50+ year old fruitless mulberry that blew down in the middle of the night (Cue TAPS again, but by now it’s probably late enough your hat is already off for the night anyway). My father in law got so hungry for my ribs that he bought me a Brinkman Smokin Pro (couldn’t get him talked into a Jambo), and I am getting ready to smoke my first Turkey this Christmas on Bandit, my Brinkman. (My 06 GMC truck is white, and of course named Snowman)
I am proud to say I am a dedicated stick burner. I burn nothing but Orange wood, and since I got Bandit I have catered a few parties for friends and family. I have developed my own style of rubs, sauces, and cookin. I am told I have mastered Chicken. I have never ate my chicken (years ago my local Sherriff had me stay at his hotel for a few months to learn me drinking and driving wasn’t always a good idea and he served chicken at least 7 days a week, so I kinda got burnt out on it) but it is so juicy it’s a crime to stick a temp probe in it, and the skin is bite through tender. Brisket is second nature. Ribs are to die for. And pork butt. Well, pigs now come to me begging to be put on the grate.
I am getting ready to pull the trigger on going into competitions, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the many hours spent lurking here on SMF. Thanks guys and gals for sharing your successes and failures, for without you, I would still be making charcoaled brisket. I could of made my intro short and sweet (Hi Folks, I like to cook BBQ and eat it too) but I had to make ol’ Stubb proud and turn a short story into a long one :)
