All That Is Barbeque. Great BBQ Tips, Recipes and Techniques

Cedar Planked Polish Sausage Sandwich

2012-02-06T17:26:00.000-08:00

I cedar planked some Polish Sausage on my Weber and made Chicago style sandwiches. Really good stuff. I also received a new discount code to be used when purchasing cedar planks and kits from Nature's Choice. The discount code is, Ballistic10. This code will get you a 10% discount on anything from the website.

Java Crusted New York Strip with Guinness Reduction

2012-02-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

This is my version of a Guy Fieri recipe. I tweaked the rub just a bit for my personal taste.

Southwestern Style BBQ Babyback Ribs

2012-01-14T22:21:00.000-08:00

Really tasty recipe for BBQ'd babybacks with a tequila and agave nectar glaze.

New York Steak On The Grill

2011-12-30T09:28:00.001-08:00

Cooked up a Bobby Flay recipe for New York Strip with bleu cheese, Vadalia onion jam and a warm potato salad. It Rocked!

My New Pit!

2011-12-22T07:52:00.000-08:00

Just ordered a new smoker! After close to 20 years of faithful service from my old NBBD, I've decided to step up to a world class smoker.

After months of research, I've opted for a "Gator Pit". Gator Pits are based out of Texas and build top notch pits. Each pit is built to order, so essentially you're getting a custom build. I spoke to the owner of the company, Ritch when I placed my order. I had specific needs and he accommodated every one of them.

Below is a YT video Ritch shot of the model that I went with, "The Party Gator". Stand by guys!!!

BBQ Pork Shanks

2011-11-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

If you can find pork shanks at your local butcher, you owe it to yourself to try em' on your smoker.

BBQ Sauce Recipe

2011-11-24T22:34:00.001-08:00

Give this Sweet, Tangy (with a little heat) sauce a try!

Jamaican Jerked Chicken

2011-11-04T17:26:00.000-07:00

This is a really good and simple recipe for Jamaican Jerked Chicken!

Juicy Lucy Cheese Burger My Way

2011-11-04T17:24:00.001-07:00

Inspired by an episode of Man vs Food and a local burger joint called In N Out, I created this monster!

And The Winners Are

2011-10-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post the video announcing the winners of my contest. Thanks again to all of the folks that sponsored this!

"Baja Style" Grilled Fish Tacos

2011-10-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

I used fresh yellowtail for this cook, but any firm fresh fish will work just fine!

Mexican Style New York Strip Steak Sandwich (Torta MY WAY!)

2011-10-02T11:33:00.001-07:00

Here is my twist on a Mexican favorite. The Torta!

Smokey Buffalo Wings (On My Weber)

2011-10-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

Really easy recipe for making smokey Buffalo Wings. The sauce is key... Don't buy the pre-made stuff when there are only three ingredients! Enjoy!

My Video Response To BBQ Smokers Planking Contest (Planked Hotdogs)

2011-09-13T20:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes simple is best, and that certainly describes this cook. For this planking video contest I decided to plank up some Nathan's Natural Case hotdogs along with grilled onion and bacon, which I also planked. This completely changed the flavor and texture of the hotdogs. Although the dogs cooked on my grill for over 15 minutes, the natural cases never broke. The end result was a very juicy dog with a very crisp outer case. It had that "snap" that so many people look for in a good hotdog. I'm not fibbing when I say this is the best dog I've ever had!

Enjoy!

Ballistic BBQ Grilling Video Contest!

2011-09-04T09:16:00.001-07:00

Here's the video announcement for my latest contest. KILLER PRIZES!!!

Grilled Cowboy Ribeye (Contest Entry!)

2011-08-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

This is my entry into a video contest being hosted by a fellow YouTuber. 2.14 pounds of USDA Prime ribeye on the Weber. Enjoy!

Venison Burgers Grilled On My Weber

2011-08-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

Venison burgers for dinner tonight folks! Grilled em' up on my Weber with a little hickory wood to add some smoke. Good stuff!

Smoked Kobe Brisket (Review of Snake River Farms)

2011-07-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

BBQ Chicken (Love's Wood Pit BBQ Recipe)

2011-07-20T17:28:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd do a video of Low n Slow cooking on the Weber. On this video, I BBQ'd a chicken using a recipe once used by Love's Wood Pit BBQ. Love's was a barbeque restaurant that was here in California for years. They closed their doors about ten years ago. I don't know why? Here's the video!

Cedar Planked Salmon

2011-07-15T21:53:00.000-07:00

Very quick and easy recipe for cedar planked salmon. This video is more on the technique than the recipe however, so feel free to use whatever herbs or seasoning you desire. Cedar planking is my all-time favorite way to cook salmon.

500 Subscriber Giveaway Drawing!

2011-07-05T19:47:00.001-07:00

Here is the drawing!

500 Subscriber Thank You Giveaway!

2011-06-14T16:54:00.001-07:00

As a way of saying thank you for helping me reach 500 subscribers, I wanted to do a giveaway.

Kobe Beef Burger On My Weber

2011-06-07T20:59:00.001-07:00

My take on the Old Homestead Steakhouse's $41.00 Kobe Beef Burger. It melted in my mouth!

Cantonese Style BBQ Duck On My Weber

2011-06-02T17:02:00.001-07:00

This was a first for me! Cantonese duck on my Weber. It was a lot of work beginning with searching out the ingredients to all of the prep. The end result was a very delicious duck!

Flat Iron Steak On The Grill

2011-05-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

If you've never tried flat iron steak, then TRY IT!!!! It's tender, tasty and inexpensive! These steaks added up to two pounds of beef and both of them together cost less than one nice quality ribeye.

Cleaning & Maintaining Your Cast Iron Grate

2011-05-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

I know this post will seem very boring to those that do not own a cast iron grill, but I have received numerous messages regarding caring for a cast iron cooking grate. I shot a video of how I take care of mine, as well as how to get rid of rust and re-season the grate.

Mexican Street Dogs (Mexican Style Hotdogs)

2011-05-09T15:32:00.000-07:00

This is a really simple recipe for Mexican style hotdogs. You will find venders in T.J. selling these from carts. I fell in love with these in Hollywood. As soon as the sun started to go down we found carts being operated by Latina women grilling up these killer dogs!

Surf & Turf with Cedar Planked Potatoes

2011-04-26T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight I grilled up some USDA Prime Filet Mignon and Alaskan King Crab for my wife's birthday dinner. I decided to fire up the other grill and cedar plank some fingerling potatoes as one of the sides. Planked potatoes ROCKED!

Review of Nature's Choice cedar grilling planks

2011-04-25T20:43:00.001-07:00

I just really felt the need to post a review about a company I recently found out about called Nature's Choice.

Nature's Choice sells cedar planks for grilling. But these are not the cedar planks we are all used to seeing at your local grocery store, or BBQ shop. These are by far THE BEST cedar cooking planks I have ever used. It's not just the quality and freshness of the wood, but the choices you get regarding the size and thickness of the planks.

I ordered a variety of planks which included; 8" planks, 18" planks (both of these planks are 1/2" thick) and some 12" planks which are a whopping 1" thick. You will not see planks this thick at any store. At least none that I have found.

Prior to discovering this online store, I was stuck in a cedar plank rut. The only time I used cedar planks was when I cooked salmon on the grill. I've found out (just prior to posting my herb crusted cedar planked pork roast video) that many outdoor cooks are in the same exact rut. I have to tell you. You can cook ANY meat on a cedar plank. And these are not limited to meat either. Veggies taste unbelievable prepared on the cedar plank!

So, I really encourage you to check out this site. You will find planks being sold by size, and in really nice gift packs. This online store also carries a nice variety of herbs and spices blended with plank cooking in mind.

The owner, Larry Hinzman also has a YouTube channel called "PlankGrillMaster". On his channel you will find tips, techniques and recipes. This channel is what inspired me to venture out into other areas with plank cooking.

First Place Winner Receives His Prize

2011-04-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

Mike of "ItsGoodCookin" was kind enough to post this video of him un-boxing the Craycort grate he won on the contest I hosted on my YouTube Channel.

Thanks Mike!

Cedar Planked Herb Crusted Pork Roast

2011-04-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

Cooked up a very easy and delicious cedar planked herb crusted pork roast on my Weber. Check it out!

Here are my contest winners!

2011-04-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

Entries For My YouTube Cooking Video Contest

2011-04-11T19:03:00.000-07:00

Here are the seven entries for my YouTube cooking video contest. I'm posting this almost 24 hours before the deadline, because I will be out camping tomorrow with no access to a computer or cell phone service. New entries submitted prior to the 04/12 8pm deadline will still be accepted. Enjoy!

Get Those Contest Entries In!

2011-03-30T19:41:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder to those considering entering my YouTube Outdoor Cooking Video Contest. The deadline is April, 12th. Details are on the video posted below.

Mexican Mango Chipotle BBQ Chicken

2011-03-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

Cooked up this very easy Mexican version of BBQ Chicken.

American Wagyu Ribeye Steaks (Kobe Style)

2011-03-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Grilled up three 32 oz Wagyu steaks on the grill, over mesquite. Turned out KILLER!

Outdoor Cooking Video Contest

2011-03-22T12:57:00.001-07:00

Here is the official announcement of my Outdoor Cooking Video Contest!

Porterhouse On The Grill (Review of Craycorts grate for the Weber Little Smokey)

2011-03-02T21:10:00.000-08:00

Grilled up a couple of porterhouse steaks on my new Craycort grate, made for the Weber Little Smokey.

Follow My Youtube Channel On Facebook

2011-03-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to spread the word about the new Facebook account I set up for my Youtube Channel "Ballistic BBQ" I'm going to be linking my videos and other projects and recipes. Check it out and HIT LIKE!!!

Maui Style Short Ribs (Hawaiian Plate Lunch)

2011-02-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

Cooked up some Maui style short ribs on my Weber grill. Also made some Hawaiian style mac salad and sticky rice to complete this "Plate Lunch".

YouTube Cooks Blog

2011-02-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

I have a new blog called YouTube Cooks. I decided to create a blog that featured other YouTubers with cooking channels. This way, they are all in one place. Each post has the name of the channel, a brief description, a link to the channel and one of the channel's videos embedded.

Check it out!

Ham N Cheese Sandwich On My Weber Grill

2011-02-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

Grilled up a REALLY GOOD ham and cheese sandwich on my Weber yesterday. I used four cheeses and sourdough. The Craycort cast-iron griddle worked great!

Outdoor BBQ Grill Store

2011-02-07T18:50:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd share a website that I was just turned onto. Outdoor BBQ Grill's site pretty much covers it all. They're selling all of the big name grills for any budget (I'll stick with my Webers but those Vikings look killer!). Anyway, great site. Good recipes and products for sale. Even have some video links.... All they need to make this site complete is embed a couple of mine! :)

Santa Maria Tri Tip Over An Open Flame

2011-01-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

I cooked this Santa Maria Style tri tip over red oak in an open pit, while camping in the Painted Gorge area of the Ocotillo California desert.

You don't need a hole in the desert floor to enjoy this classic however. A backyard grill will do just fine!

Tacos Al Pastor Recipe

2011-01-11T22:25:00.000-08:00

A great recipe for making Tacos Al Pastor at home. I did this on my rotisserie, but this recipe works fine on the grill.

Rotisserie Turkey On The Weber

2010-12-26T12:36:00.000-08:00

I cooked up a turkey on the rotisserie for our Christmas dinner. Prior to the cook I soaked it in an apple sage brine overnight. Turned out very moist and had a great flavor.

Enjoy!

Banana's Foster On My Weber Grill

2010-12-16T14:27:00.000-08:00

This weekend I cooked up one of my all time favorite desserts to do on the grill. This video is a very simple step-by-step recipe for the original Banana's Foster.

Beef Ribs on My Weber Grill

2010-11-28T21:21:00.000-08:00

A quick video of how I like to cook ribs when time is an issue. The usual scenario for me is, I'm at work "Jones'n" for ribs. After work, I hit the butcher up for a rack then rush home to cook em' up.

Although I'd rather have ribs off of my smoker, I'd eat this quicker version any day of the week.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake On My Weber

2010-08-03T17:18:00.000-07:00

I love to experiment with my grill. I came up with this a while back and it is a keeper. Felt like sharing it, so I shot another Youtube video. Enjoy!

World's Best Smores Recipe

2010-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Shot some cool video of my son Garrett showing off his skills grill-side.

Pollo Asado Al Carbon (Mexican Style Grilled Chicken)

2010-07-07T08:26:00.001-07:00

This is the perfect recipe for summer. It's easy to make and tastes great! Serve it up with warm tortillas and a bowl of black beans and you have a feast!

Carne Asada Recipe

2010-06-12T17:21:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share my latest Youtube video. I whipped up some homemade carne asada using fresh herbs, spices, fruit juices and fruit.

Enjoy!

Maple Cured Hickory Smoked Bacon

2010-04-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share my latest video. I made homemade cured and smoked bacon. Good stuff!

Grilled Turkey Wings

2010-03-29T21:05:00.000-07:00

My wife and I went to the store the other day with chicken (for grilling) on the shopping list. The store was out of fresh birds and I didn't really feel like dealing with a frozen one. Looked over and saw these packages of fresh turkey wings. Never grilled turkey wings (when not attached to the rest of turkey), but it sounded like a good idea.

Finished product was great! I will definitely cook these again. It was easy and a lot of food for not a lot of money.

Grilled Rib Eye Steak

2010-03-26T09:34:00.001-07:00

I grilled up a couple of really nice rib eye steaks for dinner tonight and (of course) filmed it for Youtube. This video really shows how great the cast iron grate I added to my Weber works. Unfortunately, the lighting at the end (when I cut into the steak) kind of washed out the nice pink center. I was still pretty happy with the video. Steaks turned out great too!

I was recently notified by Craycort Company (the maker of the cast iron grate I use on my Weber) that they are going to feature this video on their website. Cool!

Barbecue Spare Ribs On My Smoker

2010-03-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share my latest YouTube video. I smoked up some pork spare ribs.

Smoked Chicken Video

2010-02-21T18:39:00.000-08:00

I smoked a chicken last night using apple wood and finished it off with a very simple (but great) sauce. I posted the video on YouTube. You will find the link below.

Smoked BBQ Beef Ribs Video

2010-02-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

I smoked a rack of really nice bee ribs the other day. The butcher was out of beef ribs when I went in, so he actually cut these right off of a nice big prime rib roast for me.

Review of Rock's BBQ Stoker System

2010-01-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

As noted in my last video I posted, I recently purchased a Stoker for my BBQ. The stoker is made and sold by Rock's BBQ .

The stoker is an electronic wonder that controls a small fan that covers the damper vent air intake on your smoker. In my case it attaches to the firebox on my off-set barbeque. The system can handle multiple sensors but at this point, I only have two. One for the cooking chamber and the other for the food. You program target temperatures and the system monitors and controls the air being fed into the heat chamber. When the temp drops below your target, the fan turns on. When it goes above, the fan shuts off. The really cool thing is, you can control all of this from your laptop inside of your warm house. For me, during real long cooks (like the one posted below) this means I get to sleep! I used a free program called Smokerlog. The link is available from Rock's BBQ's site.

Prior to the cook below I ran two dry runs. I loaded up the firebox and set a target temp. It ran like a dream and I felt very comfortable using it.

If there is any negative criticism I would say it's the instruction manual that came with the system. It's pretty strait forward hooking everything up, but there is no instructions on how to do it. I just like to know 100% that I'm doing it right. Another thing. I'm not some techno wiz and it seems like the instructions were written for people that are. A lot of computer lingo is used and it was all Greek to me.

One tip. If you are planning on buying one of these systems and wish to use your computer/laptop to run and monitor it. Along with your order from Rock's find and buy a wireless game controller also known as a wireless bridge. Trust me, the Stoker is much easier to operate using your computer and Stokerlog to set the temps than using the buttons on the system to set the temps.

All that being said. I HIGHLY recommend buying the Stoker System.

Smoked Beef Brisket Video

2010-01-17T22:27:00.000-08:00

My wife and I had a get together at our house last night. My sister, brother-in-law and a buddy and his girlfriend came over for dinner. So, I decided to barbeque a beef brisket.

The brisket I smoked weighed in at a little over 14 pounds. I smoked it at 220 degrees for what turned out to be about 18 hours. I also used my new Stoker System on my smoker, which worked like a charm. I plan on writing up a detailed review of the Stoker very soon.

I filmed the cook and posted it on YouTube.

Tequila Lime Chicken on the Rotisserie

2009-10-13T19:28:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share my Tequila Lime Chicken recipe. I made this on my Weber Kettle with a rotisserie ring. When it comes to grilling, I'll take my Weber over any $2000.00 gas grill any time!

Tequila Lime Chicken on the Rotisserie

Southwest Cornbread Recipe on Youtube

2009-10-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

I've been having fun posting short videos on Youtube. I did a little how to video on the Southwest Cornbread recipe I posted about a while back.

Southwest Cornbread Recipe

Cast Iron Grill for Weber Kettle BBQ

2009-10-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

Wanted to make a post about a wonderful upgrade I made to my Weber Kettle BBQ. It is a cast iron grill made by a company called Craycort. The grill has a circular framework that fits into the kettle. The framework is divided into four pizza slice sections. The grill fit into these sections independently.

This grill turns the Weber into a super grill. The grill marks it leaves on your meat look like something out of a magazine. Craycort also has accessories that fit into these triangular sections. I bought the "beer can chicken" accessory which fits into one of the sections and keeps the chicken low, so that it does not touch the lid. Works great!

This new grill has breathed new life into my trusty old Weber and I highly recommend checking them out at http://www.cast-iron-grate.com/

How To Smoke A Pork Shoulder (Pulled Pork)

2009-09-28T21:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IdXJiFJwxQ

My sister and brother-in-law came down to visit this weekend, so I decided to smoke a 8.5 pound pork shoulder in their honor. Above is a link to the video I shot and posted on Youtube. The cook took 12 3/4 hours and I used hickory, apple and red oak woods.

Turned out great!

Tulsa BBQ Experience

2009-04-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

My wife, son and I recently went to Tulsa Oklahoma to visit my mom who moved there about six years ago. While we were there we visited two local barbeque joints that were recommended to me by a fellow member of "The Smoke Ring" barbeque forum.

My first stop was "The Knotty Pine" which is located at 3301 West 5th Street, in Tulsa. The restaurant has been there since 1952. Before that it was a BBQ joint called "OK Barbeque". I guess that restaurant had been there since the 30's.

The Knotty Pine is rich with BBQ history. Some would call it a dive... From the "Beer and Bar B Que" sign that is struggling to stay lit to the creaky floors, it is just the type of place I seek out when I'm visiting states known for good BBQ. You feel like you're in another time and there are no frills there at all. The food is served on a sheet of paper placed over a rectangular plastic tray. I ordered ribs with a side of beens and coleslaw. The food was great! Ribs were tender and had a very nice smokey flavor. My wife had the brisket sandwich and she too was very happy. The beef was moist and tender with a nice flavorful bark.

Their menu is broken up into half orders and full orders. The half orders come with one side, bread pickles, peppers and onions. Prices range from about six bucks to a little over eight. The full orders come with two sides and range from about seven bucks to a tad over twelve.

We also ate at "Albert G's" located at 2748 S. Harvard in Tulsa. The food was great but it didn't have that dive/joint feel to it. I had the three meat combo and chose brisket, ribs and chicken. All were cooked to perfection and I had no complaints at all. My wife had brisket and she was very pleased with her meal. Prices were about the same as the Knotty Pine, but like I said... It just didn't have that historical joint feel that I personally love when I'm eating barbeque.

The photos shown on this post are of the Knotty Pine and my 5 year-old Garrett, enjoying a rib.

BBQ Rib Cook

2009-02-24T12:44:00.000-08:00

Well, the weather was real nice today and I had this urge to barbeque some ribs. This was totally unplanned, but when you gotta' have ribs, you gotta have ribs!

My wife loves beef ribs, and I lean towards pork, so I decided to keep harmony in the house and did a rack of each. The little market I bought the meat at didn't have pork spare ribs so I settled for baby backs. My all time favorite rib is pork spare ribs, trimmed St. Louis style.

Here's how I cooked them:

The first thing that I do is get my cooker warmed up. I shoot for a temperature between 220 degrees and 240 degrees. While I'm waiting I prep my ribs. This includes any trimming, removing the thin membrane (silver skin) which is located on the backside of the ribs. This is very important as I helps the flavors penetrate the meat more evenly. All you need to do is get it started on the end or edge with a knife, wiggle a finger underneath and tear it off. The hardest part is getting it started.

Now, once my cooker is up to temp, I place the ribs in the cooking chamber bone side down. I close the lid and add chunk wood to the firebox of my off-set cooker. Try to avoid huge billowing lofts of smoke from your cooker. What you want to see is a nice even stream of bluish smoke coming from your smoke stack. If you have too much smoke, you run the risk of creosote forming which will create a very bitter taste. For this cook I'm using apple wood. My all time favorite woods to cook with are apple, pecan and hickory. Sometimes I'll mix my woods to add different layers of smoke flavor. I'm going to smoke this ribs during the first three hours of the cooking process. The key to a good smoked flavor is to keep the temperature as even as possible. To master this you just need to practice, practice, practice the air mixture on you smoker. I keep my stack fully opened and adjust the damper on the firebox.

After three hours, I remove the ribs and place them bone side up on a sheet of aluminum foil. At this point, I spray the ribs down with apple juice. The ribs are then tightly wrapped in the foil and placed back in the cooking chamber for another hour. At this point I am no longer using any smoking wood. Remember, the meat on ribs is pretty thin and you do not want an overwhelming smoky flavor.

After one hour in the foil, I'm check the tenderness of the ribs. I'll look to see if the meat is starting to pull away from the bone and pick up one end of the slab with my tongs. When the slab bends down to a right angle (90 degrees) their pretty tender. What you DON'T want is the meat falling off of the bone. When I hear, "The ribs were so tender the meat fell off of the bone" I cringe! Rib meat should NOT fall off of the bone. You want the meat tender but there should still be a little "tug" to it.

Now My ribs have been cooking for about four hours and they are ready to be finished with my sauce. I remove the ribs from the foil and place them back in the cooking chamber, then generously baste the ribs with my sauce. If you want more of a glazed finish, you may want to ad a little honey to the sauce. Don't lose control of your heat during this process. You don't want to burn the sauce after cooking for four hours! After about thirty minutes, I'll add more sauce and cook an additional thirty minutes.

After the last thirty minutes you're done! So, to recap the cooking times... Three hours of smoking, one hour foiled and one hour finishing with sauce.

Enjoy!

Modifications to offset smoker (New Braunfels Black Diamond)

2009-01-13T12:53:00.000-08:00

This post is more for the hardcore backyard smoker. I own a New Braunfels Black Diamond smoker and have had great results with it for about fifteen years or so. That being said, there are a few downfalls to this smoker, which can be overcome with a little elbow grease.

After several years, my smoker started to develop some rust, especially around the firebox. I did what most people would do. Gave it a quick sand and sprayed it with high temp paint. That lasted about a month before the rust started up again. The next step for me was take the thing apart and have it sandblasted and coated. I had the whole smoker coated with heat-coat, which is what high-end headers are coated with. I also had the legs coated with a baked on powder-coat. Before re-assembling the smoker I gave it a couple of coats with high-temp paint.

As I put it back together I took care of a couple other issues. I sealed the fire box to the cooking chamber with fire brick mortar to keep smoke from leaking out through the joints. I also used oven gasket to seal off all of the lids. I replaced the wooden handles and tubular brackets with thick steal brackets and spring handles, which I welded on. I did this all about four years ago and the performance has increased and I haven't seen a speck of rust.

Today I started working on more modifications. In order to hold the heat and keep it consistent and I lined the bottom of the cooking chamber with fire with firebrick. The next modifications will be extending the inside portion of the smoke stack closer to the grill (cooking surface) and installing a baffle from the fire box, to the cooking chamber. My goal is the direct the heat and the smoke under the cooking surface. I just started mocking up the baffle and hope to have it finished next week. I've attached some photos of the modifications thus far.

UPDATE: On the above two photos, you can see that since I my last post I have added a Horizon Convection Plate. This is a 1/4" thick plate of steel that has a series of holes which change to a larger size as the progress towards the end of the smoke chamber. This connects at the firebox opening and causes the smoke to go under the meat then rise up evenly. In order to achieve this I also had to add a sheet of aluminum (until I make a permanent fix out of sheet metal). In addition to this, I extended the smoke stack down towards the grill. This changes the draft and again, helps keep the smoke low at the level of the food.

Rotisserie Pork Rib Roast

2008-11-30T18:36:00.000-08:00

Due to some members of our family being out of town on Thanksgiving, we decided to celebrate a few days late. Tonight was the night.

My father-in-law doesn't like turkey, so we opted on a bone-in pork roast. I bought a nice fresh roast at a local butcher shop. It had ten ribs and weighed in at a tad under eight pounds. I decided to cook this on the rotisserie.

Now, when I smoke or roast low and slow, I use my off-set smoker. For grilling and rotisserie cooking, I use the good old Weber kettle BBQ. I do my outdoor cooking old school and can't bring myself to buy a gas grill. And I'm not convinced that you can get the same results from gas, no matter what the salesperson at BBG says!

Anyway, here is how I cooked it...

Last night, I rubbed down the roast with extra virgin olive oil, then various spices and herbs including thyme, basil, lavender and even fennel pollen. I had the roast trussed up, so after rubbing in the herbs, I wove sprigs of fresh rosemary through the twine. After I was done with the rub, I wrapped the whole thing in plastic wrap then tossed it in the fridge overnight.

The cooking time I came up with was 20 minutes per pound, while trying to maintain a temperature of 350 degrees. That turns out to be a little under three hours.

I lit a full charcoal chimney with charcoal and after it was ready, I piled it evenly on one side of the grill. I then put the roast on the spit, inserted into the rotisserie motor and got it turning. Put the lid on and walked away!

2 hours and 45 minutes later, the internal temp of the pork was 160 degrees and it was done. I then remove the roast from the spit, wrapped it tightly in aluminum foil and let it rest for about thirty minutes before carving.

The end result was a very moist and delicious roast.

Enjoy!

Barbeque sauce recipe

2008-11-16T10:50:00.000-08:00

This is a great BBQ sauce recipe. This can be used as is, or as a base for your own ideas. I'll add a little pineapple juice for an Hawaiian twist, or maybe a little rum or Jack Daniels as it simmers. The options are limitless...

BBQ Sauce Recipe

In a large sauce pan, add the following:

1 tbs butter

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Fresh lemon juice from two medium sized lemons

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1-1 1/2 cups water

1 small white onion (diced finely)

2 cups sugar

1 tbs yellow mustard

1 tbs crushed red pepper flakes (adjust more or less to personal taste)

1 tsp black pepper

2 tbs McCormick’s BBQ Seasoning

3 tsp celery seed

Bring the above ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the following:

One 24oz bottle of catchup.

2 tbs liquid smoke

1 tbs Worcestershire sauce

Simmer for another 40-50 minutes, stirring frequently. Allow to cool.

World's Best Cornbread Recipe

2008-11-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

This is, without a doubt, the BEST cornbread recipe in the world. It is easy to make, sweet, savory and very moist. Your guests will absolutely love this. It will impress all who try this... Please let me know what you think.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 can creamed corn

1 - 4 oz can chopped green chiles

1/2 cup Jack cheese, grated

1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow corn meal

4 tsp baking powder

Instructions: Cream butter and add sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add corn and chopped green chiles. Add cheese and salt. Mix (or sift) together flour, corn meal and baking powder; add to mixture. Pour into greased 8x12x2 glass dish. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for one hour.

West Coast BBQ...Great BBQ in La Mesa, CA (San Diego County)

2008-11-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

Tonight my family and I tried out a little BBQ joint called, West Coast BBQ. I'm a real BBQ snob, so at first I was a little reluctant to go. Although there are a few REAL BBQ restaurants in San Diego, most places idea of a good rib is when the meat falls off of the bone. I hate that!

Ok, here's my review... The restaurant is located in a small strip mall located at 6126 Lake Murray Blvd. in La Mesa. As soon as I got out of the car I knew I was in for a treat. The air was filled with the aroma of smoked meat. I love that smell!!! The place was packed, which was another good sign.

The menu was just basic BBQ. Pork spare ribs, baby back, beef ribs, pulled pork and sliced beef (brisket). The meat is slow smoked with a southern style rub and then served wet, with their homemade sauce. The sauce was sweet with a little heat at the back of the throat. Pretty good stuff.

I ordered the "Rib Lovers Plate." The meat was cooked to perfection. Nice smoke ring, tender, moist and came off the bone with a slight "tug". The plate consisted of three large beef ribs, three nice sized spare ribs and six baby back ribs. It also came with two side dishes. I picked the BBQ beans (which were great) and the fries. My wife had the beef rib plate with beans and cole slaw. She loved her meal and really liked the slaw. My plate was $18.00 and my wife's was $14.00.

All in all I really liked the experience. My only suggestion would be PUT A ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS ON THE TABLE!!!!

I Do plan on returning to this great rib joint! Next time it will be pulled pork.

A Barbeque Blog is Born!!!

2008-11-11T15:18:00.001-08:00

Jeeze! Ok, I'm new to this blog stuff... I started to write my first blog and before I knew it, I posted it before it was even complete.

Anyway, I'm writing this blog out of a love for barbeque. And I mean REAL BARBEQUE, not a rack of ribs slathered with some sauce and thrown on a red-hot grill. I want a rack of ribs trimmed, rubbed with spices then smoked for a few hours over real wood. Or a pork shoulder treated with a rub and smoked for twelve hours over apple wood. That's what I'm talking about!

I'm starting this blog as a place for others to share their love for BBQ. So, whenever I try something new on the Q I'm posting it here. Feel free to share tips and recipes here as well.

Take care!

Greg