BBQ Field Notes: 8-18-09

I practiced my rib recipe tonight, preparing for my next competition in September.  This year Team Grilladelic will be joining forces with my friend Harlan and his team Brazen Que.   Grilladelic will be responsible for chicken and ribs.  Brazen Que, brisket and butt.

SILVER LAKE SAND DUNES
APPLE & BBQ COOK-OFF FESTIVAL
Features a Sanctioned Kansas City BBQ Society Cook-Off

Here are my field notes from tonights practice:

• Warm and humid, light breeze.
• Coals lit at 2:23, ribs put on at 2:51
• Two racks of back ribs, bought at Meijers, 3. 49/lb.   Pretty nice slabs.
• Peeled membranes then coated with yellow mustard
• Dusted with  Rockford Rib, Butt and Bird Rub. Purchased at Hermans Boy.
• Weber Kettle with Lazzari lump and apple chips.  Charcoal purchased at Kingmas.
• Placed ribs in Weber rib rack
• Brown sugar massage followed by a tin-foil wrap at the 2-hour mark.
• Finished with Blues Hog Barbecue Sauce at the 3-hour mark.  Sauce purchased at Kingmas. First time.
• Back on the grill, wrapped in foil for 45 minutes then served

Results

• Ribs were incredibly tender.  Maybe too much for competition. Note:  cut back 15-20 minutes
• Nice smoke ring, but prefer pecan to apple.   Chunks to chips.
• Added the brown sugar a bit too early, had a little burn action on the bottom rack.  Note: add brown sugar at the 2:45 mark.
• Blues Hog Barbecue Sauce is incredible.  It could become my sauce of choice.
• I want a new rib rack.  Too tight, tough to pull ribs out without damaging the bark.
• Very close to championship caliber ribs.   Very close.  Try the same thing one more time using a St. Louis cut.  Then lock it in.

Silver Lake, here we come!

Sister Blog

Grilladelic has a new sister!  (please e-mail me for the address to send the cigars…prefer Cuban!)

The new blog is Craic on the Grand, and although it is not directly focused on cooking over the open fire, it is directly related to leading a good life!  Craic on the Grand is about everything in life that is worthy of discussing over a cup of good coffee (check out Rowsters or Herman’s Boy) or a cold beer (tell Dave at Founder’s we sent you).

One other announcement…this is Grilladelic’s 99th post. Good ole 99. Again, e-mail me for the address to send the stogies.

Secrets of the Brisket King Revealed!

Al Capone’s vault, King Tut’s tomb, and the unraveling of DNA’s genetic code take a back seat to the secret of a perfect barbecued beef brisket.

How do you make a shoe-leather tough piece of beef fork tender? How do you manage the smoke and heat of an open fire for the amount of time it takes to accomplish this amazing feat?

Mark this date: Brisket and Pork Butt Clinic, Thursday, July 17, 6:00 pm, Herman’s Boy, Rockford, MI. $25.00/person. Part humanitarian and part selfishness, as I prepare for the State of Michigan BBQ Championship, I will share with those in the class, the secrets of my award winning beef brisket. Also discussed will be how to barbecue pork shoulder. The grill of choice will be the Big Green Egg, however all techniques will be  applicable to any grill. This is an event not to be missed by those who seek the state of mind best described as “grilladelic”.