Superbowl Sunday…Look for the GreatQ4U! Superbowl Commercial!!!

Yep…you can look for it, but you won’t be seeing it!  Not yet anyway…we need to dig up a few thousand more customers before we’re ready for that level of entertainment!  Besides that, we don’t need no stinking Superbowl Commercial…we’ve got our customers!  I am as always most appreciative for the word-of-mouth (and tastebud) advertising that has kept our schedules so busy for the past 5 years and we look forward to several more years of that! 

Thought I should pop in for a quick Blog update as about 50 dozen wings finish their time on the smoker and prepare for their journey to all those hungry bellies!  Topic: Smoked Hot Wings…of course!  Among all of the things that can be smoked, they are about the easiest to prepare, take a relatively short time to cook and taste pretty darned good.  In fact, a recipe isn’t even really necessary, just follow a few simple guides:  Always cook Chicken to an internal temp of at least 165 degrees;  We cook our wings ‘whole’, but they can also be prepared traditionally without the ‘wing’ part of the wing; Sauce it up any way that you like, the most traditional ‘Hot Wing’ recipes involve melting some butter in a bowl, adding some ‘Franks Red Hot’ (or your favorite hot sauce, we like ‘Scorned Woman’) and then tossing the wings in it just after they come off the smoker.

I would point out that ‘Low & Slow’ doesn’t lend itself to crispy wings so much, so you might want to fire up the heat for the last 15 minutes or so to add some crisp to your liking!  That’s all there is to it…just add some celery, Blue Cheese and Friends & you’re ready for the big game!  Hope that you all enjoy it and that your favorite team wins!  (Mine…that would be the Saints!  I believe that the Colts belong in Baltimore and haven’t gotten over that yet and as a guy who really LOVES New Orleans…it’s an easy pick!)  No offense to Indianapolis, I like the Slippery Noodle too!  Enjoy! – jak

Who needs a Superbowl to Party?

Anyone need some snow?

SO, as much as I’d like to post a photo here of me smoking a 6 pound, blade-in Butt here…I have yet to find the smokers!  I believe that the final tally is around 26″ which necessitated snowblowing the YARD in order for all the hounds to get around!  It would be nice to have something smoked on the plate for dinner, but alas…we’ll have to save that for the next Blizzard!  With that said, I’ll keep my post short and sweet…remember the BBQ WAY…check on your neighbors and make sure that they are OK…shovel out those who need some help and always remember how lucky we are to be here!  Signing off for now! – jak

BBQ Pitmasters!

OK, so I have to admit that I have only watched a few of the BBQ Pitmaster shows on TLC (http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/bbq-pitmasters/) but the episodes that I did catch were entertaining.  I think I mused about one episode in an earlier post, but nevermind that.  My rationale for using it as the title for this post (other than driving up Blog visits!) was to reference last night’s installment which consisted of several teams, most of whom were featured in the show, having a private competition amongst themselves.

I thought this was something that really captured the essence of BBQ Competition and more importantly, it represented a type of competition that is incredibly accessible!  My point being that if you are a back yard ‘Smoker’ (of the BBQ variety) and you want to compete…getting to and competing in a Kansas City BBQ Society or MBN or even a regional BBQ competition can be quite an effort.  There’s figuring out how to get everything there and what all you’ll need to prepare your specialties, familiarizing yourself with all the rules to insure that you don’t get eliminated right off the bat, learning to cook outside of your ‘comfort zone’ and finally the expense of it all.  For us, the cost to compete in just one event can run easily into the thousands of dollars!

Using last night’s episode of BBQ Pitmasters as an example, a group of like minded neighbors or friends in close proximity to one another could quite easily put together their own showdown and do so with minimal effort and expense.  At minimum, it would be a great way to spend some time with your friends and fellow BBQ lovers and perhaps you’d even pick up a trick or two in the process!  Heck, there have been legions of ‘Iron Chef’ imitators arise from that popular series…this is a similar deal! 

NOW, I’m not sayin’ that you shouldn’t aspire to do a bigger BBQ Competition…in fact I have opined many times here on the Blog about the need to support your Regional and National BBQ Associations (KCBS, NBBQA, et. al.)  There is TONS of information and experience to be gained from these competitions and I would highly recommend you try one if you want to!  I just think that what makes BBQ so Great in the first place is having the time to slow down a bit, spending it with good friends and family and enjoying the final product with smiles on your faces!  If drumming up a local competition would help this happen…I’m all for it!   Hey, did I mention that GreatQ4U! teaches Competition BBQ??? (shameless plug!)  Visit us at: http://www.greatq4u.com/Personal_Chef.html for more info!

Until next time…keep the smokers burning and the snow at bay!!! – jak

Smokin’…it’s not just for your MEAT anymore!!!

So, if you are a BBQ enthusiast or competitor this may not be news to you, but for those thinking about purchasing a smoker for your home don’t let the thought that you’ll only use it ‘every once in a while’ hold you back!  I know, I know…there are other considerations like price and convenience (which is kind of the ‘anti-bbq’ to begin with!), but these issues can be addressed in a number of ways.  Again, a nice thing about pellets is…plug it in, set your temp and in 15 minutes, you’re smokin!  Although Charcoal and Wood options can be pretty easy too…just find your local or closest BBQ supply folks…give ‘em a call first to make sure that they seem knowledgable and then head out to talk to them about what kind of Q-ing you want to do!

Now that we’ve covered that base, here’s the point of the post…I have had LOTS of folks say to me, ‘Jim, I got a smoker and only used it a couple times a year, otherwise it just sat there taking up space on my porch and was hard to move!!!’ – well, my consistent response is SHAME ON YOU!  Typically when I investigate the reasons for this dilemma, it always seems to come back to ‘I just don’t want to spend all that time smoking meat that often!’ or some variation of that theme.  WELL…you don’t have to!  Anything that can be cooked in your oven, can be cooked on a smoker…and with some practice can be even better!  Yep…fish, pizza, steaks and more are all quite good when prepared on a smoker.  We’ve done pineapple casserole, gumbo and even CHEESECAKE on our smokers, all with surprisingly good results.

If you make the right choice when buying a smoker and then commit to using it, there’s a whole world of tasty charcuterie out there awaiting you!  All you need is some knowledge and imagination and you’re cooking with smoke!  Try it, you’ll like it! – jak

Charcoal, Wood or other…BBQ’s about smoke, time and temperature!

We cook all of our “Q” over 100% hardwood pellets…no  filler, no glue, no nothing that even comes close to the pellets that some folks burn to keep their homes warm…not even close on the price!  Others insist that ‘in order to be real BBQ’ it’s got to be split wood burning or natural wood charcoal…  I’m not writing this post to change anyone’s mind about what they like to cook their “Q”over, nor do I wish to spend a lot more time explaining our choice of pellets…suffice it to say that it has to do with consistent smoke and temperature. (There’s a whole post already on the blog entitled “Why Pellets?” for that) 

I am writing to put the emphasis on temperature…along with smoke and time.  That, in my mind is the BBQ Triad!  Whether you choose to cook Brontosaurus burgers over whole trees or prime rib on a Big Green Egg slow burning charcoal, or perhaps you like the pellet method, the one commonality is that in order to make many of the cuts typically associated with BBQ taste great, you’ve got to cook at lower temperatures for a long time, during which period the meat breaks down, absorbs smoke and develops its texture!  Now there’s a whole new generation of ‘fast burners’ out there and I am aware that there are some legendary BBQ joints in the south that cook over higher heat, but for the average cooker…low & slow will give you the best results.

So, if you’re thinking about getting into making home-cooked “Q” and you’re wondering which smoker is right for you, start with the fuel and work up from there. 

 

Support your local BBQ guy!

I know that, at first, the above may seem a self serving title and it is…a little!  All of us at GreatQ4U! would LOVE to earn your business and your loyalty.  Unfortunately, as an off-site caterer who’s plans to open a walk-up location by March are on hold due to the economy (imagine THAT), you can only have GreatQ4U! in one of two ways; most commonly if you live in or around the Central PA area and you (or a smart friend) hires us to do an event OR if you are one of our FaceBook Friends (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/pages/GreatQ4U-BBQ-Catering-in-Central-Pennsylvania/30070237853?ref=ts) and you are able to attend one of the FBF only events that we’ll be doing this coming season!

Just ’cause you don’t live in or around Central PA doesn’t mean that you can’t support SOME BBQ Guy (or gal) out there!  Every  time I drive by a BBQ Restaurant, Shack or stand that’s open…I stop and eat, even if I’m not hungry!  I like to experience other takes on the ‘Q’ and more importantly, as a fan of Authentic BBQ…I like to support those who choose to follow this path and keep a long standing tradition alive!  My personal all time favorite is Arthur Bryant’s in Kansas City, #2 on my list is The ‘Q’ Shack in Durham, NC…if you ever get to either place, have some extra for me! 

Supporting these folks is more than helping out a fellow BBQ enthusiast…it’s a way to experience the influence that a particular region, pitmaster and YES even sauce (or not) has on BBQ.  It helps to make you a more ‘well rounded’ BBQ lover (in more ways than one) and it’s a great way to pick up tips on how you can make your own Great Q!  SO…next time you’re driving down the highway and you see the BBQ sign…stop in and tell them Jim sent you…after they get done thinking ‘Jim Who?’…I’m sure that they will welcome your business and maybe just light up those taste buds!!!

Some like it HOT! (BBQ Sauce that is!)

Maybe it’s ’cause I have sauce on my brain (almost literally) from brewing up a few cases yesterday, but I am writing this post to give a shout out to Picky Vicki! (www.pickyvicki.com)  Last year, my wife dragged me to some food show, or maybe I dragged her, either way we ALWAYS stop and buy BBQ sauce when someone’s selling.  LUCKY for me…there was Picky Vicki…well, not Vicki herself, but her BBQ Sauces and the XXX immediately caught my eyes!  As it turns out the three X’s were followed by “Hot Stuff”…what guy wouldn’t be paying attention by now? 

Now, we make our own sauces and I am a BIG fan of Hoover the Hound’s Southern Fusion, but none of our commercially available ’small batch’ sauces really tips the Scoville scales to far toward the XXX side.  Further, I am not a big fan of any sauce that’s hot simply for the sake of being HOT…I like to be able to taste it too!  Well…Picky Vicki’s XXX Hot Stuff fits this bill PERFECTLY!  It’s got that easily discernable, back of the throat heat that comes from Habenero’s and it is PACKED with flavor!  She’s got it dialed in with this sauce and while I have yet to try her others…I’m getting more of this stuff fo’ sure!  SO…if you are like me and can appreciate a truly HOT sauce that’s still got tons of flavor, you’ve got to give this one a try!  Only bummer…High Fructose Corn Syrup…a concession to the co-packer and commercial processing is my assumption, but it still doesn’t get in the way of the punch that the XXX will give you!

Speaking of co-packing and because our ‘off’ season is once again coming to a close without a resolution to our ‘Sauce Issue’ here at GreatQ4U!, we are looking to do a production run of the Southern Fusion.  If any readers have experience with co-packers out there and would like to share, I am all ears!  I’m pretty picky about ingredients and need to work with a company that has Integrity above all else!  You can e-mail me directly: Jim@GreatQ4U.com or respond here on the blog, I look forward to it!  Meanwhile, check out Picky Vicki! (Have I said that enough here?) www.pickyvicki.com

Hoover the Hound's Southern Fusion BBQ Sauce

And now for something completely different!

With much respect for Monty Python…I thought that after yesterday’s post (which veered a bit off topic, but was important nonetheless) I’d post a few more competition photos!

New Look for the Blog!

OK, so if you’ve been here before, things on the Blog may appear a bit different than they have in the past.  Most notably, there is now a ‘Social Vibe’ badge on the right hand side there with my chosen cause; “Donate Life America”.  This is a way to get involved for any cause of your choice for FREE and with minimal investment of your time by simply answering a few questions periodically.  I have been a member of the Social Vibe community for quite a while now and have not received any SPAM or solicitation e-mails from them or anyone affiliated with them and as you can see, my contributions have helped to educate quite a few folks about Organ and Tissue Donation.

Now a word or two about my cause…Donate Life America.  Prior to my current occupation of Pitmaster, I spent over 20 years volunteering and then working as a firefighter, EMT and career Paramedic.  Following that I spent a difficult six years in the ‘real world’ of Corporate America.  (you know, suits, ties, business meetings, plane flights, rental cars….blah, blah, blah)  When that came to an end in order to allow my wife to pursue her dream of becoming a Nurse Practitioner, I wound up spending a few months feeling sorry for myself until a good friend steered my resume toward the Gift of Life Donor Program in Philadelphia.  To make an incredibly long story short, I spent three years at GOL working as a Transplant Coordinator.

As a Paramedic and Emergency Medical hotshot, I thought I knew a thing or two about Organ Donation…turns out that I didn’t know very much at all.  My three years in Transplant medicine truly opened my eyes to a world that few, if any ever get the chance to see.  I had the great fortune to help hundreds of families through the most difficult hours of their lives, not all of whom chose donation.  I had a chance to see first hand how many people would not have been given the opportunity to make a truly ‘informed decision’ about Organ and Tissue Donation during these incredibly difficult hours and on many occasions, I was priveleged enough to give them the information that they needed to change not only their lives, but those of so many others.

Donation is a touchy topic for a LOT of folks, most of whom simply don’t know enough about the process and how it can help not only the recipients, but those who are left behind.  It’s not for everybody and only a select few ‘patients’ will ever be able to be donors, but it is definitely something most people should know more about.  There are people out there working long hours, hopping in ambulances, helicopters and planes and moving constantly to make this process happen several times a day, every day and the list of people who are waiting still grows.  Over 100,000 people in the US are on the waiting list, 19 or more will die every day as they wait.  You and your family may some day have a chance to save several of those lives…the time to educate yourself and your family is now…before that decision needs to happen, because it never gets made during the ‘good’ times!

SO….you can join SocialVibe and support education for Donate Life America with a few simple acts that take less time than Farmville…or you can choose a different charity that you like.  Take a moment and check it out….we should all do whatever we can to help others, after all it is the BBQ way!  Thanks for reading and making a difference!

How to stay competitive at KCBS BBQ Contests?!

I end the title of this post with both a question mark and an exclamation point because, this could be either a question or an instructive statement!  Although, for the purpose of this blog and because of its writers stubborn BBQ methodology, it will have to remain a question and we’ll simply explore the statement side of it.  I say this because, while finishing in a respective spot or two since beginning our active Competition Team…GreatQ4U! has yet to win top honors.  Now, as with everything there is a reason for this and because I am ME and not a politician, my take can appear to some to be unvarnished, uninformed or downright skeptical…but it IS my opinion and I’ll stick to it!

Here’s what I think has kept us from creeping higher up on the winner’s board: First of all, we simply don’t get a chance to compete as much as we’d like!  When this whole odyssey began, the plan was to compete…then the Catering orders began to roll in.  We found ourselves in the fortunate position of providing authentic, wood-smoked, Carolina Style BBQ to lots of our friends and neighbors with similar tastes here in Central PA.  Now, I am not complaining at all about this, just pointing it out…in fact it’s always GREAT to meet folks who like the “Q” the way we prepare it.  This leads me to my next observation which is; ‘the way we prepare it!’, starting with our sauce, Hoover the Hound’s Southern Fusion Sauce!  You see, I know that Vinegar sauces typically don’t win competitions…o’h they have their fans and occasionally you’ll be lucky enough to have a few of them at the judges table when competing, but by and large…they just don’t win.  SO…I embarked on a 5 year ‘adventure’ in sauce creation trying to fuse a traditional ‘Carolina Red’ sauce with the thicker ‘Kansas City’ sauces that tend to have a fair amount of sweet to ‘em and Hoover’s sauce emerged as the winning combination!  It’s still a bit ‘vinegary’ and it’s got a small bite to it, but we like it and so do our clients!  Finally, and I have made a few concessions here…we cook for competition the same way that we cook for folks who pay good money for our products!  Our first year competing, this meant that despite knowing that everyone on the circuit was cooking Chicken Thighs…I cooked whole Chicken, ’cause that’s how we do it!  O’h, I was warned by fellow competitors that no matter how pretty I made it in the turn-in box, I would take a hit for cooking whole chicken…they were right…dead last!  (Damn good chicken, though!)

Not to cast any dispersion on the folks who compete on a regular basis and have it ‘dialed in’ so that they see hardware consistently…I am truly impressed with their talent and devotion to that kinda’ “Q”!  We, on the other hand, know that our home along South Mountain sits a few clicks north of the Mason Dixon line, but our “Q” is inspired almost entirely by the true champions (in my book) of all those shacks in North Carolina who are cranking it out on a daily basis for their legions of followers!  We choose similar meats, prepare them in similar ways and smoke it ‘low & slow’ over mostly Hickory wood.  I don’t use any injections, just the time and temperature of the smoker, flavor of well chosen, appropriately fat capped meats and application of just the right amount of our rubs and sauces!  See, I am and always have been of the opinion that BBQ comes from the meat and smoke…not the sauce! (which should simply enhance it!)

Now, I know that not everyone agrees with me about these things and as we gear up for a busier competition season than usual, I’d love to hear your thoughts, critiques and suggestions.  Just send ‘em on in and join the crowd, you are more than welcome here!  So until next time…keep smokin’! – jak

Thanks John Prine!