BBQ Talk With Jim!

OK, so I didn’t have a ‘Snappy Lead’ to start off this Blog post and to be honest, I don’t have a clear ‘subject body’ in mind either.  BUT…then again, I’m a Pitmaster and NOT a Journalist!   So…bear with me and hopefully you’ll find some useful info in the following paragraphs!

First of all and as usual, THANKS for taking a few moments out of your day to read my musings!  This Blog is great because it gives me the freedom to ramble on about all kinds of BBQ stuff that may be of value to the ‘Company’, but more importantly…it lets me ‘open up’ a bit and expound on things that just can’t be put on the website or fit into 140 characters.  Today, it’s a mashup of business and ‘general’ BBQ stuff!

I am HAPPY to report that I am NOT a politician and I don’t think that I can be blamed for the Dysfunction in DC…BUT I can do something about it!  To that end, we have departed from our typical ‘one sale per year’ rule and for the last nearly two weeks, we’ve been running our (hopefully) ONE and ONLY “Sequestration Sale”!  Which means that if you’ve got an event planned for 2013 and are looking to add some ‘Real Deal’, Wood-Smoked BBQ Catering from a company that knows how to make your event REALLY TASTY and even more special…you’ve got TWO MORE DAYS to save 5% off the total tab!  SO…E-Mail me (Jim@GreatQ4U.com), visit our Online Booking Interest page (http://www.greatq4u.com/Event_Booking_Interest.html) or give us a call at 717-254-1937 to lock in your savings SOON!

Always good to start off with savings, huh?  Well…speaking about savings here goes my next topic!  You Get What You Pay For!  I know that I have typed those words on more than one occasion here, but they are especially relevant this year!  With the Economy still recovering and the impact of all this ‘political gridlock’…we are, like every other business, feeling the pinch!  In the past 18 months we have seen increases in the costs of EVERYTHING from our Meats and Produce to Office Supplies and YES the crazy cost of diesel to feed the trucks!  We are also keenly aware that our customers are feeling the pinch too!  There are a LOT of ways to address the need to make a profit in order to stay in business and one way that we simply WON’T do this is to change the QUALITY of our meals by using cheaper product or buying in bulk and freezing stuff…it’s just not how we roll! )

We ARE making a few changes to address the current economic conditions and our need to put food on our OWN table as well and here’s a preview of a few of them:

• We have DECREASED our per person cost on ALL of our most popular menu options!  While we always suggest that you have us provide a (no obligation) written Estimate for your event, these lower prices are reflected in the Suggested Menu Options in our online brochure, which you can find here: http://www.greatq4u.com/uploads/GreatQ4U_Brochure_with_Menu_Prices_10-12.pdf
• We are working hard to develop menus and products that better serve the needs of ALL our customers or potential customers.  A few examples are our NEW ‘Chuckwagon Style’ Partys for smaller groups (http://www.greatq4u.com/Chuckwagon_Partys.php) and our VERY Affordable ‘BBQ Party Package’ Deals which save you money by providing a set menu that we deliver hot off the smokers straight to you…no shortcuts here, just GREAT BBQ! (http://www.greatq4u.com/BBQ_Party_Packages.html)
• Whole Hogs…if you’ve EVER contacted us in the past regarding our North Carolina style Pig Pickin’s…you know that because of our cooking process and equipment…it costs a heck of a LOT more for us to bring the Big Smoker to you and cook a hog ‘Low & Slow’ over wood smoke.  SO…unless you REALLY want an Authentic ‘Pig Pickin’ experience, we usually refer to other folks who cook faster and at higher heat over Charcoal.  NOT anymore!  We are in the process of adding the equipment we need to cook hogs more cost effectively and maintain the same quality that you’ve come to expect from us…SO bring it on!  If you want a Rotisserie roasted hog with a great tasting ‘Wood Smoked’ flavor…we’ve got you covered and are HAPPY to provide a written Estimate for whatever type of service that you’d like!
• GreatQ4U! ‘Regulars’ know that we have always had a strong commitment to preparing everything we serve by hand, ’to order’ for your events!  No ‘batch cooking’ and then splitting it up around here!  We are strongly committed to sourcing products locally and supporting local farms and businesses and that commitment continues, BUT…there are a LOT of folks out there making GREAT products that we don’t currently offer…and we’re planning on ADDING their stuff to our menus!  Just TWO examples of this are the fine folks at S. Wallace Edwards in Surry, Virginia and Meyer’s Elgin Sausage Company in Elgin, TX!  Edwards can trace their heritage all the way back to the original Jamestown settlement and they KNOW how to cure and smoke the HOG!  Meyer’s claims to have the BEST WURST in Texas and we simply agree!  Look for those and more additions to our menus to add more variety and value for our customers!

OK, that’s about enough typing for one morning!  I guess the ‘Take Away’ from all this rambling is that we are here for YOU!  We know that times are tough and we’re taking steps to deal with it!  We WILL NOT EVER sacrifice our quality or process to make more money!  SO…if you’re having an event this year and you’re looking for an Experienced Caterer with nearly 10 years of experience to deliver ‘Real Deal’, Wood-Smoked BBQ to you…we’re a pretty good choice!  Check us out and don’t hesitate to call if we can help in any way! 717-254-1937 or online at www.GreatQ4U.com

Clocks Move Forward and So Do We!

Good Monday morning to all our readers!  (….or whatever day/time you happen to be reading this for that matter)  We hope that you are well rested despite the fact that for those of us who live in states that DO the ‘Daylight Saving’ time thing, we all got less sleep over the weekend.  Although, we like to think of it as a sort of ‘Fast Forward’ toward Spring! Yep, ‘glass half full’ and we are ONE HOUR closer to Spring…Damn the Groundhog!

Along with the warmer days and extended light during our evenings, we are gearing up for an exciting ‘BBQ Season’ around here and we’ve got a LOT going on!  We have LISTENED to our customers and made several changes as a direct result of your requests!  Perhaps on of the best examples of this are the NEW and varied offerings that we have created in our Day long ‘BBQ Classes’ which are filling up fast!

We continually get calls about “Q-U” (our ‘BBQ University’) which until now was centered entirely on our customers and a bit cost prohibitive because it entailed taking our Big Smoker ‘offline’, bringing it to your location and cooking up a storm!  NOW…we have scheduled a few different options; First Up is our ‘BBQ Master Class Series’ which is designed to be taken individually or all together in order to go from BBQ Novice to BBQ Expert and even BBQ Business owner!  Our First Class, ‘BBQ Basics’ is scheduled for April 21st in Marysville, PA and we should be setting dates for the remaining classes this week! (Advanced BBQ, Whole Hog and Starting a BBQ Business) This series is limited to 25 students per class at $150 per person or $500 for all four.  Course fee includes everything you’ll need for the class, a tasty meal following class and all course materials.   ***These are NOT ‘Competition BBQ’ Classes – Our emphasis is on helping the BBQ Enthusiast to learn to cook at home or as a Business venture.  We’re happy to refer you to plenty of Competition courses in the Mid-Atlantic region if that is what you are looking for!***

In addition to the “BBQ Master Class” series of programs, we are adding other courses that we think will be both informative and FUN!  The first class in this series will be ‘BBQ Appetizers and Paddling’!  Again taught in Marysville, PA along the shore of the beautiful Susquehanna River, we have teamed up with Blue Mountain Outfitters (Central PA’s Premiere Paddlesports Outfitter) to spend a morning learning how to cook some innovative and tasty BBQ Appetizers and then spend the afternoon enjoying the tasty treats while checking out the latest Paddling Gear and Boats available.  At $100 per person (30 person limit) this class will fill up fast and is scheduled for June 2nd.

We’ll be adding even more classes to the schedule in the weeks to come, including one featuring ‘Cooking with Iron’ focused on the versatile and useful Dutch Oven, another on ‘Cajun Cookin’ such as Gumbo and Crawfish Boils!  We will even be conducting a class on Roasting Vegetables….specifically fresh peppers from Hatch, New Mexico while they are ‘in season’ and fresh from the fields!  If you’ve got a suggestion for a course topic, let us know and we just might add it onto our schedule: Info@GreatQ4U.com – If you’d like more info or if you would like to sign up for the classes, give us a call at 717-254-1937 or check our website for the latest updates and an online Info request form: http://www.greatq4u.com/BBQ_Classes.html

As if THAT wasn’t enough, we are working diligently to enhance our ability to do the ‘Whole Hog’ either at our location for delivery to yours or Onsite at your location.  We get LOTS of requests every year to do ’Hog Roasts’ as opposed to our ‘Pig Pickin’s’ which are a bit different.  Cooking hogs in our Smoker is a long and loving process that typically requires 24+ hours and is a bit costly because of the amount of wood pellets that we burn during that process.  It certainly is more costly than cooking over charcoal in a rental ’Pit’ or thin skined ’Hog Roaster’ and so we have sent folks looking for cost effective Whole Hog roasts to other purveyors in years past!  NOT THIS YEAR!  We have found a Roaster that will provide the kind of quality that folks are used to from us at a FAR MORE economical price point and hope to be online and Operating by June!  SO….if you’re looking for a Whole Hog for an upcoming picnic, give us a call at 717-254-1937 or drop us a Booking Interest form from our website: http://www.greatq4u.com/Event_Booking_Interest.html and we’ll be happy to prepare an Estimate based on your specific needs!

Well, that’s a LOT of information for a Monday morning, so we’ll let you get on with your week!  We hope that you make it a GREAT one and that you keep us in mind for ALL of your BBQ needs, whether it be learning to do it at home or having us bring the BEST ‘Real Deal’, Wood-Smoked BBQ and Sides straight off the smokers to you and your guests!  We’ve got you covered!

Spring Is In the Air @ GreatQ4U!

Yep!  Despite the fact that the Groundhog’s prediction would appear to be a bit jaundiced based on the number of BLIZZARDS that folks in the West and NorthEast have had to suffer through in the past several weeks…we are READY for Spring to arrive!  We’ve got LOT’s going on and are hoping that (despite a lousy economy) we can help make 2013 the BEST year YET for BBQ!

Where to start? Well…the GreatQ4U! website’s a good place…we are making ALL KINDS of changes there with the intent being not only providing information about our BBQ Catering, Consulting, Class and Event Planning capabilities…but making it  a GREAT resource for information about all things BBQ!  We recently added a PDF Brochure that can be downloaded to provide you with some ‘Suggested Menus’ and our NEW LOWER PRICES!  We also have created and added our new BBQ Party Packages for folks to have a simple way to get GREAT prices for feeding parties from 50-100 folks.  These packages incorporate our most popular Menu requests into a ‘No Muss, No Fuss’ Delivery and Drop Off option which can include our ‘Buffet to Go’ package if you want an even easier entertaining option!  We are increasing the amount of information available on the site through our Social Media outlets and the Blog as well and we’ve added a site map to make finding everything easy & a Guest Book for you to drop us a line and let you know what you think and where you’re from!

While we remain committed to sourcing the vast majority of our BBQ products locally and putting as few miles as possible between you and your food, we are also working closely with some other providers of quality products that we think represent the best of the best!  You’ll notice information in the coming weeks about our product offerings from S. Wallace Edwards of Surry, Virginia!  They have been curing and smoking hams and pork products since the ORIGINAL Jamestown settlement in the 1600′s…so you can bet that their commitment to quality is second to none!  Our ‘Chuckwagon Party’ menus are coming together and will soon be on the site OR if you’re interested in having a ‘Western Style Cookout’, just shoot me an e-mail or give us a call and we can work with you to create a menu just for you! (Jim@GreatQ4U.com or 717-254-1937)  We figure that when you’ve got access to the ‘best of the best’….you should pass that along to your customers and you’ll see more and more of it this year!

As always, we welcome input and suggestions from our Online friends and customers and encourage you to let us know how we can help make your next party or event a success.  Look for info on Corporate Lunch Packages and more Reviews of BBQ Products and Stuff on the website in weeks to come and if you are planning an Event for the Spring or Summer this year…BOOK SOON!!!  Our calendars and Smokers are filling up fast!  Thanks for reading along…I hope that you have a GREAT week!

We are hoping to make our presence known on the Competition Circuit this Year Too!

BBQ Here….BBQ There…BBQ Damn Near EVERYWHERE!!!

Isn’t that the GREATEST news EVER???  Indeed, the world of REAL BBQ (slow cooked, smoked meats) has never enjoyed the popularity that it is today!  Television, BBQ Associations, Chef’s and the Media have truly embraced our Art form and for that I am MOST grateful!  The more the merrier is what I say…which of course does NOT mean that they will ALL be good, but trying them out is a BLAST!

Yep, no matter what part of the BBQ world you are interested in, these days you will find TONS of folks making, participating in or just generally enjoying it!  There are TONS of Competitions across the country with LOTS of incredible folks competing and cranking out award winning product!  If you are a fan of sauces and spices…I cannot RECALL a time in my life where you could find so many!  Equipment manufacturers are making some INCREDIBLE smokers of all kinds!

Whew…makes me want to go fire up the smoker just thinking about it all!  SO…the point of my post on this soggy Friday in the Northeast is that if you like BBQ….get out there and try as many different products as possible!  If you like the cooking part…do a competition!  You don’t have to start against the pros, most competitions have some form of ‘Backyard Chef’ competition too!  Where can you find a competition? Right Here: www.kcbs.us There’s NEVER been a better time to experience great meats, spiced right and cooked Low & Slow over smoke!  Support the BBQ Community and become a part of it!

Have a GREAT weekend…catch you soon!

TRY This Stuff!!!

 

New to the world of BBQ???

WELCOME!  you’ll find that this is a BIG house with LOTS of room and many folks already living here!  We all share a common passion, but without question we’ve got STRONG opinions!  Nuthin’ wrong with that, just can be a tad intimidating for those who are just stepping in!  No worries, you’ll find that despite our personal preferences and propensity to keep secrets, we ARE a very welcoming bunch!

No matter your interests, you should start the same way!  Whether you want to be one of the new BBQ Pitmasters, a successful business person, a national or regional competitor or just someone who LOVES real BBQ and can cook it yourself…there are PLENTY of resources out there for you!

If you have one, a great place to start is your local ‘BBQ Organization’.  Here in PA we are fortunate to be in the Mid-Atlantic BBQ Association and it is FILLED with people who are more than willing to share a wealth of knowledge with you!  Then choose a path and support your passion!  The support part is important not just locally, but nationally to keep the BBQ fires burning for years to come!  We are PROUD members of both the MABBQA (www.mabbqa.com) and the Kansas City BBQ Society (www.kcbs.us) and would be remiss if we didn’t mention the National BBQ Association (www.nbbqa.org) as well.  There are more…but it’s a short post…so ‘Google it’!

Onto your ‘Gear’…do your homework online…talk to other ‘BBQ People’…find good distributors and get as much info as you can!  THEN…think about YOUR situation and what will work best for what you want to do!  In reality…once you’re good at BBQ…you’ll be able to produce premium product on just about ANYTHING!  Beware…everyone thinks that their smoker is the BEST…and it IS…for THEM!!! You need to choose a smoker that will fit you and your needs so as not to make the learning curve too steep!

Then…it’s off to the races for you!  Start exploring the resources available through the organizations that you’ve joined!  Arm yourself with information and recipes and have at it!  Here’s a metaphor for you….I ride Mountain Bikes (or at least I used to) and HATE going up hills! (really…who doesn’t?)  A good friend, former pro bike mechanic and bike shop owner once told me…”The only way to get good at riding hills is to ride LOTS of hills!!!”  Same for BBQ…trial and more trial…there WILL be errors, but it’s always amazing to me how invisible they are to the folks eating the end results of your efforts!

If we can ever help in any way, I am always happy to talk “Q” with folks!  We also offer a comprehensive array of ‘BBQ Consulting’ services in the event that you want to get more serious!  We can help you start a business, get online, optimize Search Engine results so you come up on Page 1…etc!  Just let us know how we can help you and ENJOY your journey!!! – info@GreatQ4U.com – 717-254-1937

Why I Am Excited About ‘Chuckwagon Style’ Catering!

…and NO…it doesn’t involve a dance that looks vaguely like riding a horse!  It’s all about addressing a need that our traditional ‘Low & Slow’ Smoked BBQ typically isn’t the most cost-effective for and in doing so to do it with style!

It’s not ALL business though, there is some merit and forethought to the decision that is clearly in keeping with our philosophy of ‘All American’ cuisine done right and with great respect for tradition!  Our ‘Chuckwagon’ cooking will consist mainly of traditional ‘Old West’ specialties cooked in Dutch Ovens and Cast Iron over wood and charcoal and the menus will feature the highest quality meats available!

A notable exception to the ‘All American’ rule will be the availability of our Brazilian Style Churrasco BBQ meals.  Done in a traditional ‘Churrascaria Style’ with ingredients that at least nod to the celebrated culture of the Brazilian Gaucho!  These meals will feature traditional Brazilian Style meats and spices prepared and cooked over wood and charcoal on a Rotisserie for results that are truly AMAZING!!!  Add in the fresh Chimichurri and you’ve got a recipe for life long memories!

We’ll remain focused on sourcing all of our ingredients locally and purchasing them Just In Time to prepare them by hand for your event!  We’ll pack it all up, bring it to your location, set up the campfires and get to cooking done the way you like.  We’ll set up a buffet line and serve your guests then clean up, tear down and haul it off!  Not just great food as fresh as can be, but an entire experience for you and your guests!

We’re looking forward to doing these Chuckwagon Style Parties for groups of 40 folks or less this Spring and Summer and will keep you posted with feedback from our customers and photos from the events!  Until then…..stay warm and THINK BBQ!!!

Neighbors…Keep Them in Your Thoughts…Help If You Can!

As with many of our fellow Americans, our thoughts this week are entirely focused on the pain and suffering along the Mid-Atlantic Coast in the wake of Hurricane Sandy’s widespread devastation.  We are also thinking about those in West Virginia and the Appalachian areas that were pounded with snow during this horrific storm.  We feel fortunate to have escaped the worst of it and are appreciative for the minimal amount of damage that we sustained.

During these difficult hours, it’s important for us all to come together and help our neighbors.  Whether they are down the street or across the country, people need help right now and the fact of the matter is that every little bit helps!  If you’re able to make a $10 donation to a charity that is helping those affected, that’s a worthy and wise investment…someday you could be on the receiving end of similar generosity.  If you can do more than that…it’s something that will be rewarded with appreciative smiles and a sense of community that is badly needed by the folks in the areas hardest hit.

This past Tuesday as the remaining rain and winds of Sandy blew through Central Pennsylvania, I returned to work as a Paramedic for the first time in nearly a decade and was reminded again how fortunate that I am to have the ability to serve others.  It is a calling for some, but an obligation for others in a ‘civil society’ and it is a feeling that no amount of money, complements or publicity can emulate!

If you’re wondering where you can go to find out how you can help, here’s a link: http://abcnews.go.com/US/hurricane-sandy-victims/story?id=17598687

Thanks for reading along and have a GREAT DAY!

Well, there went another weekend!

Here we are…standing at the corner of Monday Morning and Coffee Cup, looking out at what will be our week to come and hoping for the best!  There’s a LOT going on around the GreatQ4U! HQ these days despite our relatively early exit from the catering ops this year!

Hopefully, we’ll be able to share more specifics about this in the VERY near future, but I can tell you that we’re pretty excited to be preparing for a whole new presence and much closer connection to local producers of fresh produce and meats!  We’ve always had a strong commitment to sourcing locally and highlighting the regional variations in BBQ that make our country so ‘BBQ Diverse’ and we’re taking the next step to keep doing this VERY SOON! (tease….)

Along with our upcoming ‘plans’ we are busy re-working menus and adjusting prices to accommodate ever increasing costs.  We increased our portions this past season as a way to ‘absorb’ the modest price increases that we saw and we’re committed to hanging on the the portion sizes again next season.  We are also working on ways of further controlling costs without sacrificing quality…it’s a challenge, but we’re up for it!  No doubt, we will see SUBSTANTIAL increases in the cost of Beef and Pork next year for a variety of reasons…so if you’re planning an event….book soon!!! In fact, book by the end of October and you’ll not only lock in at this year’s prices, BUT…you’ll save 5% off the total cost of your event too!!! It’s our one and only sale of the year!

We are also busy practicing ‘Chuck Wagon’ recipes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and hope to have the Chuckwagon menu on the website soon!  (www.GreatQ4U.com) along with quite a few other changes and enhancements…so visit our website often!  We’re happy to have suggestions about what else we can include online to make your viewing time better…so if you have suggestions, feel free to make them!

So…that’s it for this morning’s update…need more coffee!  Big news coming SOON…stay tuned!  Now get out there and make it a GREAT week!

C’mon people now, smile on your brother…

…or sister, with complements to ‘The Youngbloods’ and a sense of ‘what happened to THAT sentiment???’ – I mean, the sixties weren’t TOO far back on the calendar, but with all that’s going on in the world today, that song seems a vague reflection of an idealistic vision.  One that is still perfectly achievable in my humble opinion.

I know it’s a tad ‘off topic’, but to lay the foundation for this Blog I should point out that ‘Pre-BBQ’ (and even ‘post-BBQ’) I spent some time helping people.  For nearly 20 years I worked as a ‘street paramedic’ and then spent another 3 working as a Procurement Transplant Coordinator (the guy who would show up when the time came to facilitate the wishes of Organ Donors).  It is an amazing thing to have the capacity and capability to help others in their hours of need and the satisfaction that you take away from making a small difference in the lives of others is something that cannot be described in words.  It was an honor and privilege and they are memories (happy and sad…very…very sad) that I will keep forever.  Delivered 12 babies, cut six throats to put airways in (not with a jack knife and pen, but same concept), performed skills in the back of an ambulance going 80mph on beat up old country roads…and held a LOT of hands, providing comfort to people from all backgrounds!

SO, this post isn’t necessarily about ME…it’s about YOU…and your ability to make a difference, no matter how small!  As a ‘BBQ Guy’, I have had the great fortune to be able to continue to give back.  Last year following the Tornadoes that literally cut a swath right through Alabama, I watched for about a week on TV until I couldn’t take it anymore.  I finally loaded up the ‘big smoker’, cleaned out my bank accounts and headed off to Morgan County, Alabama.  The Kansas City BBQ Society (www.kcbs.us) hooked me up with a fellow named Ronnie Harwell who lived in that area and had ‘connections’, he took 3 days off work and came out to help me cook until all the food was gone for the residents and rescuers at the Sheriff’s Command Center over Mother’s Day Weekend.  It was a amazing and humbling experience and they were INCREDIBLE people in every respect!

Less than a month later, Joplin, Missouri was hit with a now legendary Tornado and quite a few BBQ Teams and Caterers from the Kansas City area and around the country came together in a parking lot and did the same thing on an INCREDIBLE scale!  I got to be a VERY small part of it for a short time and cannot explain how amazing it was!  What eventually became Operation BBQ Relief (www.OperationBBQRelief.org) was born and over 120,000 free BBQ meals were prepared in that parking lot, providing food and brotherhood to folks that were badly in need.  Since that beginning, nearly 160,000 meals have been prepared and donated to people recovering from disasters all across the country by OBR and its members and there are many great things yet to come from this worthy organization!

The past year for me has been VERY challenging in MANY ways…physically, fiscally, emotionally and more.  It’s been difficult at times to think about just getting through the DAY let alone the year, but I’m a ‘BBQ Guy’ and we NEVER QUIT!  So, my ability to ‘give’ in traditional ways has not been as robust as it’s been in the past, but I continue to do so.  One of my favorite ‘new causes’ is Share Our Strength’s (SOS), No Kid Hungry campaign. (www.nokidhungry.org) It is hard to fathom, but 1 in 5 kids in America is struggling with hunger and there is a LOT that can be done about it!  Hard for me to believe that the BBQ community can’t be a BIG part of the solution!  In fact, I just read an article the other day about some BBQ Brothers and Sisters in Detroit working with a local charity to cook free meals for kids and I hope that it’s something I’ll be seeing more of!  It’s definitely something that I will be DOING more of and I hope that you’ll think about it too!

These days it’s hard to get through a news cycle without feeling like we are the most divided nation I can remember in my short time on this ball spinning around.  We seem to have become so polarized in many aspects of our lives and one could legitimately ask the question…’what happened to “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”?’ – Well, we’ve got the ability to do something about THAT collectively!  Get out in your community, find folks in need and do something to help!  No matter how bad your situation, there is probably someone worse and maybe all you’ve got to do is spend some time with them and hold their hand!  If you can do more, GREAT…if you can’t, that simple gesture is many times more than enough!  If you’d like to volunteer for or donate to either of the above charities, visit their websites and Take Action today…they could use your support!

Thanks for reading along, and BE GOOD!!!

Jim

Ribs on the Smoker for the Fine Folks of Morgan County, Alabama

Eating At ‘Famous’ BBQ Joints

OK, so this could potentially perceived as a ‘hot topic’ and it is CERTAINLY not my intention to disrespect any of my BBQ Brethren…we are all one big community and have got LOTS in common…BUT, I thought it would be a good subject for folks out there in the ‘Blogosphere’ to get in on.

I am NOT a food critic, nor do I write extensively about other people’s food, but I definitely know what I like and BBQ is in the ‘Top 2′!!! SO…when I am travelling I always make a point of stopping for BBQ when I see a place that looks good and has a pile of wood or sweet smelling smoke emanating from it!  This is particularly the case when I am travelling through the entire South!  While my preference is for Eastern North Carolinian “Que”, I am always open to new tastes and experiences and I have never been disappointed (badly) with other regional styles!

When choosing a BBQ ‘shack’ in the South…I typically look for a small ‘Mom & Pop’ location and have even come across some GREAT BBQ in Bars in a number of Southern locales.  SO…when I see a BBQ place owned by a ‘Famous’ BBQ Guy or Gal…I stop in every chance I get!  I’m not naming names, because again…my point is not to be overly critical, but to pose a question for discussion!

It’s been my experience that not only are the majority of ‘Big Name’ BBQ places really busy (busier since the advent of Food TV)…but with few exceptions, they have always tended to disappoint me!  Not because of their sauces or atmosphere, but because the “Que” tends to lack a distinct smokey flavor and frequently has a ‘lack of texture’ to put it kindly.

Now MY personal thought on this is that because of the extra demand due to the popularity of the location or the Pitmaster/Owner, there’s a LOT of ‘Cookin’ and ‘Holding’ going on and whenever WE have tried to ‘hold’ our “Que” in hot boxes, warming ovens or on a buffet line (say at a wedding, while being held up by the PHOTOGRAPHER…or something like that) it always tends to wind up the same…lacking smoke and texture!

This is the main reason that we do ‘Just in Time’ BBQ…timing and delivering EVERY customer’s orders so that it comes straight off the smoker, rests adequately and then it’s off to the event! – Anyone out there have similar experiences and/or suggestions???

Have a GREAT day!!!