luv em...

fb friend Corinne's Blog... www.corinnetrang.com

Summer BBQ and Grilling 2010: Part 5 — Firing “Smokey” for Some Succulent Asian Pulled Pork Sandwich!

I finally did it. On Sunday July 4th, after a few weekends of barbecuing on my Weber Performer (the last time, smoking a chicken), I got up the courage to use their massive 22-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker. I must admit to have been a little overwhelmed by its appearance. Intimidating, it looks like no other BBQ equipment I’ve ever used before. The encouraging thing is that I’m in good hands when it comes to barbecuing, my pitmaster friends never being too far behind and always ready to offer some good tips at a moment’s notice.

Taking the bull by the horns, I decide to tackle the task at hand on my own at first. Following the instructions in the manual, I study Smokey from the bottom up, building the fire in the pit, filling the water pan with equal parts water and 100% fruit juice, and placing the spice-rubbed pork butts (top part of the shoulder), fat side down on the grates directly above. There is nothing more simple, quite frankly. It’s maintaining the temperature at 250°F for 12 hours for each of the 9-pound butts that can be tricky.


An attractive, well-constructed cooker, the Smokey looks like something between a barrel and a bullet, standing vertically with 3 vents equidistant from each other at the bottom, and one on the lid at the top directly opposite the thermometer. Aside from refueling halfway through the low-and-slow cooking process, the vents are key in controlling the temperature at a steady 250°F. The more open the vents are, the more air feeds the fire. The more closed they are, the less air gets in, choking the fire and lowering the temperature. I’m amazed at how this relatively inexpensive cooker performs. The heat is steady, and I barely have to adjust the temperature using the vents; may be a half a dozen times throughout the duration of this 12 or so hour exercise.

For someone like me who is extremely tactile and curious, keeping the lid closed throughout the cooking is definitely challenging. I want to see what’s happening, but any pitmaster will tell you “if you’re looking, you’re not cooking!” That makes sense, because if I wanted to check out the butts, as often as I do, the meat would be raw after 12 hours of cooking, from opening the lid too often. I’m not used to not looking, but this time, I decide to be patient, which definitely pays off in absolutely delicious pork butts, buttery in consistency with meat falling off the bones effortlessly. Registering at 195°F internally, I pull the meat, chop it, and stack it on a bun, topped with my hoisin-based BBQ sauce and Asian coleslaw, for my version of the classic American pulled pork sandwich.


CT’S ASIAN FIVE-SPICE DRY RUB
(enough for two 9 to 10 pound pork butts)

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon Chinese five-spice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
CT’s secret spice(s); every pitmaster has at least one!

Mix together well and sprinkle generously all over the pork butt or shoulder.

CT’s ASIAN BBQ SAUCE
(makes 2 cups; enough to moisten 24 pulled pork sandwiches)

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin (sweet sake)
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons sriracha (smooth chili sauce)
1 ounce ginger, freshly grated
1 large garlic clove, freshly grated
1 scallion, minced
CT’s secret ingredient!

Whisk together well and drizzle over pulled pork sandwich

CT’s ASIAN COLESLAW
(makes a lot, enough for a small crowd!)

1/4 cup shiro-miso (white miso)
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce
2 pounds shredded green cabbage
One 12-ounce bag shredded broccoli and carrot mix
1 small to medium onion, minced
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
CT’s secret ingredient

In a large bowl, stir together the miso, vinegar, mirin, chili-garlic sauce, oil, and honey. Add the cabbage, broccoli and carrots, onion, bell pepper, and toss well. Let macerate for 2 hours, tossing occasionally to redistribute the ingredients and dressing.

I can tell you that the recipes above are delicious even with a few ingredients missing. This wasn’t my idea, but I was told it is necessary and just the way it is in the BBQ world. You just never know when I might compete, and I wouldn’t want to come up against you with my recipes.

Beverage of choice…a cold beer!

Enjoy, as always!
CT

and she's HOT! sr

fb friend donnie chadd...

ribs are good...
and as you can see, he knows how to run a smoker very well. sr

Governor’s Mansion Summer Peach Tea Punch

You’ll find more recipes online at texasmonthly.com. You can also share recipes and food questions with other TEXAS MONTHLY readers at the Recipe Swap.

Recipes From Sarah Bishop found in Texas Monthly article "The Cook, the Chief, His Wife, And Their Dinner"

6 cups water
3 family-size (1 ounce) tea bags
2 cups fresh mint, loosely packed
1 small can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate
1 bottle (32 ounces) R.W. Knudsen Peach Nectar (it has the most flavor)
1/2 to 1 cup simple syrup (To make simple syrup, add 2 cups sugar to 1 cup water and boil slowly until clear- about 4 minutes.)
1 liter ginger ale
1 liter club soda

Bring water to a boil and add tea and mint. Remove tea bags after 10 minutes, but let mint continue to steep. When water has cooled to room temperature, strain into 2-gallon container. Add lemonade, peach nectar, and simple syrup to taste. Chill thoroughly and pour into punch bowl. Add chilled ginger ale and club soda just before serving. Makes approximately forty 4-ounce cups, or about 1 1/4 gallons.

500 fb...

What NOT to do: 7 ways to ruin your resume

By Hillary Chura

In the time it takes you to read this paragraph, the average recruiter will have plowed through six resumes. (We know; we timed one.) Want to increase the chances of your resume making it to the next round? Then don’t do any of these seven things, which recruiters say — more than anything — make them want to push the “shred” button.

1. Apply for a job for which you are not remotely qualified

Many candidates believe the job hunt is a numbers game — drop enough resumes, and you’re bound to land something. But shotguns are for hunting pheasant, not finding jobs. The reality is that recruiters hate wasting time on resumes from unqualified candidates. Morgan Miller, an executive recruiter at StaffMark, recalls the security guard who applied to be a financial risk manager (maybe Lehman should have hired him), while Scott Ragusa at Winter, Wyman talks of the aerial photographer who sought out a position as a tax specialist.

“Sorting through unqualified resumes is frustrating, unproductive and puts an extra burden on staff,” says Katherine Swift, Senior Account Director at KCSA Strategic Communications in Natick, Mass. “It also makes it much more challenging to find the right candidate.” So the next time you’re thinking of blasting out resumes to all 60 of the job listings on Monster.com that have the word “finance” in them , save your time (and that of the recruiters) and only apply for ones for which you’re qualified.

2. Include a lofty mission statement

More than ever, today’s savage job market is about the company, not the candidate. As such, mission or objective statements — particularly ones with an applicant’s hopes, dreams, and health insurance aspirations — will dispatch otherwise fine resumes to the circular file. Employers don’t care about how they can solve your problems — certainly not before they’ve met you and possibly not even after they’ve hired you. Instead, write an “objectives” statement that explains specifically how your skills and experience will help the company you’re applying to, not the other way around. And be very clear about what kind of job you’re seeking.
3. Use one generic resume for every job listing

To stand out amongst the sea of resumes that recruiters receive, yours must speak to each and every specific position, even recycling some of the language from the job description itself. Make it obvious that you will start solving problems even before you’ve recorded your outgoing voicemail message. Your CV or query letter should include a just touch of industry lingo — sufficient to prove you know your stuff but not so much that you sound like a robot. And it should speak to individual company issues and industry challenges, with specifics on how you have personally improved customer loyalty, efficiency, and profitability at past jobs, says workplace and performance consultant Jay Forte. Plus, each morsel should be on point.

“Think hard about how to best leverage each piece of information to your job search advantage,” says Wendy Enelow, a career consultant and trainer in Virginia. “Nothing in your resume should be arbitrary, from what you include in your job descriptions and achievement statements, to whether your education or experience comes first [recent grads may want to put education first] to how you format your contact information.”
4. Make recruiters or hiring managers guess how exactly you can help their client

Sourcing experts want to know — immediately — what someone can offer, and they won’t spend time noodling someone’s credentials. “Animal, vegetable or mineral? Doctor, lawyer or Indian chief?That’s what I’m wondering every time I open a resume. If it takes me more than a split second to figure this out, I feel frustrated,” says Mary O’Gorman, a veteran recruiter based in Brooklyn.
5. Don’t explain how past experience translates to a new position

Though candidates should avoid jobs where they have no experience, they absolutely should pursue new areas and positions if they can position their experience effectively. A high school English teacher applying for new jobs, for example, can cite expertise in human resource management, people skills, record keeping, writing, and training, says Anthony Pensabene, a professional writer who works with executives.

“Titles are just semantics; candidates need to relate their ‘actual’ skills and experiences to the job they’re applying for in their resume,” Pensabene says. An applicant who cannot be bothered to identify the parallels between the two likely won’t be bothered with interviews, either.
6. Don’t include a cover letter with your resume

A cover letter should always accompany a resume — even if it’s going to your best friend. And that doesn’t mean a lazy “I’m _____ and I’m looking for a job in New York; please see my attached resume.” Says Lindsay Olson, a partner at Manhattan’s Paradigm Staffing: “I’d like to know why you are contacting me (a particular position, referral, etc.), a short background about yourself, and a career highlight or two. It’s important to attempt to set yourself apart from the competition.”
7. Be careless with details

Reckless job hunters rarely make for conscientious workers. As such, even promising resumes must abide by age-old dictums: typo-free, proper organization, and no embellishment. Susan Whitcomb, author of Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer, says that almost 80 percent of HR managers she surveyed said they would dismiss otherwise qualified candidates who break these rules. She tells the story of one would-be employer who, when looking for an assistant, decided not to hire anyone because every resume she received contained typos.

“With a 6-to-1 ratio of jobseekers-to-jobs in the current marketplace, you can’t afford to make mistakes with your resume,” Whitcomb says.

lisa, wanda, & johanna barnes...

jojo is seated in the picture.

**** can you please tell me what happened to johanna.

She was killed in a car accident in 96.

i was told at about that time, she was murdered.

No, but she may as well have been (i'm just a little resentful). The guy she was dating and she had been drinking and they had been argueing about what I dont know. There weren't any other cars involved, he just lost control of the car on hwy 19 in Van Zandt co. The only injury he sustained was some nerve damage in one arm. All he got was probation. His name is Neil Brashear.

well ****, thanks for talking with me about it. i liked johanna very much. i have thought about her many many times. thanks again and i will talk at cha soon. ronnie

***************************************************************************************

hey kristi, im sorry to bug you, im trying to find out if you are johanna's daughter. i was dating her right about the time you where about 1 to 1 1/2. i've just been finding out some information about jojo and was just wondering about her girl. if this is you, i liked your mom very much. she was very sweet. im really sorry for bothering you, just sorta felt i had too. thanks for your time. ronnie halcomb

Yeah its me. HI! :)

thought so. Kristi & Crystal. that's how ya'll got ya'lls names. very good. your mom was a sweety, and she will always have a big place in my heart. you where right at 1 yr old when we dated. i feel a little better just by getting to chat with ya. ty dear. anything you ever need or just to chat about your mom or anything under the sun, just let me know. all my contact stuff is on my fb page. talk to ya soon. ronnie

i took ur mom to her first heavy metal concert. WASP. then i got us 7th row seats at reunion for Van Halen. she was hooked.

Yeah she was cool. I miss her. The last ex boyfriend who contacted me was a real weirdo. SO after your first e-mail i was hesitant to reply. You seem ok. Same to you if you have any questions or whatever send me a line

very good. i understand. also u thru up in my camaro once. never did get that stain out. hahahaha seriously though, i liked ur mom very very much. she was special. my mom passed away when i was 20. i always say the good lord takes the good ones first. keep goin to school. don't stop. if u ever need me for anything what so ever, even just to chat, please do. be good and stay outa trouble. ronnie

I thru up alot of places when i was a kid. LOL. i thru up eggs in a pool once. YUCK! So i seen you are friends with my aunt lisa and my cousins dad sammy. Have you always been friends with them or did you find them on here? What happened between you and my mom?

i met les and florence in 78 when i got outa high school in garland. they lived in the same apts. as some guys i went to school with. and my friend mike's sister worked with flo at ma bell, now ATT. a few years later i started dating sams sister cheryl. we dated for 3 years then broke up. during that time sam meet wanda. that's about when u where born. after about a year after me and cheryl broke up i meet ur mom and we started dating. i really really liked ur mom. and i thought she really liked me. and u where nothing but a sweety. i changed many of ur diapers. it was sorta bad timing i think. u know, the whole world is really about timing. i was just a couple of years older than ur mom. but the worst thing for me was that she had just gotten out of the relationship with ur dad. and i don't think it went to well. i never met ur dad, but then again i only got ur moms side of the story. so i think she just didn't want to get back into a serious relationship. everything was going ok until i took a night job in printing. that was the beginning of the end. i tried but, just didn't work for jojo. she started dating someone else. then about 3 months later she wanted to date me again. we talked but she was still just wanting to date and have fun. that was ok with me, but i sorta didn't want to have my heart broken all over again. and when me and cheryl broke up, my heart was broke then too. i just did not want to go through that for a third time in less than 2 years. so i said no. the last time i saw her was at sam and wanda's apt. i was stupid and left cuz she was there, and i didn't want to see her. she came out and wanted to talk to me but i left. if i could have that day back. u musta been about 2 to 2 1/2. ur mom was so pretty and so sweet. i still have feelings for her today. if i didn't take that night job, who knows. i would have done anything for her. and i was crushed for a long time when i found out she passed away. cheryl told me about it right after it happened. man this all sounds silly huh. we where all just young and dumb, like they say. but jojo was the best. seems like yesterday. honestly kristi, i was very much in love with jojo. she was so perfect. i luv u to dear. talk to ya again soon. ronnie

Thank you for opening up. We cant go back though. I think everyone has things that, looking back, we would have changed. what i remember yeah she was pretty cool. i would do about anything to have her back. She always worked hard and was going to school to be a nurse. She did whatever she had to to take care of me. Its been 14 long years but its ok. She knows she was loved and i know she loved me and its ok.

very good. keep goin to school. i will write u to see how u doin. b good. ronnie

Leslie V. Arterburn, Jr

i see that les was 3 months from being 49 when he died. tell me kinda what happened. i would appreciate it.

he got sick and mom took him to the er and they found cancer. he went down hill fast. you would not believe all the people that came when he died. people from way back. it was one big party at the grave. they put everything you can think of in with him. drugs of all kinds and everything he like to drink. before he died he got real small. Shannon would carry him to the bath room and anywhere he needed to go. all he would eat was chocolate shakes. he lost all of his hair he wouldn't let anyone but us kids come over. he didn't want anyone to see him. there is so much more i could tell you, some day we will get together and talk.

miss u guys. would love to get together. let me know.

dean olson...

new pics from a fb friend...

these pics are from dean olson, one of my facebook friends.
you can see he is an excellent cook. sr

pickers...

to everyone on lv.

Saturday, July 10, 2010 (6:56 PM)
(I'm feeling sick)
To whoever gives a flying fuck to read this. I am so sick of the accusations of how the marathon money is supposidly being spent. The freaking money is still sitting in the paypal account.. WAITING for the call to go the the god for saken shots. LEn DOES work and makes an income SORRY for having a good time every once in a while. Besides... what the hell does it matter where the money went. WHen i donate money at the grocery store to the cancer society or childrens miracle network I do not ask where the money is going. I just feel good knowing im helping a child or ill person in need. Len and I did NOT ask for this money.. it was generously donated by people who cared. We ARE greatly appreciative of everyone who put time money and effort into the marathon.. and things DO take time. PAtience is a virtue! We did not scam anyone, WE are not like that at all. Hell our car was broke down for 3 weeks.. we went without a car.. didnt even touch the money donated to fix it. As for the hockey tickets... Austin won them at his bowling leauge along with the limo ride. The laptop.. when i was working.. i won that at work for top sales. The alcohol the other night,,, GST.. money us Canadians get back from WORKING! Hmmm and as I recall.. i think Rondi told Len and i several times to use the money donated to go buy alcohol and have a good time! DId you not? Spend it on yourselves.. get away from things? HUh Rondi? Im glad you did what you did in doing the marathon... but im hurt at the things you have said about us. Maybe i should have listened to Train and his warnings about everyone. I now know who my true friends are and aren't and they are the ones that are not questiong the money and talking behind our backs. Take this blog how you want.. I dont feel i really need to be explaining myself to anyone. But im sick of the god damn accusations and talk about me and my son. Shame on all of you for thinking we would pull such a scam. There are people here on LV who themselves have met Austin in person and have seen how bad he is. Im sorry WE have to wait for the dr's and government to make a decision as to when the shots will be done. And i cant wait for the these shots to happen. Im gonna get videos and pictures and rub it all in your mother fucking faces you can see how hurt and sore this little boy is day in and day out. Thank you to those that believe in me! Thanks to those you have been there for me and to the rest of you GO to hell!

Pickers

Sony Bravia EX700 series LED HDTVs

Sony Bravia EX700 series LED HDTVs feature Full HD 1080p resolution; Motionflow 120Hz technology; Edge LED backlight and Bravia Internet video to access movies, TV episodes and music from Netflix, youtube, Slacker etc.

Sony EX700 series HDTVs incorporate Presence Sensor and Energy Saving Switch to save power. With the Presence Sensor, the TV can turn the picture off when nobody at the room and leave only audio on. After 3o min of no motion, the audio is turned off and the TV goes into stand-by mode. Energy Saving Switch can eliminate standby power consumption without unplugging the TV.

Sony EX700 series LED HDTVs will be available in March in five sizes:

* 60-inch Sony KDL-60EX700 MSRP $2999.99
* 52-inch Sony KDL-52EX700 MSRP $2199.99
* 46-inch Sony KDL-46EX700 MSRP $1699.99
* 40-inch Sony KDL-40EX700 MSRP $1399.99
* 32-inch Sony KDL-32EX700 MSRP $999.99

Sony Bravia KDL-40EX700 40-inch LED HDTV features Full HD 1080p resolution; Edge LED Backlighting with slim design; BRAVIA Internet Video; Motionflow 120Hz technology for smooth motion and Ambient Sensor that adjusts color based on room light.

More details on the features of 40EX700 from Sony:

* BRAVIA® Internet Video

Instantly stream a wide variety of movies, TV episodes, videos and music from a large selection of entertainment apps including: Netflix®, YouTube™, Slacker® – the list goes on and on

* USB Input

Share your home videos or photos on the big screen or listen to your favorite music. Simply connect your digital camera, USB-enabled MP3 player, or USB storage device directly to your HDTV’s USB input.

* Presence Sensor

Save energy with an HDTV that turns the picture off when you’re not in the room, leaving only the audio on. After 30 minutes of no motion the audio is turned off and the TV automatically goes into stand-by mode.

* Ambient Sensor

Get a natural looking picture whether you are watching movies late at night or playing video games during the day with an Ambient Sensor that automatically adjusts the picture color based on a room’s lighting.

* Energy Saving Switch

Eliminate standby power consumption without having to unplug your TV. Simply turn the Energy Saving Switch to off position and the TV no longer draws energy from the power source.

Cnet review of Sony KDL-40EX700 3/5 good

Cnet highlights the energy saving features of Sony KDL-40EX700, solid Internet services and relatively accurate color, but also indicates the average picture quality.

March 17, 2010 1:39 PM PDT

By: David Katzmaier
Sony KDL-EX700 series overview

The Sony KDL-EX700 is the second edge-lit LED-based LCD we've tested from Sony this year. If you read the KDL-NX800's review, you will notice more similarities than differences between the two. The price disparity--of $400 between the two series' 46-inch models--gets you improved styling, Wi-Fi networking, and a couple of other minor niceties on the NX800; however, for some reason you lose the innovative "presence sensor." That feature turns the EX700's picture off automatically when you leave the room, and it can really lower power use if you're prone to leaving the TV on. Even without the sensor, the EX700 sips as little power as any TV we've tested--although we expect other LED models we review this year to post similar results.

Careful comparison shoppers might be surprised to learn the two Sonys have nearly the same picture quality. The major performance-related difference is that the EX700 has a matte screen, while the monolithic exterior of the NX800 apparently calls for gloss-- in a bright room, we preferred the matte finish. The EX700's picture won't wow anyone looking for a home theater centerpiece, but the TV earns the practicality nod over its more-expensive brother for buyers who still want Internet video and superb energy efficiency.

Photo credit: Sarah Tew/CNET
Price: $1,247 - $1,529

EX700 Series: Sony expands Bravia Line-Up with new LCD FULL HD LED TV

Sony introduced today, during a press conference held in their HQ at Shinagawa, new stylish Full HD LCD TV LED back lighted, the Bravia EX700 series.

Sony’s new baby is available in 52″, 46″, 40″ and 32″, and features Full HD LCD panel with the MotionFlow 120hz technology, as Well as the Bravia Engine 3, an advanced contrast enhancer, the 24p True Cinema, the Bravia Link and a Human sensor that can detect human presence in order to turn off/on the TV (programmable from 5 to 60 min).

Regarding the other specs, Sony announces digital TV tuner 0(BS • 110 CS), analog TV tuner, but also speaker (10W + 10W), HDMI inputs (x4), D-Sub, D5 x2, LAN (10BASE-T/100BASE-TX) and USB port (x1).

Lastly, our slim TV (2.2cm), will be Network-friendly thanks to the Bravia Network with the usual VOD services like YouTube, U-Next, acTVila.

Power consumption: 134kWh/ year
Weight: 22.7kg
Price: from 120 000 yens to 300 000 yens.

Note: Sony provides a USB dongle (UWA-BR100) that should allow you to connect network wirelessly.

Special Delivery - Lee Coming to Texas...

Despite recent struggles with it's ownership situation, the Texas Rangers have added a bona-fide ace in Seattle Mariners starter Cliff Lee.

Just when you thought the New York Yankees would add yet another weapon to it's evil empire, the Rangers swooped in and took the pitcher with the best ERA in the American League.

"We haven't won anything yet but we feel like we're in our best position to put our best foot forward," Rangers' GM Jon Daniels said.
"We've always said if we had a chance to improve, we would. We're excited about it."

This significantly bolsters the Rangers' starting rotation and gives them the number one, Ace of the rotation this team has lacked all-season long. Lee has won each of his previous four games, going the distance in three and going eight innings in the other, and has allowed only five total earned runs over that timespan. Overall, Lee is 8-3 this season with a 2.34 ERA, 89 strike-outs and astonishingly only six walks in 103 2-3 innings this season. Lee won the A.L. Cy Young in 2008 with the Cleveland Indians.

Texas also gets Mark Lowe, a reliever who hasn't pitched since May 2, ironically a game against the Rangers in which he allowed the go-ahead run in extra innings. He's been on the disabled list since May 5 and likely won't pitch again this season.

The Trade (According to Rangers' sources):

Texas Gets: SP Cliff Lee RP Mark Lowe


Seattle Gets: 1B Justin Smoak P Blake Beaven P Josh Lueke 2B/OF Mathew Lawson


Texas gives up a couple of blue-chip prospects in Beaven and current starting third-baseman Justin Smoak, but that's what it costs to get a guy as talented as Lee. First-baseman Chris Young was called up from Triple-A and will start for Texas tonight.

Texas already has the fourth-best ERA in the American League at 3.94, 10th-best in the Majors, so this move only bolsters already what has become the best Rangers' pitching staff in ages. In fact, Texas hasn't had a team ERA under 4.00 for a season since it moved to the Ballpark in Arlington in 1994.

Overall, this a great trade for the Rangers (as long as it goes through) that builds some excitement and gives this team some credibility as it makes it's playoff push. Lee provides this team with the best pitcher they've had since the days of Rick Helling and Kenny Rogers or, if your really optimistic, the best Rangers' pitcher since Nolan Ryan - although even Ryan never won a Cy Young.

If he makes it in town tonight, Lee is likely to make his highly-anticipated first start for Texas Saturday night.

elaine...

love you dear.

gone...

6 am

wrap em, 3 more hours.

2 AM

9 pm. 2 pork shoulders & 2 briskets...

A World Champion Pitmaster Navigates the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party

This weekend marks the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party hosted by Danny Meyer and Blue Smoke's Kenny Callaghan to benefit the Madison Square Park Conservancy. 17 champion pitmasters from across the country will descend on the area to hawk $8 plates of their regional specialty (admission is free) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

As you can imagine, the masses pour out of the woodwork rain or sweltering heat and the lines can be maddening even with live music keeping spirits up. For advice on navigating the event, Feast looked to Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama. Lilly headed north for the inaugural party eight years ago and hasn't missed a chance to return. Here, the pork specialist and author of last summer's tome Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book dishes up tips to on what to eat and how to tackle the crowds.

How long have you been doing the Big Apple BBQ?

Every year, this is year number eight. I was invited up and I think there were five of us the first year and it was held in front of Blue Smoke. It rained and the crowds still came and they keep coming.

How did you get involved?

Union Square reached out and I think Kenny Callaghan from Blue Smoke personally called me and told me about the fascinating concept that they had. You don’t get too many opportunities to fire up your cooker in the middle of Manhattan. It’s an annual trek. This is not something we go to, to make a ton of money; it’s because the people in New York City.

Does New York need this because we don’t have good barbecue here, as people tend to complain?

I look back to when I first started coming here. It seems to me that the barbecue is getting better every year. To say now that New York doesn’t have great barbecue. I don’t agree with them. And events like the Big Apple BBQ that draw interest put chefs in a position that they have to serve what’s authentic. Now New Yorkers have had a taste of the regions.

How has the event changed since the first one?

I think the logistics and organization get better every year. What’s great about the Block Party now is the people they have coming up. We’re talking some of the best pit masters in the country doing their specialties. This is without a doubt the best barbecue event there is.

How big is your entourage?

I’ve got my mother and father-n-law, my bother, and my right hand guy. The rest of the people are friends who I’ve met who’ve volunteered to help. I probably have the biggest crew I’ve had yet. The total is probably 12 plus Union Square provides staff as well. And we need it because the intensity there is there.

What are you making?

Friday night we’ re prepping 204 whole pork butts. We are cooking 408 over two days. You’re looking at 408, 8 pounds per butt. We inject our pork butts with a mild solution of apple juice, sugar, salt, worcestershire, and lemon juice - 8 oz of liquid to each one. Seasoning and dry rub go on the outside, and we cook them on our huge rotisserie cookers, over Kingsford charcoal and hickory, 12 hours, 225 degrees until the meat just falls off the bone. We’re going to serve it as a sandwich with Southern Mustard Coleslaw and a medley of sauces: sweet red sauce, habanero, and a white barbecue sauce that Big Bob Gibson’s is known for. It’s vinegar-based but the mayo gives it the color. It’s a tangy, peppery flavor since there’s a lot of black pepper in it and a vinegar twang.

Since you have eight Block parties under your belt, how do you suggest people navigate with the masses?

The best thing and the best strategy is if you come to this with a bunch of friends, you want to come early and split up. Put one person in each line and have that person buy multiples. And that way you can compare the different specialties. The problem with trying to do it all yourself you may wait in one line for 45 minutes and another for a half hour and all that adds up. The best strategy is to come with friends then go sit down, listen to some of the fantastic music, and have a big picnic. That way you spend the least amount of time in line.

What should people not miss eating?

I would go of course, to Big Bob Gibson, would be number one - come see me, and Ed Mitchell’s whole hog from North Carolina, and you might want to try some of the local fare, Hill Country and Blue Smoke.

What will you be eating?

What I tend to gravitate towards is specialties that I don’t get in Alabama: beef brisket, sausage. There’s a pimento cheese stuffed sausage I want to try and you can’t beat Ed Mitchell’s whole hog.

Is the barbecue at these events any substitute for going to the actual restaurants, can the food really compare when you’re off-site in a makeshift location?
To be totally honest, the meat coming off my pits is going to be as good or probably even better because we are puling it straight off the pit and onto the sandwich, the same with everybody else. We’re cooking to order and as the day goes on so there’s no way that a New Yorker could get any fresher barbecue. I’m cooking like I would at a championship and I’ve won eight world championships.

Get a Clue About Your BBQ...

Food & Drink
Get a Clue About Your BBQ

By Lilian Huang Woo

Published July 02, 2010

| FoxNews.com

As cooks hone their open air skills this barbecue season, Fox News brings you tips from some of the country’s top pit masters on how to let the smoke and fire work their magic on your meat.

Cut it out

Choosing the right cut of meat gets you off to a great start. One thing to remember is that fat is flavor. Look for light streaks of the white stuff running through the meat. “That fat will caramelize on the grill and give your meat a bump of extra flavor,” says Chris Lilly of Big Bob Gibson’s Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Ala. That being said, nobody likes too much fat on their meat so be sure to trim off any excess. Lilly also chooses meat with nice color and uniform thickness so it will cook evenly. When it comes to chicken, Lilly believes the ideal ones are young with skin “so transparent you can see the red meat through it.”

Heat it up

Indirect heat or cooking is one key to great barbecue. Tommy Houston of The Checkered Pig in Martinsville, VA explains that the same fat which keeps ribs moist and juicy, can also cause flare-ups which turn ribs black. For that reason many pit masters consider indirect heat to be crucial for turning out great meat. Lilly builds a two-zone fire with charcoal to one side and a void to cook larger cuts of meat at a low temperature away from the fire.

Click here for interviews with the Pit Masters and other chefs from Fox News Radio

Adam Perry Lang of Daisy May’s BBQ in New York City keeps a heatproof pan filled with baste ingredients on the grill to cook using a “back and forth” method. He starts by searing meat on the grill then moving it to the pan at regular intervals to coat it with the mixture before returning it to the grill.

Go whole hog

Whole hog cooking may seem like a daunting task but Pat Martin of Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint in Nashville, TN believes anyone can do great barbecue if they follow the fundamentals. “You cannot rush it and you have to cook at a low temperature," he says. "This gives the muscle fibers and meat time to break down and gelatinize.” Martin, whose signature recipe is West Tennessee Whole Hog says the pig’s internal temperature should be brought to around 195 to 200 degrees. Martin promises the belly meat, which has been cooking in its own fat, is so tender, “you can take out your dentures and eat it.” A fan sampling Martin’s fare at the recent Big Apple Barbecue Block Party in Manhattan, verifying that it was indeed “like butter.”

Use the right touch

Digging in tells top pit masters when it’s time to dig in. Martin says when the hog is “tender enough that you can barely hold it up without it disintegrating and falling apart, you’re ready to go.”

Joe Duncan of Baker’s Ribs in Dallas, TX recommends using a meat fork to tell when ribs are ready. “Stick it between the bones, give it a twist and if the meat pulls out and stands up, it’s ready,” Duncan adds “If it’s real springy, it needs more time.”

The best way to tell when chicken is ready? “Grab the drumstick and twist,” says Lilly, explaining that the last part of chicken to get done is the joint between the leg and the thigh. The drumstick should offer some resistance before it “gives and rolls over.” If it pulls off too easily, it may have spent too much time over the flames.

To make sure a whole chicken cooks uniformly, he also suggests pointing the drumsticks toward the fire to protect the leaner breast meat which cooks faster than dark meat.

Rub it in

To many barbecue lovers, the rub and sauce are just as important as the cooking process.

Dennis Michale Sherman, of DennyMike’s Sauces and Rubs in York, ME says rubs work best when given enough time to “get deep into the meat.” A few hours is good, overnight is even better but Sherman says he’s also sprinkled rub on five minutes before grilling with decent results.

Sherman thinks pork needs something sweet (brown or turbinado sugar, molasses or honey as well as something “to put a little snap” into it ( Cayenne pepper, garlic, paprika, or turmeric).

For red meat or rubs, Sherman believes saltier, more peppery flavors work well. Ingredients to try: Onion or garlic powder, mustard and paprika.

For seafood he likes to keep it light—lemon or lime peel, sea salt, parsley and dill weed.

And For chicken Sherman is partial to Mexican parsley, Mexican oregano, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, chili, and sea salt.

For those who want to sauce their meat while it’s cooking, Sherman’s tool of choice is a barbecue mop which he says she be used to daub the mixture on the meat.

Garry Roark of Ubon’s of Yazoo, Miss is partial to the sauce which has been in his family for at least five generations, but understands that many back yard cooks like to “make it their own creation” -- starting with a basic ingredient and playing around with flavors. There’s just one potential problem he sees with this: The next time they make it, the kids may say “Daddy you didn’t make your sauce as good as you did last time.” That’s because most people don’t remember what they did last time-- so write it down..

To whip up some homemade sauce Roark suggests going with what appeals to your tastes. Experiment with ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar (or molasses or honey), citric acid, onions and garlic. He also recommends “going easy on the salt and pepper shaker so one ingredient doesn’t overpower the others”.

Now that you’re armed with tips from some barbecue world heavy weights, it’s time fire up that grill! And don't forget to save me a piece!

chris lilly on fox...

Holiday Weekend Grilling Ideas From Chris Lilly

Friday, July 02, 2010


Holiday weekend grilling ideas from Chris Lilly, champion pitmaster and executive chef of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama:

• Smoky Bourbon Ribs
Makes: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 3 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 slabs loin back ribs (baby back)
1 cup Smoky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce

Dry Rub
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 teaspoons garlic salt
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Liquid Seasoning
1/2 cup apple cider
1/4 cup apple jelly
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry rub mix (above)

Method:
Remove the membrane from the back of the rib slabs. In a small bowl, combine the dry rub ingredients and mix well. Reserve one tablespoon of the rub for the liquid seasoning mixture. Generously apply the dry rub onto the front and back sides of ribs.
Build a charcoal fire for indirect cooking. Add a small aluminum pan to the void side of the grill and fill it halfway with water. When the charcoal grill reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit, place ribs meat-side up on grill grate and cook over indirect heat for two hours and 15 minutes.
Remove the ribs from the grill. Place each slab meat-side down on its own doubled aluminum foil square. Mix the liquid seasoning in a small bowl. Pour ½ cup of the liquid over each slab. Then, tightly wrap and seal each slab with aluminum foil. Place the wrapped ribs back in cooker for one hour at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the ribs from the charcoal grill and discard foil. Brush Smoky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce on both sides of the ribs. Place the ribs back on the grill for 15 minutes, or until sauce caramelizes.

• Grilled Sweet & Spicy Pickles
Makes 3 pints
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes

* Holiday Weekend Grilling Ideas From Chris Lilly

Show Info
Airtimes:
'FOX & Friends First' at 6 a.m. ET
'FOX & Friends' at 7 a.m. ET


Ingredients:
10 small (Kirby or Persian -- pickling cucumbers found in most grocery stores) cucumbers, about 4 to 5-inches each, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
6 sprigs fresh dill
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
3 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Pickling Liquid
1 1/4 cup white vinegar
1 1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt

Method:
Preheat the grill and build a charcoal fire for direct grilling.
In a saucepan, combine the pickling liquid ingredients: vinegar, water, sugar, and salt; and cook, stirring often, over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear. Remove the liquid from the heat and let cool slightly.
Wash cucumbers well with cold water. Trim the blossom ends and grill the cucumbers over direct heat for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or just long enough to mark each side.
Grill the onions for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until the onions have softened and are marked.
Remove the cucumbers and onions from the grill and set aside to cool.
Divide the cucumbers, onions, dill, garlic and pepper flakes evenly and place in three sterilized canning jars. Fill each jar to the top with the pickling liquid mixture and seal tightly. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

• Smoky Bourbon Peaches a La Mode
Makes: 6 servings
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 3-5 minutes

Ingredients:
6 Freestone peaches, pitted and cut into 6 slices
3/4 cup Smoky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce
3/4 cup honey
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 quart vanilla ice cream

Method:
Preheat the grill and build a charcoal fire for direct grilling.
In a saucepan, mix the Smoky Bourbon Barbecue Sauce and honey and cook over a medium heat just until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the peach slices until well coated.
In a shallow dish, add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and stir until well mixed. Coat the peach slices generously with the cinnamon mixture.
Grill the peach slices for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until the peaches have softened and are marked. It is fine for the flames to be kissing the bottom of the grill grates. This will caramelize the sugar rub. The peaches should have a brown crust with grill marks when cooked perfectly.
Remove the peaches from the grill and serve the hot slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

thermapen