The First Foundation Charcoal selection

    

 Before you even attempt to fire up your Good-One Open Range for the first time there is a couple things you need to take into consideration.

There are many different types and brands of charcoal on the market from natural hardwood lump charcoal to briquettes. We highly recommend that when using any type of smoker or grill to use lump charcoal. Not only are the favors from the woods more prevalent but it also burns hotter and you are able to reuse un-burnt charcoal which is unique to the hardwood lump charcoal. What makes lump charcoal a higher quality cook is the way it is produced. Lump charcoal is basically just burn wood that is charred to a certain point and then has the oxygen cut off to turn it into charcoal. The higher quality lump charcoal manufactures such as The Good-One lump charcoal use all natural hardwoods such as pecan, oak, and hickory from central Missouri, which helps gives your meat more of a consistent smoked flavor. While most lumps are made from natural hardwood many toss in scrap lumber, flooring, ect. You need to be very careful of the charcoal that you select a very good source to check up on the quality of the brand you are using is www.nakedwhiz.com. This website is a data base full of useful information and a rating system for lump charcoal throughout the US. 

My suggestion for you would be to use 100% natural lump charcoal.  Here are the reasons:

·         Briquettes have petroleum base and are only 10 percent real wood.

·         Briquettes burn at 900 degrees

·         Lump charcoal burns at 1250 degrees

·         Lump charcoal burns twice as long

·         Lump charcoal leaves less ash

·         You can reuse any lump charcoal when you are done cooking, just shut you damper and intake spinners.

·         Lump charcoal leaves no creosote build up, unlike briquettes.

·         You will use half as much with lump than with briquettes.

·         You food will taste extremely better with 100 percent natural lump charcoal.

·         Use a chimney to start your lump, it’s faster and 100 percent cleaner than lighter fluids

If you cook with natural lump for 2-3 months and go back to briquettes, you will taste the difference.

All lump charcoal is not created equal.  If you want a hot fire in your fireplace to heat your house and you want it to burn as long as possible before you reload, you would more than likely use a hardwood that would burn for a long time and put out the most heat.  Would you pay the same amount of money for a cord of soft maple, or pine that you would for oak or hickory?  They are two different types of wood; they create different amounts of heat, and distinctly have different burn times.  Well if you would not pay the same for these two cords of wood for your fireplace, why would you do it for a bag of lump charcoal that has different types of wood and expect the same results?  The problem with the lump charcoal industry is that it is not regulated.  Manufacturers from around the world can put anything they want in their bags, as long as it is wood.  Your smoker, whether it is a Good-One or any other brand requires good quality charcoal to burn hot and long.  It must also burn clean, without lot soot or other agents which would cast a bad taste on your food you are cooking which you plan to ingest into your body.  Would you drink lighter fluid?  Then why would you start your fire with it knowing that it is going to directly transfer into your food.  So what I am saying is go to the source you trust to buy your lump charcoal.  The Good- One lump charcoal is 100% Oak, hickory and pecan deep out of the heart of Missouri.  These are all woods consistent with burning hot. They are dense enough to have a long burn time.  Our charcoal is specifically blended for Good-One owners simply because we want them to have a pleasant and successful cooking experience.  We refuse to cut corners on inferior quality wood to make a few extra bucks.  Even if you don’t own a Good-One, we don’t mind sharing our premium charcoal with you to create a pleasant cooking experience for you.

Chris

Dummies’ Guide to taking an Award Winning Sauce or Rub to Market

Your sauce started off as a unique idea and you don't want it to get lost in the crowd.  How are you going to produce, market, sell and make yours stand out to consumers who can select from thousands of BBQ sauces?

Research and Development:

Taste as much of your competitors' barbecue sauce as your stomach and time will allow to learn what you're up against. Examine each brand's marketing approach and figure out what each product's competitive edge is and what consumers think of it?

Draft a compelling story on which to rest your marketing efforts and you'll be off to the start.   Remember that there are all kinds of Championship sauces and rubs on the market, but very few are quantifiable when it comes to actual prestigious awards that the sauces or rubs have won.  How will your sauce compete against those that are backed by a host of awards?

Evaluate your audience to see if your background story will stand up to the scrutiny of specialty stores--for example the high-end or gourmet market--or whether it's a better fit for mom and pop stores.

Develop---or hire someone to develop---collateral to support your sauce, including a great package design, a catchy name and an unforgettable slogan or tag line that is capable of following your barbecue sauce from bottle to shopper’s cart.  Also, consider not only how you will get your product into the store but more importantly off the shelf and through the cash register.

The Economics:

The economics of the ingredients you're going to use in your sauce as part of the recipe phase is important to understand. The price of all the ingredients times 3-4 are likely a gross estimate of the retail price. You can have the best sauce in the world, but if it costs you $7.00/bottle to make, you're not going to be able to sell much at $21 to $28 per bottle. Converting your recipe to 500 gallon batches is more than just simple math. There are often an assortment of “scale up” issues.  And it can be rather expensive to mix up 500 gallons of something that turns out to taste bad.  

Expensive Ingredients: 

§  Honey

§  Fresh Vegetables (Onions, Peppers, Jalapeños)

§  Fresh Fruits(Apples, Raspberry’s, Blue Berries)

§  Liquors (Bourbons, Wines)

§  Custom Syrups

All the above ingredients require refrigeration, special handling or processing by the packer which adds cost to the overall end price of the product.  Some co-packers will not pack sauces that have any kind of liquor added due to local and state liquor laws regarding % of added liquor.

A good starting point is $20K as a standard figure just to get the first bottle onto a shelf. Add in the cost of your time for 3 years of blood, sweat, and tears to get a small business built. And in the end, you will have pennies in your pocket.

How do I market the New BBQ Sauce?

Local markets, not the chains and sample it out on one of those table stations at the stores on Fridays or Saturday, that's your best bet, but I'd add a few things.

1) You may have to offer consignment terms to the local market. They're taking a huge risk by giving you shelf space (which they don't have much of), and there's no way they can afford to pay you up front for the sauce. Think about the economics of putting out a free case in every market you want to be in. If you can't afford that, it's not going to work.

2) The best way to sell an unknown sauce is to sample it. The label won't sell it for you. People will buy new products from companies they know, but must test things from new ones It's not about taste—Think of how much Apple Computer spent trying to market the Mac only to be beat in the marketplace what many consider an inferior product.

3) Sampling is very hard work. You'll be giving up your Saturdays, working an eight hour shift to expose your product to 200 people, 20 of which may buy the sauce, and 2 of which will become repeat customers. And that's if your sauce is really good. With a margin of $1/bottle, you're making $2.50/hour. You won't quite cover your gas to get to the store if it's not close.

Internet, you cannot sell a sauce that people haven’t heard of  on the internet.  If they won't buy it in the store by just picking up the bottle and reading the label, there's absolutely no way they're going to purchase it on the internet. It makes a lot more sense to market through someone like Amazon.com, but even they can't perform magic if there isn't any demand for your sauce. The service the internet marketer is providing is the framework, distribution, and fulfillment end of things. They can quickly dominate the SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) for a given produce because they're an authority site.

Word of mouth is the best way to advertise. Try entering bbq competitions in your area. People will get to talking and then maybe that will help spread the word to someone who has a connection.

 That will get you a few hundred loyal customers that purchase a bottle every month or so, if you're lucky. Can you live on $100/month?

Just remember, there are 1,000 other people that have the best sauce that any of their friends have ever tasted trying to launch their sauce this year. 2 of them will be around in 3 years.

Grills and Barbeque: The Good One Open Range Smoker (Model 30-P)

Grills and Barbeque: The Good One Open Range Smoker (Model 30-P): "Chris Marks and his Three Little Pigs barbecue team are one of the top teams in competition barbecue (8 time grand champion of the America..."

Anytime is Barbecue Time in Canada

Canadian chef and author Ted Reader, who owns more than 100 barbecues, says about half of Canadians grill 12 months a year. He says when it's cold outside, the barbecue should be preheated five to 10 minutes longer than in the summer. Barbecue manufacturer Traeger Canada suggests adding 20 minutes of cooking time per pound for every five degrees below 45 F. If you're using a charcoal grill, you may need to add charcoal more often to keep the temperature constant. .Read more: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/112665/20110215/anytime-is-barbecue-time-in-canada.htm#ixzz1EF9Iz8q4

Three Little Pig's All Natural Gluten Free BBQ Sauces and Seasonings - products and services from Three Little Pig's BBQ Sauces and Seasonings

Three Little Pig's All Natural Gluten Free BBQ Sauces and Seasonings - products and services from Three Little Pig's BBQ Sauces and Seasonings

Barbecue & Grilling 2011 Readers' Choice Awards

Earlier this year, About.com invited readers to nominate the best Barbecue & Grilling products. They have tallied up those nominations and found the top five nominees from the hundreds received in each category.

Ace of Hearts BBQ Specialties is proud to announce that The Good-One Smoker/Grill and the Three Little Pig’s BBQ Sauce and Three Little Pig’s BBQ Rubs have made the finals for the Best of the Best in the Country.  We have named the finalist in 5 out of the 6 Categories.  

Nominated Categories:

  Charcoal Grill: The Open Range Smoker/Grill

  Backyard Smoker: The Open Range Smoker/Grill

  Competition Smoker: The Chuck Wagon Smoker/Grill

  Barbecue Sauce: Three Little Pigs Competition

  Barbecue Rub: Three Little Pigs Championship rub/seasoning

  Please help up get the “Best” of the Best by voting for the above.

Click here to vote.

http://bbq.about.com/od/organization/ss/Barbecue-And-Grilling-2011-Readers-Choice-Awards.htm

4 Ways to Make Money with Your BBQ Trailer

If you own a BBQ trailer, you know the financial investment required for the privilege of owning such a delicious piece of equipment. It seems like a shame to fire up trailer only on special occasions. Instead of letting the dust settle on your BBQ trailer, why not put it to work! These four moneymaking ideas for BBQ trailer owners can help get you started.

Catering: Good Profit, Good Food
Catering special events with your BBQ trailer can become a full-time business. Wedding receptions, anniversary parties, birthday parties, graduation parties, weekend bashes, school dances, and even corporate events and company picnics all require food, so why not BBQ!
Catering some of these special events may mean you need a support staff and additional food items other than BBQ, although we think you can live on BBQ meat alone! If you can manage those additional tasks, then great! Otherwise, you can outsource those extra items with a full service catering company in your area. Be sure to find a reliable company with a food selection that complements your fine BBQ skills.

Renting your BBQ Trailer:
You can rent your BBQ trailer smoker. BBQ rental is an economical way to have the proper cooking equipment when you have to cook for a large crowd on a limited budget. BBQ trailer rental would be available to all churches, municipalities, and business, caters and home owners. These are large mobile trailer smoker Grills that can be towed behind your vehicle.

Capitalizing on Community Events
A BBQ trailer is a salivation genie on wheels! The smell of cooking BBQ announces itself without any further advertising. This makes setting up a food stand with your BBQ trailer an easy income source. BBQ food stands are perfect for any community get-together like block parties, fundraisers, carnivals, craft fairs, car shows, yard sales, and county fairs. Wherever people gather, food and drink is necessary.
Of course, you will need to obtain the obligatory permits and permission to feed the public, but once the paperwork is finished, the fun begins! In addition to your sumptuous BBQ wares, you can also offer beverages, French fries, salads, fresh fruit, and ice cream if you can manage to acquire the freezer space. It is always a good idea to keep the little ones in mind when planning your menu, so bring along a few hot dogs, plenty of ketchup, and something fun for dessert like cupcakes or popsicles. Throw in a few helium balloons and you’ll have customers lining up at your trailer!

Fundraisers: Unlimited BBQ potential
Another great way to bring in extra income with your BBQ trailer is to haul your gear to fundraisers. Granted, this money may not go into your pocket, but it does help out whatever good cause you choose to support. You can combine your BBQ trailer with a carnival on wheels for a complete fundraiser to go. Carnival games can include beanbag toss, a dunk tank, bounce houses, balloon animals, clowns on parade, ball bounces, and a portable obstacle course complete with oversized tricycles.
Making money with your BBQ trailer is a great way to get more use out of your trailer and get out in the community. Who knows, you may happen upon a few other BBQ enthusiasts and spend your time trading recipes and criticizing each other’s BBQ! Everyone loves BBQ, so get out that trailer and make it pay for itself!

BBQ Smoking Troubleshooting

Bitter Taste - Can occur in some foods when smoke concentration is too heavy. The Oily residue that accumulates in the smokers is very bitter. If it comes in contact with food it will transfer the unpleasant taste. Remember that charcoal and foreign lump charcoals not processed correctly will also cause bitter flavors due to their high oil content.

Bitter, Pitch taste- Smoking with soft woods. Pitch and resins will accumulate on meats smoked with soft woods, such as evergreens, pine trees. Buy your wood from a good source beware of Big Box smoking wood in the plastic bags.

Hard, dry meat – Excessive smoking time or temperature can dry meat and make it hard.
Chris

Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal

Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal

Good-One Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal contains chunks of kiln-fired Pecan, Hickory and Oak trees harvested from Central Missouri hardwood forests.
 
Why cook with Good-One Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal?
 It's fast.

Good-One Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal lights in half the time of ordinary briquettes. It's only 10 minutes from lighting to 900-degree cooking.

 It tastes great.

Good-One Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal burns hotter and drier, caramelizing the natural sugars in food and sealing in flavor and moisture.

 It's healthful for you and the environment.

Compare the difference:
Good-One Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal Composition: 100% natural Pecan Hickory and Oak charcoal for pure wood-grilled flavor.
Briquettes Composition: semi-anthracite coal with sulfur, lignite, sodium nitrate, limestone, borax, charred sawdust, petroleum binder/starch binder.
Other brands - hardwood lump charcoal   Composition: pallets, slabwood, flooring, furniture remnants, softwoods, or construction material ... easily identified by flat or squared wood.

Good-One Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal burns cleaner with 250 times less sulphur dioxide and 3 times less nitrogen oxide than composition briquettes.

Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal

Frequently Asked Questions

1.  What is charcoal? -- In general, wood charcoal is a substance obtained by partial burning or destructive distillation of wood. It is largely pure carbon. Wood charcoal is prepared by heating wood in the absence of oxygen. In this process volatile compounds in the wood (e.g., water, hydrogen, methane and tars) pass off as vapors into the air, and the carbon is converted into charcoal. (Tar is a generic name for big, smoky, sticky molecules that form liquids when they're cool. The tars, in particular, can contain carcinogenic compounds, like benzo-A-pyrene.) With the volatile component driven off, you are left with wood charcoal that is about 20 to 25-percent of the original volume of the wood. It's chiefly carbon, with traces of volatile chemicals and ash. When it burns, it won't produce as much smoke as burning wood, and it will burn long, hot and steady. Charcoal, being almost pure carbon, yields a larger amount of heat in proportion to its volume than is obtained from a corresponding quantity of wood.
2. What forms does charcoal come in? -- As far as cooking is concerned, there are two main forms, lump charcoal and briquettes. Lump charcoal is charcoal which has not been formed into briquettes. Briquettes are the pillow shaped little pieces of compressed ground charcoal.
3. Which is better, lump or briquettes? -- Well, this FAQ is about lump charcoal, so we aren't going to wax eloquent about briquettes. But admit it. You really want to know what is in Kingsford briquettes, don't you? Well, according to Kingsford, here is what is in their briquettes and what each ingredient is used for: wood char (heat source), mineral char (heat source), mineral carbon (heat source), limestone (uniform visual ashing), starch (binder), borax (press release), sodium nitrate (ignition aid), sawdust (ignition aid). If you hang out on any of the barbecue forums on the internet, you will find lots of folks complaining about the borax and coal and limestone. You don't often hear of people complaining about the mineral char. What is mineral char? "A soft, brownish-black coal in which the alteration of vegetable matter has proceeded further than in peat but not as far as in bituminous coal.

Lump charcoal burns hotter and faster than briquettes, if given an unlimited air supply. If you can control the air flow through your cooker, lump will burn at whatever rate and temperature that you allow it to. If you can't control the air flow in your cooker, then you may need to use the slower-burning briquettes in order to keep temperature under control.

4. What types of lump charcoal are there? -- Basically, you will find three types of wood used to make lump charcoal: kiln dried lumber scraps, saw mill scraps, and pieces of wood not sawn or processed, such as limbs. I'll call this "natural" wood, for lack of a better term.
5. Which type of lump charcoal is best? -- I would place limbs/natural wood and saw mill scraps in the same category. They are both unprocessed wood. Flooring/molding scraps, of course, have the risk of having varnished scraps, but I've not found this. However, flooring scraps are made from kiln dried wood and seems to have less smokiness which some folks consider to be a plus. The flooring scrap tends to be less dense and thus doesn't last as long. Some have reported that it also tends to break up more easily and thus you end up with more chips/dust than with natural wood lumps. The decision to use flooring scrap or natural wood is probably one you have to make for yourself.
6. How do they make lump charcoal? -- Lump charcoal is made by taking wood, usually limbs, branches, slabs from lumber mills, scraps from milling operations, etc. and heating this wood in a closed container in the absence of oxygen.
7. What about funny stuff being found in lump charcoal? -- Since making lump charcoal is often done under somewhat crude conditions, it is normal to find a few rocks or pebbles in lump charcoal. However, a few other oddball items have been found like a mouse, human hair, a tootsie roll wrapper, varnished wood, and black shiny objects commonly referred to as moon rocks. Personally, in over two years and hundreds of pounds of lump charcoal, I've found 3 rocks and a tootsie roll wrapper. It shouldn't be a great concern.
8. How should I start lump charcoal? -- Don't use starter fluid. Why? It isn't cool. It pollutes the air and is banned in some localities. If you don't allow it all to burn off, it will flavor your food. And, because you don't have to. There are many other ways to start lump charcoal. You can use Chimney starters,  fireplace starter blocks. Weber starter cubes. The green gel  (an alcohol gel made from starch). Electric starters. Propane sticks. Weed burners. 
9. What is the shelf life of lump charcoal? -- If you keep it stored in a dry location, the shelf life of charcoal should be indefinite.
10. Why are some bags full of chips and dust? -- There are several theories regarding why some brands or even individual bags of lump charcoal contain a lot of chips and dust, while others do not. The most prevalent theory you will hear is the gorilla theory. Supposedly overly-muscled and underly-brained gorilla types  are the only persons allowed to handle charcoal  and they purposely toss the charcoal around at specified intervals, stomp on it with large hob-nailed boots at specified intervals, and just in general abuse the bags of charcoal. So, what left the manufacturer as pristine 100% whole pieces of lovely charcoal is pulverized into chips and dust by these goons. Well, ok, I sort of exaggerated the theory. But you get the idea, right?
11. Can I use lump charcoal that has gotten wet? -- We have never gotten any lump charcoal wet, so we don't speak from first hand experience, but we have read several sources that say if you lay it out in the sun in a thin layer, it will dry out and can be used.

the manufacturer bagged a lousy bag of charcoal. Either they fail to

What are the major styles of BBQ and their differences?

What are the major styles of BBQ and their differences?

There are so many types of barbecue out there to choose from, how can you possibly know where to start - or what you might prefer?  Today, I'm going to help you solve that problem."

Every state in the country has its own version of barbecue, and regional differences exist even within many of the states. I have found that you can buy the ingredients and equipment you need for any style at a good BBQ store.

Here are some of the most popular BBQ styles:

Alabama barbecue uses a mayonnaise-based sauce with chicken. You just brush the Alabama white BBQ sauce on the meat in the last few minutes of grilling.

Kentucky BBQ is unique, with barbecued mutton a favorite in the western part of the state. A special sauce called black dip includes Kentucky Bourbon, and is a perfect match for the strong taste of mutton.

Missouri barbecue usually means Kansas City BBQ. With over 100 barbecue restaurants, Kansas City is world famous for barbecue and hosts the American Royal BBQ, the Worlds largest BBQ contest.   Kansas City barbecue uses beef, pork, poultry, and sometimes fish.  We especially like burnt ends, the tasty cuts from the ends of a smoked beef or pork brisket. You can choose between sweet, tangy, or spicy tomato-based sauces.

North Carolina is famous for pulled pork sandwiches. In the eastern part of the state chefs cover chopped meat from a whole pig with an apple cider vinegar sauce and a touch of red pepper flakes.  A few hundred miles to the west the pork comes from just the shoulder of the pig, BBserved with a tomato-based sauce.

South Carolina, like its neighbor to the north, favors pulled pork, slow cooked and shredded. But sauces vary throughout the state. In the southern part of the state, and into Georgia, BBQ chefs use a spicy vinegar sauce sweetened with brown sugar and ketchup.  We once enjoyed a mustard-based sauce in the north of South Carolina.

Tennessee favors pork BBQ, especially pork ribs. In Memphis, home to over 100 barbecue restaurants, pork ribs may be cooked in the “dry rub” style or the “wet rib” style.  Dry rubbed ribs are rubbed with a spice mix, smoked, and then served with BBQ sauce on the side.  To make wet ribs you douse the meat with barbecue sauce after cooking.

Texas favors beef brisket for barbecue, followed closely by chopped beef and beef ribs.  Pork has its place in Texas BBQ, also, like spicy pork sausages and pork ribs. Whether it’s beef or pork, most Texas BBQ is rubbed with a special dry BBQ rub and then smoked. Sometimes Texas BBQ comes with sauce on the side.

It’s fun to experiment with different styles. And easy to find the smoker, grill, rub, sauce, and other supplies you need—no matter where you live.

About the author:  Chris Marks (Competition BBQ Team the Three Little Pigs) has won the American Royal BBQ contest 8 times, the prestigious Jack Daniels World Sauce Championship, and 43 national BBQ championships.  He has over 600 individual BBQ titles.

He is also the current owner of the Three Little Pigs restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri and leads the Ace of Hearts BBQ Specialty Company.

Basics of Barbecue Smokers

Barbecue smokers add a delectable Smokey flavor that at the same time makes food moist and tender every time. The slow cooking process of using barbecue smokers is perfect for fish, meat, vegetable or sausages. However most barbecue smokers are intended for small barbecues only.

1. Basics of Barbecue Smokers
The construction of a barbecue smoker is basically the same as a standard barbecue grill. However with a barbecue smoker the closeable lid is designed to trap in smoke to cook the food. Barbecue smokers are either direct or in direct. The direct barbecue smoker is basically a unit with a closeable lid and aromatic flavor woods are combined with the charcoal. The smoke produced by the wood and charcoal cooks the food placed with in the smoker. This gives the unique flavor to the food. In direct barbecue smokers is similar to the direct barbecue smoker with a single unit and closable lid, this is the grill unit. However the in direct barbecue smoker has another container,   the smoker unit, that holds the flavor wood and charcoal. The smoke passes into the grill unit and gives flavor to the barbecue.

2. Water Barbecue Smokers for Beginners
- Ideal for beginners
- Vertical type barbecue smoker
- Has a bowl of water located between the base and cooking racks
- Generates moisture throughout the cooking process
- Relatively inexpensive
- Great way to get started in barbecue smoking
- Very hard to regulate heat

3. Electric Barbecue Smokers
Next to the water barbecue smokers are the electric type smokers. These models are more expensive compared to the water smokers thereby producing better-smoked food. One of the perks of using an electric smoker is that there is no need to light a fire.
However many traditionalist smokers would dislike this feature of the electric smoker. The electric barbecue smoker make for hassle-free cooking, allowing the cook to spend more time with the guests rather than tend the fire. It also involves less care and upkeep compared to traditional barbecue smokers.

4. The Charcoal or Log Barbecue Smoker
The charcoal or log burning barbecue smokers is the next step to the electric barbecue smokers. This type of barbecue smokers is reserved for the truly skilled smoker that appreciates the fine taste of quality-smoked food. The taste of food smoked in charcoal or log burning barbecue smokers is truly savored with every bite. Charcoal or log burning barbecue smokers are larger in size and heavier compared to water or electric barbecue smokers. These types of smokers are outfitted with handle and wheels making transport reasonably easy. At the same time charcoal or log burning barbecue smokers have controls for thermal regulation and smoke generation providing more choices for cooking.

5. Maintenance Tips
Maintaining a barbecue smoker doesn’t require a great deal of effort. For most brands of barbecue smokers sold in the market today, it is essential to fire up the unit and let it burn on the highest heat for about one hour. This process known as the burning-in method will kill any possible contamination that is already present in the unit even before it is used for cooking. The initial smoking process will in effect provide a protective covering for the barbecue smoker.
 
6. Safety Tips
When using a barbecue smoker be sure that there is sufficient ventilation in the area where the unit is located. This will prevent the fumes from choking family and friends. It will also limit the chances of a build-up of dangerous toxins brought about by excessive smoke.
Although the world of food and drink may seem overwhelming at times, don’t be afraid to learn as much as you can. Hopefully the information provided to you in this article will imbue you with a multifaceted comprehension of the complete picture. Depth of knowledge in even mundane, everyday topics such as the one at hand is an important component of achieving an understanding of the myriad of mysteries of our surrounding world. Once one has acquired a comprehensive understanding, then one is poised to act in a manner that facilitates maximum realization of the easy, joy-filled life we all seek. With that stated, please enjoy.

Chris

Brisket Chili (Three Little Pig Style)

Brisket Chili   (Three Little Pig Style)

Brisket

1.       Smoked 2 whole briskets with Three Little Pigs Championship Rub

2.       At same time I also smoked 4 sweet peppers (cut them in half, seed n spread olive oil on them) put on smoker (250 deg.) for 3 hrs.

3.       Slice briskets

CHILI

1.        Chop 4 lg. sweet onions

2.        Mince 2 heads of garlic

3.        Chop the smoked peppers
Heat the reserved brisket juice and sauté the veggies until translucent

4.       Add ½ Cup of Three Little Pig’s All-Purpose Rub

In 2 pots (I use a slow cooker and a large stock pot)
5.    9 lbs. of diced tomatoes (in tomatoes juice)
6.    (6) 14.5oz cans of Delmont diced tomatoes (zesty chili style)

      7.    Add Kidney Beans (Optional)

Since the stock pot is larger, I make the milder version in it by putting more of the tomatoes in. I then put the brisket in followed by the veggie mixture (putting more in the slow cooker) and cook on low all day.

Master BBQ Smoking: 7 Rules of Competition BBQ (What the Consistent Wi...

Master BBQ Smoking: 7 Rules of Competition BBQ (What the Consistent Wi...: "1) The top flight teams are not hard partiers. What I am saying is these guys are focused. They are at a contest to cook good competition qu..."

7 Rules of Competition BBQ (What the Consistent Winners live by)

1) The top flight teams are not hard partiers. What I am saying is these guys are focused. They are at a contest to cook good competition quality BBQ, not to drink and carry on and have big parties for their friends. They just know when to party and when to be serious. When they are in the “show time” window of a contest, most are working hard to reach their goals and are not drunk or hung over.

2) Repetition, Many of the more successful pit masters are cooking more than a handful of events a season. These guys are cooking a lot, they know their equipment, how it performs and what to expect regardless of the weather conditions.

3) Timing is everything. Pick a first rate team, go by their site at 12:30 AM on Friday night, go by their site the following week at the same time and I guarantee you’ll see the same thing. These guys are on automatic pilot, they’re in the zone, again, focused, they know what they are doing and when they will do it before the fire is even lit. I even know of one very successful pit master that can be seen crawling into his truck at the exact same time on Friday night for his required siesta. To say these guys are on a fixed schedule is an understatement.

4) If something is not working, you need to fix it. We are constantly looking for an edge. They are never idle, if a category is not getting the job done, they are not afraid to make changes in the quest for improvement. Some times the change is subtle other times drastic but these fellows are not afraid of change. I have even known of guys that have changed what would be considered successful processes in the never ending quest for improvement.

5) Consistency is not only a good thing, it is a requirement. Again, not a hard fast rule, but most of the top scoring teams are doing well in all four categories. They may not be walking in every meat, although that surely wouldn’t hurt. The key is the team is not tanking in even one category and that is what is important. You need to be consistent across the board to hear your name called with any regularity.

6) Teams that are consistently in the top ten would be considered dedicated. Most would admit to having BBQ on their mind for most of their waking hours. Where else could you find someone that is willing to engage in a 1.0 hour conversation as to the interactions of rub and or marinade to the eventual crunchiness of chicken skin. Find yourself one of these top ten pit masters and see if you can get them to talk a little BBQ. The only problem is, trying to get them to stop.

7) Attention to detail. Most of the guys that are successful week in and week out are very detail oriented. As I stated above, they operate on a set schedule, their equipment is all in the right place, and their cook areas are neat and organized. They pay attention to even the smallest detail, always searching for a way to do it better or more efficiently.