Let's Talk BBQ
Tips, Tricks & Just Good Advice! => Burn it in the Back Yard with Hub! => Topic started by: Hub on January 23, 2012, 02:44:22 PM
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There is no English word quite equal to “Tao”. We borrow it from eastern philosophy and, loosely translated, it means “the way”. It is very hard to put into English words, but it fits when you are trying to get at the deep, root, meaning of a subject. Today I’m waxing philosophical about my favorite hobby – barbeque.
More specifically, I don’t think one can pursue the tao of anything without having an open mind and without making a concerted effort to understand what it really is. It requires humility and knowledge that change is constant and forever. Anytime one gets off on a jag that, in essence, says “I have the perfect concept” one has moved away from pursuit of the tao and toward some extreme (it may be right or wrong – that isn’t the point).
If you are with me thus far, I’ll posit some things I’ve learned about barbeque while pursuing its tao. This pursuit will not end. I’ll keep on learning. This is just where I see it at this moment after trying to get comfortable with it for five decades.
First, defining “barbeque” is hopeless. Yes, there are some scholars that purport anything cooked directly over burning matter as being it. Then, arguments develop over the type of matter and direction of heat exchange. In plainer words, the most common arguments move around grilling versus smoking, direct, versus indirect, and so on. What, I ask, is the point? This is academic folderol, tommyrot and thought gardening. Skip this question – it has no universal answer.
Second, certain television celebrity cooks with more writers and budget than common sense chime in as “barbeque experts” and further roil the waters. They are but talking heads. Their goal in life is rating points, not consummate barbeque excellence. Do not listen to their stilted messages. Further, ignore the ministrations and antics of “barbeque” oriented television programs that make large of feuding, fussing, and animosity among and between individuals engaged in barbeque competitions. This serves the same end – ratings. All of the people I’ve ever met “on the circuit” are genuine, friendly, helpful, honest individuals who compete with a fun-loving spirit and, often, humanitarianism. Turn off the tube.
Third, the finished product is far, far, more important than the groceries that went into it, the method employed in its preparation, or the presentation. Yes, the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts! Truly great barbequed food depends, ultimately, on the skill of the cook. Alas, one of great tenure and stature may produce inedible garbage on the most sophisticated equipment, using the costliest of supplies and ingredients. Conversely, a humble beginner may also create succulent and tantalizing food on limited facilities and with basic ingredients. Building skill and knowledge of the art and science of barbeque are far more important than the size and number of the toys or the cost of the groceries.
Finally, and this is my most reverent, most heart-felt, and most complete item of learning, great barbeque is composed of many facets. As God is my witness, it is not about smoke or sauce. Among these are the food itself (usually meat), the recipe (spices, however applied – rub, mop, sauce, injection, etc.), the approach – the method of cooking and what it imparts to the product, and the orchestration of all the input by the cook. Great barbeque must have all of these, in balance, and with superb creativity. Good barbeque is moderately easy to do. Great barbeque is a lot of work and takes practice, practice, practice.
There are defining moments in life and I’ll share one. A couple of years ago I was judging a barbeque competition. The subject of the moment was beef brisket. I picked up and tested one of the entries. It was beyond good – it was great! It was tender without falling into mush. It had moisture and wonderful texture for mouth feel. The flavor was magnificent, composed of a complex but well woven set of zings and tingles and no one of them overwhelmed the others – it was unique and savory. It just so happened that I looked at my fellow judges who were evaluating the same entry. All had a rapturous look on their faces. None of us could describe it as we discussed it later. That piece of brisket was as close to perfection as I’ve ever encountered and I wasn’t the only person who felt that way. These moments are, of course, rare. But, they are worth living for!
The tao of barbecue transcends meat, method and money. It is a state of mind and a level of pursuit, not a recipe or a tool. No, I don’t mean “I’ll know it when I see it” but rather I mean I’ll keep looking and practicing and learning, knowing that even the very best efforts and results are never, really, optimal.
Deep? Yeah. Translation: Have a lot of fun but don’t ever think you’ve figured it all out because that’s when you’ll be way, way wrong!
Hub
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Hub:
That is the most salient, and elegant explanation of the je ne sais quoi that *is* fine BBQ that I have ever read. Period.
Boys and girls -throw away your books - or at least tear out the pages of Myron (blech :P) Mixon waxing elequent....
HUB HAS NAILED IT !!!!!!!!
Not joking - this should ( and will be ;D ) a sticky here!
Thanks
T
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Very Great post Hub.......and so true....if you follow Tao you are never a master but always a student
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Hub, Thank you so much for this educational philosophical view point. Spot on. Dee
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That is actually a very refreshing read and viewpoint! I love it!
I enjoy all the different forms of BBQ from Eastern Carolina Pulled Pork (I used to live in good ol' NC), to Memphis style dry ribs, to Jamaican Jerk. It's all good eating in my book!
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Thats a great read by I think its way simpler than that, great BBQ in the mouth of person enjoying it at that moment. Isn't it all about the enjoyment of the flavors being had by that person eating it. It doesn't have to be "competition" quality, it only has to be"damn thats good", or "I really like that, thats great BBQ". That what we all hope to achieve, somebody enjoying our effort. And I totally agree with it being a life long learning process, change happens and if you don't go with it, you'll be left far behind. Just my opinion
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Steve is close; it's BBQ, folks, not world peace. It's quality is defined by how much you liked it, how much fun it was for you to make or go out for, and how it compared to your previous experiences (although a little positive reinforcement from friends and family never hurts).
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Because BBQ is typicallya social event ( unless one is a recluse or anti-social ;) )we all strive to make it the best we can. This has led to the number of competition organizations and judging of BBQ.
And - without the constraints of competition - I believe most folks can make better BBQ at home. Just having the time to marinade longer is but one of the reasons...
But, I do agree with what Hub has said, and - for me the bottom line also simple:
Anybody can make good BBQ....But when you taste great BBQ....It can be a transforming experience. Good BBQ is not that much better than so-so, or O.K. BBQ. Great BBQ is an echelon above good. Not a little better.
Great BBQ takes into account ALL of the aspects of great food. Appearance, smell, texture, moisture content, and the complexity of what most of us just call "taste"...Which has 5 different actual tastes combined in different values/balance in order to produce the overall taste.
Yes - one would think that "the masses" can judge what is good BBQ or not...But I will stand on this: It is not necessarily true. I have eaten a lot of really marginal ( at best :) ) BBQ in towns that only had one BBQ joint....And folks there thought it was good. But they had nothing to compare it to, and it may be all that they had grown up knowing as BBQ
If none of this makes sense to you - you owe it to yourself to wonder if you have ever really had GREAT BBQ ;D.
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Hub,
You did it again! Another quality piece of writing. You sure have a knack for picking the topics, too.
Art
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Damn! I want to be smoking what he did when that was written... Way to deep for me <lol>!
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It all comes down to what your taste buds like. I had the most perfect ribs last fall in Georgia. Old Dave's competition ribs..they were the absolute best to me... personal opinion. I wanna smoke some of that too, so I can think like that. Pam .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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from here in Africa where we don't do BBQ we do braai(hot grill ) and potjie (dutch oven)it is all about gating Together with love ones
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Hey, Hub! Made it over from the Dark side. :P Hope to wax and wane with all kinds of Tao. Now, if I can only figure out how to get my avatar in here! :-\
OD
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Hub...great thoughts on BBQ and well put. I think about BBQ in a more basic way...way back when people first started low and slow, not just here, but all over the world, it was just a guy trying to feed his family with basic ingredients...using all parts of the animal, he did his best to make it all taste as good as he could, not for a contest or bragging rights, but for survival of himself and his family. I know that seems dramatic, but I really think it's part of our DNA to try to make food taste as good as we can, so that we and our families will eat, survive and thrive.
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Well written Hub!
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Very well written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I cannot agree with you more. Cooking is one of those things either you like it or you don't. People who do it, either because they have to eat or because they enjoy doing it. I, for one, love cooking. I've been doing it since I was 4 and living in Vietnam. I got into smoking couple of years ago and been learning and experimenting ever since.
This past weekend, I spent 18 hours smoking 3 full slabs of St. Louis style pork ribs and 14 lbs of beef brisket on my WSM. Due to its small size, I smoked the ribs first, then smoked the brisket. My wife and our close friend and his families felt bad that I was up all night just to prepared something for them to eat. I told them that I did it for the love of cooking and the love of seeing enjoyments in the faces of the people who are close to me.
Thank you again for a wonderful post.