Let's Talk BBQ
General => General Discussion & Topics => General Discussion => Topic started by: rwalters on April 10, 2018, 05:57:38 PM
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Would love to hear how everyone got their start into the wonderful world of outdoor cooking.
Was it a friend or family member that took you under their wing and got you up and running? Or is outdoor cooking something that you took an interest in, and kind of figured it out on your own? Oh yeah, and do you recall the first grill/smoker that you owned... what was it?
For me, I grew up in a wonderful family, but my dad fired up his gas grill maybe 7-8 times/year. Needless to say, it wasn't him that taught me to cook outdoors...lol! I've always loved food from the grill and/or smoker, but it wasn't very often that I got it growing up.
Met my wife in 93, got married in 94. I grew up in a family where 9/10 meals were homemade, my wifes family was closer to 1/10 meals being homemade.
Needless to say, my wife didn't really know how to cook when we first got married. I didn't know much either because I had never taken an interest in it.
After getting married, the first couple of years we didn't have 2 nickels to rub together, and ate pretty poorly... mostly canned/boxed quick meals. That got really old... but it continued until one day I ended up finding a Char-Griller charcoal grill on sale at Wal-Mart for next to nothing. Bought it and a bag of self lighting charcoal (didn't know any better). Didn't know a thing and messed up a good amount of food... BUT, that's what sparked my love and passion for outdoor cooking, and I slowly started to figure things out on my own (well before forums). That was over 20 years ago, and since then, my love for outdoor cooking has only grown. To me, it's a craft, an art, a hobby, a passion and highly therapeutic. I am no professional chef, but I sure do enjoy trying :)
So, what's your story?
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Nice concept for a thread ...
Growing up, my parents divorced when I was a wee bairn ... my maternal grandparents were in the same city so many weekends were spent at their house or at their vacation place in north Georgia. My grandfather, like many of the "Greatest Generation" had a backyard full of toys including a then-top-of-the-line gas grill. Delmonico steaks, barbecued sausage (link sausage split, grilled, and basted with a local mustard-based BBQ sauce called Foy's), and grilled spareribs were his normal rotation. My mom and grandmother both saw the value in teaching me to cook (to impress girls when I was older) and I've always been comfortable throwing together decent meals.
Fast forward to my college years and we'd always be grilling out burgers, hot dogs, and steaks at my fraternity house. We had a summer luau mixer with a sorority and did a pig roast ... that was my first time manning an offset smoker. The girlfriends I had seemed to like my ability to cook for them so that simply encouraged me to keep doing it. The advent of the internet opened up a whole new world of recipes and tutorials, and I was hooked.
After grad school, I invested in a series of cheap offset smokers and Wal-Mart gassers, until I moved to Texas for my PhD program. I picked up a barely used Tejas Smoker 1628 offset from a friend who was moving overseas and invested in a Weber Genesis 330 to go along with a hand-me-down Weber Performer. Well, Hurricane Ike in 2008 killed my Tejas 1628 and the Performer (downed tree turned them into a pile of pieces) and the Genesis was it for a while.
I eventually picked up a Smokin-It Model 3 and loved the simplicity; my job has me traveling too much to want to spend time tending a smoker. The electric did some things well, but was sorely limited. When I decided to build a new house, I decided it was time to jump into the pellet world. I had friends who do everything from backyard grilling to competing at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo BBQ Championships, so I picked their brains and played around a bit with their smokers. I was down between the cheaper RecTec 680 and the bells-and-whistles Yoder YS640 Comp Cart. I liked, but didn't love, both for various reasons. I stumbled across reviews by HighOnSmoke and SavannahSmoker of the Blaz'n Gridiron ... a bit more research and a couple of chats with Tim at Blaz'n and that was the clincher ... I'd never had a hands-on with them but I took a leap of faith.
The Blaz'n is pretty much my do-everything machine now; the GrillGrates give me ample ability to sear and as far as smoking it's as good as any on the market. My old Smokin-It is sitting in my garage, still wrapped in moving blankets. My Genesis is there too, as I need to do a comprehensive overall on the internals.
My smoker is in heavy rotation when I'm not on the road, and the main draw for me is experimenting with homemade rubs and sauces. I won't lie, since I built a house I had free hand in over-building the kitchen with plenty of work surfaces for prep and upgraded appliances that make everything live up to my expectations. My friends, neighbors, and even lucky students are my guinea pigs for a lot of my recipes for the smoker; the indoor stuff is reserved for a young lady I'm lucky enough to be seeing.
Indoor cooking feeds the body, but outdoor cooking often feeds the soul ...
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Nice concept for a thread ...
Growing up, my parents divorced when I was a wee bairn ... my maternal grandparents were in the same city so many weekends were spent at their house or at their vacation place in north Georgia. My grandfather, like many of the "Greatest Generation" had a backyard full of toys including a then-top-of-the-line gas grill. Delmonico steaks, barbecued sausage (link sausage split, grilled, and basted with a local mustard-based BBQ sauce called Foy's), and grilled spareribs were his normal rotation. My mom and grandmother both saw the value in teaching me to cook (to impress girls when I was older) and I've always been comfortable throwing together decent meals.
Fast forward to my college years and we'd always be grilling out burgers, hot dogs, and steaks at my fraternity house. We had a summer luau mixer with a sorority and did a pig roast ... that was my first time manning an offset smoker. The girlfriends I had seemed to like my ability to cook for them so that simply encouraged me to keep doing it. The advent of the internet opened up a whole new world of recipes and tutorials, and I was hooked.
After grad school, I invested in a series of cheap offset smokers and Wal-Mart gassers, until I moved to Texas for my PhD program. I picked up a barely used Tejas Smoker 1628 offset from a friend who was moving overseas and invested in a Weber Genesis 330 to go along with a hand-me-down Weber Performer. Well, Hurricane Ike in 2008 killed my Tejas 1628 and the Performer (downed tree turned them into a pile of pieces) and the Genesis was it for a while.
I eventually picked up a Smokin-It Model 3 and loved the simplicity; my job has me traveling too much to want to spend time tending a smoker. The electric did some things well, but was sorely limited. When I decided to build a new house, I decided it was time to jump into the pellet world. I had friends who do everything from backyard grilling to competing at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo BBQ Championships, so I picked their brains and played around a bit with their smokers. I was down between the cheaper RecTec 680 and the bells-and-whistles Yoder YS640 Comp Cart. I liked, but didn't love, both for various reasons. I stumbled across reviews by HighOnSmoke and SavannahSmoker of the Blaz'n Gridiron ... a bit more research and a couple of chats with Tim at Blaz'n and that was the clincher ... I'd never had a hands-on with them but I took a leap of faith.
The Blaz'n is pretty much my do-everything machine now; the GrillGrates give me ample ability to sear and as far as smoking it's as good as any on the market. My old Smokin-It is sitting in my garage, still wrapped in moving blankets. My Genesis is there too, as I need to do a comprehensive overall on the internals.
My smoker is in heavy rotation when I'm not on the road, and the main draw for me is experimenting with homemade rubs and sauces. I won't lie, since I built a house I had free hand in over-building the kitchen with plenty of work surfaces for prep and upgraded appliances that make everything live up to my expectations. My friends, neighbors, and even lucky students are my guinea pigs for a lot of my recipes for the smoker; the indoor stuff is reserved for a young lady I'm lucky enough to be seeing.
Indoor cooking feeds the body, but outdoor cooking often feeds the soul ...
Great story! And ahhh, yes… “The advent of the Internet”... a complete game changer, eh?
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I remember my dad trying to grill chicken on a POS gas grill in the 80's. I don't recall him grilling that often but it was all crap. You see indirect cooking had not been invented yet.
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I started cooking over an open fire with friends in about 1980 at Lake Amanda..I love cooking over an open fire..I have grills, electric , gas, charcoal but my best is still open fire, with real wood. .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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I am from Texas. Cookin' a cow over a fire is a requirement for manhood. It helps that it's genetic. 8)
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My Dad in the 60's would cookout with a charcoal grill then gas in the mid 70's to 80's maybe five to six times a year. That was it. Burgers, Dogs, & sirloin steaks were on the menu each time. Maybe he cooked chicken parts once or twice but not much if any. He would also grill a steak when we went to the beach each year.... great.
I started with a Hibachi grill at NY Jet games in the 70's Nothing was as good as Burgers & dogs before a football game. Then I bought a portable CB gas grill for the games in the 80's with the same menu.
Later I bought a condo in CT & would cook the same dogs & burgers plus steaks & Chicken on a new 1987 Weber Genesis gas grill. It would be the last time I had a top of the line grill. I was not happy with it
So It is not my first love but I do love good food. I can't wait to use my new Weber 22 grill this summer as my 18 has done me well for 18 years.
I am a simple person in that 90% of the music I listen to is Genesis all other is boring after a few minutes.
With cooking just give me my Weber Charcoal, My Sears Gasser, My Big easy & my Pizza oven & I am 95% all set.
For a tailgater I am not into pulled pork or Chili.
Give me Dogs, burgers, Ribs, steak, chicken, sausage, fresh tuna, shrimp & sword fish most nights & I am very happy.
The future:
I want to master Ribs on wood planks & the big easy. I want to get into summer turkey in a big way.
I am not into smoked food at this time or very spicy food, so in short I am boring.
Spending big bucks on equipment is not my thing because I have too many hobbies & I am short on cash.
Now am I open to new things? Yes, if my time & money change for the positive I will expand.`I just have more needs now then money lol
So why am i here? Great people on this forum. It is fun
Who do I think I would like to cook like on this forum....well all of you ......but I really like what Smoking Don, Tommy, Pam & Tom make. There are others but those four standout for me at the moment.
I should add that cooking out on a boat is the best....I just need another boat :'( :'( :'( :'(
Anyway i am the five year rookie on here compared to all of you but thanks for letting me in
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I remember my dad trying to grill chicken on a POS gas grill in the 80's. I don't recall him grilling that often but it was all crap. You see indirect cooking had not been invented yet. :)
My first smoker was one of those electric Brinkman bullet smokers. Used it a few times with ok results. Then it just sat and got ignored.
Got married, bought a Weber Gasser that I had for about 14 years I think. Produced some nice chow on that grill.
Then I was at my mom's cabin and got bit by the charcoal bug. I was bored with my gas grill. About this same time Pellet grills crossed my radar. I had never done any low and slow cooking before.
So with the help of a great it dying and leaving my $1500 bucks. I dug deep and paid the difference for my Mak 2 Star. Sold the gasser and bought a Weber performer. I think I have the best of both worlds.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Love it! Couldn’t agree more with your assessment. I have a MAK and a Weber kettle. A dynamic duo for sure :)
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I am from Texas. Cookin' a cow over a fire is a requirement for manhood. It helps that it's genetic. 8)
Not sure that test works on everybody. You would be exhibit A
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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I started cooking over an open fire with friends in about 1980 at Lake Amanda..I love cooking over an open fire..I have grills, electric , gas, charcoal but my best is still open fire, with real wood. .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
I have a hunch you could give Tee’s “genetic manhood” a real run for its money!! ;)
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I am from Texas. Cookin' a cow over a fire is a requirement for manhood. It helps that it's genetic. 8)
I smell a rat... c’mon buddy, spill the beans and give us the REAL story ;)
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I am from Texas. Cookin' a cow over a fire is a requirement for manhood. It helps that it's genetic. 8)
Tee where I come from I would be arrested for doing that ;D ;D ;D ;D
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My Dad in the 60's would cookout with a charcoal grill then gas in the mid 70's to 80's maybe five to six times a year. That was it. Burgers, Dogs, & sirloin steaks were on the menu each time. Maybe he cooked chicken parts once or twice but not much if any. He would also grill a steak when we went to the beach each year.... great.
I started with a Hibachi grill at NY Jet games in the 70's Nothing was as good as Burgers & dogs before a football game. Then I bought a portable CB gas grill for the games in the 80's with the same menu.
Later I bought a condo in CT & would cook the same dogs & burgers plus steaks & Chicken on a new 1987 Weber Genesis gas grill. It would be the last time I had a top of the line grill. I was not happy with it
So It is not my first love but I do love good food. I can't wait to use my new Weber 22 grill this summer as my 18 has done me well for 18 years.
I am a simple person in that 90% of the music I listen to is Genesis all other is boring after a few minutes.
With cooking just give me my Weber Charcoal, My Sears Gasser, My Big easy & my Pizza oven & I am 95% all set.
For a tailgater I am not into pulled pork or Chili.
Give me Dogs, burgers, Ribs, steak, chicken, sausage, fresh tuna, shrimp & sword fish most nights & I am very happy.
The future:
I want to master Ribs on wood planks & the big easy. I want to get into summer turkey in a big way.
I am not into smoked food at this time or very spicy food, so in short I am boring.
Spending big bucks on equipment is not my thing because I have too many hobbies & I am short on cash.
Now am I open to new things? Yes, if my time & money change for the positive I will expand.`I just have more needs now then money lol
So why am i here? Great people on this forum. It is fun
Who do I think I would like to cook like on this forum....well all of you ......but I really like what Smoking Don, Tommy, Pam & Tom make. There are others but those four standout for me at the moment.
I should add that cooking out on a boat is the best....I just need another boat :'( :'( :'( :'(
Anyway i am the five year rookie on here compared to all of you but thanks for letting me in
Down to earth and simple... my kinda person :)
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Growing up there was never a time being around grills or bbq.
I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and I was married and living in base housing at 21. We both sucked at cooking. But, we did have one of those 20 dollar charcoal grills for hot dogs and frozen burgers. When I got out of the Marine Corps at 23, we moved from California back to Central Florida. We bounced from living with family and renting until I was able to buy a house at 23 with a wife, 8 month old, and a brand new career in law enforcement. It was a decent starter home for a beginning family, even though 3 months later it was worth half from the financial disaster. Two weeks after buying it and moving in and making it over we had a July 4th house warming party. My mother surprised me with a pretty decent 4 burner gas grill. Probably a decent 300-350 grill, Char-Broil I think. I enjoyed cooking on it when I actually used it. Probably only averages 7-15 uses a year. It eventually rusted out in 5-6 years. I was then without fire. On January 1 of 15 we moved from the Sunshine state to the frozen mountains of northern New Hampshire for a promotion. That fathers day the wife my son got me a basic Weber kettle. I had been eyeballing the one with the built in table but they were 300 bucks at the time. Only use it hand full of times a year. I can't grill to save my life. That's when I found out about sous vide over 2 years ago, and that helped my "mastering" of steak. Then I bought myself a propane smoker and only used it once since it sucked. I have eventually gotten a flat top grill, a Cook-Air grill, a Big Easy turkey fryer (used only once a year, guess when?). Still ain't great at cooking, but it appears I enjoy collecting (better word that using) cooking gadgets.
I am hoping this all changes since I now am the proud owner of a 2 Star General MAK Grill. Its way to expensive to just sit there as a lawn ornament. So I am now 33, a little more than 10 years since I got out of the military to start my new life with my new family. Here's to hoping then next 10 are actually tasty.
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Growing up there was never a time being around grills or bbq.
I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and I was married and living in base housing at 21. We both sucked at cooking. But, we did have one of those 20 dollar charcoal grills for hot dogs and frozen burgers. When I got out of the Marine Corps at 23, we moved from California back to Central Florida. We bounced from living with family and renting until I was able to buy a house at 23 with a wife, 8 month old, and a brand new career in law enforcement. It was a decent starter home for a beginning family, even though 3 months later it was worth half from the financial disaster. Two weeks after buying it and moving in and making it over we had a July 4th house warming party. My mother surprised me with a pretty decent 4 burner gas grill. Probably a decent 300-350 grill, Char-Broil I think. I enjoyed cooking on it when I actually used it. Probably only averages 7-15 uses a year. It eventually rusted out in 5-6 years. I was then without fire. On January 1 of 15 we moved from the Sunshine state to the frozen mountains of northern New Hampshire for a promotion. That fathers day the wife my son got me a basic Weber kettle. I had been eyeballing the one with the built in table but they were 300 bucks at the time. Only use it hand full of times a year. I can't grill to save my life. That's when I found out about sous vide over 2 years ago, and that helped my "mastering" of steak. Then I bought myself a propane smoker and only used it once since it sucked. I have eventually gotten a flat top grill, a Cook-Air grill, a Big Easy turkey fryer (used only once a year, guess when?). Still ain't great at cooking, but it appears I enjoy collecting (better word that using) cooking gadgets.
I am hoping this all changes since I now am the proud owner of a 2 Star General MAK Grill. Its way to expensive to just sit there as a lawn ornament. So I am now 33, a little more than 10 years since I got out of the military to start my new life with my new family. Here's to hoping then next 10 are actually tasty.
Nice progression! :) Curious, why do you say you suck at grilling? What is it you find so difficult or challenging?
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Growing up there was never a time being around grills or bbq.
I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and I was married and living in base housing at 21. We both sucked at cooking. But, we did have one of those 20 dollar charcoal grills for hot dogs and frozen burgers. When I got out of the Marine Corps at 23, we moved from California back to Central Florida. We bounced from living with family and renting until I was able to buy a house at 23 with a wife, 8 month old, and a brand new career in law enforcement. It was a decent starter home for a beginning family, even though 3 months later it was worth half from the financial disaster. Two weeks after buying it and moving in and making it over we had a July 4th house warming party. My mother surprised me with a pretty decent 4 burner gas grill. Probably a decent 300-350 grill, Char-Broil I think. I enjoyed cooking on it when I actually used it. Probably only averages 7-15 uses a year. It eventually rusted out in 5-6 years. I was then without fire. On January 1 of 15 we moved from the Sunshine state to the frozen mountains of northern New Hampshire for a promotion. That fathers day the wife my son got me a basic Weber kettle. I had been eyeballing the one with the built in table but they were 300 bucks at the time. Only use it hand full of times a year. I can't grill to save my life. That's when I found out about sous vide over 2 years ago, and that helped my "mastering" of steak. Then I bought myself a propane smoker and only used it once since it sucked. I have eventually gotten a flat top grill, a Cook-Air grill, a Big Easy turkey fryer (used only once a year, guess when?). Still ain't great at cooking, but it appears I enjoy collecting (better word that using) cooking gadgets.
I am hoping this all changes since I now am the proud owner of a 2 Star General MAK Grill. Its way to expensive to just sit there as a lawn ornament. So I am now 33, a little more than 10 years since I got out of the military to start my new life with my new family. Here's to hoping then next 10 are actually tasty.
Nice progression! :) Curious, why do you say you suck at grilling? What is it you find so difficult or challenging?
Temperature control, timing, not having a thermometer until 2 years ago. That's why I love the Anova and swooned for a pellet smoker. So easy a fat man that can't cook can do it.
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Growing up there was never a time being around grills or bbq.
I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and I was married and living in base housing at 21. We both sucked at cooking. But, we did have one of those 20 dollar charcoal grills for hot dogs and frozen burgers. When I got out of the Marine Corps at 23, we moved from California back to Central Florida. We bounced from living with family and renting until I was able to buy a house at 23 with a wife, 8 month old, and a brand new career in law enforcement. It was a decent starter home for a beginning family, even though 3 months later it was worth half from the financial disaster. Two weeks after buying it and moving in and making it over we had a July 4th house warming party. My mother surprised me with a pretty decent 4 burner gas grill. Probably a decent 300-350 grill, Char-Broil I think. I enjoyed cooking on it when I actually used it. Probably only averages 7-15 uses a year. It eventually rusted out in 5-6 years. I was then without fire. On January 1 of 15 we moved from the Sunshine state to the frozen mountains of northern New Hampshire for a promotion. That fathers day the wife my son got me a basic Weber kettle. I had been eyeballing the one with the built in table but they were 300 bucks at the time. Only use it hand full of times a year. I can't grill to save my life. That's when I found out about sous vide over 2 years ago, and that helped my "mastering" of steak. Then I bought myself a propane smoker and only used it once since it sucked. I have eventually gotten a flat top grill, a Cook-Air grill, a Big Easy turkey fryer (used only once a year, guess when?). Still ain't great at cooking, but it appears I enjoy collecting (better word that using) cooking gadgets.
I am hoping this all changes since I now am the proud owner of a 2 Star General MAK Grill. Its way to expensive to just sit there as a lawn ornament. So I am now 33, a little more than 10 years since I got out of the military to start my new life with my new family. Here's to hoping then next 10 are actually tasty.
Nice progression!
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Growing up there was never a time being around grills or bbq.
I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and I was married and living in base housing at 21. We both sucked at cooking. But, we did have one of those 20 dollar charcoal grills for hot dogs and frozen burgers. When I got out of the Marine Corps at 23, we moved from California back to Central Florida. We bounced from living with family and renting until I was able to buy a house at 23 with a wife, 8 month old, and a brand new career in law enforcement. It was a decent starter home for a beginning family, even though 3 months later it was worth half from the financial disaster. Two weeks after buying it and moving in and making it over we had a July 4th house warming party. My mother surprised me with a pretty decent 4 burner gas grill. Probably a decent 300-350 grill, Char-Broil I think. I enjoyed cooking on it when I actually used it. Probably only averages 7-15 uses a year. It eventually rusted out in 5-6 years. I was then without fire. On January 1 of 15 we moved from the Sunshine state to the frozen mountains of northern New Hampshire for a promotion. That fathers day the wife my son got me a basic Weber kettle. I had been eyeballing the one with the built in table but they were 300 bucks at the time. Only use it hand full of times a year. I can't grill to save my life. That's when I found out about sous vide over 2 years ago, and that helped my "mastering" of steak. Then I bought myself a propane smoker and only used it once since it sucked. I have eventually gotten a flat top grill, a Cook-Air grill, a Big Easy turkey fryer (used only once a year, guess when?). Still ain't great at cooking, but it appears I enjoy collecting (better word that using) cooking gadgets.
I am hoping this all changes since I now am the proud owner of a 2 Star General MAK Grill. Its way to expensive to just sit there as a lawn ornament. So I am now 33, a little more than 10 years since I got out of the military to start my new life with my new family. Here's to hoping then next 10 are actually tasty.
Nice progression!
Lol! The MAK is gonna be a real treat :) Years ago, when I bought my first Thermapen, my grilling game sky-rocketed. An FAST and accurate instant read thermometer is critical, IMO.
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Growing up there was never a time being around grills or bbq.
I joined the Marine Corps at 18, and I was married and living in base housing at 21. We both sucked at cooking. But, we did have one of those 20 dollar charcoal grills for hot dogs and frozen burgers. When I got out of the Marine Corps at 23, we moved from California back to Central Florida. We bounced from living with family and renting until I was able to buy a house at 23 with a wife, 8 month old, and a brand new career in law enforcement. It was a decent starter home for a beginning family, even though 3 months later it was worth half from the financial disaster. Two weeks after buying it and moving in and making it over we had a July 4th house warming party. My mother surprised me with a pretty decent 4 burner gas grill. Probably a decent 300-350 grill, Char-Broil I think. I enjoyed cooking on it when I actually used it. Probably only averages 7-15 uses a year. It eventually rusted out in 5-6 years. I was then without fire. On January 1 of 15 we moved from the Sunshine state to the frozen mountains of northern New Hampshire for a promotion. That fathers day the wife my son got me a basic Weber kettle. I had been eyeballing the one with the built in table but they were 300 bucks at the time. Only use it hand full of times a year. I can't grill to save my life. That's when I found out about sous vide over 2 years ago, and that helped my "mastering" of steak. Then I bought myself a propane smoker and only used it once since it sucked. I have eventually gotten a flat top grill, a Cook-Air grill, a Big Easy turkey fryer (used only once a year, guess when?). Still ain't great at cooking, but it appears I enjoy collecting (better word that using) cooking gadgets.
I am hoping this all changes since I now am the proud owner of a 2 Star General MAK Grill. Its way to expensive to just sit there as a lawn ornament. So I am now 33, a little more than 10 years since I got out of the military to start my new life with my new family. Here's to hoping then next 10 are actually tasty.
Nice progression! :) Curious, why do you say you suck at grilling? What is it you find so difficult or challenging?
Temperature control, timing, not having a thermometer until 2 years ago. That's why I love the Anova and swooned for a pellet smoker. So easy a fat man that can't cook can do it.
(Not sure why my 2 replies aren’t appearing)
Lol!! You are in for a real treat with you MAK! I can tell you this about grilling. Years ago when I bought my 1st Thermapen, I quickly saw my grilling game sky-rocket. Do you have a super quick/accurate thermometer?
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What a fantastic topic! I love all of the stories thus far except for Tee's, he's holding out :P
I guess I share what a lot of you have already said, I grew up with my Dad manning the grill (not very well mind you) and actually got used to his blackened chicken (not cajun blackened either,lol), meatball burgers and burnt hot dogs and steak. Hell, I thought that's just how it was! Steak was to be very well done and eaten with steak sauce, sometimes even (wait for it)..........KETCHUP! Oh the humanity! :)
It wasn't until my 18th birthday that I saw the light. My brother came down and cooked me a New York Strip that he marinated in Dale's marinade, cooked it a shade better than medium but not med well and it was THE BEST STEAK I'D EVER EATEN at the time anyway. I was amazed at how easily it cut AND chewed, this was not my Dad's tough shoe leather ribeye, no sir. This was good eats.
That got the ball rolling. I married very young and at the ripe old age of 24 or so I bought a cheap little Hibachi and would cook burgers and dogs on it every once in a blue moon. It wasn't until I was maybe 29 or 30 that I got really into cooking outdoors though. I was renting a house at the time that had a natural gas hookup on the deck so I took a cheap LP grill that I had but never used and converted it to use NG and then I began cooking on that POS gasser all the time! That lead to me buying a little cheapo Brinkmann water smoker and that led to a generic charcoal grill. I had a gasser, charcoal grill and smoker and was happy!
I had MANY failures cooking on that water smoker so I put my BBQ cooking on extended pause for a while and focused more on grilling. I got to where I could feed a crowd and no one got sick, lol. I thought I was the cock of the walk (old school term for you younguns, Google it!).
As time went on, I really wanted to get back into smoking, making BBQ, so that lead me to buy an offset smoker. It was a Cheapo Depot from Wally World but I got pretty good at it or so I thought. My life changing moment came when I went to a customer's house that had a Big Green Egg. I was curious about them, had seen them in the past but never gave it much consideration. This guy though, he started telling me how he would put a couple of pork butts on it and smoke it overnight and take it into his restaurant and serve BBQ sandwiches every once in a while. The idea of cooking unattended intrigued me to no end. I had BGE on the brain! The price is what held me back. You see, at the time I wasn't nearly as adept as I am now at sneaking things past the wife :P
My big break came while looking on Craigslist of all places. I was looking at used Big Green Eggs when I came across the BIG STEEL KEG! They were cheaper, wouldn't break, were portable via a hitch adapter. I was smitten ;) I wasn't able to get the used one as it sold quickly but was able to find a new one at a local Ace Hardware. It was $679.00 before tax and I got it as an early b-day present in 2011. From there, I learned how to smoke, grill, bake, etc on it and loved it SO much I ended up getting 2 more!
As some of you know, I became a accidental hoarder. I figured if the Keg was great, what else was I missing out on? That has lead me down the road of always looking for something to improve what I do or at least give me options on how to do it. The cool part of it all is that I got my wife hooked on the hobby as well so she has become a fantastic cook. We have learned together and have really enjoyed the last 7 years or so, learning as we go!
Forums like this make the whole experience even better, no doubt about it!
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What a fantastic topic! I love all of the stories thus far except for Tee's, he's holding out :P
I guess I share what a lot of you have already said, I grew up with my Dad manning the grill (not very well mind you) and actually got used to his blackened chicken (not cajun blackened either,lol), meatball burgers and burnt hot dogs and steak. Hell, I thought that's just how it was! Steak was to be very well done and eaten with steak sauce, sometimes even (wait for it)..........KETCHUP! Oh the humanity! :)
It wasn't until my 18th birthday that I saw the light. My brother came down and cooked me a New York Strip that he marinated in Dale's marinade, cooked it a shade better than medium but not med well and it was THE BEST STEAK I'D EVER EATEN at the time anyway. I was amazed at how easily it cut AND chewed, this was not my Dad's tough shoe leather ribeye, no sir. This was good eats.
That got the ball rolling. I married very young and at the ripe old age of 24 or so I bought a cheap little Hibachi and would cook burgers and dogs on it every once in a blue moon. It wasn't until I was maybe 29 or 30 that I got really into cooking outdoors though. I was renting a house at the time that had a natural gas hookup on the deck so I took a cheap LP grill that I had but never used and converted it to use NG and then I began cooking on that POS gasser all the time! That lead to me buying a little cheapo Brinkmann water smoker and that led to a generic charcoal grill. I had a gasser, charcoal grill and smoker and was happy!
I had MANY failures cooking on that water smoker so I put my BBQ cooking on extended pause for a while and focused more on grilling. I got to where I could feed a crowd and no one got sick, lol. I thought I was the cock of the walk (old school term for you younguns, Google it!).
As time went on, I really wanted to get back into smoking, making BBQ, so that lead me to buy an offset smoker. It was a Cheapo Depot from Wally World but I got pretty good at it or so I thought. My life changing moment came when I went to a customer's house that had a Big Green Egg. I was curious about them, had seen them in the past but never gave it much consideration. This guy though, he started telling me how he would put a couple of pork butts on it and smoke it overnight and take it into his restaurant and serve BBQ sandwiches every once in a while. The idea of cooking unattended intrigued me to no end. I had BGE on the brain! The price is what held me back. You see, at the time I wasn't nearly as adept as I am now at sneaking things past the wife :P
My big break came while looking on Craigslist of all places. I was looking at used Big Green Eggs when I came across the BIG STEEL KEG! They were cheaper, wouldn't break, were portable via a hitch adapter. I was smitten ;) I wasn't able to get the used one as it sold quickly but was able to find a new one at a local Ace Hardware. It was $679.00 before tax and I got it as an early b-day present in 2011. From there, I learned how to smoke, grill, bake, etc on it and loved it SO much I ended up getting 2 more!
As some of you know, I became a accidental hoarder. I figured if the Keg was great, what else was I missing out on? That has lead me down the road of always looking for something to improve what I do or at least give me options on how to do it. The cool part of it all is that I got my wife hooked on the hobby as well so she has become a fantastic cook. We have learned together and have really enjoyed the last 7 years or so, learning as we go!
Forums like this make the whole experience even better, no doubt about it!
RG I got to ask this.........Why two more lol...don't get me wrong I love it but I got to ask ;D ;D ;D
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1968 - Hibachi for a quick Steak or burger, girls loved it on the beach.
70's a mix of cheap Charcoal Grills
1986 Charmglow gas grill from Costco
1993 Weber Gennises Gas
1995 Brinkman Electric Smoker
1999 Bradley Electric Smoker
2004 Charbroil Big Easy, found 2 at a surplus store new $50 each. Heavy use for Wings at work.
2007 Traeger 070, still in action
2015 Weber Q120 for travel or quick sear.
2018 Probably a Mak 1 Star, not much into stainless. Needs too much attention to look good.
And probably a few that I just plain forgot about!
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1968 - Hibachi for a quick Steak or burger, girls loved it on the beach.
70's a mix of cheap Charcoal Grills
1986 Charmglow gas grill from Costco
1993 Weber Gennises Gas
1995 Brinkman Electric Smoker
1999 Bradley Electric Smoker
2004 Charbroil Big Easy, found 2 at a surplus store new $50 each. Heavy use for Wings at work.
2007 Traeger 070, still in action
2015 Weber Q120 for travel or quick sear.
2018 Probably a Mak 1 Star, not much into stainless. Needs too much attention to look good.
And probably a few that I just plain forgot about!
Great memory! And how exciting to have a MAK in your near future :)
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What a fantastic topic! I love all of the stories thus far except for Tee's, he's holding out :P
I guess I share what a lot of you have already said, I grew up with my Dad manning the grill (not very well mind you) and actually got used to his blackened chicken (not cajun blackened either,lol), meatball burgers and burnt hot dogs and steak. Hell, I thought that's just how it was! Steak was to be very well done and eaten with steak sauce, sometimes even (wait for it)..........KETCHUP! Oh the humanity! :)
It wasn't until my 18th birthday that I saw the light. My brother came down and cooked me a New York Strip that he marinated in Dale's marinade, cooked it a shade better than medium but not med well and it was THE BEST STEAK I'D EVER EATEN at the time anyway. I was amazed at how easily it cut AND chewed, this was not my Dad's tough shoe leather ribeye, no sir. This was good eats.
That got the ball rolling. I married very young and at the ripe old age of 24 or so I bought a cheap little Hibachi and would cook burgers and dogs on it every once in a blue moon. It wasn't until I was maybe 29 or 30 that I got really into cooking outdoors though. I was renting a house at the time that had a natural gas hookup on the deck so I took a cheap LP grill that I had but never used and converted it to use NG and then I began cooking on that POS gasser all the time! That lead to me buying a little cheapo Brinkmann water smoker and that led to a generic charcoal grill. I had a gasser, charcoal grill and smoker and was happy!
I had MANY failures cooking on that water smoker so I put my BBQ cooking on extended pause for a while and focused more on grilling. I got to where I could feed a crowd and no one got sick, lol. I thought I was the cock of the walk (old school term for you younguns, Google it!).
As time went on, I really wanted to get back into smoking, making BBQ, so that lead me to buy an offset smoker. It was a Cheapo Depot from Wally World but I got pretty good at it or so I thought. My life changing moment came when I went to a customer's house that had a Big Green Egg. I was curious about them, had seen them in the past but never gave it much consideration. This guy though, he started telling me how he would put a couple of pork butts on it and smoke it overnight and take it into his restaurant and serve BBQ sandwiches every once in a while. The idea of cooking unattended intrigued me to no end. I had BGE on the brain! The price is what held me back. You see, at the time I wasn't nearly as adept as I am now at sneaking things past the wife :P
My big break came while looking on Craigslist of all places. I was looking at used Big Green Eggs when I came across the BIG STEEL KEG! They were cheaper, wouldn't break, were portable via a hitch adapter. I was smitten ;) I wasn't able to get the used one as it sold quickly but was able to find a new one at a local Ace Hardware. It was $679.00 before tax and I got it as an early b-day present in 2011. From there, I learned how to smoke, grill, bake, etc on it and loved it SO much I ended up getting 2 more!
As some of you know, I became a accidental hoarder. I figured if the Keg was great, what else was I missing out on? That has lead me down the road of always looking for something to improve what I do or at least give me options on how to do it. The cool part of it all is that I got my wife hooked on the hobby as well so she has become a fantastic cook. We have learned together and have really enjoyed the last 7 years or so, learning as we go!
Forums like this make the whole experience even better, no doubt about it!
WOW, what an adventure! So tell me more about Dales steak marinade. I’ve heard of it, but never used or tried it. Good stuff?
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What a fantastic topic! I love all of the stories thus far except for Tee's, he's holding out :P
I guess I share what a lot of you have already said, I grew up with my Dad manning the grill (not very well mind you) and actually got used to his blackened chicken (not cajun blackened either,lol), meatball burgers and burnt hot dogs and steak. Hell, I thought that's just how it was! Steak was to be very well done and eaten with steak sauce, sometimes even (wait for it)..........KETCHUP! Oh the humanity! :)
It wasn't until my 18th birthday that I saw the light. My brother came down and cooked me a New York Strip that he marinated in Dale's marinade, cooked it a shade better than medium but not med well and it was THE BEST STEAK I'D EVER EATEN at the time anyway. I was amazed at how easily it cut AND chewed, this was not my Dad's tough shoe leather ribeye, no sir. This was good eats.
That got the ball rolling. I married very young and at the ripe old age of 24 or so I bought a cheap little Hibachi and would cook burgers and dogs on it every once in a blue moon. It wasn't until I was maybe 29 or 30 that I got really into cooking outdoors though. I was renting a house at the time that had a natural gas hookup on the deck so I took a cheap LP grill that I had but never used and converted it to use NG and then I began cooking on that POS gasser all the time! That lead to me buying a little cheapo Brinkmann water smoker and that led to a generic charcoal grill. I had a gasser, charcoal grill and smoker and was happy!
I had MANY failures cooking on that water smoker so I put my BBQ cooking on extended pause for a while and focused more on grilling. I got to where I could feed a crowd and no one got sick, lol. I thought I was the cock of the walk (old school term for you younguns, Google it!).
As time went on, I really wanted to get back into smoking, making BBQ, so that lead me to buy an offset smoker. It was a Cheapo Depot from Wally World but I got pretty good at it or so I thought. My life changing moment came when I went to a customer's house that had a Big Green Egg. I was curious about them, had seen them in the past but never gave it much consideration. This guy though, he started telling me how he would put a couple of pork butts on it and smoke it overnight and take it into his restaurant and serve BBQ sandwiches every once in a while. The idea of cooking unattended intrigued me to no end. I had BGE on the brain! The price is what held me back. You see, at the time I wasn't nearly as adept as I am now at sneaking things past the wife :P
My big break came while looking on Craigslist of all places. I was looking at used Big Green Eggs when I came across the BIG STEEL KEG! They were cheaper, wouldn't break, were portable via a hitch adapter. I was smitten ;) I wasn't able to get the used one as it sold quickly but was able to find a new one at a local Ace Hardware. It was $679.00 before tax and I got it as an early b-day present in 2011. From there, I learned how to smoke, grill, bake, etc on it and loved it SO much I ended up getting 2 more!
As some of you know, I became a accidental hoarder. I figured if the Keg was great, what else was I missing out on? That has lead me down the road of always looking for something to improve what I do or at least give me options on how to do it. The cool part of it all is that I got my wife hooked on the hobby as well so she has become a fantastic cook. We have learned together and have really enjoyed the last 7 years or so, learning as we go!
Forums like this make the whole experience even better, no doubt about it!
RG I got to ask this.........Why two more lol...don't get me wrong I love it but I got to ask ;D ;D ;D
Because 3 more would just be too many!
I used to do a lot of cooking for friends, family. I had get togethers quite frequently and I needed more cookers. I started out with one Keg, gave my offset and gasser away (not the original gasser, this one was nice). I first added another keg, then built an outdoor kitchen with a drop in gasser and side burner. THEN added a Traeger, then the Smokin'-It #3, then a pitboss pellet grill then a Pit Barrel Cooker and somewhere in there bought the 3rd keg (actually won it in a raffle at a Kegtoberfest), then another pitboss and then UUNI 2S, the KBQ (my favorite of ALL time!) then La Caja China and I'm sure others I am leaving out.
So, that's how the cookie crumbles!
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WOW, what an adventure! So tell me more about Dales steak marinade. I’ve heard of it, but never used or tried it. Good stuff?
It's good, I got burned out on it back about 12 years ago, haven't had it since but it's good. If I were to use it now, I'd probably do it on thick pork chops, center cut. That would be a good meat for you to try it on.
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Ahhhh, the mere mention of Dale's ...
A college roommate's dad, a retired SEAL and high school swim coach, would throw down on some steak cookouts with that stuff in Pensacola. You could take a select grade steak and make it taste pretty darn good. Super salty, but in a good way. Heck, I used to put a bit on stir fry pork and white rice for a quick and cheap meal.
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What a fantastic topic! I love all of the stories thus far except for Tee's, he's holding out :P
I guess I share what a lot of you have already said, I grew up with my Dad manning the grill (not very well mind you) and actually got used to his blackened chicken (not cajun blackened either,lol), meatball burgers and burnt hot dogs and steak. Hell, I thought that's just how it was! Steak was to be very well done and eaten with steak sauce, sometimes even (wait for it)..........KETCHUP! Oh the humanity! :)
It wasn't until my 18th birthday that I saw the light. My brother came down and cooked me a New York Strip that he marinated in Dale's marinade, cooked it a shade better than medium but not med well and it was THE BEST STEAK I'D EVER EATEN at the time anyway. I was amazed at how easily it cut AND chewed, this was not my Dad's tough shoe leather ribeye, no sir. This was good eats.
That got the ball rolling. I married very young and at the ripe old age of 24 or so I bought a cheap little Hibachi and would cook burgers and dogs on it every once in a blue moon. It wasn't until I was maybe 29 or 30 that I got really into cooking outdoors though. I was renting a house at the time that had a natural gas hookup on the deck so I took a cheap LP grill that I had but never used and converted it to use NG and then I began cooking on that POS gasser all the time! That lead to me buying a little cheapo Brinkmann water smoker and that led to a generic charcoal grill. I had a gasser, charcoal grill and smoker and was happy!
I had MANY failures cooking on that water smoker so I put my BBQ cooking on extended pause for a while and focused more on grilling. I got to where I could feed a crowd and no one got sick, lol. I thought I was the cock of the walk (old school term for you younguns, Google it!).
As time went on, I really wanted to get back into smoking, making BBQ, so that lead me to buy an offset smoker. It was a Cheapo Depot from Wally World but I got pretty good at it or so I thought. My life changing moment came when I went to a customer's house that had a Big Green Egg. I was curious about them, had seen them in the past but never gave it much consideration. This guy though, he started telling me how he would put a couple of pork butts on it and smoke it overnight and take it into his restaurant and serve BBQ sandwiches every once in a while. The idea of cooking unattended intrigued me to no end. I had BGE on the brain! The price is what held me back. You see, at the time I wasn't nearly as adept as I am now at sneaking things past the wife :P
My big break came while looking on Craigslist of all places. I was looking at used Big Green Eggs when I came across the BIG STEEL KEG! They were cheaper, wouldn't break, were portable via a hitch adapter. I was smitten ;) I wasn't able to get the used one as it sold quickly but was able to find a new one at a local Ace Hardware. It was $679.00 before tax and I got it as an early b-day present in 2011. From there, I learned how to smoke, grill, bake, etc on it and loved it SO much I ended up getting 2 more!
As some of you know, I became a accidental hoarder. I figured if the Keg was great, what else was I missing out on? That has lead me down the road of always looking for something to improve what I do or at least give me options on how to do it. The cool part of it all is that I got my wife hooked on the hobby as well so she has become a fantastic cook. We have learned together and have really enjoyed the last 7 years or so, learning as we go!
Forums like this make the whole experience even better, no doubt about it!
RG I got to ask this.........Why two more lol...don't get me wrong I love it but I got to ask ;D ;D ;D
Because 3 more would just be too many!
I used to do a lot of cooking for friends, family. I had get togethers quite frequently and I needed more cookers. I started out with one Keg, gave my offset and gasser away (not the original gasser, this one was nice). I first added another keg, then built an outdoor kitchen with a drop in gasser and side burner. THEN added a Traeger, then the Smokin'-It #3, then a pitboss pellet grill then a Pit Barrel Cooker and somewhere in there bought the 3rd keg (actually won it in a raffle at a Kegtoberfest), then another pitboss and then UUNI 2S, the KBQ (my favorite of ALL time!) then La Caja China and I'm sure others I am leaving out.
So, that's how the cookie crumbles!
Man, you make me feel a lot better, as if I don’t really have “issues”... thanks, buddy :)
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Ahhhh, the mere mention of Dale's ...
A college roommate's dad, a retired SEAL and high school swim coach, would throw down on some steak cookouts with that stuff in Pensacola. You could take a select grade steak and make it taste pretty darn good. Super salty, but in a good way. Heck, I used to put a bit on stir fry pork and white rice for a quick and cheap meal.
WOW, what an adventure! So tell me more about Dales steak marinade. I’ve heard of it, but never used or tried it. Good stuff?
It's good, I got burned out on it back about 12 years ago, haven't had it since but it's good. If I were to use it now, I'd probably do it on thick pork chops, center cut. That would be a good meat for you to try it on.
Alright, gonna grab some Dale’s soon and give it a whirl.
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I grew up with just a dad. It was charcoal for everything. It was a opened grill with a handle you could spin and raise the grill grate up and down. It was either direct or indirect cooking. All proteins, veges, fruit and Popp opened biscuits. So when I got stationed on my ship after boot camp I took a little smokey Joe with me that my dad bought me for getting thru boot camp. One night few of us just got off the 8-12 watch. We push the huey out of the helo deck onto the flight deck. We tied her down. I broke out my little smokey Joe and some kingsford. Well... About 0100 the captain comes walking thru the helo deck. The whole place is dark except a light over the BBQ with me kneeling down over the smokey Joe flipping hamburgers and T- bone steaks. The captain says who's bbq is that and do you guys know there are 55 gallon drums of JP5 (helo fuel) over in the corner. It's my bbq sir and I knew about the JP5 drums. The next thing I said was "sir how would you like your steak cooked?". He said, " seaman Rowe, did you break into the gallery?". The chief cook Eli comes out of the shadows and said he supplied the left over steaks from dinner. The captain says how many are you here. 15 of my friends come out into the light. The captain leaves and come back with 2 cases of Hamms beer. Seaman Rowe medium rare on the steak. He sat there until 4am eating and drinking with us. I'll never forget that. All because my little smokey Joe. I have had one ever since (jumbo joe now). I love charcoal.
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The first memory I have of charcoal was at my great uncle's house in Pittsburgh for 4th of July. He made brats, and they were amazing. My dad only used a gas grill, and we would do the standard burgers, dogs, london broil, and hammered chicken breasts (always over cooked and dry). Hated chicken for this reason, until I started grilling. Somehow we ended up with a Jumbo Joe and I liked ribs, and all I knew was low and slow so I experimented with indirected cooking with basic instinct of coals on one side, food on the other isn't as hot. I went away to college grill at home I came home one summer and slow roasted/smoked some chicken breast splits, that everyone really liked. Then for father's day I tried a leg of lamb (bone in). Next summer, my parents bought me a smokey joe for my birthday (it's in May) one year and I never opened it. My mom refused to allow my dad to cook on charcoal because his food wasn't as good as mine, so I took the Jumbo Joe back to school with me for tailgating PSU football games. Charcoal wasn't allowed on the grass fields so I usually had to wait until enough cars were around us to fire it up, but I became the grill man.
When I finished school, and moved home, I couldn't find a job as a meteorologist, so I worked in a kitchen at night to allow day time to apply for jobs that never panned out. Went to the family business of a commercial bakery, bought a house and bought a half gas grill, half smoker that last 2 years (stupid waste of money). Got married and the wife bought me a PBC one christmas, I found an older Weber Genesis, that I updated burners, manifold, and GrillGrates, now it burns like new, and then found an old New Braunfels Black Diamond offset on craigslist. I still have the Jumbo Joe, and it's still my favorite. I'm afraid the offset will not get used at all this summer as we have newborn (Groundhog day), but I'm hoping to at least be able to use the PBC if it ever warms up. Gasser gets the weekday work out in the summer, but weekends we both like the charcoal better, so as long as its only the two of us having dinner we use that... Although I have not mastered the art of grilling bread on the charcoal, and we love grilled bread with dinner.
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My dad cooked steaks on a backyard hand-built brick grill when I was a wee tyke back in the early fifties. Most people didn't know how to use charcoal back then and "cooking out" was not the common event it is now. The neighbors saw the smoke and thought something was on fire. Mom cut me a piece of her steak and I reluctantly tried it. Wow! I was hooked. I didn't know it then, but later in my life I'd get into grilling and smoking because stuff that's cooked outside over wood just tastes a lot better than indoor chow. Thanks, Dad!
Hub
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I grew up with just a dad. It was charcoal for everything. It was a opened grill with a handle you could spin and raise the grill grate up and down. It was either direct or indirect cooking. All proteins, veges, fruit and Popp opened biscuits. So when I got stationed on my ship after boot camp I took a little smokey Joe with me that my dad bought me for getting thru boot camp. One night few of us just got off the 8-12 watch. We push the huey out of the helo deck onto the flight deck. We tied her down. I broke out my little smokey Joe and some kingsford. Well... About 0100 the captain comes walking thru the helo deck. The whole place is dark except a light over the BBQ with me kneeling down over the smokey Joe flipping hamburgers and T- bone steaks. The captain says who's bbq is that and do you guys know there are 55 gallon drums of JP5 (helo fuel) over in the corner. It's my bbq sir and I knew about the JP5 drums. The next thing I said was "sir how would you like your steak cooked?". He said, " seaman Rowe, did you break into the gallery?". The chief cook Eli comes out of the shadows and said he supplied the left over steaks from dinner. The captain says how many are you here. 15 of my friends come out into the light. The captain leaves and come back with 2 cases of Hamms beer. Seaman Rowe medium rare on the steak. He sat there until 4am eating and drinking with us. I'll never forget that. All because my little smokey Joe. I have had on ever since (jumbo joe now). I love charcoal.
Great story.
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This thread is great. Could probably rename it "BBQ Roots" and pin it. With 2100 members, some of the stories have got be amazing. But every one is unique.
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I am a late bloomer to cooking. My first grill was a Weber charcoal grill that I picked up in 1998. I only used it a few times as life kept getting in the way to really learn it. I ended up selling it and I didn’t grab another grill until around 2000. This time it was a Charbroil gasser and I loved to cook salmon, burgers and veggies on it. I am originally from the west coast where you could get good salmon at a reasonable price. When we moved to Georgia I picked up a Masterbuilt electric smoker and got the bug for smoking meats. I was lucky enough to go to a 2-day BBQ competition class which was open to all cooks. Once I completed this class I decided the electric smoker wasn’t going to cut it. I then bought a Weber Smokey Mountain and used it for quite a few years. During that period, I picked up several more Weber grills and smokers. At one time I had 13 different Weber grills. I have since trimmed the herd down to 3 Webers. In 2013, after several months of research and joining this forum, I ventured into pellet smoking. I bought a Blaz’n Grillworks Grid Iron and since then I have added a Green Mountain Davy Crockett pellet grill. I also have a 22” Blackstone griddle. The kids have families of their own now and they inherited a lot of my old grills and smokers. Since I am retired and have lots of time on my hands I have been experimenting a lot with Sous Vide cooking. Combining Sous Vide with BBQ is a win win situation!
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I am a late bloomer to cooking. My first grill was a Weber charcoal grill that I picked up in 1998. I only used it a few times as life kept getting in the way to really learn it. I ended up selling it and I didn’t grab another grill until around 2000. This time it was a Charbroil gasser and I loved to cook salmon, burgers and veggies on it. I am originally from the west coast where you could get good salmon at a reasonable price. When we moved to Georgia I picked up a Masterbuilt electric smoker and got the bug for smoking meats. I was lucky enough to go to a 2-day BBQ competition class which was open to all cooks. Once I completed this class I decided the electric smoker wasn’t going to cut it. I then bought a Weber Smokey Mountain and used it for quite a few years. During that period, I picked up several more Weber grills and smokers. At one time I had 13 different Weber grills. I have since trimmed the herd down to 3 Webers. In 2013, after several months of research and joining this forum, I ventured into pellet smoking. I bought a Blaz’n Grillworks Grid Iron and since then I have added a Green Mountain Davy Crockett pellet grill. I also have a 22” Blackstone griddle. The kids have families of their own now and they inherited a lot of my old grills and smokers. Since I am retired and have lots of time on my hands I have been experimenting a lot with Sous Vide cooking. Combining Sous Vide with BBQ is a win win situation!
SOUS-VIDE-QUE :thumbup:
https://amazingribs.com/more-technique-and-science/more-cooking-science/sous-vide-que-marrying-grill-and-smoker-sous-vide
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I grew up with just a dad. It was charcoal for everything. It was a opened grill with a handle you could spin and raise the grill grate up and down. It was either direct or indirect cooking. All proteins, veges, fruit and Popp opened biscuits. So when I got stationed on my ship after boot camp I took a little smokey Joe with me that my dad bought me for getting thru boot camp. One night few of us just got off the 8-12 watch. We push the huey out of the helo deck onto the flight deck. We tied her down. I broke out my little smokey Joe and some kingsford. Well... About 0100 the captain comes walking thru the helo deck. The whole place is dark except a light over the BBQ with me kneeling down over the smokey Joe flipping hamburgers and T- bone steaks. The captain says who's bbq is that and do you guys know there are 55 gallon drums of JP5 (helo fuel) over in the corner. It's my bbq sir and I knew about the JP5 drums. The next thing I said was "sir how would you like your steak cooked?". He said, " seaman Rowe, did you break into the gallery?". The chief cook Eli comes out of the shadows and said he supplied the left over steaks from dinner. The captain says how many are you here. 15 of my friends come out into the light. The captain leaves and come back with 2 cases of Hamms beer. Seaman Rowe medium rare on the steak. He sat there until 4am eating and drinking with us. I'll never forget that. All because my little smokey Joe. I have had on ever since (jumbo joe now). I love charcoal.
Love it!!! Something tells me you were:
A) The class clown growing up
B) You know how to wiggle your way out of a jam
You crack me up, Gus!
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Love these stories! Keep em’ coming!!!! :)
Oh yeah, still waiting on Tee to give us the “real” news! ;)
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My Dad tough me when I was young to use a grill (Weber 22in charcoal) at the time I didn't know there was any other grill out there
He would do burgers and hotdogs, chicken and smoked turkeys with that grill.
Later in life I married Kimmie and her father was a farmer/rancher we had over 800+ cattle between the two farms so meat was no issue at all.
I bought my first Weber grill when we first got married and thought I knew everything about grilling boy was I wrong! I could do burgers and hotdogs but
nothing else. I tried ribs and thought oh 45 mins should be plenty of time WRONG!!! LOL
After a few BAD cooks and learning I finial became comfortable enough to try different things.
In 2007 I bought my first of 6 Big Easy's oil less fryers. I was hooked and joined the old CharBroil site which CB Martin made me the Big Easy guest chef for
that site. I would cook all kind things in it from burgers to ribs to turkeys to London broil to Beef Wellington!!
The Turtle once asked about Beef Welling ton and I jumped at the chance to try it in the Big Easy and IMHO nailed it ;)
Since then I have bought and was given over 17 different grills, smokers infrared units!
At this time I own 14 cookers of some kind and would love to add more:)
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Hmmm. The house I grew up in had a fireplace, upstairs it was 2 sided, downstairs one sided, but it also had a grill built in with a rotisserie( this was separate and higher than the fireplace portion), unfortunately I don't ever remember it being used! :'( I would kill for that setup now. Instead I remember a red gas grill and pork chops cooked until dry! My dad still likes the pork chops cooked till extra crispy.
When I was 12 my Uncle married a lady from Texas and a couple years later he discovered Lyfe tyme bbq pits on a trip back to Texas. Soon after they started the outdoor cooking store. He drove his truck and 5th wheel trailer down, filled it with Lyfe tyme pits and drove them back to Minnesota. For the first couple years the store was in the pole barn. Around 1994 they rented a space and moved to White Bear lake. I had never seen anything like the Lyfe tyme pits and I don't think many Minnesotans had. So that was my first time actually bbqing anything. They sold everything. First time I had seen a Green egg, Holland Grill, Traeger grill, the keg, pellets, anything and everything outdoor cooking they had. So that was really my first intro to bbqing and all the different options.
When i bought my house in 1999 I bought a kingsford charcoal grill from Menards and used that for grilling and 2 zone cooking. Finally last year I bought my Davy Crockett. Oh, and because of you guys I also have a cook-air, 28in blackstone, SRG and some other pieces.
For you guys that love restoring old grills you would have been in heaven. They would take the old grills from people after delivering the new ones, that's where my 86 Weber gasser came from, and stock pile them at the farm. Eventually breaking them down and making a trip to recycle. But oh how huge that pile would get. Wish I would have been more into cooking and a little older then.
Anyway, that's how I was exposed to bbq. They were always cooking something, both at home and at the store.
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I have made this post a sticky so we can continue on with new members and more old members adding their stories. This is an excellent and very entertaining post.
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Hmmm. The house I grew up in had a fireplace, upstairs it was 2 sided, downstairs one sided, but it also had a grill built in with a rotisserie( this was separate and higher than the fireplace portion), unfortunately I don't ever remember it being used! :'( I would kill for that setup now. Instead I remember a red gas grill and pork chops cooked until dry! My dad still likes the pork chops cooked till extra crispy.
When I was 12 my Uncle married a lady from Texas and a couple years later he discovered Lyfe tyme bbq pits on a trip back to Texas. Soon after they started the outdoor cooking store. He drove his truck and 5th wheel trailer down, filled it with Lyfe tyme pits and drove them back to Minnesota. For the first couple years the store was in the pole barn. Around 1994 they rented a space and moved to White Bear lake. I had never seen anything like the Lyfe tyme pits and I don't think many Minnesotans had. So that was my first time actually bbqing anything. They sold everything. First time I had seen a Green egg, Holland Grill, Traeger grill, the keg, pellets, anything and everything outdoor cooking they had. So that was really my first intro to bbqing and all the different options.
When i bought my house in 1999 I bought a kingsford charcoal grill from Menards and used that for grilling and 2 zone cooking. Finally last year I bought my Davy Crockett. Oh, and because of you guys I also have a cook-air, 28in blackstone, SRG and some other pieces.
For you guys that love restoring old grills you would have been in heaven. They would take the old grills from people after delivering the new ones, that's where my 86 Weber gasser came from, and stock pile them at the farm. Eventually breaking them down and making a trip to recycle. But oh how huge that pile would get. Wish I would have been more into cooking and a little older then.
Anyway, that's how I was exposed to bbq. They were always cooking something, both at home and at the store.
That right there would be a dream come true... to have an outdoor cooking store. I would love that! Anyone interested in on a partnership (and funding it)??? ;)
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So far as my story goes...I didn't grow up in a family that did much in the way of outdoor cooking. I would say that my love and fascination with REAL BBQ started in the 1980s when a true Texas style bbq restaurant opened in the Portland area. I jokingly claim that I helped to pay off that building and help them expand to 3 locations.
From there, came the desire to do bbq on my own at home. I started out with an inexpensive watersmoker and began experimenting and cooking. In the meantime, I sought out every book on the subject, building a barbecue library-which today-is about 200 volumes. In 1991, I became a dedicated "pellethead" when I got introduced to Traeger (manufactured 22 miles from my home. I had been writing a twice monthly column for the local paper called On Barbecue.
I got a phone call from Randy Traeger asking me to come out and see this revolutionary new type of barbecue that used wood pellets. I did, and was mildly amused, because I was a barbecue purist. It wasn't until I attended the first NBBQA conference/trade show that I REALLY got hooked on pellet grills, when one of their distributors was demonstrating the Traeger and served brisket, tri-tip and ribs. Man! The smoke flavor was spot on. I got home, called Randy and said, "I want one!" He said come and get it.
So that was 1991. Between then and 1999, my wife and I cooked in bbq competitions using our Traeger and winning at least one ribbon at each competition. We were 7 points away from a perfect score in our brisket entry at a cookoff held in Albany, OR. During the state fair, we'd hang out with the dealer who was selling spas and Traegers. In one instance, my wife and I sold 10-15 Traegers in two hours! (the person manning the booth at the fair had no idea how to explain pellet grills).
In 1999, Randy asked me to come to work with him, "Papa Joe", Mark, Brian, Greg in the capacity of Director of Marketing. That gig lasted until 2009, when I left the company because all of the manufacturing had shifted to China in late 2008. The company had sold in 2006, and the new owner (who lived in NYC) was a basket case. His style of management was ruining my health, and I hit the exit door.
The day following my leaving Traeger, I headed over to Dallas, OR, where I had heard about a new company manufacturing a wood pellet grill. It was MAK GRILLS. I will confess that my expectations were pretty low. That was UNTIL I SAW THE 2 STAR. It BLEW MY MIND! It had features on it that no other pellet grill had (it was still a limited market with about 6 different brands). It was also very expensive @ $1999.00. (I laugh now because those were the "good ole days"). The higher price was due to the fact that MAK purposely chose to build a grill using AMERICAN-MADE components and materials. It was their #1 mission to help keep American-based manufacturing viable. (remember this was during the Great Recession of 2008-2010).
The following week, I approached Bob & Kerrie about doing some marketing work for them. They, fortunately, said, "That sounds like a good idea!". On January 4,2010, I became the first MAK Grills employee, and have worked there ever since.
I think that the one thing that continues to impress me about the company I work for is the dedication MAK has to constantly innovate and improve the grills we are making. The 2 Star of today has seen many improvements and upgrades.
Like so many of you, when it comes to cooking outdoors, there is only ONE unit I cook on, my MAK PELLET GRILL. It's been the only thing I cooked on in my backyard since 1991.
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So far as my story goes...I didn't grow up in a family that did much in the way of outdoor cooking. I would say that my love and fascination with REAL BBQ started in the 1980s when a true Texas style bbq restaurant opened in the Portland area. I jokingly claim that I helped to pay off that building and help them expand to 3 locations.
From there, came the desire to do bbq on my own at home. I started out with an inexpensive watersmoker and began experimenting and cooking. In the meantime, I sought out every book on the subject, building a barbecue library-which today-is about 200 volumes. In 1991, I became a dedicated "pellethead" when I got introduced to Traeger (manufactured 22 miles from my home. I had been writing a twice monthly column for the local paper called On Barbecue.
I got a phone call from Randy Traeger asking me to come out and see this revolutionary new type of barbecue that used wood pellets. I did, and was mildly amused, because I was a barbecue purist. It wasn't until I attended the first NBBQA conference/trade show that I REALLY got hooked on pellet grills, when one of their distributors was demonstrating the Traeger and served brisket, tri-tip and ribs. Man! The smoke flavor was spot on. I got home, called Randy and said, "I want one!" He said come and get it.
So that was 1991. Between then and 1999, my wife and I cooked in bbq competitions using our Traeger and winning at least one ribbon at each competition. We were 7 points away from a perfect score in our brisket entry at a cookoff held in Albany, OR. During the state fair, we'd hang out with the dealer who was selling spas and Traegers. In one instance, my wife and I sold 10-15 Traegers in two hours! (the person manning the booth at the fair had no idea how to explain pellet grills).
In 1999, Randy asked me to come to work with him, "Papa Joe", Mark, Brian, Greg in the capacity of Director of Marketing. That gig lasted until 2009, when I left the company because all of the manufacturing had shifted to China in late 2008. The company had sold in 2006, and the new owner (who lived in NYC) was a basket case. His style of management was ruining my health, and I hit the exit door.
The day following my leaving Traeger, I headed over to Dallas, OR, where I had heard about a new company manufacturing a wood pellet grill. It was MAK GRILLS. I will confess that my expectations were pretty low. That was UNTIL I SAW THE 2 STAR. It BLEW MY MIND! It had features on it that no other pellet grill had (it was still a limited market with about 6 different brands). It was also very expensive @ $1999.00. (I laugh now because those were the "good ole days"). The higher price was due to the fact that MAK purposely chose to build a grill using AMERICAN-MADE components and materials. It was their #1 mission to help keep American-based manufacturing viable. (remember this was during the Great Recession of 2008-2010).
The following week, I approached Bob & Kerrie about doing some marketing work for them. They, fortunately, said, "That sounds like a good idea!". On January 4,2010, I became the first MAK Grills employee, and have worked there ever since.
I think that the one thing that continues to impress me about the company I work for is the dedication MAK has to constantly innovate and improve the grills we are making. The 2 Star of today has seen many improvements and upgrades.
Like so many of you, when it comes to cooking outdoors, there is only ONE unit I cook on, my MAK PELLET GRILL. It's been the only thing I cooked on in my backyard since 1991.
AWESOME story, thanks for sharing :)
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I grew up with just a dad. It was charcoal for everything. It was a opened grill with a handle you could spin and raise the grill grate up and down. It was either direct or indirect cooking. All proteins, veges, fruit and Popp opened biscuits. So when I got stationed on my ship after boot camp I took a little smokey Joe with me that my dad bought me for getting thru boot camp. One night few of us just got off the 8-12 watch. We push the huey out of the helo deck onto the flight deck. We tied her down. I broke out my little smokey Joe and some kingsford. Well... About 0100 the captain comes walking thru the helo deck. The whole place is dark except a light over the BBQ with me kneeling down over the smokey Joe flipping hamburgers and T- bone steaks. The captain says who's bbq is that and do you guys know there are 55 gallon drums of JP5 (helo fuel) over in the corner. It's my bbq sir and I knew about the JP5 drums. The next thing I said was "sir how would you like your steak cooked?". He said, " seaman Rowe, did you break into the gallery?". The chief cook Eli comes out of the shadows and said he supplied the left over steaks from dinner. The captain says how many are you here. 15 of my friends come out into the light. The captain leaves and come back with 2 cases of Hamms beer. Seaman Rowe medium rare on the steak. He sat there until 4am eating and drinking with us. I'll never forget that. All because my little smokey Joe. I have had on ever since (jumbo joe now). I love charcoal.
Sparky I think we love the same girl ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? Charcoal for me too ;D ;D ;D
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Daddy built a brick pit, about 8 ft by 6 ft outside dimensions with a heavy steel grate about 5 ft by 4 ft. He would fire up oak or hickory and get a good hot bed of coals going. he would use a hoe to move the coals around to get hot or indirect heat. cooked mostly chicken and pork butts sometimes when we could afford them. Cooked a lot of squirrel and rabbit while we were cooking the chicken too. The few times we could afford steak Momma would cook it it the oven and serve a gray slab of yucky meat.
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Daddy built a brick pit, about 8 ft by 6 ft outside dimensions with a heavy steel grate about 5 ft by 4 ft. He would fire up oak or hickory and get a good hot bed of coals going. he would use a hoe to move the coals around to get hot or indirect heat. cooked mostly chicken and pork butts sometimes when we could afford them. Cooked a lot of squirrel and rabbit while we were cooking the chicken too. The few times we could afford steak Momma would cook it it the oven and serve a gray slab of yucky meat.
Daddy built a brick pit and burned logs, but let mama bake steak????? Any chance you have pics of the pit? Would love to see it!!
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Daddy built a brick pit, about 8 ft by 6 ft outside dimensions with a heavy steel grate about 5 ft by 4 ft. He would fire up oak or hickory and get a good hot bed of coals going. he would use a hoe to move the coals around to get hot or indirect heat. cooked mostly chicken and pork butts sometimes when we could afford them. Cooked a lot of squirrel and rabbit while we were cooking the chicken too. The few times we could afford steak Momma would cook it it the oven and serve a gray slab of yucky meat.
Daddy built a brick pit and burned logs, but let mama bake steak????? Any chance you have pics of the pit? Would love to see it!!
I wish I did, the last time I was by the old home place many years ago the pit was still there but looked pretty unused and grown up weeds around it. Where I grew up if you stopped and asked to take pictures of a bbq grill you would probably get shot or worse.
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Daddy built a brick pit, about 8 ft by 6 ft outside dimensions with a heavy steel grate about 5 ft by 4 ft. He would fire up oak or hickory and get a good hot bed of coals going. he would use a hoe to move the coals around to get hot or indirect heat. cooked mostly chicken and pork butts sometimes when we could afford them. Cooked a lot of squirrel and rabbit while we were cooking the chicken too. The few times we could afford steak Momma would cook it it the oven and serve a gray slab of yucky meat.
Daddy built a brick pit and burned logs, but let mama bake steak????? Any chance you have pics of the pit? Would love to see it!!
I wish I did, the last time I was by the old home place many years ago the pit was still there but looked pretty unused and grown up weeds around it. Where I grew up if you stopped and asked to take pictures of a bbq grill you would probably get shot or worse.
Kinda sad :(
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We need more BBQ "Life" stories.
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My parents had a big square notch out from their fireplace on the patio that was designed for grilling when their home was built back in 49 in the San Fernando Valley.
Pops had a grate that would slide in a groove in the bricks and he would light the charcoal with chimney starter and away we would go. Steaks chops and burgers and dogs.
One day I was with Mom in a Home Depot store and they had a stack of Char-Broil Silver Smoker off-sets on sale for 88 bucks. She said to get a flat cart and she would buy me one.
That was the fastest I ever have run to get that flat cart. We are in line at check out at the garden shop and she says "We should get one for your brother"
Back I went.
My brother only lived about two blocks away and he was right over and we got mine built.
Went to his house and built his in the front drive way. It was getting dark but we didn't care.
The next morning, I picked my brother up and we went back to the Depot and grabbed Kingsford and some hickory chips.
Now the rest of the story would take up all the forum space so fast forward to today:
My brother is in Michigan with a Quality Grill I helped modify and design. He is strictly a griller.
I am in Texas with my own custom Quality Grill and my MAK 2 Star and a big log burning fire pit/Grill. I do it all. Oh, I also have a little green helper.
My mama would always say my ribs were never good enough as the ribs she would get from The Sizzler restaurant................
but I am still trying.................
Thank You Mama....................................
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My parents had a big square notch out from their fireplace on the patio that was designed for grilling when their home was built back in 49 in the San Fernando Valley.
Pops had a grate that would slide in a groove in the bricks and he would light the charcoal with chimney starter and away we would go. Steaks chops and burgers and dogs.
One day I was with Mom in a Home Depot store and they had a stack of Char-Broil Silver Smoker off-sets on sale for 88 bucks. She said to get a flat cart and she would buy me one.
That was the fastest I ever have run to get that flat cart. We are in line at check out at the garden shop and she says "We should get one for your brother"
Back I went.
My brother only lived about two blocks away and he was right over and we got mine built.
Went to his house and built his in the front drive way. It was getting dark but we didn't care.
The next morning, I picked my brother up and we went back to the Depot and grabbed Kingsford and some hickory chips.
Now the rest of the story would take up all the forum space so fast forward to today:
My brother is in Michigan with a Quality Grill I helped modify and design. He is strictly a griller.
I am in Texas with my own custom Quality Grill and my MAK 2 Star and a big log burning fire pit/Grill. I do it all. Oh, I also have a little green helper.
My mama would always say my ribs were never good enough as the ribs she would get from The Sizzler restaurant................
but I am still trying.................
Thank You Mama....................................
Fun story... but, not as good a Sizzler?!?! C’mon brother, what’s going on? Sizzler?!?! Sizzler ain’t all that good! I’ve seen your cooks... I’d say your mama’s taste buds ain’t working right ;)
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Great story Smoke, you didn't specify your age at the time, but if she bought you a smoker as a kid that is pretty cool. Great to start young.
My kid is 10 and he is always trying to help in the kitchen. Even though he is more of a nuisance/hindrance that help at this stage. I guess we both can learn this low-n-slow smoking thing together.
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Probably early 20's........Mom probably regretted the purchase with all the over smoked offerings I created in those early days......
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Here is how Wendy got her start:
This is a God Honest true story.
I went over to where she lived on a Friday night. I walked in and grabbed her in my arms and told her:
"From now on you are my woman and I am your man. No more dating, no more nothing. You are running with me and I will marry you the first chance I get"
and that my friends is how it went down. Yes, I married her the first chance I got.
I brought my Old Smoky over to her house the next morning and we smoked a pork butt.
Here she is with Smoochy our first day together as a couple
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/zPNYsn.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnzPNYsnj)
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Here is how Wendy got her start:
This is a God Honest true story.
I went over to where she lived on a Friday night. I walked in and grabbed her in my arms and told her:
"From now on you are my woman and I am your man. No more dating, no more nothing. You are running with me and I will marry you the first chance I get"
and that my friends is how it went down. Yes, I married her the first chance I got.
I brought my Old Smoky over to her house the next morning and we smoked a pork butt.
Here she is with Smoochy our first day together as a couple
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/zPNYsn.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnzPNYsnj)
Dang, you don’t mess around, eh? That’s awesome! Not many of us have wife’s who join us in our passion for smoked/grilled foods... sure, most love the end result... but we create our master pieces on our own. You are blessed to have a wife that enjoys getting her hands dirty with the process :)
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...............and that mesquite smell in her hair aint a bad deal either :)
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Here is how Wendy got her start:
This is a God Honest true story.
I went over to where she lived on a Friday night. I walked in and grabbed her in my arms and told her:
"From now on you are my woman and I am your man. No more dating, no more nothing. You are running with me and I will marry you the first chance I get"
and that my friends is how it went down. Yes, I married her the first chance I got.
I brought my Old Smoky over to her house the next morning and we smoked a pork butt.
Here she is with Smoochy our first day together as a couple
(https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/640x480q90/923/zPNYsn.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/i/pnzPNYsnj)
That Lady is way too fine for you. You muat have gave her way to much booze.
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That Lady is way too fine for you. You muat have gave her way to much booze.
I have always said when she sobers up and realizes what she did, I'm a goner!!
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BUMP! C'mon guys and gals... I know there are a lot more stories that could be shared with the LTBBQ family. Would love to hear some more... :)
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BUMP! C'mon guys and gals... I know there are a lot more stories that could be shared with the LTBBQ family. Would love to hear some more... :)
I tried to get Kimmie to cook burgers one time (mistake) I said all you need to do is open the lid turn on the gas and light the lower burner with this lighter. Well she turned on the gas never opened the lid and lit the burner from the breather hole in the bottom of the grill ??? ??? ??? ???
Lets just say she will never cook outdoors again!! She called me and said "I blew up your grill" I asked her how? She told me what she did and the lid came flying up and a very loud BOOM!!!!
Swore I told her not to lift the lid, so I cook all food outside not her
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I was lucky to have my dad and Uncles who all hunted, fished , made sausage and cooked outdoors. Uncle Bob owned a diner in Brookhaven Ms way back then as well. I was always really excited to go there and get chilli and a Pepsi when we went up there.
So we had Fish frys with the Uncles at the camps over near Lake Mary, Ms . I sure miss those days!
My dad had a Smoker made out of blocks For hams , turkeys and a hibachi he loved to cook Steak, burgers & hot dogs on. He always involved me in these things from a very early age.
When I joined the BOY scouts I got lucky again. Our troop was run by all Military guys who had us cooking over fire...
During this same time period my dad would take some of us friends down to Fort Morgan all night fishing. We would build a camp fire and the first shark or redfish that was caught went on the coals.
Later I moved out to my Grandmother's old house and we made a brickpit out under the Magnolia tree. Roasted many oysters in the shell out there! Rabbits , fish, squirrels were often on the menu. Then a friend started butcher school and brought cheap beef in a couple times a week. Man we were living then!
When I got married we always had a fire pit that we cooked over for years to come. I remember my son got a compound bow from one of his uncles. I guess he was 11 or so then. He came out of the house with it that afternoon headed out into the field behind the house. A friend and I just started a fire and opened a cold beer when he passed by us. We ask what are going for? He said with confidence "I'm going to kill a rabbit to cook on that fire". Sure enough a while later he shows up all excited with a rabbit! We were a little shell shocked but hey, We helped him do the cleaning. Salt and peppered it good and he cooked it. To this day that is one of the best things I have ever tasted...
Years of grilling on that fire pit and a gas grill went by. Sundays at my parents with daddy cooking on the hibachi right up until the day he past in fact. Col Moreland was the Father in Law back then and he cranked out some really fine Prime Ribs too.
Then a major life change happened and I moved to the old farm house I'm still in today. Found a mini weber on the side of the road. Nursed a dozen or so broken bones back to life and started back to cooking on that little weber... Burned ribs so bad once the dog looked at us like we were crazy when we tried to give them to her.
Then 2006 I got a Char Broil Commercial gasser and met Barry Martin online. Then on to the SOTG gatherings where I met some really great folks that are here on this site now. It's just been smokin , grillin, boilin from there on...great fun! and still going...
So I guess I went a little past "Starting out".
P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal... ;)
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I was lucky to have my dad and Uncles who all hunted, fished , made sausage and cooked outdoors. Uncle Bob owned a diner in Brookhaven Ms way back then as well. I was always really excited to go there and get chilli and a Pepsi when we went up there.
So we had Fish frys with the Uncles at the camps over near Lake Mary, Ms . I sure miss those days!
My dad had a Smoker made out of blocks For hams , turkeys and a hibachi he loved to cook Steak, burgers & hot dogs on. He always involved me in these things from a very early age.
When I joined the BOY scouts I got lucky again. Our troop was run by all Military guys who had us cooking over fire...
During this same time period my dad would take some of us friends down to Fort Morgan all night fishing. We would build a camp fire and the first shark or redfish that was caught went on the coals.
Later I moved out to my Grandmother's old house and we made a brickpit out under the Magnolia tree. Roasted many oysters in the shell out there! Rabbits , fish, squirrels were often on the menu. Then a friend started butcher school and brought cheap beef in a couple times a week. Man we were living then!
When I got married we always had a fire pit that we cooked over for years to come. I remember my son got a compound bow from one of his uncles. I guess he was 11 or so then. He came out of the house with it that afternoon headed out into the field behind the house. A friend and I just started a fire and opened a cold beer when he passed by us. We ask what are going for? He said with confidence "I'm going to kill a rabbit to cook on that fire". Sure enough a while later he shows up all excited with a rabbit! We were a little shell shocked but hey, We helped him do the cleaning. Salt and peppered it good and he cooked it. To this day that is one of the best things I have ever tasted...
Years of grilling on that fire pit and a gas grill went by. Sundays at my parents with daddy cooking on the hibachi right up until the day he past in fact. Col Moreland was the Father in Law back then and he cranked out some really fine Prime Ribs too.
Then a major life change happened and I moved to the old farm house I'm still in today. Found a mini weber on the side of the road. Nursed a dozen or so broken bones back to life and started back to cooking on that little weber... Burned ribs so bad once the dog looked at us like we were crazy when we tried to give them to her.
Then 2006 I got a Char Broil Commercial gasser and met Barry Martin online. Then on to the SOTG gatherings where I met some really great folks that are here on this site now. It's just been smokin , grillin, boilin from there on...great fun! and still going...
So I guess I went a little past "Starting out".
P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal... ;)
What a great story, and what a fun and healthy upbringing :)
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I was lucky to have my dad and Uncles who all hunted, fished , made sausage and cooked outdoors. Uncle Bob owned a diner in Brookhaven Ms way back then as well. I was always really excited to go there and get chilli and a Pepsi when we went up there.
So we had Fish frys with the Uncles at the camps over near Lake Mary, Ms . I sure miss those days!
My dad had a Smoker made out of blocks For hams , turkeys and a hibachi he loved to cook Steak, burgers & hot dogs on. He always involved me in these things from a very early age.
When I joined the BOY scouts I got lucky again. Our troop was run by all Military guys who had us cooking over fire...
During this same time period my dad would take some of us friends down to Fort Morgan all night fishing. We would build a camp fire and the first shark or redfish that was caught went on the coals.
Later I moved out to my Grandmother's old house and we made a brickpit out under the Magnolia tree. Roasted many oysters in the shell out there! Rabbits , fish, squirrels were often on the menu. Then a friend started butcher school and brought cheap beef in a couple times a week. Man we were living then!
When I got married we always had a fire pit that we cooked over for years to come. I remember my son got a compound bow from one of his uncles. I guess he was 11 or so then. He came out of the house with it that afternoon headed out into the field behind the house. A friend and I just started a fire and opened a cold beer when he passed by us. We ask what are going for? He said with confidence "I'm going to kill a rabbit to cook on that fire". Sure enough a while later he shows up all excited with a rabbit! We were a little shell shocked but hey, We helped him do the cleaning. Salt and peppered it good and he cooked it. To this day that is one of the best things I have ever tasted...
Years of grilling on that fire pit and a gas grill went by. Sundays at my parents with daddy cooking on the hibachi right up until the day he past in fact. Col Moreland was the Father in Law back then and he cranked out some really fine Prime Ribs too.
Then a major life change happened and I moved to the old farm house I'm still in today. Found a mini weber on the side of the road. Nursed a dozen or so broken bones back to life and started back to cooking on that little weber... Burned ribs so bad once the dog looked at us like we were crazy when we tried to give them to her.
Then 2006 I got a Char Broil Commercial gasser and met Barry Martin online. Then on to the SOTG gatherings where I met some really great folks that are here on this site now. It's just been smokin , grillin, boilin from there on...great fun! and still going...
So I guess I went a little past "Starting out".
P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal... ;)
Great story. I have my son in cub scouts to learn all the stuff that was never taught to me. And because he wants to become a Marine Corps fighter pilot and Eagle Scout is the single best achievement to try and get accepted into a military academy.
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The Boy Scouts were a blast. Get the right leaders in there and he will never forget the experience.
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Great story. I have my son in cub scouts to learn all the stuff that was never taught to me. And because he wants to become a Marine Corps fighter pilot and Eagle Scout is the single best achievement to try and get accepted into a military academy.
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P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal...
That's gonna be a loooooooong time goal Terry :D :D :D
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P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal... ;)
I was the same way until I discovered beer many years ago.......now I don't need the beer lol.
Reminds me of a friend that co-owned an Island on LI sound many years ago. He would have a party on the island with kegs, Clams, & oysters. The first year I went with him to pick up the clams & oysters & a guy at the store said try them on the hot grill. Well around 12 hours later & a few kegs plus a visit from the coast guard for making two much noise (how can you make too much noise on your own Island the 20 of us that were still standing out of 60 guests were hungry at 3:00 am.
People started opening the oysters but all I could see is lots of cut fingers ??? ??? ??? So in the back of my brain I thought fire up the grill.........best oyster I had since that same afternoon. No blood, but I did have more beer ;D ;D ;D Anyway the other 19 or so joined right in. Now that I am an adult I don't do those things anymore ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) Reunion anyone ;D ;D ;D?
But I really understand anyone that does not like them as they can make you very sick......no honey it was not the beer it was the oyster
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P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal... ;)
I was the same way until I discovered beer many years ago.......now I don't need the beer lol.
Reminds me of a friend that co-owned an Island on LI sound many years ago. He would have a party on the island with kegs, Clams, & oysters. The first year I went with him to pick up the clams & oysters & a guy at the store said try them on the hot grill. Well around 12 hours later & a few kegs plus a visit from the coast guard for making two much noise (how can you make too much noise on your own Island the 20 of us that were still standing out of 60 guests were hungry at 3:00 am.
People started opening the oysters but all I could see is lots of cut fingers ??? ??? ??? So in the back of my brain I thought fire up the grill.........best oyster I had since that same afternoon. No blood, but I did have more beer ;D ;D ;D Anyway the other 19 or so joined right in. Now that I am an adult I don't do those things anymore ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) ;) Reunion anyone ;D ;D ;D?
But I really understand anyone that does not like them as they can make you very sick......no honey it was not the beer it was the oyster
Ill stick with clams ;) I really don't drink so if I got sick with oyster it would be the oysters ;) ??? ???
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I am an only child of an only child. But my mom had a brother. My dad and my uncle brought land on Lake Murray SC and build two houses. We weren't rich but we had lake houses because my mom's dad was a contractor. He build houses for his children before he retired and then build us lake house after that. We spent summers there and my dad would drive 40 miles to work each day.
My uncle was a fisherman, not a cook. But my dad, although he liked to fish, loved a good steak or anything cooked on his PKGrill. He brought it in around 1960 from Arkansas. We had a stand at home and a stand at the lake and it was always in the trunk when we went from home to home.
All the homes were sold when my dad died and I now live in NC. I don't know where my dad's PK is, but I expect it still works.
I now have a black PK, I love. I used Gas for years, but 3 years ago after looking at buying an egg, I decided to go old school and get a PK which I love using.
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P.S. I tried to get Tommy to eat some fresh half shell oysters a week or so ago. Some flaming ones as well. He would not go for it. So thats my new goal...
That's gonna be a loooooooong time goal Terry :D :D :D
Tommy don't do it..they grow in your mouth..and they are alive when you bite into them..no way .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.
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I am an only child of an only child. But my mom had a brother. My dad and my uncle brought land on Lake Murray SC and build two houses. We weren't rich but we had lake houses because my mom's dad was a contractor. He build houses for his children before he retired and then build us lake house after that. We spent summers there and my dad would drive 40 miles to work each day.
My uncle was a fisherman, not a cook. But my dad, although he liked to fish, loved a good steak or anything cooked on his PKGrill. He brought it in around 1960 from Arkansas. We had a stand at home and a stand at the lake and it was always in the trunk when we went from home to home.
All the homes were sold when my dad died and I now live in NC. I don't know where my dad's PK is, but I expect it still works.
I now have a black PK, I love. I used Gas for years, but 3 years ago after looking at buying an egg, I decided to go old school and get a PK which I love using.
Awesome memories! Man, if only you could find that ole PK!
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I am from Texas. Cookin' a cow over a fire is a requirement for manhood. It helps that it's genetic. 8)
I'm with Tee except that I'm from Oklahoma where we have to learn to cook pigs, too. If you can't figure out how to grill it or smoke it, you don't cook it at all.
Hub
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While I've always enjoyed outdoor cooking, I really started getting into it, after moving to Alaska(via Uncle Sam/USAF). When my hitch was up, I found myself working in telecommunications(and still do, 27 years so far) in remote locations all over the state. Restaurant food(that is when it's available) gets old pretty quick, as do MRE's, canned goods etc. My coworkers and I turned to cooking for ourselves, which involved a lot of grilling, smoking, dutch ovens, etc...It's not unusual for a crew(2 to 5 guys) of us to get dropped off at mountaintop repeater sites(via helicopter), and stay there for a week or more at a time. We take things like Webber Smoky Joes, dutch ovens, and a couple bags of charcoal, and take turns cooking for the crew. After a 12 hour day, climbing towers, and whatnot, it really feels good to dig in to a great meal, and very rewarding to fix a meal that the crew really appreciates. We've enjoyed some fine grub in the middle of nowhere over the years. Started doing it more and more at home in my off time. Never get tired of it!
Jeff
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While I've always enjoyed outdoor cooking, I really started getting into it, after moving to Alaska(via Uncle Sam/USAF). When my hitch was up, I found myself working in telecommunications(and still do, 27 years so far) in remote locations all over the state. Restaurant food(that is when it's available) gets old pretty quick, as do MRE's, canned goods etc. My coworkers and I turned to cooking for ourselves, which involved a lot of grilling, smoking, dutch ovens, etc...It's not unusual for a crew(2 to 5 guys) of us to get dropped off at mountaintop repeater sites(via helicopter), and stay there for a week or more at a time. We take things like Webber Smoky Joes, dutch ovens, and a couple bags of charcoal, and take turns cooking for the crew. After a 12 hour day, climbing towers, and whatnot, it really feels good to dig in to a great meal, and very rewarding to fix a meal that the crew really appreciates. We've enjoyed some fine grub in the middle of nowhere over the years. Started doing it more and more at home in my off time. Never get tired of it!
Jeff
Dropped off by helicopter atop a mountain with a Weber and dutch oven... how cool is that?!?! :)
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While I've always enjoyed outdoor cooking, I really started getting into it, after moving to Alaska(via Uncle Sam/USAF). When my hitch was up, I found myself working in telecommunications(and still do, 27 years so far) in remote locations all over the state. Restaurant food(that is when it's available) gets old pretty quick, as do MRE's, canned goods etc. My coworkers and I turned to cooking for ourselves, which involved a lot of grilling, smoking, dutch ovens, etc...It's not unusual for a crew(2 to 5 guys) of us to get dropped off at mountaintop repeater sites(via helicopter), and stay there for a week or more at a time. We take things like Webber Smoky Joes, dutch ovens, and a couple bags of charcoal, and take turns cooking for the crew. After a 12 hour day, climbing towers, and whatnot, it really feels good to dig in to a great meal, and very rewarding to fix a meal that the crew really appreciates. We've enjoyed some fine grub in the middle of nowhere over the years. Started doing it more and more at home in my off time. Never get tired of it!
Jeff
Dropped off by helicopter atop a mountain with a Weber and dutch oven... how cool is that?!?! :)
And get paid to do it! 8)
Jeff
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I don't really remember any grilling or smoking going on when I was growing up. After getting married at age 23, I ended up getting a habachi and then a cheap Brinkman smoker that I used as a grill. We later got a cheap gas grill.
I got divorced in 2004 and it wasn't until 2007 that I got serious about grilling by buying a 22" Weber Kettle and then it got crazy with me buying several other Kettles and then getting my first Performer in 2009.
In 2011, I bought my first real smoker, an 18" WSM. Then I bought another used WSM, other Weber grills, and an Old Smokey grill. I then bought a used PBC and used that quite a bit.
In 2016 I went a little crazy and bought a PK classic and then a Good One Open Range. I then ordered and received the PK 360 when it came out. A few months later I bought a Good One Marshall and then later in the year an old 60's model Hasty Bake.
This year I've only bought one grill and it's the other PK 360 I just bought. I guess I've bought two if you count the new PBC barrel and lid I just bought.
I've taken four bbq classes in the past year and have learned a lot plus a lot of trial and error cooking. I enjoy this hobby and hope to get better at it as time goes on.
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I don't really remember any grilling or smoking going on when I was growing up. After getting married at age 23, I ended up getting a habachi and then a cheap Brinkman smoker that I used as a grill. We later got a cheap gas grill.
I got divorced in 2004 and it wasn't until 2007 that I got serious about grilling by buying a 22" Weber Kettle and then it got crazy with me buying several other Kettles and then getting my first Performer in 2009.
In 2011, I bought my first real smoker, an 18" WSM. Then I bought another used WSM, other Weber grills, and an Old Smokey grill. I then bought a used PBC and used that quite a bit.
In 2016 I went a little crazy and bought a PK classic and then a Good One Open Range. I then ordered and received the PK 360 when it came out. A few months later I bought a Good One Marshall and then later in the year an old 60's model Hasty Bake.
This year I've only bought one grill and it's the other PK 360 I just bought. I guess I've bought two if you count the new PBC barrel and lid I just bought.
I've taken four bbq classes in the past year and have learned a lot plus a lot of trial and error cooking. I enjoy this hobby and hope to get better at it as time goes on.
Nice story! Boy, you don’t mess around or hold back when you find something of interest...lol.
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I don't really remember any grilling or smoking going on when I was growing up. After getting married at age 23, I ended up getting a habachi and then a cheap Brinkman smoker that I used as a grill. We later got a cheap gas grill.
I got divorced in 2004 and it wasn't until 2007 that I got serious about grilling by buying a 22" Weber Kettle and then it got crazy with me buying several other Kettles and then getting my first Performer in 2009.
In 2011, I bought my first real smoker, an 18" WSM. Then I bought another used WSM, other Weber grills, and an Old Smokey grill. I then bought a used PBC and used that quite a bit.
In 2016 I went a little crazy and bought a PK classic and then a Good One Open Range. I then ordered and received the PK 360 when it came out. A few months later I bought a Good One Marshall and then later in the year an old 60's model Hasty Bake.
This year I've only bought one grill and it's the other PK 360 I just bought. I guess I've bought two if you count the new PBC barrel and lid I just bought.
I've taken four bbq classes in the past year and have learned a lot plus a lot of trial and error cooking. I enjoy this hobby and hope to get better at it as time goes on.
Nice story! Boy, you don’t mess around or hold back when you find something of interest...lol.
I guess you are right. I'm still interested in the M1 like you used to have but have resisted the temptation so far.
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I don't really remember any grilling or smoking going on when I was growing up. After getting married at age 23, I ended up getting a habachi and then a cheap Brinkman smoker that I used as a grill. We later got a cheap gas grill.
I got divorced in 2004 and it wasn't until 2007 that I got serious about grilling by buying a 22" Weber Kettle and then it got crazy with me buying several other Kettles and then getting my first Performer in 2009.
In 2011, I bought my first real smoker, an 18" WSM. Then I bought another used WSM, other Weber grills, and an Old Smokey grill. I then bought a used PBC and used that quite a bit.
In 2016 I went a little crazy and bought a PK classic and then a Good One Open Range. I then ordered and received the PK 360 when it came out. A few months later I bought a Good One Marshall and then later in the year an old 60's model Hasty Bake.
This year I've only bought one grill and it's the other PK 360 I just bought. I guess I've bought two if you count the new PBC barrel and lid I just bought.
I've taken four bbq classes in the past year and have learned a lot plus a lot of trial and error cooking. I enjoy this hobby and hope to get better at it as time goes on.
Nice story! Boy, you don’t mess around or hold back when you find something of interest...lol.
I guess you are right. I'm still interested in the M1 like you used to have but have resisted the temptation so far.
Proud of you...lol!!