How'd you get into barbecue? *****


 
Some of the best memories of my childhood are grilling with my dad. From early on I became the BBQ cook at our house and we had a blast. My grandfather & uncle competed only once in the Great Lenexa BBQ but my cousin & I were hooked. We made a deal years ago that some day we were going to compete. This will be our 4th year competing and we always salute our grandfather before anything goes on the smoker. Love the hobby and it only brings good times!
 
Its a man thing I guess. The smoke, flame, the smell of cooking meat...
Plus one weekend at fish camp one of my friends had an el cheapo and he was smoking some fresh caught lake trout. I was hooked after that. I bought the EBC and spent several years learning my lessons in futility and humility until I bought my first 22.5" WSM.
 
When I look back, its hard to pinpoint how I got started but here's a few events that seem relevant:

1) I went to college in central NY. In a sketchy part of town, there was a family run bbq place that had an "all you can eat" night on saturdays. We use to stuff ourselves silly and try to fit a beer or two in afterwords. One of my buddies loved the place so much, he took his parents there for his big post graduation celebration. I can imagine what his parents though, especially when Momma Theo came out (upon hearing about his success) and gave him a big hug.

2) After getting married, we lived in an upstairs apt and had a gas grill on the porch. One christmas, I bought my wife a cookbook that happened to have a rib recipe in it and it had directions for using a stovetop smoker. She ended up buying me the smoker. I barely remember using it, but I did, and I'm guessing the results were pretty bad.

3) My SIL moved out to KC after college. We went to visit a couple of times and her husband (boyfriend at the time) was a local and would take us to places like OK Joes, A Bryants, Gates, and Jack Stack. I remember the ribs at OK Joe's to be a revelation.

4) We have a local KCBS contest. And my wife and I went to it. The next year, my SIL and BIL had moved to Buffalo from KC, so we took them to the contest. Afterwords (and a few beers), were talking about the contest and my BIL brings up the idea of competing. That spring, I get a wsm for my birthday, and a few months later we were cooking a contest. We got spanked, but had a blast. The next summer, determined to do better, I joined this site.

the rest is history
 
I first got intrigued by BBQ after watching Alton Brown make a smoker out of two flower pots and a hot plate. I thought to myself, "hey, I could do that!". I found all the parts for about $60 and put it together. I bought a pork butt, smoked it up and realized that it was the best PP I'd ever eaten.

On a college hockey website I frequent, a BBQ discussion broke out one day and one of the posters linked to this site. Well, I got hooked and bought my WSM shortly thereafter.
 
Great topic...A guy a work was smoking all kinds of things on an old electric smoker that his father had owned. He would smoke something, mostly wild game or beef roasts, and would always give me a taste. Not long after that, I was laid off of work (for 3 years) and started searching the net for smoking info. About everything that I was reading pointed to this site. So I was a learker for about 2 years before I had saved enough $$ to get a classic WSM. I read just about every post printed and started keeping a note book on the different smoked foods. My first 2 cooks were 4 butt smokes (each) for my daughters graduation party. The PP turned out so good; everyone could not beleive how good it was and that I had made it..not store bought. 'Been hooked ever since.
 
About nearly 20 years ago,I was living in an rooftop apartment with a open courtyard attached in a busy Sydney suburb and became friends with all the other occupants of the other apartments that adjoined ours, 6 in total and we had a further courtyard between all of us so there were plenty of rooftop parties at this block of apartments as it sat ontop of commercial office buildings and we weren't subject to normal residential noise restrictions.
One of my neightbours had a weber kettle, first time I'd ever seen one and I watched them use it and loved how much better food tasted over charcoal compared to a normal gasser, I remember borrowing it many times to hold my own bbqs.
When I got married and bought my own house, I asked the bride if I could get one of those kettle bbqs and she had some Japanese friends who were moving back to japan and had an almost newish OTS (2 toned brown and bronze)for sale so I bought it and I did the usual high heat pork roasts with the crackling skin, beef and lamb roasts as well.
I wasn't going too good with the kettle and was getting a bit frustrated with it so decided to do some research to help out, so firstly I typed in Weber and I seen something about a Weber Bullet and wondered what they were and clicked on the link.....whallah!! I found this place....and still come back here often for inspiration.
I first got into the American style of Low & slow by coming accross the BBQ Pit Boys videos on You Tube and because they use only webers, it was relatively easy to copy what they were doing..."man that looks gooooood"!! hahahha

Cheers

Davo
 
I have been grillin since @ 1998. Being a Weber dealer had my training on my dad's Summit and my 1st BBQ was a 3 burner Genesis. After purchasing a condo, the BBQ Island thing was all the rage, and the Weber built-ins would not work for a vendor we were using for islands. So I got a Firemagic Custom 1 for a small 4' island and grilled on this bbq almost daily.

We were taught by the gas bbq reps that gas and coal cooking were the same. It wasn't the coal that made the food taste great, but the drippings from the food going onto the hot flavorizor bars/ceramic briquetts/coals...depending on bbq and what your using. Do not really believe this now after truly cooking on coal.

Bought a WSM on a whim @2003 after seeing some shows on BBQ and such, did a few cooks and food came out so-so (I was young and impatient). It sat idle for a few years until I had a Thanksgiving spread at <STRIKE>my</STRIKE> (excuse me) our condo-just married in 2008. I decided to do an Apple Brined Turkey ala Chris A. Everyone loved it and compared to a relative's old oven baked one, let's just say he had a lot of leftovers.. and the rest is history.

Now many cooks later on the WSM and <span class="ev_code_RED">Lucy</span>, my old Firemagic is collecting dust and the WSM usually gets fired up at least once a week.
 
Wow. Talk about a trip down memory lane. First experience was in my apartment going to SJSU in 1967. It was one of those round, 2 inch deep units with the grate crank. Next memory is 1973 in Morgan Hill, CA with a hole in the ground and a grate over it. A drummer friend of mine turned me on to a hibachi and that was modus operandi for awhile. Mostly chicken pieces or steak. Same drummer bought a kettle a year or so later and I followed suit. Have had a kettle ever since. On my 3rd or 4 th one now. Early 90's got a Brinkman smoker and played with it a lot, both with charcoal and electric and did some pretty outrageous 40 pounds of ham smokes for Christmas parties. Have now added a 22.5 WSM, Smokey Joe (2ND ONE) Genesis and never looked back. What a cool topic.. thanks...
 
I'll do my best not to ramble on too long...

Growing up near KC, I was not a stranger to good Q. My parents didn't grill or bbq, but we'd always go out to eat at local joints.

I got married at an early age (19). My bride had learned the art of grilling from her grand-dad and dad. One of our wedding gifts was a smokey joe. I had no idea what to do with it, but she did. She bought some charcoal and treated me to some burgers (too poor for steak at the time). Simply put, she is a fantastic griller, so no real need for me to do it.

Fast forward a couple of years, we met a couple that ended up being our best friends for a long time. My buddy had one or two smoked rib/chicken parties a year and introduced my to the goodness that is smoked meat. Around the same time, my SIL married a guy who's dad was a smokin' machine. So, once again, no need for me to learn with all the great food these guys smoked.

2 years ago my buddy moved to Florida. I asked him where I was going to get good smoked ribs..? He pointed to his old Smoke'n Pit (he had 2), and said you're a smart guy, take that pit home and figure it out.

So I did. I've been hooked ever since. There's more to my smokin' story, but this is probably a big enough wall of text.
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So...the rest of the story.

I drag this 20 y/o monstrosity home, no idea what to do with it. The shelf was falling off, the handles were gone, it was in pretty rough shape. So, first things first, I go to the store and buy a brisket and a whole chicken. Fire up the charcoal chimney and call my BIL's dad (the old school smoker from my previous post). Dennis, I say, I just brought home a smoker and have no idea what I'm doing. No problem, he replies, I'll be right over.

He shows up, I'm sipping on a beer waiting for the coals. He comments that I have passed rule one, a cool beverage. So, he commences to giving me the ins and outs of smoking meat and asks what I've got. A brisket and a bird. He rolls his eyes and says a brisket isn't the best cut of meat to learn on. Never the less, with his tutelage, it turned out OK. I'd roasted chickens, so that was no problem.

After that day, I fired up the 'puter to do some research. I found some great smokin' sites (this one included) and learned some great tips. I modified my pit with baffles, tuning plates, chimney extender, etc. I've got it running decently, fairly even temps and what not.

Along with my own experimenting, I got a crash course from Dennis on different woods, charcoals, rubs, marinades and the pros and cons of it all.

Then winter arrived...I tried one winter cook and did not have a good time. The food was great, but the experience left something to be desired. I knew that I was hooked however. We've got a summer cabin at lake of the ozarks, and I knew I'd need a smoker for there. So, I took an old compressor tank an old LP tank and got to cutting and welding. Ended up with a pretty ghetto looking contraption...but to my surprise, it works wonderfully. It far surpasses my smoke'n pit in terms of setting and forgetting.

Then, late last summer, Dennis, my mentor, passed away. He'd been battling cancer for many years, but you'd never have known it. His last week at the hospital he wanted the family to all visit him. He wanted to say by and pass on some final thoughts to us. I asked him, Dennis, who's gonna finish teaching me how to smoke meat? He replies, "Son, you cook some **** fine food, you don't need me to teach you anything else." "Also," he says, "I want you to cook your pork butts for my funeral dinner."
...and that's all I got to say about that.

Needless to say, I've smoked just about everything under the sun, from fatties, turkeys, ABT's, pies, pizzas, briskets, strip and ribeye roasts, ribs, butts on and on. I love it.

I cannot wait for my 22" WSM to arrive to add to my arsenal!!
 
That is one heck of a story! Thanks for sharing and more often than not, the long stories are worth it!

Glad your here!
 
Growing up as a kid in NJ, my dad did the usual gas grill thing of burgers and hotdogs, sometimes chicken, during the summer months. Even though he grew up in Southern Illinois, he never mentioned barbecue. Years later, he and I went out to visit his dad at the nursing home. We had dinner one night (on my big sister’s recommendation) at 17th Street Bar and Grill in Carbondale. I had the baby backs. It was a revelation to me. Ah, so this is barbecue! We really enjoyed it. A couple years go by and my Q cravings are getting really bad – I pick up Mike Mill’s book, Peace Love and Barbecue, read it, and loaned it to dad as well. We got a kick out those stories. (My dad had eaten at Mr. Whitt’s back in the 50’s.)
Meanwhile, Blue Smoke opens for business, the first (?) barbecue restaurant in NYC. One Sunday morning I drive into the city and pick up a carload of Q to take down to south Jersey for dad’s birthday – spares, baby backs, pulled pork, and plenty of sides. Dad was speechless. Mom, dad, my sister and brother-in-law, my wife and I all laughed and really enjoyed that birthday. After that I knew I had to learn how to make barbecued ribs.
It may have been a couple years later, but I did my research for buying a home-smoker. Although a bit more expensive, everyone recommended the WSM as reliable. I found a local hardware store with the 22 inch on sale and took it home. Unfortunately I didn’t find this site right away. I later learned that the first rule you need is to use the Weber instructional booklet for lighting the coals in your chimney starter! Everything I’ve learned about Q’ing, I’ve learned here. A couple years have gone by and I think I get better results with each Q.
Thanks to all for your kindness and help!

My dad passed away two years ago and I think of him whenever I turn out respectable pulled pork, ribs, chicken or brisket. Here’s to you pop!
 
I can't remember a time in the past 67 years or so when I have NOT had access to BBQ. We had the first Weber on the block in Westchester, Ca in the fifties. I have had one all my married life, 35+ years. Cooked the usual, up to and including turkeys on the kettle.
Now a new way of looking at things with the bullet.
 
Growing up, we would get a pound of pulled pork, baked beans, slaw, and a loaf of corn light bread at a local grocery that sold BBQ. This place still exists today, but has changed owners several times, and it isn't as good as it used to be. Isn't that always the way? I have had lots of good and not so good 'que since, and I was always intimidated by the thought of having to babysit a smoker for many hours to get decent BBQ results. I finally found some online websites that convinced me that I could easily make great BBQ at home. I started out boiling ribs (BLASPHEMY! I know), then grilling them with fair results. As I worked my way through ribs and chicken, I gained confidence until I decided to try a Boston butt a couple of years ago on my Weber kettle. It came out great, and I've been using it as a smoker ever since.

My father was convinced that the average Joe could not duplicate a restaurant quality steak on a home grill because he believed that, "You gotta cook a steak completely or it can make you sick", despite eating most of his restaurant steaks medium rare. He believed that home quality cookers could not do the job, but he cooked most all meat until it was shoe leather - chewy and dry, but never explored how a restaurant would cook their steaks instead of focusing on the cooker. I've been on a quest to prove him wrong for the last 25 years or so, God rest his soul. We had a Weber kettle for probably close to 20 years, left outside and never covered. He would hose it out after several cooks and a couple of inches of built up ash in the bottom, let it air dry, and keep cooking on it. It eventually rusted through and was unceremoniously dumped after a long life of good service.

I have been burning burgers & hot dogs on a couple of different gas grills, one hand-me-down and a yard sale leftover until my family bought me a Weber OTG for Father's Day a couple of years ago and it has made some incredible meals since. It has to be the Swiss Army knife of grills - you can do nearly anything on it, it is portable and is easy to clean. I also have 2 other propane grills that serve other purposes, but neither can beat my Weber. I have taken better care of it than my father took of his, and I plan to keep it around as long as possible. Now if I can just convince the budget committee just how badly I NEED a WSM... imagine what I could do!
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Just wanted to thank everyone for their stories (and to bump this topic to the top for all the new folk that just joined up).
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It's always fun to see how others got interested in the things you're interested in.

Keep on smokin
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Thanks for the bump, Matt. It got me caught up on what I've let pass. Some great stories here and I can't wait for more. Thanks for sharing, folks.

Rich
 
For me, I come from a family of chefs and off the boat italians so cooking is just in my blood. My parents had a gaser and when I was younger, and I loved the summer for obvious reasons but the other was for bbqs. As I grew up, I was already allowed to cook in the kitchen but I was also allowed to grill (with supervision of course). As time went on, my father used to tell me how charcoal was so much better in terms of taste but we didn't have a charcoal grill and he didn't get one because with work and everything, he felt it was to much time to do small things just for us. So once again as I grew up and started working, I saved the money and got a cheap no name grill for like $50, bag of charcoal and made my parents buy the steak with the promise of me cooking. Of course having no experience my father helped me but it turned out ok. Since then, gotten much better, have a good grill and when ever it was, there was something about smoking meat on TV. Might have been history channel or something. That's when I started digging deeper into it, reading things, watching videos online and with a bonus from work, finally bought a WSM. I bought the 22.5" one when it first came out. Now I have friends that will ask me to bbq and bring the meat and beer since I'm doing the labor...kind of like that!
 
Last summer I tried to smoke ribs on my Weber Kettle and they came out dry. Since we all like BBQ I decided to get a cheap smoker instead of paying the cost of the WSM and bought a Brinkman Smoke & Grill. I made a bunch of mods and smoked Chicken, then Boston Butt, then ribs, then Mackerel, and the family liked it all - and my wife, daughter,and grandson can get picky. I'm 69 and will never compete but I adjust recipes to get the taste my family likes. I'm learning to cook a lot more things in the kitchen and that's helping me as I learn to smoke food.
I decided that this was something I like to do and my WSM was shipped today. :)
 
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