My friend is going to be on TV Wednesday night...

The guy responsible for my severe interest in wine is going to be on the Conan O Brien show Wednesday night! If you have a Tivo or a DVR record it so you can see this guy. He is infectious and will get you in to wine as well. He is taking off...its neat to see him go from a daily video podcast to a national stage! Good luck Gary!

BBQ Central is on a Roll...

I wanted to thank and congratulate all of the teams that racked up the GC and all of the others who got calls to the stage in their respective competitions over this past weekend. All you you guys/gals did a great job! You are continuing to spread the name of the forum and build its credibility as one of the best and friendliest places on the internet as well as solidifying it's position as a place where winners go to share info!

GREAT JOB!

New FBA Podcast

Diva Q on CMT...and she mentions BBQ Central

Thanks for the mention Diva! You are blowing up in Canada!!

Are You an FBA Member?

If you are a member of the Florida BBQ Association then make sure you are aware of who is nominated for the new 2008 elections. I will be doing a podcast with current FBA President Kevin Bevington this Friday at 1pm. The show will be posted the following Monday.

If you are an FBA nominee and have competition running against you and you want to use the BBQ Central Show as a platform to talk about your position please email me. I will be happy to share my audience with you!

Good luck to Kevin and all of the nominees for FBA office!

Bill The Grill Guy Builds a WSM Table

Part 3 of 3

Bill The Grill Guy Builds a WSM Table

Part 2 of 3

WSM Table

Stay tooned for more. Its storming right now so I have to wait.

Bill The Grill Guy Builds a WSM Table

PART 1 of 3

What Do You Tell People...

Typically, if you are the grilling and BBQ man of your group, you become the go-to guy for info when it comes time to buy a new grill. I know I get asked this question at least 15 times during the summer months and a few during the "off" months.

To help your friend out you first need to discover how often he/she is going to use the grill. If it's only going to be once a week or less than there is no need to suggest an expensive unit. You also need to take in to account how many people they "typically" cook for and how many people they might have the "need" to cook for on occasion. You can then suggest something that is neither to big or to small...hopefully just what they need in order to both things!

Doing a little fact finding about what your friends wants vs. what they need will make you look very knowledgeable and allow you to keep your title of "grill & BBQ king" well in to the future. It will also maximize you friends' budget and everyone appreciates that!

So, the questions of the day is this: "What brand of grill or BBQ do you recommend to your friends and neighbors?"

Typically I tell my friends and family to buy the Weber brand, but if they are not in to grilling as much as me, then I go to the lower brands and feel good that they will be able to afford a "good" grill or BBQ and get the results they are looking for!

I Am A Wine Lover As Well...

About a year ago my pallet changed and I found that after 32 years on earth I could finally enjoy wine! I was very excited because a lot of people in my family like wine and I always felt like I was missing out on something. So I was more than pleased when my taste changed and I was finally able to share in the wine drinking experience with them.

Like anything I become involved with, I become consumed about knowing all there is to know about the subject. I read a lot, I talked to a lot of people and I asked a lot of questions. I also tasted a lot and that seems to be the biggest key in drinking and enjoying wine...you need to drink different wine all the time to expand your pallet. But most importantly, you need to trust your mouth...what tastes good to you is indeed good! You cannot get lost in scores or what Hollywood tells you is right to drink...IE Pinot Noir.

You'll notice underneath the Blog Archives I have my "Cork'd Journal" listed that give my reviews on the wines I have tasted...it's a unique way of sharing your tasting notes with other wine drinkers as well as joining a different community of people with similar interests.

The biggest help to me during my wine journey so far has been the discovery of Wine Library TV. It is a daily wine tasting video cast that takes place in NJ at a store called Wine Library. IT is by far the best tool I have come across to help me expand my pallet and to learn about different wines. The host is awesome and has a unique way of articulating what he is tasting...and he doesn't hold back or lie! If he doesn't like a wine he will not hesitate to pan it...likewise, if he enjoys something he is not bashful about praising it!

I am attaching a small video clip of a classic episode where Gary, the host, talks about training your pallet. This clip truly encapsulates what WLTV is all about and why you should give it a shot if you enjoy wine!

BBQ and Grilling ARE NOT The Same Thing!

You hear it all the time…people throwing the word barbecue around when they are actually talking about grilling. In the world of barbecue, nothing could be more sacrilegious! To hear these words exchanged like so much American currency is maddening and needs to be properly explained…so let’s get at it.

First, let me qualify myself as someone who knows what he is talking about. I am the site administrator for one of the largest and most active barbecue forums on the internet. I have been actively grilling for fifteen years and have been barbecuing for the last five. I have conducted a number of podcast interviews with competition barbecue cooks as well as barbecue and grilling authors to include Dr. BBQ Ray Lampe, Ed “Fast Eddy” Maurin, Mike Davis and Steven Raichlen. So yes, I do know what I am talking about!

Let’s talk about barbecue first. Barbecue is not an action…any pit master worth his salt would tell you it’s a noun! You don’t ask when it will be done, how long it will take or anything else related to an expedited cooking process. Barbecue is something that is done over an extended period of time and typically uses larger cuts of pork and beef and is cooked at low temperatures…and the barbecue tells YOU when it is done.

Barbecue is typically cooked between the temperatures of 180*-250* and is fueled by either wood or charcoal. Purists would argue that “TRUE” barbecue is cooked over coals that have been burned down from logs and continually feed in to a bbq pit. However, there are many different articles I can and will write on the regional aspects of barbecue and what those people consider “real” barbecue versus what other people around the country eat.

Traditional barbecued meats include pork butts which make pulled pork sandwiches, beef brisket which make barbecued beef, chicken (either whole or pieces) and ribs, traditionally pork spares or baby backs, but there are other ribs out there that people have tried at one point or another to include beef ribs and veal ribs.

Chickens will take the least amount of time to cook…typically in the 2hr + range, ribs are second coming in at the 4hr-6hr range depending on if you are smoking baby backs or spare ribs, brisket is next usually running about 1.5 hrs per pound (average weight of 13 pounds) and finally pork butts which usually take about 2.5 hrs per pound to cook (average weight of 8 pounds).

Another thing to remember is that , aside from chicken, which is cooked to 165* in the breast or 180* in the thigh or leg, brisket and pork butts are cooked to a much higer internal temperature than what is normally considered finished. Brisket and pork butts can be considered done in the 150* range but these cuts of meat are inherently tough and would not be enjoyed by anyone at your dinner table. So to avoid this, you actually cook the meat past “doneness” and cook it to “tenderness” which is in the 190*-200* internal temperature.

During the cooking process the meat’s fatty and connective tissues break down and melt through the meat effectively basting the pork or beef keeping it nice and moist through the entire process. A properly barbecued piece of meat is incomparable. There is smokiness, tenderness and an ambiance that no other food has.

But barbecue is not for everyone, especially those who do not want to put the time and effort in to doing it properly from start to finish. It is well worth the journey as the rewards are delicious!!

I hope this give you a basic idea of why grilling and barbecue are different. Grilling is done at much higher temperatures, 400* or higher, and takes considerably less time to cook. Gas grills have become very popular these days but a true griller has a charcoal kettle grill somewhere in his or her arsenal.

Jamacan Texan Cajun Pork chops

Wittdog's steak

I just saw this nice picture of a steak Wittdog of The BBQ Central Forum cooked and decided to share it on the blog. I'm allready hungry again..Good Job Wittdog!!!!

Question of The Day...

Best Cook this side of "Old Man River"

Your Favorite Accessory...

As anyone who has even a beginners run at BBQ knows, accessories are something that comes along with the territory. Sometimes...and perhaps most often, these items typically end up costing us WAY more than the original BBQ pit did.

I think one of the coolest inventions is the pit temperature control devices. This unit allows people who are busy, but love BBQ, to do there thing while it keeps the pit at a set temperature. Items such as The BBQ Guru and The Stoker lead the industry in this type of technology.

So, my question for you is this..."What is you favorite BBQ or Grilling accessory"? It doesn't have to be something you currently own...it can be something on your wish list if you don't own it yet. But let's hear what you think is the coolest thing out there right now!

Leave your answer in the comments section..LET ME HEAR FROM YOU!!!!

Challenge from the Site Admin

We have all heard grilling can....

Be harmful but here are some ways to cut the effects and allows us to eat grilled foods we love. Marinate before grilling. It can reduce HCA formation in meat and fish by up to 99 percent. Herbs are helpful, too. Rosemary, garlic and sage may block the formation of both HCAs and PAHs in and on the food. Add the seasonings to light marinades or as ingredients to other dishes you serve with your grilled foods.

A citrus or olive oil marinade can also counteract HCA buildup. Think small. Smaller cuts spend less time over the flame than big slabs of meat. Flip them frequently, too. Turning meat over every minute greatly reduces HCAs. Use tongs to turn foods. “Puncturing meats with a fork may cause juices to flow and drip on to the coals”. Avoid overcooking foods. The longer you grill your meat, the more the carcinogens develop.

Partner grilled items with cancer fighters. Antioxidants and other phytonutrients in fruits (apples, grapes and berries), vegetables (broccoli, kale, cauliflower, onions) and even tea can stall or stop the chemicals' effects in the body.

*Written by Jim Minion (2 Loose Screws BBQ)*

A Warm Welcome...

Thanks to everyone who is stopping by to check the blog out. This will not take away from the forum but should enhance its content with some original video and written articles!

A Chicken Cook...

Grills Used in This Video:

Weber Genesis Silver B Gas Grill (3 Burner)

Weber One Touch Gold Kettle Grill (Charcoal)