Well, this is right here in Illinois. I might have to visit sometime. 
If you’ve never had a well cooked BBQ (as in slow smoking) Brisket, then you are missing out! The baked beans they make up toward then end were looking pretty good too.
Enjoy,
Joe B Que
YouTube Description: Great review done by Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives” that premiered on 11/5/07.
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Loading ...Okay, here is an interesting BBQ Ribs… “painting”?! 
Over 1.3 million views at YouTube as of this posting.
Thanks,
Joe B Que
YouTube Description: You might be a redneck artist if messy, rib-eating fingers inspires you to fingerpaint. As seen on CMT “Country Fried Home Videos”
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Here is another great recipe video from Barbecue Web: “Barbecue” Beef Chuck Burgers. We will likely see many more of their recipe videos in the future. They put together some great looking videos with some nice presentation and, of course, great looking BBQ!
Enjoy!
Thanks,
Joe B Que
YouTube Description: Watch the BBQ Pit Boys at the Barbecue Web prepare some Beef Chuck Burgers so juicy and full of flavor that it will no doubt become one of your favorite quick and easy BBQ recipes. It’s quick and easy.
All you need is 3-4lbs fresh Ground Chuck Beef, tomatoes, sweet onions, sliced cheese if it’s a cheeseburger you want, and any of your favorite condiments. And of course, watch this short video and fire up that barbecue grill.
You can print out this BBQ Pit Boys recipe at http://www.BarbecueWeb.com
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Here is a great Country Style BBQ Ribs Recipe Video. Enjoy!
Thanks,
Joe B Que
YouTube Description: Around here we call them “Jacks Ribs” but typically they are known as Country Style Pork Ribs. They are simple to grill and a great recipe to have on hand if you need a quick and easy meal from off the BBQ grill. Although most Ribmen describe this cut more as a “chop” than “rib”, the pork industry prefers to call them Ribs. So Ribs they are!
All you need to get started is 4-5lbs. Country Style Pork Ribs, 3 -8oz. bottles of your favorite barbecue sauce, 12oz. beer (or water will do). Get your charcoal grill good and hot and in about an hour you’ll be serving up delicious, moist and tender Jacks Barbecue Pork Ribs.
Enjoy! Be sure to watch more all barbecue ‘tips and tricks” videos by the Grillmasters at BarbecueWeb.com.
You can print out this BBQ Pit Boys recipe at http://www.BarbecueWeb.com
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Here are a couple recipes you might like to try for the upcoming Holidays.
Whole Smoked Turkey
The absolute first step in doing a turkey on a smoker is to pick out a bird that is not the biggest one you can find. …
Hasselback Roasted Potatoes
I saw these on the Food Network (made by Robert Irvine) the other night and they looked great.
Peel the potatoes and rinse to remove any traces of dirt. Cut into the potatoes into uniform pieces. (This will help in cooking time if they are all similar.) Take a sharp knife and beginning on 1 end, cut about 2/3 through the potato. …
Thanks,
Joe B Que
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Today we’ll look at some great recipes for you to make up Memphis Style BBQ Sandwiches.
In this post…
- Pulled Pork
- Pulled Beef
- Mustard Cole Slaw
Memphis Style Pulled BBQ Sandwiches
You may notice I say pulled BBQ. 
Well, if you are from Memphis, I am sure you are cringing and saying, “Pulled pork, man… PORK!” Well, I know. However, there is more than just pork out there and I want to provide some alternatives for those that want them.
Now, if you aren’t from Memphis or not aware, let me explain what a Memphis Style Pulled BBQ Sandwich is…
Of course, there will be some variation depending on who you ask, but a Memphis Style BBQ Sandwich traditionally consists of pulled pork, cole slaw, and maybe a small squirt of extra BBQ sauce all piled between two hamburger buns. Yes, cole slaw on the sandwich! The most common cole slaw seems to be mayo and/or vinegar based and the standard is pulled pork, but it could also be chopped pork.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t change tradition to suit your needs. I think a Memphis Style BBQ Sandwich can consist of any type of pulled meat, any kind of cole slaw (mayo, vinegar, mustard, whatever), and any type of bun you choose.
In this case, I will highlight Pork and it’s biggest BBQ competitor… Beef. However, if you can find a good recipe for smoked pulled Chicken, Turkey, etc… that would work fine too.
So, below we will visit a few sites that will help put the puzzle pieces together for your own version of a Memphis Style BBQ Sandwich.
Pulled BBQ Pork Recipe / Technique
There are tons of sites on the internet that will instruct you on pulled pork… just go to Google and type it in and you’ll see what I mean.
I chose to direct you to the following page because the guy isn’t a pro, but has perfected his own personal technique despite having only the most basic equipment on hand. Lots of you may be just starting with real BBQing and smoking, so you probably relate. Also, the site has a nice feature of allowing and encouraging pictures with recipes submissions and I really like recipes including pictures. That way, you aren’t ever asking yourself, “Should it look like that?”
There isn’t anything else I love better than a good pulled pork BBQ sandwich made by someone who knows what they’re doing. Ever since Big City BBQ opened up by my work I have been obsessed with doing it myself.
Pulled BBQ Beef Recipe / Technique
I found a great small BBQ site with 2 pages of Pulled BBQ cooking including lots of good pictures. You should be able to figure out a decent technique / recipe by following his comments.
I started with an English Cut Chuck Roast ( actually it could probably be anything that would make a good pot roast) about 4 inches thick. It had a nice fat layer running the length of the top. Last night (07/06) I covered it with Memphis Style rub and this morning (07/07) I covered it with a layer of mustard. It will be cooking low/slow…
Same site, second page:
Mustard Cole Slaw
I chose Mustard Cole Slaw for this because I thought it sounded good. However, you could find almost any cole slaw recipe and it would do fine if it fits your tastes.
This delicious slaw recipe can be served as a side dish or on pulled pork sandwiches. You can add more or less cayenne to adjust the spiciness of this dish.
Well, I hope you enjoyed the different variations of Memphis Style pulled BBQ sandwiches to which I opened your eyes. There are some good links here… it took me a while to find just the right ones, so savor them.
Thanks,
Joe B Que
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Today we’ll cover the basics of some different cooking techniques for preparing your barbecue meals.
In this issue…
- BBQ Cooking Techniques: Wood, Charcoal, or Gas
BBQ Techniques: Wood, Charcoal, or Gas
If possible, you should try each technique and see which you like best. Some people don’t consider it barbecue if it’s not over wood or wood charcoal. In future issues I will go into more detail about cooking techniques including the different types of woods and the resulting flavors you can smoke into your barbecue.
Wood
The choice and combination of woods burned result in different flavors imparted to the meat. Different types of wood burn at different temperatures. The heat also varies by the amount of wood and controlling the rate of burn through careful venting.
Charcoal
This generally begins with purchasing a commercial bag of processed charcoal briquettes. A charcoal chimney starter is a traditional (but generally underused) method for getting a consistent heat from your coals. Alternatively, they can be lit in a pyramid directly inside the charcoal grill after presoaking with lighter fluid (or using pre-treated briquettes).
Once all coals are ashed-over (generally 15-25 minutes), they are spread around the perimeter of the grill, and the meat is placed in the center for indirect cooking. For additional flavor and attractive appearance, thicker cuts of meat may optionally be seared over direct heat (outer perimeter of grill) prior to indirect cooking in the center.
Water-soaked wood chips (such as mesquite, hickory, or fruit trees) are often added atop the coals for an extra smoky flavor. As with wood barbecuing, the temperature of the grill is controlled by the amount and distribution of coal within the grill and through careful venting.
Editor Comments: I have come across quite a few people who discourage any lighter fluid or treated briquettes because of the taste and chemicals it can pass on to your meat. If you are going to be slow cooking at low temperatures for hours on end, you should probably go with wood or a combination of gas, water, and wood chips. Otherwise, be sure to heat your briquettes to a high enough temperature to burn off any additives before you begin cooking.
Natural gas and Propane
Gas grills are easy to light. The heat is easy to control (via knob-controlled gas valves on the burners), so the outcome is very predictable. They result in a very consistent and tasty result, although arguably much less flavorful. Many grills are equipped with thermometers, further simplifying the barbecuing experience.
Gas grills are significantly more expensive due to their added complexity, and higher heat. They are also considered much cleaner as they do not result in ashes of which must be disposed, and also in terms of air pollution. Extra maintenance may further help reduce pollution (see #External Links below).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue
( Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. )
Well, I think we’ve covered enough for most people to be satisfied they have a basic knowledge of BBQ and enough to begin cooking it up. Tomorrow we begin the torture… with tantalizing recipes!
Thanks,
Joe B Que
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On to the last American style barbecue… Texas BBQ. Sounds good to me! Now, if you’re a pork purest, then you may have just thrown a moan, but don’t give up yet… I’m throwing in some International BBQ info too.
In this issue…
- American Style Barbecue: Texas
- International Barbecue
American Style Barbecue
Although differences in barbecue are blurring as are many aspects of U.S. regional culture, variations still exist. The regional variations vary more widely than just state by state, but we can’t cover them all… that would take awhile! So, I’ll just break it down by state and hope we get enough in to satisfy everyone.
Texas
Sliced brisket, sausage, and pork ribs are the most popular meats in Texas barbecue. Central Texans often refer to these three meats as The Holy Trinity. Chicken, beef ribs, and chopped beef are also often found. Even more exotic variants such as turkey, pork loin, pork chops, prime rib, mutton, and cabrito are sometimes available.
In Texas, barbecuing refers to what others call “hot smoking”—cooking with both smoke and low heat for hours over woods such as oak, mesquite, or pecan. Cooking with direct heat, such as a propane-fueled flame, is not referred to as barbecuing, but is instead known as grilling. Curing meat without heat is known as smoking. Meat prepared by Texas barbecue often has a red tinge even when fully cooked, and a pink smoke ring around the edges of the meat.
If used, traditional sauce consists of tomatoes with a vinegar base. It can be sweet or spicy and thick or thin, depending on the chef. At barbecue cookoffs in Texas, however, meat is generally judged without sauce, as sauce can cover up for poor-quality meats and cooking. Commercially available sauces usually bear little resemblance to traditional barbecue sauce, and are frequently made from tomatoes and corn syrup.
Since creating proper barbecue requires considerable expense of money and time, in that one needs a specialized smoker and has to start smoking many hours before the meat is ready, most Texans simply visit a local restaurant known as a barbecue joint. Such establishments typically serve the meat in a no-frills manner, on a plastic tray and butcher paper with white bread or crackers, or, to-go, in a brown paper sack. Traditional side dishes include potato salad, coleslaw (mustard or vinegar), pinto beans, which are often spicy. Banana pudding, peach cobbler and Blue Bell ice cream are popular dessert options. However, they are not always available—the film Kreuz Market: No Sauce, No Sides, No Silverware (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0279183/) depicts a popular barbecue joint in Lockhart that lacks the three items mentioned in the title.
Slight regional variations in Texas barbecue exist. In Central Texas barbecue is more likely to consist of leaner meats, while East Texans prefer more fatty cuts. It is possible, however, to find both kinds of meats all over the state.
In Texas, barbecue, and the best barbecue joints, are popular topics both in individual discussions and the media. The documentary film Barbecue: A Texas Love Story (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403867/) depicts the culture associated with Texas barbecue. Texas Monthly (http://www.texasmonthly.com/) magazine periodically performs roundups where they rate scores of barbecue joints across the state. The most recent roundup (http://www.texasmonthly.com/mag/issues/2003-05-01/feature5.php) was in 2003.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue
( Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. )
International Barbecue
The practice of cooking over fire pre-dates written history. This makes barbecuing and grilling a worldwide tradition as varied as the types of American style barbecue. Enjoy!
Australasia
In Australia and New Zealand, barbecues are a popular summer pastime. Australasian BBQs do not involve the smoking or sugary sauces of an American BBQ. Instead plain or marinated meat is grilled over the open fire. Seafood is sometimes cooked, although the barbecuing of prawns (’shrimp’ in the USA) was virtually unknown before being popularized by an American TV commercial featuring Australian actor Paul Hogan.
Caribbean
Jamaican jerk is an example of barbecue. Jerk is a style of cooking native to Jamaica in which meats (traditionally pork, but now including chicken and fish) are dry-rubbed with a fiery spice mixture (called Jamaican jerk spice) and then cooked in a pit, on a grill or on an open fire (an oven will do in a pinch). Jerk refers to the technique, the spice mixture, and the finished product.
The jerk seasoning relies upon a few typical items: Allspice (Jamaican pepper, Jamaican pimento) and Habanero peppers (Scotch Bonnet peppers) being the most common basic ingredients. Cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme and other ingredients are often added. It is now possible to find pre-made jerk seasoning mixes.
Editor Comments: See the following site for 300+ Caribbean recipes…
Korea
Bulgogi (???) is thinly sliced beef (and sometimes pork) marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and chili pepper, cooked on a grill at the table. It is a main course, and is therefore served with rice and side dishes. Bulgogi literally means “fire beef” and is often called “Korean BBQ.”
South Africa
The braai (abbreviation of braaivleis, Afrikaans “meat grill”) started out as a major social tradition amongst the Afrikaner people of Southern Africa, though the tradition has since been adopted by South Africans of all ethnic backgrounds.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamaican_jerk_spice
( Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. )
I know, I know… you might be saying “Where are the great BBQ recipes I want?”. Don’t worry… it’s coming.
Thanks,
Joe B Que
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Today we’ll cover 3 types of American style barbecue. I’ll detail barbecue from the Carolinas and the “The Pork Barbecue Capital” Memphis, Tennessee.
In this issue…
- American Style Barbecue: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee
American Style Barbecue
Although differences in barbecue are blurring as are many aspects of U.S. regional culture, variations still exist. The regional variations vary more widely than just state by state, but we can’t cover them all… that would take awhile! So, I’ll just break it down by state and hope we get enough in to satisfy everyone.
North Carolina
Within North Carolina, there are multiple regional traditions, all based on the slow-cooking of pulled or chopped pork. On the east coast, the dominant ingredients to the sauce are vinegar and hot peppers. Proceeding west into the Piedmont (as in Lexington), the sauce becomes more tomato- or ketchup-based, but never as thick as commercial (Texas-style) sauces.
In the eastern part of the state, the whole hog is typically used; in the west, sometimes only pork shoulders are used for barbecue.
In general, a hog half is placed in a “hog cooker” over wood coals and cooked slowly, usually overnight. What wood to use is subject to some debate (often oak or hickory; never pine). In modern times, gas, electric, or charcoal heat are often used for sake of convenience, although most will agree that the long exposure to hardwood smoke improves the flavor of the final product and is generally preferred.
Other variations include cooking times, turning during cooking, and how finely the meat is chopped after cooking.
South Carolina
While the meat used in South Carolina is consistent throughout the state, slow-cooked pulled pork, three regional sauce variants can be found. In the Pee Dee and Lowcountry coastal region, a vinegar and pepper sauce is prevalent. In the Midlands area around Columbia, a mustard-based sauce sometimes referred to as “Carolina Gold” is the predominant style. In the Upstate, or Piedmont region, it shares a ketchup-based sauce also seen in North Carolina.
Tennessee
Memphis is known for…
- wet ribs, made with a mild, sweet barbecue sauce that’s basted on the ribs before and after smoking;
- dry-rub ribs, made with a spice rub applied during or right after they’ve been cooked; and
- pulled or chopped pork sandwich topped with sweet, finely chopped coleslaw and served on inexpensive hamburger buns, which some locals insist is Memphis barbecue’s highest form.
For people who simply can’t get enough barbecue, there’s also barbecue spaghetti, barbecue pizza, and barbecue nachos.
Memphis is also home to the “Memphis in May” World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (WCBCC), an annual event which regularly draws over 90,000 pork lovers from around the globe. The title of “the largest pork barbecue cooking contest in the world” was bestowed on the WCBCC in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records.
It is also home to over 100 barbecue restaurants, including Corky’s (http://www.corkysbbq.com/), Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous (http://www.hogsfly.com/), Gridley’s, the Germantown Commissary (http://www.gtownbbq.com/), Leonard’s (http://www.leonardsbarbecue.com/), and Neely’s. Several have been so successful that they have branches dedicated to shipping barbecue overnight via Federal Express.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue
( Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. )
One more American style barbecue to cover tomorrow… from Texas. I’ll also throw in a few International barbecue variations for your taste fancy.
Thanks,
Joe B Que
PS If you are saying… “Just one more American style barbecue?!?”, then I guess I left your state or region out. Don’t get too upset! I tried to find more information about other state barbecue variations ( including Louisiana, Mississippi, and Virginia ), but up until now have been unable to locate resources regarding specific differences. If you want to post about your favorite regional barbecue, please feel free.
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Today we’ll cover several types of American style barbecue. If you’re not hungry now… you will be after a few more issues!
In this issue…
- American Style Barbecue: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Kansas, and Missouri
American Style Barbecue
Although differences in barbecue are blurring as are many aspects of U.S. regional culture, variations still exist. The regional variations vary more widely than just state by state, but we can’t cover them all… that would take awhile! So, I’ll just break it down by state and hope we get enough in to satisfy everyone.
Alabama
Famous for it’s traditional white barbecue sauce.
California
Barbecue was learned from the Spanish friars who founded the missions, and the style of barbecue usually focuses on beef (especially tri-tip and steaks) cooked quickly in the heat and smoke of a hot, red oak wood fire.
Florida
Both pork and seafood are barbecued in Florida, with butter and lemon or lime juice as the base for the sauce.
Georgia
Georgia barbecue is based on slow-cooked pork, with a sauce based on ketchup.
Kansas
Beef, pork and chicken are dominant meats and are usually slow smoked. Throughout the eastern half of the state the sauces and styles resemble those found in Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. A barbecue competition and contest is held in Lenexa a suburb of Kansas City.
Kentucky
The favored meat for this barbecue is lamb or mutton. Kentucky barbecue traditional sauces include a mild tomato-based sauce, a unique “black” sauce, and a peppery hot sauce.
Missouri
Beef is the dominant meat for barbecue especially in St. Louis and the Ozarks. Often the beef is sliced and a tomato-based sauce is added after cooking.
In Kansas City in particular, barbeque is extremely popular. ( Kansas City Bar-B-Q Connection http://www.rbjb.com/rbjb/bbq.htm ) Backyard barbeques and tailgating are considered pastimes in the city and its surrounding area. Almost every type of barbeque is popular including beef, chicken, pork, sausage, ham and ribs.
Kansas City is the home of famous barbecue restaurants such as Arthur Bryant’s, Gate’s, Rosedale, BB’s Lawnside, Zarda, and many others. There is usually a restaurant every few square miles. The area also hosts numerous barbeque competitions such as The American Royal.
Kansas City is particularly well known for its sauce. Typical KC BBQ is basted heavily in sauce during and after cooking. KC BBQ Sauce usually is rather rich, tangy and spicy. KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce was invented in the city by Rich Davis. However, KC Masterpiece is thicker, sweeter and darker in color than most Kansas City sauces. It is also important to note that Dry Rub is used extensively as well. The Kansas City style is also found in Missouri communities of Columbia, St. Joseph and Warrensburg.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbecue
( Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. )
Stay tuned for more American style barbecue from North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas…
Thanks,
Joe B Que
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