So,when you say "BBQ bone", do you mean backs, spares, or plates? :der: :wacko:I need to know so I can properly evaluate what category to put you in. It will either be the "needs sauce to cover up the BS" or "no sauce because my BS is good without" group of BBQers. :heh:
Soooo, how did you get your start?
- Thread starter rwalters
- Start date
So,when you say "BBQ bone", do you mean backs, spares, or plates? :der: :wacko:I need to know so I can properly evaluate what category to put you in. It will either be the "needs sauce to cover up the BS" or "no sauce because my BS is good without" group of BBQers. :heh:
BGWolf
Knows what a fatty is.
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2016
- Location
- Lititz, PA
After years of destroying food on many gassers, We went of vacation to a friend's beach house. They had a Big Green Egg, I cooked on it the first night and everyone loved the food. I ended up cooking on the Egg almost every night and fell in love with the Egg. When we returned from vacation my wife went on a mission to find me an egg at a reasonable price. One of our friends worked at a local grocery store who was starting to sell Big Green Eggs and was offering them to employees a HUGE discount. The gasser went to the curb two weeks after the egg was delivered.
C Rocke
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2007
- Location
- Fountain...
I just noticed this Bane reference and wanted to give it the credit it deserves. :laugh:
I got my start in the late 60’s southwest Louisiana watching my dad. We bbq’d pork chops, chicken halves and pork sausage. Mom made rice dressing (dirty rice), bbq beans and potato salad and sometimes bbq’d hamburgers with Southern bbq sauce. Still considered comfort food for me today. Things snowballed from that to the gear I use today. Still like using my ole Smokey for bbq’d hamburgers now.
chingador
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2006
- Location
- Houston, TX
I grew up in an outdoor cooking family. BBQ was never a big deal for me growing up. My dads Q was okay. Passable. Restaurant BBQ was better. Pretty much my favorite thing was chopped brisket sandwiches. But we did a ton of outdoor cooking. Steaks, fajitas, plenty of burgers on the grills. Since we lived close to the gulf, outdoor cooked seafood was an even bigger deal. We were always a saltwater fishing family so plenty of fish fries, fish grills (my dads specialty was whole redfish Veracruz), crab grills, crab boils, shrimp grills, etc.
As I go older and went out on my own, I fell in love with cooking. Worked at a high end country club and did some table side cooking. Made a mean Caesar salad. I liked to grill but it was just another method of cooking. My first grill was an Old Smokey. I would buy the “light the bag” charcoal (do they even still sell that?). Then I inherited a junky gas grill from a friend. After I got married my wife bought me a “nice” large gasser from the “at that time” upper tier store, BBQ galore. I thought “ this was it” and I would never need another grill.
I think all of you know how that worked out. Disclaimer: one of my go to’s at that time was parboiled ribs (used Alton Brown’s recipe). From there, that grill imploded and I went the horizontal barrel charcoal grill route for a while. That is he exact grill my dad used for years. I knew this was never going to be good enough long term.
Then one day by chance I learned about the New Braunfels Bandera. God I needed to know more about this grill so I checked in with my good friend Google and the first hit was this site. This was back in 2006. Back in the days when Sako was still Sako.
A lot of you guys probably don’t know this but in the early days, the go to grill around here was the trusty New Braunfels Bandera. Of course that could only last a couple years because the metal was so thin and poor it was not built to last. But God, could it put out some tasty food. Over the years, the cool kids have transitioned to Klose, Stubbs, various Kamados, made their own UDS, learned for the first time what the hell a Traeger was, toyed with the notion of world domination from a small manufacturer just north of Conroe, TX, and a really cool guy in Alabama, then eventually settled into a Mak pellet grill enthusiast site. If it wasn’t for this site, Rey few of us would know what a fatty is, would never reach official certification on moinks, nor would they have a clue on what a “farmer” is.
So, anyway, that is my story and I am sticking to it. A hat tip to all you great members, old school and new
As I go older and went out on my own, I fell in love with cooking. Worked at a high end country club and did some table side cooking. Made a mean Caesar salad. I liked to grill but it was just another method of cooking. My first grill was an Old Smokey. I would buy the “light the bag” charcoal (do they even still sell that?). Then I inherited a junky gas grill from a friend. After I got married my wife bought me a “nice” large gasser from the “at that time” upper tier store, BBQ galore. I thought “ this was it” and I would never need another grill.
I think all of you know how that worked out. Disclaimer: one of my go to’s at that time was parboiled ribs (used Alton Brown’s recipe). From there, that grill imploded and I went the horizontal barrel charcoal grill route for a while. That is he exact grill my dad used for years. I knew this was never going to be good enough long term.
Then one day by chance I learned about the New Braunfels Bandera. God I needed to know more about this grill so I checked in with my good friend Google and the first hit was this site. This was back in 2006. Back in the days when Sako was still Sako.
A lot of you guys probably don’t know this but in the early days, the go to grill around here was the trusty New Braunfels Bandera. Of course that could only last a couple years because the metal was so thin and poor it was not built to last. But God, could it put out some tasty food. Over the years, the cool kids have transitioned to Klose, Stubbs, various Kamados, made their own UDS, learned for the first time what the hell a Traeger was, toyed with the notion of world domination from a small manufacturer just north of Conroe, TX, and a really cool guy in Alabama, then eventually settled into a Mak pellet grill enthusiast site. If it wasn’t for this site, Rey few of us would know what a fatty is, would never reach official certification on moinks, nor would they have a clue on what a “farmer” is.
So, anyway, that is my story and I am sticking to it. A hat tip to all you great members, old school and new
redchaserron
Full Fledged Farker
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2015
- Location
- Lafayett...
I've always had an interest in cooking. As a young child I would hang out in the kitchen to "help" my parents cook, both of whom were very good cooks, mostly Cajun and Southern, but they taught me the principles of good cooking.
My dad used to grill quite a bit, he had some 55 gallon drum grills and would also literally dig a pit in the ground, build a fire and throw a grill grate on top of it to grill. I really started cooking outdoors in Boy Scouts though. I was in a really active troop that did a ton of camping, and we'd have some sort of campfire cooking contest at almost every campout. I got to where I could wrap a steak in foil, throw it in the coals and pull it out at just the right time for whatever doneness you wanted, which wasn't bad for a 12 year old kid. I made gumbos over camp fires, grilled fish, fried fish, red beans and rice, big breakfasts and just about anything else you could think of.
As a young adult my cooking interest varied widely, I acquired a Le Cordon Bleu cookbook and learned about stocks and sauces and that really changed my cooking, and I've always liked to experiment and try new foods, techniques and equipment. I was a pretty early adopter when consumer Sous Vide circulators started coming out.
I had a couple of old smokey grills, but at some point I got interested in actually smoking meat in an offset. My first offset was a bandera, which I used for a few years. I had signed up here back then when this was mainly a "Bandera" board, but along the way lost my password and had changed email so I had to create a new account. After a few years with the Bandera I got an OK Joe Longhorn, which at the time was made slightly thicker than the current version. I ran it for about 13 years until I upgraded to the Franklinstein's monster last year. As with the rest of my cooking, I continually look for new things to try in BBQ.
My dad used to grill quite a bit, he had some 55 gallon drum grills and would also literally dig a pit in the ground, build a fire and throw a grill grate on top of it to grill. I really started cooking outdoors in Boy Scouts though. I was in a really active troop that did a ton of camping, and we'd have some sort of campfire cooking contest at almost every campout. I got to where I could wrap a steak in foil, throw it in the coals and pull it out at just the right time for whatever doneness you wanted, which wasn't bad for a 12 year old kid. I made gumbos over camp fires, grilled fish, fried fish, red beans and rice, big breakfasts and just about anything else you could think of.
As a young adult my cooking interest varied widely, I acquired a Le Cordon Bleu cookbook and learned about stocks and sauces and that really changed my cooking, and I've always liked to experiment and try new foods, techniques and equipment. I was a pretty early adopter when consumer Sous Vide circulators started coming out.
I had a couple of old smokey grills, but at some point I got interested in actually smoking meat in an offset. My first offset was a bandera, which I used for a few years. I had signed up here back then when this was mainly a "Bandera" board, but along the way lost my password and had changed email so I had to create a new account. After a few years with the Bandera I got an OK Joe Longhorn, which at the time was made slightly thicker than the current version. I ran it for about 13 years until I upgraded to the Franklinstein's monster last year. As with the rest of my cooking, I continually look for new things to try in BBQ.
rickatwoodme
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
Way back around 2000, I was working for an ad agency in San Francisco... we had Motorola as a client, and their chip division was in Austin... on my first trip to visit, my clients there took me on a BBQ crawl of Austin, and I (quite literally) had BBQ epiphany... Back home in San Francisco, I bought a little smoker for my condo balcony, pissed off everyone for a block in every direction, and started on this hobby; a few bigger smokers later, a move to SoCal (yes, there is good BBQ here - not a lot but...believe it or not); and its become my love. I spent all my high school and college years working in and around food, and have cooked my whole life, so this was just another avenue.
Well... as almost all here in North East of Italy, I grilled for years using a small old gas device with cast iron plate.
Concept was always the same. Ribs: burned outside and almost raw inside. Sausage: dry and hard like cardboard. Chicken: with all the nuances of cooking.
after marriage, the family starts growing. WIth two daughters, the small plate became too small. So I start thinking about a new device but the idea was to buy a larger cast iron gas fueled grill
one day I visited Texas for work. As usual, my work travels are with 5 stars hotel and all the comforts... no, kidding... maybe a two stars hotel and manage yourself for something to eat!
I remember I was in a small town in the middle between Houston and Dallas. I had a dinner in a local restaurant (Dickey's barbecue pit, I'll remember forever) and with my workmate we start discussing about the tender and juicy meat they served to us
"it's a matter of the raw material" I argumented
"no" he said "it's how they cook!" he replies
so I start searching more informations... and I discovered this fantastic world
when I came back to Italy, I had everything clear in my head.
I didn't need a new cast iron grill. I absolutely want a kettle! that's the way!
At that time, in Italy, barbecue was really at the beginning. Just a couple of forums and maybe one reseller not so far from my home.
But I did it... I bought a Weber Master Touch. And I read a lot about cooking, following what a bounch of good men translated from USA forums and BBS
I started with some chicken. It was, at that time, outstanding (probably today I'll evauate it as acceptable). My wife and the daughter was enthusiastic. So it means "green light" and I started studying and cooking more and more...
Concept was always the same. Ribs: burned outside and almost raw inside. Sausage: dry and hard like cardboard. Chicken: with all the nuances of cooking.
after marriage, the family starts growing. WIth two daughters, the small plate became too small. So I start thinking about a new device but the idea was to buy a larger cast iron gas fueled grill
one day I visited Texas for work. As usual, my work travels are with 5 stars hotel and all the comforts... no, kidding... maybe a two stars hotel and manage yourself for something to eat!
I remember I was in a small town in the middle between Houston and Dallas. I had a dinner in a local restaurant (Dickey's barbecue pit, I'll remember forever) and with my workmate we start discussing about the tender and juicy meat they served to us
"it's a matter of the raw material" I argumented
"no" he said "it's how they cook!" he replies
so I start searching more informations... and I discovered this fantastic world
when I came back to Italy, I had everything clear in my head.
I didn't need a new cast iron grill. I absolutely want a kettle! that's the way!
At that time, in Italy, barbecue was really at the beginning. Just a couple of forums and maybe one reseller not so far from my home.
But I did it... I bought a Weber Master Touch. And I read a lot about cooking, following what a bounch of good men translated from USA forums and BBS
I started with some chicken. It was, at that time, outstanding (probably today I'll evauate it as acceptable). My wife and the daughter was enthusiastic. So it means "green light" and I started studying and cooking more and more...
rwalters
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Bump! Let’s hear some more stories. Need me some good family friendly Brethren readin’ 
SmoothBoarBBQ
is Blowin Smoke!
It was BBQ Pitmasters. I was in bed watching the first season when it came out and seeing the food they were turning in made my mouth water. I knew I had to get involved with whatever "smoking food" was and see if I could get food which looked just as good.
I grew up in Las Vegas and back in the 90's there wasn't really any BBQ scene there at all. Then I joined the Marine Corps and ended up stationed in North Carolina, and the BBQ they have there is all HEAVILY slathered in vinegar, so it was a huge turnoff. In my mind, at that point, I just kind of thought I didn't like BBQ at all.
After deciding I wanted to try to make BBQ I spent a good month or two researching and watching videos on how to smoke some ribs. The day finally came and I did a 3-2-1 with some baby-back ribs and they came out just amazing! My wife and I took our first bites and looked at each with that "holy crap" look and it was an addiction ever sense that moment. I dabbled with different types of grills and temps; my wife bought my Myron's book "Smokin' with Myron Mixon" so I started out cooking everything super hot and fast. It produced great results which were repeatable, so I was comfortable.
This moved into me finally getting an offset smoker and then eventually throwing my hat in the ring with KCBS competitions. I didn't do a ton, but finally had a great showing one day in South Carolina with a 6th place brisket call. At this moment I realized that maybe I had some actual talent, and now I could always claim I was cooking "award winning BBQ." So I opened my own BBQ food truck and did that for about 3 years with mild success. Then Covid killed me as there was not enough meat available to serve, so I ended up closing the business. Now I cook pretty much once a payday and am enjoying the peace and quiet outside with me and my smoker.
Life is good and BBQ is a huge part of that life.
Great thread and some cool stories in here; thanks for bringing this thread back to life.
I grew up in Las Vegas and back in the 90's there wasn't really any BBQ scene there at all. Then I joined the Marine Corps and ended up stationed in North Carolina, and the BBQ they have there is all HEAVILY slathered in vinegar, so it was a huge turnoff. In my mind, at that point, I just kind of thought I didn't like BBQ at all.
After deciding I wanted to try to make BBQ I spent a good month or two researching and watching videos on how to smoke some ribs. The day finally came and I did a 3-2-1 with some baby-back ribs and they came out just amazing! My wife and I took our first bites and looked at each with that "holy crap" look and it was an addiction ever sense that moment. I dabbled with different types of grills and temps; my wife bought my Myron's book "Smokin' with Myron Mixon" so I started out cooking everything super hot and fast. It produced great results which were repeatable, so I was comfortable.
This moved into me finally getting an offset smoker and then eventually throwing my hat in the ring with KCBS competitions. I didn't do a ton, but finally had a great showing one day in South Carolina with a 6th place brisket call. At this moment I realized that maybe I had some actual talent, and now I could always claim I was cooking "award winning BBQ." So I opened my own BBQ food truck and did that for about 3 years with mild success. Then Covid killed me as there was not enough meat available to serve, so I ended up closing the business. Now I cook pretty much once a payday and am enjoying the peace and quiet outside with me and my smoker.
Life is good and BBQ is a huge part of that life.
Great thread and some cool stories in here; thanks for bringing this thread back to life.
rwalters
Quintessential Chatty Farker
Great story! I have dreamed long and hard on numerous occasions about opening a food truck. I really think I’d love it… but until that day comes, if it ever does… my HAPPY place has long been in the backyard with the smoke rolling
Funny that this thread popped up as I was talking with my dad about this last week. I remember we had a 'foldable' cast iron grill at home, it came in a wooden box, you 'unfolded' it, put 4 legs under it and hey presto, grill was ready. My dad got it from a German friend who worked at a military airbase, I´m sure there were US soldiers stationed there. I remember that grill to travel with us during our annual summer vacations AND being used at home. BBQ would be something for a special occasion though. Many years later, my dad reconstructed his patio and build a dual grill so he could use 2 different temps. Around the same time, my dad´s family started doing an annual summer BBQ. We had 9 people who had their birthday in July and it made more sense to throw 1 big party.
When I moved out, I lived in an apartment but when we bought our 1st house, we went and got a grill the next spring in anticipation of a sunny weekend. Used that grill for years until a friend told me about smoking. I did some research and discovered pellet grills. Ended up buying a Traeger, this was around mid-2016. Then found a Dutch BBQ forum, then the Brethren. Went to a Dutch forum bash 6 months later and discovered all those different smokers and stuff. Bought a 2nd hand kettle a week later, then came an offset and now I have a backyard full of smokers. :laugh:
When I moved out, I lived in an apartment but when we bought our 1st house, we went and got a grill the next spring in anticipation of a sunny weekend. Used that grill for years until a friend told me about smoking. I did some research and discovered pellet grills. Ended up buying a Traeger, this was around mid-2016. Then found a Dutch BBQ forum, then the Brethren. Went to a Dutch forum bash 6 months later and discovered all those different smokers and stuff. Bought a 2nd hand kettle a week later, then came an offset and now I have a backyard full of smokers. :laugh:
rwalters
Quintessential Chatty Farker
It’s crazy how one thing often leads to the next… and before you know it, you’re a full-blown addict! The even crazier thing… all of your fellow Brethren fully support, encourage and will enable your addiction to the extreme
SweetHeatBBQnSC
is One Chatty Farker
Robb this was an awesome thread. Glad to see you brought it back to life.
Back9Q
is one Smokin' Farker
- Joined
- Oct 8, 2012
- Location
- Jacksonv...
Just started dating my wife and she had a weber kettle. Tried ribs and couldnt cut with a chain saw. Bought smoker next day and entered comp few months later and took 2nd in pork. Addicted since
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
It all started back in the 80s when my old man would grill on his Weber kettle. I always remember that smell of KBB and it just reminds me a good food and fun times in the summer. He eventually got a gasser which I helped assemble and eventually moved to a Weber genesis. Just moving out on my own, i bought the cheapest two burner gasser I could find and started grilling a lot. Learned about two zone cooking (mind blown) and other techniques. Eventually I got a Weber kettle that I used for grilling and smoking. (Had a smokenator attachment for it. Traditionally I used kbb and again that smells just brought back fun memories of being back home running around while dad grilled. I bought a wsm shortly after that and they both made the move to my current house. I just love grilling and being outside. It’s been one of my hobbies/passions for 10-12 years now.
6 months ago, I suffered an illness that has limited my mobility (I’m improving slowly but surely). A month or so ago I realized I can use both my Weber kettle and wsm (to a certain degree) by myself. Although I rarely use kbb lately, firing up that Weber with a full chimney puts a smile on my face reminiscing of past and present. It’s my current happy place.
6 months ago, I suffered an illness that has limited my mobility (I’m improving slowly but surely). A month or so ago I realized I can use both my Weber kettle and wsm (to a certain degree) by myself. Although I rarely use kbb lately, firing up that Weber with a full chimney puts a smile on my face reminiscing of past and present. It’s my current happy place.
You and I are at the same point my Friend! I know how to do 10,000 things in this life but have physical limitations. All curable just takes time.
I have about another 4 months to go: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ2hJezvd2I :thumb:
Beentown
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2014
- Location
- Central OH
I guess my journey started with my Mom, Kat. Friends always wanted to come over for dinner to eat her food. She did it all from baking to roasting. Scratch cook most of the time. So I started by watching her and learning the difference between what food can be (scratch and woth care compared to box food).
Now I grew up country. Most people farmed and that meant outdoor cooking for any big event. Big events were fun so associating bbq with good times must have played a part. My dad was terrible on the grill but when it was good, it was GREAT! When it was bad it was still fire locked protein for a growing boy. When family gathered I had Uncles on my Mom's side that knew what they were doing. We always cooked on block pits for big gatherings.
I grew up learning from family but didn't really put it to practice until after Highschool.
Like the on attached. Still use it to this day for pigs.
TBC
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Now I grew up country. Most people farmed and that meant outdoor cooking for any big event. Big events were fun so associating bbq with good times must have played a part. My dad was terrible on the grill but when it was good, it was GREAT! When it was bad it was still fire locked protein for a growing boy. When family gathered I had Uncles on my Mom's side that knew what they were doing. We always cooked on block pits for big gatherings.
I grew up learning from family but didn't really put it to practice until after Highschool.
Like the on attached. Still use it to this day for pigs.
TBC
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Beentown
is Blowin Smoke!
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2014
- Location
- Central OH
After highschool whether it was college or friends reconnecting everyone always wanted it to be me cooking. I enjoyed feeding them as well. And that is when I started developing my skills. I mainly did kitchen cooking with grilling (no smoking). That was until I went to a Graduation party where a guy was cooking while chickens on his homemade, wood fired rotisserie. It was so damn good and that flipped a switch.
I tried my hand at smoking and it went....OK. We all thought it was really good at the time. Shortly after TV shows became popular featuring BBQ and competitions. This fueled the fire even more and I built my first UDS. Then along came Brethren.
I can say without a doubt this website played a huge part in what was to come.
Sorry for doing this in multiple parts but scrounging pics as I go. This is fun reliving a but BTW...
Here is a couple pics with one of my girls. We did well that day.
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I tried my hand at smoking and it went....OK. We all thought it was really good at the time. Shortly after TV shows became popular featuring BBQ and competitions. This fueled the fire even more and I built my first UDS. Then along came Brethren.
I can say without a doubt this website played a huge part in what was to come.
Sorry for doing this in multiple parts but scrounging pics as I go. This is fun reliving a but BTW...
Here is a couple pics with one of my girls. We did well that day.
Sent from my SM-G990U using Tapatalk
