Showing posts with label BBQ in the News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBQ in the News. Show all posts
June 29, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ Wins Big at Safeway National Capital BBQ Battle
We are proud to report that our mission of bringing championship BBQ into the backyards of all Americans took a big leap forward this weekend! We entered our first ever BBQ competition, and decided to try out our rub against some of the biggest and best BBQ'ers in the nation at the Safeway National Capital BBQ Battle - out of over 50 teams, we took 2nd place in the Best BBQ Sauce in the Nation competition and 4th Place for our Pork Shoulder covered in our All American Spice Rub:
We want to send special thanks to our family and friends who came to visit us and eat free BBQ. A special shout out goes to Rex with SavoryReviews.com:
And a HUGE thanks to Heath's parents for travelling from Jefferson City, Missouri and helping us out all weekend:
And here's the Pork Barrel BBQ family!
We stayed true to our backyard roots and cooked all our food on the Weber Smokey Mountain Cookers and only used our All American Spice Rub:
Here's our pork shoulder getting going:
And here's the finished product:
Here's of shot of Heath and his amazing brisket (look at that smoke ring)!
We had an amazing time and learned a lot from the great BBQ talent that was competing - thanks again to Safeway for hosting such a great event in Washington DC!
June 26, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ on WFNR 1500
Heath got up early this morning to be on WFNR 1500 to talk about Pork Barrel BBQ and the 17th Annual Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle that we will compete in over the weekend.
Check out the interview at www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=15&sid=1705339.
If you are looking for something to do this weekend come on down to Pennsylvania Ave., NW between 9th and 14th Street and check us out in our first competition. The Battle runs from 11:00 to 9:00 on Saturday and 11:00 to 7:00 on Sunday.
We hope to see you there!!!!
June 12, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ Launch Party Video
On Sunday, May 31, more than 100 Pork Barrel BBQ fans and supporters showed up at Fort Ward Park in Alexandria, Virginia to celebrate the official launch of Pork Barrel BBQ. Over 150 pounds of pork shoulder, beef brisket and vegetables were smoked and grilled with Pork Barrel BBQ's All American Spice Rub. A big Pork Barrel BBQ thank you to everyone who showed up to show their support - we couldn't be doing what we are doing without your support and advice.
At the end of the picnic we were able to donate several trays of pork shoulder, pickles, potato chips and several watermelons to the Carpenters Shelter in Alexandria, Virginia.
May 22, 2009
Pork Barrel BBQ Issues BBQ Challenge to Jessica Ravitz of CNN
Jessica Ravitz of CNN wrote the following article on the quest for the best BBQ - I think its obvious that she is from Texas, California or the East Coast (and probably calls the Midwest "flyover" states) because she completely ignores Missouri barbecue in her article. At Pork Barrel BBQ, we support the exploration of all things BBQ, and encourage Jessica to travel the nation a bit more in her quest - her first stops need to be Gates Bar-B-Q, Arthur Bryant's, Oklahoma Joe's in Kansas City, MO and Dickie Doo Bar-B-Que in Sedalia, MO. Jessica - we at Pork Barrel BBQ will be glad to meet you any day that works for you in Kansas City and take you on a tour - just let us know what works - and best of all, we'll pay for all your Missouri BBQ! You can reach us at http://porkbarrelbbq.com/ or http://porkbarrelbbq.blogspot.com/. You can also email us at: mailto:porkbarrelbbq@porkbarrelbbq@gmail.com.
Read Jessica's article here:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/05/22/barbecue.quest/index.html?iref=t2test_travelfri
Quest for the best barbecue
Story Highlights
For about 250,000 years, humans have been throwing meat on and around flames
The meat, smoking wood and sauce (if there is one) define styles of barbecue
Barbecue is "the last bastion of regional culture," one barbecue expert said
Smoked-meat enthusiasts will go to great lengths to find the best barbecue joint
By Jessica Ravitz CNN
(CNN) -- If Daniel Vaughn has his way, he said, his newborn daughter will "teethe on a rib bone."
It's not that the Dallas, Texas, architect means to channel his inner caveman. He just loves barbecue and, given that his wife doesn't, is hoping the little one will share his passion for " 'cue," as he calls it.
"My main quest is to find the best in Texas," said Vaughn, 31, who phoned CNN while he was heading to his 168th barbecue joint since he began his search in August 2006.
So far, listed among his favorites: Snow's BBQ in Lexington and Kreuz Market in Lockhart.
"The best experience is finding a place you've never heard of, a place that's not on anyone's list," he said. "It feels like you've really discovered something special."
Vaughn's journey, which is chronicled on his blog Full Custom Gospel BBQ (which also features reviews), is just one illustration of how this American culinary tradition has taken hold. It has spawned pilgrimages to out-of-the-way shacks, associations and "societies," competitive cook-offs and countless debates among those who take this smoked-meat matter most seriously. iReport.com: Vaughn's tasty experience at Kreuz Market
"It's a combination of flavors, sights, smells, sounds, people and stories," said Mark Dunkerley, 32, of Nashville, Tennessee, who embarked on his own barbecue quest last fall (a road trip spanning four Southern states) and named The Bar-B-Q Shop in Memphis, Tennessee, as his top pick. "Anything you spend six to 18 hours preparing, it's more than a meal. It's an event." Check out some iReporter BBQ joint recommendations »
This "event" became possible about half a million years ago, when humans discovered fire. For about 250,000 years, humans have been throwing meat on and around the flames, said Steven Raichlen, best-selling author of "The Barbecue Bible."
But the 16th century Spanish explorers to the Americas first chronicled the unique cooking technique that became barbecue when they came across the Taino Indians of the West Indies using a barbacoa, their word for a wooden framework propped above flames, to smoke meat.
It was a way to preserve meat and was later popularized by the poor and slaves, who didn't have refrigeration, explained Amy Mills, daughter of barbecue's legendary champion pit master and restaurateur, Mike Mills, with whom she co-wrote "Peace, Love, and Barbecue."
The smoking approach was also useful in that it tenderized lesser cuts of meat, said Mills, whose father is behind the ribs celebrated at 17th Street Bar & Grill in Murphysboro, Illinois, and Memphis Championship Barbecue in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Today, barbecue has enjoyed a renaissance," securing its berth as "America's original comfort food," which is especially important in these tough economic times, when supporting local and affordable businesses is more popular than ever, Mills said. "It's the most democratic food group. You can come into a barbecue restaurant and find people in ties and people in overalls. ... You leave your title at the door."
Depending on where you are, the meat and smoking wood that is used, the sauce (if there is one) or the rub, barbecue can mean many different things, Raichlen, the best-selling author, journalist, cooking teacher and TV host pointed out.
While it's pulled pork with vinegar sauce in most of North Carolina, Raichlen said barbecue is, for example, mutton with butter and Worcestershire sauce in Owensboro, Kentucky, grilled bratwurst in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and oysters on the half-shell with chipotle sauce in Tomales Bay, California.
"We live in a world of homogenization," he said. Barbecue is "the last bastion of regional culture, and I think that's one reason we prize it so dearly."
Fans, in fact, prize barbecue for a multitude of reasons. For city slickers, who live in places where backyard smokers are not viable or even legal, a country jaunt for some finger-licking meat can be an escape. And the time, sweat and, indeed, "labor of love" shown by those who run these establishments, as Dunkerley of Nashville puts it, is something to behold and honor.
The slow food, which bucks the nation's fast-food focus, is "a backlash against the hustle and bustle of daily life," said Carolyn Wells, executive director and co-founder of the 10,000-member Kansas City Barbecue Society, which she calls "the world's largest organization of barbecuing and grilling enthusiasts."
"It's not a solitary pursuit," she said. "It's something you do with your family and friends."
This might be why barbecue is, for Frank Beaty, a reminder of different times and people. iReport.com: Beaty's barbecue recommendations
He may live in Las Vegas, Nevada, today, but Beaty, 55, grew up in Texas, the grandson of Dempsey Davis, a man who "grew his own meat." Using an "old brick smokehouse," in Paris, Texas, Beaty said Dempsey practiced what he preached.
"My granddad said two things about barbecue," Beaty said. "If you have to have teeth to eat it, it's not right. And if you have to put sauce on it, it's not right."
For 35 years, wherever he's traveled as a festival producer, Beaty said he's always been on the lookout for the best and most tender barbecue a town can offer. One of his top choices, a surprise even to him: Everett and Jones in Oakland, California.
"Texas has the best barbecue, but somehow Everett and Jones migrated from the south," Beaty said.
Because his wife will rarely join him, Vaughn -- the man on a mission in Texas -- counts on some friends to help him on his traveling feeding frenzy. In March, he said he and two cohorts outdid themselves, setting a record: 10 barbecue restaurants in one day.
"You get the meat sweats, where you rub your brow and it comes away smelling like smoke," he said with a laugh. "But you get used to it."
March 6, 2009
Websites and Blogs About BBQ and Food That You Should Bookmark - Capital Cooking with Lauren DeSantis
One of the goals of the Pork Barrel BBQ Blog is to provide our readers with resources that help make each of your meals a new adventure in food. We believe there are few things that define who we are as individuals, families, and cultures more than food. We also believe that one of the best parts about food is expanding our knowledge and interests in it through these very same individuals, families, and cultures who hold their food traditions high with great pride. In order to do this we begin a new regular blog feature today called Websites and Blogs About Food That You Should Bookmark. We think these sites are some of the best resources as you begin or continue your life long trek through the culinary world.
Today we highlight my good friend Lauren DeSantis's website (www.capitalcookingshow.com) and blog (www.capitalcookingshow.blogspot.com).
During the week Lauren is an attorney, but on the weekends she is host of public television's Capitol Cooking with Lauren DeSantis. According to Lauren's website, "Capital Cooking is a series exploring the culinary and cultural riches of Washington, DC...Capital Cooking highlights cooking traditions of regional cuisine from all areas of the country as well as international dishes."
In less than a year (Capital Cooking made its TV debut on May 2, 2008) Lauren's show has grown in exposure and now reaches 25 cities in the United States and was just picked up in New Zealand!!! Check out her blog for stations near you that carry Capital Cooking.
In addition to her TV show, Lauren offers cooking classes - if you are interested in hosting a private event drop her an email at capitalcooking@gmail.com.
Keep an eye on Lauren's and our websites and blogs for information on an upcoming episode of Capital Cooking that will focus on BBQ and feature Pork Barrel BBQ!
Now go check out www.capitalcookingshow.com and www.capitalcookingshow.blogspot.com!!
Kansas City Star BBQ News - Barbecue fans aren't reluctant to voice opinions
Today's Kansas City Star has an interesting article on Kansas City BBQ by Joyce Smith titled Barbecue fans aren't reluctant to voice opinions. As you can probably tell from past posts, I'm not reluctant to voice my opinion either when it comes to BBQ, especially Kansas City BBQ. I've had good BBQ all over America, and occasionally I even run into great BBQ in my travels. In Kansas City BBQ is considered a form of art and the people that sweat over smokers for hours at a time while you're still in bed getting a good nights sleep take their art very seriously. Next time you are in Kansas City make sure you visit several of the many BBQ joints in the area that don't just serve good BBQ, they serve great BBQ. We think they have the best bbq and dry rubs in the nation! Please be sure to try some of our All American Spice Rub!
Posted on Thu, Mar. 05, 2009
Barbecue fans aren't reluctant to voice opinions
By JOYCE SMITH The Kansas City Star
There’s an old saying that in polite social circles one should never discuss religion, politics or sex.
In Kansas City you might add barbecue to the list.
Almost nothing gets barbecue fanatics riled up as a discussion of Kansas City’s best.
Take the recent reports on the closing — then reopening Wednesday — of Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que in the Kansas City Power & Light District.
Dozens of readers rang in on The Kansas City Star’s business blog, economy.kansascity. com, with such comments as “it turns out Famous Dave’s is actually better than a lot of KC BBQ places” to “a Minneapolis BBQ joint in the BBQ capital of the world — Kansas City? What a joke.”
But there’s no debate that Kansas City is a barbecue town.
Zagat Survey even selected three barbecue places — Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue, Danny Edwards Blvd. BBQ and Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue — in its list of top 10 area restaurants for 2008.
So this week I stopped at those restaurants, and more, to get the inside scoop from pit masters themselves on what makes great barbecue.
•Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque, Kansas City and Kansas City, Kan.
The technique: “The sauce, the tradition, the way we prepare our meats — slow-smoke it over hickory and oak. The key to barbecue is the pit master. We have three here and all of them have been here over 15 years. We try to prepare it the way Mr. Bryant did 80 years ago,” said Eddie Echols, general manager.
Also on the menu: turkey, sausage.
•Danny Edwards Blvd. BBQ, Kansas City.
In 1980, Danny Edwards went head to head with legendary Gates Bar-B-Q and Arthur Bryant’s. Not only did it survive, it often makes top barbecue lists, right along with them.
“I didn’t worry about what they have, just worried about what I sell,” he said. “You just do your best. I’m the one back here doing the cooking. It really makes me happy seeing all these people at the door every day, even in a depressed economy. They just want a good product at a reasonable price.”
The technique: Juicy slow-smoked brisket using hickory wood.
Also on the menu: Mexican chili, sweet potato fries.
•Famous Dave’s Legendary Pit Bar-B-Que, Kansas City, Kan., and Kansas City Power & Light District.
“Minneapolis, that’s where our company is based, but our flavors and our cooking processes and all that came from all over the country,” said Mat Eastlack, general manager of the downtown Famous Dave’s. “Our founder, Dave Anderson, spent 25 years developing his recipes from all over the country — Kansas City, Memphis, the Carolinas, Texas — and so he takes the best from all those areas.”
The technique: Signature rubs, meat smoked for 2½ to three hours, then cooled. The next day it’s brought up to 160 degrees to help break down the fats and loosen the meat up so it falls off the bone easier. It’s charred on the grill, then sauce is added and the meat is grilled until caramelized.
Also on the menu: chicken Caesar salad, catfish fingers, smoked salmon spread, Cajun chicken sandwich.
•Gates Bar-B-Q, Kansas City, Kansas City, Kan., Leawood and Independence
George Gates II calls Gates a specialty house that concentrates on just making great barbecue.
“Barbecue is an art, it’s a feeling,” he said. “Everybody can paint, but not everybody is an artist. That’s what makes Kansas City so great, because you have so many styles of painting — of artistry of barbecuing.”
The technique: The pit has to be at the right temperature with the right moisture. Ribs start off on the bottom of the pit, close to the fire. The meat is seared to keep the juice in, then moved away from the fire to finish.
“Directly over the fire, not indirect, is what gives us our Gates flavor, along with our Gates spices,” Gates said.
Also on the menu: mutton, turkey, yammer pie.
•Fiorella’s Jack Stack Barbecue, Country Club Plaza, downtown, Martin City and Overland Park.
“We really try to focus on the quality of our raw ingredients and preparing all our products fresh from scratch,” said Case Dorman, president.
The technique: Authentic brick pits using 100 percent wood — 60 percent hickory, 40 percent oak — with meat seared at 350 degrees, then moved to a rotisserie smoker to slow-cook and hold the moisture.
Also on the menu: Rack of lamb, seared tuna, vegetable kabobs, entree salads and cheesy corn bake.
•Oklahoma Joe’s Barbecue, Kansas City, Kan., and Olathe.
Started as a competition barbecue company, Oklahoma Joe’s opened as a restaurant in 1996.
“There’s a big difference in cooking barbecue in your backyard, cooking barbecue at a competition or cooking barbecue in a restaurant,” said Jeff Stehney, co-owner with his wife, Joy Stehney. “The most important thing when you go from cooking competitively or in the backyard to the restaurant is you obviously have to figure out a way to make money at it … but you do need to stay true to your belief that quality comes first.”
The technique: “Our barbecue rubs are what makes our barbecue stand out. The most important thing is how the barbecue rubs interact with the smoke and the heat,” Jeff Stehney said. “And we use only Missouri white oak to smoke with.”
Also on the menu: Red beans and rice, smoked chicken gumbo, Z-Man sandwich (smoked beef brisket, barbecue sauce, smoked provolone cheese and onion rings).
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