BBQ Class: I Smell Smoke

Are you looking to learn how to win at competition barbecue? Well, I have a tip for you. The boys over at I Smell Smoke are about to unleash their secrets on the world. From their website...

"I Smell Smoke will be teaching an advanced competition bbq class on April 14th, 2007 at the American Legion post 77 in Ashland, MA. This is the real deal folks! We will show you how we prepare Chicken, Ribs, Pork and Brisket for KCBS competitions. The class is intended for people with at least some competition experience. Class size will be limited so sign up early."

But why would you want to take a class from the I Smell Smoke team? Well, here's why.....

• New England Barbecue Society Team of the Year
• NEBS Rib Team of the Year
• NEBS Pork Team of the Year
• NEBS Brisket Team of the Year

Plus this team is a bunch of great guys. I promise you'll have fun in this class. I'm hoping to raise the money to go. This is $200 very well spent.

RUB - No, not like that!

I was just listening to Food Talk on WOR 71 radio, and the host Michael Colameco and Ed Levine were discussing a recent dinner they enjoyed at Paul Kirk & Andrew Fischel's RUB restaurant. Josh Ozersky from Grub Street and Rob Richter from the soon to be opened Hill Country restaurant and competitor at Grillin' On The Bay were also in attendance. (Boys, I must have missed the phone call.)

Mike and Ed were raving about the recent addition of spicy bacon to the menu (damn good stuff if I say so myself) and how Andrew and Scottie, pitmaster at RUB, keep the smokers full with a wide variety of offerings. From Peking duck to turkey to the more traditional items like brisket and ribs, RUB's menu offers something for everyone.

But then, Ed Levine let loose the ultimate compliment (?) - "Andrew at RUB is a barbecue slut." I haven't laughed out loud at the radio in a very long long time. I can't wait to see what Andrew thinks about this!

Food Network Still Likes BBQ

In case you didn't know it, besides being a TV Star and Chef. Guy Fieri is a big BBQ fan. He even competes. Here's a story about how he's turning the media spotlight on one of the Cathedrals of BBQ - Louie Mueller's.

Food Network films in Taylor

By Andrea Lorenz | Friday, February 23, 2007, 10:37 AM

Bobby Mueller is used to film crews and photographers in his Taylor restaurant.

“We’ve been on the Travel Channel, and we’ve got one in the works for PBS,” said Mueller, owner of Louie Mueller BBQ.

On Saturday, film crews from the Food Network program, “Diners, Drive ins and Dives,” will be at Louie Mueller’s from about 1:30 p.m. until early evening. Host of the show Guy Fieri will be going table to table, interviewing customers. The episode will air in the spring.

Everyone is welcome, Mueller says.

Regulars are accustomed to getting their photos taken for Texas Monthly magazine and other media, Mueller says, and they think nothing of the out-of-town customers, who make up about 80 percent of the barbecue joint’s business.

Mueller has never seen “Diners, Drive ins and Dives” and he doesn’t know if his restaurant will be considered a diner or a dive.

“It airs when I’m usually in church,” he said.

And from our friends at Rose Is Rose...

Melancholy Haze

I haven't talked much about Grillin' On The Bay this year, it's March 31st in Sheepshead Bay Brooklyn and if you want to find out more information be sure to check out the website.

This year's event will be bigger and better than last with more teams and some very interesting sponsors. Right now we're have 22 teams signed and paid. The event can only hold 24, so if you're interested in cooking at Grillin' On The Bay, I suggest you get your check in immediately.

But I'm feeling a bit melancholy and a bit overwhelmed by life tonight. Grillin' On the Bay is only one small event in my life right now and it's not even the most taxing. Putting together a cooking contest is an interesting experience. One finds oneself involved in a whole other world. One has entered into the world of barbecue to have some fun, cook and maybe make some new friends.

Instead, in planning and executing a successful competition or class, one finds himself enmeshed in a world of politics, finances, subterfuge, artifice, sabotage, regulations and egos. The games are amazing and the roadblocks and pitfalls are momentous. What one finds most is who one's true friends are, who are the posers and that one must truly process a thick skin to survive.

But to finish on a more upbeat note, here's today's Rose Is Rose

Winter Barbequers II

Another in the series from our friends at Rose Is Rose

Does it always have to be the best?

Does it always have to be the best? That question has been wandering around my empty head to for the last couple of weeks.

I recently had lunch at one of New York's lesser known BBQ joints, Bone Lick Park. (No website that I can find) I guess you can tell by my opening question that the food wasn't the best. But it wasn't bad.



I had their lunch special. For $6 I was given a soda, a small salad with an overpowering Italian dressing and a passable pulled pork sandwich. The sandwich was a good size with some tender but basically flavorless pork. It was only salvaged with a good amount of BBQ sauce applied to the meat. On the side was some pretty tasty coleslaw.

I was ready to put up a post about how bad the sandwich was, but as I was riding on the subway thinking about it, it struck me - I only paid $6 for a complete lunch. $6! I pay more than that for a McDonald's Big Mac Meal. I pay more then that for a chicken salad sandwich and a coke in the corner deli. I don't enjoy Mickie D's. I don't really enjoy the chicken salad sandwich either. It's just food.

But that pulled pork sandwich, after it was sauced, was passable. It wasn't great, but it was good. I've had worse pulled pork when I've judged BBQ contests. I'll be back to Bone Lick.

So does it alway have to be the best? Nope. Not if the price is right.

Winter Barbecuers

From our friends at Rose Is Rose.

Pig Out - Czech Style

I just got this in my email. Seems our friend Stacey Ornstein over at Just Braise has discovered a great yearly pork festival held at Bohemian Citizens’ Benevolent Society of Astoria, Queens, NY.

Check it out, but you better hurry. It's today and tomorrow only. It sounds like a lot of fun. Thanks for the heads up Stacey!

Pig Out Astoria Pt. 1 — Pork Fest Returns
Stacey Ornstein

“If you want a subject, look to pork,” said Charles Dickens. The Czechs listened and we have all benefited.

In the Czech Republic, the annual celebration of traditional food, music and dance is known as Winter Festival. Locally and lovingly, it is simply dubbed Pork Fest.

After a year’s hiatus, the Bohemian Beer Garden is bringing back the bacon to Astoria Feb 15 18. The weekend long event is sponsored by the Bohemian Citizens’ Benevolent Society of Astoria, whose mission is to promote Czech and Slovak culture in the United States. Regardless of one’s family stock, all are welcome — just bring a penchant for pork. The main festivities will take place in the large upstairs gymnasium with picnic style tables for large groups and families, and activities throughout the building. The stage will showcase traditional music and dance performances, including the society’s own children’s dance troupe.

Most importantly, there will be plenty to pig out on. New Head Chef Martin Maly is planning a solid menu of Czech Slovak pork dishes. As in years past, Otto Kupka will make his famous (to those in the know) sausage. Mrs. Kupka will forgo her “mean strudel” this year to prepare her signature dumplings.

If the weather is mild, there will be a heated outdoor dining area with a suckling pork roasting nearby. If it’s too cold, roasting will take place in the kitchen. Headcheese and fried pig ear lovers should be sure to return at the end of the festival on Sunday, when the pork heads will be raffled off.

Pork Fest will be held at the Bohemian Hall and Beer Garden, 29 19 24th Ave., Astoria, this Thursday and Friday 6 midnight; Saturday 2 p.m. 4 a.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m. midnight. Admission is free; expect to pay about $12 for a meal and $14 per pitcher of Czech beer. Call ahead for performance schedule (718) 274-4925.

Chinese New Year Plum BBQ Chicken

Since Sunday is the Chinese New Year - The Year of the Pig, I thought we'd get started off right with an interesting recipe for some grilled Chinese Plum BBQ Chicken. I found this recipe on the Oregon Chickens website, but what really caught my eye is that this was written by Daniel Blankenship. I have a distant cousin Daniel Blankenship, whom I've never met. I wonder if it's the same guy.

Chinese New Year Plum BBQ Chicken
Submitted by: Daniel Blankenship Corvallis, Or
Serves 4

• 1 fryer chicken, cut into pieces

Pre-Grilling Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon wasabi powder
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
  

Barbecue Sauce:

• 1 cup Chinese plum sauce
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup mandarin oranges

Combine the pre-grilling sauce ingredients and brush on chicken pieces. Grill on medium hot fire until almost done. Combine all the barbeque sauce ingredients. During the last few minutes of grilling, baste chicken liberally with barbecue sauce on both sides. Garnish with mandarin oranges and serve.

Yes, this is a shameless plea for free publicity

"Yes, this is a shameless plea for free publicity" that was the subject line of an email I just received. Normally, I would have dismissed this email as spam, but there was something about the brashness, boldness and balls about it that intrigued me. Maybe it's because I've been known to do a few shameless pleas for free publicity myself. Who knows why, but I didn't delete it and I'm glad I didn't.

This shameless plea for free publicity is an invitation to join American Culinary Tables to mark the Year of the Pig a celebration of – and inquiry into – the West Tennessee region’s spectacular take on sauced swine this fall.

"Tour participants will sample the best barbecue in Memphis; learn how to grade a plate of pork from expert judges at the Memphis Barbecue Association and venture deep into rural Tennessee to learn the secrets of whole hog barbecue from the sawmill operators, slaughterhouse managers and dedicated pitmasters who have preserved the craft. Escorts for our ‘cue journey include Times-Picayune columnist Lolis Eric Elie, author of Smokestack Lightning: Adventures in Barbecue Country and Joe York, the first filmmaker to visually document the whole hog tradition."

According to the website, once you complete this tour, you will be a certified Memphis in May BBQ judge. It's got some very interesting food on the itinerary and you will be surrounded by some of Memphis's top BBQ experts.

Sounds very intriguing. But alas, the tour is a bit pricey for us here at WhiteTrash BBQ. To join in the tour, the early bird special price is $475 per person, and it's way out of my reach at $595 per person if you register after May 1st. Prices do not include lodging or transportation to/from Memphis. But if any of my well heeled readers are interested, this sounds like a fabulous time and I'd love to have a review of the tour to post here.

Potatoes In Space......

While, you'd probably expect a story about pigs in space on a barbeque blog, here's an interesting story, courtesy of the AP, about how the Chinese are eating and enjoying mutated space potatoes in the trendiest restaurants of Shanghai.

SHANGHAI, China (AP) -- Having boldly gone where no spud has before, Chinese space potatoes are now the latest culinary fad to hit the country's ultra-trendy commercial hub of Shanghai.

Slightly sweet and purple in color, the potatoes, named Purple Orchid Three, are bred from seeds that mutated while being carried aboard a Chinese spacecraft, the Shanghai Daily newspaper reported Monday.

Grower Haikou Purple Orchid Co. Ltd. is promoting them as a unique food option, and restaurants in the city are offering them for Valentine's Day dinners, served crispy fried, or in salads, desserts and even iced drinks, the newspaper said.

China's space program claims to have produced numerous mutated fruits and vegetables by exposing seeds to space radiation, capsule pressure and weightlessness.

Chinese agricultural experts say plants grown from such seeds can be hardier, more nutritious and produce higher yields, although many scientists say similar effects could be achieved in ordinary laboratories.

The space program, which has successfully completed two manned missions, is a source of massive national pride for China, and companies marketing everything from milk to magazines have bought the rights to be endorsed by it.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Paul Kirk's Master Barbecue Spice

A couple of posts ago we talked about the basic spices a barbecue master like Paul Kirk, the baron of BBQ would use in putting together a barbecue rub. But we never talked about how he actually did it.

Here's the recipe for a Master Barbecue Spice Rub from the good Baron's book, Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces. Enjoy!

Paul Kirk's Master Barbecue Spice
Makes about 1/3 cup

• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon dried light brown sugar*
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Combine all of the ingredients and blend well. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place for 2 to 3 months, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

How to Use It:
Use Master Barbecue Spice as an all-purpose rub for meat, poultry or fish, or to add spice to a sauce or mop.

*Note: To dry brown sugar, place it on a cookie sheet and air-dry it for 2-3 hours, mixing it every 30 to 45 minutes, until it's dry. Sift before using.

Grillin On The Bay

to benefit St. Mark Sports Association
sanctioned by The New England Barbeque Society

Saturday, March 31, 2007
Corner of East 18th Street and Avenue Z
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

Four Meat Categories
Chicken Breast, Fish, Pork and Chef's Choice

$100 to Enter
Space is limited

Cash Prizes and Trophies to Third Place
Ribbon Awards for Fourth and Fifth Place Finishes

Click Here To Sign up now!
Information: info@grillinonthebay.org
or
Call Matt Fisher 1-917-968-4456 or Robert Fernandez 1-917-763-5062

Dissin the Dish

Since it's still cold in NYC and I haven't had time to cook anything, not even a grilled cheese sandwich, I'm pointing you guys to a few interesting articles out on the net today.

First, Anthony Bourdain takes a bunch of shots at the chefs, pseduo chefs and execs over at the food network in Ruhlman's blog. Seems Mr. Bourdain isn't happy with the lack of food on food TV. Interesting takes and I agree with some of it, but wait a minute, doesn't Anthony Bourdain have his own show to promote?

Second, Do you want to run a restaurant? Slate has an interesting article about the saga over opening and closing a local coffee shop.

And lastly, something from the world of barbecue. Take a look at Get Your Grill On. It's a new, well relatively new, compilation of blogs about outdoor and live fire cooking. In the interest of full disclosure, I am the editor over there and really proud of the group of fine writer's from around the world we've assembled. Spend some time at Get Your Grill On, you'll be glad you did.

Enjoying Public Space Again

Well looky here. I found this to be very intriguing and inspiring. An architecture student who's into grilling and challenging authority. This man could be my son! This article comes to us from the good folks at the Islington Gazette.

BRIAN HOY: “It’s about enjoying public space again"

A NEW extreme sport has hit the streets of Islington - and enthusiasts are abandoning their skateboards for charcoal, tongs and prize-winning bangers.

Rather than surfing that killer wave or throwing themselves out of aeroplanes, these adrenaline-junkies are braving the heady new world of "extreme barbecue".

The goals of the "sport" - created by architecture student Brian Hoy, 23 - are simple. Find the most inappropriate spot in an urban environment possible, fire up the barbie and get cooking.

The first extreme barbecue was held on a traffic island in the middle of Euston Road, King's Cross.

Mr Hoy, who lives in Finsbury Park, said: "We set off to the traffic island armed with disposable barbecues and a selection of fine meats.

"Soon enough the police turned up and told us that it was a totally inappropriate time and place for cooking - so we offered them a sausage. They were doing the good cop/bad cop routine. One thought it was funny, the other kept threatening us with arrest."

Explaining the philosophy of the sport, Mr Hoy added: "It's about enjoying public space again - as things are you get given a few parks to enjoy yourself in and everywhere else is just somewhere you go to work."

"It's the same sort of idea as graffiti - but less of a territorial marking and a lot more pacifist.

So far Mr Hoy and his fellow enthusiasts have such struck bizarre locations as the top of an abandoned 18-storey building on Oxford Street, and the roof of University College London's chemistry department.

Mr Hoy said: "I would encourage anyone who wants to get involved at the cutting edge of extreme sport to take up extreme barbecue. Whenever I cross Euston Road I fondly remember the hiss and crackle of cooking bacon.

Grub it is

An interesting dispute between two friends of WhiteTrash BBQ. I'm glad to see that it has been resolved amicably.

MANVILLE -- R.U.B. Hut is dead, long live Grub Hut.

The barbecue restaurant at 307 N. Main St. in Manville is renaming itself
after going grill-to-grill with a big city competitor in a legal battle last year
over the former name.

The rechristening took a playful twist when Mike Johnston, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Melanie, called on the community to help him come
up with a new name in a contest that ended last month. Fifteen of the 300 submissions called for "Grub Hut."

Johnston said runners up included Mexacue (the restaurant serves a mix of barbecue and Mexican food), United Republic of Barbeque, Barbeque Nation, Rack Attack, Rack n' Roll, Illegal Barbeque, and Right on Q.

There was also "Had to Change Your Name Because of Trademark Barbeque," which Johnston said he liked but couldn't figure out how to fit on a sign, even as an acronym.

The R.U.B. Hut -- R.U.B. stood for "Real Unique Barbeque" -- opened in August 2005, but Johnston was threatened with a trademark infringement lawsuit soon after by RUB, a barbecue restaurant in New York City. In September 2006, the two parties eventually came to what Johnston called an "amicable agreement."

According to previous reports, R.U.B. Hut agreed to change its name by this year, while RUB will pay some of the monetary costs associated with the name change, such as new signs.

Johnston said Grub Hut won the name contest because it had the most responses and the word "Hut" stayed.

"If you say 'rub' fast enough it sounds like grub," Johnston added.

A neon sign with the new name went up last week.

When the sign went up, some regulars got nervous that the restaurant had been sold, Johnston said.

The public outcry for "Grub Hut" actually created a new problem for Johnston. The person who submitted the winning name was supposed to get a free, dinner for four at the restaurant.

The solution?

The 15 winning entries were put into a hat Wednesday and Johnston's 5-year-old daughter Sage pulled out the recipient of the full meal -- Branchburg resident Patty Riger. Johnston said the other 14 will receive gift certificates.

'SWINE'S FLESH' OFF THE MENU

Here's an interesting story about Charley Romani, a BBQ restaurateur out in Oregon who changed his religious beliefs and how it has effected his business. While I don't adhere to his version of Christianity, you certainly have to admire him for following his convictions.

Of Belief and Barbecue
Barbecue restaurant owner finds business fading due to religious beliefs

Charley Romani has learned that religion and barbecue don't always have room on the same plate.

Romani, owner of Charley's Barbecue in Roseburg, built his business up from a renovated espresso cart in the Kmart parking lot. He cut slabs of meat from the back of a trailer and sold sandwiches year-round, often in the cold, rain and wind. He developed enough of a following to open a restaurant on Harvard Avenue in 2004. The business was sustaining itself financially for its first two years. It didn't take long for Romani to hire a staff of eight, allowing him to work less and enjoy time away from the smoker.

In the last eight months, however, he's watched business decisions based on his conversion to the Seventh-day Adventist Church adversely affect the restaurant.

Charley's Barbecue is closed on what were its busiest days because Romani observes the Sabbath -- sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Catering jobs on those two days now go elsewhere as well. Pork, a barbecue staple, was taken off the menu. "I had to weigh the risk of what I believe God said to do in the Bible versus the way I run my business," Romani said.

That risk has not paid off financially. The restaurant's staff has been cut in half. Romani had to sell his river boat. His home is on the market.

The business is also for sale. Romani believes it could be profitable again under new ownership, but he has to find a new calling for himself.

"Faith is doing something you don't understand all the time," he said. "God will take care regardless, even if it's to my own harm."

'SWINE'S FLESH' OFF THE MENU

Adam and Eve, Romani said, were vegetarians. Heaven is a vegetarian place.

Romani said the church teaches that earth can be the same way. It's not mandatory to swear off meat, Romani said, and he hasn't done that completely. "It's kind of hard to be a vegetarian working in a barbecue restaurant," he said. "It's kind of like an alcoholic still working in a bar."

He no longer eats pork, though, and took it off his menu. Romani said pork had been the restaurant's favorite dish, selling more than "anything else combined." When he took it off the menu, some customers took it personally, storming out of the restaurant.

Romani was even told to his face that he was committing "financial suicide."

It was important to Romani, though, to follow what he believes is taught in the Bible. In a pamphlet from the church called "God's Free Health Plan," pork's banishment from the dinner menu is made clear.

It references the Bible in stating that "swine's flesh" is "unclean," an "abomination" and those who eat it "will be destroyed with fire at the coming of the Lord." "When God says to leave something alone and not eat it, we should by all means obey him," the pamphlet states.

Romani replaced pork with smoked pastrami. He also started offering vegetarian options.

It didn't help. By summertime 2006, Romani put the business up for sale.

Romani said he still owes three investors from the startup of his business. In selling it, he's looking to fulfill his financial obligations.

He doesn't want to get rich from it, nor does he expect that. At the same time, he would like to see the business continue.

Romani said a new owner who opens up the restaurant again on weekends and again caters for weekend events like weddings and parties will again make the business profitable.

He said he's had some interest from potential buyers, but he might soon be forced to cut his losses. "I don't know how much longer I can keep my doors open," he said.

You can read the rest of the article here.

Barbecue How to's and Two BBQ Recipes

(Bloggers note: I'm feeling very snarky today. Here's a recipe that came into my in-box the other day. When I first glanced at it, it seemed OK. Now I just want to rip it apart. I'm tired of reading recipes on how to barbeque, when the person writing it has absolutely no idea what he's talking about.)

David Slone -- January 31, 2007

Barbecuing is a widespread and honored tradition. Three out of four American families own a barbecue grill and use it, on average, four to five times per month. What better way is there to have fun with friends and family than to have a barbecue? (But do they barbecue or grill four to five times a month? There is a difference you know.)

Before putting the meat on the barbecue it is a good idea to set it out of the refrigerator for about an hour to let it warm up. This will make the meat cook quicker and it will be juicier.

Food safety is an important issue so always be sure that you cook the meat thoroughly. Cut (CUT? WTF? DON'T DO IT - you'll loose all the meat's juices!) the meat in the thickest part to be sure that the juices are clear to be sure that it is completely cooked. (Use a thermometer dude!) Always be sure to keep utensils used to handle the raw meat separate from those you use to handle the cooked meat. Cross contamination of bacteria can be as dangerous as eating raw meat. You want your barbecue to be both fun and safe for everyone so always be careful.

Barbecued Spare Ribs are a classic American barbecue meal, made from pork. (Umm, spare ribs are only found on a pig. What else would they be made from?) This version is cooked in the oven, not on a barbecue, and uses a barbecue sauce with a distinct Asian flavor, featuring soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic. (Whoa Nelly, both your recipes call for using a grill - not an oven. Did your recipes get mixed up in some strange editing brew-hah-hah?)

Remember to give your barbecue a good cleaning after each use. If you have a gas grill, you can turn the grill on for ten or fifteen minutes to allow it self clean. Charcoal grills need to be cleaned with soap and water using a stiff wire brush. (Thanks for the tip on cleaning my grill - but since this recipe calls using an oven, what does this have to do with anything? Got any tips on how to clean my toilet?)

Here are a couple really good barbecue recipes you can try at your next barbecue. (Can you tell me why you're giving us a recipe for grilled pork chops first when you just setup an article to talk about barbecued spare ribs?)

Grilled Stuffed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 4 thick rib pork chops, (1" to 1 1/4" thick is best)
• 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• Large pinch dried and crumbled rosemary
• Large pinch dried and crumbled marjoram
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1/2 cup minced sweet onion
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• salt and/or pepper to taste

Directions:

• Make several shallow cuts in each pork chop with a knife.
• In a large bowl mix the breadcrumbs, herbs, butter, onion, garlic, and salt.
• Stuff the mixture into the cuts you made. (I've never heard of stuffed pork chops where the stuffing is put into several shallow cuts. Usually one large pocket is cut into each pork chop, and that pocket is filled with stuffing. Why do I have the feeling that the stuffing would fall out of these "shallow cuts.")
  
• Grill the pork chops at medium to high heat for ten minutes on each side side. To make sure the chops are evenly cooked they should be turned several times.
  
• Grill them for five minutes or so then turn them over and let that side cook for 5 minutes.
• Repeat this process two or three times or until the chops are grilled to your satisfaction.

Barbecued Spare Ribs

Here is a classic American barbecue with a twist. This version uses a barbecue sauce that has a distinct Asian flavor, featuring soy sauce, rice vinegar, and garlic.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds pork spare ribs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons hoisen sauce
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoons sake
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground white pepper (I have to buy another pepper grinder just for the white pepper? Use the pre-ground stuff.)
  
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste (I guess that the pork chops don't rate, they didn't get freshly ground black pepper!)

Directions:

• Put the spare ribs in a large casserole dish in one layer.
• Using a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients.
  
• Pour this mixture over the spare ribs being sure to completely coat the meat.
• Let this marinate overnight, (Where? Should I do this on a table? In the refrigerator? Should the dish be covered? What about food safety?) baste occasionally unless the meat is completely covered.

Throw (As in fling?) the ribs on the grill and let them cook to your satisfaction. Turn them several times during the process and baste them with the marinade sauce a few times. (With all that sugar in the honey and hoisen sauce you better be prepared to turn and FLIP your ribs. A lot! Sugar burns very quickly over direct flame of a grill. Following David's directions will give you burnt and inedible meat. It would be best to cook these ribs over an indirect fire and only char them slightly at the end.)

Be sure to check out the Barbecue Recipe Collection for delicious barbecue recipes. (Remember the quality recipe you found here. I wonder if the rest of them are this bad.)

You can't say bomb on an airplane

Man describes "explosive" BBQ rub, booted off plane, arrested

A man traveling through Memphis International Airport found out the hard way. There are some things you don't joke about.

A passenger on a Delta flight to Salt Lake City yesterday was arrested after airport security officials say he described the liquids he was carrying as "explosive."

"He referred to the substance in his bag as being explosive, a BBQ rub. Using the term explosive is not one that is advisable even in a joking manner," said Scott Brockman with the Airport Authority.

The flight was delayed about an hour.

The not-so-funny passenger stayed a little while longer, so police and F.B.I. agents could question him.

He was later released.

SUPER BOWL XLI WINGS

This was on Steve Raichlen's site. Enjoy.

SUPER BOWL XLI (41) WINGS
With Thai Aioli

If grilling conditions are less than, well, super, on Super Bowl Sunday, these wings can be prepared on a contact grill or indoor built-in grill. They will take 4 to 6 minutes on the contact grill, provided the lid is down, and about 6 to 8 minutes per side on a built-in grill.

Method: Indirect grilling
Serves: 3 to 4 as an appetizer (makes 12)

• 12 whole chicken wings (about 2 pounds)

For the marinade:

• 2 cups dark beer
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
• 2 tablespoons peeled, minced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced

For the rub:

• 2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

To finish:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sriracha (Thai hot sauce; see Note)
• 1 1/2 cups Thai Aioli (recipe follows)

You’ll also need:

• 1 1/2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory or oak), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained

1. Rinse the chicken wings under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Cut the tips off the wings and discard them (or leave the tips on if you don’t mind munching a morsel that’s mostly skin and bones). Cut each wing into 2 pieces through the joint.

2. Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the beer, honey, cilantro, ginger, and garlic, and whisk to mix. Place the wings in a large nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic bag, and add the marinade. Let the wings marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours; the longer they marinate, the more pronounced the flavors will be.

3. Make the rub: Place the salt, pepper, garlic, salt, ginger, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl and whisk to mix.

4. Drain the wings in a colander and blot them dry with paper towels; discard the marinade. Place the wings in a mixing bowl. Toss with the olive oil to coat. Add the rub and toss to coat the wings evenly.

5. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke; then reduce the heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center, preheat the grill to medium, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.

6. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grate. Place the wings in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the wings, turning periodically, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, and the meat is cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes. To test for done-ness, make a tiny cut in the thickest part of one of the larger wing halves. There should be no trace of red at the bone.

6. Transfer the wings to a clean shallow serving bowl. Pour the butter and sriracha over them and stir to mix. Serve at once with Thai Aioli and plenty of cold beer.

Thai Aioli
Makes: 1 1/2 cups

• 1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons sriracha (Thai hot sauce; see Note), or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
• 3 scallions, white and green parts finely minced

Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sriracha, cilantro, and scallions, and whisk to mix. Cover and refrigerate.

Note: Sriracha is a sweet Thai hot sauce—think turbocharged ketchup, rather than tongue-blistering hot sauce. It’s named for a city on Thailand’s Eastern Seaboard and is available at most Asian markets, or through ImportFood.com.