Foodnetwork confussion

[Bossmanbbq]

I had to laugh last night, I love foodnetwork, but I think they are totally confussing people who dont know the diffrence between smoking, grilling and BBQ. Last nights girls of the grill bounced back and forth between grilling and smoking and never spoke of the diffrence between the two, its the little things like that the drive me freakin nuts :twisted:
Anyway just thought I would vent and see if this drives the rest of you nuts as well.

Bossman
chuckmarting@bossmanbbq.com

[Kevin]

That actualy brought up a conversation between my son and I. He said that he realy liked my ribs when I started cooking them a few years ago, but thought they were raw because they were red. Didn't want to question it because I was so proud of my effort. After watching this for awhile and they explained the smoke ring he just kind of had a light bulb switch on in his head. We then discussed. Shock to me that he's been eating my food for years and didn't know what a smoke ring was. But yes, in those evening programs, if you don't already know whats going on, they will lose an uninformed person.

[bigabyte]

I hear ya! They tend to focus on grilling only except for the occasional show highlighting BBQ competitions. Whenever they do cover low and slow real BBQ, it is either just barely discussed, or altered entirely for someones at-home convenience. I'm at home, and I don't find their shortcuts convenient. I would like to see them spin off a second network that does some REAL cooking, not just 30 minute easy-peasy stuff and how-the-big-guys-make-your-favorite-candy. I'm telling you, it's just like MTV way back. They had something good, and then let the money screw it all up for the people who are the most interested in watching that channel for what it is supposed to be, and instead start catering to the short-attention-spanned morons.

How's that for a rant?

[spicewine]

Those shows are fun to watch , but how much do you really pick up from watching them??

I pick up a few things that I think are interesting and leave the Fru--Fru behind.

I cook country style. Lard, Butter, Cream, ect. and I also cook like my Grandma cooked---" Cook enough incase 10 more people show up for supper. Yes we have left overs but they never go to waste.

I love to cook for alot of people!! We have about 15- 20 people every weekend.

My Wife and I are 1 year away from the " Empty Nest Syndrome " ( There is a God) but we will always have a house full of hungry guests.

[The_Kapn]

I may be in the minority here--but I think Food TV has gotten a lot better in seperating Grilling and what we call "BBQ" :redface:

Many times the host says "this needs to be done 'low and slow' on a smoker, but I have only a grill inside here" or words to that effect. Emeril is pretty good about that.

Alton Brown is one of the best about seperating the difference.

As to a dedicated channel--I guess "How to I make 6 to 16 hours of cooking intersting" would have to be the question.

There is a group called "BBQ TV", or something like that, trying to break into the major markets and to be financially viable.
I wish them the best!

FWIW

TIM

[TexasGuppie]

I have to believe with the popularity BBQ is enjoying, a BBQ Cooking channel (or at least a large time block on a regular, weekly basis on The Food Network) on the art of TRUE BBQ would be a success.

Pit builders, Chefs, Comps, Lessons, etc. would certainly be on my "watch list."

My .02 worth anyway.

Ken

[DeanC]

The ladies featured in the Rose Bowl comp had an amazing smoke ring on that brisket. Almost looked fake.

[kcquer]

As to a dedicated channel--I guess "How to I make 6 to 16 hours of cooking intersting" would have to be the question.

I think this is the real problem with "low & slow tv". You can only show a stick being tossed onto a fading stack of coals so many times. Like wise with how to do a St Louis trim or splitting the flat and point of a brisket.

The truth is, for us a different rub or different wood changes a cook, but wouldn't make for a fresh episode on a cooking show.

I do think shows that try to cover both grilling and BBQ, could do a better job on the BBQ end of things. At least they could dedicate a few shows per season to BBQ. I think the network powers that be, seriously underestimate the # of smokers in backyards across the country and I know they underestimate the passion of the people who cook on them.

[Sawdustguy]

I may be in the minority here--but I think Food TV has gotten a lot better in seperating Grilling and what we call "BBQ" :redface:

Many times the host says "this needs to be done 'low and slow' on a smoker, but I have only a grill inside here" or words to that effect. Emeril is pretty good about that.

Alton Brown is one of the best about seperating the difference.

As to a dedicated channel--I guess "How to I make 6 to 16 hours of cooking intersting" would have to be the question.

There is a group called "BBQ TV", or something like that, trying to break into the major markets and to be financially viable.
I wish them the best!

FWIW

TIM

I'd have to agree with you Tim. BBQ is a hot commodity now and FoodTV has alot to do with that. One of my neighbors sons works in a local big box store and says smokers are a hot item now. About 2 weeks ago I wanted to heave my old brinkman so I brought it to the curb for pickup the next day. I put it out at 7:00 in the evening and, it was gone before midnight. Que (low and slow) is starting to get the recognition it deserves.

[big brother smoke]

I think the Internet is helping promote "low and slow" as well. I got friends aka lurkers on the site as well learning from the Breatheren. They will join probably with a few more cooks.

[nmayeux]

I also think that Tim hit the nail on the head. The secret (at least in my mind!) is in the details, and how hard is it to explain the subtle influences that makes smoking great? Hell, I have friends that have gotten bored just watching me smoke. They can't understand why you can't look at the meat every ten minutes, or play with the fire. They even question my attention to detail about marinade, mop, and rub ingredients. "Can changing that one little thing make such a difference?" "Why can't we take the meat off now, is that couple of degrees really important?" "Why are you so worried about a 25 degree change in cooker temp?" And on, and on, and on... It has taken me a while to get where I am, and I believe that I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous! I want more shows on smoking and BBQ, but I want them geared toward me. However, I am the minority, and grilling is more interesting to the populace, and they are the ones who pay the bills.

[kcquer]

I want more shows on smoking and BBQ, but I want them geared toward me. However, I am the minority, and grilling is more interesting to the populace, and they are the ones who pay the bills.

I have always thought that one of the reasons these shows are on cable networks and PBS is so specialty programs can cater to smaller auidences?

I have noticed that the most recent episodes of BBQ America I have been watching have had less grilling and more Q'ing. It's pretty obvious that this is because Lang is now a sponsor of the show. Perhaps part of the lack of Q specific programming is due to the fact that the majority of cookers are not produced by large corporations with the kind of deep pockets required to be title sponsors of the programming we Q folk would like to see.

[backyardchef]

Food TV, for all of its flaws has done a decent job of promoting the sport, and is getting better, as others have said, at differentiating.

FWIW, we had a 20-something food tv watching friend over for dinner and as we were putting plates on the table she said to my wife, "aren't you going to run w/ the food to the table and use a stopwatch like they do at the bbq competitions?" That may have been all she knew about bbq, but it did give me hope.

[The_Kapn]

Right now--Flay is doing a "throw-down" with a REAL BBQ guy.

Gotta give him credit for seperating the two types!

TIM

[bigabyte]

Yeah, I guess. But did you see how Bobby was cooking those ribs in the oven at 500 degrees?!?!?:eek: :eek: :eek: And how his butt-kissing assistants told him they were great?!?!?:roll: And when he pulled those black non-flexing ribs off the kettle at the comp you could tell he had done the same thing with the ribs there. Notice how he turned in the chicken? How hard is it to make good chicken on a kettle? He also made Ribs and Pulled Pork, but you never got to see the pulled pork at all. My guess is it wouldn't pull because it was as tough as those ribs.

[MilitantSquatter]

Right now--Flay is doing a "throw-down" with a REAL BBQ guy.

Gotta give him credit for seperating the two types!

TIM

The BBQ guy Flay competed against was as the BBQ on the River contest in Bristol, PA two weeks ago. I recalled the pink lips logo. I'm pretty sure he took first place in Pork and did very well in Ribs too. Not sure how he placed overall.

Those pizzas the second guy cooked looked amazing... Cooked in a brick oven with real wood...

I like simple pizzas... Flay's goat cheese and red chile oil did not do it for me.

Flay lost twice.... Still always good to see real BBQ on the channel in any capacity (and real pizza too !)

[icemn62]

1st Thanks I was going to watch that program tonite when it came on. (actually no biggee, I will watch it anyway)

If not fro Food TV, most people on my job would have no idea about what I like to do on the weekend. May or may not get teh terms correct, but at least they are putting "outdoor" cooking in the public's mind.

Would I watch a BBQ channel on cable.....YES!! different equipment, and yes I could watch somebody make a pulled pork step by farking step in real time.

[Bigmista]

I was watching "Ham on the Street" and the host did a Beer Can Turkey. What beer can did he use?

Foster's of course.

[CarbonToe]

Food TV, for all of its flaws has done a decent job of promoting the sport, and is getting better, as others have said, at differentiating.

At least you get BBQ TV, even on our food channels we don't get BBQ programs, we get a chef called Ansliey Harrot who grills (badly) and thats about it, Anthony Bourdain did a program on US BBQ cooking and visited Klose which was cool.

You'd think with summer almost here the TV would be crammed with them.

I did download a Canadian grilling series, I think it was called 'time to grill' which at least covered mariadades and grilling/smoking, but even they screwed up using a WSM in the christmas special as they didn't put the Charcoal grill in!!!

[kpelch]

As to a dedicated channel--I guess "How to I make 6 to 16 hours of cooking intersting" would have to be the question.

TIM

maybe you could do a show like cookin glive where everyone followed along and made dinner along with the host. in our case, we could all just sit and watch tv, drinking beer for beer with the host while he/she cooked low and slow.

[thirdeye]

Yeah, I guess. But did you see how Bobby was cooking those ribs in the oven at 500 degrees?!?!?:eek: :eek: :eek: And how his butt-kissing assistants told him they were great?!?!?:roll: And when he pulled those black non-flexing ribs off the kettle at the comp you could tell he had done the same thing with the ribs there. Notice how he turned in the chicken? How hard is it to make good chicken on a kettle? He also made Ribs and Pulled Pork, but you never got to see the pulled pork at all. My guess is it wouldn't pull because it was as tough as those ribs.

I read a storyline posting from about this new show on another forum, Bobby Flake recommended 175° for pulling pork. I did not see the show, but didn't he loose both events? I did see one of his shows last year when he cooked the 4 hour brisket. That was enough.

[Bigmista]

He showed up for a BBQ competition with a bunch of kettles and not a single smoker. He didn't have a chance.

[NCGrimbo]

He showed up for a BBQ competition with a bunch of kettles and not a single smoker. He didn't have a chance.

I think he had precooked everything except the chicken and was using the kettles to reheat the ribs, etc.

But he kept refering to the sauce as what was going to give him the win. Made me laugh. Everyone knows sauce is just the final part and sometimes not even that. Good BBQ is in the smoking process. :-P

[Bigmista]

I hope that guy that he was against taught him something. He probably wouldn't listen though.

[thunter]

I think he had precooked everything except the chicken and was using the kettles to reheat the ribs, etc.

But he kept refering to the sauce as what was going to give him the win. Made me laugh. Everyone knows sauce is just the final part and sometimes not even that. Good BBQ is in the smoking process. :-P

I think you are right about pre-cooking his ribs. I believe he used the 500 degree oven method he devised. Too bad though, because he also had a Ranch Kettle which will smoke some pretty good Q.

But, the show is just that - a show and entertainment, and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to the other "Throw Downs" that are coming in July. I like Bobby Flay. He is who he is - a dynamite chef of southwestern cuisine. Anthing else he does is just extra effort.

Tony