I'm 51 years old, and still play with my food...

Phreestyler!!!


[ame="http://vimeo.com/13904756"]Bomfunk MC's - Freestyler on Vimeo[/ame]

Still playing catch-up on traditional methods but farking around with anything new I feel like.

It's only food!

I'm really just a newb when it comes to grillin and smokin. My approach is to find what works for people, get that down and then start changing it up - a tweak here, a tweak there. I love to experiment and I am finding this is a perfect hobby (obsession?) to do just that.

My food has no style... just loads of class!

As far as the grilling side of things, I have been grilling for over 30 years, and do pretty good I think. This site I must say has helped me tweak things here and there to improve and have certainly expaned my abilities in that area. My dad, and everybody else in my family for that matter, any time they would take their steaks, chops or whatever else they had to throw on the grill, they always called it BBQ. Now in the last couple of years, and especially after finding this forum, I have a much clearer understanding of Q and grilling. So in the whole scope of things I am quite the newbie as far as BBQ is concerned, but I must say I am having a blast with it.
I still have a lot to figure out as far as "rules" go, and the differences between the "old traditional" and the way things have evolved, but I love cooking so it is a lot of fun along the way.
Overall, I just love good food. And to your point CD about the "I didn't see that coming" moments, aren't those just great moments!
I also really enjoy the back and forth that goes on here in the forum at times between the "traditionalists" if you will and the "new age" Q'ers in here, There is a whole lot to be learned and tried, the biggie for me is to enjoy the trip!

Great post CD, I hope to see a lot more responses from both sides of the Q world in here.

Thanks!
And by the way, I am 56 and still play with my food! LOL

I don't believe there are too many hard and fast rules. I am not even sure what really counts as traditional. Meat on a stick over an open fire? Dig a hole? Stickburner?

The way I see it, BBQ is a goal oriented deal, and that is to achieve tender, moist meat from a cut that should otherwise be hard to eat. There are so many ways to get there that you cannot simply say that one way is the correct way. BBQ has gone from hot and fast, to low and slow and back to hot and fast to some. The only wrong answer would be for somebody to say that they way they do it is the only way to go.

There are no rules!!!

I firmly believe that the reason something is called a "proven method" is because it's just that.....proven and once something is proven, then that's what I try and stick to.

I also firmly believe that if, once in a while, someone didn't think outside of the box of said "proven methods" then we'd never have things like BBQ in the first place and we'd all be doing the same thing as everyone else.



So....in answer to your question......YES and YES. :mrgreen:

caseydog said:

Great responses. I look at tradition as a solid foundation for cooking, but get a kick out of trying new things. I love the old school results, but also love tasting something new and different.

I made a farking turkey burger for a throwdown entry last week, and was totally caught off guard when I actually liked it -- a lot. I never saw that coming.

I love good food surprises. I love that "wow, I didn't see that coming" moment when you eat something you didn't think you would like, but once you eat it, you do like it.

I just wonder how many brethren see food as a never ending adventure. I hope I never stop discovering new things to eat.

CD

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I hear you on that...I used to think 'turkey' and 'burger' could not coexist in the same sentence...or meal. But my neighbor made me think differently. He's the turkey burger king. Well, he was until I found a way to make turkey burgers that I actually 'crave'. I've challenged him to a throwdown...he's accepted...date to be determined...but I will win :lol:

I am one for learning the traditional ways of cooking, but then taking what I have learned and trying different techniques/flavor profiles etc.

I think in most things it is good to respect the traditional methods but there is nothing wrong with spinning the traditional to make things into your own.

I wouldn't say I adhere too strongly to the classic BBQ rules (heck I probably don't know many of the classic rules) but use them as a guideline and adjust it to my equipment. Well... I can't really say I am adjusting a classic style to my equipment cause when I fire up the kettle and pinch off the intake, it rides where it wants to ride and I cook. The temp might be 270, 300, whatever. Not exactly a classic smoking temp there...

Full circle back to old school, with a few adaptations. No fancy gadgets, except an analog gauge for cooker temps and hand held digital for internal temps, never use to use anything for that. No fancy handcrafted rubs or sauces, even though from time to time well make my old school sauce. Salt, pepper and garlic most times for rub but I do buy some if it looks interesting, same goes for sauces. I don't do any slathers or injections anymore.

Major difference is back in the day, chicken, ribs, pork butt and brisket were all I ever smoked, now I really try to mix it up with all kinds of things and will experiment to that degree. I still get all the raves about my food with a lot less hassle.

Makes me chuckle when reading a post and someone is reinventing the wheel. Every once in awhile they hit on something worth taking a look at but not that often these days. Now this old dog can learn new tricks now and then, that is why I come here.
Dave

Im a cook who learned by watching Mom or other family members and I wasnt taught recipes and to follow them to the letter....if we didnt have a particular spice or something we left it out or tried something else..
So if I find a recipe here that may have a lot of hot peppers...I leave them out because Im not chili-head...

I dont stick to bbq temps like "Gotta Keep it under 250"...mostly because my smoker temps are all over the place and if Im holding temps that low something is wrong :grin: ........and Im impatient :grin:


About the only thing I keep track of is safety issues...like internal food temps to keep from getting sick.

Um, I'll have to ask Redhot. BRB...

























Seriously though, we're both always game for trying new things and methods in the kitchen and on the patio. I have done the traditional, and still like that approach sometimes, but over the last two years have gone to higher temps and also hot n fast.

I had a reply this morning but it was getting too scientific so I dumped it. The consensus here is for traditional ways. But if everyone thought that way it would put most of the equipment manufactures and gadget makers out of business. The BBQ Brethren would dry up for lack of a few funnies. Besides I like seeing how the others come up with ideas. KISS

Other than food safety, there are no "rules" nor "consensus" or any "right" or "only" way to cook BBQ.

That is what makes it so great and fun to do!

As long as a lot of money is not involved, I love to try new techniques, flavors, and variations.

TIM

Shake up the BBQ world: BBQ NAKED!!!!

:decision:

I vogue at my pit. Does that count?

My style varies depending on who I'm cooking for, how much time I have, how much I'm cooking, etc. When doing groups (like pork for 300) it's my Hot and Fast stickburner. Small things like a few slabs for pastor appreciation day, Masterbuilt electric with Todd's maze, and 275 for 3-2-?. WSM is usually 300 for whatever depending on what I'm cooking. I use my 5 burner gasser with IR for steak, chicken, pizza, other outdoor cooking chores. I also do seafood boils and turkey fry jobs. Tradition is what I learned...then competition and catering taught me efficiency. I love it all and have been a kitchen professional - I'm 60 y.o. so I'm trying to not be too cranky about what's right/wrong. If YOU like your food and the ones that you feed love it -- screw what anyone else thinks!! :mrgreen: I love the discussions that start "I've been using xyz and love it BUT...". Try new things but don't expect the "silver bullet" for each problem. Be flexible and enjoy what you do.

deguerre said:

I vogue at my pit. Does that count?

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That's disturbing...on several levels! :twisted: :mrgreen: