Cooking Classes

[CharlieBeasley]

I am looking forward to taking more but if you want a GREAT WEEKEND of Food, Fellowship, and cooking Myron Mixon was a great class. Completly worth the price and time.

 

[ggriffi]

Texas Rib Rangers. Enjoyed it very much

 

[ZBQ]

The Paul Kirk class was good also, but it was a daylong affair, and even though I'm a newbie, there were some things I was scratching my head over, like nothing about garnishing turn in boxes, boning a butt, cooking whole chickens etc. But he did spend a lot of time on spices and rubs, sauces and sausage which I did enjoy.

When I took the Paul Kirk class he went over garnish as per KCBS rules, showing us how to build a box with each meat, a couple of different arrangment styles for each meat in the box, showed us how to bone and butterfly a butt, brisket slicing techniques and he showed us how to do spatchcocked chickens.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Paul Kirk class. Although it was just a one day (but all day) affair, he did it in the same order and manner as a real KCBS comp. He came out to each of our sites and checked how we were doing, offered advice on our pits, answered any and all questions very well. We had a nice chat about non-BBQ stuff too.

Chef Paul's class is the only BBQ class I have taken thus far so I can't compare his to others but I would highly recommend it. Although I did take the Tailgating Class with Dr. BBQ at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and liked it really well, it wasn't a BBQ class, it was just grilling. It was just a 2 hour class.

Probably the one thing that I liked more than anything about Chef Paul was that if you didn't already know that he has won over 400 awards, you would never know it. He is just a regular guy who knows a lot about BBQ. I picked his brain quite a bit and he seemed to enjoy it. He has a GREAT sense of humor too!

Here are some pics from my Paul Kirk class. Some of you might have seen them already.

 

[drbbq]

The more the better. Take a couple if you can because we all do things a little differently. I'd suggest you look at who is still actively cooking and winning and start there. From your list that would be Mike, Charles, Rod and Johnny. I took Rod and Johnny's class and it was excellent. I would love to take a class from Charles. He has quietly been one of the best cooks around for many years.

You also have to look at what's available. If you wait to take a Class from Chris Lilly you may get old before it happens. He just doesn't do many. Frankly, I don't either and it may be less next year.

 

[jbrink01]

We have not taken any classes but would love to take Rod's/Trigg's class and Mike Davis's class. We have heard lots of good things from both of these.

I was thinking that you guys need some help getting your stuff right......

 

[Sledneck]

When I took the Paul Kirk class he went over garnish as per KCBS rules, showing us how to build a box with each meat, a couple of different arrangment styles for each meat in the box, showed us how to bone and butterfly a butt, brisket slicing techniques and he showed us how to do spatchcocked chickens.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Paul Kirk class. Although it was just a one day (but all day) affair, he did it in the same order and manner as a real KCBS comp. He came out to each of our sites and checked how we were doing, offered advice on our pits, answered any and all questions very well. We had a nice chat about non-BBQ stuff too.

Chef Paul's class is the only BBQ class I have taken thus far so I can't compare his to others but I would highly recommend it. Although I did take the Tailgating Class with Dr. BBQ at the Woodford Reserve Distillery and liked it really well, it wasn't a BBQ class, it was just grilling. It was just a 2 hour class.

Probably the one thing that I liked more than anything about Chef Paul was that if you didn't already know that he has won over 400 awards, you would never know it. He is just a regular guy who knows a lot about BBQ. I picked his brain quite a bit and he seemed to enjoy it. He has a GREAT sense of humor too!

Here are some pics from my Paul Kirk class. Some of you might have seen them already.

I thought Pauls class would be good for absolute beginner, somebody who had never cooked before. From my side of having cooked i thought it sucked. I did pick up some great tips from DR BBQ class though. I am hoping we put together another class in march again, i smell smoke would be one i would have interest in taking(if poobah shows up) Hiny Hint

 

[ZBQ]

I thought Pauls class would be good for absolute beginner, somebody who had never cooked before. From my side of having cooked i thought it sucked. I did pick up some great tips from DR BBQ class though. I am hoping we put together another class in march again, i smell smoke would be one i would have interest in taking(if poobah shows up) Hiny Hint

You are probably correct. I had not done my 1st comp yet when I took his class so I gained quite a bit of knowlege from it. Some of the best knowlege I gained was about how to make a rub. That alone was worth the price.

Someone that has several or a bunch of comps under their belt might not get as much out of it as I did. It seems relative to a persons experience level. Just because you already know everything that Paul Kirk does doesn't mean that there isn't knowlege to be gained from his class for others, even others with experience.

I would really like to take one of Ray's classes and all the others listed too. Like Ray said earlier, they all do things a bit different and I think that if you really get down to the brass tacks, they all pretty much do the same basics. What you pay for is the small things. The little details that might help you figure out a problem you are having with a particular meat or to even use a combination of details from several different classes to create your own style. There is something to be learned from all of them I am sure.

 

[The_Kapn]

No one has mentioned our own Kevin's (HomeBBQ) classes.
He is a current winning cook and many of his students are now scoring extremely well!

TIM

 

[Ford]

Well I've taken a total of 5 classes in the last 4 years and 3 of them were this year. For a novice cook taking a class by Paul Kirk or DR BBQ is a great experience. They focus more on the science and how to cook.

Now Rod, Johnny and Mike focus more on winning a competition and by that I mean GC not just a category.

I also took the only class the USA Smoke did back in early 2003 and it was a great experience. But a good part of that was the people in the class. When you sit between Paul Kirk and Bobby and Lee you know that this is somethign special.

So what class is best depends on what you want out of it. If you understand the how of cooking BBQ and want to win and I only could choose 1 I'd say Rod and Johnny. But I personally got more out of Mike's class simply because I took it first and focused on a direct need - chicken and ribs.

 

[drbbq]

Yikes! I've never been compared to that. I may have to quit the business.
I did get to cook in the Royal invitational this year so I hope I have a little more than novice info to offer.

But I took Johnny and Rod's class too and highly recommend it. Those guys are at the top of their game right now. I think Johnny will get better as he does them too.

 

[tonto1117]

Yikes! I've never been compared to that. I may have to quit the business.
I did get to cook in the Royal invitational this year so I hope I have a little more than novice info to offer.

But I took Johnny and Rod's class too and highly recommend it. Those guys are at the top of their game right now. I think Johnny will get better as he does them too.

Lol....Doc, If ya have one up this way again next year I'd be there in a heartbeat!!!!!:wink:

 

[MilitantSquatter]

I would not say Ray's class is a "novice only" class (but he's a real good communicator and makes it easy for all levels to understand his points). I think Ray tries to stress that it's important to keep it simple and that at the end of the day, a comp cook needs to turn in great BBQ. I've not taken others classes so I can't compare.

Ray certainly provided many tips that I think anyone could use successfully regardless of skill level.

For me, the biggest takeaways that I got from Ray's class :
1) Deeper appreciation about the importance of paying attention to every detail from start to finish.
2) A kick ass method to trim briskets
3) great Q & A session
4) A great history lesson

Sure, he taught some of his recipes which were good. But that wasn't what I was looking to get out of it. I think the true value of a class is understanding the mindset top notch teams has in their preparation from prep work to turn in times.

 

[Ford]

Ray

No offense meant by my comment. I think 90% of cooks today could benefit from your class. You understand the meat and the cooking process and may be better at expplaining it than anybody I've seen. But I think that a couple of other classes are geared for the experienced cook that wants to pick up one or two little things to move them to the next level. Those of us that got calls but just couldn't put it together.

Keep teaching man. Don't get too involved with the TV, etc that you can't keep sharing with cooks. We need people like you out there explaining how a brisket breaks down and then going and do it in the class.

And for the record Paul may not be competing so much now days but he's sure a top cook and a great teacher. Again from a different perspective but that's what makes all these classes so good.

 

[ThomEmery]

I've taken classes from the following individuals and would recommend any and or all of them:

1. Bill and Barbara Milroy aka Texas Rib Rangers
2. Myron Mixon
3. Fast Eddy Maurin and Paul Schatte
4. Mike Davis
5. Chris Lilly

I'm looking forward to taking a class from Rod Gray and Johnny Trigg next year.

I've picked up something different from all of them that I use in every contest. All were great classes and good people.

Where we going next?
Been at half these with you just need to plan ahead

 

[Sledneck]

Rod and johnnys class sounds interesting getting 2 perspectives but man $500

 

[tonto1117]

Rod and johnnys class sounds interesting getting 2 perspectives but man $500

Don't forget the extra $100 bucks for the spouse.:eusa_clap..

 

[Double D's BBQ]

Where we going next?
Been at half these with you just need to plan ahead

Thom,

My next class will be Rod Gray's and Johnny Trigg's class, most likely in Shannon, IL in April. Hope to see you there!

 

[Double D's BBQ]

Don't forget the extra $100 bucks for the spouse.:eusa_clap..

It may sound steep but I've got my money back on all of them. And to hear your name called twice at a competition where such luminaries as Mike Davis, Myron Mixon, Byron Chisom, Johnny Trigg and many others were competing at (Norfolk, VA April 2007) is priceless, well worth the money.

 

[tonto1117]

It may sound steep but I've got my money back on all of them. And to hear your name called twice at a competition where such luminaries as Mike Davis, Myron Mixon, Byron Chisom, Johnny Trigg and many others were competing at (Norfolk, VA April 2007) is priceless, well worth the money.

Couldn't agree more. That's why our applacation and check have already been sent out for Rod Gray and Johnny Trigg's class next April in Shannon. Heck were still trying to figure out if we can make Mike's class in November in Amarillo TX.....only thing that will stop us is our time (work) and money constraints, other than that we will be there as well!!!!

 

[Double D's BBQ]

I look forward to seeing you there Tonto!

Mike's class is a must. I took his first class in Lynchburg last March. Many of the biggest names in BBQ were there................as students!

Good luck to you!