I grew up in Toronto, Canada in the 70's and 80's. To me, what you call grilling was what I knew as barbecue. To my family and I, the gas grill was 'the barbecue' and to cook a steak on it was to barbecue the steak. Barbecue sauce was an odd condiment, I never understood why anyone would but sweet spicy ketchup on a steak.
So, that's where I came from.
In 1999 I moved to central Illinois, to Champaign/Urbana, for work. A week into the new job we had a company picnic. I didn't know anyone, I was unsure if I wanted to go. "Come on, you'll love it" my manager said, "We're having barbecue!"
"Barbecue what?", I asked.
"Barbecue!"
"Yes, but what are you barbecuing?"
"Oh, barbecue sandwiches" he replied.
At this point, I thought he was messing with me. "What kind of sandwich is that? You're not cooking the bread..."
And then he tried to explain a pulled pork sandwich to someone who had never even seen one. He said they roast pork for hours and hours, till it's so tender it comes apart in strands with a fork, and then it goes on a bun with sauce and coleslaw and it's "the best thing ever".
So, he was basically right.
I worked out in downstate Illinois for four years and went out for barque all the time. Back in Canada, especially back then, there were no barbecue joints. There's a few new, but they are nothing like what small town Illinois had to offer. Hell, they are not even like a Famous Dave's, they are all like going to Chilli's and ordering the BBQ. It's made of the same general things, but it's not at all the same.
My favorite place was Lil' Porgys, who I just googled and am happy to see are still around, and a sandwich is $5.50 (which is what a coffee or muffin costs in Vancouver). When you walk in that place you are hit with an aroma, and usually a face full of smoke too. The walls are grimy with smoke. It feels vaguely unclean. It's totally alien compared to what I grew up with. The food is cheap and yummy and so so good. Now, I've no doubt that BBQ aficionados will tell me that there are lots of better places- hell, my coworkers did, but this was my first and I loved it.
In 2002 I moved to LA. BBQ was no longer part of my life for the next 3 years, LA is LA and while they have places I'm sure, they were not for me. However, I then moved up to the Bay area and was renting a house and so I bought myself a WSM and started to read everything I could online, and practice. I've been an on again off again reader here since that time.
I can smoke some great ribs,I do an awesome warm salmon, and can make me good pork too. I don't do beef often, as I'm usually just cooking for my wife and I.
Today I live in Vancouver and I have a Kamado Joe, and wow do I love it. I still own the WSM but I've not fired it up once in 3+ years, not since I got the KJ. I also have a 10+ year old Weber gas grill that also became retired once the KJ entered my life. I thought I'd still use it, I thought the instant on convenience would give it a role, but as it turns out I should have ditched it years ago.
So, all that brings me to now. I'm going to be moving to the Austin area in a few months. I'm moving the KJ, provided I can do so without wrecking it, and selling the rest. I am now thinking about getting an offset smoker too, once I get down there. I can't wait to smoke some serious brisket. I have some questions which I'll post elsewhere since this is just meant to be an intro, but if you've read this far then now you kinda know me.
Introduction accomplished!
So, that's where I came from.
In 1999 I moved to central Illinois, to Champaign/Urbana, for work. A week into the new job we had a company picnic. I didn't know anyone, I was unsure if I wanted to go. "Come on, you'll love it" my manager said, "We're having barbecue!"
"Barbecue what?", I asked.
"Barbecue!"
"Yes, but what are you barbecuing?"
"Oh, barbecue sandwiches" he replied.
At this point, I thought he was messing with me. "What kind of sandwich is that? You're not cooking the bread..."
And then he tried to explain a pulled pork sandwich to someone who had never even seen one. He said they roast pork for hours and hours, till it's so tender it comes apart in strands with a fork, and then it goes on a bun with sauce and coleslaw and it's "the best thing ever".
So, he was basically right.
I worked out in downstate Illinois for four years and went out for barque all the time. Back in Canada, especially back then, there were no barbecue joints. There's a few new, but they are nothing like what small town Illinois had to offer. Hell, they are not even like a Famous Dave's, they are all like going to Chilli's and ordering the BBQ. It's made of the same general things, but it's not at all the same.
My favorite place was Lil' Porgys, who I just googled and am happy to see are still around, and a sandwich is $5.50 (which is what a coffee or muffin costs in Vancouver). When you walk in that place you are hit with an aroma, and usually a face full of smoke too. The walls are grimy with smoke. It feels vaguely unclean. It's totally alien compared to what I grew up with. The food is cheap and yummy and so so good. Now, I've no doubt that BBQ aficionados will tell me that there are lots of better places- hell, my coworkers did, but this was my first and I loved it.
In 2002 I moved to LA. BBQ was no longer part of my life for the next 3 years, LA is LA and while they have places I'm sure, they were not for me. However, I then moved up to the Bay area and was renting a house and so I bought myself a WSM and started to read everything I could online, and practice. I've been an on again off again reader here since that time.
I can smoke some great ribs,I do an awesome warm salmon, and can make me good pork too. I don't do beef often, as I'm usually just cooking for my wife and I.
Today I live in Vancouver and I have a Kamado Joe, and wow do I love it. I still own the WSM but I've not fired it up once in 3+ years, not since I got the KJ. I also have a 10+ year old Weber gas grill that also became retired once the KJ entered my life. I thought I'd still use it, I thought the instant on convenience would give it a role, but as it turns out I should have ditched it years ago.
So, all that brings me to now. I'm going to be moving to the Austin area in a few months. I'm moving the KJ, provided I can do so without wrecking it, and selling the rest. I am now thinking about getting an offset smoker too, once I get down there. I can't wait to smoke some serious brisket. I have some questions which I'll post elsewhere since this is just meant to be an intro, but if you've read this far then now you kinda know me.
Introduction accomplished!
