Who or What was your BBQ inspiration?

[bbqpigskin]

My Dad. He did most of the cooking when I was a kid, but BBQ was his true love! It was not just cooking to him, it was an event! it was great as a kid to see my dad so fired up just to mound the Kingsford and drop that match...!

 

[T-Man]

Back in the day living in NC and SC , eating whole hog bbq , going to pig pickings etc . It was so good , I said " Man I got to learn to make bbq " ... And the journey began .....

 

[deepsouth]

my dad...... although, now he asks me stuff. i still owe it to him. he was always smoking something on the weekends. even had an old school kamodo from japan. he threw out out when the top cracked. he had no idea it could be repaired. he rocks a lbge now though, so it's all good.

 

[Boshizzle]

My inspiration was Mr. White of Allman's BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA. Awesome central VA BBQ came out of that place when he owned it. I had the privilege of working there for several years when I was in high school. He sold the restaurant and has since passed on, but he made a big influence in my BBQ cooking.

 

[txschutte]

I used to grill pork chop on a little cheap charcoal grill when I was growing up. I guess I started at about 16. I thought I was really doing things until I met my Father-In-Law in Texas. He showed me the beauty of smoking brisket. It was all downhill for me after that. Three years ago I found thge guys at the BBQ-Brethren.com, and it just went into a maniacal frenzy. I now know BBQ'ers on all continents, all US States, have built a BBQ business, and have passed all that info to my kids. BBQ was a dying art before two years ago. The brethren Forum is a big part of the resurgence.

Thanks to all of you that make the BBQ Brethren what it is.

 

[Baby Back Maniac]

I think the true "inspiration" for me is the food itself. It doesn't matter how many ribeyes or racks of baby backs (or whatever else) I cook, there is still a giddy little kid inside of me every single time that can't believe I can throw together a meal that tastes so good. It's so exciting to me. That's what drives me. I LOVE IT!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

My oldest son wanted to try to do competitions. He and my wife thought I would enjoy smoking so they bought me a Chargrill for my B Day. Then my yougest son joined us. I took a class taught by I Smell Smoke- that was under the advise of Jack McDavid. My other inspiration is the Brethrenwho put up with me and have taught me a lot

 

[Capozzoli]

For me it was the lack of access to good BBQ. Just couldnt really get it around here back in the day. When I started cooking i grilled a lot. But the real que was like the unknown, mysterious dark art.

It became a quest to which I still have not arrived.

 

[noe.a.gonzalez]

Being from Los Angeles it's hard to find good Q. Took a trip to Dr. Hoggly Woggly's in Van Nuys and have been a fan ever since. My gf lives in Houston. In my many trips there I've been able to get a good taste of Texas Q and delicious brisket.

I bought a brinkman vertical smoker... soon realized it wasn't going to cut it and ugraded to a CL offset smoker. After a few tries, decided to move to a Weber kettle OTS. Been using that for a while with great success. When I have the time, I plan on finally making a UDS. Never ends

 

[bassbuster33]

My inspiration was simply to learn how to cook some of my favorite food.

 

[MountainCityOutlaw]

My dad always bbq'd and was a founding member of a cookoff we have here in town. I loved the fun times we had and the good que he cooked. When I was old enough I started helping and got hooked. Found the Paul Kirks bbq book and lots of stuff dad taught me and has been all down hill from there.

 

[putterspitt]

I walked into a BBQ joint in Bryan, Tx. the trophy was taller than me, I wanted to know more

 

[landarc]

I have cooked all of my life, and that was inspired by my mom, who cooked day in and day out despite working full time. My dad would cook on Sundays, and it was always special as he was my dad. Over time, cooking outdoors was just a natural extension of cooking indoors. Then there was the right of passage, of being allowed to cook with the men at church for the church teriyaki chicken fund raisers. This took place over an open pit.

I remember Bo's, haven't been there for a while, at one time, I would heartily agree that his was the best brisket in the bay.

 

[Mad About Que]

i come from a long line of cooks. been belly up to a stove since i could reach one from grandmas kitchen chair. started cooking professionally when i was 16. even when i attempted to do something different and joined the Navy to work on radars, i still found myself goofing around in the mess decks. living in north carolina, bbq is a no brainer. as a chef i truly appreciate food done well and pure. can't get much more americian unless we are talking cheeseburgers and apple pie. the smell of the smoke takes me back to special times in my life. I had never even cooked on a real smoker when i decided to build BOB. quick learning process of a few months of learning how BOB liked to be worked.. had the food ready. great part of what i did for a living is that i can taste things as i read recipes. weird. but helpful. we did a lot of "testing" on rubs and sauces and found our most simple was the best, as most of us find in good que. also i wanted something a tad more fancy than NC chop-chop que. I got out of the food biz, and swore i never would go back ('cept i kept my fingers crossed when it comes to a que joint.)... living to much in a hot pan, decided to slow it down and enjoy. family and food.

 

[OakPit]

I've enjoyed reading the stories that have been shared. It's really no surprise why we enjoy this forum so much. Many common threads tie us BBQ Brethren together.

 

[Groundhog66]

I have always enjoyed cooking, and eating. My family never BBQ'd much when I was young, so I guess I am not sure where my passion came from. But I can tell you this, my Father-in-Law played a huge role in my love for cooking on a pit. I fashioned my BBQ area after the one he has in his backyard. Over the years, he and I have spent countless hours cooking together. I love this man dearly...

Here he is in his backyard...

I introduced him to Brats, he cooks them all the time now...

Here he is at my house, shortly after he built the pit at my house...

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

I have to admit - THIS place was, and continues to be my inspiration. We didn't grill much when I was a kid, let alone BBQ. I've actually become the role model for the rest of my family, including my dad, and it's all due to YOU farkers. Keep up the good work.

 

[bigabyte]

I suppose my dad's brisket. When I first got my smoker, I wanted to make brisket like I had when I was growing up. Then I found Paul Kirk's Championship BBQ book, and that inspired me to try and smoke everything, and make my own rubs, sauces, etc. It even got me interested in trying my hands at competing. I soon after found the online forums in my search for more information. Those forums alone provided a great number of folks who helped influence and guide me to where I am now.

 

[caseydog]

Man that's tough question.

Growing up, my mom did most of the cooking, and it was not good. She'll even admit to that. Everything was bland and overcooked.

My dad did the grilling, and it was horrible. He could turn steak into shoe leather better than anyone.

When I was 26, and bought my first house, and I bought a grill. Then I bought some cookware. I made a farking mess out of a lot of groceries at first, but, I learned, and I searched for cooking wisdom, and year after year, I got better.

My first quest was for a really good steak. I burned a few before I figured it out. Then, I worked on chicken and fish. And I just kept working.

I got my first breakthrough when my wife gave me a Weber Master's Touch for my birthday in 1995 -- a red one. I finally had a good grill. It made a big difference.

From there, it has really just been a trial and error progression. I'm still learning, and hope to keep learning forever. It's a blast! I love to spend a Sunday cooking, and then eating the results.

Funny thing, both of my parents have actually learned to cook and grill better from me. When I go home to visit the parents, my dad watches me work his grill, and cook up good food on it. The son teaching the father -- and we have a good time in the process.

CD

 

[parrdist]

It has to be my Dad. I grew up in 50's and watching my Dad using a 55 gallon drum cut in half, filling with charcoal pouring gasoline on it and standing back and throwing a match on it. After the mini explosion cooking ribs and pork steaks and drinking beer.

Now knowing that I cook a lot better BBQ, but wishing he was still around to drink a beer with. After that this forum has taught me the most and I'm still learning.