Who or What was your BBQ inspiration?

[Cook]

Grew up in North Carolina where whole hogs were cooked as a staple. No inspiration needed when it's simply a way of life.

 

[Derrick D]

When I was a kid my Grandfather had a huge off set with all the bells and whistles we used to load it up in the summer and drive 4 hours to my great grandmothers for our family reunion checking the meat and temps at rest stops.I was hooked he taught me to start a fire,maintain temps,and everything in between all before I was 12 and I never stopped.

 

[OakPit]

When I put this up, I would never have thought that so many Brethren would respond. I've really enjoyed reading everyones posts. Thanks for sharing your inspirations and stories!

 

[chromestacks]

The way I say it today is "My mother taught me to cook and my dad taught me to Q" Although, it is not 100% true, my dad taught me the basics of smoking meat. Dad would always cook bonless pork loins and that was the extent of his smoking. They were always good but I wanted to take it to another level. Having never slow smoked chicken, ribs, butts, brisky, faties, chuckies, being a certified welder, I gathered some information from the net and set a plan in motion to build my pit. Well of course dad was excited and couldnt wait to help me with the build. We put our heads togather and have come up with some amazing pits. It just grew from there. I love to Q, but I think I value the time spent with my dad building the pits more than anything. I left home at a young age (15) and did not turn back for 10 years. It took the loss of my best friends dad to bring me back to reality. Now I cherrish every moment I have with family. Dad and I can have a complete conversation with out either of us saying a word. What a wonderful relationship it has developed into! "HERE IS TO YOU DAD"!

 

[kmerian]

Growing up, my grandfather would barbecue every Sunday. He had a homemade brick pit in the backyard, with an old piece of railroad boiler plate for a lid. He barbecued and/or was head chef at every fundraiser around, half a chicken, giblet rice, cole slaw and bread is STILL my favorite meal.

My dad still barbecues almost every weekend, as do I using my grandfathers white sauce to cook and his homemade bbq sauce for after.

 

[Bonewagon]

It was kind of a Sunday tradition for my family to grill some steaks after church and have a nice family dinner. I continued the tradition after getting married. I actually have my wife to thank for getting me into bbq. She bought me a electric Brinkmann for Christmas one year and got me hooked on low 'n slow.

 

[Soybomb]

I have a lot of fond memories of time spent with my grandfather as a child. Building stuff in the workshop, going out to eat, some cook outs at home. He introduced me to the glory that is the spare rib. Now today we'd have to have a talk about his pre-boiling ways but I think if he were around today he'd be into bbq as much as I am. I could easily see him competing. Just yesterday I was outside building a prep cart and couldn't help but think of him. I think he would have approved of my countersinking, screw instead of nail, square using ways that he taught me.

Through college I was lucky enough to work just a couple blocks down from mike mill's restaurant. His place kind of rekindled my love of q. It was the first time good bbq had ever been really readily available to me. Some college students have beer money, I had bbq money.

In more recent years a girlfriends father made some pulled pork for a get together. For whatever reason I'd never really investigated cooking outdoors beyond a steak or hotdog on the grill. It was really good. I didn't realize you could make food like that at home. I think in my mind I'd always pictured large trailered stick burners. He told me he made it in his weber kettle. I got a kettle and went to town and have kept learning and expanding from then. I still bring their family a pork butt frequently when I cook.