I don't know what great BBQ is

[WvQ]

I posted the question about Myron Mixon's cookbook and got back nothing but negative, which is fine. My dilemma is that in my experience living in West Virginia people just aren't into smoking meats much, or Q in general. People cook hotdogs and hamburgers and steak, but that's about it. I live near a county of 100K people and I couldn't tell you the location of one BBQ joint. Good ribs are considered Chili's. I started cooking using cookbooks such as Low and Slow, and then moved onto Myron's, which I thought was better, but I guess I wonder now what good really is? I'm a lost West Virginia that needs to experience good Q! Anybody wanna help me out!

[ICDEDTURKES]

I live in a similar environment where folks fire up the "BBQ"(gasser) or having a "BBQ" and all there is, is hotdogs, hamburgers and brats.. They love their "BBQ" ribs boiled and thrown in sauce. Its kinda nice because when you have these folks over for a "BBQ" they are blown away..

I think each person needs to define their own good BBQ.. Tastes vary look at the differences in regions across this country..

[AtlGator]

I posted the question about Myron Mixon's cookbook and got back nothing but negative, which is fine. My dilemma is that in my experience living in West Virginia people just aren't into smoking meats much, or Q in general. People cook hotdogs and hamburgers and steak, but that's about it. I live near a county of 100K people and I couldn't tell you the location of one BBQ joint. Good ribs are considered Chili's. I started cooking using cookbooks such as Low and Slow, and then moved onto Myron's, which I thought was better, but I guess I wonder now what good really is? I'm a lost West Virginia that needs to experience good Q! Anybody wanna help me out!

I would get to know amazingribs.com. It's a terrific site that is full of useful information on how to create low and slow cooking with the stuff you may have on hand, and the site won't call you a dummy for reading the articles. Great ideas for rubs, sauces, grill set-ups, grill/smoker reviews, etc.

The best smoker for the money, and some would say at any price, is the smoker you can build yourself out of a 55 gallon drum. You can coax smoke magic from that design - a set and forget model that doesn't require a lot of fiddling or a ton of experience. Google UDS plans or UDS build or UDS DIY to see how popular that design is.

Get good at it and people will beat a path to your door, so be careful! :razz:

[WvQ]

I live in a similar environment where folks fire up the "BBQ"(gasser) or having a "BBQ" and all there is, is hotdogs, hamburgers and brats.. They love their "BBQ" ribs boiled and thrown in sauce. Its kinda nice because when you have these folks over for a "BBQ" they are blown away..

I think each person needs to define their own good BBQ.. Tastes vary look at the differences in regions across this country..

You hit it on the money, growing up ribs were country style ribs boiled and drowned in any BBQ sauce you had handy. I guess that's why when people say my Q is awesome I wonder if it would be fed to the dogs in BBQ country.

[coastal]

West Virginia is great for bbq. Not for resturants but for home cooking. I grew up there and meats are easy to get. Butchers a plenty and everyone has a yard for bbqs.

Ignore the Mixon haters and keep expierementijg at home..following online recippees and techniques and watching youtube for cooking advice. Myrons book are great for his techniques he uses. Man Cave meals who is a member here is a good youtube channels to start with. I find it easier to learn from the real people on youtube then the pro cook shows.

Go mountianeers!

[Phubar]

I'm from the Netherlands...nuff said.

I've learned about 90% on the Brethren forum...now I can say that I'm 3 times Dutch BBQ champion in a row and got an invite to the Jack.
...but still I don't know if I cook "really good" BBQ.
Don't care really...my guests like it,my Moms and I as well.
Just buy you some meat,season it and throw it on the grill and see what happens.

[Thermal Mass]

You have come to the right place!!!:thumb:
I believe it is bluetang that says, "Take your shoes off and sit a spell" (sorry if misquoted)... Spend some time here, look around. This is the best resource you will find, PERIOD!
I too live in an area similar to yours and ICEDTRUKEYS with the same image of Que.
Some great Q can be done on a kettle, then or first-build a UDS!

I came to this site looking for ideas for my brick smoker project and learned WAY more than I could ever imagine!!! Hang out, ask questions, but most of all JUST Q SOME STUFF AND POST IT.

Just for reference, some ribs done on my kettle not long ago with what I learned here.

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a529/smalltownjosh/BBQ/IMG_20130527_181538_135_zps49774a53.jpg (http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/smalltownjosh/media/BBQ/IMG_20130527_181538_135_zps49774a53.jpg.html)

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a529/smalltownjosh/BBQ/IMG_20130527_190517_781_zpse7d6dbfd.jpg (http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/smalltownjosh/media/BBQ/IMG_20130527_190517_781_zpse7d6dbfd.jpg.html)

http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a529/smalltownjosh/BBQ/IMG_20130527_190925_772_zps05af9d3a.jpg (http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/smalltownjosh/media/BBQ/IMG_20130527_190925_772_zps05af9d3a.jpg.html)

[Gore]

This is a really tough one. I've known people who've been exposed to BBQ for years, even members on this site who've been cooking for years (no names) and eating for years who've never actually had great BBQ. Unfortunately, there's a lot of bad BBQ, some good BBQ, and very little great BBQ out there. All I can say is that when you eat it, you know it. When people say things like, "I don't know what the big deal is about ...," then you know that they've never had it made right. In my experience, everything has a sweet spot. Trying to find it is the mission and different things work for different people. That's part of why we're here.

[aawa]

I don't know what exactly people consider great bbq, but I know what I like and my friends seem to like it also.

Everything I really know about bbq, I have learned from countless hours here on the forums and cooking bbq 2-4 times a week (year round) since I started on this hobby/obsession/whateveryouwanttocallit.

If you are not sure what a good rub means to you, try a few commercial rubs to find out what you like. Some great commercial rubs are Plowboys Yardbird, All of the Simply Marvelous likes (I suggest you get the sampler pack to try them all!) BigButz Cow Pow and Pig Pollen, and I'm sure other people on the forums will tell you others they found to be good.

What I did when I started was use a commercial rub to find out what flavor profiles you do like. You can work on your technique more this way instead of stressing about another factor. Once I got my techniques down (knowing the feel of the meats when they are done, hot and fast vs low and slow, etc) I started messing with homemade rubs. I started simple with Salt and Pepper and have added and subtracted different herbs/spices out of the equation.

I have now started messing with injections to see how that changes the flavor profile/texture of the meats and to see if I like what they bring to backyard bbq cooking (as opposed to competition one bite cooking).

If you are into the hobby/obsession of bbq, you have to have patience. And learn different things throughout your journey. When you start it, go simple and grow your knowledge and techniques more and more. After a bunch of cooks you will find have points that where your eyes open much wider and you realize, damn what I have been working at, I just nailed and it will be much easier to get to that point.

P.S. Also another way to improve is to keep notes on all of your cooks. That way you know how much of each ingredient, time between rub to smoker, how long before you wrapped vs no wrapping and you will be a much better cook for it.

[WvQ]

Go mountianeers!

It's Mountaineers or just eers :wink:

[WvQ]

This is a really tough one. I've known people who've been exposed to BBQ for years, even members on this site who've been cooking for years (no names) and eating for years who've never actually had great BBQ. Unfortunately, there's a lot of bad BBQ, some good BBQ, and very little great BBQ out there. All I can say is that when you eat it, you know it. When people say things like, "I don't know what the big deal is about ...," then you know that they've never had it made right. In my experience, everything has a sweet spot. Trying to find it is the mission and different things work for different people. That's part of why we're here.

I think you get me. It reminds me of the time I made Picadillo and people asked me if it was good. My response was "I don't know I've never tasted Picadillo before, but what I made tastes good"

[bananablack]

I think its bout to move outta west Virginia...Real americans smoke meat(with wood of course)

[Bamabuzzard]

"Great BBQ" is all about preference and we all know preferences are subjective. When it comes to taste there's really no standard for great tasting bbq because the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

As crazy as it sounds there are a lot of people who think Chili's baby back ribs are "great bbq". Even after they've tasted what we (the Brethren) would call "Real BBQ". A lot of it is what you've grown accustomed to eating.

For me personally I cannot understand how someone can take a perfectly good smoked slab of ribs and CAKE K.C. Masterpiece bbq sauce on it and call that "great bbq". But they do. I see it all the time. So what you're searching for is really a moving target. The "greatness" of the bbq will many times depend on you and your taste buds.

[wnkt]

I think you get me. It reminds me of the time I made Picadillo and people asked me if it was good. My response was "I don't know I've never tasted Picadillo before, but what I made tastes good"

That's my view right there...if you are making it for yourself it doesn't matter what everybody else thinks.
We can tell you HOW to do something...but what "Good" is supposed to mean is up to you. You may like a lot of spices...other folks may not. Some like sauce, others dont

[cdollar]

I think the best information you can get is right here and free to boot. Also look at http://tvwbb.com/forum.php . It"s aimed at Weber Smokey Mountain owners but the recipes and tips are great on any cooker you have.


Chuck

[Bludawg]

GO HERE http://www.amazingribs.com/
AND HERE http://bbq.about.com/
Between these two sites the Brethren some road trips to the BBQ regions NC, TX, TN, KC, hitting a few select joints in each you''ll know.
The best advice I can give you is to take Baby steps keep your cooks simple & uncluttered. Season simplely, learn to get the meat right by controlling your fire on a consistent basis. Once you have mastered this. Then twist it how you want playing with flavors. Remember the meat is the star so let it shine everything else should just add to it's performance like back ground singers( the Spice). Less is more!

[gtr]

I'm from the Netherlands...nuff said.

I've learned about 90% on the Brethren forum...now I can say that I'm 3 times Dutch BBQ champion in a row and got an invite to the Jack.
...but still I don't know if I cook "really good" BBQ.
Don't care really...my guests like it,my Moms and I as well.
Just buy you some meat,season it and throw it on the grill and see what happens.

Based on what I've sampled, I'd say it's more like "Pharking amazing BBQ"!

Anyway, to the OP - if you like it, and your friends and family like it, it's great BBQ. It's always good to see what's out there and try new things and get new ideas, but if you and your loved ones like it, I don't see that much more is needed. Obviously it's different in the vending/catering/comp worlds, but that's a whole other subject.

There's a saying that's something like "The worst BBQ you've ever had is somebody else's favorite, and your favorite BBQ is the worst somebody else has ever had." That said there are basic standards and parameters (needs to be tender, balanced flavor profile, etc.).

[ICDEDTURKES]

GO HERE http://www.amazingribs.com/



If you have not dove into this site be prepared to be glued to your laptop for the weekend.. Site is awesome and my go to when I need an answer.

[HeSmellsLikeSmoke]

I have eaten at many of the "great" BBQ joints in the so-called top BBQ regions in the country over the past 50 plus years. In my experience, what you can learn to cook at home using no more information than you can easily glean from this forum, will be better than 95% of what is called Great BBQ. Even the very top joints miss the mark from time to time.

I'm guessing you have already produced some great BBQ and just haven't realized it yet.

[DeepElemCue]

Trust me, upstate NY isn't known as a BBQ hotbed, but with some help from books, youtube and the Brethren, I took 2nd in ribs in my first ever competition using a Weber Kettle. You should have seen the look on the guys with the expensive tow-behinds faces when I took the stage :) Chances are there will be some that love your cue and some that don't, just as long as you like it, who cares?

[Lake Dogs]

This is a really tough one. I've known people who've been exposed to BBQ for years, even members on this site who've been cooking for years (no names) and eating for years who've never actually had great BBQ. Unfortunately, there's a lot of bad BBQ, some good BBQ, and very little great BBQ out there. All I can say is that when you eat it, you know it. When people say things like, "I don't know what the big deal is about ...," then you know that they've never had it made right. In my experience, everything has a sweet spot. Trying to find it is the mission and different things work for different people. That's part of why we're here.

+1 above.

I'm not saying you cant get great BBQ different from how I did, but I certainly fit right in the mold that Gore described above. I'd had PLENTY of bad BBQ, plenty mediocre BBQ, and some good BBQ, but that was rare. The best BBQ that I'd ever had was at a few select restaurants that do a pretty good job. I had not known (and did not know) truly fantastic BBQ. It was when I began judging sanctioned competitions that I really got to get fan-farking-tastic slap-ya-mama almost-better-than-fantastic-sex BBQ.

Mind you, not all competition BBQ is this way, but it was the first time (and the only time) I'd had Q that farkin' good. I learned to make ribs that taste and are as tender as the MiM winner that year. Now, like on Saturday, when people hear that I'm cooking, they come out of the woodwork. What was 6-8 people over is within a few days and only by word of mouth probably 30 people. Looks like I'll be cooking 2 cases of baby backs, not just 1 case...

Literally, I've had women whisper in my ear: "these ribs are orgasmic"

Chicks dig BBQ. So, rather than purchasing and cooking $140 worth of ribs, I'm looking at more like $280-300... ****

;-) I guess when I meet my maker, at least I'll be remembered......

My point, be it very long winded, is that there IS BBQ out there that is so awesome that you wonder about all things in life. It can be that dawg-gone'd good. Seek it. Restaurants can be very very good, but it's unlikely to be anything like that freshly pulled Q straight off the butt, or those ribs only moments off the smoker. Frankly, go get it this good, you'll either have to hang out closely with someone who can and does this, or you'll need to learn to do it yourself.

[WvQ]

It's kinda like being the fastest runner on the block or the hometown baseball hero, you might think your great, everyone else in your town might think your great, but the first time you race an Olympic athlete or try out for the majors you realize you got a lot more work to do. I think what I need is a weekend or a week to do my own BBQ pilgrimage heading down south, then I'll know what most people consider Great BBQ. I guess for me that's a trip down the hillbilly highway into Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina. Might be interesting when that time comes to ask on here where I should stop on my route, heck maybe people here should just plan my trip.

[Just BS]

Some really great replies.... :thumb:

Here on the left coast, it doesn't get any better. Actually, I have no doubt its much worse. I thought I was BBQ'ing ribs when I was basting them in beer in the oven and then finishing on the grill with bottled sauce. As I knew it could be better, I began to research. www.amazingribs.com (http://www.amazingribs.com) was a great boost. Didn't take long to build a UDS after that. I've created some really good BBQ since then.

Yet, it is troubling to me when I hear someone talking about about Great BBQ ribs that where boiled and are falling off the bone. It's not their fault, they just don't know better. I am now on a journey to educate Californians on what the difference is between BBQ and grilling. I am starting small with family and friends, who claim they will never order ribs again in a chain restaurant. Where will it end? Will I be successful? I don't know and honestly, I don't really care. I have no illusion of saving the world...but I will continue to make real BBQ and hope that someday it will be truely great.

Good luck to you in YOUR travels!

[Bamabuzzard]

Literally, I've had women whisper in my ear: "these ribs are orgasmic"

I'm on my way.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b211/rookH/funny%20gif%20files/yourenotthefather.gif (http://media.photobucket.com/user/rookH/media/funny%20gif%20files/yourenotthefather.gif.html)

[jasonjax]

This is a really tough one. I've known people who've been exposed to BBQ for years, even members on this site who've been cooking for years (no names) and eating for years who've never actually had great BBQ. Unfortunately, there's a lot of bad BBQ, some good BBQ, and very little great BBQ out there. All I can say is that when you eat it, you know it. When people say things like, "I don't know what the big deal is about ...," then you know that they've never had it made right. In my experience, everything has a sweet spot. Trying to find it is the mission and different things work for different people. That's part of why we're here.


Come on Gore! Man-up and give us some names!?!!? Jasonjax? :)

To the OP: Pssst... don't tell anyone ... BUT .....




GREAT Q is the Q **YOU** and your FAMILY and friends LOVE ... that's it end of story. Finito.

If you want to start competing, well that's another subject, but I stand by my statement above. Learn from this place, experiment, taste test, make changes ... find YOUR Q and you have arrived.

[aawa]

It's kinda like being the fastest runner on the block or the hometown baseball hero, you might think your great, everyone else in your town might think your great, but the first time you race an Olympic athlete or try out for the majors you realize you got a lot more work to do. I think what I need is a weekend or a week to do my own BBQ pilgrimage heading down south, then I'll know what most people consider Great BBQ. I guess for me that's a trip down the hillbilly highway into Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina. Might be interesting when that time comes to ask on here where I should stop on my route, heck maybe people here should just plan my trip.

If you make it to South East Virginia Pierce's BBQ in Williamsburg, VA is an institution around this area. They have been open since 1971 and they put out some great pulled pork.

There are some other good bbq joints around but none that have been open for longer than 10 years.

[letdasmokeroll]

if you head down to NC look me up hell we can set around drink some beer and try to make some great bbq

[Maximum Burn]

arent you in the SMOKY moiuntains?

maybe if you can learn about bbq i bet you are in the right place bremthman

[dealm9]

IMHO good bbq starts when the meat does not need a sauce on it to be edible. When you eat a plain piece of meat from a smoker that is moist, tender and flavorful on its own right, then you have started your venture away from the "bbq" that your neighbors enjoy to truly good q. From there you can start to understand what great bbq would be in that it would take those qualities of meat (flavor, tenderness, moistness, etc.) to the ultimate level. For the novice, I would say the best route to experience good q is putting a boston butt on the smoker and following what you can learn here. Pulled pork off my UDS has been my guide to knowing what a cut of meat can truly be transformed into when given the sweet kiss of good smoke and heat and time. Great que undoubtedly comes from quers who have mastered those concepts among others.

[Gr8blsfr]

Sounds like it's time for a career change and open up a BBQ house....

[WvQ]

Sounds like it's time for a career change and open up a BBQ house....

Great Idea, just open it up near Morgantown, WV

[coastal]

I have no idea how I misspelled mountain. I have been a season ticket holder for years and make the 11 hour drive to games every home weekend.

Morgantown just got a great new bbq joint orginally from Alabama. Martins bbq. The same wvu grad exec that was instrumental in expanding jim n nicks is helping him.

Martins also got a stadium contract and will be served at the football games.

[WvQ]

I have no idea how I misspelled mountain. I have been a season ticket holder for years and make the 11 hour drive to games every home weekend.

Morgantown just got a great new bbq joint orginally from Alabama. Martins bbq. The same wvu grad exec that was instrumental in expanding jim n nicks is helping him.

Martins also got a stadium contract and will be served at the football games.

I was just giving you a hard time, it's funny though that you mentioned Martins. My wife just said they catered for her work. She said their pork shoulder was on par with mine. I said "at least I married an honest woman if you tell me you like someone else's butt as well as mine"

[dwfisk]

I beg to differ, you DO know what great BBQ is; its what your family (first), your friends (second) and you (third) think is great! OK, you are the control here, as you continue to experiment and improve you will be the one to know when it gets "even more greater" (made that up) but as long as those folks you cook for are happy you are doing it right! I'm done preachin.

[smoke'n Frank]

I grew up in southern ca and our "bbq's" were the boil/sauced ribs and at the time i thought that was the thing!! Moved to NC and experienced true Q and now even to me the restaurant bbq is hit and miss i have a couple tried and true places. the last 3-4 years i have been getting into the real sitting back hanging out 6-10 hr smokes to make some good Q. When i started my own smoking i had no idea the difference between a butt and a ham :shock: i know i know..... in the last yr i think i have finally figured out the smoking thing and now having several people beggin me just about every weekend to bring them a smoked butt. its all about practice, dont let a failure stop you, you will have fails...... and its all about good times and good food...... i dont have a fancy smoker that cost me 1000's of dollars i have a char griller propane/charcoal and weber kettle cooker you get at lowes, and it has put out some of the best bbq i have and some of my friends have ever had.

[Ole Man Dan]

Get out in the country. Lots of visible rigs under carports. UDS, Offsets, Eggs, Webers.

I hadn't noticed all of them till I joined this site.

Heck there are three Offsets larger than mine within 1/4 mile of my house.

As for as taste, it don't take long to realize you can make better BBQ than lots of restaurants with BBQ on their signs.

[jmellor]

If its any trade off you do have pepperoni buns in wva that I've never had better or seen elsewhere. At least you have a site dedicated to bbq here to help! Slight hi-jack over.....

[SurrealOne]

I think the way a lot of the others do...there's (more) bad, (a lot) good, and (some) great. In the end, if you, your family and friends like it...then it's good. I've had some awesome BBQ, but I grew up being kinda confused on what BBQ should be. Growing up in southern OK, I had a lot of TX Q...but then I moved up to NE OK and most of the places here are KC style. I didn't really have any idea how to cook it...until I came to the brethren. Now my wife, brother and friends ask me weekly to make them ribs or a butt...or three. I figured out it's not the style...just what you like. For all I know it could be some horrible crap, but I sure do dig it when everbody wants me to cook for them on my weekends off. In the end, it's all about making it into what you want it to be.

[Bigdog]

"Great BBQ" is all about preference and we all know preferences are subjective. When it comes to taste there's really no standard for great tasting bbq because the beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.

As crazy as it sounds there are a lot of people who think Chili's baby back ribs are "great bbq". Even after they've tasted what we (the Brethren) would call "Real BBQ". A lot of it is what you've grown accustomed to eating.

For me personally I cannot understand how someone can take a perfectly good smoked slab of ribs and CAKE K.C. Masterpiece bbq sauce on it and call that "great bbq". But they do. I see it all the time. So what you're searching for is really a moving target. The "greatness" of the bbq will many times depend on you and your taste buds.

Bingo :thumb:

[Dauvis]

Last night was a company event that was catered. When I got there, there was an aroma of BBQ in the air. Got to the table and found pulled pork drowning in BBQ sauce. :twitch:

[gtr]

Literally, I've had women whisper in my ear: "these ribs are orgasmic"



No bone jokes yet? :confused: What have we become? :tsk:

[tnjimbob]

Great BBQ is like art. People know it when they see (or rather taste) it.

I started smoking pork shoulder to try & replicate a place that my family got good pulled pork from when I was a kid. I did a lot of research on the interwebz, then jumped in & developed a process on my Weber kettle. After a few trial & error sessions, I got a handle on what I liked and what my family & friends liked. My wife & I went and tried a handful of well known BBQ places, some were good, some not so good, and some were downright awful compared to what I made at home.

My point is that since you are in a BBQ poor area, try developing your process to where you, friends & family are satisfied with what you make (you will know because people start asking when you are cooking again), and compare yours to others.

Sounds like you are already on the right track. Just keep practicing and you will achieve good results.