Westx
is Blowin Smoke!
Working for Underwood’s BBQ when I was a Freshman in high school.
Soooo, how did you get your start?
- Thread starter rwalters
- Start date
rwalters
Quintessential Chatty Farker
In his younger days before the depression my Grandfather owned a dairy and since it had an ice house, he raised beef to butcher and sell, but he was also a notorious poacher of deer and antelope and sold game meat in addition to milk and butter. He was an open pit guy and when he retired in the mid '60's he decided he would teach the Grandsons how to barbecue. He mostly cooked brisket, chicken, wild game, sausages and an occasional goat. This photo was a burn box for burning down wood into coals which were removed with a little shovel to feed the smoker. There was a grate so it could be used for sausage or a steak.
Somewhere in the early 70's. Was probably 12-14 with my $5 grill from E. J. Korvette. A K-Mart type store in the Chicago area. I believe they started in NY.
My mom taught me how to cook Polish food and measure things with the palm of my hand. My sister in law "Bubbette", Bubba's wife, a little 4'10" red headed tornado taught me to cook non Polish food in the late 70's before the moved to Arkansas.
Had a little Habachi grill, AWESOME for cooking steaks. Ex sold it at a garage sale. Maybe that's why she's my ex now. Had a stick burner, various cheap Weber knock offs, several Weber kettles, various gassers, Cookshack electric. Now I have a Saber gasser, FEC-100 & a Kamado Big Joe. And a retired Blackstone.
Great to be here with all you Farkers!
My mom taught me how to cook Polish food and measure things with the palm of my hand. My sister in law "Bubbette", Bubba's wife, a little 4'10" red headed tornado taught me to cook non Polish food in the late 70's before the moved to Arkansas.
Had a little Habachi grill, AWESOME for cooking steaks. Ex sold it at a garage sale. Maybe that's why she's my ex now. Had a stick burner, various cheap Weber knock offs, several Weber kettles, various gassers, Cookshack electric. Now I have a Saber gasser, FEC-100 & a Kamado Big Joe. And a retired Blackstone.
Great to be here with all you Farkers!
TealStBBQKing
Full Fledged Farker
A buddy of mine told me to watch BBQ with Franklin on PBS. My wife got so sick of me watching the same 10 episodes over and over again she got me a Pit Barrel for Christmas. I've been addicted ever since; adding a Kettle, then Gabbys grill and most recently for my birthday this year my wife got me the Kettle Pizza.
Plata-O-Plomo
Knows what a fatty is.
I grew up in the San Diego area and we always had a boat on the water. between the late 60's and about 1975 we would fish on the weekend when dad was off. On Monday or Tuesday I used a Little Chief or a Big Chief (I can't remember which) to smoke some of the fish we caught over the weekend. That not only started my love for smoking meat but for fishing. Damn, what a fine time that was in my life.
Cheers!
Cheers!
I don't recall my family owning any outdoor cooking equipment growing up. My mom always had home cooked meals for us, but I guess they had no interest in doing it outside.
Once I was out on my own, cheapo grills were about all my friends and I ever cooked on. Other than the occasional BBQ meal out, I never had any real smoked meat.
Once I got married, my wife and I would cook on her grill often, but still, no real BBQ.
I remember channel surfing in 2009 after the Superbowl had ended and found the first season of BBQ Pitmasters. I was amazed that people did such a serious job of cooking BBQ for competition. I also got a kick out of Myron because he reminded me so much of a buddy of mine that I pretty much grew up with. My daughter and I would watch every episode together.
One day she said that we should enter a BBQ competition because I made pretty good BBQ. Mind you, I still didn't own a smoker, I just started the ribs in the oven and finished on the gasser. I told her it was a lot of work and expensive, but if we did it, she had to be right there with me. She agreed, so, with the wife's approval, we bought our first smoker, an Oklahoma Joe Highland. Our first competition had a backyard division, so thankfully, we would be closer to our own level of experience, and even though we had numerous unforseen occurrences, we actually won the chicken category and were hooked. That is what led me to the BBQ Brethren, trying to figure out what I needed to do to hone my skills and learn more about competition BBQ. From day 1, I was made to feel welcome and felt like I was a member of a much larger family. I still do.
Once I was out on my own, cheapo grills were about all my friends and I ever cooked on. Other than the occasional BBQ meal out, I never had any real smoked meat.
Once I got married, my wife and I would cook on her grill often, but still, no real BBQ.
I remember channel surfing in 2009 after the Superbowl had ended and found the first season of BBQ Pitmasters. I was amazed that people did such a serious job of cooking BBQ for competition. I also got a kick out of Myron because he reminded me so much of a buddy of mine that I pretty much grew up with. My daughter and I would watch every episode together.
One day she said that we should enter a BBQ competition because I made pretty good BBQ. Mind you, I still didn't own a smoker, I just started the ribs in the oven and finished on the gasser. I told her it was a lot of work and expensive, but if we did it, she had to be right there with me. She agreed, so, with the wife's approval, we bought our first smoker, an Oklahoma Joe Highland. Our first competition had a backyard division, so thankfully, we would be closer to our own level of experience, and even though we had numerous unforseen occurrences, we actually won the chicken category and were hooked. That is what led me to the BBQ Brethren, trying to figure out what I needed to do to hone my skills and learn more about competition BBQ. From day 1, I was made to feel welcome and felt like I was a member of a much larger family. I still do.
TxQGuy
Full Fledged Farker
My grandfather had a stickburner that he would use fairly often. It is a small, heavy gauge pipe steel rig that I think he had custom made while on a job in Mississippi if I remember correctly. He would make briskets, ribs, and the occasional chicken. He also had this godforsaken massive steel welded box that he used as a grill/fire pit. Some of my fondest memories as a kid are sitting around with him while he tended the fire. In retrospect, he way overcooked everything (purposely...he was part of the "if it has any pink in it, it could make you sick" club...grew up dirt poor). But I tell you what...I would give anything to have another one of his crunchy ribs if it meant he were still around. :laugh: :sad:
Anyhow, after he passed, I would get bummed out looking at his pit just sitting in grandma's backyard, so I decided that I would learn to barbecue on it in order to kind of honor his memory. I didn't know the first thing about it, and I had a real problem with burning everything I made on it at first. Used way too much sugar in my rubs and ran it way too damn hot. But after a couple of times, I found my groove. Learned to do the hand-test over the smoke stack to kind of gauge it. I didn't refine my technique until years later when I bought a cheapo offset of my own, but my grandfather's pit is the one on which I cut my teeth. It is on its last legs these days...almost rusted through. But it's still there in grandma's backyard.
If I could see him one more time, I would show him his great grandson, have him meet my wife, and ask him what it's like up there and if I've made him proud. And I'd also show him my pit, because it's just the kind of stout, rugged, heavy-as-hell craftsmanship that he would have appreciated. Brethren, I tell you, sometimes when I fire it up...when I'm cracking open a cold beer, and when George Strait is playing as that oak smoke is in the air...I swear it's like he is there with me, just for a second.
Anyhow, after he passed, I would get bummed out looking at his pit just sitting in grandma's backyard, so I decided that I would learn to barbecue on it in order to kind of honor his memory. I didn't know the first thing about it, and I had a real problem with burning everything I made on it at first. Used way too much sugar in my rubs and ran it way too damn hot. But after a couple of times, I found my groove. Learned to do the hand-test over the smoke stack to kind of gauge it. I didn't refine my technique until years later when I bought a cheapo offset of my own, but my grandfather's pit is the one on which I cut my teeth. It is on its last legs these days...almost rusted through. But it's still there in grandma's backyard.
If I could see him one more time, I would show him his great grandson, have him meet my wife, and ask him what it's like up there and if I've made him proud. And I'd also show him my pit, because it's just the kind of stout, rugged, heavy-as-hell craftsmanship that he would have appreciated. Brethren, I tell you, sometimes when I fire it up...when I'm cracking open a cold beer, and when George Strait is playing as that oak smoke is in the air...I swear it's like he is there with me, just for a second.
1st 34 years there was always a kettle type grill around with KBB or something similar and "lighter fluid"
35-39 had a natural gas park type grill right outside the back door
40-44 got divorced and was to busy at some of the local "Gentlemen's" clubs after my move to Florida to worry about grilling
At 45 bought the Bass Pro version of an "ECB" after getting married to Nellie and the rest is history
I may be off a year or two but you get the idea
35-39 had a natural gas park type grill right outside the back door
40-44 got divorced and was to busy at some of the local "Gentlemen's" clubs after my move to Florida to worry about grilling
At 45 bought the Bass Pro version of an "ECB" after getting married to Nellie and the rest is history
I may be off a year or two but you get the idea
Whumpa
Full Fledged Farker
Great topic. Have really enjoyed reading everyone’s responses. For me it started because I really enjoy two types of food, asian and good old bbq. I could alternate between the two everyday for the rest of my life, and be quite content. But I cannot cook decent Asian to save my ass. As hard as I try. Over the few years that I have been doing it, my que has gotten better and better. So much so that I have friends and family trying to get me to enter the few competitions we have around here. But for me competitions whether cooking, fishing,or anything else has a way of taking the fun out of something I enjoy doing and turning it into work. So I don’t or won’t. BBQing takes cooking a food down to its very basic form. I enjoy every aspect of it, from selecting, trimming and prepping the meat to cleaning out the ashes at the end of a cook.
BBQ Freak
Babbling Farker
I grew up in Kansas City and my parents always took me to all the BBQ joints and was hooked and when I moved out I thought I can do what they do . It took me many years and the right smoker but I feel I got It mastered now and my wife will not even let me BBQ out anymore and wants mine .
PBrug
Full Fledged Farker
Great topic. Enjoyable reading for sure...
I've enjoyed cooking for as long as I can remember. I'd make little dishes; egg salad, subs, etc... when I was very young. Spent years working at pizza shops in high school, and while I'd make 3X's the money delivering, I always preferred cooking. I just enjoy it, and take pride in producing food people enjoy and appreciate.
We owned a camp my entire life, so cooking on fires happened all the time there. But, at home, grilling was only done on special occasions. Steaks were cheap Chuckies my mother cooked in the broiler, and ribs and chicken were precooked in the oven or boiled, then finished quickly on the grill.
When I moved out I had a gasser for 8 or so years. I ditched that for a Weber Performer (that I still have) about 12 years ago, and haven't went back to gas since. Now I have, well a few kettles...
My dad gave me a $150 gift certificate to Cabela's about 15+ years ago, and I got this electric smoker and some chips. The rest is history as I've had the bug (both cooking and collecting cookers) since...
I've enjoyed cooking for as long as I can remember. I'd make little dishes; egg salad, subs, etc... when I was very young. Spent years working at pizza shops in high school, and while I'd make 3X's the money delivering, I always preferred cooking. I just enjoy it, and take pride in producing food people enjoy and appreciate.
We owned a camp my entire life, so cooking on fires happened all the time there. But, at home, grilling was only done on special occasions. Steaks were cheap Chuckies my mother cooked in the broiler, and ribs and chicken were precooked in the oven or boiled, then finished quickly on the grill.
When I moved out I had a gasser for 8 or so years. I ditched that for a Weber Performer (that I still have) about 12 years ago, and haven't went back to gas since. Now I have, well a few kettles...
My dad gave me a $150 gift certificate to Cabela's about 15+ years ago, and I got this electric smoker and some chips. The rest is history as I've had the bug (both cooking and collecting cookers) since...
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kevinstaggs
Babbling Farker
Spent a lot of time w/ my grandpa as a kid. Working cattle, cutting/bailing hay, building fence, whatever. Usually had a dutch oven or a pit with a metal grate over it going. Figured out pretty quick that food was better then what came out of the kitchen, generally speaking anyway...
Sevengoals
Full Fledged Farker
My Father and Uncles all grilled at home in Adelaide, the usual stuff, souvlaki, souzoukakia, lamb chops and whole Lambs at Greek Easter.
We, the young lads hung around, helped, watched, listened and learned the basics.
Decades later on that fateful day in 2014 I bid 150Euros on a smoker through E-Bay Germany and by dumb luck became the proud but somewhat baffled owner of a COS to go along with the 18" Weber Kettle and Mangal Grill I owned here in my new home in Austria.
The rest as they say is history ... :mrgreen:
The original COS was supersede by a 22" WSM a couple of years ago and is now a converted wood fired Pizza oven.
We, the young lads hung around, helped, watched, listened and learned the basics.
Decades later on that fateful day in 2014 I bid 150Euros on a smoker through E-Bay Germany and by dumb luck became the proud but somewhat baffled owner of a COS to go along with the 18" Weber Kettle and Mangal Grill I owned here in my new home in Austria.
The rest as they say is history ... :mrgreen:
The original COS was supersede by a 22" WSM a couple of years ago and is now a converted wood fired Pizza oven.
YSR
Knows what a fatty is.
1st recollection is of Hibachi Burgers and Dogs in the backyard, typically for a birthday.
My WWII vet Uncle George was a fishin’ smokin’ devil (in a good way) who made his own cast nets allowing him to bring home scads of mullet to be smoked in his homemade cooker. The little I recall about the construction (I was probably 8-12) is that it consisted of cinder blocks and flat metal sheets. I believe he would build a fire, set up racks , then build the “cooker” around the fire and food. The mullet was fantastic but my favorites were the Cornish game hens he would smoke 20 or so at a time.
Fast forward to college. One of my classmates from the low country secured a whole hog then proceeded to dig a hole and build a fire. I learned two things from acting as sous chef. First, there may be no better way to cook pork and second, it’s a good idea to go easy on the Schaeffer’s (might have been Wiedemann, Busch tallboys, or PBR, whatever was cheapest) if you plan on staying up for two days. Third… oh yeah, no third, I don’t remember much else.
Post schoolin’ was filled with gassers and open fire cooking on camping trips until a buddy of mine was bequeathed a Kamado by his father-in-law that had made the trip from post war Japan to the US. No easy internet then, but we happened into some outstanding results and I was hooked. Work moved me away from my buddy and his Kamado so I bought my own in 1990. It too was from Japan, though it had been imported by a retailer.
Still have the Kamado and use it. Just added a pellet grill to the mix. Refreshment for any cook over 5 minutes has upgraded to Miller Lite or those crafty IPA’s depending on which belt hole I’m using.
Combining the outdoors, friends, family, libations, fire, appetite, good food and an appreciation for all of these is hard to beat.
My WWII vet Uncle George was a fishin’ smokin’ devil (in a good way) who made his own cast nets allowing him to bring home scads of mullet to be smoked in his homemade cooker. The little I recall about the construction (I was probably 8-12) is that it consisted of cinder blocks and flat metal sheets. I believe he would build a fire, set up racks , then build the “cooker” around the fire and food. The mullet was fantastic but my favorites were the Cornish game hens he would smoke 20 or so at a time.
Fast forward to college. One of my classmates from the low country secured a whole hog then proceeded to dig a hole and build a fire. I learned two things from acting as sous chef. First, there may be no better way to cook pork and second, it’s a good idea to go easy on the Schaeffer’s (might have been Wiedemann, Busch tallboys, or PBR, whatever was cheapest) if you plan on staying up for two days. Third… oh yeah, no third, I don’t remember much else.
Post schoolin’ was filled with gassers and open fire cooking on camping trips until a buddy of mine was bequeathed a Kamado by his father-in-law that had made the trip from post war Japan to the US. No easy internet then, but we happened into some outstanding results and I was hooked. Work moved me away from my buddy and his Kamado so I bought my own in 1990. It too was from Japan, though it had been imported by a retailer.
Still have the Kamado and use it. Just added a pellet grill to the mix. Refreshment for any cook over 5 minutes has upgraded to Miller Lite or those crafty IPA’s depending on which belt hole I’m using.
Combining the outdoors, friends, family, libations, fire, appetite, good food and an appreciation for all of these is hard to beat.
Attachments
WeberWho
is one Smokin' Farker
It all started with a Sears gift card. At the time I didn't have my own place. So tools weren't the top priority at that very moment. That really narrows down the options of what to get from Sears. So I was aimlessly walking around Sears and stumbled into an imitation Weber Smokey Mountain. At that time of my life my friends and I would like to go and camp at weekend concerts. I found myself thinking that might be fun to bring and play around with. So I spent my $50 Sears gift card on a completely random grill/smoker. Man if I would have only known what kind of snowball effect that would end up having on me with grills/smokers. All from a Sears gift card!
Sopchoppy
Full Fledged Farker
I was 8 or 10 when Daddy bought one of those $5 charcoal grills at Sears, that was 60+ yrs ago. 95% hamburgers, 5% chicken. That was it until college, lived in a trailer with 2 others ($33 a month rent) and the one that owned the trailer was the son of a cattle farmer. That was my introduction to steak grilled over charcoal.
When married, we bought one of those hibachi things with 2 chrome grates with the wooden handles. That worked for several years. Then had a charcoal grill for a few years.
In 1980 got our first gas grill, a Kenmore as I worked for Sears. Had a couple of them until 1995 when I bought the first Weber LP grill. Gave that to my son in 2003 and got a Weber Genesis Gold NG that is still going.
Now the important part. We moved to TN. when we retired and found out how real BBQ should taste. One of my new friends was into competition BBQ and had a custom smoker that would hold a lot of butts. Did fund raisers to support Wounded Warrior hunts.
I bought a CHEAP Char Griller Pro that had nothing to do with pro. Finally bought a Old Country Wrangler and really enjoy firing that mother up every chance I get.
When married, we bought one of those hibachi things with 2 chrome grates with the wooden handles. That worked for several years. Then had a charcoal grill for a few years.
In 1980 got our first gas grill, a Kenmore as I worked for Sears. Had a couple of them until 1995 when I bought the first Weber LP grill. Gave that to my son in 2003 and got a Weber Genesis Gold NG that is still going.
Now the important part. We moved to TN. when we retired and found out how real BBQ should taste. One of my new friends was into competition BBQ and had a custom smoker that would hold a lot of butts. Did fund raisers to support Wounded Warrior hunts.
I bought a CHEAP Char Griller Pro that had nothing to do with pro. Finally bought a Old Country Wrangler and really enjoy firing that mother up every chance I get.
Grew up in Central IL, had a cheap gasser and charcoal unit. I wasn’t exceptional by any means.
1998 we moved to TX, started going to Sonny Bryan’s and another I can’t remember right now, and by early 2000s I was going to learn to BBQ. Bought a cheap water smoker for that thanksgiving, in-laws were coming to town, and I was smoking turkey!
I injected that bird with some garlic butter concoction and our 1pm meal time turned into somewhere around 8pm before the bird was done. I didn’t know a thing about fire management and the misty, windy, cold day didn’t help me at all.
It was soon after that I learned about BBQ forums, and joined them all, including this one.
My first BBQ forum gave me a ton of pointers and tips. I bought a stick burner and cooked my first brisket. I wish I had that picture still, It had an awesome smoke ring.
By the time I joined this one in mid 2000s I was trying to see how many grills I could own.
Had several Weber’s, WSM, built a few UDS, and Wayne (Thirdeye) gave me some real good inspiration to purchase an on sale Primo XL. That made me sell off most the stuff I didn’t use much.
Even though I don’t post a lot anymore, I always come back here to get some new ideas and search for advice.
1998 we moved to TX, started going to Sonny Bryan’s and another I can’t remember right now, and by early 2000s I was going to learn to BBQ. Bought a cheap water smoker for that thanksgiving, in-laws were coming to town, and I was smoking turkey!
I injected that bird with some garlic butter concoction and our 1pm meal time turned into somewhere around 8pm before the bird was done. I didn’t know a thing about fire management and the misty, windy, cold day didn’t help me at all.
It was soon after that I learned about BBQ forums, and joined them all, including this one.
My first BBQ forum gave me a ton of pointers and tips. I bought a stick burner and cooked my first brisket. I wish I had that picture still, It had an awesome smoke ring.
By the time I joined this one in mid 2000s I was trying to see how many grills I could own.
Had several Weber’s, WSM, built a few UDS, and Wayne (Thirdeye) gave me some real good inspiration to purchase an on sale Primo XL. That made me sell off most the stuff I didn’t use much.
Even though I don’t post a lot anymore, I always come back here to get some new ideas and search for advice.
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FrkYrPrk
Full Fledged Farker
My father and grandfather built a natural gas grill and griddle in our backyard - mostly burgers and steaks. They were buying beef by the animal from the slaughter house, since grandpa had to sell his hobby farm after a stroke.
College days, I took over the charcoal grill duties for the frat picnics, since I had the only truck big enough to move it. Lots of burgers and hotdogs off that split 55 gal drum. Rotisseried a whole hog over an ironwood fire a couple times.
Outfitted my first house with the El Cheapo Brinkmann smoker, learned how to smoke turkey, bought a smokey joe for camping, still have the house and both those cookers. Got married, the bride wanted a gas grill so the CharBroil was acquired. The BIL moved to south Texas and learned how to run a horizontal offset, I learned from him. Bought a Brinkmann gas fired smoker, found a Bandera on CL, then found this place. Now it's time to build a reverse flow and continue the journey...
College days, I took over the charcoal grill duties for the frat picnics, since I had the only truck big enough to move it. Lots of burgers and hotdogs off that split 55 gal drum. Rotisseried a whole hog over an ironwood fire a couple times.
Outfitted my first house with the El Cheapo Brinkmann smoker, learned how to smoke turkey, bought a smokey joe for camping, still have the house and both those cookers. Got married, the bride wanted a gas grill so the CharBroil was acquired. The BIL moved to south Texas and learned how to run a horizontal offset, I learned from him. Bought a Brinkmann gas fired smoker, found a Bandera on CL, then found this place. Now it's time to build a reverse flow and continue the journey...
