Bar-B-Log

Friday Night Videos

2007-05-18T22:19:00.001-05:00

Mmmmmmmmm… sausages?

Guest Post: Charity BBQ

2007-05-16T14:29:00.000-05:00

I've been waffling back and forth about allowing guest posts on this here Bar-B-Log. Most folks seem to have strong opinions regarding BBQ, and I'm here to spout my own ideology and document my own personal barbecue journey. I don't want to muddy the waters or set a bad precedent. That being said, I'm posting this for the following reasons: 1) The guest is my wife. 2) The photo is excellent. 3) The guest is my wife.

from Moxie Dynamite

One thing that is great about living in Memphis is that if all the BBQ joints in town suddenly closed, you could still find decent barbecue pretty much anywhere. You might have to drive down streets you don't normally travel, such as 3rd Street south of downtown, which is where I was driving yesterday when I came across a sign that said "Support the Work of the Lord! Charity Car Wash & BBQ."

When I stopped to take a picture of the sign, the nice man doing the cooking came over to hand me some flyers advertising barbecue plates for $5 and $7, and sandwiches for $3 and $3.50, in addition to rib tips, turkey legs, chicken, hot fried fish and bologna. Not to mention a hand car wash for $8! According to the flyer they would be there through Saturday so I made plans to come back today to get a sandwich and maybe a much-needed car wash.

One of the problems with living in Memphis is you can't always count on a guy you meet on the street to be there with barbecue when he says he will. I went back today ready to put in three orders and equipped with a shiny $20 bill to cover the food and the car, and there was no one there, as if I had imagined the whole thing! Luckily I at least took a picture of the sign. Since I had promised my friends barbecue, I drove to Tops and got us all some sandwiches that were so delicious they were worth the trouble.

Friday Night Videos

2007-05-11T15:35:00.000-05:00

What goes great with BBQ? Did you say french fries? Did you say potato salad? Well, do I have a deal for you! Tater Mitts! Order yours today.

Say It Ain't So

2007-05-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

Smokey Bones is shutting down. A lousy chain barbecue restaurant closing up shop in Memphis isn't particularly surprising. However, they had few non-BBQ items that were OK, and the service was always interesting. One thing is for sure, I am sure as hell gonna miss the bag of donuts. I don't care if I've got The Sugars. If they're still open this week, I'm risking a spike in my glucose.

Update: No more donuts. According to their answering machine, the Memphis location has closed.

Friday Night Videos

2007-05-04T23:22:00.000-05:00

Nonsense. Absolute Nonsense.

Too Much Information

2007-05-03T08:54:00.000-05:00

As part of the continuing series, "Get to Know Your Blogger," I was interviewed Dick Cavett style by überblogger Stacey Greenberg. You can read my hilarious responses at Fertile Ground.

More on the series here and here. And of course, here's a list.

National BBQ Month

2007-05-01T10:49:00.000-05:00

How did I not know that National BBQ Month starts today? And, how did I not know there exists an Official Website of the National Barbecue Association? And, why in the world isn't it based in Memphis? And, is Butch Hofferbert really the "nicest credit card guy on Earth?"

For only $50 a year, I feel almost obligated to join. I missed this year's conference, but I think I might have to check that out in 2008. Who's coming with?

Chatswood BBQ Kitchen

2007-04-30T22:14:00.000-05:00

Those Aussies have a strange definition of barbecue joint.

Barbecue Opportunity

2007-04-30T13:53:00.000-05:00

Our friends at Mothership BBQ are going through some financial struggles and looking to take on investors. If you were ever interested in owning a piece of a BBQ joint in Nashvegas, now's your chance.

Here's the story.
Update.

Friday Night Videos

2007-04-27T22:54:00.000-05:00

Homer is always good for a laugh. Homer speaking a foreign language is always good for a bigger laugh.

The Rules

2007-04-23T20:47:00.000-05:00

Click over to WhiteTrashBBQ today for Al Roker's 5 Rules of Barbecue. I'm down with all 5.

Friday Night Videos

2007-04-20T23:35:00.000-05:00

This clip speaks for itself.

Pick up, Dingy!

2007-04-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

OK , it ain't BBQ, but how could I visit Phoenix and not order a big bowl of chili at a diner? OK, I'm technically in Scottsdale not Phoenix. OK, the 5 & Diner isn't much of a diner. It's more like a Steak n Shake. OK! OK! I ordered a cup of chili and some crazy concoction called a Maximillian. I can't find it on their website menu, but it's a tortilla, folded and topped with tomatoes, peppers, hashbrowns and covered with a three egg omelet. It probably has green chiles in it too, but who the hell can tell? I ordered mine con chorizo. Strangely, it doesn't come con queso. But, it was alright, and it gave me an excuse to post a picture of Mel Sharples.

No, E. I did not eat all of that food. I promise. I didn't.

OK, I ate most of it.

Did Someone Forget to Pay the Google Bill?

2007-04-18T23:20:00.000-05:00

I have a magnificent bit of writing just waiting to hit the Interweb, but it seems I can't upload pictures right now. I don't think I'm alone there. What's a blog entry without pictures? Words? In the meantime, you can read my guest post on Listwork.

Historic Reata Pass Steakhouse

2007-04-16T23:01:00.000-05:00

As mentioned, I am in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a week with two things to do – jack and shit. Tonight I drove myself out to the ass of nowhere for a steak at Reata Pass. It's one of them there famous southwestern cowboy steakhouses. I was prepared for something annoyingly touristy and obnoxious, but it seemed authentic enough. I'm guessing this is one of the places all the others try to imitate. Think Huey's in midtown versus Huey's in any other part of Memphis.

The service was good if a bit no nonsense. I ordered a couple of beef ribs as an appetizer and a sirloin, medium rare, with a side of cowboy beans. Of course, I needed a little Fat Tire to wash it all down – diabetes be damned. The ribs were well-prepared and came slathered in a very sweet BBQ sauce. I've come to the conclusion that barbecued beef ribs are just silly. The bone-to-meat ratio is absurd, and they just don't have enough flavor. My steak was cooked properly, but was a little tough and lacked flavor. I shouldn't judge because I don't normally order sirloin. In fact, that it is normally tough and lacking in flavor could be the very reason.

I do not like cowboy beans.

At this point, I would normally just refrain from giving the place a thumbs up or thumbs down. I didn't care too much for my meal, but I really just ordered the wrong things. However, near the end of my visit, someone cranked up C.W. McCall's epic song Convoy on the jukebox. Yes, they have a jukebox. Yes, Convoy is on the jukebox. Yes, that's enough to make Reata Pass my favorite Arizona restaurant.

Oh, I plum near forgot! I'm pretty sure this guy was sitting at the bar.

Carlsbad Tavern

2007-04-15T23:57:00.000-05:00

I am sitting in a hotel room in Scottsdale, Arizona, specifically a Hampton Inn, a little bit buzzed to tell the truth, wondering why I had to travel all this way to order for dinner what was essentially a BBQ quesadilla. The special at Carlsbad Tavern tonight was a quesadilla made from carne adovada – roast pork in red chili sauce with cheese and tortillas. It was quite tasty. Add some slaw and you've really got something. Shouldn't a BBQ quesadilla be a commonplace menu item at most restaurants in my hometown? Is it? Did I just not notice? This seems like an easy money maker. Sorry I didn't bring my camera, but I wasn't expecting the need. Here's Carlsbad Tavern during the day. It's impossible to find at night.

Dinner was good, but a lot of my time was spent listening to a complete tool whose voice carried like a train whistle ramble on and on to his date about how much he worked out, where he worked out, how she looked like his mom, and that his brother was a complete asshole while the poor, poor girl tried to be polite and I tried to reread Bluebeard for the first time since high school. Bastard.

Friday Night Videos

2007-04-13T10:37:00.000-05:00

Kurt Vonnegut died. Apparently, everyone on the Interweb was a fan. That's nice. It seems also that everyone with a blog is obligated to eulogize him. I suppose that's nice too. To be fair, I'd like to do the same. I loved the man. In fact, I've spent two days trying to figure out how to draw a connection between one of the greatest writers I'll ever read and the subject of this blog. I suspect that Mr. Vonnegut could have managed, but I can't. I'm not that clever.

So, in celebration of the absurdity of the human condition, here is Paul McCartney making mashed potatoes. It's not BBQ. It has nothing to do with Mr. Vonnegut. I'm not sure it's even cooking. But, it is ridiculous. And, it is funny. In better words, "No damn cat, no damn cradle."

$100.00 BBQ

2007-04-11T10:48:00.000-05:00

I can't say that I'm surprised these sandwiches aren't a big seller. While I appreciate both the excess and the experimentation, a BBQ pork, smoked foie gras and balsamic vinegar sammich doesn't sound particularly appetizing to me. However, I am 100% behind the choice of beer to wash it down.

America's Test Kitchen

2007-04-10T07:18:00.000-05:00

For those of us who both like to cook and like to believe there is a best way to do everything, the show America's Test Kitchen is great. Every week, they report on items like the best way to cook blueberry muffins or chicken noodle soup, or the best measuring spoons or the best brand of refried beans. Yes, it's geeky, and I'm sure the idea of devoting time to finding the best method for basting a chicken sounds terribly silly to most. I know finding the best way to brush your teeth or fold a towel isn't as important as finding the best way to build a bridge or educate children or extricate ourselves from Iraq. However, I think that if we as a society devoted more time to quality in all things no matter how trivial we might not be mired in the cavalcade of mediocrity that is American Idol, Wal-mart, NASCAR, and our last three presidents.

Wow, how did I rant myself into that corner? Back to the show. This week on ATK, they covered barbecue. Well, sort of. The results were less than appetizing to this Memphis boy, but I think they found the best way to cook ribs in the oven. I have absolutely no idea why anyone would ever want to do this. Although, the method was kind of interesting. They used tea leaves on the bottom of a sheet pan to generate smoke, put the ribs on a rack and wrapped it all in foil. It sure as hell beats the guy on Cookin' in Brooklyn who (no lie) boiled the ribs first. Shudder. And though it's not what I'm aiming for with The Sauce, they also made a 20-minute BBQ sauce of primarily ketchup, mustard and molasses that looked like it might have been good.

The point of all of this rambling is that I'm going to spend some time cooking BBQ sauce recipes other than my own. I'm starting here with the ATK sauce, and then I'll work my way through some of that book I bought not too long ago. Results to follow.

Meat News

2007-04-09T14:19:00.000-05:00

The Memphis Business Journal did a blurb about Dixie Meat on Jefferson this week. I wasn't aware that they are open to the public – or maybe I was and just forgot. Have either of the two people reading this ever bought anything there? Worth the trouble? BTW, I love that they have a section of their website titled Meat News.

Friday Night Videos

2007-04-06T18:48:00.000-05:00

You drive with it on! Don't forget to tighten the rotation knob.

Ridin' the Rails

2007-04-05T10:23:00.000-05:00

Here's another crazy BBQ contraption because I don't feel like writing.

Euro BBQ

2007-04-01T07:56:00.000-05:00

A tiny, MP3 playing, ridiculously expensive, retro-styled grill named the Memphis Barbecue is the kind of thing that would sell well only among our friends across the pond, but so help me, if I had £230 burning a hole in my pocket, I might just have to buy one.

Friday Night Videos

2007-03-30T11:27:00.000-05:00

I guess this fella realized I was working too hard and decided to help me out with today's video post.

Welcome to Memphis
Memphis Street Blues

Thanks, Allen. Welcome to the big M.

Poetry

2007-03-28T11:43:00.000-05:00

This Just In

2007-03-27T14:30:00.000-05:00

Roller derby fan and Interweb bon vivant, DW, alerted me to the Jeppe Utzon BBQ. Couldn't we all use a new $7100 grill that looks like a… well… a $10 card table? Mind altering? Swanky? I think not. {more}

Friday Night Videos

2007-03-23T16:12:00.000-05:00

There is no way this place can be any good, but the video inspires me to open up my own BBQ joint. If these tools can do it, this tool certainly can.

BBQ Puffs

2007-03-21T18:35:00.000-05:00

Where do I begin? I may have mentioned my love of takoyaki before. If you've never tried it, do. In Memphis, you can get it as an appetizer at Sekisui Pacific Rim on Poplar. If anyone knows of another option, please speak up, but the folks at Pacific Rim are big supporters of the Memphis Roller Derby so give them a try. They put a special Z-girl sushi roll on the menu in honor of my wife's team, the Legion of Zoom, who happen to have a bout this Saturday night. Get your tickets!

Anyway, I'm watching one of my 22 hours of daily TV and run across the best commercial I've seen in a long time – Pancake Puffs! Two thoughts immediately sprang to my mind: 1) I must get up now and order a Pancake Puff Pan, and 2) I wish I was the genius who thought of a way to market takoyaki pans to Americans. "Order today and get an additional Pancake Puff Pan at 25% off the regular price!" Don't mind if I do.

Wikipedia soon informed me that these are actually æbleskiver pans used for making Danish stuffed pancakes. Not much marketing genius there, but of course, I still want to buy a couple. However, I decided that ordering one actual takoyaki pan instead of two Pancake Puff Pans was probably more economical.

Soon, I will be making 15 takoyaki at a time. As a variation, I intend to replace the cubes of boiled octopus with some BBQ pork shoulder and cover the whole mess in The Sauce. Do you think the folks at Memphis in May will appreciate some BBQ Puffs? I suppose I should try to make some Pancake Puffs too. My doctor said those would be good for my diabetes.

The quality of the video on the Pancake Puff website is much better than this, but I love that this goofball picked up his video camera to record the commercial for YouTube:

Another Nail in Corky's Coffin

2007-03-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

A link arrives today courtesy of Brain's Brian which further discredits an establishment often purported to be the best Memphis has to offer in terms of barbecue.

Am I wrong in condemning any BBQ sauce that comes in a packet?

Neely's Bar-B-Que

2007-03-18T12:10:00.000-05:00

Not long ago in response to the naming of Patrick Neely as restaurateur of the year, EC and I visited Neely's West for lunch. I've been a few times over the years and enjoyed the food, but it's not a common hang out. They were packed at lunch time. Service was a bit slow, but friendly and accurate. I ordered a small sandwich and beans. EC had beans, fries and a sandwich sans slaw. I spent the entire meal chastising him for that, so I won't do it here. In fact, I'm not really a fan of their slaw. It's too green. I probably wouldn't put them in my top 5, but we had a good meal. I really liked the beans.

The main impetus for this review is to point out an interesting characteristic of their BBQ sauce. It tastes of prunes. Neely's grocery store sauce was widely panned by the participants of our recent tasting, but the restaurant sauce was much more pleasant. I think that trying to replicate that prune-like flavor for the bottle is what makes the store bought sauce so unpalatable. I don't want The Sauce to taste of prunes, but I now have an idea involving molasses, pomegranates, some string, a two-by-four, and the element of surprise.

BTW, It's very dark in there.

Blasphemy or Genius?

2007-03-16T19:24:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Click (Daily).

Friday Night Videos

2007-03-16T19:19:00.000-05:00

Our first Friday Night Montage. This guy's a piece of work.

Bar-B-Palooza 2007 Results

2007-03-13T18:15:00.000-05:00

Much like presidenting, maintaining a blog is hard. At least, doing so well is hard. It requires commitment, enthusiasm and sustained interest. As a man who is routinely too distracted to complete more than the first three chapters of any book, I mostly lack those qualities. Therefore, long after the one person who clamored for me to post the data collected at Bar-B-Palooza 2007 has lost interest, here it is:

{Download Results}

It's a chart that averages all of the ratings given by those who participated in Bar-B-Palooza 2007. The highest scores in each category are marked in green and lowest in red. This was a blind tasting, and in case you're interested, here is the questionnaire we used.

Several things surprised me. Neely's scored lower than even Schnucks Multi-Purpose Meat Sauce, but no one had a bad thing to say about the restaurant. Tops scored low as well, but I was less surprised as the sauce is ridiculously sour and requires both pork and slaw for the full effect. Three Little Pigs and The Sauce tied for sweetness despite the former being almost as tangy as Tops. My entire approach has been to limit sweetness. It looks like I've failed there. The biggest surprise was perhaps that the Commissary scored the highest in overall tastiness. This could be because we tasted the sauces sans pork, bun and slaw which can be a bit jarring.

What did I learn? Not much really. There was nothing scientific or statistically accurate about the event. It was just fun. I did learn that I have way too many friends who like the Bar-B-Q Shop, and several of them don't know the difference between sweet and sour.

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Ego Alieno

2007-03-10T11:09:00.000-06:00

As a kid, I was often distracted and awfully forgetful. In the winter I left my jacket at school almost every day. In the summer, I'd forget to come inside for lunch. I could never answer the question, "Where is your little brother?" I forgot to get my homework. I forgot to do my homework. I forgot to take my homework back to school. And, I still can't find that peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Things haven't improved as I grow older.

Bar-B-Palooza 2007 occurred two weeks ago Sunday. I've waited too long to write a post detailing the event. I'm not really sure what fun things we did or what witty things were said. I know that Click (Daily) was the most gracious of hosts. I know that we ate some damn fine pork shoulder (thanks RA). I also know that RA couldn't join the party because the baby was sick. RJA was there. (Unfortunately, he reads this blog and invited himself.) We ate more BBQ sauce than really should be eaten. The monkeys ran around like, well, monkeys. Miss M and the dog did not become fast friends. We made a big mess. And as always, E and I were the last to leave.

Here are a few snapshots that I don't remember taking:

Friday Night Videos

2007-03-09T23:16:00.000-06:00

Sexy BBQ. Local commercials are the best.

Interweb Randomness

2007-03-08T10:32:00.000-06:00

I'm working on the sauce tasting results. I promise. Don't blame me. It's the dyubeetus. In the meantime, here are few bits of food-related news:

Patrick Neely named Restaurateur of the Year. Congrats! Read the article. The Food Network needs a Memphis-style BBQ show. Hope that works out.

Two-faced pig. No, I'm not talking about Rachael Ray. Looks awfully photoshopped to me.

Waste of money? I think I'm ordering one.

Rachael Ray attacked. OK, now I am talking about Rachael Ray. Isaboo? Really? Isaboo?

Friday Night Videos

2007-03-02T22:13:00.000-06:00

Super Kung Fu Soccer Barbecue Beer. Hit me!

Après Moi, le Déluge

2007-02-28T21:21:00.000-06:00

My harsh criticism for a certain establishment on Madison is well known, but it's not my fault. The Bar-B-Q Shop continues to suck. On Saturday, I planned to pick up the final sauces needed for our little tasting, but before I could get it in gear, the clouds burst. I thought, "No worries, I'll run out and grab the last minute items tomorrow, at the last minute." No need to mess about in the storm.

It was not my intention to exclude said restaurant from the gathering. In fact, I knew I'd catch a lot a grief if they weren't represented, as a host of Bar-B-Q Shop apologists would be in attendance. Well, the stupid place is closed on Sunday. Tops? Open. Central? Open. Three Little Pigs? Open. Whole Hog Café? Open. Bar-B-Q Shop? Closed. Also, the sauce does not seem to be available at either Schnucks or the Piggly Wiggly. At least, not in midtown. I checked.

I'm working on posting the results of the tasting, but wanted to get that mini-rant out on the Interweb.

Disappointed

2007-02-25T13:07:00.000-06:00

About 10 minutes into cooking last night, I cut my thumb. E finished chopping the vegetables for me, and I managed to finish the ragu and the salsa. However, I wasn't too interested in making sauce. So, I got up this morning and got to work. Unfortunately, this batch sucks. After we get the results from today's tasting, I'll try to figure out what happened. Right now, I'm just pissed.

Salsa Tomate Asado

2007-02-24T21:51:00.000-06:00

Ragu Tacchino

2007-02-24T21:42:00.000-06:00

Cheating?

2007-02-24T18:35:00.000-06:00

A few days ago after lunch, I stopped at Borders for a $2 cup of coffee to take back to work. $85 later, one of the items I left with was a cookbook titled Barbecue! Bible : Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades, Bastes, Butters, and Glazes. I skimmed it briefly today and didn't notice a recipe that cooked for longer than 45 minutes. I think shortening the cooking time for The Sauce is a step in the right direction. We'll find out tonight.

Also on tonight's cooking agenda: roasted tomato salsa, turkey ragu and guacamole. The guacamole has already been made and eaten.

Going Overboard

2007-02-24T13:36:00.000-06:00

I just got back from the grocery where I picked up the following sauces: Commissary Mild, Neely's, Rendezvous, Stubb's Original, and the pièce de résistance – Schnuck's Multi-purpose Meat Sauce. Later today I'll stop by Tops, Central and the Three Little Pigs to bring our total to ten for the tasting including mine and RA's. We're gonna have a lot of leftover BBQ sauce.

Bar-B-Palooza 2007

2007-02-23T12:25:00.000-06:00

I mentioned spending the upcoming weekend tasting and testing BBQ sauces from around the city, and Click (Daily) has graciously offered to host a gathering at her home on Sunday afternoon to do just that. In an equally gracious move, the Ashley's are bringing a pork shoulder and some of their own private label sauce. Who's bringing the beer?

Here's the plan. I pick up 5-10 sauces including mine and RA's. Each person rates as many of the sauces as they like in categories such as color, overall taste, sweetness, etc. Then they make a sandwich and drink a beer. I'll post the results – of both the testing and the beer drinking. Of course, now I have to come up with some sort of questionnaire for everyone to fill out. So much for doing any real work today. Ah, the things we do for scientific BBQ advancement.

Since I'm mostly looking to determine the balance of flavors in the best sauces and not really trying to identify a "winner," is there any reason to do blind tasting? Also, which ones should we test? Tops, Bar-B-Q Shop, Rendezvous, Neely's, Central, Commissary? Any preferences?

If you haven't already been invited, speak up, and I'll let you know if you are.

Friday Night Videos

2007-02-23T11:34:00.000-06:00

As a newly diagnosed diabetic, is this what I'm reduced to?

Sauce Talk

2007-02-21T10:10:00.001-06:00

After a lot of thought and quite a few taste tests of the last several variations of The Sauce, I've decided to alter my fundamental approach to sauce making in two ways.

I've become too preoccupied with sauce viscosity, and I think that's causing me to cook everything too long. The flavor is still good, but wrong. Overcooked is the only word I can think of to describe it. It's not fresh enough.

Also, there are still several flavors that I want to add, but I've run out of spice overhead. For the batch size that I'm making, I'll have to start working in eighths of a teaspoon to avoid over seasoning. That's a pain in the ass. Instead of measuring out each individual spice for each batch, I'm going to turn my mixture into a rub or adobo. Then I can add that mix by tablespoons to the the sauce. Brilliant! (Thanks, Sassy Molassy. Your recent order of Indian spice mixes from EthnicGrocer.com inspired this idea.)

Anyway, that's the new plan. Before I get started, I think I'll drive around town picking up sauce samples for a big taste comparison extravaganza. Anybody want to drop by this weekend and offer their opinions?

The Year of the Pig

2007-02-16T17:30:00.000-06:00

The Saucier has been diagnosed with The Diabetes – a plague among us pudgy, Southern lovers of barbecue. As you can imagine, I've been a bit uninspired when it comes to writing or even thinking about BBQ sauce for the past week. Have no fear, faithful readers. This just means I'll have to reduce the frequency and quantity of my personal BBQ intake, but I can still cook up all the sauce I want. And, I want to cook up a lot of sauce.

This is after all the Year of the Pig. What? You didn't know? Well, Chinese New Year hits on Sunday the 18th, and 2007 is the Year of the Pig. To be more precise, 4705 is the Year of the Boar. In fact depending on which fortune teller you ask, it's the Year of the Golden Pig which happens only once every 60 years. Parents consider this an extremely lucky time to have a child, and I can't help but think it's an extremely lucky time to birth a new barbecue sauce.

Friday Night Videos

2007-02-16T17:14:00.000-06:00

This commercial just freaked me out.

Friday Night Videos

2007-02-09T19:26:00.000-06:00

Too much real work has led up to Friday Night Videos with no previous posts for the week. Shameful. Perhaps I can make up for it. It's not National Barbecue Month, but don't you wish it was?

Trois

2007-02-03T21:25:00.000-06:00

Ladies and gentlemen, we have tang. I know I promised four iterations of The Sauce by the end of today, but I'm awfully pleased with my latest attempt. This version thickened perfectly, and I'm removing the corn starch option from the recipe. When cooked properly, The Sauce needs no artificial agents. I'm stopping here for the night. Before making another batch, I think I need to get some outside opinions.

I made some big changes this time around including the addition of ketchup and prepared mustard. I've avoided the Heinz until now because I've tasted way too many BBQ sauces that were essentially ketchup, Worcestershire, and not much else. In this case as an additive, I think I may have found what was missing. You'll also notice powdered lemon peel and a touch of cinnamon in the recipe.

Dry Ingredients
3/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Powdered Lemon Peel
1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
1/8 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Celery Seed
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper

Wet Ingredients
3 cups Beef Stock
16 oz Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbsp Prepared Mustard

Finishers
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Molasses

Simmer tomato sauce about 45 minutes to thicken. Combine the wet ingredients and bring to a boil. Combine the dry ingredients. Add to the wet and simmer 1 hour. Add the finishers approximately 15 minutes before the end of cooking.

Deux

2007-02-03T13:56:00.000-06:00

Well, that was a bust. I thought I could add some tang with a bit of orange juice. I should have used actual Tang instead. I cut back on the heat by removing the chipotle chili powder. In fact, I reduced the quantities of several of the spices. Mistake. I also added 1/4 tsp of ground cloves. They provided strong smell while cooking, but the flavor seemed to disappear in the final product. I might try allspice instead.

There is really nothing good to say about this batch. Moving on.

Un

2007-02-03T10:32:00.000-06:00

As promised, I'm back to The Sauce – one batch down this Saturday morning. I'm not terribly happy with it, but E says it's the best so far. I tacked a half hour on to the cooking time which seemed to thicken things properly without burning. I'm sticking with the current level of heat for now, but I might eliminate the chipotle and go all paprika. The finish still isn't as smooth as I'd like, and there isn't enough tang. Mmmmmmm… astronauts. I'll add still more vinegar this time and perhaps cloves.

Part two on the way.

Friday Night Videos

2007-02-02T17:11:00.000-06:00

Keeping with the Aqua Teen Hunger Force theme, here's an episode titled "Global Grilling." It includes both the Char-Nobyl nuclear-powered grill and the original, wooden George Washington grill. Fair warning. It's a cartoon, but it's not for the kiddies. It's kinda gross, too.

Some Common Sense Please

2007-02-02T11:23:00.000-06:00

Some days this blog just writes itself. With all the attention being paid to the big Mooninite scare in Boston, this little gem might get overlooked. People, please. When you are standing in the airport security line, keep your mouth shut. Speak only when spoken to. Nothing you say can possibly be funny. Nothing.

Super Sauce

2007-02-01T09:55:00.000-06:00

In the hopes of having an edible version of The Sauce available for Super Bowl Sunday, I'm making up for lost time. They call it rapid prototyping – at least 4 experiments by the end of Saturday. It's shameful that I haven't made a batch in over two months. After reviewing my notes, I'll return to tomato sauce and add even more vinegar. I'm adjusting the onion power and introducing celery seed.

Dry Ingredients
3/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Ground Celery Seed
1/4 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dry Mustard
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper

Wet Ingredients
3 cups Beef Stock
16 oz Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce

Finishers
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Molasses

Simmer tomato sauce about 45 minutes to thicken. Combine the wet ingredients and bring to a boil. Combine the dry ingredients. Add to the wet and simmer 1 hour. Add the finishers approximately 15 minutes before the end of cooking.

Add 2 spoonfuls of corn starch slurry at the very end to thicken, if needed.

Central BBQ

2007-01-30T14:38:00.000-06:00

I read some kind words about Central BBQ on one of my favorite blogs today. (Fans of virtual travel should check out Jaunted.) However, I was a bit confused by some things. With all the delicious looking food at Central, why would you post that terribly unappetizing picture? Why would you order a turkey sandwich in the first place? And, why would you be frightened to order some BBQ in the land of southern hospitality.

All in all, I'm glad to know that someone visited our fair city and didn't write about eating at Corky's or the Rendezvous. For that alone, I'm willing to overlook the use of "Q."

Jack's Bar-B-Q Rib Shack

2007-01-28T10:45:00.000-06:00

For me, the best blogs are frequently updated with short posts including lots of pictures. In this case, a long-winded, picture-free post cannot be avoided. Where do I begin? Unfortunately, not with the barbecue.

Thursday at lunch, DW and I discussed going to see the horror flick Black Christmas over the weekend. Planning to see a Christmas-themed B-movie a month after Christmas might sound strange, but we have a history of slasher film appreciation that includes seeing every installment of Friday the 13th together (the last 5 on opening weekend). I must point out that the current crop of torture and mutilation movies like Saw are not included in this appreciation. As my memaw would have said, "Those shows are just ugly!" No, we're more about the 70's/80's style pictures like Halloween. With Black Christmas you get a holiday slasher, a brother-father sister-daughter combo, cannibalism, sorority girls, plus death by candy cane, ornament, icicle and more. What's not to love?

With neither of us having anything to do, we met at the movie theater for a 5:30 show Friday night. It was still playing at only one place – Ajay Theatres' Palace Cinema. Of all the things the Palace might be, a palace is not on the list. Longtime Memphians know it better as the Fare Four. So many things here are called by their original names no matter how many times they might change ownership, be closed, reopened, burned down, rebuilt or even moved. Regardless, the venue was not a problem. Our choice of movie had little to do with quality. Why should the theater? In fact, from 5-6 PM they have a $3 daily special that includes popcorn and a Pepsi. Perfect.

We had touched on the possibility of grabbing dinner after the movie, and when I pulled up, I was reminded that Jack's Bar-B-Q Rib Shack is right there in the same parking lot. Damn! I knew we'd end up eating there, and I forgot my camera. DW was playing Ms. Pac-Man when I walked in, and sure enough, the first thing he said was that he wouldn't mind hitting that BBQ place "for the sake of the website."

We soon learned that three dollars might have been a bit too much to pay. I didn't remember the decor, but I've haven't been to the Palace in a couple of years. Perhaps it had changed. It's pretty run down, dimly lit and dotted with odd, colorful statues of various jungle animals. What the hell. It's only three bucks. We picked up our complimentary movie treats and headed into our theater. I wasn't prepared. The floor is pitched at about 70 degrees, and the temperature was about 10 degrees. There aren't any theater seats. Instead, there are these ridiculous booth contraptions handmade from particle board. They seat two small people or one large person on terribly uncomfortable cushions. There have no leg room and the back of the booth comes back over your head. Imagine the cab of a horse-drawn carriage with the roof pulled back. This is impossible to describe. Damn! I wish I'd had my camera. The sound system barely worked, and the screen was dim and off-center. The theater was hilarious, the movie was hilarious, and the one family that joined us was also hilarious. (Although, Black Christmas wasn't appropriate fare for the three children). We had fun.

After the movie, we decided to leave our cars where they were and walk across the parking lot to Jack's. I knew of Jack's, but had never eaten there. It's off the beaten path for me. In fact it's so tucked away, I don't know how it could be on anyone's beaten path. The decor is authentic rustic BBQ joint, and the staff is really friendly. DW ordered a beer and a BBQ plate, and I got the sandwich and some beans. We both ordered tamales which were pretty good. The beans had good flavor but were way to runny and way too pricey as a side. Likewise, the slaw looked too wet, but DW said it was alright. The sauce fell flat on it's own as it was too sweet and ketchupy. The pork itself, however, had fine flavor, and taken as a whole, my sandwich was good. They had some good hot sauce on the table too which we assumed was the house blend. DW put it on everything. I wouldn't make a special trip, but I would certainly eat there again. I finished the meal with some rightfully recommended homemade coconut cake.

We walked back to our cars joking about how for only $3 we might as well do the same thing again tomorrow. When I hopped in the truck, I noticed that the box of Kleenex sitting on the passenger's seat was crushed. Odd, I didn't remember that happening. I then noticed that my radio had been liberated from the dash. Crap! The thieves were very professional. They didn't break the window or disturb anything else. They just very neatly removed the radio and even left my spare change. That's good because our $3 movie adventure is going to wind up costing about $300 instead.

Friday Night Videos

2007-01-26T20:40:00.000-06:00

"Searching for videos is temporarily unavailable" according to the jokers who run YouTube. Therefore, we head back to Smokestack Lightning for some BBQ & personal grooming footage. Be sure to check out the 'stache sported by Ron Quick and the wig hat on Grace Harris. Stick with it to the end for the crazy talk about flies.

The Wide, Wide World of Web

2007-01-23T16:02:00.000-06:00

I know I've fallen down on the blog lately, but the holidays, illness, excessive weight gain, a bathroom remodeling project and other factors have all contributed to a lack of focus on the world of barbecue.

As a cop out, here are a few BBQ-related links to the Interweb:

Bert's Bar B-Q. It's sad to see 37 years of tradition go up in flames. It's also surprising that BBQ joints don't burn down more often.

Cheap Eats. Leave it to a New Yorker to wonder what to do with 10 lbs. of pork shoulder. It's never to cold to barbecue.

Smoker. I really think I'm gonna make one of these. Really.

Duck Mouse. I am not going to make one of these.

Friday Night Videos

2007-01-19T15:37:00.000-06:00

In keeping with today's theme.

Redonkulous

2007-01-19T10:55:00.000-06:00

What does it mean when a BBQ restaurant sells their food on QVC? For yours truly, that sort of behavior is most certainly beyond the pale. What's next? eBay? (OK, that's upsetting.)

Anyway, I got a tip that Corky's has their own half hour on the network once in a while and set the TiVo accordingly. Somehow they found a way to make the celebration of mediocrity that is Corky's Ribs & BBQ even more lame. Of course if you get a chance to watch, do. It's quite surreal – a tall, white talking head with a toupee takes phone calls and hawks frozen BBQ while a small, black man in a white jacket and red chef's hat picks the meat off a plate of ribs.

Thanks DW for the heads up on this, but it still disturbs me that you're on the Corky's mailing list.

Moonlite® Bar-B-Q Inn, Inc.

2007-01-17T09:48:00.001-06:00

I can't say that I've ever been interested in Kentucky BBQ. Bourbon? Yes. Hell, yes! But not BBQ. This review at Hot Sauce Blog has changed things a bit. Ron really seemed to like it, but the pics he took don't look too appetizing. You should know by now that if your BBQ restaurant is incorporated and your name is a registered trademark, the odds are pretty slim that I'll eat there twice.

In spite of all that, I still might have to take a 5-hour road trip. Why? Barbecue mutton, that's why. All of a sudden, I need to eat a sheep. Help me out here. Is BBQ mutton really a Kentucky thing or just a Moonlite thing? When I consult The Great Google, all I get are links to Moonlite (another sign they are too popular to be good). Either way, I needs ta git me sum a dat.

I just wish I could have met Pappy Bosley.

Friday Night Videos

2007-01-12T14:31:00.000-06:00

Based on the number of "people eating McRibs" videos being posted to YouTube, I'm thinking that Google overpaid.

C’est Tout Ce Que J’aime

2007-01-12T09:20:00.000-06:00

It has already disappeared from Midtown, and I'm sure that other areas of the city are experiencing shortages. However, a few days ago for lunch I managed to finagle a couple of McRibs from the same East Memphis McDonalds I obtained my first of the season. Thanks HA for the Arch Card Bar-B-Log Christmas subsidy. My McFlurry of caloric intake (1,950 by my count) has sated me for now. I believe I'll be able to make it until the next magical McRib window opens. I leave you with this site I found while searching The Great Google for nutritional info on our favorite sandwich. I'm lovin' it!

Technomometer

2007-01-11T23:12:00.000-06:00

In keeping with the theme of BBQ-related technological advancements, here's a wireless talking meat thermometer from Oregon Scientific. God help me, I think I might actually have to buy this.

Recent Developments in Communication

2007-01-10T23:01:00.000-06:00

By now, most of you interwebbers have been alerted to Apple's new iPhone. It's a telephone, it's a radio, it interwebs, it bakes cookies, it does the laundry, it slices, it dices, it juliennes. Big whup. Do you want true innovation? A paradigm shift in telecommunications? My friends, I give you the pigPhone.

Greatest. Quote. Ever.

2007-01-09T15:29:00.000-06:00

“I’ve realized my dream that noodles can go into space.” – Momofuku Ando. Please observe a moment of silence for a true food pioneer. Mr. Ando, you will be missed.

Links:
The Japan Times
The New York Times
The Official Ramen Homepage
Ramen Museum
Nissin Foods

淘气烧烤 (táo qì shāo kǎo)

2007-01-06T23:54:00.000-06:00

The Saucier enjoys street food. The Saucier has a strong stomach. The Saucier likes to refer to himself in the third person. The Saucier wants to go to Shanghai. The Saucier wants to eat at the Naughty Barbecue.

Sample items from the translated menu: sheep's ribs, cow's feet, chicken stomach, cow's penis and stinky tofu. Fire kills everything. Who's coming with?

Friday Night Videos

2007-01-05T12:20:00.000-06:00

Here's another Memphis barbecue video from Serious Eats. This time the focus is on Beale back in the day.

Smoque

2007-01-04T21:49:00.000-06:00

What prompted my diatribe on the word barbecue? The Chicagoist posted a glowing review of a restaurant with an absolutely ridiculous name. Nevertheless, the picture of that chicken has me intrigued. I've traveled to Chicago often over the years and eaten many great meals there. I never once considered ordering BBQ. Looking at the map, it's doubtful that I'll make it to Smoque the next time I visit the windy city, but you never know.

Unlike the Chicagoist, I really appreciate the "intensity" of the 2000-word Smoque BBQ Manifesto and could find very little to disagree with while reading through it. More businesses should put that much thought into what they're trying to accomplish. Of course its title, Our View on Q – An Essay on BBQ, made me throw up in my mouth a little. Still, while reading the section on BBQ sauce it occurred to me that I should clarify something. I describe Bar-B-Log as a quest for the perfect BBQ sauce, which is true insofar as it pertains to pork. That's what I'm looking to create first and foremost. I too believe that the perfect sauce for one smoked meat is not the perfect sauce for another. In fact at this stage in the development of The Sauce, I might be closer to the perfect sauce for chicken. I need to get to work.

A Word About Barbecue

2007-01-04T10:30:00.000-06:00

The word is barbecue. That's barbecue with a "c." Barbeque is just a misspelled word. BBQ is the only acceptable abbreviation of barbecue. Why? Because the purpose of an abbreviation is to shorten a word. Bar-B-Q is not significantly shorter and Bar-B-Que is actually one character longer. Stick to BBQ.

If you catch me using anything other than barbecue or BBQ, it's because I'm referring to a restaurant that has chosen to misspell it's name. Otherwise, I made a typo.

Most important, no self-respecting individual refers to BBQ as 'cue. I've lived in Memphis all of my life. No one here says that. I've asked around. No one says it. Only ill-informed journalists and TV folk use such non-existent slang. It hurts my ears when they say it. Don't say it.

Holiday Wrap-Up

2007-01-02T21:20:00.000-06:00

The season of season's greetings has ended and so too has my vacation. What needs to be said of my week away from the Interweb?

Goose tastes good. It tastes real good. We Americans have really missed the boat on this one.

Bar-B-Log received holiday subsidies that will be put to good use in the new year. Is Ronald still selling McRibs?

After only two attempts, I have perfected my pineapple upside-down cake. The preceding picture is of my pineapple right-side-up cake.

Friday Night Videos

2006-12-29T07:50:00.000-06:00

I've been on vacation and haven't felt very bloggy. Still, a man has obligations. Today's video is not BBQ-related, but it does demonstrate the kind of fast food innovation that brought us the McRib.

Merry Christmas

2006-12-24T17:16:00.000-06:00

Not much BBQ for me this time of year. Instead, I bring you my very yellow contribution to Christmas Eve dinner. Tonight we will be having goose which is something I've always wanted to try cooking, I've never been industrious enough to track one down and give it a go. Luckily for me, it's a family tradition for HA (crazy Icelanders), and I've been invited to partake. I'll soon find out whether I like it.

Friday Night Videos

2006-12-22T10:31:00.000-06:00

This video link arrives courtesy of BD (Husband of Click Daily). Pay attention to J. C. Hardaway's reaction to the length of time Raymond Robinson claims to cook his ribs.

Holiday Hopes Dashed

2006-12-20T10:01:00.000-06:00

I had plans for the upcoming holidays. With a week off between Christmas and New Year's Day, I hoped to work on The Sauce, maybe smoke a chicken, organize my office, bake a pineapple upside down cake for Christmas Eve, work on our bathroom remodel, cook some prime rib, change the oil in my motorcycle, and try to make tea eggs.

Big plans, I know. I didn't expect to accomplish everything on my list, but I thought I'd get a few things knocked out. Alas, that will not happen. An upgrade to LineRider has been released. See you all in 2008.

Genius or Madness?

2006-12-19T07:49:00.000-06:00

I had a dream last night which is rare, although becoming more common as I age. In this dream, I was eating what could only be called a BBQ cheesecake. Imagine a slice of NY-style cheesecake with a thin layer of reduced, extra-sweet BBQ sauce on top. While my dream was of a dessert, a savory BBQ cheesecake might be possible. A quick consultation of The Great Google yielded an experiment with a smoked salmon cheesecake. Why not BBQ? Discuss amongst yourselves.

My Baby Loves Me

2006-12-18T07:48:00.000-06:00

While making a Legion of Zoom/Moxie Dynamite t-shirt for me to wear to the roller derby last week, E also made this kickass tee. Viva McRib!

Friday Night Videos

2006-12-15T11:20:00.000-06:00

Like most of the Interweb, I have become obsessed with LineRider. With a little more practice, I'm hoping to turn pro. This is how I spent my week.

Smoking Turkeys

2006-12-13T15:53:00.000-06:00

For all practical purposes, The Saucier is a libertarian. If you want to smoke, smoke. If you want to do so in a restaurant, knock yourself out. If the restaurateur would rather you didn't, get out. And if you don't want to work in a smoky environment, get another job. Anti-smoking legislation has nothing to do with public health. Like all politics, it's about money, power, control and self-righteousness.

With that, I give you guest Bar-B-Logger, RJA:

The Commercial Appeal today has a story regarding the proposed state-wide ban on smoking in all public buildings, with the focus being on restaurants and bars. I’m not here to argue whether this is a good idea or not, or whether the government should be going into private businesses to tell them what they can and can’t do. The solution seems like common sense to me – let the private business owner set his own policy and the free market will decide whether it’s a valid policy or not.

This is the Bar-B-Log, so if The Saucier will indulge me, I’m going to focus on the story below the fold, the one about The Rendezvous voluntarily initiating a no smoking policy as of Jan 11. I should point out that I’m a small business owner and that my business happens to be tobacco. The fact that they want to change their policy is their business, being able to make our own rules is why we go into business for ourselves. And I don’t dare tell the Vergoses how to run their operation, they run one of the best tourist traps in Memphis. My problem is with the hypocrisy, with these bar and restaurant owners spouting off about health and the well-being of their patrons. Nick Vergos is in the game of trying to get you to cram as much pork into your system as you could possibly handle. I can also visit the Rendezvous, drink draft Michelob after draft Michelob, put my family in the car and drive them across town. But there’s money to be made in fat. And there’s money to be made in beer. And if there was money to be made for him in tobacco, you can be sure Nick Vergos would baste it, chop it or pour it up with as much gusto as imaginable.

Captain John's Old Tyme Pit Barbecue

2006-12-12T09:30:00.000-06:00

Historically, I don't find myself in Collierville very often. Maybe once a year. Maybe. But, now that my dad started managing the service department of a motorcycle dealership out there and the MRD set up shop at FunQuest, I seem to be making the trip all the time – twice last week as a matter of fact.

On the way out to see my baby in the roller derby Saturday night, I stopped at Captain John's Old Tyme Pit Barbecue on Highway 72. I'd noticed it several times before, but this was my first meal there. I ordered a jumbo sandwich plate with beans and fries from some very nice ladies who took good care of me. I love the South.

Skip the fries. The beans were plain but good – just BBQ beans sans any extras like onions or meat. It's difficult to critique the slaw without ordering any extra. On the sandwich, it seemed pretty standard. Although, when I lifted the bun to add some sauce, I could swear I saw some lettuce. Maybe it was parsley. Either way, that's weird.

The BBQ itself had good flavor. My sandwich had some extra crunch that I'm attributing to the presence of extra bark. Lucky me. I don't think it was heat lamp crispiness because the meat wasn't dry at all. The sauce was similar to but not as tangy as Tops. And unlike Tops, Captain John's serves ribs. I'll try those in March when the roller derby season starts back up.

On a side note, I've got to stop ordering jumbo sandwiches. Not just because I'm a little too jumbo myself and shouldn't be eating barbecue in the first place. No, it's because they are unwieldy and always seem to fall apart making a big mess. This isn't a knock on Captain John's. Every jumbo combo seems to do the same.

The final verdict? I wouldn't make any special trips to Collierville for a sandwich at Captain John's, but if you're hungry and driving down 72, stop in.

3 Stars? Are you kidding me?

2006-12-08T11:27:00.000-06:00

Given my recent flirtation with Alabama BBQ, I can't say that I'm terribly interested in a Birmingham chain setting up shop in the greater Memphis area, but many of you have pointed out Leslie Kelly's review of the newly opened Jim 'n Nick's Bar-B-Q in today's Commercial Appeal. I have yet to visit, but I feel compelled to respond.

First, you can't really classify Jim 'n Nick's as a BBQ place. Much like Smokey Bones, it sounds more like a restaurant that serves BBQ. You won't find linen napkins, spinach & artichoke dip, quesadillas or a rib-eye steak at Tops. The pie sounds good, but it ain't no bag of donuts. Second – pickles, pickles, pickles, again with the pickles. Third, do you really want to pay $8 for a BBQ sandwich? Lastly, butt jokes are funny. I like a good butt joke. I like a good butt. But, if Jim 'n Nick's slogan really is "you can smell our butts for miles," that's just gross.

The CA has six reviews (that I could find) of BBQ spots available on its website dating back to 2001. Only, Corky's and Jim 'n Nick's were rated 3 stars. Those two reviews were written by Leslie Kelly. It's a shame she's heading back to the Pacific Northwest.

And, no. It wasn't me.

Friday Night Videos

2006-12-08T07:34:00.000-06:00

Seriously, how many BBQ-related videos can you watch?

Full Plate

2006-12-07T08:45:00.000-06:00

Ukrainian scientist? Talking, musical plates? Smart belt? Stinky jewelry? I just don't think these things will help people lose weight or avoid overeating. If anything, they might just spur on competition. How many BBQ sandwiches can you eat before your smart belt explodes?

The following quote says it all, "I don't take money for any of this, not a kopeck. When I invented the musical condom I had people from Canada, Israel, and even Germany get in touch with me, but there were no offers from serious companies."

Lords of Smoke, Fire & Meat

2006-12-06T10:38:00.000-06:00

Barbecue, TV and Las Vegas – three great tastes that taste great together. I've been hooked on the Barbecue Championship Series for some time. It's currently in the second round of competition on Versus. 18 BBQ cooks vie for $75,000 in a 3-round tournament.

Each show consists of 3 dishes – the grand BBQ, the backyard BBQ, and the dish that bites back. For the grand BBQ, the cooks can use their own cooker and they each have access to a fully stocked pantry for 5 minutes at the start of each dish. The meat, the cooker and the time limit are all chosen by the producers.

The show's creators learned a lot from the original Iron Chef including tight time limits, mystery ingredients, contestant profiles, colorful "celebrity" judges and subdued trash talk.

The lone Memphian was eliminated in the first show of the first round. One of the judges is from Oklahoma, and I suspect sabotage. Nevertheless, here are few reasons to watch:

Wildly inconsistent and unpredictable judging

The "BBQ Ambassadors" – impossibly thin and buxom Las Vegas showgirls

A crazy, fat Frenchman

A whole bunch of butt jokes

An unruly audience

A horrendous website

Chubby rednecks in shorts and ball caps

The "dish that bites back" – a surprise, live ingredient that the competitors must catch, kill and BBQ in a ridiculously short time

Nashvegas vs. the MRD

2006-12-05T12:53:00.000-06:00

For any of you who aren't attending the Memphis Roller Derby pre-season bout to see Moxie Dynamite and the Legion of Zoom kick the crap out of the PrissKilla Prezleys on Saturday, December 9th, you can head to Nashville for the Holiday Blogger Meat-up.

If you drive real fast, you may be able to do both, but as much as I loves me some BBQ, I'm taking my sandwich to the bout.

Meet the Flintstones

2006-12-05T12:24:00.000-06:00

This is what happens when you eat barbecue made out of dinosaurs. Stick to pork shoulder.

Baker's Edge Brownie Pan

2006-12-04T10:35:00.000-06:00

Genius! {via}

Sign of the Apocalypse

2006-12-02T16:42:00.000-06:00

If this is the way it's gonna be, I'm canceling Christmas.

Friday Night Videos

2006-12-01T07:47:00.000-06:00

It started out funny. Then I got scared.

5 Takes Memphis

2006-11-30T08:45:00.000-06:00

All in all, the Travel Channel show 5 Takes: USA is pretty lame. Nothing seems very spontaneous, and the corporate sponsorships are over the top. The travelers, or TJs as they're called, are a bunch of doofuses. In fact, I think one of them is a bit touched in the head.

With that said, their recent visit to Memphis left our fair city looking like quite the place to be. As soon as the episode was over, I turned to E and said, "I wanna go there." Of course they made the requisite visits to Beale Street and Graceland, but they did some unexpectedly hip stuff too like visit Goner Records and take an American Dream Safari with our friend Tad.

What really crossed the t's with me was their avoidance of any barbecue joints. Instead, they went to a backyard BBQ in South Bluffs. The event came across as really staged, but I appreciated the unique effort.

We Memphians tend to be an apathetic and downright negative bunch when it comes to this town, but it was fun to see things through the eyes of a bunch of fer'ners. Apparently, there are some cool things happening in these parts. At least, that's what the Travel Channel would have us believe.

Interweb Smoker

2006-11-29T15:30:00.000-06:00

Make is one of my favorite blogpages. I'm not much of a tinkerer, but I like to pretend that I am. Visiting Make every day to see what the real geeks are building provides much vicarious satisfaction and sparks some great daydreaming about crazy projects big and small that I'll never actually start.

Today was no exception when I learned that I'll soon be able to smoke meat using the mighty power of the Interweb. My own smoker is already halfway built… in my mind.

Wireless BBQ

2006-11-29T09:15:00.000-06:00

In keeping with the theme of my last post, here are some items that no cell phone user should be without.

BBQ Sauce Bar

2006-11-28T21:15:00.000-06:00

If vinegar bars are a hit in Japan, then why won't my idea for a BBQ/hot sauce bar work right here at home?

Jim Deerman's Bar-B-Q

2006-11-28T07:01:00.000-06:00

On the way back from a ridiculously bountiful Thanksgiving in Georgia, E and I stopped for lunch on Highway 78. Knowing that after the past few days any meal would be a let down, we settled on trying some Alabama BBQ. Jim Deerman's looked like a good place, and I ordered a pork plate while E got a chicken sandwich.

This review will be quick. The pork? No smoke, no sweet, tasted boiled. The sauce? Spoiled ketchup. The beans? A can of baked beans with some onions and pork thrown in. The onion rings? I almost chipped a tooth. The slaw? What slaw? I didn't taste E's sandwich, but it came without slaw of course. It did have an unrequested slice of pickle. I guess we were still too close to Atlanta. Her greens and potato salad were fine if you like canned greens and grocery store potato salad.

If this is Alabama BBQ (and I hope it isn't representative), no thanks.

Friday Night Videos

2006-11-24T20:37:00.000-06:00

Old skool for the class of '88.

Pies!

2006-11-21T20:12:00.000-06:00

Pecan, pumpkin & cocoa-nut.

Giving Thanks

2006-11-21T07:40:00.000-06:00

It seems that Thanksgiving is a slow time for a barbecue blogger. We Memphians may love our BBQ, but there isn't much to say about it this week. Instead, talk has shifted to which of our favorite establishments are offering smoked turkeys – many of them are. For our family, the focus is on traditional, delicious, homemade ravioli – making it and eating it. All in all, it's a wonderful time for family, friends and food, but I won't be doing much writing. What will I be doing? Baking pies.

More Better

2006-11-21T07:17:00.000-06:00

I neglected to provide a review of my last batch of The Sauce. Here are a few quick notes:

I saw some real improvements in the overall flavor. Less sugar and more vinegar was definitely the right way to go. I think I found the right combination of brown sugar, honey and molasses.

Switching from tomato sauce to crushed tomatoes was a good experiment, but it didn't work for me. I didn't like the chunky texture that they added. I'm going back to sauce.

The same problems still linger – too thin, too hot, needs smoke.

Friday Night Videos

2006-11-17T07:34:00.000-06:00