Hot Stuff
Discovering Your Grilling Alter Ego at BUSH’S Barbecue Boot Camp
I’ve taught a lot of grilling classes over the years—at Barbecue University at the Broadmoor and at venues all over the world. But earlier this year, I led a course based on a very different premise than my usual classes. Sponsored by BUSH’S (of baked bean fame), Barbecue Boot Camp had two simple missions: transform four students from grilling neophytes to live-fire pros, and help them discover their “grilling alter egos” along the way....
Read more →Under the Hood
Kalamazoo Cabinet Smoker and Russ Faulk, the Man Who Created It
Most grill and smoker designs have been around for decades, even centuries. It’s not often that a manufacturer comes along with something radically new. Well, Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has, and I got to test drive it during the taping of Project Smoke, Season 3. (We used it to smoke pastrami bacon and Korean pulled pork shoulder.) It’s the Kalamazoo Cabinet Smoker and it’s simply one of the most intriguing fusions of high design, ingenious engineering, and primal smoke and fire on Planet Barbecue. You’ve probably heard of Kalamazoo—the manufacturer of super premium grills that perform like Ferraris—and are priced like Ferraris, too. Kalamazoo’s first grill—the...
Read more →Eat Your Words
Free Ebook Download with Newsletter Signup
We're taking a break from manning the grill to let you know about a new opportunity you have to get a free ebook from Steven Raichlen! New subscribers to the Barbecue! Bible Up in Smoke Newsletter will receive Raichlen's Burgers, exclusively available through the MailChimp signup form on our site. Plain old burgers? No such thing. With Raichlen’s Burgers, the doors to burger mastery are flung wide open. There’s the...
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How to Buy A Smoker, Part 2
If you own a charcoal grill with a tight-fitting lid, you already have a smoker. Simply set it up for indirect grilling, add wood chips or chunks to the coals, and you’re in business. (If you own a gas grill, you can add subtle smoke flavor to your food by using a smoking pouch or smoking box, but the grill’s rear vents will allow most of the smoke to escape.) There are some drawbacks, however. Because kettle grills are designed for grilling, it’s difficult to maintain an even heat at lower temperatures....
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Sandwiches Hit the Grill
It’s been called Britain’s greatest contribution to gastronomy. I speak, of course, of the sandwich, invented in the 18th century when the 4th Earl of Sandwich, John Montagu, commanded his valet to bring him roast beef pinioned between two slabs of bread so he could eat while gambling. Whether completely true or not, you have to concede sandwiches are one of the best things since … well … sliced bread. And there’s no better time to pay homage them to them than the present, because...
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Celebrate National Bratwurst Day!
Bratwurst have become a staple of American cuisine, with grilled brats topping the list of favorite summer foods for many. So much have brats made their impression in this country, we now have a National Bratwurst Day dedicated to this tube-shaped food. August 16th is the official day - our friends at Johnsonville have even created a storybook character dedicated to this celebration and titled the day Bratsgiving. How will YOU be celebrating? Here are some facts about the...
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How to Buy A Smoker, Part 1
If you’d like to take the next step toward grilling enlightenment, fall is a good time to do it. Along with back-to-school promotions, many retailers are anxious to reduce their inventories of grilling hardware, meaning potential deep discounts for you. (A few years ago, my assistant, Nancy Loseke, scored a Weber Ranch for half price.) The first step is to select the right smoker for you. There are dozens of types and hundreds of individual models. The right smoker depends on your experience, goals, budget, and how many people you usually cook for—collectively called your smoker personality. Beginner:...
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Breakfast Moves to the Grill
One of the great pleasures in life for an early riser like myself is to watch the sun rise with a cup of coffee in my hand and a gentle curl of smoke rising from my grill or smoker. A peaceful grill session free from distraction is a wonderful way to start your day. I urge you to try it for yourself. What can you grill for breakfast? Here are some of my favorite recipes: Grilled Eggs A variation on “shirred” (baked) eggs, just crack eggs into...
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