WEBER GREEN

We all have our favorite grill or smoker for transforming raw protein into mahogany, brown ,delicious, smokey, fantastic meals. To Ms. Goofy's dismay our patio proudly displays numerous smokers, grills and a wood burning beehive oven. As some of you may know, I am a fan of Weber products. Each and every one of my Weber's has a unique and special purpose. There are different sizes, some are portable, one is driven by a motor and several others have fans and can be controlled by my computer. My everyday, go to Weber is a 22 1/2 kettle grill. It sits in a wooden cart and has a metal bucket underneath to catch ash. This cart was custom built over 30 years ago. It has aged nicely and is an old friend. Every decade or so I replace the kettle. Honestly it does not really need replacing but dings, scratches and crud from thousands of cooks takes it toll. The nice thing about a Weber that all the internal parts are replaceable.

This green beauty was found on Craigslist. It is brand spanking new. The previous owner only used it once or twice. He claimed that he preferred his new gas grill over charcoal. We were in the middle of a business transaction so I kept my gas cooking opinions to my self. I picked this grill up for a song and was very pleased with my acquisition. I rushed home to cook on my new 'Green Weber'

I had to swap out the handles, remove the legs, ash catcher and then replace the cooking grate with my well seasoned cast iron grate . I gently lifted my new cooker and placed it in its new home. The old Weber will be placed in the rear of the Chilebrown compound and scrapped for parts if needed. It was time to cook. I built a test fire to burn out any foreign matter that probably did not exist. Aged New York steak with corn would be the first to grace this green beauty. The steak was so very good. We are set for another decade.

14.5 WEBER SMOKEY MOUNTAIN COOKER

It is Christmas in November at the Chilebrown household. A brand new 14.5 Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker was delivered to our doorstep by the UPS man. I do feel like a kid on Christmas day. I have that tingling nostalgic like feeling that comes from opening and playing with that new toy. This is no toy but the newest model of a smoker created by the Weber corporation. The Smokey Mountain Cooker is a popular smoker that is used by competitors and serious backyard cookers. They come in various sizes and this 14.5 inch grate size is the smallest. The smaller size makes is portable and will use less fuel (charcoal) than the larger models. This 2014 model was only released weeks ago and I was one of the first in line to purchase one. Let's unwrap this barbeque and get cookin.

This new model has some nice new features. There is a built in thermometer to monitor proper cooking temperatures. There is a nice portal located on the side to insert thermometer probes. The image with the chair shows my thermometer which is monitoring the internal temperature of the pork roast. There is a metal shield on the bottom of the cooker for heat efficiency. Other wise this is the same cooker as its bigger brothers. This model is the perfect size to cook smaller amounts of food with less fuel.

We built an initial fire to set the paint and burn off any possible contaminants. Our second fire would cook some chicken and Romanesco cauliflower. We also had a casserole of potatoes, onions and bacon positioned underneath our chicken to be smoked and capture the dripping chicken love. We used some peach wood for our smoke. We only needed two full chimneys of charcoal and two cubes of smoking wood. Our little cooker worked like a charm. It bellowed out plumes of smoke. It was the little engine that could sitting next to its larger brothers. Our cooking time was an hour and one half. We were rewarded with tender, juicy smoked chicken. What a treat!

A prime pork roast from U.C. Davis Meat Labs was our next cook. Hickory wood was our flavor tonight. Once again our new cooker did its magic. We are proud to announce a new addition to the Chilebrown arsenal of smokers. What should we cook next?

SMOKEY J’S (revisited)

It is Thursday and it is ‘Mac & Cheese’ day at Smokey J’s. We were only here seven days ago but a return trip was warranted to try other menu items. Ms. Goofy loves macaroni and cheese. On Thursdays for 10 dollars you can have a huge plate of macaroni and cheese that is filled with your choice of smoked meats. I wanted to try Joshua’s special rotisserie chicken. We arrived at high noon and took our place in line with other Smokey J’s followers. We were not the only ones that had discovered this smoky meat palace.

The rotisserie chicken is a labor of love. It is brined in sugar, salt and spices for 12 hours. A cool clear water bath for an hour removes excess salt. A 45 minute kiss of cold smoke from whiskey barrel and maple woods is another step in the process. Finally, the chickens take a two and one half hour Ferris wheel ride in the rotisserie. The final product is a chicken that is sinfully delicious. The skin tastes as it has been basted in butter to create decadent crispness.. The only seasoning is from brine and smoke, but oh what a flavor treat it is. The meat is some of the most tender and juicy chicken that I have ever had.

Ms. Goofy did her best to finish her huge plate of macaroni/ cheese and pulled pork. This dish made her very happy. We may be regulars on Thursdays. A lot of bbq restaurants have chicken as an obligatory meat item for the menu. I usually shy away from these dry offerings. At Smokey J’s, the rotisserie, brined, smoked chicken is a destination meal. It was some of the best chicken ever. We are not the only ones that know about Smokey J’s demonstrated by the noon opening line. We do feel like we have discovered BBQ Gold.

Smokey J’s
3015 Shattuck Av.
Berkeley Ca. 94705
(510) 647-8442

WEBER “GOURMET BBQ SYSTEM SEAR GRATE”

Your grill is a personnel item. Over the years you develop a special relationship with this essential barbeque tool. Through thick, thin, good, bad, delicious results and to spectacular meals it is all included in this marriage. I have used a rectangular cast iron grate that is embedded in a 22 1/2 inch grill grate. Heating this cast iron to high heat will produce beautiful grill marks that turn  plain meats to restaurant quality masterpieces. After all the years of use the black iron was practically non stick. This cast iron grate cooked at a higher temperature and maintained it longer that a conventional steel grill grate. It did take a little maintenance of brushing clean and oiling after each use. This was a small price to pay for this old friend. After 15 great years it was time to replace the metal holder that cradles our cast iron grate. We contacted Weber-Stephen Products Company the original creator of this special tool We were told  the item had been discontinued. We searched numerous resources trying to locate this item with no luck. It was very frustrating. We received suggestions and leads from as far away as Australia.  Weber Company contacted me and asked if I would consider trying the “Gourmet BBQ System Sear Grate’ as an alternative. “And now the rest of the story”

As some of you know I am a big fan of Weber products. I received a call from a Customer Representative when they found out my dilemma of replacing this grate holder. Kyrstin Norman went out of her way to help me. She searched the warehouse trying to find this discontinued part. When the search proved fruitless she offered alternatives. One suggestion was to try their new product the “Gourmet BBQ System Sear Grate’. This was a very similar version of my beloved grate. She also added it would be free of charge. I needed to hear no more. Of course I would love to try this alternative. I anxiously waited for the UPS driver.

This product is similar but not the same to my cast iron grate. The center of the grill is cast iron enameled. It is round and does not have as large a cooking area as the older rectangular grate. It is removable and can be replaced with a steel grate. Because it is cast iron enameled it needs to be cleaned in the sink or dishwasher. The old grate just needed to be brushed with a wire brush and oiled. It is suggested to not use metal utensils because you can damage the enameled surface. Let’s build a fire and give this new grate a try.

A two inch thick gorgeous T-bone steak was the first meal our grate would cook. I oiled the grill as directed but did not preheat it long enough. This was because of being anxious to cook this beautiful cut of meat. The grate did perform wonderful. It was practically non-stick and left grill marks that were very decent. Next time, I will try to follow the directions.

Sausages were cooked and we were pleased with the results. Some bone-in pork chops from the ‘Fatted Calf’ would be our crowning moment. Stellar grill marks were produced by the high heated cast iron enameled grate. This grate has performed as advertised. Is it as good as my old grate?

Like all relationships it takes time for true romance to evolve. This grate works very well. I am not too enamored about having to remove the grate for cleaning. I like being able to start the chimney fire in the center of the removable grate. This will be a suitable replacement for my old cast iron friend. It will just take a little time. A special thanks to Weber representative Krystin Norman for being a Knight in Shining Armor.

B-SIDE BBQ

We are mounting our horses and sauntering down to Tanya Holland’s cowboy themed BBQ restaurant ‘B-Side BBQ’. We are not sure our horses will be outside when we finish because this BBQ joint is located in the Wild West Oakland California. Thankfully we got a parking spot out front. Safely inside this small restaurant we were pleasantly greeted with a cowboy themed décor. Tables that had brand markings were corralled by walls decorated with old west pictures. We lassoed a table and surveyed the menu. We made our choices and placed our orders. Guess who walked through the door and sat right next to us? Yes you are right, it was Narsai David. This would be a celebrity fueled lunch.

The menu has the usual BBQ fair with meats and side dishes. Everything is ordered separately and is priced on the high side. All dishes are accompanied by some pickled vegetables and some ‘Texas Toast’ that is made with ‘Acme Pain de Mie”. B-Side has a full bar and a good selection of micro beers to choose from. Most bbq restaurants offer a plate with a combination of meats so you can sample a variety of their offerings. This was not the case here so I ordered a plate of brown sugar rubbed brisket and a plate of ‘St. Louis Dark & Stormy’ ribs. Ms. Goofy ordered a pulled pork sandwich and a side of mac & cheese. Narsai ordered a few different plates and an appetizer of deep fired okra that he shared with us.

Our food arrived and it looked picture perfect. Let’s start with Ms. Goofy’s sandwich. This large ‘Semifreddi’ roll surrounded and cradled pulled pork saturated with hot vinegar sauce and topped high with spicy slaw. Ms. Goofy had a choice of spicy or mild slaw and made the wrong choice. The cook was a little too generous with the amount of slaw and the degree of heat. The pulled pork was tender and flavorful but it was overpowered by the amount and heat of the slaw. The pulled pork was on the greasy side demonstrated by the pool of fat on the bottom of Ms. Goofy’s plate/tray. The mac & cheese side dish was pedestrian

Dark & Stormy St. Louis Style ribs were marinated with stout beer and ginger. The crust was flavorful and interesting. The actual meat was on the tough side and overcooked. It was served with a lackluster tomato based sauce. Enough of this not so flattering critique and on to the highlight of the meal; Brown Sugar rubbed brisket. This was some of the best brisket I have had in a long time. It was so tender it could be eaten with a fork. It had a dry rub that consisted of a paste of brown sugar and black pepper. This rub rocked the brisket to stardom. The pepper was not overpowering but complimenting the beefy flavor. Another star of this plate was the little side of pickled peppers. cauliflower, onions, peppers, and carrots in a sweet/tart vinegar was the perfect accompaniment to the rich brisket.
    Narsai’s deep fried okra did not impress. B-Side BBQ is a fun cowboy themed restaurant located in a challenged neighborhood. The brisket was impressive, the rest not. The food was visually stunning but did not live up to their appearance. There are too many other great BBQ joints in the Bay Area that I want to spend my money at. Narsai David did give us a lesson on proper bow tie’s.

B-Side BBQ
3303 San Pablo Av.
Oakland, Ca. 94608
510 595-0227

BACON PALOOZA PHAT MATT’S BBQ

We got a heads up that the film crew from “United States of Food (Bacon)” would be filming at Phat Matt’s BBQ.  Phat Matt’s BBQ would also be showcasing, Charlotte & Matt’s favorite food, bacon. They called it Bacon Palooza. That’s all we needed to know. The Racing Honda might have set a land speed record traveling to our destination. We arrived at Phat Matt’s to a brightly lit dining area fueled by television cameras and the smiles of bacon and barbeque enthusiasts.

Destination America network has a series called ‘United States of Food”. This episode is called ‘United States of Bacon”. The host, Todd Fisher travels the country in search of unique and fun restaurants that showcase bacon. They chose Phat Matt’s because of Charlottes love of bacon. She frequently has specials that bacon is featured. Bacon maple pecan pie and chocolate covered bacon is always on the menu. I also need to mention that Phat Matt’s serves some of the best barbeque around.

We ordered some lunch. I could not resist the ‘Bacon wrapped Burnt Ends”. I have died and gone to BBQ heaven. Ms. Goofy had some mouth watering Tri-Tip. It was hard to not order the 'Phat Balls' ( bacon wrapped home made meatballs) or the infamous ‘Phat Bacon Beastie’. Phat Bacon Beastie is a combination of pulled pork, brisket, cheese, bbq sauce and of course bacon that is piled high to create a huge tower of a sandwich.We watched the filming as we ate.

It was fun watching the filming of this television episode. Todd Fisher is a big ole ham bone of a personality. The producer saw us eating and approached us. She asked us if we would be interested in being interviewed. Ms. Goofy declined but of course yours truly could not resist. They wired me with a microphone and possible stardom began. Todd Fisher and I traded banter for several minutes. Who knows if our conversation will ever be aired? It will be up to the producer if I become cutting room floor fodder.

What a great experience; Bacon, barbeque and Hollywood possibilities. This television episode will be shown late December. Until then I have my dreams.

CUSTOM WSM

Harry Soo of 'Slap Yo' Daddy' barbeque team received a very nice gift from his fiance Donna Fong. She took a stock Weber Smoky Mountain cooker and had it custom painted. Very realistic lit charcoals with flames burning high are painted on this WSM . This cooker is hot. This is the ultimate gift in my book. (hint). Harry Soo will be cooking with his new custom rig at the 'Jack Daniels World Championship Invitational Barbeque' on Oct 27, 2012. Good luck Harry!

U.T.B.C.

I received another invitation to spend an afternoon at the U.T.B.C. (Under The Bridge Club). This is an exclusive Men’s club that meets one a month at the Crockett Bass Club. The Crockett Bass Club is located directly under the Carquinez Bridge. The purpose of this club is to eat, drink, fish, watch sports and socialize. They usually have a cooking theme and this month was proclaimed a rib cook-off. I am no stranger to ribs and this sounded like a lot of fun.

Several Weber’s were set up outside to handle our cooking endeavors. Everybody had their secret rubs and techniques to share. These Weber’s got a workout this afternoon. One was filled with mesquite charcoal and the other brickets. Hickory, peach, apple and several other woods were added to the fire to create smoky results. We all supervised with plenty of cold beverages to whet our thirst.

The ribs were done and it was time to eat. This meal would be vegetable free. In fact except for some fresh pesto pasta with bacon that I had made, this would be a rib fest only. I guess you could count the guacamole and salsas as vegetables. When you put a bunch of men together around a barbeque you will be rewarded with some good eats. Each rib was different and delicious. John made a home made barbeque sauce that was rockin’. I think his secret ingredients were brandy and chipotle peppers.

It was another terrible day of sun, fun, ribs, beer and friends at the U.T.B.C. That was what I tried to tell Ms. Goofy when I got home. She did not buy that for a second because of the grin and sunburn on my face.

FAMOUS DAVE’S

Famous Dave’s has been on our bucket list of restaurants to try. We had just finished judging four meat categories at a contest in Montague, California and were spending the night in Redding with our favorite Bro & Sister in-laws. This was the perfect opportunity to visit Famous Dave’s. Famous Dave’s opened the Redding branch about a year ago. Since their opening they have been very popular. It was Saturday night and there was a crowd spilling out of the front door. We prepared ourselves for a wait and hunkered down to the bar. Fifteen minutes and a sudsy, cold, draft beer later we were seated.

Famous Dave’s is a colorful, friendly, fun place to eat. The walls are wildly decorated with barbeque kitsch. Our waiter promptly took our orders. He returned with a small bowl of freshly made kettle style potato chips. He then gave us a lesson in barbeque sauce knowledge. Every table was equipped with five different barbeque sauces. He squirted a little of each sauce on a plate explaining the style and we sampled with our chips. He mentioned a secret hot sauce and I took the bait. “Wilbur’s Revenge’ was a habanero based barbeque sauce that would light a fire under the bravest soul. With our new found barbeque sauce knowledge we were ready to eat.

Our table ordered a lot of ribs. I supplemented my rib plate with some brisket. These were good looking ribs. The appearance would have scored an eight on my score card. I bit into the rib and it pulled cleanly from the bone with little effort. These ribs were cooked perfectly. The ribs were lightly sauced. The flavor was of pork with a friendly kiss of smoke. The only fault if any was the ribs were a little on the salty side. This did not stop anybody at our table from devouring these meat bones. The brisket had been sliced razor thin. It was very tender and flavorful. The side dishes were spectacular. Cheesy, Gooey, Mac & Cheese, creamy Cole slaw and baked beans studded with sausage did not just accompany but starred. The warm corn muffin was the icing on this cake.
    Famous Dave’s did not disappoint. I was impressed that this chain restaurant could produce award winning ribs. The meats were a vehicle to enjoy our side dishes or vice versa. The sauce lesson and the fresh chips was a fun touch. Our total experience at Famous Dave’s was barbeque excellent and we defiantly will return.

Famous Dave's

UNCLE JACK’S OZARK BBQ SAUCE

Uncle Jack has come over to visit today. We are going fire up the grill and give Uncle Jack’s Ozark BBQ Sauce and dry rub a try. Over a two day period we cooked some ribs, chicken wings and sausage. Uncle Jacks is an ‘All Natural” sauce with no preservatives. There is no high fructose corn syrup and this sauce is gluten free. Last but not least this is a ‘True Ozark Product’.(“A product that represents the essence of the Ozarks, the disappearing pioneer spirit and the true hickory smoke flavors that flourished in the 19th and early 20th century Ozarks.” )This sauce is manufactured in Branson, Missouri. Pull up a jug and let’s fire up the BBQ.

At the Chilebrown kitchen, it is standard practice to apply a dry rub to meats before grilling. The ingredients listed are simple and few; Brown sugar, kosher salt, paprika, dehydrated onion, garlic and spices. It has a pleasant sweet aroma. You will get a faint smell of the dehydrated onion. We shook a generous coating over all our meats. We returned them to the ice cave for several hours.

The first day we cooked our ribs. The rub did its job and painted a beautiful sheen of color over our ribs. When the ribs were done we brushed Uncle Jacks BBQ sauce all over the ribs. We put them back into the barbeque just long enough to set the sauce. Today we were trying the ‘Spicy” version of Uncle Jack’s BBQ sauce. The sauce is ketchup based, sweet molasses style sauce. This sauce was tasty on our seasoned ribs. I am not sure you could call this hot by any stretch. Ms. Goofy loved the sweetness that this sauce provided. I thought it was a good blend of spices, smoke, molasses and vinegar that leaned toward the sweet side. The combination of rub and sauce complimented each other.

Chicken wings went on the grill the next day. The sugar in the rub provided a amber glaze to our wings. Once again when the meat was done we applied some sauce. We really enjoyed this combination. The sauce complimented the richness of the wings. Ms. Goofy licked her paws clean. 

    Uncle Jacks Ozark BBQ Sauce and rub is welcome at our barbeque anytime. The rub is an all-purpose seasoning. We would like to try it on some grilled corn. The barbeque sauce is a sweet tomato based style of sauce. The heat level is mild and great for everybody. You can visit the Ozarks in your own backyard. We love our Uncle Jack.

Uncle Jacks BBQ Sauce

HARRY SOO

We all have our hero’s who influence and inspire. Harry Soo is a BBQ competitor and guru of all meats smoked. Teacher, competitor, father, T.V. personality, and philosopher Harry wears many hats. Harry Soo has dialed in the right formula to win multiple BBQ competitions. Harry takes an analytical approach to his victories . He will use data such as cooking times, recipes, and presentation technique to determine the optimal formula to create the winning barbeque equation. The wonderful thing about Harry is that he shares this information. Harry teaches barbeque classes and will always offer some advice. He may hold back on some of his ultimate secrets but wouldn’t you. Harry also has an attitude about barbeque that is refreshing and motivating. Below is an excerpt from an interview with Harry from ‘Burn Blog’

Burn! Blog: You’ve said your objective is to spread happiness through barbecue. Why barbecue for that instead of something else? What about barbecue makes you happy?

HS: “I roamed this planet for 50 years wondering what was my purpose in life. Is it just to live a comfortable life or is there something more? Mrs. Walton said ‘It’s not what you gather that’s important but what you give away.’ I’ve been given this talent at a late age in life and I know in my heart that I have this talent, because it is really a means to my real ends, which is to spread happiness by sharing my barbecue skill and knowledge.
  It doesn’t matter how many zeros you have in your bank account, how many cars or houses you own, as all these are temporary. We all are headed to the same place and when you get there, you can’t take any of these material things with you. When people tell me they don’t feel loved, I ask them when was the last time they gave love. All that goes around comes around and you won’t receive love if you don’t give it first. BBQ is a pure form of giving sincere love. If you cook it from your heart, you are spreading love.
At the moment of reckoning, we realize that there are only 3 things that are important because they are eternal: 1) love – the experience to receive love and give love, 2) memories of all the good times, 3) relationships we cultivated with friends, family, and pets. When I cook BBQ, I feel happy and I connect heart to heart with my students or CBJs (Certified Barbecue Judges) as I transfer my positive energy into the food I cook.

We all need a hero. Harry Soo fills the bill with shining stars. He motivates me to achieve barbeque greatness. Harry is a passionate and driven man. He is an inspiration. Wow!

DOUBLE D BBQ

This was an adventure in futility and perseverance. ‘Double D BBQ’ is a small barbeque restaurant located in Oakland, California. They have a reputation for having some of the best BBQ in town. They are only open 4 days a week with limited hours and even then are known for not always being open. To complicate the scenario they are in a location that is not easily found. Our first attempt at going to Double D BBQ we could not even find it. We had the address but no GPS.(1240 1st Av.) Simple enough address but not easily found in the maze of the numbered streets of the area. My second attempt was on a Wednesday during their posted hours. I was in the area and had a Google map in hand. Closed! Several weeks later on a Thursday I was shut down again. Double D BBQ has a cult following and we wanted to know what all the buzz was about. This time we called and they were open.

We found Double D BBQ with out a hiccup. It is located on a small street on a small lot between two tall buildings. You would never stumble across this location unless you were looking for it. Once inside, it looks like an old style burger joint. It is decorated in ‘Oaktown’ specific kitsch. An Oakland Raider fan would feel comfortable here. Yes, we are Raider fans and we loved the vibration. The menu is small with the four meats, links and a couple of sides. We placed our orders. Ms. Goofy ordered her pulled pork sandwich and I a combination of brisket and ribs.  It was a beautiful day to take advantage of the outdoor seating area located on the side of the building. This area was colorfully decorated with plants and urban style murals. Our food was brought to our table.

It was time to see what all the hype was about. How did it taste? Dr. Biggles used to tell me; “You can have the best BBQ meal in your life and come back three hours later and have the worst meal ever”. Timing can be everything for good bbq. We must have hit it at the wrong time. The brisket was full of gristle and fat. It was overdone to the point of being mushy. No bark, lack of seasoning and to top it off no smoke flavor. The ribs were not much better. The meat was overcooked, no smoke, and I received the end piece that is full of little bones and cartilage. My side was Cole Slaw. It was full of big chunks of black pepper but not salt. It was dry and lifeless.  Ms. Goofy’s pulled pork was decent but she said all she could taste was the sauce.

The highlight of this meal was the sauce. This was a sweet tomato based sauce with good seasoning and just the right amount of heat. Maybe we came at the wrong time. When is the right time and when will they be open? Double D BBQ was a disappointment. There are too many good barbeque restaurants to make the effort to return.

Double D BBQ

1240 1^st St

.Oakland, Ca. 94606

BART’S BLAZIN Q ‘EVERYTHING BBQ’

The barbeque community is a special group that we are proud to be card carrying members. Competition, camaraderie, and tasty food are involved at all of our events. A lot of the competitors are involved in the BBQ industry during the week. ‘Bart’s Blazin Q’ is a competition team that runs a successful catering company. They have decided to expand their business and open a barbeque supply store in Livermore, California. We fired up the ‘Racing Honda’ and hit the road to visit this new venture.

Bart’s Blazin Q is located in a nondescript business park just on the outskirts of downtown Livermore. The store is situated in the back and not marked very well. We drove by it on our first pass. Once found the inside was a treasure trove of barbeque supplies. Dave Bart greeted us with open arms. Sauces, rubs, charcoal, and barbeque utensils adorned the walls and shelves of this small store. The floor was decorated with different models of barbeques. There it was, the ‘Big Green Egg’, right in the middle of the store. It was beautiful. Ms. Goofy shed a tear. (Maybe that was me). Dave offered some samples of barbeque sauces. He has a sauce that is his own creation and it is very tasty. We had a good time visiting with Dave and swapping stories.


We purchased several items and said our goodbyes. Alas, the ‘Big Green Egg’ is still sitting in ‘Bart’s Blazin Q’ showroom floor. Dave & Deny Bart have a great new store to stock up on all your barbeque desires. Hopefully we will return to make that special purchase.

Bart’s Blazin Q
3989 First Street, Suite C
Livermore, Ca. 94551
925 292-5018