Nonnymus wrote:

I'm curious about how and when you all got started grilling and barbecuing?


I started grilling around 10. I was frequently responsible to 'get the
coals ready'. I can't tell you what kind of grill we had. But it was
not a Weber. We would do mostly burgers and dogs. Never brats. Didn't
even hear of them back then. Steaks? Not a chance in a household of
10. Not even sirloin !!! Occasionally, we would rotisserie a chicken,
using hickory chips.

Once on my own in my 20's, I purchased a hibachi grill and grilled an
occasional steak and many burgers. Again, had not heard of brats, so
didn't grill them at all. I remember trying to barbecue ribs on a gas
grill available at the apartment complex I lived at. I didn't die or
get sick, but I can't say they were good ;-).

I moved a few times in my 20's and there was always some kind of grill
wherever I lived. By this time, the Hibachi was no where to be found!
If I did ribs, they were beef ribs. It was not often, and they were not
very good. I still had not learned the difference between barbecue and
grilling, but knew enough to know direct and indirect grilling.

What I remember about my grilling experience then was:

1. Squirt coals with fluid.
2. Light coals.
3. Squirt coals again to get fire really hot!
4. Have squirt bottle of water handy to put out flare ups.
5. Grill burgers.
6. Squirt water frequently.
7. Drink beer.
8. Have fun.

Later 20's returned to Minn. from Cal. Again, wherever I lived there
was some kind of grill around to use. Got introduced to brats and
started grilling them occasionally. Also burgers, steaks and chicken
sometimes to.

Not being pleased with what was around, I bought a Weber Smoky Joe. I
called it a bachelor stove!! Where ever I moved, Smoky Joe went with me.
Twenty five years later, he is pretty much retired now. He is resting
peacefully in the rafters of my garage. Not too far away, are 2 more
Smoky Joe's I acquired in contests.

When I moved here, there was already a Weber 22" Kettle. I used that
often. The standard, steaks, burgers, brats, chicken breasts were
getting common to. A turkey once or twice that I remember. A couple of
times a summer would do some country style ribs, cooked indirectly.
Sometimes they were good. Sometimes they weren't.

Still wanting to learn real ribs, I tried them too. Always frustrated
with the results. Sometime around 1996 or 97, I found AFB. I lurked
frequently and started to learn and learn fast. It sure helped to learn
having contributors during the winter months to.

The most important things I have learned:

1. Difference between grilling and barbecuing.
2. No Fluid. Use chimney starter instead.
3. Use lump if available or hardwood briquettes.
4. Leave squirt bottle in the house.
5. Grill or que.
6. Have patience, especially for que'ing.
7. Drink beer.
8. Have fun.

So you can see clearly now, most of what I learned early on was wrong.
But I got steps 7 and 8 right !!!

Around 98, I bought a Charbroil H2O smoker, determined to learn how to
do ribs and pork butts too. My first cook was spare ribs, rubbed with a
commercial rub and cooked to perfection. Easy!!! Now ;-)

Then, a pork butt, again, rubbed with a commercial rub. Cooked to
perfection. Easy!!! Now !!!

I have smoked cheese, brats, many racks of spares, many racks of baby
backs, whole chickens and several pork butts. Probably made pastrami in
it to.

In winter 04, I was able to get a WSM at a sale price I had never seen
before or since. After a pre-burn, my first cook in that was smoked
meatballs for spaghetti and meatballs. Smoked meatballs may be a bit
different, but I was very pleased.

Since then, the WSM has been used for the regular stuff, plus I have
smoked peppers for a chipotle pepper blend. I have done brisket, but
was not pleased with the result. I will try again soon. I have located
packer cuts for $1.67/lb.

BBQ

Nunya Bidnits wrote:
Nonnymus wrote:

I believe that his niece or some other fairly close kin still has a
place there in Marshall- behind the Wood and Houston Bank branch on
Arrow Street. My daughter "discovered" it while attending Missouri
Valley College, and we felt that the ribs were as good as we
remembered old Ocey cooking. We're going to be in Marshall this
August for a class reunion and I'll report in about whether the place
is still there and is as good as it was in the 90's. It was in a
single family residence then, and it's probably still in the same
place.

Do you recall the name of the place by chance?

I looked at Google Maps and am about 99% sure it is

BarBQ Pit Stop
755 Clay St
Marshall, MO 65340
(660) 886-8548

The location is right where I remember it- a block south of W. Arrow St.
All I can say is that if it's the place, I sure think it's worth a
side trip if you're in the area. When we last ate there, we all
commented about how it was so much like Ocey Bruner's had once been.




Local legend has it that Ocey sold his sauce recipe back in the early
50's to the good folk making Hunt's (now Hunt's original), but I have
no proof of that beyond legend. I don't have the book you mention,
but if there's anything about Bruner's online, I'd sure appreciate
the URL.

I didn't find anything else about it and it would probably take a trip to
the library or hall of records at city hall to get much more. ButI asked my
Dad about it, he's an 87 year old rolling history of KC, and of barbecues,
chocolate malts, and soda fountains in particular, and his work in
broadcasting and as an author includes information, recommendations, and
history of KC restaurants. Unfortunately, he didn't recall it. His memory is
still pretty good, just a little slow sometimes. When I mentioned Boyd's to
him he gave the Prospect address and recalled taking me there for my first
taste of barbecue ever. So you never know, he may think about Bruner's a
little more and come up with something. I'll see him later today and ask
again.

I checked the Star's (KansasCity.com) and NewsLibrary.com's online archives
and didn't hit anything.

We went to UMKC, living in Tredway Hall at 5401 Brookside in the late
1960's. Being students, Mrs. Nonny and I almost never ate out back
then. When we did, we'd celebrate at Kona Kai on Broadway, Gate's or
Winstead's.

--
Nonny

Nonnymus
A penny saved is obviously a
government oversight.

bbq wrote:


1. Squirt coals with fluid.
2. Light coals.
3. Squirt coals again to get fire really hot!

We were married during college, living in a mid rise married student
housing project. I was a student, but had a great job with the
building's management company rewiring the building, unclogging toilets
and doing exterior maintenance. That got me enough money to keep both
of us in school AND got me a set of master keys, including the
maintenance office. The building had no balconies, but the fire escape
had a landing right outside our apartment kitchen window. I was in fat
city, back then.

I could get up, work a couple hours, ditch the toolbelt and walk to
classes. When I returned, there was no wasted time- I could go right
back to work. The shop keys meant that I had a private place to study
and could build or fix what I couldn't afford. It was incredible how
many people would pay me to do simple things like put a new cord on
their sweeper, etc. It also meant that I could access the steel fire
escape and set up my little barbecue grill. I'd light Kingsford in a
home made chimney using the KC Star or Times, and cook our hamburgers
right outside the kitchen window. There never were any complaints, but
then I would have been the one called to "go see what was the matter,"
anyway. grin

It was during the 60's and we were just kids, but we sure thought we
were eating pretty high on the hog back then when we could grill
hamburgers, hot dogs or pork chops outside.

Nonny

Nonnymus
A penny saved is obviously a
government oversight.

Pete C. wrote:

Grilling, too far back to remember. Q'ing when I moved to Texas (I think
it's a state requirement).

I'm with you Pete. Probably about 44 years ago for grilling.
Q'ing isn't big in NW PA. I started bbq'ing after stumbling
across this group about 4 years ago. Tried it on the gasser
with ribs, it worked "ok", but trashed the Weber with grease
and after a flareup, I took the advice of Dave Bugg and
others here (rest your soul Moosie) took the plunge and got
a WSM. Been a happy camper since!

--
Steve

In article , Nonnymus says...

While on the subject of BBQ in Las Vegas, one of our other favorites is
one of the little places that attracts only locals and has no Strip or
casino presence. It's a joint called Barbecue Masters
http://www.barbeque-masters.com/.\ The folk who own it cut their
teeth in TN, but also have culinary ties to Barbecue Lodge and Don
Murray's in Raleigh, which explains why we so like the place. They had
two locations, but closed the one nearer to us to seek a location with
more visibility. They feature all wood cooking. I cannot say that
their sauces are my favorites, but the meat is just like at home,
portions are generous and the owners will take the time to visit with
the regulars.

As luck would have it, I was at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the NASCAR race in
early March. I towed my travel trailer from the SF Bay Area there by myself and
arrived at LVMS on Wednesday. Thursday night I went to the airport to pick up
the family. Since they came in at 9:30, I stopped at the Memphis Championship
BBQ on Las Vegas Blvd. I've been to the one on Warm Springs a couple of times on
previous visits. I had a great meal (brisket, ribs, beans, slaw) and tea.

We liked the NASCAR race so much, that we are going to do the same thing next
year, so I will take your recommendation and visit Barbecue Masters.

Memphis Championship BBQ had a booth at the Nugget Rib Cook-off last Labor Day
in Sparks, NV. I was a little disappointed. Their ribs weren't nearly as good as
the ones from Famous Dave's and Butch's Smack Your Lips BBQs. Although Memphis
had these deep-fried pickles with a spicy mayonnaise dip that were pretty good.

I'm looking forward to visiting Barbecue Masters next year.

Thanks!

Mark
"I love cats. I just can't eat a whole one by myself."

In article , bbq says...


LOL. You were using a chimney starter in the 60's? I never heard of
them, nor saw any in the outdoors section of stores. It was AFB, where
I learned about them, lump instead of Kingsford and lots of other things.

My dad made his chimney starter back in the 60s by taking a 2 lb coffee can and
punching several holes in the bottom of it with the can opener. He would point
the tips downward to allow for more air. He was a pretty inventive guy. I used
to think that everyone lit their charcoal that way.

I have one of them that I made in my travel trailer for use with my tabletop
Weber when we are RVing.

Mark

Nonnymus wrote:

I'd light Kingsford in a home made chimney using the KC Star or Times, and cook our hamburgers
right outside the kitchen window. There never were any complaints, but
then I would have been the one called to "go see what was the matter,"
anyway. grin


LOL. You were using a chimney starter in the 60's? I never heard of
them, nor saw any in the outdoors section of stores. It was AFB, where
I learned about them, lump instead of Kingsford and lots of other things.

It took me all of a few months to start using hardwood briquettes and a
chimney starter, once I learned about them. A year or 2 to purchase a
smoker. Five or six years to purchase a cadillac bullet style smoker.
Another few years to go before I spring for kamado style cooker.

It was during the 60's and we were just kids, but we sure thought we
were eating pretty high on the hog back then when we could grill
hamburgers, hot dogs or pork chops outside.



I am on the lower end of the hog today. I will be having chili dogs,
using Ballpark Franks for the dog. I normally use a natural casing beef
dog, but at $1.00 for a pack of 8, is hard to pass up!!!

BBQ

Nonnymus wrote:

I'd light Kingsford in a
home made chimney using the KC Star or Times, and cook our hamburgers
right outside the kitchen window.

And yet you bag on the KC Star. See how you are?

MartyB

Nonnymus wrote:
I'm curious about how and when you all got started grilling and
barbecuing?


I got started grilling before I ever owned anything to grill on, using the
brick barbecue grills found in many of the KC MO parks. My first actual
grill was a cast iron hibachi.

I got a Weber kettle in the mid 70s and did my first barbecuing by indirect
method, which was all I used for about 10 years.

MartyB in KC

Mark Filice wrote:


Their ribs weren't nearly as good as the ones from Famous Dave's

We have a few of Famous Dave's around here. I guess that's what happens
when their corporate office is here to!!!

My last rack of ribs from Famous Dave's was my last rack of ribs from
Famous Dave's !!! Though I will still get brisket or pulled pork.

The ribs they Q up at cook off's though, are not necessarily the same
ribs they cook at the stores.

BBQ

"Mark Filice" wrote in message
...
In article , bbq says...


LOL. You were using a chimney starter in the 60's? I never heard of
them, nor saw any in the outdoors section of stores. It was AFB, where
I learned about them, lump instead of Kingsford and lots of other things.

My dad made his chimney starter back in the 60s by taking a 2 lb coffee
can and
punching several holes in the bottom of it with the can opener. He would
point
the tips downward to allow for more air. He was a pretty inventive guy. I
used
to think that everyone lit their charcoal that way.

I have one of them that I made in my travel trailer for use with my
tabletop
Weber when we are RVing.
\My dad did the same thing with the coffee can--even welded a handle on for
ease of use but did use starter fluid for sure!
Buzz

bbq wrote:
Nonnymus wrote:

I'd light Kingsford in a home made chimney using the KC Star or
Times, and cook our hamburgers right outside the kitchen window.
There never were any complaints, but then I would have been the one
called to "go see what was the matter," anyway. grin


LOL. You were using a chimney starter in the 60's? I never heard of
them, nor saw any in the outdoors section of stores. It was AFB, where
I learned about them, lump instead of Kingsford and lots of other things.


Aluminum flashing twisted into a cylinder. Fire under. . . hot air
rises. . . cheaper than lighter fluid.


--
Nonny

Nonnymus
A penny saved is obviously a
government oversight.

Nunya Bidnits wrote:
Nonnymus wrote:

I'd light Kingsford in a
home made chimney using the KC Star or Times, and cook our hamburgers
right outside the kitchen window.

And yet you bag on the KC Star. See how you are?

grin The liberal newspaper didn't misflavor the food too much.
--
Nonny

Nonnymus
A penny saved is obviously a
government oversight.

Nonnymus wrote:
Nunya Bidnits wrote:
Nonnymus wrote:

I'd light Kingsford in a
home made chimney using the KC Star or Times, and cook our
hamburgers right outside the kitchen window.

And yet you bag on the KC Star. See how you are?

grin The liberal newspaper didn't misflavor the food too much.

The Star? Liberal? You've been gone a while!

Don't go there with me, I am one a them that might toss dubya into Abu
Graib. LOL!

MartyB in KC

Nonnymus wrote:
I'm curious about how and when you all got started grilling and barbecuing?

My first experience with outdoor cooking was when I was very small. My
Aunt and Uncle owned 5 acres up near Clear Lake in N. California, and my
Grandparents owned an adjoining 5. It was a wonderful place to grow up,
about 10 miles from the lake out in the mountains. A really rough and
rustic one bedroom cabin, and tall pines and oak for as far as you could
see, and I will always remember the red volcanic dust that usually
coated me so heavily that Mom used to call me her little Indian.

Whatever indoor cooking was done was womans work, on a white oil stove
and the fireplace. Outside was where you found the men (and at 4 or 5
years old, I was one too, right?). Lot's of food was prepared on a
beeeooootiful porcelain coated wood burner that was kept in front, but
the majority was prepared over an open pit burning oak. We carried a lot
of the food up there with us but we always had local venison that we
would preserve by simply packing it in rock salt and burying it in the
ground.

As a youngster in the USMC I continued the outdoor cooking but it was
usually quick and hot. The only fuel I had was C-4, but if I rationed it
well I could get a water buffalo steak seared.

Throughout my adulthood I continued grilling, always easy stuff. Didn't
get the Q bug until I had a pork sandwich at the fairgrounds in
Pleasanton during a big car show. That convinced me to get a little toy
bullet (Char griller) early last year. I only used it 4 or 5 times and I
knew what I had to do. My WSM and I have been very happy ever since.
Haven't got to cook but a few times this year so far, as We have been
very busy Tending to the Old Folks who live 2 hours from here up in
Paradise, CA. My last cook was a butt about 4 weeks ago, and I'm still
eating off that one.

--
Dave T.


"Your attitude serves as a lens through which you see life, and it's
best when that lens is focused on the positive possibilities." - Ralph
Marston