Big Jim's Lazy-Q FAQ
----------------------

--------
Contents
--------
Introduction
I. Frequently Asked Questions
II. Methods
III. Recipes
IV. The Story of Mile Marker 113

-------------
Introduction
-------------
"The most important thing I can tell someone about smoke cooking is to
keep
it simple. Learn to cook the meat first, then add the rubs and such if
you
don't like what it tastes like. You may find that you won't want any
more
than S&P. Good luck. Big Jim"

Note: Big Jim barbecues in off-set, propane fueled pits of his own
design. This information is for

those who want to know more about his cooking methods. This FAQ was
complied from postings

collected on the AFB internet newsgroup.

-------
I. FAQ
-------

Q: At what temperature do you Q?:
A: "I cook butts,briskets,ribs and chicken every day (well almost) and
run my pits above
300° as high as 400° a lot of times. It is justa matter of preference.
There are folks that will

say there is only one way cook BBQ. Low and Slow. Well son it ain't
so. What I am saying is you

don't have to start yesterday or the day before to eat smoke cooked
meat today."

Q: Do all the usual Q' meats (Ribs, Chicken, Turkey) work as well as
the brisket at this temp range?
A: "Yes. I don't trim any fat. If there is a lot left after cooking I
trim it then.
I am one of the ones that like FAT."

Q: Do you leave out or just use a little sugar as a rub ingredient due
to the higher temps?
A: "I don't use sugar in my rub, No particular reason, other than when
I was
learning to smoke cook I cooked nekked. After I learned to properly
cook the
meat. I decided that all It needed was S&P." (See "Big Jim's Rub in
Recipes)

Q: What info do you have on how much propane is used for a cook?
A: On one of my 30" X 96" (250 gallon) pits I get around 2 days
cooking out
of a 20# cylinder. On the R2D2 type pits you might get a weeks cooking
out of a tank.

Q: How much wood do you use? How much smoke is ideal?
A: "Remember you don't need a lot of smoke. just two or three fist
size
chunks. One at a time."

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II.Methods
------------
"I cook BUTTS fat side up and briskets fat side down. I seem to get
less
waste on the brisket. On ribs. BONE side down."

------------
III. Recipes
------------

Big Jim's Rub
-------------
3# Kosher Salt
1# Restaurant grind black pepper
about ½ a 1# size of Durkee 6 Pepper Blend
4 tablespoons of granulated garlic.

Directions:
"I sprinkle it on until it looks like the pepper is right. [...]
just before I put it in the pit."


Big Jim's Rib Glaze (3 versions)
--------------------------------
"The ribs get a painting of my version of Danny Gaulden's glaze. The
glaze started life as a ham glaze and has at least 3 versions."

A.) Original

1/3 cup each of
brown sugar
apple cider vinegar
yeller mustard.

B.) Second Version

1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup each of
mustard
apple cider vinegar

C.)Latest version
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup vinegar
¼ cup mustard

Mix all the ingredients together in a sauce pan and simmer for a few
minutes.

Notes:
"Some paint the ribs about 15 minutes before taking them off the pit
and
again after they are off. I paint mine when I take them off. I paint
both
sides. I make a double batch and nuke for 3 minutes. All the simmering
does is
dissolve the sugar."


Big Jim's Jalapeno and Cheddar Hushpuppies
------------------------------------------

2 c white selfrising cornmeal
2 eggs
1/4 c fine chopped onions
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c fine chopped japaleno peppers
1/4 ts salt
Orange juice

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Add orange juice until it
makes a
stiff moist batter.
Drop by teaspoon (like you stir tea with) into 350 degree oil and fry
until
golden brown. drain on paper towels and eat.

--------------------------------
IV. The Story of Mile Marker 113
--------------------------------

"Happened in '98 on the way to a Q-Fest. Had a small trailer pit
behind OMJ's
station wagon. On the front of that was tied a small Backyard pit for
Bill
Martin. We had just made the comment that everything was going well
and only
had 25 miles to go. About that time BOOM a brand new tire goes on the
trailer. Pull over to the side of the road at mile marker 113. Anyway
a
spring had broken and the axle skewed and the fender cut the tire. No
way to
fix it.So I leave OMJ with the pit and go looking for a U-Haul to drag
the
little trailer up on and get it to Morton. 3 hours later I ain't found
a
U-Haul. So we take everything we can and leave the two pits on the
side of
the road. Check into the motel and find an auto parts store and buy a
9/16"
wrench, a hacksaw and a U-bolt kit. Decided to take the broke spring
off and
mount the axle direct to the frame with the U-bolts. Getting dark so
decide
to wait till early morning and go back with Bill Martin and his truck
and
load His pit on the truck and he can take it to the park so they can
start
cooking. Me and Dave Clark stand the trailer on it's ass end so I can
get to
the springs and axle. Bill and Dave take off ro the park and start
cooking.
I hacksaw the springs and axle off and mount the axle to the frame
with the
U-Bolts. Hook up and head to the park. Too late for breakfast that day
so we
fix breakfast in the Motel parking lot the next morning.
Bill Martin named the pit Ole 113."

-------------------------------------------
Compiled 5/13/2004 by Rob Ainbinder, e-mail:

Louis Cohen wrote:
About the only controversial thing he says is that he cooks at a much
higher temp than most people. I think that's fine for chicken, maybe
even back ribs. But I think that the tough meats that he cooks
(butt, brisket, spares) must come out kinda tough, or at least chewy.

I've eaten his brisket and pork, and it is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I
know it seems contrary to what we know is the way to cook 'Q, but the
results are the true test.

If the pork pulls, or if he chops it, or slices his brisket really
thin (or chops it) maybe the texture isn't so important. And maybe
he likes gnawing on ribs.

Ya gotta try his ribs, brisket and pork before jumpin' to conclusions on
this one, Louis. :-)
Dave

From: "Dave Bugg"

I
know it seems contrary to what we know is the way to cook 'Q, but the
results are the true test.

exactly,there is no "THE way" to Q.
like ones choice in intoxicants, vehicles and music,to each his own. The fun is
tasting it all.
peace
jeff

Frndthdevl wrote:

exactly,there is no "THE way" to Q.
like ones choice in intoxicants, vehicles and music,to each his own.
The fun is tasting it all.
peace

Well, that's a might to much of a general statement for me to subscribe to.
Rib boilers, oven cookers, crockpot jockeys, and gas grillers just don't
make it into my view of 'Q.
Dave

"Louis Cohen" wrote in message
...
About the only controversial thing he says is that he cooks at a much
higher
temp than most people. I think that's fine for chicken, maybe even back
ribs. But I think that the tough meats that he cooks (butt, brisket,
spares) must come out kinda tough, or at least chewy. If the pork pulls,
or
if he chops it, or slices his brisket really thin (or chops it) maybe the
texture isn't so important. And maybe he likes gnawing on ribs.

Louis Cohen

-- Louis,
I am sitting here trying to think of a way to answer your comments in a
way that wont offend you.
None of the above is true and is made out of ignorance. Ignorance is not a
bad thing, it just means you don't know about a subject and make statements
based on what you assume to be fact.
The BUTTS, briskets and ribs I cook in no way resemble your description
above.
What you need to do is, the next time you are in North Florida is to stop
in and try them.
Again I say. just ask a few of the people on this NG if what I cook is as
you describe.
You cannot make broad statements based on limited experience.
Big Jim

www.lazyq.com

Dave Bugg wrote:

Frndthdevl wrote:

exactly,there is no "THE way" to Q.

Well, that's a might to much of a general statement for me to subscribe to.
Rib boilers, oven cookers, crockpot jockeys, and gas grillers just don't
make it into my view of 'Q.
Dave

And to play devils advocate,

Why exactly is lazy-q ok but woodchips on a gas grill set at 225-250 not
ok?



-CAL

"Big Jim" wrote in message
...
"Louis Cohen" wrote in message
...
About the only controversial thing he says is that he cooks at a much
higher
temp than most people. I think that's fine for chicken, maybe even back
ribs. But I think that the tough meats that he cooks (butt, brisket,
spares) must come out kinda tough, or at least chewy. If the pork
pulls,
or
if he chops it, or slices his brisket really thin (or chops it) maybe
the
texture isn't so important. And maybe he likes gnawing on ribs.

Louis Cohen

-- Louis,
I am sitting here trying to think of a way to answer your comments in a
way that wont offend you.
None of the above is true and is made out of ignorance. Ignorance is not
a
bad thing, it just means you don't know about a subject and make
statements
based on what you assume to be fact.
The BUTTS, briskets and ribs I cook in no way resemble your description
above.
What you need to do is, the next time you are in North Florida is to
stop
in and try them.
Again I say. just ask a few of the people on this NG if what I cook is
as
you describe.
You cannot make broad statements based on limited experience.
Big Jim

www.lazyq.com


I've eaten Big Jim's barbecue and not a thing he ever cooked for me was
tough or chewy. His ribs are excellent and certainly do not require
gnawing.

While I might prefer low/slow, Jim's method certainly produces real,
delicious barbecue.

Since your statements were made on pure speculation and without the benefit
of personal experience, I must tell you Louis, as many of us Southerners are
wont to say (and do), you have shown your ass.

Jack Curry

Does this mean I can microwave a brisket on high for 25 minutes then mist it
with a water bottle mixture of liquid smoke and water?

"cl" wrote in message
...
Well, that's a might to much of a general statement for me to subscribe
to.
Rib boilers, oven cookers, crockpot jockeys, and gas grillers just don't
make it into my view of 'Q. (bit Big Jim's 350F lazyQ is OK)
Dave

And to play devils advocate,

Why exactly is lazy-q ok but woodchips on a gas grill set at 225-250 not
ok?

Exactly!

I made a post here how to do ribs on a gas grill with a recipe I perfected
over a 5 year run using wood chips and a 220F target. I have yet to make
better ribs in my bullet smoker, yet people jumped all over my case here.
Now Big Jim comes in with a method for what I'd call outdoor roasting with
gas and smoke and it's perfectly okay because, well, just because?

It would seem that for some BBQ is a amtetr of pride rather than technique
or results.

Like I said in my gasser ribs post: "the only pure BBQ is biting a piece of
raw meat and popping a hot burning coal into your mouth, anything else is
cheating."

cl wrote:

And to play devils advocate,

Why exactly is lazy-q ok but woodchips on a gas grill set at 225-250
not ok?

Ya just sent the devil to jail, guilty as charged, so don't give up yer day
job. :-) Lazy Q is a nearly trademarked term for Big Jims pit -- think
of a huge propane tank, with doors, on a trailer -- with a propane fired
BURNER in the offset and large wood CHUNKS in a cast iron pan sitting above
the flame.
Dave

"Dave Bugg" deebuggatcharterdotnet wrote in message
...
Sorry, Jason, but there is a huge difference in between a gas grill and a
gas fired pit. Large wood chunks are also burning and providing the heat
and
smoke. And I can attest to the fact -- as one who used a gas grill for
years
trying to produce good barbecue --- that there is a significant difference
in taste between what Big Jim's smoker produces, and what my gas grill
produced.

Assuming the temperature in both is the same, which is easy to accomplish,
and that the amount of smoke is the same, which is less easy to accomplish
but imminently plausable, what is the functional difference? Hot smokey air
is hot smokey air.

The meat only knows that it's sitting on a grate surrounded by smokey air at
225*F (or whatever target temperature you chose). It doesn't matter if the
food is inside of a gas grill, a gas-fired pit or an alien spaceship where
the aliens have set their air conditioner to 225*F while they smoke large
joints rolled out of hickory. It's still food smoking at 225*F. By the way
it's a very simple thing to smoke food in a Weber Genesis gas grill using
chunks instead of chips. I do it regularly when I'm feeling lazy. I can make
the food as smokey as I like in there and maintain any temperature this side
of reasonable.

I argue that Big Jim is a better cook than you and I, or that you deviated
from his temperature and smoke levels and recipe, or probably both.

"Dave Bugg" deebuggatcharterdotnet wrote in message
...
cl wrote:

And to play devils advocate,

Why exactly is lazy-q ok but woodchips on a gas grill set at 225-250
not ok?

Ya just sent the devil to jail, guilty as charged, so don't give up yer
day
job. :-) Lazy Q is a nearly trademarked term for Big Jims pit -- think
of a huge propane tank, with doors, on a trailer -- with a propane fired
BURNER in the offset and large wood CHUNKS in a cast iron pan sitting
above
the flame.
Dave

Not so fast. So to technically be LazyQ you are basically saying :

a) the firebox has to be baffled and separate from the cooking chamber.
b) the firebox must be in an offset configuration
c) the propane/electric element is not the primary heat source
d) the contraption has to be on a trailer
e) the size of the device is imperative to operation so that a scaled down
version will not preform the same as a larger unit (ie: gas grill used with
an indirect cooking techniqe and utilizing wood chips over the single lit
burner in a CI box )


And to think all this time I thought Jim's Lazy q was just all about a
technique to produce Q without having to tend the fire all night because of
using a more stable fuel source. (And of course still providing the dry
smoking of a woodfired setup).


hehe

-CAL

In article , "Louis Cohen"
wrote:

About the only controversial thing he says is that he cooks at a much higher
temp than most people. I think that's fine for chicken, maybe even back
ribs. But I think that the tough meats that he cooks (butt, brisket,
spares) must come out kinda tough, or at least chewy. If the pork pulls, or
if he chops it, or slices his brisket really thin (or chops it) maybe the
texture isn't so important. And maybe he likes gnawing on ribs.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----
Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"


In the book Legends of Texas Barbecue Recipes and Recollections by the Pig
Bosses by Robb Walsh, he quotes MANY famous BBQ joints that Q at high
temperatures and unequivocally state it is a myth that all Q is low temp
Q. One I can recall from memory is Kreutz in Lockhart. I have eaten
there and it is really very good and many would consider among the top few
in Texas.

Roland

"Jason in Dallas" wrote in message
.. .

...or an alien spaceship where
the aliens have set their air conditioner to 225*F while they smoke large
joints rolled out of hickory.

I don't know if that helps our argument out very much


I argue that Big Jim is a better cook than you and I, or that you deviated
from his temperature and smoke levels and recipe, or probably both.


All jokes aside, my only real contention is that the gas grill has excessive
venting compared to a smoker. This would require a greater amount of wood to
compensate for the difference or setting up a baffle for the to minimize the
amount of exhaust . With the right technique, there is shouldn't be any
difference between the two. However, I do feel the technique creates a
different texture than the charcoal/hickory route (at least in the case of
pork- I normally eat my beef grilled not 'qed (typical memphian)). Jim is
probably is just a better cook with this technique based on the praise he
receives.

-CAL

Dave Bugg wrote:
Sorry, Jason, but there is a huge difference in between a gas grill
and a gas fired pit. Large wood chunks are also burning and providing
the heat and smoke. And I can attest to the fact -- as one who used a
gas grill for years trying to produce good barbecue --- that there is
a significant difference in taste between what Big Jim's smoker
produces, and what my gas grill produced.


Dave, thanks for the explanation, I knew that the LazyQ comparison to gas
grills was inevitable and kind of looked forward to the expected discussion
since I was kinda thinking along the lines of "cl" there. You set that
straight pretty damn well and quick too. And your bona-fides don't hurt
either. Glad Jim didnt have to wade in, makes it that much more believable
too. Thanks.


--