May is National Barbecue Month

May 21, 2006 | Issue 22

Hello and welcome to the May edition of the Smoking Meat Newsletter the voice of the "Low and Slow", and occasionally "high and fast" barbecue community.

Last month we talked about smoking eggs in a couple of different ways and hopefully some of you were able to try that in commemoration of the Easter season.

If you did not get to read last month's newsletter for whatever reason then please check it out here for some real goodies.

You probably already know that the month of May is National Barbecue Month (like we need another reason to barbecue!) and those of us who are into the low and slow of it will be celebrating right along with the speedy grillers and we'll just be one great big happy family.

I want to delve into grilling (with smoke of course) a little bit this month..

Smoking with the Grill

A lot of times when we say "smoking meat" we think low and slow and it truly is in essence but smoking can also take place over the grill and sometimes we tend to forget that.

Charcoal briquette flavored meat seems to be what everyone has gotten use to tasting off the grill with a hint of lighter fluid, and if that is what you enjoy then I do not want to offend but please allow me to re-introduce the wonderful, smoky flavor you can roust up onto a steak, hamburger patty, or even a hot dog using mesquite chunks or whatever your favorite wood flavor is.

I have a special favorite that I do.. I have been doing this for quite some time and I really don't even know how I came up with it but it is mighty tasty and I would be plumb cruel to not share it..

Mesquite Smoked Country Style Rib Kabobs

Country Style ribs are actually not ribs at all but cuts from the very tender loin area..

I have smoked these things low and slow several times and they turn out great but I think it is a waste of time since they are better served on a grill while the smoker is busy tenderizing something that truly needs to be tenderized like brisket, pork shoulder, etc.

Here is what I do with them and it is a crowd please every solitary time I do it:

I get me about 3 pounds of country style ribs.. and sometimes you can find these for as little as $0.99 per pound.

I make up a batch of Jeff's Naked Rib Rub, break out the long metal toothpicks that my wife calls skewers, get the grill prepared real hot like I am going to grill a steak, and cut up my country style ribs into small pieces around 1 x 1 inch.

You don't have to cut the ribs up.. technically you could roll them real good in the rub and just grill them outright and they are tasty that way but on the skewers they are already in bite sized pieces and you can add onions, peppers, and other veggies to the skewers as well for a real fancy meal.

I roll the rib pieces in the rub and make sure they are thoroughly coated but not real thick, and then thread them onto the skewer with alternating onions, peppers, mushrooms, squash, etc. between the meat. You can add whatever vegetables you like and it will taste good.

Once the grill is too hot for me to hold my hand over.. I throw on some mesquite chunks, lay the skewers on the grill and close the lid.

I like to see the grill really pouring out smoke since it has to induce a lot of flavor in a relatively short period of time.

It normally takes around 16-18 minutes for them to get done on one side depending on how hot the grill is and I turn them over and finish them off on the other side.

I like to check these with my digital probe meat thermometer to make sure they have hit 160 before removing them.

You can serve these with a mound of rice or with barbecued baked beans and a roll, the options are just endless and the flavor is unbelievable.

For dessert or as a side dish with your meat, be sure to try some whipped sweet potatoes (this goes really good with barbecue for some reason). This is our traditional thanksgiving recipe but we use it a lot during the year as well.

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If you are truly serious about barbecue and cooking outdoors for family and friends then you need my rub and sauce recipes. It is the two tools that you absolutely need in your barbecue toolbox and the are the second most important investment next to your smoker in my opinion and lots of folks agree.

Thank you Eric for the kind words.. I put my heart and soul into those recipes as well as this website and I feel fortunate to have so many fans..

If you would like to experience these recipes for yourself (and you should) simply click the link below to read more testimonies or click here to go ahead and order.

Note: This is an immediate download which means just as soon as you order you should receive a download link within minutes.

Please email me right away if you do not receive an email within just a few minutes of ordering so I can jump into action and find out what is going on.

I have an outside company that handles this for me and I have to keep them on their toes.. my goal is 100% satisfaction and I won't be satisfied until you are. I promise.

End of commercial break..

New "Smoking Meat With Jeff Phillips" Blog

For any of you who still do not know about the blog.. we launched this thing toward the end of April and it has been an absolute success.

I take a question submitted by you via the contact form on the website or sent directly to me and I answer it on the blog for all to benefit from.

We now have over 40 questions answered in great detail and should be just another great tool for learning the great art of smoking meat.

Please continue to send in your questions and I will answer them as I can and who knows.. maybe yours will end up on the blog!

Note: I remove all personal information such as name, location, email address, etc. to protect your privacy.

The blog is located at http://www.smoking-meat.com/blog.html and can be setup for your rss reader using the link below:

http://www.smoking-meat.com/atom.xml

The Propane GOSM Instruction Manual

No.. it is not the one you got when you bought your smoker.. I sat down and wrote a manual that takes you step by step through using your Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain series smoker from beginning to end.. I do mean step by step and I had some excellent help with this as well.

Earl Dowdle, which most of you know from our sister website over at SmokingMeatForums.com was the editor-in-chief on this project and I think he wore out his editing pencil correcting all of my mistakes.

This was the result of many requests and I finally got around to it.. it is now available as a free downloadable PDF file at the link below:

Download Here

Note: this file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader which is on most computers but if you need it, you can download it free by clicking on the icon below.

June 2006 BBQ Competitions

06/02 - 06/03
Lincolnton, NC
State Championship
Lincolnton Hog Happenin
Contact: Brad Guth/Holly Kiser, 114 East Main Street, Lincolnton, NC 28092
Phone: 704-736-8915 Fax: 704-736-8917
E-mail: hollykiser@ci.lincolnton.nc.us
KCBS Reps: John Stevens, Micky Williams
Alt Rep: Charles Fretwell

06/02 - 06/03
Platte City, MO
State Championship
Platte City BBQ Contest at Basswood Resort
Contact: Manager, Basswood Resort, 15880 Interurban Road, Platte City, MO 64079
Phone: 816-858-5556 Fax: 816-431-3802
E-mail: info@basswoodresort.com
KCBS Reps: Lynda Showalter, Kenny Chargois

06/02 - 06/03
McLouth, KS
State Championship
McLouth BBQ Blowout
Contact: Cliff Weeks, PO Box 87, McLouth, KS 66054
Phone: 913-796-6330 or 913-796-6122 Fax: 913-796-6124
E-mail: weeksc@mclouth.org
KCBS Reps: Jack Gibbs, Tom Price

06/02 - 06/03
Crestwood, KY
State Championship
South Oldham Lions BBQ & Bluegrass Festival
Contact: Thomas Temple, 3605 W. Highway 22, Crestwood, KY 40014
Phone: 502-241-4912
E-mail: gardengracet@aol.com
KCBS Reps: Ed Magnusson, Tony Stone

Please go to www.kcbs.us for over 20 more competitions scheduled in the month of June. If you know of other competitions, KCBS sanctioned or otherwise, please drop me an email at least 2 months in advance and I will add it to the list.

Share This Newsletter

If you enjoy this newsletter.. please take some time to forward it to 5 or 6 friends who you think would also enjoy it. Ask them to go to www.smoking-meat.com and sign up as a subscriber themselves if they like it.

Jeff's Naked Rib Rub and BBQ Sauce Recipes

If you have not taken advantage of my special offer then you really should do that. I have two of the best recipes that you have ever tasted and I don't just talk.. I guarantee it. One is for the rub and one is for the sauce and let me tell you.. they are a winning combination.

Talk to anyone who has ordered and they will tell you that these recipes are worth every penny and you will save money in the long run since you will never have to buy the store-bought stuff again.

I have several testimonies at the site to prove what I am saying and furthermore if you order and within 30 days you decide it is not the best rub and sauce you have ever tasted in your entire life then I will happily refund your money.

Order the Rub and Sauce recipes.. both.. for only $18.95 or you can order them separately for only $9.95 each.

Read the Testimonies or Order Now

P.S. I get lavished with praise on these recipes almost daily and that is enough to make anybody feel like a million dollars. Thank all of you for the kind sincere words.. it means a lot!

Joke of the Month

I laughed so hard when I read this.. I think you will get a kick out of it as well. Submitted by Larry M. at SmokingMeatForums.com

The Perfect Husband

Several men are in the locker room of a golf club. A cell phone on a bench rings and a man engages the hands free speaker function and begins to talk. Everyone else in the room stops to listen.

Man: "Hello."

Woman: "Honey, it's me. Are you at the club"?

Man: "Yes."

Woman: "I am at the mall now and found this beautiful leather coat. It's only $1,000. Is it okay if I buy it"?

Man: "Sure, go ahead if you like it that much."

Woman: "I also stopped by the Mercedes dealership and saw the new 2006 models. I saw one that I really liked."

Man: "How much"?

Woman: "$90,000."

Man: "Okay, but for that price, I want it with all the options."

Woman: "Great! Oh, and one more thing. The house I wanted last year is back on the market. They're asking $950,000."

Man: "Well, then go ahead and give them an offer of $900,000. They will probably take it. If not, we can go the extra 50 thousand. It's really a pretty good price."

Woman: "Okay. I'll see you later! I love you so much!"

Man: "Bye! I love you, too."

The man hangs up. The other men in the locker room are staring at him in astonishment, mouths agape.

He smiles and asks, "Anyone know who this phone belongs to"?

Thanks Larry and all of you who submit jokes into the jokes section of SmokingMeatForums.com .. we all get a great laugh out of them and it makes our days a little better.

Thank You for Supporting Smoking-Meat.com!

Until next time... thank you for being a part of the best smoking meat/barbecue site on the world wide web! At this time we are supported solely by the sponsored ads on the site and the few items that we offer for sale.

Every time you purchase one of our excellent products it helps pay for the hosting and domain to provide this service to you.

We have also added a "donate" link to the site and if you have been helped at all by this newsletter or the website then please consider a small $5 or $10 gift of appreciation to help keep this site going. We are forever grateful to all of you who constantly let us know how much the site means to you.

Have a Wonderful Day and Keep Smoking (meat that is)!!!

Jeff Phillips
Pitmaster/Webmaster
www.Smoking-Meat.com
www.SmokingMeatForums.com

Feel free to drop us a line about anything at all by using our contact us page or the speedy form below.

My good buddy Bruce keeps me supplied with his wonderful Cajun Put-it-on-everything Bayou Shakedown and I invite you to give it a try.. I think you are gonna love it as much as my family and I do. My daughter puts it on almost everything she eats and I have to admit that it really is that good.

I have stopped buying the leading brand in the green container.. it used to be my favorite but not anymore.

Check out his stuff at CrazzyCajun.com

Note: This newsletter can be freely reprinted or used without permission as long as it stays intact, as is and is not changed in any way from the format in which it was set by the author and/or editors of this publication.