Attended the Stoney Creek BBQ Cookoff in Edinburg Va. yesterday. Got to meet and talk to some really great BBQ Comp teams, and sampled some amazing comp BBQ. (No Pictures taken)
Today I did another competition chicken practice...The flavor was really good but I still need to work on the tenderness...
Nest week doing my first practice cooking ribs and chicken together...
Those are way prettier than mine! I tried the Myron Mixon method with the muffin pan one time, and man, it was a lot of work! Makes sense in a competition, like you did, but I am just too lazy when it's a home cook for my friends or family. Looks awesome, and I bet they tasted awesome as well!
Started smoking in Aug 2025. First smoker is a Weber Searwood. I purchased a ThermoWorks Smoke to get a more accurate temperature and the pro-series needle probe. I also have a Weber grilling basket, Weber grill brush, and the Grillart steambrush. I've tried all sorts of pellets and wood flavors and my family mainly likes the Traeger signature blend. I have a meat injector and shears for poultry.
I also recently purchased a new 2010 used Weber Kettle Performer. Just got a cover for it. I bought the ThermoWorks RFX with 1 wireless probe, the SnS and DnG to spruce up the grill. I have not cooked on it yet. I cut a hole and installed the ThermoWorks billows. I did buy 4 bags of the B&B charcoal briquettes.
All my cooking has been on the Searwood. I absolutely love cooking Pork Shoulder, chicken wings, chicken breasts and steak. I won first place in my church chili cookoff (I bragged to everyone about it) and I really enjoyed the chili (and I don't really like chili). I really enjoyed Moink balls. I like cooking ribs, chicken breasts, and chicken legs with white sauce.
I look forward to cooking pork burnt ends, smoked turkey for Thanksgiving, and maybe even a brisket.
I'm still trying to determine rubs my wife will really enjoy. I love the rubs from the website, but my wife just wants some rubs that will bring out the meat flavor so she can taste the meat. I'm seeking simple rubs for chicken breasts and steaks.
I love soda and especially Dr. Pepper. I don't drink alcohol.
I live near Boise, ID. I've been married for 25 years and I have 5 kids. I'm a second career dentist.
My second attempt at brisket for my first ever guys night. I made the brisket and invited over 4 other friends. They brought fries, baked beans, homemade rolls, cookies and ice cream. We talked a lot and watched John Wayne in Rio Bravo.
I cooked the brisket on my recent acquisition Weber Smokey Mountain 22”.
Dry brined it with salt.
Plenty of room on the 22”.
Unreal how accurate the overnight cook went without me tending the cook while ThermoWorks and Billows did their thing.
Turned out delicious for cooking for 13 hours and resting for 4 hours.
Yum!
WSM is a great low n slow machine. I need to break mine out. It lives in one of the RV compartments. I haven’t used it in a couple years. Good looking brisket
Had a nice harvest of shishito peppers today so reverse seared strip steaks on the SnS kettle, roasted potatoes, and blistered the shishitos. Served the peppers with the potatoes because SheilaAnn keeps recommending shishitos with French fries.
Fun watching the Cubs kick some butt today after some disappointing losses. Did the legs on the Silverback and crisped up the skin in the Genesis with corn we bought at our farmers market. Everything was delicious. Used Meatchurch’s Gospel rub. One of our favorites.
Pit Barrel Cooker
Weber Master-Touch
Blackstone Omnivore 4 Burner Griddle
Thermoworks: Signals, Billows, Thermopens, Thermopops, Nodes, bunch of silicone stuff, and more!
OnlyFire Rotisserie w/ Basket attachment for the Weber
Vortex for the Weber
Both of Meathead's books!
Way too many BBQ related accessories, tools, and doo-dads!
Chicken thighs (again) this weekend. Been a few weeks since I was able to cook anything, and without having anything thawed, I ended up going to grocery store for the cheapest option. That means either Leg Quarters or Thighs (bone-in skin-on).
Thighs it was!
No time to dry brine overnight, so I ended up seasoning them and putting them in the fridge for about 3 hours. I used two kinds of rubs, Penzy's Barbeque All American on half, then Penzy's Revolution on the other half.
Smoked on the on the pit barrel, with Pecan and Apple wood, it was an hour and 10 minute cook. I tried something I hadn't done for awhile, which was wait until the thighs were at about 170, then take off the lid, put the chicken skin side down on the grate, and open the vent up by about half. Was looking to ger some crispness on the skin rather than just bite-through.
It actually worked pretty well, EXCEPT, the thighs got away from me, and they were about 180-185 by the time I got around to taking the lid off.
Chicken seasoned and ready to go on:
One the PBC:
Off the smoker, resting while I finish up some veggies.
I decided to use some Brussels Sprouts for a side. They were frozen, so I thawed them out in the fridge in a salt water bath to see if I could get a little more flavor to penetrate. I think it worked out pretty good. Use Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Pepper, and a touch of Ground Cayenne for some pop. Oh, and lots of butter!
Started them out on the PBC, but they were taking too long, so finished them out of the indoor stovetop.
Plated up, was pretty good!
Chicken was decently juicy, and skin was nice and crispy! But I think it would've been better if I'd done the lid off thing at 170 instead of 180-185.
The Revolution spices were better (IMHO) on the chicken then the Barbeque All American. Just a flavor preference for me, I think. The Revolution tasted like it would go well on fish, too.
Both were good, I'll try the BBQ AA stuff on some pork chops soon.
I often take thighs to about 180°-185°. They turn out pretty perfect for us. But then I don't do a skin-crisping step.
I'm thinking that skin crisping step evaporated some of the juice. You're right, taking them off sooner and ramping up the heat to crisp the skin will be the perfect combo. Next time. Let us know how that future cook turns out, too.
LSG Adjustable Grill/Smoker, MAK Pellet Grill, Large BGE with Several Attachments from the Ceramic Grill Store, Weber Genesis E335 Gasser, Cast Iron Pans & Griddle, Grill Grates, Mostly Thermoworks Thermometers, Anova SV Stick, BBQ Guru Controller and Fan
It's been a while, been practicing, having fun, and drinking beer, while using the new Weber trying to learn..finally feeling confident to use cast iron on it. I did burgers today then roasted tater tons and grilled onions to try and make the burgers like IN-N-OUT style. For those that don't know it's like whataburger but better. So I've been told..thanks to everyone for helping me learn and get better.
Not the best presentation, but smoked and seared Iowa Chops, grilled zucchini and tomatoes w/cottage cheese.
Chops tasted good and were super juicy, just need to figure out how to make them more tender (chops aren’t my fave, but the girls love them so I should just work on it more).
We raised hogs and when we slaughtered them they were just over a hundred pounds, maybe 130, and I never encountered a tender pork chop. If I do pork chops I'll just get the thickest ones I can get and do the sous vide - sear method. Trust me, it ain't you.
Yup. Sous vide at 135° to pasteurization. Then sear. Tender and juicy that way. I stopped doing them any other way. Pork loin/chops are just too touchy any other way for me.
Your pork chop looks delicious though. Nice browning on it.
Monday night dinner and lunch prep. Boneless skinless thighs, just some five spice and SPG, seared, tossed in a doctored up thai chili sauce. Hard to beat and fun cook.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
Pit Barrel PBX
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
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Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
There is nothing I love more on the grill than a live fire ribeye steak. I am addicted and having about 3 per week at this point. This one was about 18 ounces or perfection.
Retired, living in Western Mass. Enjoy music, cooking and my family.
Current cookers Weber Spirit 3 burner with a full insert griddle added. A 22" Kettle with vortex, SnS and a Smokey Joe. The most recent addition is a Pit Barrel Jr with bird hanger, 4 hooks and cover. ThermoWorks Smoke 2 probe, DOT, 2 ThermoPops and a Thermapen MK4. A Thermoworks RFX Gateway 2 probe meat thermometer.
My cook of a blackened bone in pork chop. I used Panhead John method and the Louisiana seasoning recommended. Done on the side burner of the Spirit. Temperature was about 500° in the cast iron skillet when the butter was dropped in. It was delicious, I.T. 148. Less than 3 minutes per side. It was maybe an inch thick. My only take away. Notice a missing seasoning in the middle. I used tongs for the flip. I suspect I removed the seasoning. Next time a spatula carefully placed under said protein. Again,,fantastic. I looking forward to some thick ribeye soon as I get some.
Great job Ritchie, looks tasty! Re: the missing seasoning. Here’s a few things I discovered with pork chops. Sometimes they tend to curl up at the edges and the middle doesn’t stay flat against the bottom of the pan. Try pressing down on them with a spatula for the first minute or two on each side. When seasoning them before cooking, press the seasoning into the meat with your hands. Also, this happens to me a lot, when removing the meat from the plate into the skillet, con’t….
Continued…. I find a good bit of seasoning will come off the bottom of the meat and stick to the plate. Put the opposite side of the meat face down in the pan and then sprinkle more seasoning onto the side that lost some. Hope this helps!
Last edited by Panhead John; August 26, 2026, 07:15 PM.
Retired, living in Western Mass. Enjoy music, cooking and my family.
Current cookers Weber Spirit 3 burner with a full insert griddle added. A 22" Kettle with vortex, SnS and a Smokey Joe. The most recent addition is a Pit Barrel Jr with bird hanger, 4 hooks and cover. ThermoWorks Smoke 2 probe, DOT, 2 ThermoPops and a Thermapen MK4. A Thermoworks RFX Gateway 2 probe meat thermometer.
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