Hi Y'all!
I'm currently in Northern Illinois, but I started in Mississippi. When I was a kid, BBQ was BBQ (turns out that meant pulled-pork, Memphis-style). But what was a kid to know? I joined the Navy and went to a little trade school on the Chesapeake where I became "sophisticated". I could grill steaks, burgers, and hotdogs, but didn't have any real knowledge of the vast array of foods that could be prepared using that tool called a grill!
After receiving my Commission in the Navy, I traveled up and down the East Coast. Nuclear Power School in Orlando, FL. Prototype in Charleston, SC. Two stints in Groton, CT, one in Balston Spa, NY, and finally at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. I still didn't know BBQ! Then, I left the Navy and went to Miami, FL to start learning about commercial nuclear power. I good friend took me out for BBQ and I had to figure out what to order -- there was Pulled Pork, Sliced or Chopped Brisket, Sausages, Chicken, and many more. I had to look at pictures to realize that I wanted Pulled Pork (what I used to call BBQ!). I never tried the rest although I tried different sauces.
Between Graduation/Commisioning from USNA and starting to work in commercial nuclear power, I had 8 children. I know, small family, but it did mean that there wasn't time or money to experiment too much with cooking techniques! Fast forward to three summers ago...I had 5 of the children out of the house and they were willing to provide some money to buy me a pellet grill. I had a shell that I could cook with charcoal on and a Coleman portable Gasser, but I wanted wood smoke. This site helped me study up a little on pellets -- THANKS FOLKS! But, as I was new to pellets and new to real BBQ cooking, I started cheap. Got a Pit Boss on sale at the local Big Box and my eyes opened!
SWMBO does NOT like smoked meat. Turns out, she loved my first Brisket AND my first ribs on the Pellet Cooker. I also loved the pulled pork. I was hooked! (BTW, I used MMD for the rub!) So, after two years of experimenting with BBQ, I've decided that it perfectly complements my Home-brewing so I started upgrading (not full-on MCS, yet). It didn't hurt that the cheap Pellet Cooker stopped functioning like it should. I read more on this wonderful site -- decided to buy the SnS and DnG after reading about them here. Decided to order a GMG Jim Bowie pellet cooker to replace the POJ after studying up here. Decided that if I'm going to spend all my time searching AR, might as well pay for it.
Thanks for the advice so far. I look forward to learning much, much more! I hope that I don't catch MCS and I'm still trying to combat my CI addiction. I also have a reasonable (?) collection of cigars that I enjoy smoking while sipping Single Malt Scotch, which habit also compliments spending time fussing over a grill. Good Luck to Us!
I'm currently in Northern Illinois, but I started in Mississippi. When I was a kid, BBQ was BBQ (turns out that meant pulled-pork, Memphis-style). But what was a kid to know? I joined the Navy and went to a little trade school on the Chesapeake where I became "sophisticated". I could grill steaks, burgers, and hotdogs, but didn't have any real knowledge of the vast array of foods that could be prepared using that tool called a grill!
After receiving my Commission in the Navy, I traveled up and down the East Coast. Nuclear Power School in Orlando, FL. Prototype in Charleston, SC. Two stints in Groton, CT, one in Balston Spa, NY, and finally at the Pentagon in Washington, DC. I still didn't know BBQ! Then, I left the Navy and went to Miami, FL to start learning about commercial nuclear power. I good friend took me out for BBQ and I had to figure out what to order -- there was Pulled Pork, Sliced or Chopped Brisket, Sausages, Chicken, and many more. I had to look at pictures to realize that I wanted Pulled Pork (what I used to call BBQ!). I never tried the rest although I tried different sauces.
Between Graduation/Commisioning from USNA and starting to work in commercial nuclear power, I had 8 children. I know, small family, but it did mean that there wasn't time or money to experiment too much with cooking techniques! Fast forward to three summers ago...I had 5 of the children out of the house and they were willing to provide some money to buy me a pellet grill. I had a shell that I could cook with charcoal on and a Coleman portable Gasser, but I wanted wood smoke. This site helped me study up a little on pellets -- THANKS FOLKS! But, as I was new to pellets and new to real BBQ cooking, I started cheap. Got a Pit Boss on sale at the local Big Box and my eyes opened!
SWMBO does NOT like smoked meat. Turns out, she loved my first Brisket AND my first ribs on the Pellet Cooker. I also loved the pulled pork. I was hooked! (BTW, I used MMD for the rub!) So, after two years of experimenting with BBQ, I've decided that it perfectly complements my Home-brewing so I started upgrading (not full-on MCS, yet). It didn't hurt that the cheap Pellet Cooker stopped functioning like it should. I read more on this wonderful site -- decided to buy the SnS and DnG after reading about them here. Decided to order a GMG Jim Bowie pellet cooker to replace the POJ after studying up here. Decided that if I'm going to spend all my time searching AR, might as well pay for it.
Thanks for the advice so far. I look forward to learning much, much more! I hope that I don't catch MCS and I'm still trying to combat my CI addiction. I also have a reasonable (?) collection of cigars that I enjoy smoking while sipping Single Malt Scotch, which habit also compliments spending time fussing over a grill. Good Luck to Us!
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