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The new guy

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    The new guy

    While thinking about what to say to introduce myself, it struck me as strange that after spending my whole working life in IT and even building web sites for Fortune 500 companies for a while, that I never really thought about browsing the web in earnest for BBQ related sites. How did I not know this site existed? Tonight I saw the post in Forbes about the Meetup in Memphis 2020 and now here I am.

    I guess you could say I was your typical backyard griller until my wife enrolled me in a BBQ University class at the Greenbriar Hotel in West Virginia a while ago. The class was taught by Steve Raichlen and during the few days I was there, I had my eyes opened about all of the basic stuff I didn't know. The highlight of the class was a demonstration on smoking Brisket. I was hooked and Brisket became my passion. I added a WSM and a 3 burner gas grill to the Weber kettle I already had at home and set about trying all of the many techniques covered in the class. MY wife called the class the best investment she ever made. Not too long after that, and by virtue of having my diploma from BBQ-U, I was appointed the pittmaster at our family July 4th gathering on Cape Cod. The first couple of years were modest immediate family events with your usual burger, hotdog, and chicken items grilled on a Weber kettle. I took it upon myself to provide an offset smoker so that I could add brisket to the menu and the whole event took off. Within a couple of years, the event grew to over 80 attendees and 5-6 grills plus the smoker, bounce houses for the kids, water balloon fights and consumption of copious amonts of adult beverages. I was never so proud as when I heard one of my nieces proclaim "UNCLE JOHN'S BRISKET!!" when asked what was the best thing about the gathering. I spent the next 10 years just doing brisket at the JBQ (as the event became known - named after my father, John) and finally began to train one of my nephews to take over the duties after spending a day nursing a brisket to completion while a hurricane approached. The next day, the pergola I had been working under was a twisted mess in the back yard of my sister's house (she hosts the event) as a result of the hurricane's near miss.

    I have since retired from my day job and now having divested myself of the Weber grills and smoker and moved to a smaller house, spend my time learning my new Camp Chef Woodwind smoker. I alternate between beef, pork and chicken as I try to learn the personality of this smoker and am adjusting to not having to constantly tend the fire during a cook. I look forward to the insights and recipes I hope to gain here and will contribute what I can.

    #2
    Nice intro. Welcome from Winnipeg. Sounds like you are well on your way. Enjoy the cooking.

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      #3
      Welcome to the Pit from La Crosse, WI. Glad you found it, you will fit in nicely!

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        #4
        Nice intro. Welcome from the mountains of NC.

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          #5
          Great intro! Welcome. Lots of great people with fantastic advice here.

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            #6
            The best introduction I’ve read in quite a while. Welcome from Pensacola Florida!

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              #7
              Welcome to The Pit John.

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                #8
                Welcome from Maryland

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                  #9
                  Welcome from Colorado ...

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                    #10
                    Thanks for the great background story. Sounds like you have a lot to pass along. Welcome from south Texas!

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                      #11
                      One thing we’ll do is help you build yer arsenal of cookers up again, heh, heh. It’ll be interesting what you think about this site a year from now after extensively using it. Welcome, eat good and have fun!

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                        #12
                        Greetings from South Africa.

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                          #13
                          Fun and interesting intro! Welcome to the Pit!! Would love to hear details of your brisket cooking process that you mastered

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                            #14
                            Welcome to the Pit !
                            Cheers from Norway

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                              #15
                              Great intro! Welcome to The Pit from Texas! Sounds like you have been unknowingly suffering from MCS long before you knew it was a disease. I wish I could say that you will be cured here, but we are all MCS enablers. 😜👍. Looking forward to seeing pictures of and hearing about your cooks! As a former Pit legend used to say, eat well and prosper!

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