Rumor Confirmed!

... this might be the first recipie I ever learned.

While it has been absolutely true that I've been more than my share of lazy with regard to this blog, I am pleased to report that my apparent lazyness in just that. Merely Apparent.


I am pleased to announce that the new blog goes live today. A link in the side bar has been added to this blog so you can get there easily, and here is a link to Grill For One if you would rather click now.

I've exported all of the grill related posts from this blog and they sit in the hopper over there as they are re-formatted to fit the new template. I already like the updated editor and the wider format. I may have to experiment with a new template for this blog.

Grill For One, which can be found at grill41.blogspot.com, currently has quite a pipeline of new material, and I am looking forward to posting several of my staple grill recipies. There is even some level of interest from my local cooking supply store and school. The ability to get a sponsor, sell some advertising, and perhaps even teach a class or two are all reasons behind grill41.

Now, I need to go add the Legal page to Grill 41 before the first post goes off in a few hours.

Enjoy!

-.\\

Travel Day and the BBQ Frontier

It has been a long time since I sampled Texas BBQ. I was passing through Amarillo, and with assistance of the yellow-pages directory in the navigation system, I was able to locate a mini BBQ. The quality of the meat was excellent, and it was served pulled, on a bun, just like Brad's. Less smoke flavor, drier, and the sauce was not sweet and smokey, but a bit under-powered with Santa Cruz Chili Powder. That's Texas BBQ. I almost stopped at another BBQ.

I've gotten a bit better at catching trains. This is out the passenger window, using the best-shot-selector. No more blur, but you gotta time it right. There is significant lag with a digital camera.

I cleaned the windshield, and there were some sun-dogs to catch over the New Mexico desert.

Of course, everyone is asking about the sauce. Here it is, loading down the passenger side of the vehicle. Albuquerque is at the left side of the map, at the nexus. Now you know exactly where the sauce was when the photo was taken.

A quick pause at a rest-stop provided an opportunity to make some nice PS3 wallpaper. Here is a standard aspect shot of the Varga and Snow that I was driving through.

Even through the dirty windshield, a sunset shot was possible today. Enjoy this New Mexico sunset. I punched through Albuquerque, Grants and Gallup, penetrating 50 miles into Arizona before stopping for the night in Holbrook. I was jazzed about getting back to my own time zone, crossing two time zones boundaries and over 900 miles in one day of travel.

-.\\

Bad Brad's

Believe it or not, the URL for Bad Brad's Bar-B-Q appears to be broken. I've posted it anyway, and will update it as needed. They have refreshed their logo, and the menu, but everything is the same down to the multiple police vehicles in the parking lot. An officer was pulling in after me. I know I was doing the speed limit. He was making a bee-line for the door.



I had to fire the flash to get this shot. There is the fireplace that I shot from the outside yesterday. There is a second dining room as well. If the parking lots a full, just wait for a parking spot to open and there will be a seat inside. There are also picnic tables outside for extra nice days, which are coming on fast.


No blue plate. Just a wrapped sandwich and a bowl of beans. No need for an appetizer and the drink is a root-beer. Cold bottle beer is available too. There are three police cars in the parking lot. If it is noon, there is contingent of lawyers in the forward dining room. This restaurant is 1.0 miles from the county courthouse. Ergo, the one and done policy for beer and the strong preference from the root variety.


This is the original home-brew smoker. This is where the magic of BBQ happens. They let it run for a very long time, based on how deep the smoke reddening goes into the brisket. Take a really close look at the sandwich. It's sliced brisket. The shed for this smoker is new. Here's why:

There is a second smoker in the shed now. It's nearly identical to the first, but slightly updated and improved. This is where the liquid smoke for the BBQ sauce is produced. Without the magic in these two crucibles of BBQ perfection, you'd never get the sauce that comes from this place.

It is all in the taste, and the fact that I saw the liquid smoke collection system in years past. I happen to believe that the liquid smoke is more valuable than the smoked eats of all kinds that come from these kettles. Of course, the two go hand in hand. After eating here, I could qualify for a case of smoke inhalation at any hospital emergency room, and all I've done is eat BBQ. I will be tasting Bad Brad's for days.

It is in this chamber that more magic happens. Outdoors, it is here that the smoked meat finishes it's cooking. Very slowly. This place is locked up at night, as it takes well more than 24 hours for a new piece of flesh to make it's way to you your table, and it's never chilled as far as I can see. In fact, there are stacked warmers in the prep room. Literally, this place is a continuous bar-b-q operation, as are many other pit BBQ places. Brad's has three locations in Oklahoma.

If you call ahead, they've got a drive through. There's no cord to drive over, so you have to honk. They're more likely to come out the door to do business.

But if you ask, they'll do the drive-thru thing with the little window and all. Seems a bit rushed after 1600 miles of driving, but if that's your only reason for coming, I suggest you buy a few gallons of sauce and as much smoked brisket as they will sell you. Call ahead if you need allot, an they are happy to oblige. I plan to save room for some brisket and other smoked goodies, time permitting.

-.\\

Closed Sunday

Yup. I drove all the way to Pawhuska for nothing but a snapshot from across the road. At least you can see that it was snowing on my favorite BBQ place. This is the original Bad Brad's BBQ joint. I had planned to sit by the fireplace. Bummer. You will get to go here. I promise.

I decided that the Icicles hanging from the awning of a pale shopfront were worth stopping for. Good thing, because while breaking to park, all the snow from my hood finally lurched off landed in front of the car. It would prove to be a wheelspinner when I took of from the photo op.

Not to be un-BBQ'd, I resorted to the best Sunday BBQ on the planet. Dink's Pit BBQ on Frank Philips Blvd. in Bartlesville. Above, you have their signature appetizer (as far as I am concerned). They are called Onion Strings, and pair well with Beer and BBQ Sauce. You can eat them plain. Please note that it is a half-order that is pictured here. It will serve as a appetizer for four (4) people.

I opted for the Solo Plus which is a chopped beef brisket sandwich with the side of your choice. In this case it was the baked beans. Brisket and beans. These are the two things that I forever define a BBQ place by. I've tried dozens over the years, and this dish is always unique from place to place. Having seen all of the changes over the years in Bartlesville, it's nice to know that Dink's remains the same.