Good thing I didn't go to the BBQ Competition downtown

Troy Moon says he paid $8 to help taste and judge the competition and received 14 small spoon-sized samples to rank. He was ready to chow down, but the few vendors available were slammed with customers, so he went elsewhere for BBQ.

http://blogs.pnj.com/troymoon/2013/03/04/the-challenge-for-the-bbq-festival/

If I had gone down there, I'd be disappointed. When I cook on the BBQ, I usually cook (and eat) vast quantities.

Ribs


Turkey

What the heck, he had to pay to be a judge? He should have been allowed to eat all he could.

Moon described that this wasn't a BBQ festival, per se, but a competition. Most of the vendors didn't sell to the public. They were there to earn a blue ribbon.

I think there were probably a lot of people that paid to judge the BBQ and were expecting bigger portions.

Well i only eat fish,,,and have never had barbecued fish

whowherewhy wrote:

Well i only eat fish,,,and have never had barbecued fish

Smoked fish is good... but finding rolling papers large enough is difficult.

BBQ amberjack is great..

A few years ago I paid to be a judge. Every one of the entrants had 20-30 people lined up for a little tiny sample. By the time you got to the 3rd one, they were out of food.. It's a big rip off.

I love catching amberjack but in the words os someone

If i wanted worms i would go in my garden lol

When I worked at this restaurant back in the early 80's, the manager would be in the kitchen pulling worms out of the Amberjack. Needless to say I did not eat Amberjack after that. Ewww.

Eric wrote:

Moon described that this wasn't a BBQ festival, per se, but a competition. Most of the vendors didn't sell to the public. They were there to earn a blue ribbon.

I think there were probably a lot of people that paid to judge the BBQ and were expecting bigger portions.

Thought about going but glad I didn't. I had thought they were going to be selling BBQ, not lil samples.

Eric wrote:

whowherewhy wrote:

Well i only eat fish,,,and have never had barbecued fish

Smoked fish is good... but finding rolling papers large enough is difficult.

Eric, just use the PNJ, people havesaid it is just a mullet wrapper

Eric would fail miserable in any type of commercial food ventue.. He knows nothing about portion control. When I was at his house he took a large prime rib off of the grill. I thought "Not bad, looks good, should be enough for all of us" Then he said " Here is yours, the rest of them will be finished in a second"

I'da been fairly well ticked off were I Troy... or any of the judges! A spoonful... that's just shameful.

3w: When I lived in the area (and up in Humboldt) I BBQ'd my fresh fish on top of a fitting-sized piece of tinfoil so that it didn't flake and fall through. I started it out with another piece sealed over the top to keep the juices and few spices I used (don't need much) sealed in there. About half way through, I'd remove the top piece of tinfoil to let the wood smoke get in there and get a good scald on the fish. Absolutely the best possible way to cook fish in my opinion.

After my divorce I dated a local fishing guide, plus we hung out and fished with a bunch of local fishermen since right after we moved there. I grilled fresh Amberjack, Grouper, Redfish, Cobia, Red Snapper, and likely some that I'm forgetting thataway, and the boys always said it was some of the very best cooking they'd ever had. But then, I ain't no slouch in the kitchen... or on the grill.

I also have a patented riceme method of doing-up fresh zucchini and yellow squash, onions, garlic and mushrooms on the grill. Can't beat it with a stick. EASY... I developed the method on a camping trip many years ago (wow, like 20-yrs ago!) and have made that dish on every camping trip since, and always serve it when I grill.

So, Ricey, what's your way of cooking veggies on the grill? I have one of those perforated veggie grill thingies, but the veggies seem to dry out too much.

Remember when people had gill nets and a 55 gallon drum or a old refrigerator made into a mullet smoker? I have not had smoked Mullet in a LONG time. Good stuff.

I use a set of long-handled fish grill cages, but the handles are so long it becomes difficult to close the smoker. That smoked mullet looks good. I'll see if I can cook some up this weekend. You up for it HG? You and Rita?

Yes!!! For sure... I will check with Rita but count me in. Thanks.

Fellows....I love fresh mullet but.....I have to have it fried.

Eric wrote:

So, Ricey, what's your way of cooking veggies on the grill? I have one of those perforated veggie grill thingies, but the veggies seem to dry out too much.

Remember that I developed this method for camping...

Slice fresh zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms. Chop white onion and fresh garlic, put it all into a gallon-sized ziplock bag, season w/Montreal Steak and/or Montreal Chicken, seal it and shake up the bag real good. For some reason it seems to turn out when you let this mixture set in the cooler for a good while (like all day or even longer).

When you go to grill up this fine mess, put it all into an 8" or 9" round aluminum foil baking pan you can get in baking/cooking aisle. Either put a second one on top and seal the edges w/tinfoil, or if you have heavy duty tinfoil, just seal the top of the dish with generous amounts of heavy duty tinfoil (this way is much easier). "Seal" being the operative word here. Then use your good judgment for the heat of your grill (or campfire) to judge how long to cook the veggies, remembering that you gotta flip the whole deal half-way through. I would probably never cook them longer than 20-min all-tolled (10-min each side) because I prefer my veggies al dente. Important to note that they cook much quicker on a campfire.

Somehow the woodsmoke from the BBQ magically gets in there, I swear. I have used the same method to cook the same stuff in cast iron in the kitchen, but it is just not the same. I often fire up the grill JUST to cook these veggies.

Oh, sidenote, the ziplock bag is specifically for easy, compact storage in the ice chest. When doing it up at home, no doubt you could use tupperware.

Very simple, very delicious.

_EDITED_: Forgot to mention to either add a few pats to putter or drizzle a little cold pressed extra virgin olive oil in w/the veggies. It's great either way, and honestly would likely be great simply steamed without either.

I love doing my corn on the cob on the grill. BEFORE removing the shuck, I normally soak it in water for a while and then put it on the top grate of the grill so the shuck won't burn. After a while, I turn it over and let it keep roasting. When it's all finished, I open the shuck, folding it back for a handle, then remove the silk and smother or dip the core into melted butter, sprinkle a little salt on it and eat away. They have had it at the fair for the last few years. To shorten the time, you can microwave it 10-15 minutes or so before putting it on the grill.
Another favorite is pineapple on a BBQ squaer (sp). iI put the whole pealed pineapple on the squaer and let the rotissary motor turn it. I brush on some brown sugar and water every few times it goes around to keep it from burning. It's the same way they do it at Rodizio's Grill. and is their most popular item. Of course, they use a bigger rotissary and go thru 75 cases or more of pineapples weekly.

Shouldn't a bbq competition be in the summer? Or at least when it's a little warmer!

nekochan wrote:

Shouldn't a bbq competition be in the summer? Or at least when it's a little warmer!

Did you forget this is Pensacola?

Last year when I went there were 30 or so in the contest and another 20 or so selling all you could eat. It was good, but more expensive than going to any BBQ restaurant in the area. Even a Greek salad was $7 or 8, just like at the seafood festival. By the time you park and walk for 20-30 minutes to get there, eat a little and just look around, it still costs at least $20.

I didn't forget it's Pensacola but I have heard that Floridians are whining about the cold!

I meant that Pensacola always does things back ass ward. We have a different drummer. But Studer may have needed the smoke for next YMCA anouncement. He already has the mirrors. LOL

LOL, Hallmark. I hear ya.