Barbecue Master Road Trips to Missouri to Meet the Winter Grillers at Roaring River Resort

Roaring River Resort in Cassville, Misouri

Last week I went up to Roaring River Resort in Cassville, Missouri. The owners, Lon and Syndi, had invited the Winter Grillers up for a first annual gathering of the grillers – or the chance to meet our imaginary grilling buddies. We joked about that, because we’ve all been friends but online for several years.

Winter Grillin was a group at a web site, but the group branched off to a private space on Facebook Winter Grillin a while back for more features and options. I’m part of the early and tight group and was likely one of the first to sign up in 2009. One of the members left a message on my blog saying I might enjoy the space, and I sure have.

Winter Grillin does involve a lot of talk about grilling and barbecue, but we also grew to know each other on a personal level. The group was “there” when my son rescued a fellow teen from drowning, and I didn’t know if either boy made it out of the river for 20 minutes. They’ve seen my boys get Eagle Scout and graduate high school and now the oldest one graduating from college (and along on this journey to Missouri). I won’t share everyone else’s business, but we’ve all been there for the good and bad times for years now.

Syndi and Lon - Couldn't Ask for Nicer People

Lon has always been like the heartbeat of the group, coming up with fun ideas that helped us all bond. He set up a mailing trade off, and we mailed his pet penguin, Burr, around from member to member and included barbecue gifts and other fun things to the next person along the mailing trip.

Lon and Syndi came up for the idea to have a meet up, and they offered space to everyone at Roaring River Resort. That’s a long way from here, but I was determined to put that on my calendar. I first planned to fly, but my older son said he could drive out with me, so we decided to make it a road trip.

Took the Scenic Route - Glad We Gassed Up on the Highway

Goole maps sent us by the scenic route. I think we went five hours without seeing a motel . . . when we were looking for one (Well . . . we did see one with three police cars - which did not look safe at all). The map route also indicated 14 hours, and it was more like 17 or 18, so I think Google does not factor in bathroom, gas, and food breaks.

That’s okay though, because I got to spend a lot of time with my son who will likely move off to work and have a family, and a mother/son trip would not be likely to happen again anytime soon.

Barbecue Master and Son Road Trip - What Fun

We arrived at Roaring River Resort which reminded me of earlier days. The feel is small town friendly and retro in a good way. After chain motels where we were just a room key number, it was delightful to arrive at a place that felt like visiting relatives (the ones we like). Everything was super clean, and Lon and Syndi treated everyone like family rather than just faceless drones.

My son and I had a kitchenette room, so we could prep for grilling. They have standard rooms, the kitchenette rooms, cabins, and RV spaces. The prices are very reasonable. I had to look those up, but we sure paid more for generic motel rooms with basically just beds.

My Winter Grillin' Buddies - Even Better In Real Life Than Online

I didn’t know what it would be like meeting my Winter Grillin’ friends in person, but it was even better than I could have hoped for. They were like their personalities online – but even bigger, bolder, and warmer.

Grilled Trout - Cassville, Missouri

Lon, Syndi, Greg, and Debbie (Greg and Debbie live closer) rocked the grills the first night with fresh trout. This was after Lon had us put together grills in a speed contest. My son got stuck in last place, because I just had to take photos and was not much help. I don’t think he wants me for a partner if he goes again (-:

Raul Can Rock the Grill and the Music

After we ate, Raul entertained us. He’d brought his guitar. We all knew he played with Soul Driver, but we didn’t know how good he was in person. Very impressive. There’s nothing like live music after a great grilled meal.

The next day, Lon and Syndi took us all out on the pontoon boat. That was a blast, and I must say that the Ozarks are absolutely beautiful. Syndi taught me the dock trick (which I won’t explain). And, they showed us this great spot where you could climb up the cliff with a rope and jump in the lake.

Really Now. It Did Not Look This High From Down Below.

I thought cliff diving would be grand fun, so even though I’d not thought to wear my swimming suit, I jumped in, scaled the cliff by rope, and then chickened out when I saw how far it was to the water (looked like a mile from up high). Greg was glad I did not jump, so he made sure I got down the rope without killing myself.

Caleb Takes the Plunge Off the Cliff in the Ozark Mountains

My son, of course, did jump from the cliff. Ah. To be young.

Greg and Marv Getting the Smoked Ribs Ready to Hit the Plates

We had a rib off after the boat ride. Marv does competition barbecue, so he headed that up in Lon’s really cool pig shaped smoker. We had several rubs and some sauce on the ribs. I did my Dizzy Pig rub with Nephew’s Cherry Potle sauce.

Oh Yes - Chrystal Nailed Her Tri Tip

Chrystal grilled up a tri tip while the ribs were smoking. I’d never had that before, and I was hooked from the first bite. That was too tender and juicy to even describe. I also loved her Mom’s cowboy beans which was a recipe handed down in the family. Those were some fabulous beans. She emailed the recipe afterwards (thanks).

Chrystal's Mom's Cowboy Beans - Family Recipe

I took on appetizers, because I’m known for home grilling and easy recipes that taste great but don’t take a lot of time and work. Everyone seemed to enjoy the sausages in the wok and cheese grilled on the grates on my PK grill which I hauled from North Carolina. There were no leftovers, and Syndi hit the grilled cheese after I left, so I think that was a hit. I think she will need her very own grill now.

We all traded our barbecue secrets and carried in grilling gifts to share around. We ended up overloading Raul’s suitcase, since he flew in. I’m glad I drove even if it was a long haul, but I had to repack twice, since a pick up truck won’t hold as much as I thought.

Winter Grillin' Crew at Roaring River Resort in Missouri

That was my wild, wonderful summer adventure – a trip to Roaring River Resort to hang out with my online grilling and barbecue buddies. I was excited about going, and it turned out to be even more fun than I had even hoped. The Winter Grillers are the best  . . . online and in person.

Prescott Frost Grass Fed Beef on my Grill - Healthier and Tastier

Prescott Frost Steak Grilled - Grass Fed Organic Meat

Prescott Frost offered to send out some grass fed beef products to see what I thought. They had no way of knowing that I grew up eating a lot of grass fed beef, because my Poppaw would have a cow or two every year for meat for the year. Since my Poppaw has passed, I end up with grocery beef now, and I sure miss grass fed.

You may be wondering: What's the difference between big business beef and the smaller, organic produced meat?

The best comparison I can make would be with apples. If you've had different apple varieties rather than just the very few common ones at most stores, then you'll know that apples have a huge range of flavors. The same thing is true of beef. When cows are pastured naturally on a small farm, then the flavor is just a little different farm to farm.

I do find that grass fed has less fat (which I like), but it can still be marbled well enough to have a juicy steak. You can see the Prescott Frost steak I grilled for dinner above and that it is certainly not dry at all. It was juicy and just as flavorful and yummy as it looks.

Grass Fed Beef Meatballs Ready to Go on the Grill

In my sample pack, Prescott Farms included some ground beef. With all the talk about pink slime these day at the big chain grocery stores, it was nice to get real meat that came from a specific farm and not ground whatever from all over creation laced with pink slime.

The company notes that their grass fed ground beef has 10 x the beta-carotene versus mass produced beef and also 3 x the Vitamin E and Omega-3 fatty acids (good for reducing blood pressure and brain function). I'm not set up to test all that, but I like for my food to be healthy.

I can speak to how the grass fed meat grilled up and the flavor.

First, I thought about grilling traditional burgers, but the ground beef looked so nice that I wanted to do something a little fancier. I rolled the ground beef into meatballs and put them in a mini muffin pan and then added a light apricot sauce on top.

 Meatballs on the Grill with Prescott Farms Grass Fed Beef

The meatballs grilled up beautifully and tasted just as great as they looked too. I just popped them out of the pan with a slotted spoon and served them with salad, potatoes, and bread. Really delicious meal.

Prescott Frost also has healthy hot dogs. They don't have gluten or nitrates. No chemicals, hormones, or preseratives. That's hard to find in a hot dog. They are the crisp snap type that just taste better than the floppy ones that often taste more like bologna.

An interesting note I'd make is that Prescott Frost is the great grandson of the famous poet Robert Frost. His farm is a family farm, and he supports sustainable farming that is good for animals, people, and the planet. His products taste great as well (and reminds me of Poppaw's beef), so this gets a thumbs up.  

Win Grilling Gear and McCormick Grill Mates Prize Pack - Ends 6-25-2012

Win This Neat Grill Mates Prize Pack Provided By McCormick

I'm part of the Grillerhood this summer, and you can join the fun on Facebook where all the coolest grillers are hanging out and sharing grilling tips, recipes, and secrets. Just click over and see what the buzz is about at FB Grillerhood.

I could tell you about all the great information you'll find and about the HUGE prize one lucky person will win at the end of the summer compliments of McCormick . . . but it's more fun to explore.

As an added bonus, you can win the prize pack you see above. Just visit and "like" the Grillerhood and then leave me a comment telling me something cool you found on your visit. Also, give me some way to get in touch if you're the lucky winner of the McCormick grill apron, gear, and seasoning prize. (I don't keep or collect your data. I just send the winning entry over, so the prize can be mailed out.)

This grilling prize contest runs through June 25, 2012, so be sure to enter while you're thinking about it. And, you can enter once per day too. Just share something new each time you visit.

All entries get a slip in the hat, and one of my sons will draw the winning name on the 26th of June.

Yes. Simple as that! And, you will be sizzling on the grill this summer like I am with my snazzy new apron, tools, and new seasonings which I'm using to whip up some great grilled recipes.

Cyndi Smoking Up Some Good Grub with McCormick Gear and Grill Mates

Barbecue Master Joins McCormick Grillerhood - And You Can Too!

Join the Fun with McCormick Grillerhood Summer Grill Mates

Want to join the cool grilling crowd this summer? Then, you need to hook up with the McCormick Grilllerhood. Yes. You might not be on my block, but we all break bad no matter where we fire up our grills. So, let’s make it official. High five (and don’t forget the grill glove).

I’ve been using McCormick seasoning for years. Really, who hasn’t? Now, they are out of the gate with Grill Mates. They must be mind readers. Their products have always been great for grilling if not designed with that in mind. You would not be able to count the number of steaks that have come off my grills with McCormick’s lemon pepper. Now, McCormick has products just with all the grilling crowd in mind, so that, of course, caught my eye down at the local grocery store.

I caught McCormick’s eye too, and they contacted me about being a member of the Grillerhood. I’ll chalk that up to all my fans and readers. Thanks for putting me up high on Goggle with all the visits and comments. In any case, I’m an official griller with McCormick this summer and get a stipend and the apron, chef hat, and glove along with some samples (that will be in a giveaway coming up soon – so look for that and win some great summer grilling gear and seasoning).

Be Watching for My Upcoming Giveaway (June 2012). You Could Win This Apron Stuffed Full of McCormick Goodies.

First, go check out all the great grilling products they have at McCormick. Yes. They came out of the gate with all cylinders firing. You’re sure to find something here that you’ll love.

Then, you can join in the fun at Facebook where McCormick has a Grill Mates FB page that is already hopping. You can sign up for the Grillerhood and even compete to be the mayor of the hood with a barbecue trip to New York City for the winner. You know that would be a blast, and I’d love to be in on that. I’ll be waiting to hear all the details from the mayor – when he or she is named.

The name of the game is fun and sharing, so what are you waiting for?

OK. I’ll share a tip here. You don’t have to make burgers just for the bun. You can use a muffin pan (either a dedicated pan that you don’t mind getting smoked up or the throwaway kind) and make what I’ll call meatballs or mini meatloaves. If you can’t have bread or are cutting the calories or can’t have gluten, then these may be just what you want to toss on your grill. We love them, and this crowd can eat anything (not toxic).

Grilled Grill Mates Mini Meatloaf Recipe

• 1 pound lean ground beef (since you’re using a pan and don’t want the meat real greasy)
• 1 egg
• 1 Tablespoon McCormick Grill Mates Molasses Bacon seasoning
• A few splashes of Worcestershire sauce (around ½ teaspoon)
• Ketchup or Barbecue Sauce (your favorite type - just enough to slather a bit on top of each McCormick's meatballs)

Join the Grillerhood Outside the Bun with Grill Mates Meatloaf on The Grill 

Directions: Just mix all of the ingredients together. It’s better to do it by hand, so the meat does not get packed too tightly. Divide into 6 equal sized balls for a regular sized muffin pan or 12 for the minis. Slather a little ketchup or barbecue sauce on top of each meatball. Place in grill on low medium meat for around 40 minutes for large meatloaves and 20 minutes for the minis. Grill temperatures vary, so do check on the time.

YUM! Eating Good in the Grillerhood This Evening. See why you need to join up and learn to rock the grill this summer with McCormick and all the friends, fans, and family sharing ideas, tips, and recipes.

CLR Grease Magnet - Makes Cleaning Grills Easier

Cyndi Cleaning PK Grill with CLR Grease Magnet - Garage Strength

Today I was grill cleaning, because I am going on a road trip. Nothing is worse than a dirty grill at home than a dirty one in the back of the truck that will not impress when you get to your destination. The guys tell me no one notices anyway (kind of like when I paint my toenails), but . . . really now . . . who wants to eat food off something that looks icky?

Paris sent me two free bottles of CLR Grease Magnet. She wanted to know if I'd like to try it out. I use CLR in the bathroom and kitchen here, since we have hard water. It's about the only thing that puts a dint in the white desposits that build up - even coming out of the shower head. So, I thought CLR for the grill would likely be a good product. I was hoping so anyway.

I've about wiped out a whole bottle just washing grates and drip pans and little things like that. It really does make clean up easier. With small grill items like I mentioned or with the grill wok, I soak the item down with CLR and let it rest a bit. Then, I wash it in the kitchen sink also with Dawn liquid which is all I ever use. The plumber told me to use that after my pipes kept getting stopped up. No major problems since I started doing that.

PK Grill Ready to Hit the Road and Looking Sharp

CLR did a great job on cleaning up my grill. It does cut the grease as intended. If you let a quarter of an inch of barbecue sauce and gunk build up on the grates or inside, then you need a knife or a hammer and chisel. Nothing is going to fix a real mess except some elbow grease and time. CLR helps on nasty grills and grates too, but it's best used shortly after a cook out. It may seem like a bother to clean up, but it's so nice the next time you're ready to grill, and it's clean and ready to go.

I recommend CLR Grease Magnet for grill clean ups. It's also advertised to pull grease up out of cement (if you let your grill drip on the drive) and asphalt, stone, granite. I've been busy cleaning grills, so I don't know about the floor clean up and other items, but I may give a squirt of two if I find something else greasy around here.

Here is what CLR looks like. If you're like me, a photo helps in finding products at the store.

Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ & Grill in Gaffney, SC - Review

Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ and Grill

My son and I were headed to the Brenau University BBQ festival when we saw the road signs for Daddy Joe's Beach House BBQ & Grill in Gaffney, South Carolina. What should you eat on the way to a barbecue bash? Well . . . barbecue of course.

Daddy Joe's is right off I85 (about a mile off the exit). You'll see the billboards, and it's close the big peach shaped and painted water tower which is darn hard to miss.

The name is kind of confusing, because trust me, you are not near the beach in Gaffney, although you kind of get that feel at Daddy Joe's sans the ocean.

Ceiling at Daddy Joe's BBQ Restaurant

Daddy Joe's has that cool factor but not over the top so that it feels fake. We ate inside below this fan you see in the photo above (plus AC - so I was almost chilly). They had outdoor seating too. But, it was in the 90s, so we decided not to melt on the porch, although it did look like a fun place to have a meal.

They had a pretty meaty menu. In fact, I could not find the sides. The waitress showed me the single line with sides. I would not be sending my vegetarian friends to Daddy Joe's, but I don't have many veggie buddies. I live in a real small Southern town, and I suspect the vegetarians just give up and move to cities.

Guys Having a Meat Mosh at Daddy Joe's Gaffney, SC

We went for the pork, since that's the big deal meat here in the piedmont of North Carolina (and since I write about BBQ). That puts some pressure on a BBQ joint outside the area, since we have top notch chopped pork all around us here. I don't mention that I blog though, so that's neither here nor there. I'm just the odd woman that pulls out her camera and shoots her food before diving in.

Chopped Pork Platter at Daddy Joe's BBQ & Grill

First, I'll speak to the pork. Oink. It was excellent. Nice smoke flavor. It was lightly sauced with a western North Carolina style barbecue sauce (vinegar with a little red and body). South Carolina is kind of all over the place on sauces. You might get vinegar or mustard or thick Kansas style. Good thing to ask if you have a preference. The kitchen sauce and table sauce were both NC vinegar with some tomato, so I felt right at home.

The hush puppies were the sweet kind I like. Some people will tell you that real Southern cornbread products don't have any sugar. Well, shut my mouth. That just ain't true. My Grandma put sugar in hers, and she's now gone, but no one can tell me she wasn't a darn fine Southern cook. My family does about 1 tablespoon of sugar to a 12 inch pone of cornbread in cast iron. Not very sweet - but a tickle of it. These hushpuppies were a little north of that but not like those box mixes where you get corn cake or some sort that tastes nothing of corn or anything else known to man or woman. So, to cut to the chase, those were some rocking hush puppies.

They put my slaw on the side by request as I'm just not a slaw fan. I know my Southern card may get revoked for telling that. Raw cabbage in gunk just doesn't do it for me. I did taste the slaw which was red which made me think it was a vinegar BBQ sauce based slaw which I can tolerate better than mayo based ones. Wrong on that. This slaw was rather dry. I think I could jam it in a red Solo cup and make sandcastles. Also, it was very sweet. All I can think of to describe the slaw is finely chopped cabbage with a Kraft sauce like honey style stirred in lightly. Sweet sand comes to mind. Remember though that I'm not a slaw fan. I'm sure lots of people love the slaw at Daddy Joe's. Me? Just pass the vinegar sauce, and I'm good.

I was surprised to find really good chopped pork barbecue outside of North Carolina, but Daddy Joe's was excellent. The ribs and kielbalsa looked good too. Yes. I peaked at the table next to us. I'd certainly stop here again. Great food and service and an easy stop on a road trip off I85.

Barbecue Master Meets Myron Mixon at Brenau BBQ Competition

Myron Mixon at the Brenau University BBQ Comp in Georgia

When I decided to drive down for the Brenau University BBQ Festival, I noticed that Myron Mixon would be there. He's a legend in BBQ and on Pitmasters on TV. Although I'm not the groupie type, I was hoping I'd get a chance to meet someone who does barbecue for a living. That's a pretty cool job huh?

If you're not familiar with Myron Mixon (gasp), then he's kind of the bad boy of the group on the TV show. He's always talking smack. But, some of my barbecue friends told me he's actually a good guy in person. I know how the media can "spin," so that made sense.

Jack's Old South Barbecue Team with Myron Mixon

First I'd note that Mixon is with Jack's Old South Barbecue Team on the comp circuit. Believe me, no single guy is setting up like this and pulling a full pig on and off a smoker on his own. That would be like white water rafting with only one guy in a six man boat. Or like when the boys were little and some company put me and two little elementary school boys in a big raft and let us go. I ended up under the raft jammed against a rock. No. Big time barbecue is a team sport.

I introduced myself to the team bouncer. Just kidding. I think I spoke first to a top level pitmaster and told him that I'm a freelance writer. Many people still seem to think that freelance means "out of work hack." WRONG. In any case, the guy you see sitting to the left in the chair read me the riot act. I should do this and than and not do that and . . . and . . . and

"I'm not trying to sound mean," said my new friend.

Being the wicked person I am and also being quick on my feet and with words, I said, "Ah, you must be Myron's brother."

This confused my new friend, because he does not look like Myron Mixon, and there would be no reason for me to draw that conclusion.

"Uh, no," said the pitmaster (and looking confused).

"Oh, I thought since you're being mean to me, you must be Myron's brother," I said. Now, I said this with a straight face and Southern grace. But, my pitmaster friend understood me and had to work hard at not looking amused. You know how guys look when they want to laugh but are just too macho to do so.

After that we were "good." This wasn't my first rodeo, and I'm not the type to be obnoxious (unless forced to be). I've never bothered or annoyed any barbecue team except maybe one. Some chick snapped at me once when I was standing way back and getting a photo. That's OK. I gave that team their due on placing second (and the rest of the crew really were nice), but I did not link them in the article. They sell grills; I don't sell anything. So, I didn't need a photo, but they could have used a link. Karma (-:

The pitmaster flagged me down and tipped me off that Myron was on site, so I was able to meet him and get a photo. See. I did charm the pitmaster with humor. And, I do understand that they do get jerks who suck up time and energy and get in the way. I don't do that. I'm in and out but available if someone has time to talk more.

Myron Mixon and Cyndi Allison

As you can see, Myron is a sport. I said "hi" and had my son shoot a photo. My Facebook friends were expecting me to have a Myron/Cyndi shot. I mean really . . . who wouldn't want to have a picture with the Barbecue Master? It's five minutes maybe and good publicity and free since barbecue is my hobby and not my job. I do write professionally, but Barbecue Master is just my baby where I can write what I want and in my own Southern voice. If I want to earn bucks, I do technical writing or dig ditches.

I can now attest that Myron Mixon is a really nice Southern guy. He does have a heart and manners. And, he really does kick butt. Well, really he kicked whole hog and won the Brenau top title this year. Congratulations Myron and Jack's Old South and especially my pitmaster friend who did not tell me his name (but I'd know him if I saw him). Someone needs to send me his name and tell him I thought he was adorable in that evil eye sort of way (-: Thanks pitmaster guy who tried hard not to like me. I just grow on people like that.

  Mixon Book and Sauces at Brenau Festival

As an added bonus, I got to meet Myron's wife and daughter. They were working a vendor booth with Myron's new barbecue book and sauces. You could get a pork sandwich too, but I was so full that I could hardly waddle so couldn't eat another bite of pork (or anything else) by this point.

Myron has a beautiful wife and daughter and both were delightfully friendly. It was a pleasure to chat with both ladies and to see the people that mean the most to Myron. I just wish I'd asked them for a photo, because you can't see much in this one )-:

I bought a bottle of Jack's Old South Tangy Sweet Rib Sauce. It has all kinds of fruits in there, and I can't wait to try it out. Could be a while though. I have an online class going and a trip to Missouri to meet up with my Winter Grillin friends. No. It's not winter. We hang all year round. Next week will be our first group face-to-face meet up and grill-a-thon.

Cyndi - enjoying her road tripping summer

Brenau Barbecue Festival Gainesville, Georgia - Supporting College Students

Brenau University 4th Annual Barbecue Championship Festival

I spent the weekend at the Brenau University BBQ Championship in Gainsville, Georgia. I'm a backyard griller and writer, but I enjoy hitting a couple of competitions every year. Usually I pick a local one, but when Jim Barco (who planned the event) told me that he graduated from the college where I teach and that the funds raised at this event would go toward scholarships for the students, I decided this was one I had to go check out.

Brenau University in Gainsville, Georgia

Brenau is a traditionally all girls' college but with a few males now that they have university status. My 22-year-old son had figured this out before we headed out. He's good about his research and also was a great note taker at this barbecue event.

As you can see above, Brenau is a beautiful campus. It's small and charming and looks like a safe and nice place to study.

 Brenau Students

I took some time to talk to a couple of students from Brenau - Daniella and Lindsay (from the volleyball team). They were both quite charming. The young ladies said that they were helping with the BBQ festival, because the money earned helps keep them in school. I'm sure my readers can appreciate that. College is expensive, and it's nice when we can help students out and even nicer when students are willing to spend break time pitching in to help themselves and their classmates.

  Robinson's Rumps Team Getting Pork Butts Ready for the Smoker

There usually aren't a whole lot of people at barbecue competitions the night before, because that's prep time. For me, it's my favorite time though, because the teams have time to chat and joke around. And, barbecue people do tend to be fun and funny.

I wandered around with my note pad and camera and checked out the prep and also some of the "anything butt" (grilled or smoked foods that don't involve pork). Teams were doing everything from smoked oysters and chicken wings to apple fritters and bacon wrapped chicken with hot peppers. They had an informal competition just for fun for that category with the fritters taking first prize.

Pull My Pork - Winnner of "The Most Fun" Award from Barbecue Master

My favorite group was Pull My Pork. Ryan (the guy in the middle) kept their tent rolicking and made my son and I feel like family. Ryan would be like your favorite brother and likely would get you into trouble but bail you out if he could.

Pull My Pork had the food and the beverages flowing while playing cornhole and just generally having a blast in the "Backyard Braggarts" (non-professional) comp team section. I kind of doubt they got any sleep over the weekend.

Ryan hooked me up with beer when I missed the beer wagon by about 15 minutes, and he talked me into buying one of his t-shirts (for a deal). What you can't see is that on the back it says, "We Like Our Pork Pulled and Our Butts Rubbed." Now I'm thinking I better get a sharpie pen and pencil in Pork and an arrow pointing at the Butt part. See what I was talking about. Ryan could sell ice to Eskimos and could get me in trouble with Momma.

Pull My Pork didn't win any of the smoking awards, but I give them top pick for being the most fun.

Southern Smoke Barbecue - First Timers

Another of my favorite teams in the backyard group was Southern Smoke Barbecue - a couple team as you can see. They had never entered a competition before and were excited but a little nervous. They gave my son and I samples, and I must say I thought they had the best chopped pork on the lot. That was just straight up on the meat - moist and lots of flavor. I never did figure out if they had a sauce or not, and I hated to ask with them being new and maybe they didn't have sauce (or maybe they did) - still a mystery to me. In any case, they should have a prize for unsauced meat and for being the sweetest group in the field.

Bubba Grills Doctoring Up a Smoked Pig

There were professional teams at the Brenau compeition too. I watched them closely but didn't ask for any trade secrets. I could see, of course, that Bubba Grills butters up the whole hog. Yes. Those are huge chunks of butter you see. I don't even know where you buy butter chunks that big. Bubba Grills used some seasonings and a ton of bacon too. No wonder I can't drop any weight. I gained five pounds just taking the pictures.

Bubba Grills had the whole family out, or else they have a huge family (like ginormous). It looked like a family reunion back behind their work area from grandpa to an infant in a little recliner baby seat. They were right friendly, but don't step your foot back on their rug even an inch, or you will be sorry.

This group won first for pork shoulders - one of the three categories in the competition which is a Memphis BBQ Network sanctioned event.

Jack's Old South Barbecue with Myron Mixon

The overall winner at the Brenau was Jack's Old South Barbecue. You may know this group from TV where Myron Mixon is a junk talking guy who gives the other smokers grief. In person, he's really a nice guy, and his wife and daughter are delightful. I met them when I was buying a bottle of Mixon's BBQ sauce which I can't wait to try.

Skyline Contractors Took Overall in Backyard Braggarts

The overall champion for the Backyard Braggarts group was Skyline Contractors. They fed me some brisket the night before and were a real stand up group with a relaxed style. I talked to the young guy you see carving, and he told me he does roofing and lots of other home work. If he lived closer, I'd put him on speed dial. I certainly have some repair projects waiting.

Music and Other Fun at the Brenau BBQ Festival

I enjoyed music throughout the festival but especially after dark when things cooled down. It must have been close 100 degrees with our usual muggy air to go with it during the day. It was nice to kick back and relax a little and hear some good live tunes.

  Family Friendly - Lots of Fun for the Kids at Brenau

The Brenau BBQ Festival is a yearly event, and it's definately a good time for all ages. They had plenty of cool stuff for the kids to do including face painting. And, as you can see, these two little ones were having a blast making bubbles.

Barbecue Master Had a Great Time at the Brenau BBQ Festival and Competition

The weekend flew by. I had the chance to meet some wonderful barbecue people and left hot, tired, full, and happy. And, I picked up some cowboy boots and peaches on the way home. Hard to beat all that.

Thanks to Jim Barco for inviting me down to Brenau University and to eveyone for making it a special trip that I enjoyed with my son who just graduated from college last week. It's great to see a small community and college come together and do something nice that will benefit students.

Cyndi's Southern Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to stop cussing about the things I can't change, the courage to raise cain on the stuff where I can make a difference, and enough common sense to not get arrested sorting that junk out. Amen ~ Cyndi Allison

I made this up and posted it on Facebook. Thought some of my barbecue friends might need this one when you burn your steaks up or your shoulders come out dry.

How to Make Super Easy Strawberry Jam

How to Make Your Own Strawberry Jam - Really Easy Method

It's strawberry time which is one of my favorite times of the year. Although jam is not a traditional barbecue dish, it is good topped on pork loin or pork chops. Also my son and buddies were wanting this recipe, so I wanted to share one of our family favorites today.

After we’ve had our fill of raw berries, berries over ice cream, and pies, we usually have a few berries left over. I suppose we could freeze berries, but they don’t freeze as well as some fruits. A better option for our family has been to make jam.

I really hate all-day kitchen jobs and big hot canners, so I go with a quick and easy microwave jam recipe. In less than a half hour, I whip up a few small jars of jam that taste like heaven. If you’ve only used store jams, then you’ll be surprised at how much better homemade tastes. Just thinking about that strawberry jam in our refrigerator makes me want to toast a couple of slices of bread.

If you have some extra berries going begging, then try out this tasty strawberry jam recipe.

Super Easy Strawberry Jam

• 2 cups of strawberries capped and cut up
• 1 ½ cups of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of pectin

How to Make Easy Strawberry Jam

Pour the sugar over the berries and let sit for 10 minutes. Mash well. Stir in pectin. Microwave high for 4 minutes. Then, microwave medium for 6 minutes. Pour in hot glasses or cups. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Keeps for 2-3 months in fridge.

Tips for the Kitchen Challenged (So You Will Be Sure to Rock Your Homemade Jam)

If you’ve never bought pectin, it’s what makes the jam set up or jell. It comes in boxes like pudding or jello. Around here, it’s with canning supplies on the isle with baggies and tin foil. The brand name that is most common is Sure-Jell.

Use a big glass or microwave safe bowl to mix this up. If you’re familiar with the Tupperware three bowl set or the standard glass bowls with three bowls, you’ll need to biggest size. The bowl looks too big, but this stuff bubbles up really high when microwaved.

The sugared berries want to slide around, so it’s hard to mash with a fork or whatever you usually use to mash. A biscuit cutter works really well. Again, the big bowl helps. The mix is shallow so that you can use the biscuit cutter.

To heat the glasses, take a metal cake pan (8 x 8 or 9 x 9) and put that on top of a stove eye with about a quarter inch of water. Lay your glasses in that with the water heated to where it has lots of little bubbles on top but not boiling up. Roll the glasses around so all sides are heated and sterilized. With the small amount of water, you can use a oven mitt to roll and then to pull the glasses out.

The glasses I use are the little ones that hold the dried beef. They are like little juice glasses. The recipe makes 5 of these filled to about a ½ inch from the top.

To pour into these small holes, you may want to pour the hot jam into a pitcher. It’s a little hard to hit the holes without making a mess with a spoon.

Let the jam cool in the jars for 20 minutes or so before putting plastic wrap over the top of the jars. It sticks close and keeps the jam fresh.

This is a fast and really easy recipe. The jam is delicious. It’s also very pretty. You could use fancier jars or cups and come up with a nicer lid solution and give these away as gifts.

Tastefully Simple Hawaiian Dip Mix White Grilled Chicken

Tastefully Simple Hawaiian Dip Mix

Heather from Tastefully Simple was probably surprised when a barbecue writer picked a dip for a sample product. When I saw a light colored dip, I immediately thought of Alabama white chicken grilled which is likely not the same vision that dances in everyone's else head when they see white-ish creamy products.

Easy Mix Dip By Tastefully Simple

When the dip mix came in, I mixed up a pack. That's super easy. It's one half cup of mayonnaise and one half cup of sour cream mixed with one pack. Stir and you're done. You can dip with chips or with veggies. I loved this dips on carrots especially.

Chicken in Hawaiian Dip Mix

I used boneless chicken strips with the dip, because I was grilling over high heat. If you have grates set higher and the heat down lower, then you can use bigger pieces. With close high heat, then the chicken cooks fast, and sauces (and dips) can burn if the meat pieces are large.

You grill these strips just as I've mentioned on grilling chicken strips, but you may want to brush more dip on as they are grilling. I went light on the dip this first time, but I'd brush with a heavier hand next go round.

Tastefully Simple Dip Grilled Chicken

Our grilled chicken strips were fabulous and even better with more dip to the side. Don't use the dip raw chicken was sitting in, or you may get sick. Split the batch, or make up two packs.

I must warn you that this dip is really spicy. When I thought Hawaiian, I was thinking more fruity or something - certainly not zip. It's not near as spicy the first day as the second, and I think I'll make it a day ahead next time, because I loved it when the flavors melded and that heat really came out.

You could double the mayo and sour cream to tone down the heat (sorry if you know things like this - but some of my readers are just starting to play with food). I love it full on, but it is hot. It's not that bitter hot though. It's just a nice flavor burst "hot."

The Tastefully Simple Let's Luau Hawaiian dip mix is one of my favorite dips ever. It was wonderful with chip, vegetables, and on our grilled chicken. It does pack some heat, so I'd not recommend it for everyone. But, for those who like spicy foods, this would be one of my top pick dips (and also really good on the grilled chicken).

Tastefully Simple Honey BBQ Seasoning & Rub - All Natural

Tastefully Simple Honey BBQ Seasoning & Rub - All Natural

Heather told me that they had added quite a few new products to the Tastefully Simple line and wanted to know if I'd like to sample something (free in exchange for an honest review). The Honey BBQ seasoning and rub had my name written all over it. OK. Well, not really. But, I do love barbecue rubs, and honey is messy (and tends to burn on large cuts of meat) so having that in a dry rub sounded fabulous.

Harry won a ham at the turkey shoot (no - they don't shoot turkeys - they shoot at paper targets), so I thought a honey rub would taste good. Before sprinkling on the rub, I put mustard all over the ham. That's the trick to get your rub to stay on a big cut like a ham. You can't taste the mustard at the end. It just acts like a rub glue.

Ham Bone In Covered with Tastefully Simple BBQ Rub

As you can see, this rub is a beautiful color and the ingredients are all natural (can't beat that). The smell was really nice. The combination of honey and heat was obvious even at the rubbing stage.

Putting the Ham on the Bottom Level of Our Weber BBQ Smoker

Jimmy took the ham out and put it on the bottom level of our Weber smoker. We were smoking ribs too, so it was easier to put the ham on the lower level, since the ribs got sauced later.

Ham on Bottom Level of Weber Smokey Mountain Bullet

Here you can see the ham right before we pulled it off. This ham was pre-cooked, so we were basically just heating it through. At 225 to 250 degrees F, three hours worked well for heating and getting that smoked flavor in with the meat and rub.

 Tastefully Simple BBQ Rubbed Smoked Ham

The ham smoked up beautifully and smelled terrific. The rub slow smoked created a nice crispness while holding in the moisture (along with that mustard I mentioned earlier).

It's all about the flavor when it comes to barbecue, so the real test was when I sliced and served the ham. In some cases, something will look and even smell great but then doesn't really pass the taste test.

The Tastefully Simple Honey BBQ rub flavor was spot on and went well on the ham. For summer, I'd suggest pork chops or chicken (quicker to make and light tasting meats that benefit from a nice BBQ rub). On the ham, we got that holiday honey kick but with some heat (not over the top - just enough to pop). The rub is well named as it was actually "tastefully simple." The flavors were classic and simple but blended at just the right ratios to taste wonderful.

If you like honey but find that the natural sugars in there tend to burn before you finish smoking or grilling, this is a great alternative. Or, Tastefully Simple a good pick if you want a flavorful rub that delivers on the flavor without having too much of any one thing that might freak out your guests. This one is not too sweet (even with honey) and not too hot. I'd recommend it for any griller or smoker unless he or she doesn't like honey. And, who doesn't like the taste of honey?