Photos from a Real North Carolina Pig Pickin'

If you've never had a chance to see a whole smoked hog, this whole hog has been butterflied. That just means that the pig has been spread across the grate for quicker and more even barbecue smoking.

I'm in the Piedmont of North Carolina where we more often smoke pork shoulders or Boston butts, but folks around here (especially in the country) often do full smoked pigs and often on homemade barbecue smokers, since it takes a really big smoker to do a whole hog. This smoker is a little unusual in that it has the grate that flips, so there's not need to try to lift and turn the barbecue pig.

In the eastern part of North Carlina you can see and eat more whole hog barbecue as that's the popular style there. Whole hog means that you get a mix of meat rather than just shoulder.


This barbecue whole hog was just pulled off the bbq smoker after resting and cooling a bit. Whole hogs are hot, of course, when they come off the smoker. So, it's a bit of a challenge to get one over to a chopping table. But . . . well worth the effort.

Then, you wait a bit or get some chopping gloves (good ones) and either pull the pig meat (pickin as we say here with smoker chefs and guests doing samples off and on).


The barbecue gurus are all ready to start picking the pig here. It's a messy job, but it doesn't take as long as you might expect. The meat is so tender and moist that it just falls right off. Or, that's the way the barbecue is when it's done right, and these pigs were primo.



The pickin' begins, and the barbecue guys have this pig picked clean in no time at all. Helpers ran the meat into the garage where everything was set up for one heap good barbecue meal.


Right before I left the pig pickin', one of the guys asked me if I'd like a slice of the apple that had baked along in the pig's mouth. Well sure. I'd never had pig baked apple, so I was game. I wasn't sure what it was going to taste like, but I must say I've never had a tastier apple. It picks up some of the sweet pig flavor as well as the smoke. Maybe we need to stuff more apples in there next time. It really was yummy.

Southern Pig Pickin' - Yehaw - That's Some Great Barbecue

Ever wonder what a bontified Southern pig pickin' looks like?

My buddy, Jim, put on one hot pig pickin' last night. Seriously, he pulled out all the stops. I'd have to say it's the best pig pickin' I've ever attended. Great company. Great barbecue. Great sides. Great fun.

The guys had two big barbecue smokers going with whole hogs. The front smoker had a butterflied pig. In other words, the pig was split down the middle and put out flat - eastern style. The second smoker had a hole hog complete with an apple in the mouth.



I was quite impressed with the whole hog cooker. Note that the grate flips. One of the guys showed me how they could turn the pig with the flip of a lever. Pretty neat especially when I've stuck with smaller cuts like pork shoulders or Boston butts due to the weight of a whole hog. The flip grate would make a world of difference for anyone smaller. Guess I'd still need help hoisting a full pig up on a cooker, but that flip barbecue grate would be excellent.



Yum! I can't even begin to describe how good this pork turned out. The guys smoking knew their stuff. The barbecue meat just literally melted in our mouths. Very tender and moist.

The barbecue sauce was top notch too. A local fellow, Charles Barber, makes that, and I need to get over and buy some of his bbq sauce. It's as good as any I've had around here in an area where a lot of people make up vinegar based NC barbecue sauce. He's got THE recipe especially his hot version. I do love some hot barbecue sauce.

I even loved the slaw, and (shut my mouth) I am not a barbecue slaw fan. This made a believer out of me, and I'm going to have to hit Jim up for his recipe. That slaw absolutely rocked. It was the traditional NC red barbecue slaw, but Jim did something that made his really stand out.


The pig pickin was to celebrate Jim's 50th birthday, and he had a really cool cake with an Egyptian theme, since he just got from Egypt. The cake looked great, but I was too full of barbecue to eat any sweets. I forgot that "save room for dessert" once I got to eating that barbecue and the sides. Oh well, maybe next time I'll remember not to eat so much barbecue - or not.


We wrapped up the pig picking with a bon fire around back which felt great, since it was a rather chilly night here in North Carolina. Of course, it is November, but we've had some 70 degree days lately. Not last night though. Not sure how cold it got but cold enough that I wished I'd brought gloves. That's OK though. It was warm up next to the fire, and with this crowd, you get to talking and laughing and forget that it's cold outside.

Great pig pickin' Jim - and Happy Birthday!

Gearing Up for the Big Pig Pickin' for Jim's 50th Bday

My college buddy, Jim, is gearing up for his 50th birthday pig pickin' which will be later today. He is going "whole hog" on the barbecue and the pigs were dressed and ready to be fired up early this morning at 2:30 a.m. Whew! That's an early wake up call, but it takes a long time to do a whole pig.



I generally do shoulders or Boston butts, becuase whole pigs are heavy and hard to handle. Also, you need a really big smoker to do a full pig. Whole pigs do look impressive though, and you have that nice ratio of dark and lean as well as plenty of outside brown. So, whole pigs make some mighty fine barbecue.



In addition to all the traditional sides for barbecue (slaw, potato salad, beans), I know we'll be eating some southern pecan pies. Jim talked his sister into baking those up yesterday, and they look fabulous as you can see. I've never had pecan pie at a pig pickin', but it's hard to beat pecan pie for a dessert. Thumbs up!

I Knew We Should Have Grilled Out - Oh Well - Next Time

I wanted to take my son out to eat for his birthday, since we usually cook at home - grilling or Southern home cooking. A change of pace is good from time to time especially for special occasions.

I had the kid pick the restaurant, and he wanted to got to Monterrey's Mexican Restaurant in Salisbury, NC. That has been a family favorite longer than he has been living (17 yrs - his birthday), and he loves the cheese dip they have there (and extra order with the chips).

I've been a bit "iffie" on Monterrey's of Salisbury, NC with the service having gone down the tubes over the last year, but I hoped to for the best. After all, it was his birthday, and I wanted it to be a good time.

The waiter tried to take our order as soon as we sat down. I asked for a couple of minutes, and that's what I got. Honestly, he must have timed it right to the second on two minutes. So, I just pointed at a photo in the menu, and my kid got what he usually gets. Whatever . . .

Being rushed is not cool, but what really ticked me off was that the server at Monterrey's chatted on his cell phone while waiting our table. In fact, he wrote and left our bill while chatting and never asked if we wanted dessert (which might be good on a birthday meal) and never said he hoped we'd come again or any of those things that you might expect at a sit down restaurant.

This is the second time out of either two or three visits to Monterrey's where the server has been gabbing on the cell phone while waiting on our table. In addition, the servers pool up over at the bar and watch TV (ball games, soap operas, news), so drinks do not get refilled, and if they forget part of your order . . . bummer. You have to go to the bar to find your server and then get your own stuff. Hey, it's almost like home - but more expensive.

I just overlooked the the TV watching and sucked up the last time when the server told the person on the cell phone to hold a sec while he took our order. This time, however, it was a special occasion, and I was not happy about a cell phone conversation during our meal. Really, the server did not even bother to tell his buddy that he had a table. He just ignored us and plunked the bill on the table and got some of the dishes which was a bit difficult with one hand tied up with the cell phone.

Normally, I am generous on tips (like 20 to 30 percent), but I could not make myself leave a tip for the first time ever doing that - holding the tip. To my way of thinking, the service could not have been much worse. As a diner, I won't even take cell phone calls. I can't even imagine waiting a table while chatting on a cell phone.

At check out (cash register), the manager asked if everything was OK. I told him that our server waited our table while gabbing on a cell phone. The manager said, "What's the difference. I do too. No one else cares."

Hum. Well, I do care. And, since they only had two tables filled when we were there, maybe some other people do too but just don't tell them.

My family (and there are a lot of us in a small rural area) have been going to Monterrey's of Salisbury, NC for 20 plus years. We won't be going back though. We are the quiet types at restaurants and never complain. So, this one time I do take issue with being served while part of a cell phone conversation by the server (and not the first time), and the manager blows me off on top of that. He made up all kinds of excuses and was a royal jerk.

I did look up and call the local Health Department - Rowan County, NC. Online reports indicate that the restaurant has been warned about not using gloves to cut meat (come on - cooking gloves are cheap), not cleaning between cutting various types of meat on the same cutting table, and there have been complaints about Monterrey's re-using the chips. In other words, they dump the nacho chips left over from a table into a new basket and serve those - or they did. They don't do that now as far as the Health Dept knows, but UGH . . . I wonder how many chips I ate at Monterey's Salisbury, North Carolina that had been sitting at another table and touched by just how many people.

The birthday meal for my son was not special in any way other than the really BAD kind of special. So, I will grill next time. Then, I will know that the food is handled properly and not recycled from another table and that the cell phone will not be part of our meal. I can't think of hardly any phone call that would rate wrecking a dinner (especially a birthday dinner), and that's what the message thing is for - right? If a server must take an important call, then fine. Do that and THEN come wait the table. Really, I can wait a few minutes. Far better than being ignored and part of a private conversation I have no interest in being a part of.

Break out the Barbecue Grill for the Holidays

One of my friends, Make Over Momma, was asking for our favorite and most sinful holiday dishes.

I knew, of course, that I had to sing the praises of grilling or smoking over the holidays. As far as one specific grill recipe or smoker recipe, that would be a hard call. Everything just tastes better cooked outdoors as far as I'm concerned, and firing up the grill or smoker makes cooking fun even when it's cold outside. More and more people are discovering this, so year round grilling is getting more popular every year.

Smoking meats frees up kitchen space, so that's a double plus with large cuts like turkeys, hams, and barbecue shoulders. Those take up the whole oven, meaning that side dishes are hard to juggle along with holiday main dishes.

Men are more likely to grill or smoke, so ladies . . . hint . . . if you plan to include outdoor grilled holiday dishes, you're more likely to get help. Then again, more women are grilling and smoking these days, so it can be a nice break to take it outside and enjoy the crisp air. If the house is packed full of relatives, it can be a little peace and quiet too.

If family tradition calls for doing the holiday meal inside, then polar bear barbecue or grilling means a change of pace the days before or after the main holiday splurge. Stick some steaks on the grill or some crab legs, and give the leftovers a break for a meal. Or, if you want something inexpensive and tasty, grill some chicken and lather it with Alabama White Barbecue Sauce.

Grill Floss - Clean Your Grill Grates the Easy Way and Do It Right

Cool grill tools are a good thing. They are fun, and it's also easier to get guys to help out with anything new in the tool category.

As you can see, my son is cleaning the grill grate. Now, that's not usually a job that anyone likes to do. But, with Grill Floss, it's pretty painless to clean grates, and Grill Floss does a bang up job on dirty grills. Gotta love that.


I guess you could say that Grill Floss is kind of like dental floss. It gets where grill cleaning brushes don't.

Grill Floss has a metal end that is curved that cups the edges of the grate and really gets the gunk or funk off. That grill cleaning end can be flipped around for wider grates. The one here you see is for the wire type grill grates, but Grill Floss can be flipped around on that end piece to do the wider grates - mostly on gas grills.

My kid is hitting a hot grate here before we start grilling up a pork loin. Bad me. I did not clean the grill the last time I used it. The heat does make it a little easier to use Grill Floss, but it does a bang up job on a dirty grate that is not hot. I've done it both ways, and Grill Floss rocks either way.


If you're not sure just what a difference Grill Floss, you can see right here. The first couple of grill grate wires were flossed, and the ones toward the back haven't been flosssed. Big difference. You bet.

No. Grill Floss is not like pushing the "self clean" button on an oven. It takes a little elbow grease but very little. I'm not big on grill cleaning myself to be honest, and Grill Floss is the easiest way I've found to have a really clean grill without loads of work. Just slide the tool up and down the grate, and it looks almost new. I was pretty amazed.

Check out Grill Floss. It's one of my favorite grill products. Thumbs up!

Holen One Farms Barbecue Marinade for Grilled Foods

I've been on a quest to find the best barbecue sauces, rubs, and marinades. One company that caught my eye was Holen One Farms. I gave their bbq sauce the big five stars. Everyone here thought it was a fabulous barbecue sauce.

Holen One Farms marinade is good. It's a mild and very non-offensive marinade. It would work for most any meats and for most any guests. The flavor is good, and it does add moisture to the grilled meats.


I do note that that Holen One marinade is a thin marinade with a high oil content, so especially if you grill over charcoal, you can expect some major flares as you can see here.

If you get charcoal flares, then top off with the grill lid and shut down the vents to cut air flow. If it's an open hibachi style grill, then you have more issues. You can have a cup of water and sprinkle out the flares or pull the meat off if the grill starts to get too hot with major flames.

I'd be more likely to recommend Holen One marinade for gas grillers where there's a drip guard and less chance for big flare ups with oil drips. Because, this is a thin and high oil marinade.

You'll also get a less intense flavor than if you use a bottled marinade like Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (oil based - and not the creamy kind which will burn). That's a matter of taste, so for anyone who finds bottled Italian a bit overpowering, Holen One is layered nicely but let's the meat flavor shine. It does not add a lot of flavor but does add moisture and more subtle flavor experience.

Don't use Holen One marinade over charcoal, unless you're experienced with temp control. On gas, you catch a break to some extent but may still need to adjust with the lid and temp controls. This is one hot burning marinade.

On a side note, NO, I did not burn those rib eye steaks. I shot the photo fast and moved them away from the flare to finish them off. But, I've been grilling over charcoal for over 35 years.

UPDATE:

The Holen family got in touch with a really nice note thanking me for reviewing the marinade and the Holen One sauce glaze and for giving fair and balanced opinions.

They also gave me some more info on the marindade which I thought I'd share:

"When using the Holen One Farms Marinade with open flame grilling it is particularly important to follow the instructions as to the amount to be used. We recommend an ounce per pound to be added to the meat in a ziplock bag, which is then sealed and allowed to be taken into the meat for at least 4 hours and preferably over night. This will allow all the marinade to be taken into the meat and a minimum or flareups will occur. If there is still a significant amount of marinade surrounding the meat after the suggested rest time in the refrigerator, you are probably using too much marinade."

Appreciate the extra info, and I need to round up my reading glasses (-: I tend to go heavy on the marinade. I'll try again and use a lighter touch when I pour. We did have a lot of marinade on our meat.

Meat Off the Street for Grilling and a Bad Surprise to End the Day

Yesterday I stocked up on meat when Omega Meats stopped by my house. That's a company based in North Carolina, and they deliver meats right to your door.

The first time a meat truck stopped by, it did not have a sign on the truck. I'd read something about mad cow disease that week, so I was rather nervous on random meat. I called the local cops. This is a town of only 800, and the police station is just one block up. So, they checked it out, and it was on the level. That was, by the way, another company and not so well marked as Omega Meats.

By this time, I am OK with ordering meat online like from Omaha Steaks and also with the random meat men who stop by and want to sell me meat off the street. Still seems an odd concept, but it's convenient, and the prices are good especially in a small town and at the end of the day.

Ronald Williams and another nice guy were winding down on the day and had some cases of steaks and pork that would be perfect for the grill. But, I have a small refrigerator with a very small top freezor. So, I called a neighbor to see if he wanted to split the cost and the meats.

It was still a tight fight as you can see in the above photo. My son is the master at organizing and packing, and he had to pack out three times to get all the meat in the freezor. The company guys will do that, but it just seems too intimate to me to have someone playing in my freezor. Also, I had to send a bag of food over to my Mom's house when we flat could not get it all in.


Now, this is a well stocked freezor for sure. Eli did get all the meat in, and it was just some random stuff like chili beans and hash browns that had to go over to Mom's where she has a full sized freezor.

The meat from Omega Meats Inc is very good. It's sealed tight unlike some of the loose packs at the grocery store. And, they do guarantee the meat for a full year - even if the power goes out and the meat goes bad. Hard to beat that.

If you're in North Carolina, they cover most of the state. Heck, Omega Meats even covers out here in the middle of nowhere. They can set up a regular delivery, or you may just get lucky when they drop by and have some boxes left and want to move them out before heading back to the office.

They have chicken and seafood, but we got the last boxes left which were beef and pork which I especially liks for grilling.

If you want to follow up with delivery meat that's great on the grill and keeps a long time, then the phone number for Omega Meats is 336-662-0000. I've never called myself or had any regular delivery, but I might buy if they catch me right in from work like yesterday. It really depends on my space, and it was tight this time.



I was feeling pumped with the freezor packed with meat ready for grilling, but then I got ready to go to bed and discovered that I'd been robbed. Sigh. Someone broke in and took a lot of my jewelry as you can see here. They didn't just take the stuff, they took the drawers, so I now need to see about getting a cabinet maker to custom make some new drawers to boot.

Oh well, some things go well and some not. I'm still pumped about the good deal on the meat for grilling but hate that I had a robbery at my house while I was at work. Better than when at home though, so I count myself lucky on that.

Holen One Farms Dipping and Glazing Sauce - Yum!

I love to try out new barbecue sauces and was excited to get the products I ordered from Holen One Farms. In addition to the Holen One barbecue sauce (dipping and glazing), they also have a marinade which I hope to try out tomorrow with steaks and a rub I want to check out on a smoked Boston butt.


First I fired up with the Portable Kitchen (PK grill) and got out my new Cusinart silicone basting brush which is so much nicer than the bristle brushes which always manage to end up stuck somewhere not so special. The Cuisinart grill brush is a tad large for the boneless, skinless chicken breasts or looks so, but it worked out fine. I just didn't dip as deep. It's great, also, for bigger barbecue saucing jobs too, of course.

Often I marinate my chicken to ensure moisture and to add some flavor, but I wanted to get the full flavor of Holen One Farms barbecue sauce. So, I just sprayed the grates with a little Pam grilling spray and put the chicken on.

This is a tomato based sauce, so I didn't sauce the chicken beforehand like a marinade. A lot of folks make that mistake, and they have chicken that's no cooked in the middle and burned on the outside as that sugar in the sauce can scorch in a heartbeat.

With these smaller pieces of chicken, I grilled one side until I could see a white color coming up the sides nice and then sauced the up or raw side. The chicken in thin slices like this is close done when you see the cooked part coming up the sides.

I flipped all the chicken with the raw and sauced side down and grilled for a couple of minutes while saucing the grilled top sides with grill marks. Then, I made one last flip for under a minute just to set the sauce on the first grilled side. That was over on a low heat part of the grill as I usually offset coals to do these kinds of tricks that make the grilled foods both taste better and look prettier.


Here's the grilled chicken lathered with Holen One Farm barbecue sauce right ready to come off the grill.

The sauce smelled so good (along with the charcoal) that the dad-person wandered over to see what we were griling up, and he stuck around to try the new bbq sauce as well. I forever grill up more than we can eat, so visitors are always welcome.

My teen son was the first to check in, "Hey, this is good sauce." His Dad then took a couple of bites and said, "Yep. It's a winner."

Holen One Barbecue Dipping and Glazing Sauce is a very nice all-purpose and company barbecue sauce. The flavor is clearly a bump up from mass marketed barbecue sauces at the grocery store, but Holen One did not go over the top and add too much heat or other strange ingredients that put it in a niche category. It appealed to my son who likes mild, his dad who goes medium, and I'm a hot sauce lover but thought this was one fine barbecue sauce.

That's another for the barbecue sauce favorites list which is slowly growing. There are loads of barbecue sauces out there, but I find few that rock the whole house. Holen One is a score!

Got a Quickie Reipce Featuring French's (mustard etc) - Enter to win by 10-31-09

Karen contacted me from French's. Yes. The mustard folks, but they have other great products too.

My son just discovered French's spicy mustard. Now, I've had that FOREVER, becuase I like some zip to my mustard. He just had not given it a try. I guess we were out of garden variety yellow mustard, and he tried the French's brown mustard on his brats. He is now a BELIEVER. Yep. He is going through my mustard fast.

Karen just wanted to let me know about a contest featuring French's products, and I was thinking some of my barbecue fans might have some good sauces featuring mustard - spicy or not. OK. It's kind of a South Carolina thing (that mustard barbecue sauce), but I'm betting some of ya'll use a little mustard as a secret ingredient. I know I do - like in my barbecue baked beans.

Sorry the notice is short. This has to be knocked out by Halloween 2009, but here are the general rules. Might want to double check the site links for more details. I don't think I'll be able to get it together this quick, but I'll bet some readers can, so knock us out and share your recipes too. That's always fun!

Each Recipe for the French's Contest Should:

Be original, unpublished, and created by you;
Include at least one French's product;
Include no more than 8 ingredients(with the exception of salt, pepper and water…those are freebies);
And be prepared and ready to serve in no more than 1 hour.

For recipe inspiration and giveaways, check out the French’s Facebook page:

Recipes will be evaluated on appearance, creativity and overall deliciousness and must be submitted by October 31, 2009 online at French's.

Five finalists, determined by online voting and a judging panel, will compete in a LIVE Cook-Off event to be held in New York City for a chance to win the Grand Prize of $25,000!

Chef Hymie Grande Makes Some Great Barbecue Sauce

I fired up the PK charcoal grill to try out my latest barbecue sauce - Chef Hymie Grande. His barbecue sauces caught my eye, because they are the first to carry the American Diabetes Association seal. Although, I do not have diabetes, I have high tri levels and some family memebers with diabetes. Gotta keep an eye on that.

Chef Hymie Grande barbecue sauces are vegan friendly. I am very not vegan as anyone will know who reads my blog or web site Yes You Can Grill. I aim to please though, so it would nice to have a good vegan barbecue sauce in the arsenal though I slathered mine on meat, of course.



Chef Hymie has three barbecue sauces out and a ketchup coming up soon which I look forward to trying out. The one I'm using on this grill time is the New Mexico Sweet Barbecue Glaze which is billed as having a "mild, earthy flavor." He also has a medium and hot version (and I do love hot).

I've heard people say that Chef Hymie barbecue sauces taste kind of smokey, and that always makes me nervous. I've had way too many barbecue sauces and dishes with fake smoke added, and I must say that Liquid Smoke tastes like . . . well . . . Liquid Smoke. It's kind of like plastic flowers. They're OK I guess and have a place on the market, but I'd much rather have real than fake.

Since the Chef Hymie Grande sauces are all natural and don't even include high fructose sugar plus are made in small batches, I quickly set those worries aside after reading the side of the bottles. But, it's still all about the taste. So, even if it's a good idea, the barbecue sauce has to pass the taste test to survive around this house.



Chef Hymie barbecue sauce is medium as far as texture. It's not as thick as Kansas or Texas barbecue sauce, but it's not thin (and made as a mop sauce) like many North Carolina pork barbecue sauces. Also, the color is darker than the typical barbecue sauce, so don't think I burned my barbecue chicken. I didn't. Trust me. I seldom do that, and when I do, the dog is very happy.

I brushed Chef Hymie Grande on the boneless chicken strips right near the end of the grilling time. That's one grilling mistake many folks make - using barbecue sauce as a marinade or rubbing it on too soon. Sauce goes on the last five minutes or so - just enough time to heat and set the bbq sauce.

Everything looked great, and Chef Hymie bbq sauce smelled fabulous. But, again, it is all about the taste.

I had to taste test the grilled chicken, and . . . wow . . . great stuff. I was sure Chef Hymie had a hit with his new barbecue sauces. I never say that though. I served the grilled chicken up, and the kid and the dad-person both thought Chef Hymie Grande sauce was a score. I hold it neutral until I get reactions from the family and friends. But, I usually nail it.

While I don't normally think of New Mexico as a barbecue sauce state, I'm giving that second thoughts. I adore Chef Matt's sauces out of Arizona (close), and Chef Hymie Grande ranks there with the best. I feel a road trip coming on, but New Mexico/Arizona sure is a haul. The barbecue sauces are great though, so I may have to put that on my to-do list.

If you want to check out the sauces, then see Chef Hymie Grande sauces at Open Sky. He really does have top notch barbecue sauce. I'm very impressed.

Instant Fire Every Time with FlameDisk - Easier Than Charcoal

If you've ever been frustrated trying to start charcoal, the FlameDisk may be just what you've been looking for. FlameDisk is an alternative to charcoal, but it can be used in your old charcaol grill that may be sitting there gathering dust if you've had bad grilling experiences.

All you have to do with Flame Disk is open it up and light it. That's it. You are grilling in seconds and with no pain. Plus, you do not have any clean up with FlameDisk.

FlameDisk is perfect for tailgating, but it's fine at home for barbecue parties or whereever you may want to fire up a grill. It's really a very simple grill accessory, but it does wonders for those who may be a bit grilling challenged.



Above you can see the FlameDisk in my Weber Smokey Joe. It's a perfect fit in my tailgater grill, but it can be used in larger charcoal grills too.

If you want to read more about FlameDisk, see my FlameDisk review at Yes You Can Grill, or you can find Flame Disk at my Yes You Can Grill Store.

I've always said that there's a grill to match every personality and taste. In this case, it's not a grill, but FlameDisk could certainly make grilling easier and more fun for many who have had a hard time getting the hang of outdoor cooking.

FlameDisk is nice, too, for pros when they don't want to have to think too much. You see the easiest pork chops I've ever grilled. Yep. It was a breeze to grill with FlameDisk, and there's no mess to worry about other than the dinner plates which are still sitting in the sink.

Eli Honored at RiverPark Cooleemee - Bull Hole - NC

It was a family trip out to the Bull Hole in Cooleemee, NC today where Eli was honored for saving a drowning teenager earlier this year. That happened when I was hosting a Carolina Cook Out through Food Buzz (an online foodie site). Those who follow my blog will likely remember that Eli went into the Yadkin when he heard the kid yelling for help, and the two boys were swept down the river. It was 20 minutes before I knew, for sure, if he made it out or not. He did. And, the other young man was fine after a trip to the hospital.


This was the 8th year for the Catfish Fry at Riverpark, but it's the first time I'd heard about it and got a chance to go. The Cooleemee Historic Society contacted Eli and invited him and the family out for the event which featured catfish (of course) and also bluegrass music.


Eli is kind of shy, but he got up and accepted his award for being a hero, and he thanked the RiverPark crowd and told them that the catfish was great. It was too. The three Rons (Bivins, Shoaf and Web) can sure fry up some fish.


The family enjoyed the catfish and fixings as well as the bluegrass music. The band was really good, but I didn't catch the name of the group. Maybe someone will know and can add that in the comments.


I was very proud of Eli as you can see. I still get chills when I think about him going in the river that day in May. The Yadkin was raging with waves that looked like the ocean or fast whitewater and not a slow, sleepy river like usual. I've never seen it like that before or since, and I've been down at the Bull Hole off and on since high school.

The Bull Hole is absolutely beautiful and one of my favorite places. I'm glad it's a park now and that folks can enjoy it.

Guy Fieri Needs to Head on Out Here for Some NC Barbecue

Keaton's Should Be on The Must-Visit List for Guy Fieri - Don't Ya Think?

Doesn’t Guy Fieri have the coolest job around – hosting Diners, Drive-in and Dives? If you haven’t seen the show, he visits little eateries all over the country to get the best food in town (including barbecue). The show is not gourmet now. Fieri really does visit the little joints that draw the locals. So, if you’re looking for good stick-to-your-rib eats, you should check out the TV show and take some notes.

Guy has been out in California lately crowning the “Next Pork Personality.” Seems they had a pig grill off, and Kristina Vanni of Hollywood won with her Spicy Asian Pork Tenderloin with Pear Mashed Potatoes and Grilled Baby Bok Choy. What? Haven’t tried those yet? Well, you have to remember this is California barbecue we’re talking, so they do things different out there.

I am wondering if those pear mashed potatoes taste anything like the ones my sister made for Thanksgiving with applesauce. All I will say is that they did, indeed, look like mashed potatoes, but putting gravy on them was not such a great idea. It would rank right up there with gravy on ice cream which is about the only thing we don’t gravy up here in the South.

In any case, I’m glad that we have all kinds of barbecue all over this country and something to appeal to every palate. I'll have to get out to California one of these days and check out what they're doing in those parts.

Around here, of course, barbecue is pork served on a white bread bun with a vinegar based sauce. And, it’s some mighty fine stuff even if folks from other parts of the country often just don’t know what to make of pig pickin’ North Carolina BBQ with vinegar mop. Generally it grows on them, or I guess they move away – one or the other.

Then, there’s also Keaton’s Barbecue in Cleveland NC (sort of – really it’s in the middle of nowhere) which is chicken, and it’s barbi-fried. Yep. They fry it some way but not Southern with a thick coating and then they get it lathered up with a thin barbecue sauce that sinks to the bone. It used to be the thing to slip off from high school now and then and get some Keaton’s chicken, although I won’t confess to involvement or not in such truancy.

I’m sure it’s getting old out there in California what with the great weather and all, and I think Fieri needs to road trip on out here to North Carolina and dive some barbecue joints. Heck, he won’t even have to visit three states to get his cue. In fact, he might start a Hatfield and McCoy feud again if he doesn’t showcase eastern AND western style North Carolina barbecue. Yes. There is a difference. Just ask anyone who loves NC barbecue. And, then Guy really does have to round that out with Keaton’s chicken, because it’s just the best barbecue chicken ever.

If Guy needs some tips on NC barbecue, he can give me a call (-: I can hook him right up and also round up some camouflage pants and a ball cap if he doesn’t want to stand out like a sore thumb. He can also practice saying “ya’ll,” although most people from other parts of the country just can’t manage to pull that off very well. Ya’ll know what I’m saying – wink.

So, any great barbecue dives from your neck of the woods that you think Guy needs to check out? If so, drop a comment. Maybe we can turn him on to some good ones. But, then we might have to wait in line at our favorite barbecue joint. Hum. Maybe you should just whisper in my ear and keep our secrets.

Another Rainy Day for the Barbecue Master and Family

I have some new barbecue sauces from Demon Pig that I can't wait to try out, but it's still raining here in the not-so-sunny South, and my nose is still running too. Bummer. Not a good way to celebrate hump day.

This seemed a better day for chicken pot pies (Marie Callender's are definately the best), but I can still dream of a beautiful outdoor grill room with counter space, wine racks and maybe even one of those cool outdoor fountains. Ah heaven.

In the meantime, I've been shopping, since I don't feel up to doing much else. And, online shopping is so easy. Gotta love it.

In addition to some new sauces coming (including Wild n Mild which the hunters who read my blog will love), I'm also waiting on Grill Floss (no kidding) and a Cuisinart silicone basting brush. So, be sure to check back soon, because I'll have some new flavors and new barbecue toys to talk about and some ideas for the holidays.

John Boy & Billy's Grillin' Sauce Saves the Day

I must confess that John Boy & Billy saved the day here, because I feel like crud (although I'm pretty sure it's not the swine flu), and it's raining. It's a toss up as to which is pouring down harder - the rain or my snot. Bummer.

The kid and I had a wonderful smoked pork loin on the PK grill two nights ago sauced up with John Boy & Billy's Grillin' Sauce. I wasn't sure what two radio hosts based out of Charlotte, NC and known for comedy might come up with as far as BBQ sauce, but this was the real deal and no joke.

The taste of John Boy & Billy's Grillin' Sauce is kind of medium as far as texture (thicker than most NC sauces but not as thick as Texas barbecue sauces). The sauce also has a little zip but not enough to put off my mild loving son. He's just not into hot when it comes to food. Girls? Hum. Well, the hot ones do turn his head. He's 16 years old for the record. His sauces - make 'em mild.

Overall the verdict is that John Boy & Billy have a great balanced Grillin' sauce and that's coming from hot Momma and mild Kido.

Having been up most of the night, since it's hard to sleep when you can't breathe and with the chicken thawed in anticipation of grilling along with the rain pouring down (even though I do have porches), I just was not feeling that grilling thing happening. On the flip side, I sent the kid out to get Chinese last night (though did not feel up to eating myself), so I wanted real food but did not want to work too hard at it.

I confess that I plunked the chicken in a pan lined with tin foil (to reduce clean up) and dumped on John Boy & Billy's Grillin' Sauce. There is no rule that says you have to use grilling sauce or any kind of barbecue sauce on the grill, so in the oven went the chicken and sauce at 350 degrees for around an hour - give or take.

Even feeling awful and even having done nothing special to the chicken other than saucing it with John Boy & Billy's Sauce, dinner came out great. My kid had seconds and then thirds. I could taste the bbq sauce even with the nose running and giving me fits, and it taste great after not having been eating much.

I won't bless ya'll with photos of chicken in a pan lined with tin foil. The barbecue sauce gets much thinner when dumped on baked chicken so does not look too gourmet, but hey that's OK. Good barbecue sauce is good sauce. And, you can use it in baking or in the crock pot in a pinch. Today was a pinch, and the food was great if not exactly pretty. A cute bowl could have fixed that, but it would have been one more thing to wash when I doubt the dishes are getting done tonight anyway.

Someone told me that John Boy & Billy mentioned me on their show when I ran for mayor and tied the old guy who held that spot forever - amen. That puts me in good company as the radio boys tend to favor NASCAR guys and wrestlers (called wrastlers in these parts). Well, I hope they said something good about me. I didn't ask. Some things I do not need to know. Really, they need to have the Grill Girl on the radio show some day. Don't ya think? I'm at least as hot as their sauce and can wrastle if necessary.

Pig Pen's Original Seasoning Sprinkle is Great as a Barbecue Rub Too

I have been in a "trying new barbecue stuff" mood lately, and so I grabbed some Pig Pen's at Food Lion. It was with the barbecue sauces and rubs, and since it was dry, I figured it was a barbecue rub. WRONG! Well, it turned out way right. There are times when not being able to see that well comes in handy. This was one of those times. Other times it does not work out so well, so I am trying to learn to use my progressive bifocal glasses, although they make me seasick and walk geeky.

I brought home Pig Pen's Original Seasoning and lathered up my pork loin. Those pork loins were on sale this week at Food Lion, and it's hard to pass up pork loin which is fabulous slow cooked on a grill.


When I opend up the seal on Pig Pen's, I noticed right off that it had a zip. That's fine by me, but my younger son does not like foods too hot, so I went easy on the rub on the pork loin.

That pork loin was smelling like heaven as it was cooking, and my mouth was watering. It takes a while to slow cook a loin, so the kid and I were getting quite hungry, but good food is worth waiting for - and this was massive pork loin.

That pork loin was some of the best I've had. The Pig Pen's gave it just enough zip to make it stand out big times. So, then, I had to round up my reading glasses and get a handle on this new and fabulous grilling rub.

Well, the joke was on me. Pig Pen's is really a seasoning sprikle kind of like a seasoning salt but zestier. The other joke is that the guy who makes this lives right in my home town. How random! I don't know any guy who goes by Pig Pen, so I am going to have to ask around. This is not a big area. It can't be that hard to find the Pig Pen guy.

In the meantime, I will continue to use Pig Pen's Original as a barbecue rub but also as a sprinkle as intended for all kinds of foods - really anything that you might hit with seasoning salt of some type.

Yum! I am tempted to go get another slice of that pork loin with Pig Pen's, but I just came off that winter Consumers Digest grill project where I put on 10 pounds or so. I dropped that (or most of it), so I will hold myself back. But, I can tell you that was sure a good loin.

Never Been to a Redneck Grill Party? You're Missing Out.

Folks do things different in the South and that includes barbecuing. Actually barbecue is slow smoking pork, and grilling is putting anything else on the grill and cooking it. But, we done figured out that the rest of the country don't know no better.

If women are involved in the barbecue party planning, there will be some decorating. If the flowers are not in bloom - no problem. That's what plastic flowers was made for. Other favorites are flags and mostly American and plastic yard birds are also pretty darn popular.

Now, if guys are taking care of the details at the barbecue, you will not have decorations and maybe not napkins. That's what pants are made for.


The best Southern grills are homemade. They are made out of all kinds of stuff, so recycling is alive and well below the Mason/Dixon as is dumpster diving. Most common of the homemade barbecue grills or barbecue smokers are ones made when your oil tanks go to leaking or if you come across a big old barrel that ain't good for much else.


If you have to bring in a store bought grill down South, that's no problem. Most everybody has a pick up or a relative with one. But, some Southern men figure it's too much trouble to unload the grill, so they just fire up in the bed of the truck. This is not FDA approved or recommended but no casualties have been reported to date.


The older guys will, if they get a chance, supervise at the barbecue. After all, they done their dues. Old fellows, however, are not content to go plop down in a lawn chair. Oh no. They figure they better offer up some advice so end up spending as much time supervisiing as they would have grilling. It's just a guy thing I guess. Tell a woman not to worry about cooking, and she mostly won't unless something catches fire (also known as "afar).


The longer a redneck barbecue lasts the more fun is had and the better (or worse) the dancing gets. In fact, a redneck party can last until the cows come home at which time they have to be milked, of course, as things like that just can't be put off to another day.

If you are not sure if you throw redneck barbecue parties, check out Are You a Redneck Grill Guy or Grill Girl at Yes! You Can Grill. Of course, you probably already know, but it's still fun to peek, and you can email in your other redneck party notes if you like.

Lexington, North Carolina Barbecue Festival 2009

It's time for the Lexington, NC Barbecue Festival again. It's an annual event scheduled for October 24 this time, and this is the 26th year. One of the highlights each year is the pig themed sculpture made of sand. It's always impressive.


Yum. The barbcue sauce is simmering and ready to be poured on the slow cooked pork which is served on white bread buns with slaw. They also have curly pig tail fries to round out the signature festival meal. But, there are lots of other great foods at the Lexington BBQ Festival.


There are many artists and craft folks at the BBQ festival each year, so it's fun to do some holiday shopping while enjoying the barbecue pork.


I always look for the fresh made bread at the Barbecue Festival and take home a loaf or two for supper or for the next day. Hard to beat home baked bread.


Last year it rained for the 25th annual Lexington BBQ Festival, so everyone is hoping for sunny skies this year.

For information and tips on the Lexington, NC Barbecue Festival, check out Yes You Can Grill - my grilling web site.