After finishing top ten in 3 categories at Taylorville, then tanking Brisket, I think it is time to start from scratch on brisket, what are some good commercial rubs that everyone uses on brisket and sauces. Also if anyone would like to email me some suggestions I would really appreciate it, any help would be much appreciated. duhamell at consolidated dot net
Jason
Smokey J's BBQ

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Someone below asked how I did this weekend at a contest and I learned a few things and need help in others so I thought I would post about them. Overall I was middle of the pack in a 38 team field. My practice food was better than what I cooked at the contest. Best showing was 13th in ribs.

First, I lost focus. I cooked alone but had new team members to help me with turn ins. This was good, I needed help and they were great. But while I was talking to them I lost temp control and the pit went up to 325 degrees for my chicken cook and that was too high for my process. So chicken was done too early and I mishandled the adjustment or who knows.

Problem 1, garnish. I am not good with the garnish anyway, but this time I tried beautiful fresh lettuce from a farmer's market. I washed it at home on Friday and kept it cool and wrapped in paper towels and then zip locked bags. I should have refreshed it in cold water on Saturday. Even then it can't take the same handling as commercial green leaf and it bruised. Not good. Also I was trying a simpler route and did not bring parsley. It would have been handy to fill empty spaces in the boxes.

Problem 2 I didn't do well with fire control overnight either for the big meats. I set the target temp too low, maybe I was nervous, anyway when they should gave been ready to wrap (or be done whatever) they were not even close. So I had to crank up the heat and I did get them done but not what I wanted.

Problem 3--I do not understand pork butt muscles well enough. How to adapt and what to choose. I left some beautiful meat on the table that could have been sliced and sauced and would have been gorgeous in the box. Nice lunch today but...

Problem 4--I am not sure I know how to trim ribs right. I may take off too much trying to get all the cartilage, they ended up small and so a lot of left over space in the box although really the cooked ribs were perfect.

That is what I know. The judges did a good job for me. MA

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I found this article and posted a link to it. 'Serious Barbecue" with Adam Perry Lang it has a really good video with Adam that ran on NightLine recently. I saw it on NightLine and I was glad I found this article so you can see it. He cooks lamb chops and fresh fish.

Ray Basso

• News about BBQ

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I have recently had to travel to Memphis on a regular basis as part of my work. The first two timjes I went, I made trips to:

Rendevous Charcoal BBQ (original location)
Central BBQ (near college on Central)
Germantown Commissary (Germantown)

After trips to these places - which were definitely GOOD, I gotta say that, while the whole dry rub is unique to Memphis (but done all over the USA these days), and the use of charcoal as a primary fuel (i.e., Rendevous) is kinda interesting, I wasn't all that bowled over by the above places.

I go back to Memphis next week, and have Cozy Corner and The BBQ Shop on my agenda. Maybe that'll change my opinion, but for now, give me the Texas BBQ anytime (granted, I'm a local and a homer, but i calls them likes I sees them). Anyone got any other recommendations for A+ bbq in Memphis that I need to be sure to visit??

Thanks,

Scott in Flower Mound, TX

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Needless to say I'm a little freaked by what has happened and I'm thinking I need a Lojack or ?? Anybody know anything about these?
TIA

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