Today's rib tests were outstanding... I'm very pleased with myself! I purchased a second Weber Smokey Mountain for an upcoming barbecue comp in Maine this August, and needed to give it a test run before the event. This new WSM is the 22 inch model, which in diameter is a mere 4 inches bigger than my 18 inch model, but holy crap does 4 inches make a difference. This smoker is freaking huge. When I last smoked ribs I thought the 18-incher was a bit tight for fitting multiple slabs of ribs on each level, so I figured going bigger would alleviate that problem. It did of course, but what I realized while cooking on this fella is that it can hold a ton more coals. This may prove valuable in the brisket and shoulder cooks which should take 14-10 hrs respectivly. I'll have to stew on that for a bit, but for now please geek-out with me on the details of today's rib smoke! 

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I tried my hand at an overnight smoked whole brisket this week, and for a first run I was pretty happy with the results. I almost always prefer the "moist" to the "lean" sections of brisket, and while that held true here as well, I could appreciate the lean slices in this smoke. I think it sat too long in the warming cooler, but overall a solid effort in preparation for my first KCBS sanctioned competition in mid-august. If you want to take a deep dive into my notes on the smoke, read on! 

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Sadly I did not place in the NY Daily News / Fairway BBQ of the Boros, but it was the first time I've ever grilled on a grate the size of my couch, in a parking lot with a highway above me and a river 100 yards away. My wife was kind enough to come to this event and shot a bunch of pictures of me grilling at the event and being interviewed in front of the judges. A full recap of the event is below.

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There are a few summer holidays where I just can't survive if I don't barbecue: Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. So this Fourth I decided to smoke the first pork shoulder of the summer. It's the first time I've tried my final rub on a shoulder and I was super happy with the results. In this run I've also confirmed that 1.5 hrs per pound at 210-240 is my sweet spot in terms of cooking time. Want to geek out with me on specifics? Read on for a full run down. 

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A sunny day in the upper 80's put me in the mood for something cool and simple for lunch. A tuna salad sandwich sounded spot-on, but the red onion I had in the fridge was sadly moldy. Tuna just isn't the same without a little crunch in it, so I uncovered some healthy looking scallions, and decided to toss them on the grill I had going to prep some dinner fixings for later tonight. While I was at it I figured I should grill the rye bread too, and I ended up with a delicious tuna salad sandwich with garden lettuce and grilled scallions on grilled rye toast. A surprise great summer sandwich.

Turkey burgers are rarely good in my experience, but this take on a Bobby Flay recipe was pretty killer. Everything is done on the grill of course, and the flavors in the grilled onion relish add a solid punch to the indulgent meltiness of the emmanthaler cheese and grilled rye bread both soaked in suprisingly yummy turkey burger juices. Read on for the recipe! 

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