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Mid-summer updates and new product reviews

By JR | July 18, 2011 | certified grilladelic, competition, lifestyle, product, products, reviews | No comments

Hoping to repeat this award winning chicken.

Time flies! Wow, although our posts are less frequent we have been active supporting and promoting the local BBQ supply chain, mostly via our Facebook page.

Now for the update:

First, the Taste of Grand Rapids/State of Michigan BBQ Competition is scheduled for July 22 and 23. If you are planning to attend, Grilladelic will be hosting a small party on the 22nd, from 6:30pm-9:00pm. We will be grilling fresh sausages made by our friends at John Russo’s plus serving some side dishes we are entering into the competition. Of course “the meat” of the competition is Saturday and thanks to Kingmas Butcher Shoppe, we will be barbecuing exclusively with Kingmas meats.

Hoping to repeat this award winning chicken.

Stop on by and say hi!

Now for the new product reviews (really product recommendations)

I was pleasantly surprised when I tried an Empire grill cover. Back in the day, at The Outdoor Cook, my experience with grill covers was underwhelming. Either the covers were inexpensive and “cheap” (barely lasted one season, ripped easily, etc) or very expensive and still did not last as long. The folks from Empire sent me a large cover which I used on my gas grill (an Australian style barbie)

The cover was lightweight, flexible and looked nice! I have used it for several weeks and it seems to do the trick of protecting the grill. Of course the real value for grill covers is best measured over months, not weeks so I will update everyone later in the grill season on how it is holding up…but I can say this, the price point is very nice. Besides grill covers, Empire has hundreds of other products.

One of the best covers on the market

I grill early and often. I always clean grates prior to my next cook and folks let me tell you: this is a “professional” grill brush.

Similar to grill covers, the market is inundated with “cheap” grill brushes. Enter the Texas Grill Brush. These custom made brushes are so nice and really perform. Long handled with heavy duty bristles, it really makes cleaning the grates a snap. Good folks too. Bill has been a great guy to connect with. In my book that is important.

There is a new sauce boss in town.

The Michigan based sauce makers have a nice thing going on. Just tried both the regular and “kicked up” and both were great. I preferred the “kicked up” because I like the extra spice and heat. Our Grilladelic friend, Dale Barlow is a “buy local/think global” type of guy. Highly recommend these sauces.

Three wise choices

By JR | December 11, 2010 | certified grilladelic, product, products, reviews, tips | No comments

Besides practice, practice, practice; another way to elevate your barbecue skills is to upgrade your equipment. Here are three recommendations for “best of show.”

Two sizes for the Weber Smokey Mountain. Great smokers for both home and competitions.

Best electric smoker made for home use. Commercial quality. Sorry--but not eligible for KCBS competitions. (crazy that they allow pellet grills but not electric smokers)

The best year-round, smoker/barbecue/grill made. Only negative is it's lack of portability...but for backyard use, nothing beats the Egg.

Therefore, we barbeque

By JR | October 18, 2010 | certified grilladelic, lifestyle, products | No comments

We get asked often about our slogan; “Sum Ergo Barbequemus”. It is a philosophical statement in Latin, attributed to an obscure Roman Emperor, Biggus Grillus. Scholars differ on the significance of the statement. The simple translation of the phrase, therefore we barbeque, is generally considered as one of man’s earliest proclamations to party.

I just thought you wanted to know.

It’s Hot Out There! Get a Grip!

By JR | August 2, 2010 | certified grilladelic, products | No comments

I’ve searched high and low for the best grill mitts. High being leather, welding gloves to low being cutesy kitchen mitts. But, at the end of the day, I think the Certified Grilladelic tag has to go to the products made by Kitchen Grips.

My leather gloves work fine, look cool, but get real dirty and greasy and do not withstand being left out in rain or bad weather very well (it happens more often than not). The cutesy mitts. Well. Enough said.

Kitchen Grips BBQ mitt appears to be one bad boy.

If anyone else has some suggestions, let us know. A good grilling glove is essential to a great grilling experience.

The ThermaPen Receives the Coveted Certified Grilladelic Seal of Approval!

By JR | July 28, 2010 | certified grilladelic, product, products, reviews | No comments

I was minding my own business at the Grand Rapids BBQ Competition this past weekend when the gentleman cooking with the team next to me called me over, after seeing me trying to determine the internal temperature of my brisket with a remote instant read thermometer. “I see you are using one of those old gauges” he said, shaking his head. “If you are serious about BBQ, you need one of these”.

He took out a palm-sized temperature probe, inserted it into a rack of ribs, between the bones. It instantly read 203 degrees. “Done” he said. “Time to wrap“.

I’ve long know the importance of a good temperature probes. It is one the ten commandments of BBQ; Thou Shalt Know Thy Internal Temperatures of Meats. But this device took it to a whole new level. Much quicker and easier to use.

Based on the results that weekend (my ribs undercooked, his; only requiring a gentle tug), my past experience with a wide variety of temperature probes (I’ve sold hundreds of probes back in my specialty retail days), the recommendation of a grizzled BBQ vet on that rainy Saturday in July, and a thorough review of the Thermoworks website;

I hereby declare the Thermapen to be Certified Grilladelic!

Out of Retirement (But Still a Dandy)

By JR | July 11, 2010 | competition, education, product, products, reviews | No comments

This weekend I cleaned up my old Hasty Bake that was stuck in the back of the garage and fired it up for a barbecue competition. It had not seen the light of day for a couple of years. I touched up the outside with hi-temperature black paint and cleaned and seasoned up the grates.

Dang. I had forgot how great it cooked! Don’t know why I retired it… my Weber kettles are just tad more convenient for an evening grill.

Why do I love thee? Let me count the ways:

Mucho cooking surface. Easily had three large racks on it. Easily could of added more ribs or a large pork butt. Check out the large racks laying on the grates. Still had room at the inn too!
Great temperature control with the firebox that cranks up or down. I adjusted temperatures several times just by turning a handle that easily controls the firebox.

Simple access to the firebox. Open the side door, add coal or wood chunks without peaking under the lid. “if you are looking, you aren’t cooking”.

I have had this unit well over 12 years. It has weathered winters, rain, snow, sleet, grease fires, trailer rides and much more.

Although not the grill for a novice or weekend warrior…to much of an investment, I highly recommend a Hasty Bake to anyone who loves to barbecue and grill.

A Salute to Sauce Impresarios

By JR | July 8, 2010 | certified grilladelic, product, products, stories | 1 Comment

Followers of my blog over the years know of my fondness for Big Ricks. In the late 1990′s, after opening The Outdoor Cook in Rockford, MI, Big Ricks was the first specialty barbecue sauce we carried. Not only was the sauce unique; sweet and spicy, but it was cool calling in order:

“Hi Rick. Need some more sauce”

“Well, it might be a couple of days. I’m making it now, then I have to bottle it. I will get it to you though.”

Those were the days. Now, I just discovered he has expanded in Australia while checking out the Sydney Butcher Boys (meat delivery!) Way to go Rick! In fact, I am heading to Rockford today to buy some Big Ricks at Hermans Boy. Need to deliver a knock out punch at Saturdays BBQ competition.

Back to sauce impresarios.

I would be remiss if did not mention two local sauce legends.

Julie Applegate- aka Mrs. Dog and Big Moe Pritchett...a feared BBQ competitor (Big Moe won the first State of Michigan competition back before the turn of the century) caterer and entrepreneur. Both have great products and are truly hardworking, barbecue artisans. Salute!

Help!!

By JR | June 21, 2010 | products | No comments

All Points Bulletin

A Grilladelic enthusiast from the U.K. just sent me an urgent request: where can he find a Weber Grill Wok!

It's been a few years since I sold Weber products, and I did not realize the wok had become an endangered specie. It appears to be as rare as a snow leopard. Yikes!

The grill wok has always flown under the radar as an essential grilling and bbq tool (I can tell you first hand, the wok is amazing) but it looks like Weber has discontinued manufacturing it.

I am confident that the wok exists somewhere in the Grilladelic Nation. But where?

Can anyone help my friend in the U.K.??

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce