Surfing Your Way To Good 'Cue

Did some almost month-end examination of our website tonight, www.chaingangbarbeque.com and learned some cool stuff. Our site has only been up since January 1, 2010 and so far we've had 75 visits; I'm not sure if that's good or not. But, the "hits" were over three thousand.

Over 2500 hits from the U.S., 50 from Canada and over 400 from "Unknown." The busiest days of the week for visits was Thursdays and the top page visited was "Our Menu." One last stat was the top browser was Internet Explorer, Safari (Mac) and then Firefox.

If I had Internet access at the trailer, I'd have a page to place an order, but since I don't....

Thanks to everyone who has given us a shot in January; we greatly appreciate your business.

BBQ Is A Never Ending Learning Curve

Many weeks ago, I enrolled in my second class with Mike Mills, "The Legend" of 17th Street Bar & Grill fame. My first class with Mike covered how to cook BBQ for KCBS contests; we did babyback ribs, St. Louis style ribs, pork butt and brisket. Learned many "tricks of the trade." My second class was "The Business of BBQ." Or, how to run a BBQ joint....and then some.

I gotta tell you, Mike Mills is the goodwill ambassador of BBQ. Not only does he know the art of BBQ, he's all too happy to share it with his students. He is truly a wonderful man and I consider him a friend and if nothing else is accomplished in my travels down this road, his friendship is the crown jewel in my world.

Our instructors in the class wasn't just Mike Mills, but his daughter Amy Mills-Tunnicliffe and the "Aussom Aussie" Paul Mackay and they were wonderful, too.

This photo was taken by me just before these two BBQ Pitmasters demonstrated how to cut a Brisket properly to guarantee the greatest yield from the "flat" of the Brisket.

What's Next? I Don't Want To Know

Had to pull double duty today. First off, in what seems to be a never ending string of trailer calamities, the waste water holding tank had frozen solid. Now keep in mind, we'd added some antifreeze to the tank, but it still froze solid. Another day open lost.

I rented a 150,000 BTU kerosene heater and finally got things unthawed so we can be open tomorrow. I hope folks understand, this two week arctic blast really did a number on our plans to be up and running full-time.

Meanwhile, as the heater heated I had to prepare for our first catering job tomorrow. We're doing lunch for 40 folks at The Bridge Church, where our serving trailer is located. We had gone to Sam's yesterday to get a case of Pork Butts, which they had plenty of. Problem was we opened the box to refrigerate the butts, but they weren't butts; they were babyback ribs. I even bought a Lottery scratcher game ticket today and it was a loser. Should've known.

After getting the real case of Pork Butts, I injected, seasoned and put 6 butts on the pit. Made enough baked beans to feed Cox and his army and slaw's being made tomorrow.

After the past few days, I've felt like FEMA with a BBQ pit. Warmer weather should help two things get going in the right direction, fewer problems and more customers wanting some good 'cue.

"Pitmasters" On TLC Thursdays

Now that the holidays are over, nighttime TV is getting back to normal and that goes for the series, "Pitmasters" on TLC at 9pm, Central.

If you haven't seen this show, it is interesting and entertaining, especially Jack's Old South's Myron Mixon.

This show is like being back on the cook-off circuit. TLC follows these BBQ teams around during the 2009 cook-off season. It depicts life like as it is at these contests, especially the part of the cook-offs that sent me packing and that is many teams shelve their BBQ for what the judges want. I would not no will I do that for a BBQ Judge, and I'm one of them. Your BBQ is your BBQ and if the judges like it, fine and if not, fine. You will hear the teams make reference to what the judges "are looking for." Everyone on the circuit does chicken thighs and I mean everyone. Last episode, Myron stumbled across another team that adopted Myron's style of doing thighs and that was to cook them in a muffin pan. Myron's thought was it made his thighs look uniform to the judges. This really ticked Myron off, but Myron had best prepare himself because in 2010, everybody at every KCBS cook-off will be comin' with a muffin pan in their arsenal. That cat's out of the bag.

But for a look inside the world of competition BBQ, watch this show. Myron is a hoot followed by Johnny Trigg of The Smokin' Triggers BBQ team. Trigg comes off a little grumpier while Myron's about half-a-rebel.