Tell me about your summer BBQ's ...

[Mikey]

Just got another dusting of snow which is giving me the early spring blues ...

I think a nice summer BBQ thread might lift my spirits a li'l

So tell me about your backyard BBQ's ...... Charcoal or Hank Hill ?

Is slaw a must ? ... if so what do you put in it ?

Is there any alternative to buying grocery store buns ?

Anybody make brown sugar home-made beans and bacon ?

Please add your own musts and standards .............

[J.B.]

The idea of a BBQ season is so foreign to me. Lived in So. Cal. most my life, so we BBQ all year long. My friends and I got serious about it in the mid 80's (as given away by my dopey Swatch w/ Swatch Protector Band ).

The madness started here on my friend Ray's Dad's gas grill. Aside from burgers, we'd make runs to this old school sausage place in Glendale and come back with some delicious Brats, Knackwurst, Frankfurters, Kielbasas and Andouilles. Grilled them bad boys up, sliced them, and served them with a variety of mustard dipping dishes.

In the early 90's, my soon to be Father-In-Law got me a Weber charcoal grill. One of his favorite dishes was pork baby back ribs. Very simple set up: Sprinkle the slabs with Seasoned Salt and Pepper, then apply a generous amount of minced garlic to them. Throw them on the grill to give them a good crispy sear, then cover in foil and transfer them to the oven, where they continue to cook at 225° for about 1 1/2 hours. The meat falls off the bone.

By mid 90's, I married his crazy daughter and we moved to a condo complex that had a huge community grill: It was back to gas.

I wanted to pay him back for the Weber, so we took it to the next level and got him a Caja China. For Board Members not from The Island, a Caja China is wooden box lined with aluminum used for cooking a whole pig. The lid is a metal tray that holds charcoal. The coal is spread to the 4 edges, leaving the center space empty.

Takes about 4 - 5 hours to cook, depending on the weight of the pig. The model we got him had a 100 lbs. Max. The first pig he cooked, named Petunia, was a svelte 98 lbs. Barely fit in the box.

Gotta flip Petunia over halfway through.

As you're about done, you gather all the charcoal towards the center. This is done to get the skin very crispy.

Nothing in the world like crispy pork skin.

That's it. Time to knock back a few and enjoy Petunia.

BBQ purists will tell you that you get the best taste when using coal, but as I get older, I sure appreciate the convenience of a gas grill.

[Hector]

Great pics!

I’m very familiar with la Caja China. Great way to make lechón.

My Uruguayan friend makes lechón too...but he doesn’t use la Caja China, he uses an Uruguayan Parilla. Here’s his baby...






I don’t actually barbecue...I grill...that’s my forte. I’m all about open grilling. Santa Maria/Argentinian/Uruguayan grilling.

This was my old Santa Maria grill. The pic is a few year old. I have since sold it (that’s mom in the background)...








Yes, like you...our BBQ/grill season is almost all year round.

You might be asking. Hector, you sold your grill? What are you going to do now?

I’m building a total custom grill. I’m almost finished. Here’s a little preview...

[EmergencyIan]

Wow, guys! Everything looks delicious!

- Ian

[J.B.]

Ha! I knew it was only a matter of time before Grill Master Hec joined the thread. Damn, now I'm getting hungry.

[J.B.]

BTW, your custom grill is lookin real nice. Keep us updated with more pics.

[PNGwynne]

Egad, that all looks delicious. I just try to find good BBQ places--we have some franchises and some local.

[Hector]

BTW, your custom grill is lookin real nice. Keep us updated with more pics.

Thanks! I sure will...

[Hector]

Egad, that all looks delicious. I just try to find good BBQ places--we have some franchises and some local.

I love the Bay Area with all its great restaurants eateries, foods. But one thing that sucks around here are the lack of BBQ joints...and the ones you find, suck.

There’s one decent one in Oakland, Phat Matt’s...

https://www.yelp.com/biz/phat-matts-bbq-oakland-2

Only one...

[J.B.]

Christ, I think the last BBQ thread was started by Zemo. Remember him?

[cjefferys]

All these pics are making me hungry, everything looks great!

[TrekStar]

It must be nice when you can BBQ outdoors all year long, how I wish I could.
It must be nice when you can go to the beach all year long, how I wish I could.
It must be nice being able to play baseball all year long, how I wish I could.

I'm not going anywhere with this just whining.

[J.B.]

Great pics!

I’m very familiar with la Caja China. Great way to make lechón.

Lechón was my charcoal Weber's Swan Song. This small piece would have been lost in the Caja China, but cooked first on direct heat, then indirect heat in the Weber.

Served with Tostones and Moros/Congri.

[Hector]

Man, stop it...I can’t take it anymore...I want all that...NOW!!!!

[Hector]

Christ, I think the last BBQ thread was started by Zemo. Remember him?

Yes, my fellow Mustang and wristwatch guy...