Draper’s BBQ In Their Own Words

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Shane Draper

For the next few weeks we will be posting the comments, emails, etc we get from you the Draper’s BBQ fan, user, pitmaster, etc. The purpose is to let you have your say in how Draper’s products have made your bbq better, had an impact on a family cookout or maybe even improve your scores on the competition scene.
If you would like to be included in these post feel free to email me your comments, review, thoughts, etc to info@drapersbbq.com and I will get it posted.
You are also welcome to hit our store (www.drapersbbq.com/shop) and post a review there if you wish. In the end we just want to hear from you, your thoughts in your own words mostly unedited provided you keep it family friendly .

Here’s our first submission from Ernie from the Kansas City area. He sent this to me just a few minutes a go:

Shane,
You can out this on your site as a review if you want or not, but I wanted to relay this story from yesterday to you.

I have been using your products at home for the past 6 to 8 months and have been very impressed with the flavor profile of both your Smokin’ Sauce and AP Rub. Yesterday was the first time that I had used your products at a family function for my entire family to eat. It was Mother’s Day and I fixed ribs for my entire family (15 people) and used both the AP Rub and Smokin’ Sauce. After I pulled the ribs from the smoker, I could not slice the ribs fast enough. People were gobbling them up. While I was sitting down to eat people we complimenting me right and left about how fantastic these ribs were. My sister was even trying to guess the ingredients of your sauce. We went thru 3 and a half slabs of ribs and I sent the rest home with my Mom as a Mother’s day present. They have always liked my BBQ but I think they were more impressed yesterday becasue of the Drapers BBQ products I used. Thanks for great products.

Ernie Rupp

That story is totally true Shane. They went nuts over your sauce especially. (except my Dad) he did not even try it he went to KC Masterpiece his old standby. Have a great trip to MIM and bring back some hardware.

Thanks Ernie for taking the time to send this and I’m glad we had the honor of being a part of your Mother’s Day present. We are proud to be included in your family time this year! It’s ok if you give Dad some Draper’s for Father’s Day lol.

Here is one we just got in from Don from St. Louis. Don has been a long time fan of our products and we are glad to be apart of his competition flavor profile!

Shane: Just a quick note about your BBQ sauce and AP Rub. I found out about your product from the BBQ Brethren forum. Decided I wanted to give it a try and since your product is not available at any stores in St Louis. I ordered it from your web site.

I’m always looking for something a little different then what is being used here in the St Louis area, but wanted it to be a slight difference something that was just a little different than the normal flavor profile everyone is used to here in St Louis.

So I tried it out on the family with 3 slabs of ribs. Had the Brother in law over since he is a member of my BBQ team mostly because he loves my ribs and likes to eat free. I didn’t tell anyone I was trying something new. I wanted to see if they could tell a difference and what they thought since everyone was used to my standard BBQ and loved it.

So after everyone sat down and started to eat I was just watching and waiting to see what they would say. It took about 2 ribs before my BIL said I didn’t think you could get better, but these may be the BEST RIBS you have every cooked. The only difference in these ribs and what I always cook is these had your AP Rub and your Sauce. So it passes the family test, there was no left overs to send home with anyone, just a pile of bones.

So I thank you for your product and I am looking forward to using the rub and sauce in my next contest. Hopefully the judges will find it to there liking as well. I let you know. Thanks again

Don

Great story Don! Appreciate you putting us to the test and sticking with us since the beginning man!

Just got this email from Carl Williams better known as Smokin’ Willy on the GBA circuit. Carl has been using our products for a couple of seasons now, it wasn’t until the beginning of this year that he emailed me cluing me in on just how well he has done with Draper’s products. Needless to say it was a no brainer to get behind him and sponsor him.

Hi Shane,

It goes without saying that Draper’s Smokin’ Sauce and the A.P. rub are head and shoulders above anything else out there on the market.

Since we began using the Draper’s BBQ products our competition scores have soared. In September of 2011 our team won the 2011-2012 GBA Georgia State Championship. 2012, we are off to a great start. So far this year we haven’t had a grand championship, but have had several 1st and 2nd place finishes and in most competitions finished in the top 10. Were currently ranked 8th in the GBA top 10 team of the year.

The Moo’d Enhancer Beef Rub is also a definite winner on Brisket. I even used some of the Moo’d Enhancer in my Pork injection. Great Stuff!

Smokinwilly Squealer’s Championship BBQ Team owe our success to Draper’s BBQ and proud to have the Draper’s BBQ family as our sponser.

Carl Williams, aka Smokinwilly!

Thanks for the banner!…Looks good!

This is a pic that Carl sent in flying our banner at last weeks competition. We are very proud to include Carl and crew in our very selective group of sponsored teams.

Knives for BBQ – The Great Debate

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Shane Draper

In the past year I have seen several articles, Facebook debates, forum rants and Twitter tussles over which knife one “must have” for barbecue competitions. This debate is starting rival the wood versus charcoal versus pellet debate best I can tell. I’ve read several articles and many blog posts on the subject as I have started to build my competition set. So I decided why not throw in my 2 cents on the subject and cloud the issue even more.

The very first thing you need to consider when buying your knives is “how much knife can you afford?” This will depend on how much money can spend obviously but for me it also is a factor of how much money can I comfortably live with if lose the knife or if they were to some how get damaged or stolen. While I can afford a $200 hand made knife of the finest Japanese forged steel, I think it would be foolish to carry that knife and 3 or 4 of its friends to competitions. If someone were to grab my knife case they would make off with $800 in steel and I would be crushed.

There is nothing wrong with spending that kind of coin on a knife, but in my opinion those knives have a place. That place is at home in a fine walnut knife block or in your hand while you are using them. I have a hard time believing that most real chef’s or people who work with blades day in and day out use these ultra expensive pieces. To me it’s much like taking a $15000 ultra rare guitar and touring with it acrossEurope. It doesn’t make sense when you can make the same music with a $1000 guitar and beat the crap out of it without the guilt and still cash checks. The $1000 guitar is nicer than most guitars out there but isn’t an heirloom and it gets the job done at a professional level. I think that is exactly what you should look for in a set of competition knives. Something professional, cheap enough you can lose without too much guilt, but well built enough to take the hardships of real use.

The next thing most people consider is forged versus stamped or laser cut. I used to believe I would only ever be satisfied with a forged blade and that I just HAD to have forged. Let me just say I was wrong. The new process of stamping and cutting is so much better than it used to be and they are putting out near forged quality at a small fraction of the cost. Forged has it’s advantages, but I think more times than not it’s the perception that they are of higher quality that push the uninformed into thinking they have to have forged. This article from Mark at Your Cutlery Helper has some great links and makes some great points in the forged versus stamped debate. I won’t rehash all his points as he does a fine job laying out the argument.

My opinion on the debate between the two was settled when I got my first high quality stamped knife, a 6” boning knife by Victorinox. I stumbled onto this knife during my research when I found a blog post by Danielle Dimovski (Diva Q) on her recommended competition bbq knives. Admittedly I got a good deal on the knife as I only paid $18 for it, but I would have paid 3 times that much for it and still be happy with it. This is the best knife I own for the money. I feel lost when I am trimming meat without it. It is simply awesome and means so much more to me than the money I paid for it. What’s best is that if I lose I can get another one without guilt. Heck, I could get a new one every year if I wanted to at that price.

Last thing to keep in mind when considering knives for competition is…YOU. First and foremost do what works for YOU. YOU have to use them. YOU have to wash them. YOU have to live with them. It’s great to research and read, but never lose site that it’s your money and your gear.

So all of that said what knives do you “need” to compete? I will be the first to admit I used to be a gear collector, I needed one of everything made and would pack that to the competitions “just in case” I needed it. My load in and load out was nothing short of a beautiful disaster. Thankfully, I took a class in this off season that drastically changed my perception of what I really needed to take to a competition. I now do my meat trimming at home if at all possible which means much less gear and clean up. That means I can make it through an actual competition with 3 knives, vice the 8 I used to take and much less to clean up. I used to believe in using every knife for its specified purpose and only it’s specified purpose. I have sense adopted more of an Alton Brown approach to things and I prefer devices that can “multitask” vice “unitask.” For the purposes of this article I will include all the knives I use for trimming and turn in so you get a full picture of what is really needed.

Knife 1 – A boning, trimming knife. You will use this knife to trim up your chicken before the competition, to get in tight spots on briskets and butts during trimming and also for surgical “clean up” cuts before turn in. It’s small, sharp, pointed and easily maneuverable. This knife for me replaces a pairing knife more times than not. You may find you need a pairing knife; I don’t so you may want to add that one into the mix if you feel strongly about it. As I already mentioned above the Victorinox 6” Boning knife, model number 40615 is the winner for me. You may prefer a flexible boning knife vice the stiff one I chose. Both work fine, I just prefer the stability of the stiffer blade.

Knife 2 – a long slicing knife with a granton edge. This knife you will use to draw through brisket in one single motion for the cleanest cut possible. It is a little more of a unitasker than I prefer, but a needed one. You can use it for slicing money muscles in your pork butts and for dividing your ribs as well but its primary shining purpose is perfectly slicing wide slices of meat. There is debate between 10in, 12in and 14in models and yes there are many perverted jokes about length that can be made here. For most briskets and applications the 12in will do the trick best I can tell. The 14in is great, but it can be a bit unwieldy. No matter which you choose you will want to practice with it. This isn’t a knife everyone can pick up and be a pro with. Practice trying to make deli thin cuts on a ham, turkey or some roast beef. It takes a little bit of concentration to break the habit of sawing back and forth like we are so used to. That is completely opposite to this knife’s DNA. It is purpose built for single drawing cuts. Be forewarned granton edged knives in the 12in size range from $20 to $300 and vary greatly. One of the best reviewed one’s out there that got the Cook’s Illustrated seal of approval is also one of the cheapest. The Victorinox 12in Granton Slicer, model 47645 is a clear winner for the money. For just under $40 it’s the best slicer you are going to find. There are others that are awesome, but they are also in the $150 range.

Knife 3 – Utility knife. This can be any size, any brand and any type you want. I recommend keeping one knife in your mix that you can hack open bags of charcoal, cut rope with, stab creeping marauders who try to steal your ribs, etc. This is the throw away knife. You treat it like crap and go get another. Some folks keep a pocket knife with them, some don’t. I keep a cheap $6 chef styled knife in my tackle box that serves this function for me. It doesn’t keep a good edge, it isn’t pretty but it works for opening packages and what not.

Believe it or not these three knives are all that I actually need for the competition. I am working on becoming a true minimalist. I know you are asking already what about shears, cleavers, a real chef’s knife, etc. I have all of those, but they stay at home because the trimming is done at home. Check out the next few knives for the one’s I would recommend in addition to the boning knife for trimming and prepping competition meat.

Knife 4 – Breaking Knife. This knife can come in many incarnations. What you need though is a larger knife that can break down meat and trim fat from briskets and pork butts adequately. For some that is a nice butcher, breaking knife or cimeter (scimitar) knife. For other’s a chef’s knife works. While the chef’s knife is another great multitasker I don’t prefer it in this application. For me it’s best for chopping and prep more so than breaking down large cuts of meat. I much prefer the curved blade design of the other types of knives. For me it really came down to the cimeter versus the butcher knife. In the end the butcher won out. It came down to pricing and I was already fairly attached to another butcher styled knife so I knew this one would be an easy transition. I went with the Victorinox 10in Granton Edge Butcher, model 47638. Be sure to shop around on this knife as I’ve seen the price vary as much as $30 on it, but for around $40 you will have an awesome knife to break down nearly anything.

Knife 5 – I will throw this one in just because this is the “go to” knife for most cooks. The chef’s knife comes in a million incarnations and the trend now is between the santoku and the traditional chef design. I’m not here to really say one is better than another. For me it was the difference between rocking movements or chopping movements when using the knife. If you are a rocker you want the curve of the chef’s knife. If you chop faster than Morimoto then the santoku is likely more for you. If you still have questions (and you should) as to which is right for you check out this article. It is a good starting resource for figuring out which is best for you. Which did I choose? All of them but in 3 incarnations. I have a standard chef’s knife that I use. I also own a straight handled traditional santoku. Then I have what has become the rage in the last couple of years, which is basically a hybrid. It has the handle more akin to the chef’s knife but a santoku blade. This is the one I tend to grab out of the drawer more than the others. I can’t any longer find it online to show it to you, but it is very similar to this one. Again it’s nothing outrageously expensive, but it works and that’s what matters most.

Other Gear – There are 10 other kinds of knives and gear I could recommend. Of those I would recommend a good cleaver, a good pair of kitchen shears, blade protectors for every knife and a good sharpening steel. A quick word on each to help you in your endeavor to find the best your dollars can buy. The cleaver in my opinion needs to have some heft and weight to it. The idea is to be able to blow through bones when needed with it. So keep that mind in your search. They don’t have to be expensive to work. The kitchen shears comes in a million varieties. If you are going to be breaking down whole chickens with them get a hefty pair with good leverage and a set that breaks apart for proper cleaning if at all possible. The blade protectors many over look, you shouldn’t. This is for your protection as much as the knife’s. This will set you back all of a couple of bucks per knife and will keep them from getting nicked and dinged as you toss them in a tackle box or drawer. Last but not least, actually most importantly is the sharpening steel. This is the one tool you will use EVERY time you use your knife. Spend some bucks get a good diamond steel. They aren’t cheap but makes your knives better and helps them last even longer in between professional sharpening.

Finally you will notice that pretty much every knife I recommended was from Victorinox. Why? Well, because they are doing it right at the right price. They have great blades, non-slip grips and just plain work. If I had to recommend another brand that is on par with the quality and pricing of this line it would be the Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe line. Great knives, great value and easily found online or at any Restaurant Depot.

Happy cooking folks, I hope this has helped you make a decision that took me hours and hours of research to make!

Taking Applications For BBQ Blogs / Forum Spokesperson

Posted on April 13, 2012 by Shane Draper

There comes a point in time where you finally realize (this took 3+ yrs of working 18hr days for me) that you cannot be everywhere at once. With that said, I do a good job keeping up with Twitter and Facebook and all the other daily requirements, but I think it is time to bring someone on who can monitor all the bbq forums and be our eyes, ears and spokesperson in that realm. I just do not have the time to be in all the forums and be an active participant there and I think that is hurting the company a little bit.

I think we have a good reputation as a company overall from a product stand point. A lot of that has come just from our die hard fans stoking the fires for us in the forums. What I am looking for is someone who is very familiar with our entire product line (or someone who can become familiar quickly), who understands the bbq community, is an insider already and respected, this person should probably not be a bigger named blogger or even apart of a team we already sponsor. I prefer this person to have have at least competed in a couple of competitions or be a certified bbq judge. They can use our products out on the competition trail but their deal for compensation would be quite a bit different than our current sponsored teams. I would also really like for this person to be versed in various different types of bbq pits. From wood/coal fired to kamado style to pellet cookers, there needs to be the ability to go to any forum talk about the topics there and answer questions about the Draper’s BBQ line and how they work with each cooking application.

What would be required of you is daily monitoring of at least 10 different bbq and cooking related forums. Posting where and when the opportunity presents itself. Never crossing the line into spamming, that is not the intent at all. Maintaining a profile that is consistent with the values that we have built Draper’s BBQ on. You would get first access and even be involved in the testing phase of all new products. Scouting and finding more retail outlets for Draper’s BBQ products. These outlets can be local to you or on the internet. This job is marketing, testing and cooking all in one. It will be imperative that you treat this like you are working yourself into an actual job, because frankly you may well be.

I understand this is a very odd mix of attributes I am looking for. That is ok, there is someone out there who is built for this job and I cant find them until I start looking.

If you are interested please send your information, qualifications and reason’s why you should be picked to: shane@drapersbbq.com Your entry will be reviewed by myself and the company Director’s and we will make a decision and compensation will be discussed at that point.

More Reviews of Moo’d Enhancer Being Posted

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Shane Draper

Word is getting out folks about our new Moo’d Enhancer beef rub. If you haven’t seen what people are saying check out the reviews below and then hit the link at the bottom and order you some and see for yourself!

Wayne Brown aka Big Wayner’s BBQ Blog: http://www.bigwaynerbbq.com/2012/04/09/review-drapers-bbq-mood-enhancer-beef-rub/

Brian Meagher aka HotSauceDaily: http://hotsaucedaily.com/2012/04/04/drapers-bbq-launches-new-beef-rub-mood-enhancer/

James R. Tindell aka JT’s Smokin BBQ : http://bigjt.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/drapers-bbq-mood-enhancer-beef-rub/

DBQ Webstore:
http://drapersbbq.com/shop/index.php?cPath=23&osCsid=c927c5299af960ddba9d77c229a5f4e9

Review From Hot Sauce Daily Of Moo’d Enhancer Beef Rub

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Shane Draper

If you haven’t seen it yet…and you probably haven’t since it just got posted about an hour ago, go check out what Brian and Marilyn Meagher’s of Hot Sauce Daily had to say about our newest product, Moo’d Enhancer. Brian and Marilyn pulled a fast one on me and surprised me by giving half of the review pack I sent them to none other than Kitt Rudd of Deguello BBQ. To say I was shocked and surprised is an understatement. The review from Brian and Marilyn would be enough for anyone, but getting one of the best up and coming talents in all of KCBS to also review the product, well that was just awesome! I have so much respect for these three and their review means a lot to me. I am grateful, thankful and just flat out blessed.

Go check out the review, grab some Moo’d Enhancer from our store and form your own opinion and feel free to write your own reviews as part of our new store.

Thanks again to Brian, Marilyn and Kitt I am not sure what I did to deserve such consideration and effort, but I’ll take it and forever be indebted to them for their kind words.

Shane

Some of Shane’s Favorites From Our Most Recent KC Trip

Posted on March 9, 2012 by Shane

I don’t often recommend products from other companies. Its not that I don’t recommend other products or that I don’t find products that I like. It’s just rare that it occurs to me to do so and when it does I don’t have the forum available to do it adequately. Thanks to our new blog, where members of the DBQ Crew (name for the members of Draper’s BBQ) can post their thoughts, findings and musings, I do in fact have the ability to make those recommendations.

This past weekend Mike Owings and I took a competition BBQ class out in Kansas City. It was a great experience, but I will save the actual details of that for Mike to write about from his perspective before I give too many details away. During the course of this class we tried about 10 different sauces and rubs. We also made a stop by The KC BBQ Store in Kansas City and tried another handful of products. Note that all the links are to The KC BBQ Store….yeah they are our newest store so I got to support those that support us.

During the trip I found some products that I really liked. So what better way to say I like them than to tell you about them so you may add them to your competition or backyard flavor arsenal. I won’t go too in depth on each product, as this is more to alert you to adding them to your list of “really should give a try” products.

Product 1 – The Slabs Birds & Bones “Stephy Style” Rub
I am a rub and sauce snob, so let’s start there. I find few if any rubs / manufacturers are taking the time to develop balanced flavors that are more than salt and sugar. What I mean by that is that many products are developed based on a single flavor or ingredient and then other ingredients are thrown in the mix in a effort to flesh out the rub into something use-able. I think The Slabs have struck a great balance with this rub and it is a great offering. Not too salty, too sweet, too savory or too hot. Just a solid rub that will work in almost any setting. Very solid chemistry going on with it and I can promise you it is winning on the competition circuit.

Product 2 – The Roasterie Coffee Barbecue Rub
Some coffee rubs I have tried are just too heavy on the coffee and it comes off as almost left over or stale coffee. That is not the case here. The coffee is a real, balanced ingredient. In short it was used properly as an ingredient to add an “Earthiness” to the flavor profile. I can see where it would have been so easy to say “hey let’s add some coffee to our rub” and then proceed to have a rub that just tasted like it had coffee added to it. This rub is much more than that. You can tell there was process of testing that netted a formula where the coffee added was just enough to make a difference…but not so much to make it bitter or off putting in anyway. In the flavor profile you first get savory with a hint of coffee, then you get the typical barbecue mix of paprika, chili, garlic and onion and it finishes with a touch of sweet. Very solid and unique rub, give it a try on brisket.

Product 3 – The Salt Lick’s Original Sauce
I have tried literally hundreds of sauces. To the point I am nearly ok with the disappointment that is associated with the process. So few sauces try to add anything more to the game other than just trying to get their brand on a shelf. Most are so down the middle that its disappointing. Those that do try to do more than that typically fumble the ball and end up with something that ends up being flavored molasses. I like sweet as much as the next guy, but never at the sacrifice of balance and other flavors. If you built your sauce to compete with or as a homage to Blues Hog Original I probably don’t like it. I know that is very blunt and not very nice, but its true. In fairness to those sauces and especially to Mr. Arnold of Blues Hog I do like his two other flavors quite a bit more than the Original as they accomplish more than just being sickeningly sweet.

Enter The Salt Lick from Texas. I have read several articles about The Salt Lick and their sauce. I have wanted to try it for such a long time but never ordered any. Finally I had my chance at The KC BBQ Store and I was NOT disappointed. This sauce is fantastic. Its very much a mustard sort of sauce. You can tell this sauce would be AMAZING on some brats. It is different, in a good way. My only criticism is that the first ingredient is Soy Bean oil (I think it was Soy Bean anyway, but I know it was an oil) and while that coats the tongue I can see where it might strike some as odd. Aside from that though, seriously one of the best sauces I’ve ever had and will be a mainstay at my house from here on out.

Product 4 – Oklahoma Joe’s Restaurant
I know its not actually a product, but they deserve some props. I have never been to a restaurant where I thought they were doing literally everything well. I’m not talking competition barbecue, but just plain old good barbecue. Most restaurants fail at this miserably. The good ones manage to have 3 or 4 good things on the menu surrounded by 10 other mediocre offerings. The great ones manage to be good across the board. Well let me tell you Oklahoma Joe’s is one of the great ones. I had the pulled pork, the brisket, the sausage, the ribs and the onion rings. Yeah…I was hungry but hey I was there to see if it was as good as everyone said.

The pulled pork was done KC style. Meaning it was pork tossed in a tomato based sauce. Not my favorite way, but there was nothing wrong with the meat. It was tender, moist and smokey so I have no complaints because most don’t get that much right.

The brisket was great. Very smokey, nice smoke ring, nice flavor, nice texture and still moist. Not dripping-ly so, but plenty moist enough. I’ve turned in competition brisket less moist on a bad day, so it was good. I had this on a sandwich called the Z-Man which combines brisket, provolone cheese and two onion rings on a nice bun. Seriously one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. The super crunchy onion rings were just the ticket on the soft bun and brisket. Fantastic combo that I will steal and incorporate into our food truck.

The sausage was a nice offering. Not my overall favorite but nothing wrong with it either. Nice pepper coming through, good savory notes, but it begged for some of The Salt Lick’s sauce lol.

The ribs were well cooked. Slightly overdone, but that is to be expected and ok. They had great smoke which is so rare in restaurant ribs. They were not overly saucy, but sauced. Overall very solid offering. I have had better, but these were in the top 5 of restaurant ribs still.

So if you are ever in KC hit up OK Joe’s. Its a great joint and when I finally get sucked in to opening our joint I can only hope we can consistently do as many things right as they do.

Product 5 – The KC BBQ Store
I know this is going to sound like I am sucking up since I just mentioned that they picked us up as a new brand for their shelves. That said, what a great store and great bunch of guys. Each were knowledgeable about just about every product in the store, and yes Mike and I did test them. If they didn’t know the answer, they found it. If they had not tried a particular sauce they said so, more times than not they had and did a good job of figuring out what we liked flavor profile wise and steering us to some new sauces to try. I can only imagine they do this for everyone that walks through the door as their wall of sauces and rubs is very daunting. The huge glass refrigerator set right by the check out counter was filled with pretty much every brand they carry and they allow much sampling. If you are ever in KC be sure to stop in and say “hi,” pick up a case or three of Draper’s while you’re there, because they are the best in KC period.

Overall it was a great trip and even though I came home with a literal bag full of different sauces, rubs and memories these in my opinion were the best in the bag.

Press Release 2/22/12

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Shane

Hey, DBQ fans! We have a really exciting announcement for you about a change we’ve made in our sauce. Unfortunately, as with any change, there is a little bad news as well. After a lot of research and discussion, I recently made the decision to go with a high-impact, low-weight plastic bottle for our sauce. This was a decision I made with you, our loyal customers, in mind. The reduced weight will reduce shipping costs and the new material will eliminate the danger of breakage for the competition teams who rely on our products to create winning flavor profiles. I know everyone will be pleased with the change, but that brings me to my next point: timing.

Since winter was apparently postponed for many of us, no one really stopped cooking for any length of time. The resulted in high demand for sauce during what is usually a slow time for all of us. Not that we’re complaining, mind you! It just put us in the position of having no inventory to put aside for the transition into plastic. The Smokin’ Sauce production line will be down for the next two weeks and that means we will be without more inventory for an additional week after that. I know three weeks is a long time and I cannot apologize enough for any inconvenience this may cause. I truly did not expect to be in this position at this time of year! I can, however, direct you to three of our trusted distributors who will have limited amounts of sauce available should you need some immediately: www.bbqaddicts.com, www.bbqproshop.com or www.hawgeyesbbq.com.

I also want to assure you that we have plenty of A.P. Rub available and will soon be offering new package deals featuring our rub shaker and two new rub sizes, so keep an eye out for further announcements!

We will notify everyone via blog post, Twitter, Facebook and on our weekly radio show when the sauce stock is officially replenished. At that time we will also be launching our new website and our new store. So please stay tuned and don’t hesitate to email us at info@drapersbbq.com if you have any questions, comments or concerns.

M. Shane Draper
CEO
Draper’s BBQ

Dancing with a Grilla

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Shane

Many of you know the story: I’m a third generation pitmaster and spent my early years in and around my grandfather’s barbecue restaurant. My grandfather cooked barbecue in a cinder block pit and stick burned mostly oak for his coals. He added those coals one shovel full at time until whatever he was cooking reached perfection. To me, that is “real” barbecue. I know this probably offends some folks already, but I need you to know where I am coming from with this review. Barbecue for me is something that takes a long time, takes a lot of work and is done with wood. That is my preferred route to achieve what I consider barbecue nirvana. This method is archaic, punishing, difficult and the reason many pitmasters don’t last very long.

A couple of years ago I was forced to have a heart to heart with myself. It’s the same conversation many pitmasters have had with themselves over the years. The questions when I boiled it down was “is it more important to put in 100% effort, go without sleep and come away with a product that is a 10, or is it more important to put in 50% effort, sleep, have a life and come away with a product that is a 9?” What I came up with is an answer which allows me to have a life stay married and see my kids. When cooking for pure enjoyment, as backwards as it may sound, I still take the purest pursuit of that 10 and do it the hard way. It is how I share kinship with my grandfather who passed several years ago. When cooking to sell, for dinner around the house or just to practice, I take the easier path.

This easier path has led me in search of new ways to cook as well as a new mission. Obviously the cookers I needed for easier cooking included ones with constant fuel sources and some sort of automated temperature management. We now have a few of these type of cookers in our arsenal and you know what, I’m glad. I’m a much happier person overall when I’m not literally killing myself for my craft each time I cook. These pits have given me a way to extend what is my livelihood and time in this game.

My new mission? Well, that changed from just being able to turn out 9s and 10s to being able to turn out that quality on any type of pit, fired by any fuel in just about any configuration, under nearly any circumstance. I got this idea from talking to Danielle Dimovski at Memphis in May this past year. The idea that she can fly in somewhere, borrow gear and do well competing was a revelation of what it means to be a pitmaster today. I realized that as much as I love the way my grandfather did things, the game has evolved. I realized that I had to lead Draper’s BBQ head long into this new world if we had any chance at longevity.

Of all the pits we own, we did not have a pellet fired contraption, up until a few weeks ago. Why? Well, to be honest I didn’t like them, didn’t want one and never gave one a chance. I often make the comparison of pellet pits to glam/hair metal back in the 80s/90s and how much the “true” metal heads hated and discounted the genre. Those of us “real pitmasters” wouldn’t dare to cook on one. It’s kind of like a true metal fan being caught listening a band like Poison, even though you often found your self singing along in your head to their songs. Pellet cookers were a lot like that to me. Yes, I know this is unfair, it’s wrong, it’s unfounded, it’s close minded…it’s..it’s just the way I felt. I grudgingly admitted that they had their place and couldn’t discount that many friends had won grand champions on them and love them. I just wasn’t quite ready to give in.

Recently, I stumbled across a new cooker called the Grilla when I noticed their postings in Twitter and read up on them. Thankfully, not too long after that my good friend Jay Prince did a great review of the pit. Based on Jay’s write up I contacted Fahrenheit Technologies to get more information because the pit was different and it intrigued me. I was really more interested in the product from a competition perspective, but thought it might serve as a practice pit as well. After several emails and phone conversations with Mark Graham I conceded that maybe it was time to try a pellet cooker myself and agreed to review the Grilla.

I don’t want to completely retread what Jay has already done with his excellent write up from a back yard perspective, so my thoughts will mostly pertain to the competition capabilities of the Grilla. Go check out his review!

Special Delivery

Since the Grilla is so new to the market there are currently few retail outlets, so you will likely have to order the Grilla direct from Fahrenheit Technologies.The Grilla is shipped via freight. Shipping arrangements were easy and it shipped very quickly. I had my unit in two days. The Grilla came fully assembled, strapped to a pallet. This evidently is a rare thing among most of their competitors. The weight of the unit and pallet was right around 165lbs. Very, very reasonable weight considering the unit is made of a nice thick steel.

I wish I had pictures of this but unfortunately the SD card I had many of my pictures for this review on failed. Thankfully Jay Prince allowed me the use of some of his pictures so you get an idea what the the Grilla looks like new. I owe Jay a beer the next time I see him.

Initial Thoughts

When I first unpacked the Grilla and stood back to take it all in, the first thought I had was “this thing is a pellet powered Big Green Egg.” That may sound odd at first given that one is steel and one is made of ceramics, but when you stop to consider cooking ability, size and pricing of both cookers you can see where I’m coming from. I think that both initially strike the average consumer as mildly unattractive. It’s not until you take a deeper look that you really begin to see the true beauty of each. This thought hung with me so much that I have decided to do a point by point comparison of the two units that will be released shortly after this article. This should be of interest to those of you who may be trying to decide between the two.

Some Key Features

The Grilla website has a fairly extensive list of the cooker’s features. I have included most of this list below with my two cents thrown in.

Keep Heat Swing Lid – Makes checking of food faster because you don’t have to remove it completely, when swung all the the way open it allows access to all parts of the Grilla, can be left partially open without propping it. Nothing to lift is great!
Even Temp Chamber – The shape of the chamber itself eliminates hot / cold corners. I found no hot or cold spots on the cooking area which the average cook will appreciate.
Never Flare Flavor Disc – prevents grease flare ups, keeps the flame away from food. This is a nice feature and is included on many pellet cookers and even the Big Green Egg has it as an option. On the Big Green Egg’s this device is called a “plate setter” and is removable if you want the option of flame grilling.
Lower and Upper Grill Grates – This is something a lot of the Grilla competitors have as an option, but usually not as a standard feature. Obviously having it is a good thing. The Upper grate is ideal for large parties or for when you want more smoke and less heat on the bottom of your meat. It also pops out easily to make room for whole chickens, turkeys, shoulders, etc.
Versatile Temp Range – With a range of 180°-550° Fahrenheit (F) and 16 smoke settings the Grilla truly is a pit and a grill.
EZ Fuel Change Out – This feature is huge. Swapping out one flavor of pellets for another takes less than a minute and is super easy. You just flip open the door, empty the hopper and refill with new pellets. I never would have thought of wanting or needing this but I am glad it is there. Very nice feature that every pellet cooker should include.
20 lb Hopper Capacity – This keeps the Grilla cooking for hours and hours. The 20lb capacity isn’t unheard of. I think it is just about right for pellet cookers.

Size and Cooking Area

The physical stats of the Grilla are as follows: Height – 44in, Width – 31.5in, Depth – 29.5in, Weight – 145lbs. What these numbers do not accurately portray is just how small a foot print that is. This unit takes up about the same space as a Weber Kettle, Weber Smokey Mountain or Big Green Egg XL. Of course, this small foot print does affect cook area, but you aren’t looking at this cooker if your intention is to cook a case of boston butts or half a dozen briskets at one time. This is not to say the cooking area is undersized. There is, in fact, more cooking area in the Grilla (488 sq in) than a Big Green Egg XL (452 sq in). You could fit a pork shoulder and brisket on the lower rack of the Grilla and still have room for a rack of ribs on the top shelf.

From a competition perspective I found the cooking area and overall stature of the Grilla to be very good. I could easily see taking 2 or 3 Grilla’s, loading them on a small trailer and doing some serious damage out on the circuit. This cooker is easily moved so load outs and off loads would be simple even with a single person or small team.

Draper’s has several much larger cookers, some of which will hold several cases of boston butts at a time. While I love these cookers, it is a bit refreshing to have a smaller cooker on which to just flip a switch and cook some chicken, burgers, steaks or a single shoulder. This is an especially nice cooker to have around just for practice and recipe invention. I found myself trying new things just because it was so easy to get a fire started and ready cooking.

Build Quality and Design

This is one of the few things still made in the USA that makes me proud to be American. When I say this thing is over built by a mile I mean it. Seriously they could have cut 10 corners and no one would have ever known, but they didn’t. Every weld, every seam and every surface is done impeccably.

A couple of the of the areas that deserve to be mentioned specifically are:

Grates – Wow! These things are nearly pencil thick stainless steel. I don’t know how much they would cost to replace but it seriously can’t be cheap. These grates are so well built, I’m convinced they will survive a nuclear apocalypse.

Swing Lid – Okay, so the fact that the lid swings instead of flips open or detaches completely, like on some units, is cool. The fact that they thought enough about the lid to include bearings in the mechanism is AWESOME. Such a smooth glide to the lid is a very classy touch.

Wheels – The wheels for me are much like the lid. You expect it to have wheels, but you don’t necessarily expect them to be nice 5 inch rubber wheels that roll like they are greased with duck fat. Maybe roll isn’t the right word, perhaps I should say glide. One quick, easy motion and the Grilla tips back and glides effortlessly wherever you want it.

Side Tables – It’s a really a nice touch to make these stainless steel. We have stainless on our Tucker Cooker and have never regretted opting for it. Sun baked, 10 day old barbecue sauce cleans up easily and it really looks better long term. The hooks to hold your utensils are also a nice touch.

Cord Storage – This is a such a little thing but I wanted to highlight it because it is yet another example of a place where the engineers could have cut corners and slacked but they didn’t. The electrical cord wraps perfectly around the holder and even has a perfect little notch where the end clips in to for secure storage.

Auger, Motor and Fire Pot – Auger, Motor and Fire Pot – I think is the area where some lesser pellet grills are suspect, so I was worried about this with the Grilla. After doing some research I found out that Fahrenheit Technologies is a home furnace company. Guess where the auger, motor and fire pot were developed? In their home units. This heating system and pellet delivery mechanism has been proven over the past few years. This to me is a huge relief. Fahrenheit Technologies has also backed the Grilla with a 3 year warranty, further showing their confidence in this product.

EZ Fuel Change Out – I have to admit that at first I thought, “big deal.” Then I needed to switch pellets and the hopper was full and you know what? It was a big deal. This is a necessity that every pellet cooker should include and deserves to be highlighted. You just turn the latch, the door opens to a 90 degree angle and has side walls to help funnel the pellets into your bag. You can swap out a complete 20lb load of pellets in just a couple of minutes.

Finish – This thing has a great powder coat finish that should have no problem holding up a long, long time. It feels good to the touch, cleans easily, and is on nearly every surface inside and out.

Quick Cooking Thoughts

To test the cooking abilities of the Grill I performed a total of 7 different cooking tests. These tests were designed to replicate the different cooking styles and methods a competition cook and backyard cook would use.

To be a true barbecue pit, a cooker must first and foremost be able to cook low and slow. To be a great grill it has to be able to sear meat and cook at higher heat. A newer competition cooking trend is hot and fast, so I also ran a test to represent that method as well.

1 – 14lb turkey at 250 degrees followed immediately by 150 MOINK balls.

2 – 8 thick all beef hamburgers cooked at 300 degrees.

3 – 18lb pork shoulder cooked at 225 degrees for 11hrs (low and slow).

4 – Medium sized beef brisket cooked at 350 degrees for 3hrs (hot and fast)

5 – 3lb beef tri tip cooked at 250 degrees

6 – 18 chicken thighs cooked at 275 degrees then at 375 degrees to set the sauce and finish.

7 – 1 rack of beef ribs cooked at 250 degrees for an hour and a half.

The Grilla did very well in all tests. I admit for the first cook I had to get used to cooking on pellets. I was pleasantly surprised how fast it recovered temperature, held even cooking temperature and how much smoke it put out. Never was I disappointed by the results. It is a very solid cooking platform that in the right hands is capable of pulling off 180 scores in competition. This pit has been my “go to” pit for at home cooking the past several weeks and I have come to realize the more I leave it alone while cooking, the better it does. Yes, I know this is a basic idiom of barbecue, but sometimes we all need to be reminded we aren’t always as smart as we think we are. This is especially true for me.

What I Liked

Build Quality / Design – I did a whole section highlighting this. Nothing short of exceptional and being American Made is just the cherry on top for me.
Size – It really does take up very little space for the cooking punch it packs. Fantastic form factor that is led by functionality and tempered with smart design.
Mobility – This pit still surprises me at how easily it moves. It’s such a small but very essential part of making the Grilla even easier to live with. The Big Green Egg could learn a thing or 10 from the Grilla.
EZ Fuel Change Out – Yet another “feature” that should be a “standard” on all other pellet cookers. Don’t underestimate how nice this is to have and other pellet pit makers should take note.
Cooking Versatility – I cant think of a thing the Grilla couldn’t do…..ok it can’t do a whole hog, but neither can most pits. Other than that though the temperature range and how quickly the Grilla can go from 225 degrees to 400 degrees make this one impressive cooker.
Cooking Ease – There are few pits that I would say can take a very average person and make them a great cook. This one is one of them. One good barbecue book such as “BBQ Makes Everything Better” and the Grilla and the average Joe could turn out the best barbecue his buddies has ever had the pleasure of eating. Same pit plus a good pit master and the Grilla has a really solid chance at turning out world class results.

What Could Be Improved

For those of you who know me or have read any of my reviews know that I do not review or give my comments about any product without also offering suggestions for improvement. Here is my short list for the Grilla.

Grease Catch Can – As it is configured now you can use an soup can or soda can to catch grease. This is good, but not great and to me it’s not in keeping with the quality of the rest of the unit. My suggestion would be to include a bucket, that could hold around 48oz of liquid. (One with the awesome Grilla logo on it would be fantastic!) I found the need for this larger capacity while cooking the MOINK balls. Evidently when cooking the equivalent of 5 packs of bacon wrapped around meat balls it makes a whole heck of a lot of grease. When the can overflows while you aren’t paying attention to the back side of the grill it makes a large mess that doesn’t make the wife happy. The average user may never experience this, but if there is even a possibility that they could, an effort should be made to address the issue.

Side Tables – I have no issue with the build quality or material of the side tables. In fact I think those parts are great. It is a minor nit pick but I would like at least one of the side table to be be able to hold a large aluminum pan. I found myself sitting larger square pans on top of the hopper vice on the side tables. Understandably, making a larger side table would negatively affect the overall footprint of the unit, which could be considered a larger negative.
Digital Up/Down Controls – Some folks will want a more precise control panel other than the one that is currently offered on the Grilla. They will say they need control in 5 degree increments vice 15 degree. I understand their reasoning, but I have to say I don’t necessarily agree. I think this “precision panel” could be offered as an option for those that feel that strongly about it, but isn’t an absolute requirement.

A Cover – All high end cookers are an investment. To protect that investment the Grilla should either ship with a weather proof heavy duty cover or one should be offered as an option. It is my understanding that one is in development. I will be buyer number 1 when it is officially released.
Price – After having the Grilla for a few weeks and comparing it with other pits I have to say I like it. I really, really like it. The only thing I found myself the least bit unsure about was the price. The Grilla s a premium product, made in the USA and has no corners cut. That means it also has premium pricing. Is $1495 shipped expensive? Yes. Is it worth it? With all factors weighed and lived with I can’t imagine not having the Grilla. Therefore I would have to say “yes, it is worth it” and it gets a complete recommendation from me.

How To Get One

The availability of the Grilla is limited as of this writing. I know Fahrenheit Technologies is working hard to bring dealers online and get units out to stores. For now though to get one you can order directly from their web store or contact Fahrenheit by phone at 616.392.7410 or email them at getcooking@mygrilla.com for more information. Pricing as of this writing it is $1495 shipped to your door.

Parting Thoughts

My time with the Grilla has changed my thoughts on cooking. I still don’t think I am ready to give up any of my other cookers because they each serve a purpose. I will say that I am now a fan of pellet cooking. It has made some serious improvements since I first looked at it. Most of which is just in general quality. The pellets you can get now are a much higher quality and the pits you can get range from very cost conscious, mass produced units now being carried at Costco to very limited run, almost hand made units that you will have to get on a waiting list for. The Grilla is certainly the latter of the two. I am glad that my first real long term experience with a pellet pit was with one of such quality because I would pick a unit of less quality apart no matter how well it cooked. I place a big premium on quality, always have, always will. It is just who and what I am.

If I had to put my thoughts about pellet cooking in general into one statement it would be this: “Did I cook the best barbecue I’ve ever eaten on a pellet pit? No, not yet. Did I cook the best barbecue I’ve ever had for the least amount of effort? YES, yes I most certainly did.” I have had better barbecue. That is the truth. What is also true is that I’ve never had barbecue anywhere this good for the this small amount of effort. For 98% of the people in this world the Grilla will make the best barbecue you’ve ever eaten.

The Grilla is a mainstay at my house now. When it comes to everyday cooking or cooking for smaller groups, it’s just too easy not to have around and use. I have to take my hat off to Jay Prince and Mark Graham for doing the impossible: changing my mind about pellet cooking!

Thermoworks TW8060 Review

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Shane

I was recently given the opportunity to review a couple of products by Thermoworks. Being a near-religious user of their Thermapen I quickly agreed. Anyone who knows me knows how much I cherish my orange Thermapen. I have stopped using any other thermometer. I became such a big fan of this device this summer. I put off paying the money for a Thermapen for the past couple of years, trying my best to ignore the posts on different forums saying just how amazing these units are. I finally broke down and bought myself one and I am glad I did. I often equate the Thermapen to Tivo. No, it’s not required to watch TV, but once you have it you really can’t imagine NOT having it. That is exactly how I feel about my Thermapen. It’s not that I can’t cook without it, it’s that I won’t. I can check a whole pit of chicken halves (around 50) in the time it would take me to accurately check about 10 with any other so called “quick read” device. The Thermapen is literally the only thermometer that I believe earns the moniker of quick read. To say I have high expectations of everything from Thermoworks is fair and accurate. So, as you can imagine, I was anxious to test the TW8060!

The kit I was sent was the special kit that included the Smokehouse Probe (item 113-177) and the High Temp Alligator Clip Probe (8468-22).

What Thermoworks Has To Say

Let’s start the review with what Thermoworks has to say about the TW8060: “Our new TW8060 is a simple-to-use 2-channel thermocouple alarm thermometer with convenient backlit display. An ideal cooking thermometer, the TW8060 can monitor your food item and the oven temperature simultaneously and alert you when it’s done. Also records Max and Min temperatures of both channels so you’ll know what limits were reached during your process. A handy tool in a small, compact package. Uses type K thermocouples so high temperatures are not a problem. Choose from hundreds of probes.

Great tool for BBQing. Insert one probe into meat and the other can be used to monitor the grill temp, or smoker. As featured on Alton Brown’s Good Eats recent BBQ special “Right on Q” (click here to read more about it on our blog).”

Sounds like a great unit and hey if it’s good enough for a near cult legend like Alton Brown who is known for his kitchen gadgetry then it probably is going to meet or exceed the average Joe’s needs and expectations.

First impressions of the TW8060

The first thing you will notice when you unbox this unit is that it’s not like most other thermometer-probe units. This one feels a bit more like an instrument. What do I mean by that? The TW8060 gives you the impression it was once used for something much more complex and strenuous than just reading the current temp of your Big Green Egg and your brisket at the same time. The screen of the TW8060 is initially protected by a clear sticker that proclaims “Environmental Instrument.” You can tell this unit was likely adapted from commercial, industrial or business use and, if you cook as much as I do, that is a very good thing.

The unit itself isn’t overly large or heavy. It fits the hand nicely and has a very nice easy to read screen. There are 6 buttons which appear very self explanatory. Overall, a smart design that looks fairly easy to use. The unit also has as dust cover that goes on top of it to keep debris out of the ports where the probes connect.

The next thing I noticed were the probes. They are awesome and deserve their own section breaking down just how great they are. Fortunately, the next section does just that.

Probing The Issue

It is fair to say there is as much money in the probes of the test unit I was sent as the device itself. You can tell. These probes are awesome and easily the nicest I’ve ever seen. The gauge of wire used is much thicker than that of other probes. The protective shielding is stronger and they use a two prong positive / negative connector which I have never seen. Typically probes use a 3.5mm headphone jack style connector.

The two prong connectors intrigued me enough that I actually requested to be put in touch with a engineer at Thermoworks so I could “probe deeper into the issue” (say it like Dr. Evil and that’s mildly funny). The response I got back was:

“The connectors are different because the TW8060 uses “Standard” industry Mini Thermocouple probes rather than Thermistors. Most other oven Thermometers use Thermistors, just like the TW362B with the stereo plug jack.

We decided to use Thermocouples due to the temperature use range, durability, more water resistant, and larger selection of uses, etc. (The 362XX probe thermistor sensor – for example – will fail if heavy steam seeps into the sensor. A Thermocouple would not be affected in the same environment.)”

The next thing I noticed concerned the pit temp probe. This is the first probe I’ve ever seen (I understand there may be others) with an integrated clip that is intended to hold the probe exactly where you want it. In fact the thermocouple itself is located at the very tip of the alligator clip. I can’t tell you how many times I needed something like this. Putting a pit probe in your bbq contraption is one thing but putting it EXACTLY where you want it and knowing it will stay there is a huge advantage.

Because of how precise the placement of the pit probe could be, I decided to do a test cook on our Ole Hickory CTO. I did so only because I have always wondered what the temp variance was between the 4 racks and also from front to back on each rack. This is the first device that allowed me to accurately measure this difference. Now, armed with this information, I have a much better idea where and where to place different cuts of meat for different results. This is a big deal for pit masters, especially those of us who are starting to move to the “hot and fast” cooking method.

The next thing to note about the probes is the length. This has long been my biggest complaint about most units. The probes are usually just long enough be awkward. It’s safe to say that Thermoworks has decided to err on the side of making sure there is enough length on the probes. The meat probe is right at 6ft long which is plenty for most any pit. The pit temp probe I was sent is 8ft which is awesome. So many times, especially on larger pits, I have actually run a completely different thermometer if I needed to read something on the opposite side of the pit. I don’t foresee that being a problem here.

As you can see from the pic above I have the probes inside the pit with the doors closed and then I extended the connector, backing away from the pit until the wire was taught before taking the picture. To give you an idea of scale the CTO is right at 5ft tall. So yeah the probes are pretty darned long.

One last thing to note is the thickness of the meat probe they sent. Holy cow this thing is built to last. I have personally bent a couple of probes while cooking whole hog and hams. This is something I can honestly say I don’t think could ever happen with this unit. Notice the probe in relation to the brisket in the pic below. This is a smaller brisket but you can get the idea.

Wanna See My Unit

I know I mentioned in passing earlier about how nice and big the display is on this unit. It really does deserve to be highlighted. You can see in the pic below just how easy the display is on the eyes. Also the display has a back light for low light conditions. Unfortunately I couldn’t get a pic to turn out quite right, but the light is very good and does work very well. The only way I could imagine the back light being better is if it used some sort of Indiglo like Timex uses. It’s not needed though, the light really does the job well.

Also note in the pic the 6 buttons of the device. Being a stubborn guy (“guy” being the operative word) I was able to use the device without referring to the manual. I did go back and do a quick read through of the manual after I finished testing, though. Thermoworks did an absolutely outstanding manual for the Thermapen. This manual isn’t as educational, but is very easy to understand and use.

I think it is important to highlight the speed in the readings on this unit as well. Immediate response is a very accurate description. I wish I had a video to show just how quick the thermocouples used in the TW8060 respond to changes in temp and how fast that is displayed. Had I thought more about it I would have staged a race between my orange Thermapen and the TW8060. I have to say I think the TW8060 might just have an edge in the speed department. So what color is the fastest Thermapen? Grey and Yellow . I know its an unfair comparison as the Thermapen is a compact unit and the TW8060 isn’t. I just wanted everyone to understand just how fast this unit is. Thermoworks hit another home run in this department.

Function, Function What’s Your Function

Ok, so by now you know I like this unit, how well it is built and some of the features, but none of that really covers how it works. Here is where I won’t belabor any points. If you have a bbq pit or have ever cooked a Thanksgiving turkey you know how these units typically work. You jab the beast with a probe, set the temp you want to get an alarm at and go grab a beer on your way back to watching the football game. At least that is what I do. This unit functions as it should and it is easy to set up.

There are a few things that should be noted that might be missed by the average user. First I really like that it has a high and low temp alarm as most units don’t. Second is the temp range of this unit, it can read from -328 to 2372°F (-200 to 1300°C). Can I get a WOW on that one? Third is the accuracy of the reading. This unit has no more than a +/- of .02% rate of error at any degree and most of its range it is within a .01%. Again AMAZING and it makes you wonder why more companies don’t use thermocouples. Next this unit includes a Max/Min function. While the unit is powered on, it will continuously record the maximum and minimum recorded temperature. The Max/Min temperatures will be stored until they are cleared by the user, even if the power is shut off. I’m not 100% sure how I will use this handy power, but I am sure it will be useful and it is not included on any of my other units. Finally, some kudos should be given to Thermoworks for using industry standard probes and offering a good mix of them to the end user on their website. This allows the end user to configure the TW8060 exactly the way they want it and even have spare or different probes available as their needs change. It’s a small thing but a good thing.

There are only two places I would have to ding this unit. First is that it does not have a 2 channel alarm and it should, especially considering the cost of entry on the unit. The alarm only covers channel 1, so note that before buying. I think this is something that could be easily remedied in future revisions of the product and, given the product cost, Thermoworks should address it. Next, it should ship with some sort of stand that keeps the unit upright. There is a great one that is available as an add-on, but again, for the money it should be included, in my humblest of opinions.

What I Liked

- Speed, this thing is fast and a performer.

- Design, well made near industrial quality that is still easy to use.

- The probes, easily the best I have ever seen. Cannot say enough about how excellent these probes are compared to any other’s I have used.

- Screen, easily readable even in low light due to back light feature.

- Dust / debris cover for the top of the unit for when it is not in use.

- Functionality that I’ve never seen in any other unit, Max/Min feature is an excellent idea.

- Range of readings is nothing short of exceptional.

- Good list of accessories, including different probes that allow the end user to set up this unit just the way they want, an awesome case and a very cool stand.

What Could Be Improved

It’s fair to admit that I am not often easily impressed, nor do I review any product without mentioning places for improvement, so understand some of these improvements could be considered a little “nit picky” by some. That said, here are my suggested improvements:

1 – Alarm on both channels. Why? To be such a high end unit it just seems logical to have an alarm on both channels

2 – Positive lock for the yellow probe connectors. While this isn’t completely necessary I think it would be nice to have. Maybe the dust cover could be altered in a way where it could stay on the unit while the probes are inserted. This unit is expensive and I would hate to see it accidentally picked up by the probe wires and the unit disconnect and fall to the ground.

3 – Magnet on the back of the unit. Why? Because most bbq pits are metal and it would make sense to be able to stick the unit on the side of your smoker out of the way until you need it. At least use the attachment point on the back of unit and develop a magnet that could be sold as an accessory.

4 – Ship from factory with a stand. Again this is an expensive unit and for the price it would be nice to have. There is an awesome stand available as an accessory that I will be purchasing.

I don’t want to end the review of this unit on anything less than a positive note. I am a believer in the TW8060 and pretty much anything that Thermoworks decides to produce. In fact I believe in Thermoworks products so much I have literally bought a Thermapen for everyone who cooks with me. Yes, that is a lot of money, but when you cook for the public at large events serving something that’s raw can cost you even more. We as a company trust Thermoworks. The bottom line on the TW8060 is that it is what I expect from Thermoworks: A fine product that does the job. No it’s not the cheapest product, but it is one of the best in many categories. Go check out the TW8060. Oh, and tell the folks at Thermoworks that I sent you.

Newbie Guide – Recommended Resources

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Shane

In the past few years since purchasing our Tucker Cooker I have been on a mission of barbecue information gathering, learning, practicing and the overall betterment of myself as a pit master and cook. I have noticed from talking to other Tucker owners that, even though the Tucker is a larger pit, it is often the first real pit / smoker they have ever owned. With those things in mind, I thought it would be helpful to put together a resource guide to assist people in their education process. The lists contained here should not be considered a complete work, but rather a starting point. These are just my favorites and my personal recommendations. Take the time to explore and use these resources to find your own favorites.

Requirements….or are they?

There are just a few real requirements in the barbecue game. They aren’t difficult, but they are undeniable. First and foremost, you must have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. That is the single most important thing you can bring to the table and will serve you better than any other trait. Second, you must be willing to tinker with things, such as recipes and cooking methods. Be willing to take these things and see if you can make them work, adapt them, change them and call them your own. Finally, keep a note pad and pen handy and take copious notes. In hind sight, this is probably as important as the thirst for knowledge. Jotting down times that meat goes on the pit, what temp, how long it cooked, at what temp/time you injected, etc will prove to be invaluable as you grow. The sooner you adopt the idea you must take notes about everything, the faster you will improve.

Having noted all of these requirements, I am reminded that this crazy culture of barbecue was built by men and women who have accepted that there are really no actual rules, but a lot of strongly suggested folk lore. This lore, as with most things of legend, is meant to be tested, challenged, changed and changed again. So, I think my greatest suggestion must be to find what works for you. I can only hope some of the things I mention here aid you in finding the magical combination of things that will help you become a true pit master.

The Wide World of Web Info

The Internet is always the first resource I recommend. It is a pretty obvious one given the age of information we live in…not to mention it’s free. Anything and everything you need to know you can usually find online. The real question then becomes where to find the best, most helpful info. Since the sheer amount of information on the web can be overwhelming, to say the least, the majority of the hints here will help start you on the right path to finding the information you want on-line.

Seek and Enjoy

You can, of course, go with a search engine like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. You just have to be willing to type a question into the search engine and see where it takes you. General questions like “best internal temperature of a pork shoulder” typed into Google will keep you reading for hours, if not days. The drawback with this method is that you may well find yourself flooded with too much information. It may also turn you onto 15 great sites that you become a long term fan of. Be patient! Pick a site that looks interesting to you and see where it takes you. User mileage may very, but never underestimate the power of the almighty search engine.

Finding Your Forum

Forum’s are probably the single best source for the new barbecue pit master. These jewels of the Internet are loaded with nothing short of experts in the field and you can learn a lot in a very short amount of time. Be warned though, as with most activities with a learning curve, most forums have little patience for newbies asking the same question over and over. Take the time to read the FAQ sections of all forums before posting questions. Be sure to use the search functions of the forum to help find answers. Take the time to post an introduction telling everyone who you are, where you live, what cooker you use and what you like to cook now. The barbecue community is, by and large, chock full of friendly, helpful and knowledgeable folks who are more than happy to help. If you follow these few tips you will find yourself welcomed and the volumes of information available to you vast.

Here are two I personally recommend (although there are literally hundreds to choose from):

BBQ Brethren - Probably the most comprehensive barbecue forum on the Internet. A vast source of information, a wide ranging cast of characters and a lot of bantering.

BBQ Bug - A fantastic resource that includes tons of step by step instructions for just about everything you can think of in barbecue.

Blog Jam

I really love a number of blogs and read them daily. What I find so compelling about blogs and newsletters is that they are typically written by fans turned experts. You get several levels of expertise; everything from someone who has never barbecued who just wanted to write about their experience to actual experts who have been brought on by a company to write for them. Each type of writer has things to bring to the table and each is worth reading. Blogs and newsletters are great because you can subscribe to them and have every updates emailed to you as they are released. This allows you to catalog the information and recall it at will. Some of the resources I subscribe to are:

Amazing Ribs

Big Wayner’s BBQ Blog

Listener Supported

Lately, my favorite source for barbecue information are Internet radio shows, also known as podcasts. These shows are hands down some of the best entertainment for the barbecue pit master. I know, it sounds a little bit odd at first using your computer to listen to the radio, but just think of these shows as Pandora for barbeque. Then there is the whole idea of listening to a show about barbecue. Doesn’t it seem a little bit self indulgent? Well maybe, but the shows really are a great way not only to learn, but to get a real feel for the whole barbecue culture. I understand this may not be for you but I still suggest you give it a try. Like me, you may find yourself addicted to it. I love that I can listen to these resources live and participate in the audience or I can download the podcast of the show later and listen on my phone while driving to and from work.

My favorite shows? That’s easy, check these out:
BBQ Central Radio Show - This show is also live every Tue, 9pm EST on the Outdoor Cooking Channel Greg Rempe does a great job of balancing fun and barbecue information and is considered the pioneer in barbecue radio shows.

BBQ Super Stars - Darryl Mast has many shows on his network and does a live call in, free format sort of show that allows anyone to call in and talk Q. BBQ Super Stars as a site is much more than just a radio show though, check it out as it is a great source for all sorts of barbecue information. Check out the Tucker Cooker section on the main site, there are some videos there that were shot during the last Memphis in May.

Whiskey Bent BBQ’s “In The Pit” - Is one of the shows on the BBQ Super Stars network. This show is headed by Chad Ward of Whiskey Bent BBQ, a fantastic up and coming competition team out of Florida. Chad’s main focus is competition barbecue and the show is always informative and entertaining.

Birds of a Feather…..Twitter Together

What makes the barbecue community so powerful is the sharing of information and the direct access we have to the “stars” of our field. It’s impossible to be at every event, competition or show with your favorite barbecue star but if you have a Twitter or Facebook account you have what almost amounts to a 24hr backstage pass with them. Not every star has or maintains their Twitter or Facebook feed, but the one’s who do are fantastic sources of information. I suggest you follow them and don’t be afraid to interact with them and ask questions. A word of advice: Remember that these are real people, with real lives, real families, real jobs and real problems. Be polite, be real, be courteous and, above all, be a friend, not just someone who is trying to gain something from them. If you do that, you will go a long way towards making some great friends. In fact, some of my closest barbecue relationships started on Twitter and grew into real world friendships that I consider invaluable.

So who do I follow? All the people I have mentioned in his article have websites, Twitter and Facebook accounts. Take the time to look them up even if I don’t explicitly list them all below. I follow and recommend these folks because they are great at Twitter in particular, all links are to Twitter, but you can find links to Facebook from there:

Brian Henderson

Danielle Dimovksi (aka DivaQ)

Neil Stawder (aka Bigmista)

Ray Lampe (aka Dr. BBQ)

Wilfred Reinke

There are many, many others. You can do a search in Twitter for #bbq or #barbecue and see what turns up. Don’t be afraid to Follow someone for awhile to see if you like their content. If you don’t you can always Unfollow them later.

Reading Is Fun-da-mental

If more traditional sources are your cup of tea, there are, of course, tens of thousands of barbecue books out there for you. I really like barbecue books because they are as much instructions manuals as they are recipe books. Some include a bit of history, behind the scenes access to legends and some fun tall tails. One of my first barbecue books was by Ray Lampe. His book was an integral part of inspiring me to start making my own barbecue sauces. I would recommend reading much more than just barbecue books though. Be willing to expand your purview and find inspiration from many types of books. One of my favorite things to do is find a recipe that has nothing to do with barbecue and take it, rework it and make it my own by putting my own barbecue slant on it.

I have included a few of my personal favorite books in the list below. One of which was written using a Tucker (Championship BBQ Secrets). Each are great books in their own right and for different reasons. Check them out, cook along with them and see where they take you.

BBQ Makes Everything Better

Championship BBQ Secrets for Real Smoked Food

Dr. BBQ’s Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook

Peace, Love and Barbecue

If you are looking for a great list of barbecue book reviews, check out AmazingRibs.com. Meathead Goldwyn does a good job reviewing some of the best books available.

It’s All Perspective

While I find myself writing “rules” or “recommendations” for the new barbecue fan, I have to admit there are no actual rules. Every time a rule has been created in barbecue it has been challenged, changed, rewritten or reinvented. Some will swear by low and slow while a new breed of pit master is all about hot and fast cooking. Some will say you can only get great flavor by burning wood while the next guy is steadily winning with charcoal or pellets. In the end, my earlier premise holds true: this culture of barbecue was built by men and women who have accepted that rules are made to be broken and the folk lore is meant to be tested, challenged, changed and redone. There is, however, one truth that we cling to:. No matter what you cook on, cook with or how long the cooking takes, when the meat tastes great, you have cooked with love and passion. Remember that, and you will have a great dish every time.