It is with a heavy heart I have to take the following action, but in all things sometimes “a man has gotta do what a man has gotta do.”  For the last 7 months I have been the host of Gettin’ Sauced Radio on the BBQ Superstars network.  It has been both an honor and a privilege.

Hosting this show while, fun and rewarding, has taken toll on my personal life.  That much I can handle.  It was not until about a month ago that I realized just how much of a toll it has taken on my family’s life.  That I am ashamed to say is completely my fault for doing as I always do with new projects, jumping in unapologetically with both feet and letting the chips fall where they may.  I have lived my whole life this way and well to be honest it has been my wife for the past 14yrs that has had to pick up the pieces.  So in what may be too little too late I am putting forth the effort to spend some resemblance of quality time with my wife and my two sons.

The travel, the constant work on both sides of the clock and disregard for family as of this moment will be limited.  I do all that I do not for fame or fortune, but in a mostly feeble attempt to leave a legacy for my sons and to give my wife all that she truly deserves for putting up with me.  I have no problem working 20hrs days for weeks on end.  I have no problem going without sleep.  I have no problem giving all I have to give, digging down and giving some more.  I do have a problem though and it is a failing marriage and me not spending enough time with those that I am working so hard for.  In short my severe commitment to the legacy I am trying to build has hurt those I am desperately trying to build it for.  I have to stop and revamp what it is I do, how much I do and when I do it.

So in doing that the first thing I have to let go of is the radio show.  I thank Darryl Mast from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity and I thank every sponsor that I promoted and I thank every person who ever gave my show a listen.

I do not know if or when the show will return or in what format.  I do know however that I love helping people get their products to market and I will do that as much as I can, but I love my wife and children more and they deserve my focus until we can figure out what the future holds for all of us.

Thank you all again very much for everything and please support whatever show ends up taking my time slot on Wednesday nights.  For those that companies that sponsored the show please consider picking another show on the BBQ Superstars network and sponsoring them with your advertising dollars.  They are all worthy shows and deserve the opportunity to earn your business.
Best to all and God bless,

Shane Draper
Gettin’ Sauced Radio
CEO Draper’s BBQ

One of the things that has kept me participating in what is a very expensive hobby with only limited success, has been the people. 90% of the people I’ve met who have a passion for food, especially BBQ are just overall great folks. Mike and Shane of DBQ are no exception.
I’ve been following DBQ on Twitter for some time now and they are also a spice and sauce sponsor for my competition team, Pappa Charlies BBQ.  We’ve chatted, emailed, phoned and DM’ed but never met in person. So, when I found out they were going to be in my hometown for a rib challenge I knew I had to be there.
We linked up the first time on Friday, the day prior to the event. They were committed to some press events for the show but had time for lunch so I treated them to what Houston is famous for… TexMex.  Now, I know you were thinking I was going to say BBQ but two things come into play here, 1. When your cooking almost every weekend, that is almost the last thing you want to dine on and 2. While the rest of the state does it very well, I will say the Que in Houston is well, just not that good.  We met at my local joint and chatted like we had known each other for years.
Saturday rolled around and my wife and I headed over to the Houston Hot Sauce Festival which was pretty close to my house.  For those who have never been here, Houston is big city and I was lucky enough to have this nearby so the commute was easy.  I had heard the festival was growing but I was surprised at the line to get in the gate.  It stretched around the corner and was about 50 people deep!
We followed the smell of smoke and made our way to the “line up” of cookers. Mike and Shane were knee deep into “Peoples Choice” which was one of 3 cooks they actually had to do that day.  I hung around their EZ up for a while, mooched a beer or two but tried to stay out of there way.  The line for this was even longer than the line to get in. During this time the wife and I tried some of the Hot Sauces and Salsas.  I must say, I like spicy food but some of it was obnoxiously hot!  Which of course meant a trip to the beer stand, or perhaps two. We did find a great local salsa and purchased a few bottles of that.
Corporate America had moved me to Phoenix a few years back and that’s where I started my competition Que career. So, I knew another team there Vince and Alexa of Rhythm N Que, so we bounced back and forth between DBQ and their tent.  That’s the thing, for us cookers, that could have been any competition anywhere.. its smoky and your under an EZ UP.  Could have been Arizona or Kentucky but in this case it was Texas and the BBQ Bonding was taking place.  I guarantee that if someone had left something at home, someone out there would have provided it for them.  It is the one thing that probably keeps me coming back more than anything else.
Though I will say, DBQ was right next to one of the 10% who can’t seem to quit babbling about how good their products are and how everyone uses and loves their stuff.  Sadly, the won people’s choice, but I’m out here cooking in Texas pretty regular and I’ve never seen nor heard of their product and I won’t seek it out if that’s the image the project at a very public event.
DBQ was gearing up to feed all the vendors for dinner so we had to go.  Shane loaded me up with products for my upcoming cooks and I said goodbye. They know if they are ever here again and want to compete, I’ll help them with whatever it is they need. While I have not verified this through them, I’m confident that if I went to Kentucky, I could show up with nothing more than a sharp knife and they would help me procure what I needed to compete with. Good stuff all the way around.
You can follow us on Twitter @pappacharlies or on the web at www.pappacharliesbbq.com
See you in the Smoke!

Hey folks, I asked our new friend Chad Dodge of Dodge’s BBQ to take a minute and write about his experiences with us at the Houston Hot Sauce Festival.  Check out what he had to say and go follow his Twitter and Facebook accounts (linked above).

Social networking used to scare me a little. However, I did recently join twitter, and found out what a blessing it is. Just like most people, I spent the first few days following
people/companies/organizations who shared in the same interests as me.  Two of those first ones, were Scott Roberts and Shane Draper. I was excited to find out through Scott, there was a hot sauce festival in Houston the following week. My oldest daughter and I have a lot in common (Daddy’s girl), and our love of spicy food is one. To quote her:
“We are so there, dad!”  Another bond we share is BBQ. I’ve enjoyed smoking & grilling for years around the home, and she is definitely my number 1 fan. I find out the next day, that Drapers BBQ is competing in a 6-team rib cook off…at the same festival, and Shane tells me to swing by and say hello. I know, right?! Why am I so excited you ask?  Well, BBQ is a passion…and those cooks who compete, have restaurants/food trucks, and cater, are who I look up to. The hardest part was not coming across as a complete tool.

Before I run through our Saturday there, I want to say thank you to all of the sponsors, who made it a fun and unforgettable day. The workers/volunteers were all helpful, the prices for everything were reasonable, and the wide variety of vendors was a plus. All for a good
cause too..the Snowdrop Foundation. Kudos, my friends.

Nothing against the hot sauce sampling, but we made a beeline for the DBQ logo, that I recognized from their website. I waited for Mike to finish explaining the ins and outs of their sauce and rubs to a patron, and then introduced myself. Both he and Shane were very
polite, offered up some samples, and welcomed us into their hospitality suite/tent. We accepted of course, and moved in for a front row seat to the action. I was introduced to Randy, a local cook who had helped DBQ with a pit for that weekend. I asked questions, and listened, as if there were a test at the end. Any nerves I had from being at a cook-off for the first time, were laid to rest quickly, by the “good ol’ boy” feel to the conversation. I didn’t want to overstay our welcome, plus we had to get to the other festivities, so we headed out to get our burn on. We stopped at the the cheesecake on a stick place, so Brianna could get something dipped in chocolate. Dessert first, does happen occasionally. We made the rounds through the vendors, stopping to try their products. A few stuck out for different reasons, like Big Red’s, Volcanic Peppers, Stupid Hot Sauce, and especially the fiery dressed folks from Zane & Zack’s. We then stopped off for an iced lemonade and a water to squelch the flames, and to get a festival shirt for her to sport. When we made it back to the DBQ tent, it was close to turn in time. The guys were scurrying about, putting the finishing touches on their rib entry. I offered a hand, and they let me help Randy wrap the ribs for the people’s choice samples. The entries were whisked away, and everyone took a deep breath, and popped a top. They had to twist my arm pretty hard, but I eventually sampled the ribs. It was nothing short of perfect, and I could see the “OMG, I can’t let dad know how good these are!” look in my daughter’s eyes. We chatted BBQ a little more, and snapped a couple of photos, then said our thank yous & goodbyes. We made the trek by the other competitors, to say hello & good luck, took a couple more
pics for Brianna to share with her friends, and we were off to tell our adventure to the family.

Being able to mix dad time with hobbies and good people, made those
few hours on a September Saturday, a WIN-WIN. Thanks!!!

This weeks recipe features Ernie Rupp’s take on Chicken Cordon Bleu.  Check it out and enjoy!  And as always be sure to keep an eye on our recipe section for more great recipes!

Chicken Cordon DBQ

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Serves	6
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	1 hour, 15 minutes
Total time	1 hour, 45 minutes
Allergy	Egg, Wheat
Meal type	Appetizer, Lunch, Main Dish, Side Dish, Snack, Starter
Misc	Child Friendly, Serve Hot

In Kansas City, my family and I go to a local resurant that serves this incredible appetizer called Royal Blue Balls. They are breaded deep fried chicken balls stuffed with ham and swiss cheese (mini chicken cordon blue). My youngest son likes them so much he has a whole appetizer for his dinner. I wanted to make a version at home that was not deep fried but still had the great flavor that we enjoy at the resurant. This is my BBQ version of Royal Blue Balls. I hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

• 1lb ground chcken breast
• 1/4lb ham (finely chopped)
• 3/4 cups swiss cheese (shredded)
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 large egg
• 1 heaped teaspoon Draper's AP Rub
• 6 pieces thick sliced bacon (cut in half for 12 pieces)

Directions

Step 1

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well

Step 2

Mold mixture into golf ball sized balls (makes approximately 12 meat balls)

Step 3

Cut the bacon pieces in half

Step 4

Wrap the bacon around the meat ball and hold in place with a tooth pick

Step 5

Foil a cookie sheet and spray with cooking spray. Then place the meat balls on the sheet.

Step 6

Place in smoker on 250 degrees for the first 45 minutes then increase temp to 350 degrees until chicken is done (165 degrees and bacon is cooked). You may also cook in the oven if you do not want smoke flavor. Cook at 350 degrees until chicken is done and bacon is cooked,

Step 7

Remove meatballs from cooker and rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve with DBQ Smokin Sauce and ranch dressing.

So there you are Sunday afternoon getting settled in to your recliner to watch football and have a nice beer all in the comfort and quiet of your man-cave when you get a phone call.  It’s you’re slacker buddy who’s wife wont let him watch the game at his house so he wants to come over and watch it at your house.  We all know the real reason he wants to come over is to siphon down your expensive beers and see if he can nab some of your left over barbecue.  You only have about 20 minutes before he arrives, what do you serve…..what DO YOU serve???

Here’s your answer.  Go snake a cheap frozen pizza from the freezer and follow the instructions below:

When making this recipe I don’t care for a pizza that’s loaded with toppings like a supreme, I prefer more of a plain pizza and add my own toppings after the fact for the best flavor.  As you can see I used a very cheap supermarket pizza, there is seriously no need to spend $8 on a frozen pizza for this recipe.

Unwrap the pizza (you may count the pepperoni’s or in this case Canadian bacon as my 2yr old son Drew was doing) and arrange the supplied toppings so they are even and not all clumped into one area.

Then take some left over pulled pork or brisket or even smoked chicken and add to the pizza.  I personally prefer the pulled pork here.  Then dust with a coat of your favorite rub (Draper’s AP Rub works awesome here) and then drizzle some of your favorite sweet barbecue sauce on.  You do not want too much sauce here, it is an accent and will quickly over power if you get too heavy handed with it.  You are looking for a sweet complement to all the savory and smokey so drizzle is the key.

Throw your pizza in the oven or even better cook this on a grill fired by wood or charcoal.  The cheese and dough really catch the smoke flavor and it makes everything taste even better.  Follow the cooking instructions found on the package for your pizza.  You may find you dont have to cook as long depending on the pit you are cooking on.  I chose to cook this on a Green Mountain Grills Jim Bowie set at 375 degrees for right at 20 minutes.  As you can see I also used a pizza stone.  If you were cooking with a hotter fire or more direct heat I would say the stone would be required.  For indirect heat and fairly tight grates I can’t personally tell much of a difference in the end product when I do or don’t use the stone.  The crust is still crispy as it should be.

I could have let this pizza cook a little longer to develop more color, but I was hungry so I pulled it as soon as the crust was crispy and the cheese melted.

What makes this so good?  Simple its barbecue and pizza mixed! What else could you want?  In all seriousness its the contradictions in each bite.  Savory, sweet, salty and spicy all at once.  Soft, crunchy, mushy, crispy no matter where you bite.  The outer pieces of the pulled pork get so nice and crisp and remind me of carne asada style, it’s just awesome, easy and a crowd pleaser.

I kept this pizza pretty simple, but you could easily add some chopped bell peppers, tomatoes or jalapenos to the party.  The sky is really the limit where you can take this blank canvass.  Have each of your buddies bring their own frozen pizza with them, let them top their own pies and toss them on the pit to cook and you have a crowd of happy folks that all got just what they wanted.

Love, Peace and Pork Grease folks!

Shane

You may know Michael Madsen from his appearances in the movies Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill Vol 1 and 2 or Donnie Brasco.  You may also know him from the TV show Blue Bloods, but did you know he makes some very good sauces.  This week, I was sent a trio of products from American Bad Ass Products and I am going to start off by reviewing Michael Madsen’s Spicy Mustard.

Let’s start off with the ingredients.  This is an all natural spicy mustard that contains  Habanero and Serrano peppers, garlic, No.1 grade mustard seed, vinegar, water, lime and salt .  Both the Habanero and Serrano peppers are hotter than jalepenos and both have fruity flavors.  I am a big fan of spicy foods but not a big fan of mustard in general.  I am hoping the spice of the peppers and other ingredients kind of mask the mustard taste.

The mustard has a pleasant appearance.  No huge chunks of peppers, very well blended, thick and rich looking with no runny watery stuff.  I could smell the peppers the second I peeled of the foil seal underneath the cap.  The smell was not overpowering but you could tell the peppers were there.    All in all very pleasing to the eyes and nose.

Now on to the important thing, how did it taste.  I had grilled up some brats for lunch that day so I figured what better time to try out the spicy mustard than on a brat.  As a stated before, I am not a big fan of mustard so instead of putting mustard directly on the brat I chose to dunk.  I started with just a small dab to see how hot it actually was.  I felt some heat and tasted very little mustard.  This is a good thing.  Since my mouth was not on fire, the next bite had a lot of the mustard on it.  Once again, nice heat from the peppers, some acidity from the lime and vinegar and not an overpowering mustard taste.  It enhanced the flavor of the brat and finished with just the right amount of heat.  This is my new favorite mustard.

Now I know you are wondering what a mustard is doing on a BBQ website?  We use mustard all the time in the BBQ world.  What about putting this on a slab of ribs or a pork shoulder instead of plain yellow mustard?  What about making a spicy South Carolina mustard BBQ sauce with it?  I think these are things I will have to try in the future.  I will be sure to let you know how they turn out.

Michael Madsen also makes and BBQ sauce and a hot sauce that I will be reviewing in the upcoming weeks.  Look for those reviews soon.