It’s been a busy year for Rusted Truck Ranch and I thought it fitting to recap some of the highlights from 2011.

One of my favorite things about RTR is the BBQ Boot Camp. I absolutely love spending the day teaching the Rusted Truck Ranch cooking methods. As planned, we hosted six Boot Camps in 2011. Some were private corporate events, while others were open registration full of Backyard Hero’s looking to sharpen their pencil. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and interacting with all the participants, and look forward to a new crop of students in 2012.

One of the surprises of 2011 was the number of catering opportunities RTR managed. We cooked for 10 events in 2011. Those included traditional BBQ for 200, steaks and potatoes for 140, breakfast tacos for 150, and a number of events in-between. We really enjoyed filling everyone’s bellies and are currently expanding capabilities for larger and more frequent events next year.

With Boot Camps and catering dominating the year, we were only able to accommodate three competitions this year. However, we did get hardware in 2 of the events with a walk in brisket at Colleyville, and a people’s choice in ribs at Southlake. Plans are to cook Fort Worth, Colleyville, and two others in 2012. We will also be helping the Pitmaker team at the Houston Rodeo. This cook off is one of the biggest in the nation and we are looking forward to helping them take another first place brisket trophy.

Lots of cooking means LOTS of meat. While I didn’t have the tenacity to count the number of trips I made to Sam’s Club (or the yards of tin foil used), I did calculate the total pounds of meat that was cooked. RTR topped the 1500 lb mark for 2011. That includes, brisket, ribs, pork butt, pork loin, whole chickens, chicken wings, sausage and rib eye steaks.

One of the main advances for 2011 was the addition of some new cooking gear. The good folks down at Pitmaker in Houston, Texas built a custom trailer for RTR. This new rig provides capacity for much larger groups and its cooking consistency is unmatched. It includes a 58” Long Sniper offset smoker, a BBQ Safe, a 48” Grill Meister, and my favorite thing – a 20 gallon on demand sink. Check out their gear at www.pitmaker.com. As my dad always says, you need the right tool for the job.

I want to thank everyone who continues to support the Rusted Truck Ranch brand. The above achievements wouldn’t be possible without the support you have provided. I hope everyone enjoyed a prosperous 2011. We are looking forward to a great 2012.

Kyle

Pork Loin is a great option when cooking for a crowd. Add a layer of bacon, and you REALLY have something special to serve. This recipe is quick and certain to impress a crowd at your next Backyard Event.

Shopping

Purchase a boneless pork loin. If you are purchasing at a typical grocery store, you will find loins that weigh around 4 or 5 lbs. Be sure and not purchase a Pork Tenderloin. While this is a good cut of meat, it’s smaller and leaner than the regular loin, and the recipe below will have to be modified.

Prep

First, prep the loin. As this is a lean piece of meat, I typically don’t trim that much fat. I do, however, like to inject some apple juice into the meat. This is necessary, but it does add some flavor and help with moisture retention. Make sure you inject with the grain of the meat (long ways) and pull out the needle as you depress it.

The next step is prepping the bacon weave. Start by laying out the vertical strips of bacon the same width as your pork loin. After the vertical strips are in place, alternate horizontal strips going over and under the vertical slices.

Trim the horizontal slices to the appropriate length. Depending on the size of your loin, your trim pieces can then be used to finish the weave. Last, apply some Classic Cruiser to the bacon.

Next, place the loin at the end of the weave, warp in the bacon, and secure with toothpicks.

After a final seasoning, you are ready for the cook.

Cooking

I start by placing the loin in a small foil pan and adding a small amount of juice to the bottom of the pan. While the pan is not necessary, it does help when we wrap the loin at the halfway point in the cook. (No pan means you have to wrap a loin full of toothpicks. This can be a difficult task.)

The loin goes on the pit at a temp of 275 degrees and needs a cooking time of around 2 hours. At the halfway point, I will add some additional apple juice and place foil over the top. This help the loin stay moist.

The pork needs to cook to an internal temp of 145 degrees.

In order to keep the bacon attached to the loin, slice with a sharp knife. A few hits on the Warthog V-Sharp Extreme will ensure that you make a clean cut. Piece should be between 1/4in. and 1/2in. thick.

Suggested Servings

BBQ: Bacon Wrapped Pork Loin with Pedal to the Metal
Beer: Dogfish Head – Midas Touch
Music: Walt Wilkins – “Trains I Missed”

If you are going to be a true backyard hero, you can’t just master the main course. Guests will undoubtedly arrive for a few beers before mealtime, smell the brisket or ribs, and the hunger pains will begin. Never fear, a well-placed appetizer can fill the void. One of my favorites is a cream cheesed stuffed pepper wrapped in bacon – The Jalapeño Popper.

While there are actually several techniques or approaches to making a popper, I prefer the half-pepper method. For my money, less pepper means the appetizer will be more accessible to a broader audience.

Shopping

10-12 fresh, whole jalapenos
1 can of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 package of pepper bacon (regular bacon will also work)
Toothpicks

Prepping

Cut top off of peppers and slice them in half (long way)

Use a knife to remove seeds and rind. The seeds and rind are a BIG contributor to the overall heat of a pepper. Removing them will ensure the peppers don’t light too many fires in your guests.
Fill each jalapeno half with a dab of cream cheese.

Fill cavity of each jalapeno with cream cheese.

Open bacon and cut entire slab in half.

Place jalapeno with cream cheese at end of bacon strip and roll bacon around jalapeno trying to cover as much of the cream cheese as possible (this will help prevent all of the cheese melting out of the pepper).
Use toothpick to secure bacon to pepper.

Cooking

Cook over medium heat until bacon is done.
Turn peppers often making sure both sides get ample heat and ensure bacon doesn’t get too crispy in one spot.
It’s preferable to not cook over an open flame, as the bacon grease will cause flare-ups. If I’m cooking on a gas grill, I will shut off one of my burners and cook the peppers on that side, or as these pictures show, use the top rack to keep them away from the direct heat. If cooking on the egg, I will try to keep the lid closed to limit the oxygen supply. You can also cook on top of a piece of foil, griddle, or foil pan to prevent the bacon grease from starting a fire.

Once bacon is done, let peppers set for a few minutes to cool down and they are ready to serve.

Suggested Servings

BBQ Appetizers: Jalapeno Poppers
Beer: Magic Hat #9
Music: “Shreveport to New Orleans” – Roger Creager

Bear paws are one of the newest products in our store, but have been a staple in my BBQ toolbox for quite some time. I found this product in a cooking forum a couple of years ago, and decided to give them a try. My expectations for their use were primarily built around the ability to shred (or pull) meat. That expectation was quickly expanded once I put these bad boys to work.

One of the main challenges when barbecuing is handling hot meat. While tongs are great on smaller items (chicken wings and ribs), they simply aren’t effective on larger cuts of meat typically associated with smoking. (Try moving a 12lb brisket with a set of tongs and it will probably end up on the ground covered in dirt). This is where Bear Paws step in and become a much more effective option.

I routinely use my Bear Paws to move position of a brisket, transfer a pork butt to foil for wrapping, or pull a beer can chicken from the grill. The paws keep my hand away from the hot meat, and their sharp ends ensure I that my perfectly smoked brisket doesn’t get donated to the dogs. I also use them to rotate my racks of ribs or flip my half chickens skin side down. They are a staple in my cooking activities, but their duties extend beyond just helping around the pit.

Bear Paws make easy work of handling a full brisket.

My favorite use of this tool is in carving meat. As I stated in the opening paragraph, these tools are a no brainer when it comes to pulled pork. However, they are equally as impressive when carving brisket or chicken. The pointy ends are very useful when stabilizes a large cut of smoked meat. A pear paw in my left hand will stabilize the brisket MUCH better than a traditional meat fork, while right hand and knife does the delicate work.

Carving Chicken and Brisket

I also regularly reach for my paws when serving meat. They act as a giant serving fork and I can quickly dish out brisket, pork, or chicken when it’s time to eat.

Once the meal is complete, they go into the dishwasher for quick and easy clean up. Give this tool a try. It will quickly be one of your favorite pieces of equipment.

My current smoker/cooker line-up is fairly comprehensive. (It includes a Grill Dome Komado cooker, a 16ft offset smoker, an 8ft offset smoker, and a gas grill.) However, in an effort to continue my BBQ Quest, I decided to add an electric smoker to the line-up. I was hesitant at first as competitive cookers (and backyard purists) frown on the use of “electricity” to produce quality food. However, after purchasing and test-driving my new Masterbuilt, this style of cooker is a great option for many BBQ enthusiasts.

The primary difference between traditional and electric smokers is their fuel source. Instead of burning lump charcoal or wood, electric smokers use a heating element plugged into an outlet to warm their smoking chamber. Woodchips are added to create smoke, and controls regulate cook times and temperatures. This particular model accommodates both “cool” smoking (110 degrees), but also handles hot and fast with a top end temp of 275 degrees.

One of the main reasons to use an electric smoker is the maintenance, or lack thereof. In a well-insulated model, the temperature is VERY consistent. You can literally “set it and forget it.” (This is the primary reason for them being banned from competition). While I thoroughly enjoy an afternoon of tending the pit, there have been numerous occasions where I needed to attend a kids soccer game, family event, or simply can’t stay put for the 6 hours necessary to finish a brisket or pork butt. I can enjoy some great BBQ that night, but also participate in a busy schedule.

After seasoning the smoker, I’m ready for the first run. I decide to cook a pork butt and some chicken thighs. First step is getting some wood chips soaking in water. The chips get loaded through the side of the smoker, land on a hot plate, and produce a nice amount of smoke. For this cook, I use some apple wood and soak them in a bowl of water for 30 minutes to an hour. I also add some liquid to the water pan. This helps keep the cooking environment nice and moist.

After the meat is prepped, I set the smoker to 275 and the digital timer to 6 hours. This particular model also includes a meat thermometer. With the digital read out, I can get up to the minute updates on my internal smoking temp, the amount of time remaining in my cook, and the current temp of the meat I’m smoking. As long as the door is closed, the temp stays rock steady. The only real attention needed after the smoker is loaded is addition of wood chips. I prefer a heavier smoke flavor and will re-load the smoke box about once an hour.

Digital thermometer is showing the current temp. Smoke from my soaked chips is flowing from the vents.

Temperature gauge is loaded into the pork butt and the water pan is full.

The results from my cook are surprisingly good. The meat is super moist and tender and with a minimal amount of effort or set-up. While I can taste the smoke in both the pork and chicken, it’s not as intense as the results from my charcoal and wood burners. While I won’t cook on the electric exclusively, I will definitely rely on this unit on a regular basis. It’s a great option for any backyard enthusiast.

Below are a few of the well-known options for electric smokers:

Masterbuilt

Masterbuilt models start at $175.00 and are available at most big box retailers (Cabela’s, Lowe’s, Acadmey) This is the 30” version and runs $299.00.

Bradley Smoker

Bradley smokers start around $235.00. These unit rely on a flavored “bisquette” to generate smoke. Options include Hickory, Alder, Pecan, Cherry, and even Jim Beam.

Brinkmann Gourmet Electric Smoker

The Brinkman units start around $75.00. Capacity on these cookers is smaller than some of the other options, but at this price point, it’s a great unit to start your smoking exploration.

Cookshack Smoker

Cookshack make both commercial and residential units. The backyard units start around 500 bucks, but the reputation and quality of this brand easily justify the extra money.

Smokin Tex

Smokin Tex takes a page from the Cookshack line and offers both backyard and pro models. They are a bit cheaper than their big brother (entry models are around $400.00) and available on-line and in select retailers.

While I was working on some modifications to one of the pits, I utilized a trick I’d learned from another BBQ Vet. I thought this was a good one to pass along as it helps solve a critical component to successful cooking.

One of the main battles with producing great BBQ is managing the consistency of your cooking temperature. All cookers “breathe” in a unique way, and understanding exactly how your pit handles the fire in its belly, is one of the key parts of controlling your cooking environment.

While temperature gauges are a great way to monitor your cooking temperature, they usually only tell part of the story. Gauges are often mounted several inches above the actual location of the meat and, depending on the size of your smoker, they can be feet away from the source of fire. While the gauge location provides a decent reading for that particular location, it makes for some serious guessing as to the temps in other parts of your cooking surface. Unless you are prepared to add gauges every few inches all across the pit, it’s difficult to know how the intensity of the fire is being distributed across the cooking surface. The solution is easy and will only set you back a few bucks.

The biscuit test, as you might guess, involves biscuits. Go figure.

Go to the local grocery store and buy a can of the cheapest biscuits you can find. Build a basic smoking/cooking fire in your pit and spread the biscuits across the cooking surface making sure all areas have representation. (see image below) Now grab a cold beverage and sit back while your pit begins to tell you exactly how it’s performing.

After some time is passed (5 or 10 minutes), you will begin to see the biscuits cook at a variety of speeds. Notice the image below.

The biscuits on the right hand side are already browning on top, while the biscuits on the left hand side are still pearly white. The biscuit in the top row/middle also shows some browning, while the lower biscuit is still very doughy.

This basic information tells us the hot spots and cool spots in our pit, and provides valuable information on where to place our meat depending on the desired temp. For example, if I wanted to cook a bit faster, I might move the chicken thighs to the right side of the cook surface. If my pork loin is ready to serve but I’m a few minutes away from guest arriving, I might push it to the left side for warming. Or, I can use this information to tune my pit so that it responds in a more even fashion. (More on this topic later)

There you have it. Bet you never expected to cook raw biscuits in your smoker. Now that you’ve completed the test, it’s back to the good stuff. Anyone ready for some brisket?

While the beer maker in me craves to explain all the details about making and selecting craft beer, the backyard hero in me just wants to know which beer to select when standing in front of the giant display at Central Market. So to make things more streamlined, I’ve organized some of my favorite beers into categories that should be fairly universal – unleaded, premium, and diesel. This list is evolving so check back often for updates to the beer selections.

Unleaded: A light beer that’s great in quality AND quantity. Consider this group perfect for time around the pool or hanging out with some friends at the lake.

Premium: These beers have more body and ingredients, and while still suitable for an afternoon BBQ, they are typically higher in alcohol content and demand a slower consumption rate.

Diesel: The biggest of beers with the most ingredients and most alcohol.

Unleaded

Premium

Diesel

The debate over the best BBQ pit is something that will go on until the end of time. People are as passionate about their cooking tools as they are about their favorite sports team or brand of car. I’ve read many forums where this exact discussion continues on and on without resolution. In the end, it’s a question that doesn’t have a single answer. Well, a single answer that everyone can agree on.

In reality, the best pit to cook on is one you can control. Whether it’s a Webber kettle, Big Green Egg, offset or vertical smoker, round, square, or homemade from a 50 gallon barrel -if you can control or manage the temperature, you can produce high quality meats. Management and control are primarily functions of size of fire, air intake, pit material, and tightness of construction.

However, as equally important as the mechanics of your smoker is your familiarity with the cooker. The more wood you burn in a particular pit, the better you can manage the desired outcome. Some styles require a hotter and larger fire to maintain optimum temps, while others are capable of stability with a few lumps of coal and a minimum amount of oxygen. The science of fire is something we will discuss in a future blog. For now, let’s review a few different styles of pits.

Offset Smoker

This is one of the most popular styles for BBQ’ing. The design is generally constructed out of rolled steel, and has a firebox that is located to the side of the smoking chamber. The fire is built in this box ensuring the heat is not directly under the meat. The heat and smoke travel through the smoking chamber and get exhausted out of the stack or flu. The firebox generally has an air intake and the flu usually has a damper for temperature control. Capacity (number of racks of ribs for example) is usually ample in this style as the elongated smoking tube provides a great deal of cooking surface.

New Braunsfels Smoker

Komodo Cooker (Big Green Egg, Primo, or Grill Dome)

This is probably the fastest growing style of cooker. These units are built from 2” thick ceramic material in the shape of an egg. The fire burns beneath the meat and the heat is vented through an opening in the top. The ceramic makes them EXCELLENT at retaining heat. I often light my kamodo around midnight, get the temperature to 250, put on the brisket and go to bed. I can wake up, make a cup of coffee and the pit will still register 250 degrees. Capacity is somewhat limited, but usually ample for a family and a few neighbors.

Big Green Egg

Webber Smokey Mountain

Webber produces an excellent style of BBQ smoker that is a more traditional style of vertical smoker. As with the kamodo style, the fire is built beneath the meat and vented through the top. The smoker has multiple racks for stacking various cuts on top of each other. As with many vertical smokers, this product includes a water pan feature that helps maintain pit moisture. Many people use this product in competitive cooking competitions and win top honors.

Webber Smokey Mountain – large and small size

Electric Smoker

This style of smoker is built in an upright fashion and uses electric heat to maintain its temperatures. Smoke flavor is added with the use of small wood chips or powdered wood. Temperature control is quite easy as the heat source is as consistent as the electricity in your house. While some people declare great success with an electric smoker, I simply don’t have the experience to support those claims.

Smoke Hollow electric smoker

Which style to purchase is really a factor of porch or backyard space you can dedicate, amount of food you desire to cook, and the price you are willing to pay. For those who want to cook a few racks of ribs each month or serve up a great brisket after a day of swimming for some neighborhood guests, I usually recommend a Komodo style cooker. I routinely cook for 15 or 20 people without any problem. Plus, once you learn how to build and control the fire, maintaining proper temperatures is VERY easy. Regardless of what unit you decide to purchase, a good smoker will be an anchor in your journey towards becoming a backyard hero.

DEFINITION

While chicken wings may not be the first thing that comes to mind when discussing BBQ, they are a great addition to any backyard hero’s set of offerings. They are inexpensive, you can buy them in bulk, and they work equally well as an appetizer or main course. Plus, they are great smoked on the Big Green Egg, grilled on a Webber, or cooked on the gas grill.

PREP

Prep for wings is pretty straight forward, but there are a couple of options to consider. In most restaurants, wings are traditionally served cut. “Cut” refers to the separation of the drumette (upper wing) and mid wing, and often includes clipping the wing tip.

This is easy to achieve and if you want to serve in that style follow the steps below.

1. Separate drumstick from the wing
2. Use a sharp knife to cut between the bones
3. Discard the wing tip

Personally, I prefer to cook wings whole. With fewer pieces to tend, it’s much easier to manage a big batch on the grill. If cooking in this style, it’s as simple as washing the wings and moving to the seasoning step.

SEASONING

As you can imagine, there are thousands of ways to season chicken wings. The method I’ve listed here just represents one variety. Use the steps I’ve outlined as a foundation and try your own varieties of rubs and sauces.

After washing the wings, I like to coat the pieces in a layer of ranch dressing. It provides a nice flavor profile and a great base for the dry rub that will follow. Drop the wings in a large bowl, add ranch dressing, and toss.

Next, sprinkle a layer of baking powder on the skin of the wings and place the bowl in the fridge. The baking powder helps promote a drying of the skin, ultimately resulting in a crispy outer shell. Ideally, the wings will sit in the fridge for around 2 hours, but I’ve had good success with as little as 45 minutes.

Fifteen minutes prior to cook time, pull the wings and sprinkle a liberal coat of dry rub. I prefer to cook several styles at a time and will use Classic Cruiser, Midnight Ride, Pedal to the Metal.

COOKING

There are a few things to consider when cooking the wings. Wings are a small piece of meat, and will absorb smoke very quickly. While a brisket can withstand multiple hours under the smoke, wings will get bitter very quick. If you are cooking them alongside other slow cook items, make sure and wrap the birds after 20 or 30 minutes. Also, wings tend to flare up over high heat. The grease from the skin drips onto the fire and will cause flames to char your birds. If cooking in an offset smoker, this generally isn’t a problem. If cooking over your flame on an egg or gas grill, you have to monitor the wings on a regular basis. Some people use a squirt bottle to gently douse hot spots on their grill. You can also move your wings to an elevated rack or utilize foil pans to prevent charring.

Second, crispy skin is much easier to achieve with high heat. (In the competitive BBQ circuit, crispy skin is often considered as the hallmark of good chicken) Many BBQ cooks will slow cook their birds, and then transfer to a hotter portion of the grill (or separate cooker altogether) to finish their chicken. The same rules can be applied to wings. Smoke ’em low and slow for 15 or 20 minutes, then move to high heat for finish. Wings are done when they reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees. If cooking whole, you can also tell for doneness by tearing a wing from the drumstick. If the two pieces separate with little effort, you are ready to serve.

If you prefer a glazed wing, remove them a few minutes before cooking is complete. Toss in a metal bowl of your favorite sauce, and then return them to the fire for 5 or 10 minutes. This will help caramelize the sauce to the wings.

Suggested Serving:

• BBQ: Chicken Wings with Classic Cruiser and Midnight Ride
• Beer: Shiner Bock – Oktoberfest
• Music: Zach Brown Band – “Free”

On a Saturday morning with the air temperature hot and the pit temperatures hotter, Rusted Truck Ranch hosted another BBQ Boot Camp on August 7th. The students gathered for a day long interactive session to expand their BBQ knowledge.

Class started at 9:30am with some coffee and introductions. We promptly began prep of brisket. With an expected cook time of 6 hours, we had to make sure and get this 12 pound cut on as soon as possible.

The large smoker was fired up around 7:30 am was humming along around 275 when the brisket went on around 10:15am. This was also the time when the first beer was cracked. Let’s be honest, it’s tough to cook without a cold beverage in your hand.

Our next focus was pork butt. We prepped 2 butts (about 4.5lbs each) rubbing them with yellow mustard and a heavy dose of Classic Cruiser. To get some variety in our smoker styles, we decided to cook the pork on a Komodo cooker and fired up the Grill Dome.

While waiting for the temp to climb, it was on to Beer Can Chicken. Some dry rub and the crack of another beer, the bird was ready to begin its slow smoke journey. When the Komodo cooker reached the optimum temp of 275, the butts and chickens hit the grill around 11:00am.

Rib prep was next. This is one of the most popular parts of the class as there are some great tips that will significantly improve the quality of your ribs. We seasoned and trimmed 3 racks of baby backs and 3 racks of spare ribs cut St. Louis style. The ribs went on next to the brisket around 11:30am, and with everything finally cooking, it was time to think about lunch. With the smokers full, we fired up the gas grill and grilled up about 4 dozen chicken wings rubbed in Classic Cruiser and Midnight Ride and tossed in RTR’s Signature BBQ Sauce.

While waiting for the 40lbs of meat to finish, we sampled a few different Texas Beers. The day wouldn’t have been complete without a taste of my favorite beer, Real Ale Rio Blanco Pale Ale. It’s a great summer beer, and in my opinion, goes well with any BBQ you are service. We also tasted some Shiner 101 and St. Arnold’s Summer Ale. Both are excellent choice.

The food needed some maintenance. We took time to wrap everything at their halfway points. This ensures we don’t over smoke the meat, and also aides in moisture retention. We also added some additional liquid to most of the cuts.

A few beers later, the parade of BBQ began to roll off the assembly line. Beer Can Chicken was first. We sampled the bird around 2:30pm, followed by a dose of baby back ribs around 3:15pm, St. Louis style spare ribs at 4:30.

Just as we were wiping the rib sauce from our face, the pulled pork was ready for tasting. It came off the pit at 5:00 and we shredded it with bear paws. After adding another light dusting of Classic Cruiser, it was ready to consumption. Last but not least was the brisket. It “rested” for about 45 minutes before carving and we made quick work of creating a plate full of both sliced and chopped brisket.

It was a great day with a great group of guys. And while it could have been a few degrees cooler, the fellowship, music, cold beer, and BBQ made for a fantastic event.

If you are interested in attending a future class, please email me at kyle@rustedtruckranch.com

BBQ, Beer, and Music joined forces for a fantastic weekend in the Fort Worth Stockyards on June 11th and 12th. The International Barbeque Cookers Association – IBCA, and the Fort Worth Police Department hosted a competition that drew some of the best cooks in the state. 85 teams gathered for the 2 day event serving up their best offerings of Brisket, Ribs, and Chickens.

Rusted Truck Ranch was fortunate enough to participate in this outstanding event. While we arrived a little later than hoped on Friday evening (around 7:30pm), it didn’t take us long to get the cook-site set up and our three meats prepped for the smoker later that evening/morning. (In competition cooking, your meats cannot be seasoned or marinated before arriving at the event). We spent some time trimming our Ribs and Brisket, and got the chickens started in their overnight marinade. Once everything was in place, it was time to relax and enjoy some Beer and Music.

The event had several performers, but we were able to catch a big part of the Jamie Richards Band set. These guys served up some classic Texas country. Jamie Richard’s vocals and song writing were strong. I really enjoyed the song “Drive” and his song “I can Party When I Need To” is currently on the Texas music charts. In addition to Jamie’s performance, the band was extremely tight.

The lead guitar spot was filled by a guy named Clay Shelburn. This guy was one of the best live guitarists I’ve seen in quite some time. He’s a natural on the guitar, and served up a variety of solos and supporting licks. His style included traditional country licks, in addition to, ripping solos that were technically superb and filled with technical and emotional expertise. After the music stopped, it was back to the site for a few winks of sleep before the early morning cooking began.

Bedtime was 12:15am, and the alarm was set for a welcoming 3:15am. Fire was the first order of business, followed by the brisket hitting the cooking surface an hour later.

Some final seasoning before brisket goes on at 4:15.

Three racks of pork spare ribs followed at 7:15am, and four half chickens finally went on around 9:30. (Cooking times are determined based on weight of meat, temperature of fire, and the desired completion time) We also juggled a pot of beans while prepping, cooking, and re-seasoning the brisket, ribs, and chicken. We used a fantastic recipe passed down by our great friend – Jamie (Vaden) Holmes.

The competition requires beans and meats to be turned in at specific times in the day. IBCA allows contestants a window of 10 minutes before and after the turn in time. For this contest, beans were due at 11:00am, chicken at 12:00pm, ribs at 1:30pm, and brisket at 3:00pm. We successfully made our deliveries in each category despite the numerous Shiner 101 and Frost beverages that were consumed. (I really enjoy the specialty line of beers from Shiner).

The awards ceremony followed around 4:30pm. While we didn’t walk with a top ten finish, we produced some good food, met some great people, and enjoyed cooking for a worthy cause. We look forward to future events with IBCA, and can’t wait for the next event at the Fort Worth Stockyards.

One of my favorite ways to prepare a whole chicken is the “beer can” or “dancing” method. The bird is cooked in an upright or “dancing” position and perched on top of an open beer or coke can. The moisture from the canister helps prevent the chicken from drying out. The steps to cook and prep are simple, and it will produce the juiciest chicken you’ve ever served.

Traditionally, the cook needed to navigate the tail end of a chicken across the top of a beer can, and then balance the two on top of the grill. This can be quite cumbersome and often results in the can tipping over and dousing the fire. Thanks to some innovative new products, cooking in this method is much easier. Rusted Truck Ranch is proud to offer the Stainless Steel Chicken Roaster from Cameron Products. This nifty stand replaces the beer or coke can and provides a much more stable foundation to “dance” on.

Prepping is quick and easy. Lead time is minimal and completing all of the steps just takes a few minutes. First, pull the bird from the wrapper and wash thoroughly. Pat the chicken dry and begin applying your seasoning. I like to lay the chicken in a foil pan, and apply a layer of both Classic Cruiser and Midnight Ride. (The foil pan is a HUGE help in keeping the kitchen and prep area clean) Next, add your liquid to the beer roaster canister. I generally fill half way with a light beer, and top off the remaining room with apple juice. Slide the chicken on to the roaster stand, and you are ready to begin cooking.

Chicken should go on at a temp around 275 degrees. If cooking in an offset smoker, make sure the bird is placed in an area that won’t receive any flare ups from the fire. Total grill time will be about 4 hours. Cook the chicken un-covered for about two hours. This allows the meat to absorb a nice smokey flavor. At the half way point, I cover the bird with foil creating a tent over the chicken. This tent helps maintain the moisture and prevents the chicken from drying out. I continue cooking with this configuration for the remaining 2 hours.

When the bird reaches 165 degrees in the white meat, and 185 degrees in the dark meat, it’s ready to serve.(make sure the thermometer doesn’t touch bone) I also use the tear test to determine doneness. Grab the wing and give it a slight tug. If it easily tears from the body, your chicken should be ready.

Lay the chicken on the cutting board and use a knife to remove the breast meat. Next, cut off the wings and legs, and then continue working removing the meat separating into two piles – white and dark.

Suggested Serving:

• BBQ: Beer Can Chicken dusted with Classic Cruiser and Midnight Ride
• Beer: St. Arnold – Fancy Lawnmower
• Music: Jack Ingram – “Seeing Stars”

Although my love of beer and making beer started many years back (I’ve been an active home-brewer for about 15 years), my focus on Texas beers began in 2001, when I landed in Austin. With so many finely crafted “local” beers nearby, I began sampling as many as possible. Through those experiments, I found some of my favorite breweries, not just in Texas, but on the planet.

A perfect example comes out of the Texas Hill Country town of Blanco, where one of the finest beers this region, or any region for that matter, is produced. Real Ale Brewery started in 1996 with two styles of ale – Full Moon Pale Rye and Brewhouse Brown – and has continued to add a variety of styles to the lineup over the last 14 years. Although this brand was once only available in the Central Texas region, it’s now available throughout most of Texas. Now that I’m in Southlake (Dallas/Fort Worth area), I was ecstatic to find that our local grocery store had added this brand to their shelves. Being a guy who absolutely LOVES the pairing of smoked ribs with a finely crafted beer, I felt it necessary to tell everyone to rush out and BUY THIS BEER!

Rio Blanco Pale Ale is a great addition to any BBQ Experience. It’s officially an English-style Pale Ale. This style of beer is often associated with a bitter or overly hoppy taste since hops are added more frequently and in larger amounts than other styles. While you can certainly taste the hops and complexity that are signatures of this variety, what differentiates this product from its competition is that it’s not even remotely overpowering. It has a nice hint of fruit on the nose and finish, as well as a beautiful, deep, golden color.

My primary reason for rating this beer so high is the taste accessibility it has to all beer drinkers. Even my wife, a dedicated Coors Light kinda gal, likes this beer. You don’t have to be a seasoned beer snob, or member of an elite brewing club to enjoy Rio Blanco Pale Ale. It’s smooth enough to enjoy more than just one, which is a big plus for me, but has SIGNIFICANTLY more taste than your basic light beer.

Enjoy it straight out of the bottle, or pour in your favorite pint glass. Either way, this will make a great addition to any backyard experience.

Blue Boot Records was holding an artist appreciation concert on Saturday night. The event was held at Austin Ranch (a really great venue) and included a number of legendary Texas artist including Tommy Alverson and Walt Wilkins. Getting the evening cranked up for these legends was a great new act called Manning-Dickson.

Jason Manning and Jason Dickson are the singing force behind this duo. While they are both veterans of the music business, this particular pairing is new to the Texas Music Scene. Jason and Jason were backed with some amazing musicians. Ray Neighbors rips on guitar and the rhythm section (J.D. Cooper on Drums and Kerry Williams on Bass) was super tight. And in addition to the superior musicianship, the quality of vocals really stood out. The front men (along with the help of Ray and Kerry) produced some serious harmonies. The show was reminiscent of a classic Bellamy Brothers or Restless Heart concert. The band flawlessly navigated through each tune, and delivered a really incredible performance. Check out this clip from You Tube.

Being a musician, I place a great deal of stock on the quality of a live show. After seeing what these guys could deliver in person, I really wanted to get some additional time with their debut CD. “Drive” was release in March and contains 10 original tracks (and a bonus acoustic track).

While the CD is definitely rooted in country, I feel significant influence from some other genres. The heavy harmonies are definitely a stand out from traditional country albums, and a classic rock influence is predominant in many of the songs. I really appreciate the genre twist as I think these tunes stand out from many of the recent CD’s I’ve purchased.

Without a doubt, my favorite track on the CD is “Drive”. The melody grabs you right out of the gate. And with big harmonies and underlying power chords, the chorus doesn’t disappoint. Vocally, Manning shows his range, and lyrically it personally really hits home. (I have a great deal of memories from behind the wheel). “Quite Life” and “Still Worth It” are two other top picks. There a sense of sophistication and emotion with both of these that really hooked me. “Still Worth It” has a nice contrast of a subtle opening that quickly turns into a driving verse while “Quite Life’s” combination of mandolin and acoustic guitar leads into a softer melody that builds to a strong chorus where the harmonies are delivered with tremendous authority.

Of course, I can’t finish this post without mentioning the debut track “Cold as her Heart”. This song has the making of an instant classic. The chorus line of “if I could only find a beer, as cold as her heart”, reminds me of a classic Jerry Jeff Walker or Robert Earl Keen song (think “Redneck Mother” or “Copenhagan”). They closed the Austin Ranch set-list with this track, and the dance floor immediately filled up. The band has even been so kind to allow a free download from our site.

www.tossmmusic.com
www.tx-drive.com
www.texasmusicradioshow.biz
www.radiofreetexas.org

Suggested Serving:

• BBQ: Baby Back Ribs dusted with Classic Cruiser
• Beer: Real Ale – Full Moon Pale Rye
• Music: Manning-Dickson – “Drive”

I often get asked for advice on the best BBQ offering to serve at a dinner party or for a large gathering of people. Having been in a similar position on a regular basis, I always answer with my old stand by – Pulled Pork

Pork Butt – i.e. Boston Butt – i.e Pork Shoulder is a cut that comes from the upper shoulder of the pig, ranges from 6– 11 lbs, and usually runs between $1.25 and $2.99 a pound. It can be purchased bone in or boneless (I prefer bone-in), and is a very flavorful/economical cut of meat to prep and serve. Plus, unlike the elusive brisket, pulled pork is one of the most tolerant of slow cooked meats. The proper consistency is VERY easy to achieve, and with the simple steps below you can serve up a great meal.

One of the main questions I’m asked is where to buy the best meat. While pork butts can be purchased at most any grocery store, I generally make all of my BBQ cooking purchases at Sam’s club. The quality of their meat (as well as Costco) is far superior to that of traditional grocery chains. They cater to restaurants and offer a higher quality product for the same or less price. The image below is a 2 pack from Sam’s Club and cost $1.18 a pound.

Prepping the pork is quite simple. I like to start the process about an hour before it hits the smoker. I pull the pork from the plastic wrapper; give is a good wash under cool water, then pat dry with paper towels. Personally, I like to trim some of the fat before applying any seasoning. I think it makes the end product a little more appealing.

Next, I place the pork in a foil pan, rub with mustard (I prefer Dijon), sprinkle a liberal amount of Classic Cruiser on both sides, and let the rub settle for the remaining hour while I’m prepping my fire (typically at the 275 to 300 temperature range). This additional time gives the rub some time to soak into the roast, and makes sure that the butt doesn’t get placed on the fire at an extremely cold temperature.

Once the pork’s on, it’s pretty low maintenance. I typically smoke uncovered for about 3 hours. This ensures I capture the benefits of the hickory, pecan, oak, or mesquite that’s burning in my pit. After that time has passed, I wrap the meat in tin foil, or place the pork in a foil pan and cover. If you are wrapping with foil, make sure any seams end up on top of the butt. The meat continues to cook for another 3 to 4 hours and produce a tremendous amount of natural juice.

*Personally, I prefer the use of a foil pan as it provides a convenient way to capture the natural juices this cut produces. Those juices make great gravy to serve over the top of the meat when serving. Plus, if you are using a foil pan, you can introduce some additional liquid to advance the flavor of your pork butt –i.e. apple juice, or vinegar and cider, sprite, beer, or cola.

The pork needs to reach an internal temperature of between 195 and 205 degrees in order to have the right consistency. At a temp of 275 to 300, this will take an additional 3 hours of cooking (fyi, other cuts of pork have a different temperature goal) I monitor every now and then, and when the meat is nearing this milestone, I’ll give it an additional 30 minutes to ensure maximum tenderness. When the roast is taken from the fire, let it sit idle for 15 to 20 minutes to make sure it’s settled and the juices have drawn into the meat.

Serving is a breeze. Take a pair of forks and shred the pork into small strings. I like to sprinkle some additional Classic Cruiser to the shredded mix. Add your favorite side dishes, or layout rolls, BBQ sauce, fresh cut onions and cold slaw, and you have pork sliders that can serve a significant size crowd.

One of my favorite afternoons is hanging out with family and friends, listening to some great Texas music, enjoying some finely crafted beer, and (of course) some slow smoked BBQ. These gatherings have always been a great way to reminisce about old times, but are also an excellent place to make new memories. These countless get together are the foundation for Rusted Truck Ranch. We wanted to find a way to capture the favorite pieces of our memorable times and provide high quality products and information to help others craft their personal backyard experiences.

My grandfather, Tom Ed Simpson, enjoying his backyard experience.

While the roots of Rusted Truck Ranch date back to my earlier years, the official journey of RTR started a few years back. Whether it was by luck or draw, I seemed to always fall into the role of official cook for various weekend events. Not wanting to ever disappoint a gathering of friends or family(and certainly not send anyone away hungry), I’d spend my “off hours” honing my BBQ craft by developing custom techniques, spices and rubs, and researching the finest available products.

Two years of data later, and with the enormous help of the Team, the Rusted Truck Ranch brand was born. Our launch marks the release of our first premier spice and rub product, Classic Cruiser. It’s our Signature BBQ Rub and perfect for any meat you are grilling/smoking, but goes great on most every food (we even have a fan who swears by its affect on lasagna). This line will soon expand with Midnight Ride – Pepper and Coffee blend, and Pedal to the Medal – Jalapeno and Honey Dust.

Welcome to the Rusted Truck Family. We hope you will find our products to be of the highest quality and will make this site a regular destination. Please drop us a line with your thoughts and comments. We’d love to hear your feedback as we are committed to the best possible customer service.