Dazed and confused? Not me. I’m just Lost in the Cheese Aisle.

Monday, May 21, 2012

BARBECUE IN BIRMINGHAM, YET AGAIN

The Moshe Ribeinu team
The award-winning Moshe Ribeinu kosher BBQ team. From L to R: Elisson, Bartimus Magnificus, Job Johnny. 

For the third year in a row, I joined a small army of my Men’s Club buddies to compete in the “When Pigs Fly” Kosher BBQ Cook-Off in Birmingham.

“When Pigs Fly” is a clever enough title for the event, that being approximately when pigs will be considered kosher.  It’s also a sly hat-tip to the event’s sponsor, Piggly Wiggly, the well-known Southern supermarket chain.

Hickory
You can’t expect to make decent barbecue without a supply of well-soaked hickory chunks.

I’ve written about this event before, so there’s no need to go into overmuch detail.  Suffice it to say that we were disappointed to have returned empty-handed, having managed to avoid winning, placing, or showing in a single category.  No new swag for the trophy case this year, alas.

And yet, from the standpoint of Quality of Food, I would have to say that this year we produced the best barbecue we’ve ever made at this event.  Yes, I know I’m not a disinterested party, but I know what good is... and our stuff was good.  No: It was superb.

Our beans had great flavor, with a touch of Tennessee whiskey and a hint of habañero to provide a pleasant, punchy piquancy.  The ribs had the right balance of smoke and spice.  And the brisket... ohhhh, the brisket.  A monster eleven-pounder, it came out of the smoker jacketed with a gorgeous layer of smoke and bark.  It was amazingly moist and tender, yet not overcooked and falling apart.  If I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t change a single thing.

BBQ Beans
The beans were kicked up with a judicious dose of Jack Daniels, garlic, onion, and both jalapeño and habañero peppers.

 BBQ Brisket
The bark is part of the bite: A gorgeous beef brisket. Too bad you can’t smell it over the Internet.

My teammates - Job Johnny and the inimitable Bartimus Magnificus - will back me up.  My thanks to both of them for helping make this a memorable weekend... even without the trophical trinkets.

Moshe Ribeinu
(What we look like when Bartimus is not standing on tiptoes and Johnny and I aren’t crouching.)

8 comments:

Richmond said...

That looks like delicious fun! :)

Claude said...

I...CAN...SMELL...IT! And even taste it, via your scrumptious description, photos and the triumphant smile of the three chefs! Never mind the brass. You earned a triple bravo from your fans and readers.

Rahel said...

Oh... yum, yum, yum....

Mike in Mis'sippi said...

Nummers! So when can we expect the Big Book of BBQ, complete with recipes and pics?

Fiona Kathleen Hogan said...

That brisket looks amazing! Yes yes, I *can* smell it from here :D

gerald said...

is that a tilly? oh and the bbq looks good too..

Elisson said...

@Gerald - Yes, that is indeed a Tilley... just bought it a month ago, the first one I have ever owned. So far, I am very pleased with it.

As for the BBQ, it tasted even better than it looked, although I acknowledge that I am not a completely disinterested party.

Claude said...

It's my Tilley Canadian hat. I KNEW IT. I lift mine on the side. Best hat in the world. You'll never be sorry!