The BBQ Report

If you are a hardcore BBQ nerd, check out this new grilling gadget DIY kit. Even though cooking is an elegant art form, the at-home chef often has a number of fancy gadgets. From counter top grills to USB coolers, high end electronics have made themselves available in most aspects of modern food preparation and enjoyment.

With Father’s Day and July 4th grilling right around the corner, these guys decided to build a DIY Digital Meat Thermometer using a temperature sensor, an LCD, and a microcontroller.

In this video tutorial, the designers outline the process for building the DIY Digital Meat Thermometer. In order to speed up the measured reading, they estimate what the transfer function of the system is and use a predictive filter to “guess” what the actual temperature is at the tip of our probe.

The concepts, and the some of the intuition behind it, are presented in the video tutorial. The meat thermometer can be used with a computer to give a live temperature graph, or be used with just the LCD. Whether it’s a fathers day gift, or just a fun weekend project, this little gadget is sure to draw some attention at the next family cookout.

Full kit available.

Those crazy Bacon Salt guys are at it again! This time, they’ve somehow managed to cross breed pigs and sunflowers apparently, because now you can get their new bacon flavored sunflower seeds from Bigs.

They are actually really good. I passed a bag around the office to all my bacon loving friends, and everyone thought they were great!

The kind folks at Mug Root Beer have sent us a gift pack to give away to one lucky reader. To “enter” just post a comment to this message telling us about your Father’s Day grilling plans.

The winner will receive a gift pack featuring everything you need to make Mug Root Beer’s Souther Specialty Brew-B-Q Sauce, including some Mug Root Beer of course, all packed in a little cooler.

Mission, KAN (June 8, 2009): Team applications are now available for the annual “AT&T Battle of the Brisket” Kansas state championship barbecue contest scheduled September 18 and September 19, 2009, in Mission, Kansas, according to Suzie Gibbs, Chairman, Mission Convention and Visitors Bureau. The event is a part of the Mission’s annual “Arts & Eats Festival.”

Entry fee for team participants is $125 and inloocludes a 25’w x 18’d space (3 parking spaces). Each team must be able to fit all of its equipment, cooking devices, tents, etc. into this space. Addition 9’w x 18’w (1 parking space is $75.00.) Electricity is $25.00. Teams interested in competing must complete and submit a registration form with entry fee by Monday, August 28st, 2009 at 5:00 pm. After August 28, the entry fee will be $175.00. Applications with complete details are available on-line at www.MissionCVB.org, or by contacting Amy Richards, barbecue coordinator (913) 722-8223.

The “Battle of the Brisket” is a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned event. Ribbons and cash prizes will be given through 10th place in the categories of Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork, Beef Brisket, Side Dish and Dessert. The Grand Champion Team will receive $1,500 in cash, a plaque, and certificate. The Reserve Champion Team will receive $750 and a plaque. Teams must compete in all meat categories to be eligible to be considered for the championship designation.

The Mission Convention and Visitors Bureau was established in August 2003 by the City of Mission, Kansas to assist in the revitalization and redevelopment of the Mission business district. Responsibilities of the committee include development and administration of investment and revitalization programs for this area.

If you are serious about grilling and BBQ, you should be using lump charcoal, not briquettes. Lump charcoal it is 100% hard wood, and it burns 300-400 degrees hotter. It burns much longer and adds a real wood flavor to your food.

Briquettes appear to be more convenient, but they aren’t that much cheaper, and they contain all sorts of unappetizing ingredients like burnt peanut shells and corn husks, not to mention fillers and binders.

In particular, I like a pure mesquite charcoal like that sold by Two Tree Products under the “Best of the West” label. When grilling, this gives you a real nice flavor, and it starts quickly.

Ok, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but I bet it could even make a horrible disease taste better.

Baconnaise is the latest gem from “The Bacon Salt Guys” J&D. Delicious bacon flavored mayonnaise. Of course! Why didn’t someone think of this sooner. Mayonnaise as nature should have made it in the first place.

I don’t really even like “traditional” mayonnaise, but an egg-salad sandwich made with baconnaise, mmmmmmmm.