Craic on the Grand!

Side Dish

JR — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 13:30:47 +0000

The grill is smoking! All that is missing is that secret ingredient.

Check out Dangermuffin. Self described as "sand-blasted roots rock with a sweet jam spread"

Roots, Americana, Folk, Rock, Country….just reviewed their new CD Moonscapes for WYCE.

4th of July Primer- Part I

JR — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 23:45:26 +0000

This update will focus on the big three: recipes, grills and meats.

You can trust me on these.

For interesting recipes and ideas: Bon Appetit mis amigos! (no hablo frances…) Pretty much a slam-dunk. Very good, searchable archive of recipes. I've used many.

Looking to buy a new grill? In my book , two safe choices:

Weber

Big Green Egg

Where to get them? For Weber, in Grand Rapids, MI, I would recommend either Rylee's Hardware or Kingsland Hardware. (please, tell Sandy at Kingsland, to get a website…..)

For The Big Green Egg, Herman's Boy in Rockford, MI. Tell them JR, Rockford's original "outdoor cook" sent you!

Why? Quality, value and performance. I have cooked on Weber and The Big Green Egg. Best of show.

How about local meat and produce. (Although focused on west Michigan for now, Certified Grilladelic recommendations are welcome from any hamlet in the world. Just send me some information, reasons why this store is "Certified Grilladelic" and we will make sure the word gets out.)

So here we go: (in no particular order)

Kingmas on Plainfield. My go-to store. Top sirloin, sausages, smoked porkchops, boneless turkey breasts and their sausages are outstanding

Van Balls on Plainfield. Old school. Cash or check only. Usually have skirt and flat iron steaks in the cooler.

Storeys in Cedar. Friend Aaron Kamphuis recommends. Good enough for me.

Sobies Meat in Walker. Damn the Smokin' Scotsmen! (They are a tough team to beat on the KCBS circuit) Nice meat market and the owner is the saxophonist in Mid Life Crisis.

Big Top Friend Bruce Benson just recommended this place to me. Bruce is a grilling protege of Aarons.

Montellos in Holland Previously reviewed by Grilladelic.

Birds Farm Meats- Howard City Another Kamphuis recommendation. Almost mythical reputation.

Poindexters in Rockford New kid on the block. Sources some meat from Snake River Farms is what I was told. Talking Waygu.

The Grist Mill in Cannonsburg Don and Gordie. One of the few places with authentic tri-tip in the cooler.

Besides great quality and selection, these establishments also offer a good selection of other essentials. Primer II will focus on accessories, sauces, marinades and rubs.

Sum Ergo Barbecuemos!

Help!!

JR — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:42:02 +0000

All Points Bulletin

A Grilladelic enthusiast from the U.K. just sent me an urgent request: where can he find a Weber Grill Wok!

It's been a few years since I sold Weber products, and I did not realize the wok had become an endangered specie. It appears to be as rare as a snow leopard. Yikes!

The grill wok has always flown under the radar as an essential grilling and bbq tool (I can tell you first hand, the wok is amazing) but it looks like Weber has discontinued manufacturing it.

I am confident that the wok exists somewhere in the Grilladelic Nation. But where?

Can anyone help my friend in the U.K.??

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce

Ball-B-Q

JR — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:09:04 +0000

Wanted:

Ball-B-Q

Does anyone have one of these units tucked away in a garage, attic or storage facility?

I saw guy cooking with one the other day and immediately decided that it was too cool for school- and I needed one. Real bad.

Online searches have been disappointing. Kind of rare.

All leads are appreciated

(a funny anecdote: http://honeymoonphase.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/tag-sale-find-the-ball-bq/)

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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My Name is John. I am a BBQ Nerd

JR — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 01:14:16 +0000

Here are a few random pictures from the Modern Hardware Cookoff.

It is totally different from a KCBS event, but who cares about KCBS? Alas, only BBQ nerds like myself.

How did we do? Since it is World Cup soccer time, I would say Team Grilladelic = England's football team.

Oy vey.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce

Weber iPhone App

JR — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:41:13 +0000

Anyone with experience with the Weber App?

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101 Recipes for the Grill

JR — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:16:40 +0000

Bon Appetit. has a nice set of recipes for anyone looking for inspiration.

IMHO, Bon Appetit is always Certified Grilladelic

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/grilling/index/index_20100420

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce

Dailey’s Kitchen

JR — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:48:26 +0000

Just discovered a hidden gem in downtown Allegan: Dailey’s Kitchen. 100% Certified Grilladelic

You sit, order and eat in a kitchen. Literally. It is tight quarters with a basic menu but very fresh ingredients: Us, “are the tomatoes fresh?” Them: “Jack just got them at the farmer’s market”. Nice.

I had a terrific reuben,,,and as a reuben snob, this was top notch, especially with the homemade 1000 Island dressing. Scot’s veggie pizza was a work of art. Perhaps the biggest compliment; my brother’s take on the potato salad, “tastes just like mom’s” (trust me on this, compliments like this do not come often)

My prediction, you will be hearing great things about Dailey’s Kitchen soon, probably in the same breath as other small town eateries like Salt of the Earth and The London Grill.

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce

Grand Rapids BBQ- A Review of Sandmanns

JR — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:45:31 +0000

I've delayed reviewing the local BBQ scene, but GRGrub is certainly one of the best sources of honest reviews of west Michigan food establishments.

Take this with a grain of kosher salt, because I have not eaten at Sandmanns yet, but the "word-on-the-street" among a few barbecue aficionado is that, even though Sandmanns is good, it doesn't have that wood infused, smoky "low-and-slow" taste to it. Which is also a common symptom of all Grand Rapids BBQ joints. That style of BBQ is just not in our DNA.

I suppose it is a business issue. It is certainly not very economical to use a wood-burner with 6-18 hour cooks to produce your pulled pork and brisket. Right?

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce

The Cole Slaw Chronicles: Part II

JR — Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:30:08 +0000

I stumbled on this recipe and it tastes, like it sounds… (need to use a little imagination here) this could be the recipe. I like the turbinado sugar, olive oil, the two different kinds of vinegars and the simplicity.

Posted via email from johnrumery’s in search of the secret sauce