BBQgeek

10 Things I Like About the Bubba Keg Grill

1.  Efficiency - The Bubba Keg Grill is extremely well insulated and this results in high fuel efficiency.  You will use much less charcoal than you are used to with a standard grill.

2.  The Side Tables - The pop off design of the side tables is awesome, especially when compared to other kamado style cookers.

3.  The Two Level Grilling Surface - With a simple quarter turn of the cast iron grill surface, you can lower your grate closer to your coals.

4.  The Add-on Grill Grate -  The Bubba Keg allows you to expand your grilling surface by 2x by simply popping in the second grill grate.

5.  The Grill Tool - The multi-purpose grilling tool allows you to adjust your grate, dampers, and clean out your ash.  Very smart.

6.  The Trailer Hitch Attachment - Genius.  Sure to be a favorite with the tailgaiting crowd.

7.  The Built In Wheels - It is very easy to move the Bubba Keg around.  Try that with a Egg.

8.  The Bottle Openers - A gadget for sure, but I dig it.

9.  The Materials - The Bubba Keg is really well made.  No question about it.

10. The Name - How can you not love a grill called the Bubba Keg?

Bubba Keg Grill Shootout - The Bubba Keg vs. The Chargriller and Kingsford Charcoal with Hickory vs. Kingsford Competition Charcoal

I recently received a Bubba Keg Convection Grill for evaluation purposes and have been putting it through its paces to see how it performs.  After some initial struggles, I decided to use the first nice weekend day to stage a cookoff.  "In this corner....weighing 50 pounds....the Bubba Keg Convection Grill...."  You get the idea.  I wanted to put this newcomer - this unknown, untested cooker - up against my tried and true Chargriller Smokin' Pro.  A simple enough premise, but it lacked a little zing.  I badly needed a hook.  Then it came to me.  I have been playing with all these new charcoals that Kingsford has introduced this season.  I would do a showdown at High Noon between not only the cookers BUT the charcoal as well.  It's a two-for Tuesday (except that it is a Saturday...meh)!  I would pair the Bubba Keg Grill with the Kingsford with Hickory (reasons to be explained later) and the Chargriller with the Kingsford Competition Briquettes.  The stage was set.  The cage had been lowered onto the ring and this was to be a no-holds barred battle royale (Rick Flair where are you???).  Continue reading the  Bubba Keg Grill Shootout here...

How to Grill Ramps

 

If you spend a lot of time reading food writing, you know it is practically impossible this time of year to avoid writer after writer rhapsodizing on about the ethereal quality of ramps, the wild cousin of the leek.  I don't disagree with these journalists at all.  Ramps are absolutely wonderful.   Ramp's six to eight week annual availability certainly lends mystique.  But do we really need two dozen articles a week telling us about their unique status in the food chain?  Why aren't there more useful articles on how to cook ramps?   So, I've decided to give you a simple and easy to follow guide on how to prepare and grill your fresh ramps in under 5 minutes.  For my money, grilling ramps is the ultimate bang for your buck when it comes to these pungent little weeds.  Continue reading How to Grill Ramps here....

Cookout Capitals List 2009

So, the email bucket has been overflowing this year with interesting information on all things BBQ/grilling.  I received a list today of the top 100 cookout capitals in the US produced by the folks over at Blue Rhino, purveyors of top line propane.  Here is the criteria for inclusion on the list:

"The list, in its third year, ranks markets with populations equal to or greater than 99,000 based on the number of ideal grilling days reported during the months of May through August, which are defined as days under 90 degrees and having no precipitation. Weather data was compiled from the National Weather Service."

Cities one through five are all located in CA, with the number one position going to Los Angeles.  You have to crawl all the way down to number twenty two before a East Coast city makes its way onto the list - Philadelphia, PA (really?).  A true southern city finally makes a showing at number thirty eight - Charlotte, NC.  Atlanta came in fifty sixth.

While lists are really fun, I think a few key criteria may have been overlooked.  First, ANY day is a good day for grilling.  Any John Doe can BBQ/grill on a sunny day.  Try it on Xmas eve when it is 22 degrees and rainy and you have a 15 lb. pork shoulder on the smoker at midnight cooking for Xmas dinner the next day.  THAT is cooking.   The ninety degree cutoff will certainly anger a few swamp rats in Florida who cook some righteous BBQ.  I'm not sure if you actually get days under 90 degrees in Florida between May and August.....which leads me to the most vexing part.  Miami is number 100.  How did Miami make the list?  Last time I checked you could get to Cuba from Miami via innertube if you could paddle a mere 90 miles.

Anyway, like any good list it should provoke lots of discussion.  Check out the whole list here .

Are you a home cooking star?

I received a note from the fine folks over at homecookingstar alerting me to the fact that they are currently running an interesting web-based reality show that focuses on.......wait for it..........almost here.......BBQ sauce.  The basic premise of the show is that they will select 100 original sauces from across the country and have them compete against each other.  It appears that you have to garner local support to advance in the competition, which culminates with a cook off.  Submissions are accepted by Twitter.  The first webisode runs in June.  The winner gets a deal to produce and mass market their original sauce.   I'm a little thrown off by the over-produced demo video, but I really am interested in whether these guys can make this contest work.  It kinda reminds me of the Project Greenlight premise of anyone could possibly make the next great movie, or in this case BBQ sauce.  So, if you think you've got the goods, by all means go ahead and submit your recipe.  And if you are in GA, please make sure to let me know so we can start a local campaign to bring the title home.

Bubba Keg Grill Price Drop!

I just received word that the fine folks at Bubba Keg will be reducing the price of their Convection Grill from $799 to $599.  Also, the grills will now be available at Sam's Club in addition to the Home Depot.