Friday, March 12, 2010

Stan Van Gundy Gives Players 'Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook' To Read During Road Trip

Stan Van Gundy Gives Players 'Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook' To Read During Road Trip

March 12, 2010 | Issue 46•10 Onion Sports
Van Gundy

ORLANDO, FL—Continuing a tradition that stretches back to his early years with the Miami Heat, Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy routinely presents his players with classic barbecue cookbooks to inspire them and provide insights during road trips.
During the team's long West Coast swing in December, Dwight Howard was given Barbecue America: A Pilgrimage In Search Of America's Best Barbecue, while Vince Carter was seen reading Cheryl Jamison's 400-page tome Sublime Smoke: Bold New Flavors Inspired By The Old Art Of Barbecue. And in a clear attempt to get J.J. Redick to tap into the success of his Duke-playing days, Van Gundy gave the Magic guard Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces: 175 Make-Your-Own Sauces, Marinades, Dry Rubs, Wet Rubs, Mops, And Salsas.
But for their upcoming three-game sojourn away from the friendly confines of Amway Arena, the spiritual Van Gundy—known throughout the league as a barbecue pit master—bucked the tradition of handing out personalized volumes and made the unorthodox choice of giving all his players the same book to read: Ray Lampe's Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook.
"Our guys need to have a singular mind-set. They need to understand the oneness that can be achieved between man and slow-cooked, mouthwatering meats," Van Gundy told reporters over three dozen hot wings at Wing Zone, a downtown Orlando eatery, Tuesday. "This book is written by a true champion, someone who can give our players the courage and insight they need to smoke an entire pig for a feast that family and friends will never forget."
"And, um, make a title run," added Van Gundy, reaching for more napkins.
Throughout his six-year head coaching career, Van Gundy has separated himself from his colleagues not just with his impressive record, but with a Zen-like commitment to getting his players to think about the world of barbecue in a different way.
Orlando Magic players have said that Van Gundy is always finding new ways to motivate his team, whether showing them inspirational footage of his 23-year-old self receiving his official barbecue-competition judge's certificate, or canceling practice altogether to take them to a classic Kansas City rib joint.
During their victory over the Lakers last Sunday, Van Gundy called a timeout for a quick meditation and breathing session, encouraging his players to remember the aroma of the plate of brisket he ate during halftime.
"He preaches patience," guard Jason Williams said. "Whenever we're rushing things on offense, he'll always tell us to slow down and imagine the poise and control it took for some of the country's greatest barbecue chefs to infuse their pork rib slabs with a handcrafted spice blend, refrigerate them in marinade for 12 hours, massage them, and then patiently cooking them 'low and slow' for another 10 hours at 250 degrees."
Van Gundy reportedly promised his team that Dr. BBQ's Big-Time Barbecue Cookbook will force them to step outside themselves and ask metaphysical questions about the cooking style, such as: What is the true difference between grilling and barbecuing? What is the best barbecue smoker to buy, and how do I use it to its full potential? When can you trust your own instincts to predict a beef brisket's marbleization, and when do you enlist the wisdom of others? And most importantly, what are the secrets to becoming a true barbecue champion?"
Van Gundy said he believes the 320-page volume will help his team reach a state of barbecue enlightenment.
"There are some parts that are a little tough to wade through, like when Dr. BBQ talks about the difference between cooking over logs and charcoal, but there's a saying: Open a book, open your mind," Van Gundy told reporters. "And I think the message of this book is that you can achieve your dreams without spending thousands of dollars on a high-end grill or barbecue pit."
"In here," Van Gundy said while holding the sauce-stained book, "are lessons they will never forget."
"It's helpful," said forward Matt Barnes, noting that the book had inspired more than a few locker-room discussions. "It certainly got me thinking in ways I wouldn't have otherwise. But I don't know if I believe in all that mumbo jumbo, especially the stuff about aluminum foil ruining the bark of the meat."
Though Van Gundy's methods have been effective, he says that he hasn't let his reputation as a pit guru go to his head. In his office, a message tacked to his wall reads: "There are no barbecue masters. There is only masterful barbecue."
"'Barbecue master' is a contradiction," Van Gundy said. "No one ever truly masters it.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Man Tested Recipes

Allrecipes.com has recently launched a new site geared towards men.


The firm said the new site--ManTestedRecipes.com--targets men who want to spice up their "man cave meals", and who are looking for recipes for such things as the Super Bowl or poker night. The site caters to the stereotype of the steak eating meat BBQ lover, with such features as a way to post photos of "flame-charred" creations.



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Monday, March 8, 2010

20 Sizzling US Barbecue Blogs

UK site that listed US bbq blogs, Number 20  is a good one ;)

We had some excellent feedback on last week’s post ‘37 Great Gardening Blogs‘, so we’ve decided to put together another collection, this time with a more specific theme – barbecues.
Those long summer nights might seem a long way away right now, but there’s no harm in getting a few pointers in advance from the people in the know.
Here’s a list of 20 brilliant barbecue blogs from the US:
1. Patio Daddio BBQ – Musings of barbecue, cooking and life – served hot, fresh and saucy by John Dawson, an active member of the Kansas City Barbeque Society.
2. All Things Barbecue – Rod & Sheri Gray began competing in BBQ competitions back in 2001 They cater, teach, and promote barbeque as America’s cuisine and this is their amazing blog.
3. BBQ Blog – Learn about anything and everything to do with barbecues from the ‘BBQ Guy’ himself, Brian Pearcy; writer of more than 725 articles about bbq cooking and winner of numerous awards for his famous spice rubs.
4. Slap Yo Daddy BBQ Blog – The online journal of a two-person competition BBQ team from Diamond Bar, California. A great blog about people who really love barbecue.
5. I QUE – Stories about experimental cooking and another blogger who hits the BBQ competition trail.
6. Nibble Me This – Blogger Chris admits that he’s had no culinary training at all. He just loves to barbecue! This fantastic blog is jam-packed with all kinds of clever tips and delicious recipes.
7. Full Custom Gospel BBQ – A blog dedicated to praising those that have mastered the art of barbecue, visiting and reviewing restaurants throughout Texas. You’ll also find some useful tips about what makes good BBQ.
8. Fat Johnny’s Front Porch – Blogger Johnny invites you to ‘pull up a chair and sit yerself in the shade fer a spell’ as he tells you about his life in Topeka, Kansas, which involves grilling all kinds of delicious food over charcoals.
9. Carolina Sauce Company – The Carolina Sauce Company wants to put an end to boring food by offering the best zesty, full-flavored and fiery barbecue sauces from North Carolina. This is their blog all about their authentic sauces.
10. Q Haven BBQ Blog – Ted Lorson’s stories from the world of competition BBQ. A superb blog from a dedicated barbecue enthusiast.
11. LiveFire – Food explored in areas of traditional barbecuing and grilling. An inventive BBQ blog with lots of stunning photography on show.
12. BigMista’s BBQ Blog – Keep up to date with the goings on of barbecue vendors and husband-and-wife team, Neil and Phyllis Strawder. There’s some great stories to read about and even the odd bit of advice shared.
13. You Gonna Eat That? – Professor Salt, who is part of the ‘Four Q’ Barbecue team, shares his thoughts on food and all things barbecue.
14. Soul Fusion Kitchen – Recipes, cooking tips and much more from barbecue enthusiast Sylvie. Some really good stuff on this blog and definitely worth a read.
15. Only BBQ Ribs – A blog dedicated entirely to reviewing BBQ restaurants on their pork spare ribs. If you’re thinking of grilling your own, you’ll pick up some valuable pointers on this useful little blog.
16. Sizzle on the Grill – Barbecue expert CB shares his wealth of grilling knowledge with the world and if you’ve got a specific question, you can even ask  him directly. A brilliant blog and an excellent read.
17. Don O.’s Texas BBQ Blog – Don loves barbecue and always wanted to spend some vacation time sampling the best BBQ joints in Texas. A few years ago, he (along with his friend Scott) started doing just that and have been doing it every year since. This blog shares the stories behind their “Calories and Cholesterol Tours”.
18. Man Up: Tales of Texas BBQ – Texas is the home of great barbecue and the author of this excellent blog covers the whole state, sharing all kinds of BBQ related tales.
19. Barbecue Grills Plus – The goal of this superb blog, authored by Oregon-based Thom Richards, is to discover and pass on really simple BBQ recipes.
20. BBQ Illuminati – A humorous take on the world of competition barbecue from cooking team ‘R2-BQ’.