Ubon's and Jubon's

David Rosen, long time resident of New York City, raised in the metro area, had just finished standing in a very long line for a plate of Memphis style pulled pork from Ubon’s Barbeque at the 2007 Big Apple Barbeque Block Party in Madison Square Park. He commented to one of the guys pulling pork, "This is terrific." Allen Campbell, member of the Ubon's cooking team, replied, “You know, you’re eating that all wrong….” David responded "then I'll get back in line and do it the right way." After all, he wanted to experience barbeque the way it’s intended. Instead Allen brought David up onto the trailer, within arm's length of Ubon's smokers, and taught him - everything on the plate, goes on the bun - especially the cole slaw. David and his family spent the next 4 hours visiting with Allen, Garry Roark, Leslie Roark Scott, and Brian Campbell. And so, an obsession began.

Ubon’s Barbeque was invited to join Danny Meyer’s Big Apple Barbeque Block Party in 2004. Danny's dream was to help New Yorkers come to love the kind of BBQ he grew up on by inviting top pitmasters from across the country to the Madison Avenue festival. “We were completely honored and totally unprepared for what we were getting into,” says Pitmaster Garry Roark. Roark’s Ubon’s Restaurant, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, had been open for almost a year when Garry and his daughter Leslie headed to the Big Apple for the first time. “We were so nervous about how we would be received. It’s hard to explain a serious relationship with barbeque to people who think cooking a hot dog on a grill is barbeque,” says Leslie Roark Scott, “but from the very start we were treated like rock stars!”

David, Allen and Leslie stayed in touch and the Ubon’s family invited him to bring some friends to the Memphis in May World BBQ Championship in 2008. The New York boys booked hotels and got their airfare; they were coming to Memphis. But, they didn't know what to expect. They actually made back-up plans just in case they felt uncomfortable or "in the way." What they found was the complete opposite! The hospitality extended past a friendship and into the realm of family.

Three weeks after MIM 2008, on a sunny, hot NYC June day, David and his future teammates: Brian Jay, Adam Rosen and Bob-O Livingston, suited up in cotton and disposable gloves and joined Ubon’s on Madison Avenue for the 2008 Big Apple Barbeque Block Party. “You entertain friends…you make family work,” said Garry. David and his friends found that their passing interest in the art of barbeque had turned into a passion for smoke.

Over the next year, plans were made for Jubon's (David and his friends) to enter Memphis In May’s 2009 “Patio Porkers Division” and cook ribs to be judged. They chose the name Jubon’s in honor of their mentors and their heritage. First, t-shirts were made, then, the rub and ribs were developed and perfected. Ubon’s helped get a smoker, tent, tables, fence, Ubon's BBQ Sauce and raw ribs to Memphis. Jubon’s weathered rain, wind, mud, heat, humidity, and a new smoker, not to mention putting together a blind-box for the first time. They had great ribs, but didn’t make it to the Finals. They missed being in the top three by 0.3 of a point (which they would learn after the awards ceremony).

Ubon’s, cooking in the Professional Shoulder Category, made Finals! This would be their 3rd trip to the Finals in 18 years. Their Finals' presentation began and ended with hoards of people wearing Ubon's and Jubon's shirts cheering, yelling and clapping on the muddy walk out in front of the booth. Ubon’s made it to the big stage with a 3rd place win.

Then, out of nowhere, a little bird brought great news for those four Jewish kids from NYC, Jubon’s would get up on stage too. The boys from NYC received a 4th place trophy! When asked what a Jubon's is, David replied “We’re four Jewish kids from New York City cooking barbeque in the Deep South -- At least the salt is kosher!"

With MIM 2009 still fresh in their memories, Ubon's focus has already turned to packing up the trucks and trailers and making the long drive back to the 2009 Big Apple Barbeque Block party the weekend of June 13-14. Its just around the corner. Aside from getting to see their new family and friends, Garry Roark says, “Come on, we’re a bunch of Mississippi Rednecks cooking barbeque in the big city This is what barbeque is all about.”

Jack Daniels World Championship BBQ

Ubon's was one of 78 teams drawn to participate in the 20th annual Jack Daniels World Championship BBQ Contest. This invitation only contest featured teams from all over the world. We were one of 2 teams from Mississippi. We were in good company. I think we felt a little intimidated as soon as we pulled up next to the creek there in Lynchburg. We were fairly prepared to face the weather: 55 degrees and raining. Much different from where we qualified: 115 and sunny. I think we represented Mississippi well. We brought home a 2nd place trophy in the Jack Daniels Pork category.

We went old school. Warm Ubon's painted it onto our pork entry. Ain't no school like the old school.

Diamond D got me thinking!

This Barbeque Season has been busy for us. We've cooked in: Vidalia, LA (1st place hog), Madison, MS (2nd ribs, 3rd shoulder) and Cleveland, MS (4th rib, 1st hog, Grand Champions). It's been a good season and will continue to be as we get ready to head to the Jack next week.

We've touched base with some old friends and reestablished some old relationships. We've had time to strengthen our family/barbeque family relationships as well. This was our 13th year with the Campbell family. Our team has also met and gotten to know some new faces. We've spent the last weekend with our new team member Reggie. Reggie is awesome and I can't wait for you to meet him if you haven't already.

The last 3 weekends we've spent with Dr. Swinestein and Diamond D. These are some of the most amazing folks you'll run into. They are good spirited, funny and very talented.

Michael Wayne (Diamond D) started talking about his mama's Green Chili. I have been thinking about it for days now. Tracy (Diamond D also...and one of the finest bbq chicks ever) found me this recipe and I think it will be friday night supper for the crowd:

Sun of Nikki Chili Verde

Instructions:

Heat 2 tbsp Wesson oil
Brown 3 pounds cubed pork loin
Add ½ diced Vidalia onion
Add 1 can chicken broth
Add 3 tablespoons chicken base
Add 1 tablespoon hot Italian sausage mix
Bring to a boil - cook for 45 minutes

Dice one 27 oz can of green chili peppers

Then add 1/3 of green peppers with the following ingredients
½ lb tomatillos diced
5 Serrano peppers diced
2 packets of surgar
1.5 teaspoons garlic granules
1 teaspoon celery salt
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon cumin
4 jalapenos diced
1 can green enchilada sauce
6 tablespoons goya recaito sauce

Continue to cook for 1 hour then add the following ingredients:
1/3 of green peppers
1 teaspoon of hot green chili powder
1 teaspoon of mild green chili powder
2 teaspoons of cumin

30 minutes later add the following ingredients:
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 dash of hot green chili powder
1/3 chopped green peppers
Salt to taste
Cook additional 15-20 minutes

Ready to serve!

YUM! I'll let you know how it turns out.

Thanks Tracy!

Crab Bisque

Sunday night we had about a pound and a half of hand picked snow crab meat. I decided to make one of my favorite things...bisque.

I needed some seafood shells to make this work so I started a veloute:

1 stick of butter. 1/2 cup of flour. melt and stir until blonde. Add beef or chicken stock and allow to simmer. season. In a separate pot add olive oil and allow to heat. To the heated oil add coarsely chopped carrots, celery, and onion. Once they have browned, add shells from 2 lbs of shrimp/crab. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 2 teaspoon of paprika and continue to brown. Add 1 cup of white type wine to deglaze. AFter deglazing add your veloute.

This mixture needs to cook for about 45 minutes. add seasonings of choice and continue to taste through the process. After 45 minutes push your bisque through a sieve. it's important to both drain and to push all available flavor through.

Return to stove and continue to heat. Add 1/2 cup of cream. once the bisque is steaming add thawed corn, about a cup, cooked crab meat and shrimp. This will only need to heat gently. adjust seasoning with worchestishire, seasoned salt.

drizzle with sherry.

Yum. It's a little labor intensive but 100% worth the work.

The Jack and The Story

Today is a good day! We found out late this afternoon that we've been drawn for The Jack Daniels World Championship Barbeque Contest. This is a pretty big deal! It's been at least 10 years since our last trip to The Jack. This invitation only contest is held in Lynchburg, TN on the grounds of the world famous Jack Daniels Distillery.

On our last outing to The Jack I was still playing with our ribs. Heath and I decided that this was as good a time as any to do a bit of experimentation and for some reason we thought tequila flavored beer would be the key to winning. We came in last. Dead Last. Granted it was in a field of talented professionals, but still. LAST. I'll admit it: I cried. Like a whiney titty baby. If you think there's no crying in bbq, you're wrong. It was like being the last place Ms. Universe contestant. You know you can't be that bad, but you're still the biggest loser in the world.

About a month ago my daddy and I recorded an interview with The Story's Dick Gordon.
Daddy let me do most of the talking. OK, I did nearly all of the talking because I occasionally like to be the center of attention. Ha! The interview airs tomorrow night at 7:00 on Mississippi Public Broadcasting. If you can't catch this tomorrow night, please download the podcast.

A busy weekend

My cousin got married and Jacob was in the wedding. We catered both the wedding and the rehearsal. We had a great time. The wedding was beautiful. My friend Melanie handled all of the flowers and I think we made a good team! Most of the food was stuff you've seen the recipe here for. Except:

Marinated Cheese Salad:
1 lb cubed cheddar cheese, 1lb cubed pepper jack cheese, 1 can black olives, 1 can of artichoke hearts, 1 jar of roasted red peppers, 1 jar of green olives, 1 jar of pickled mushrooms. Mix together. For the marinade: 1 bottle of balsamic vinegar, 1 bottle of red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 package ranch dressing seasoning, 1/2 cup of season 'tup. Allow to soak for at least 24 hours. If you're going to hold this salad for a while...and it will hold for a good while, wait for about 2 hours before serving to add cheese. It will start to dry out after a day or so.

Monday was Labor Day AND Jacob's birthday. We had a weekend of party food. Not that there's anything wrong with that!


Today, I felt a little down. I think sometimes that happens when I've been blown away and busy. When I've accomplished everything I needed to and have the chance to decompress, I find that the slow pace can be mistaken for being down. So tonight we needed something hearty, something different. I think mixed influences and took fusion to the limit. I'm thinking this was Greek sauce, Middle Eastern Meatballs and Semi-Indian vegetables. But, it seemed to work.

Sauce:
Blend together: 1 small container of cottage cheese, 1 cucumber, seeded, 1/2 cup of mint, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of milk. It was simple and a great dipping sauce for the meatballs. I think it would work well as a summer salad dressing too.

Meatballs:
Mix together: 1 lb of ground lamb, 1lb ground beef, 1 cup mint leaves chopped, 1 shallot chopped, 1 teaspoon cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon season 'tup. Form into a patty and skewer with 2 bamboo skewers. A small skewer will hold about 3 of these patties. Grill for about 3 or 4 minutes per side. Ours weren't quite done so we microwaved for about 2 minutes.

Vegetables: slice mushrooms, zucchini, yellow squash, red bell pepper. salt and drizzle with olive oil. Microwave for about 7 minutes. Heat 1 can of coconut milk, 1 tablespoon mint, 1 teaspoon green curry, 1 teaspoon garam masala seasoning, 1 tablespoon splenda/sugar.

I think it was just what we needed.

X MAN

X MAN