The Gas Grill Review and Gas Grill Rating Guide - Helping you choose the Best Gas Grill

Interview With WhiteTrashBBQ

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My interview with WhiteTrashBBQ (WTBBQ) came about as I scoured the best barbecue blogs on the Internet. His is definitely one of them. And I found it so interesting because Robert is from New York City; Brooklyn to be exact. Not where you would typically expect to find a BBQ enthusiast, but who am I to say?

WTB is the organizer of the only barbecue competition in NYC, which is coming up this next weekend (April 4, 2009) so he was very generous to take time out of his preparations to answer a few of my probing questions!

So let's get on with the interview! Oh by the way, Robert Fernandez, the man behind the moniker is also known as BrooklynQ.

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GGR: NYC only has one barbecue competition and you're one of the organizers. Since it raises money for the St Mark School, can you tell us a little more about the school?

GGR: I'm from Cleveland originally and we would have a couple of rib cook-offs each year (at least for awhile). I realize ribs are not a complete barbecue competition but what's up with NYC?

GGR: I've found there are some deep running feelings about gas grills in the barbecue community. Is there ever a time when a gas grill will do the trick (outside of smoking)?

WTBBQ: Sure, sometimes a gas grill will work. For instance if you're doing an item that you don't want that great wood/charcoal taste, something light like fish, then I'd use a gas grill. But I like that great grilled over an open fire taste on just about everything, so it's very rare for me to use a gas grill. In fact, I don't own one.

The reason that gas grills are so controversial in the BBQ community stems more from the confusion between grilling and barbecue. Grilling is cooking fast over high heat. Barbecue is cooking slow over low heat. The traditional heat source for BBQ is wood. Charcoal came later and now people are even using wood pellets and wood dust. You should hear the arguments over that. I use wood and charcoal when I cook. I think nothing else creates the flavor I'm looking for.

Until recently most gas grills on the market were unable to hold a low temperature for a long time. That's changed and you're beginning to see gas used in some competitions. Personally, I'm staying with wood and charcoal

GGR: What's the barbecue restaurant scene like in NYC? Are they hard to find? I noticed your list of recommended barbecue joints doesn't seem to zero in on NYC.

WTBBQ: BBQ has taken over the NY restaurant scene. Last year it was all the rage with new places opening almost daily. Manhattan has the best barbecue in New York with RUB and Daisy May's leading the pack, in my opinion.

The Brooklyn BBQ scene is really based more in the hipster areas of Brooklyn like Williamsburg with places like Fette Sau and Char No. 4. The Kings County BBQ Truck just relocated from Coney Island to Bed Stuy and I need to check them out.

The Water Front Ale House on Atlantic Avenue is the best barbecue place in Brooklyn by far. Now I haven't been to all of the BBQ joints in NYC, so that opinion may change and new places are opening all the time.

Speaking of new places, I'm really looking forward to Fatty Q that Rob Richter and Zak Pelaccio are opening. Robbie has been a big help to me in my own barbecue career and he's easily the most lauded barbecue chef in NY.

If you're looking for a great listing of Barbecue places check out Pigtrip.net. (http://www.pigtrip.net) Gary has the most authoritative list I've ever seen and his reviews are usually spot on.

GGR: What gets you more excited, a restless night while you smoke a 10 pound pork butt, or grilling up a dry chicken breast in 10 minutes?

GGR: You put up a lot of recipes on your blog. I'm not looking for a recipe, but can you share a barbecue tip, or grilling tip, that the average backyard chef may not know?

GGR: Since my site does product reviews, I always ask what your favorite grill, grill/smoker, or smoker is. What do you use in your competitions and what do you use at home and what do you find so good about it/them?

WTBBQ: Well, my competition grills and my home grills are one in the same. I use my Weber Kettle the most often. It's the most versatile grill I own. It can grill and smoke easily. It's the cooker that got me interested in real barbecue in the first place.

My absolute favorite for long overnight cooks or when I need to get other things done is my Weber Smokey Mountain, or more commonly know as the bullet. You can load that beast up with charcoal and wood, get it to the proper temperature and walk away for 10 to 12 hours. It's amazing.

I also use a Char-Broil Double Door cooker which has an offset fire box. That's my baby when I want to play. All of the offset cookers require a lot of fire tending. But I love building fires, so it's like therapy to me.

I recently received a Bubba Keg to try out. (http://www.bubbakeg.com) This thing is based on the old Japanese pot cookers and looks like a keg on steroids. I can't wait to try it out. Reviews on the blog (http://whitetrashbbq.blogspot.com) soon.

GGR: Are you competing in Grillin' on the Bay and if so, how do you plan to take down SIDE this year?

Smoke In Da Eye - Defending Champion!
Purple Turtle Caterers - Returning Champions from the first Grillin' On The Bay.
Beer Belly Porkers featuring Sheepshead Bay own Jim Ryan
iQue featuring Andy O. C. Husbands of the award winning Tremont647
Ribs Within featuring Doug Kieles of New Jersey's Grub Hut
King's County BBQ Truck Brooklyn's newest BBQ restaurant
Josh Ozersky of the Feedbag formerly of Grub Street with a special guest
Wildwood BBQ featuring Big Lou Elrose with Robbie Richter, former Pitmaster of Hill Country and winner of the American Royal in the chicken category
Moose's Mayhem
Atom's Ribs featuring Matt Fisher, former Pitmaster of Wildwood
BBQ NYC
Team Agave featuring Steve Farrrin of the American Royal team - I Smell Smoke
Ma's Cue Crew
Transformer BBQ
Smoke On The Water
Porkaholics
Rb's BBQ
Pearl Lee Q's
Eat A Donut

I tell you it's gonna be a great day.

If there's anyone interested in attending Grillin' On The Bay and The Brooklyn Chili Smack Down, it takes place on April 4, 2009 in St. Mark's Schoolyard on the corner of East 18th Street and Avenue Z. Gates open at 6:00 am, but the real fun starts around noon when the cooks begin turning in their food for judging.

Atom's Ribs featuring the award winning barbecue of Matt Fisher will be selling food all day.

We also have a people's choice chili contest where the public can sample all the chilies for only $10. That runs from 1:00 until 4:00.

See you there!

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